Environmental display system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in displaying educational material comprising means defining a representation of at least a portion of the earth'"'"'s surface said representation means having thereon fixed indicia representing fixed characteristics of the earth'"'"'s surface, a plurality of light emitting means separate from said indicia mounted on said representation means such that light emitted by said emitting means can be viewed by an observer while observing the indicia of the representation means, the light emitting means being positioned on the representation means as a substantially constantly spaced array, means for generating a plurality of patterns each constituting a simulated representation of information relating to said portion of the earth'"'"'s surface, and means for controlling illumination of said light emitting means such that the patterns are displayed sequentially to form a dynamic representation of the change of said information relative to the fixed indicia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for displaying educational material relating to environmental matters comprises a computer, a laserdisc player for extracting video and audio signals and a globe which comprises a representation of the earth with an array of constantly spaced light emitting elements arranged on the surface of the globe so they can illuminate various patterns across the earth. The computer can control the patterns in stationary or moving format to illustrate various effects for example holes in the ozone layer, movement of pollution across the earth, the depletion or tropical rain forest. The array of illuminated lights in one preferred arrangement is formed by a plurality of optical fibers which are buried in an outer surface of the globe and which are connected together at an input end receiving light from a monitor screen on which the patterns are formed. A number of different monitors are provided each for generating illumination of a portion of the globe.
39 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for use in displaying educational material comprising means defining a representation of at least a portion of the earth'"'"'s surface said representation means having thereon fixed indicia representing fixed characteristics of the earth'"'"'s surface, a plurality of light emitting means separate from said indicia mounted on said representation means such that light emitted by said emitting means can be viewed by an observer while observing the indicia of the representation means, the light emitting means being positioned on the representation means as a substantially constantly spaced array, means for generating a plurality of patterns each constituting a simulated representation of information relating to said portion of the earth'"'"'s surface, and means for controlling illumination of said light emitting means such that the patterns are displayed sequentially to form a dynamic representation of the change of said information relative to the fixed indicia.
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15. A method for displaying educational material comprising defining a representation of at least a portion of the earth'"'"'s surface having thereon fixed indicia representing fixed characteristics of the earth'"'"'s surface, providing a plurality of light emitting means separate from said indicia mounted on said representation means such that light emitted by said emitting means can be viewed by an observer while observing the indicia of the representation means, the light emitting means being positioned on the representation means as a substantially constantly spaced array, generating a plurality of patterns each constituting a simulated representation of information relating to said portion of the earth'"'"'s surface, and controlling illumination of said light emitting means such that the patterns are displayed sequentially to form a dynamic representation of the change of said information relative to the fixed indicia.
Specification