Remote control electronic display system

• US 6,215,411 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ActiveLight Incorporated (Electrograph Investment Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David L. Gothard
• Inventors: Gothard, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/500,284
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.47, 340/815.49, 340/815.6, 340/539, 340/907, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 405/41, 406/24, 409/02, 404/46, 345/328, 345/1, 345/2, 345/60-72
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

A remotely controlled electronic display sign which operates with a plasma display and which provides for humidity control and the like allowing the sign to be used in various environments. The sign is essentially self-contained and includes those components necessary for enabling a display of desired material from a remote control source. A controller in or associated with the sign is accessible either electrically, or through satellite transmission or other wireless transmission from the remote source which allows the display of the sign to be changed at will. Thus, an operator at a remote source may, with the aid of a pre-prepared graphic design, transmit that design to the controller at or associated with the sign for display of that graphic information.

Claims

1. A display sign capable of generating a static display from a received electronic signal generated at and transmitted to said sign from a remote source, said display sign comprising:

a) an outer housing;

b) a computer controlled and plasma operated flat display panel on said housing and being observable to a large number of people in a group with wide angle viewing capacity;

c) window forming means on said housing allowing said display panel to be visible to a viewer;

d) processor means within said housing and receiving an electrical signal from a remote source representative of the display to be generated, said processor means causing generation of that static display in the display panel based on the signal received from the remote source; and

e) a transparent sheet extending over and being spaced apart from said display panel to allow for a forced air flow past said panel to thereby enable a dissipation of heat from said housing and to prevent transmission of force to said relatively fragile display panel which might otherwise crack said display panel.

2. The display sign of claim 1 further characterized in that said display panel is a plasma operated display panel.

3. A display system for generating at a remote source a static non-continuous display in the form of individual fixed images for presentation on a display sign at a generally fixed location and which is electronically transmitted from the remote source to the display sign, said display system comprising:

a) display generating means at the remote source for generating a plurality of displays in the form of electronic signals capable of being transmitted;

b) means for transmitting electronic signals representative of the plurality of displays from the remote source to the display sign; and

c) a readily transportable and completely self-contained display sign positionable at a generally fixed location for operation at that fixed location and which may be located at a substantial distance from the display generating means, said display sign being operable as a self-contained unit independently of any networking for generation of displays, said display sign comprising;

1) an electronically operable flat panel display member with wide angle viewing almost independent of angle of view by an individual for displaying of advertising and other information to a large group of people simultaneously at a public facility;

2) self-contained and dedicated computer operated processing means in said display sign for generating a static display from the electronic signals; and

3) memory means in said display sign forming part of said processing means and storing information delivered from the remote source in digital signal format as digital signals and allowing the digital signals to be reconverted to visible images which are statically displayed one at a time at the display sign enabling advertising and other information to be presented for promotion of products or services on a large screen format, and where a large number of different displays stored in said memory means can be displayed at time selected periods independently of the electronic signals from the display generating means.

4. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that the electronic signals are transmitted from the remote source to the processing means through an electrical conductor.

5. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that the electronic signals are transmitted from the remote source to the processing means through a wireless transmission means.

6. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that said system comprises means in said display sign for sequencing a plurality of sequential displays which are generated at said remote source and transmitted to said display sign and which are re-generated from the stored digital signals and displayed at the display sign.

7. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that said system comprises means in the display sign and associated with the processing means for holding a plurality of displays in the form of digital signals for ultimate presentation on said display member and presentation of said displays at any of the time selected periods.

8. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that said flat panel display member is a high definition multi-color and back lighted plasma operated screen.

9. The display system of claim 3 further characterized in that said computer operated processor means comprises a memory means for storing and controlling the display of the electronic signals received from the remote source for immediate display or later display and after receipt of same, said display is independent of the remote source.

18. The display generating system of claim 6 further characterized in that said system comprises editing means operating in conjunction with said computer assist design means.

10. A method for generating a plurality of individual static displays at a remote source and electronically transmitting the displays to a readily transportable display sign located at a substantial distance from the remote source for presentation, said method comprising:

a) electronically generating a plurality of displays at a remote source with each in the form of a visual image;

b) converting the visual image to corresponding electronic signals at the remote site;

c) temporarily storing the electronic signals in a temporary storage at the remote site for potential further processing;

d) permanently storing the electronic signals at a permanent storage at the remote source for ultimate transmission to the display sign;

e) transmitting the electronic signals to a self-contained and dedicated computer processing means at the display sign and located in the display sign;

f) storing the fixed and non-continuous images of the displays in the form of digital signals in a memory means forming part of said processing means and which also forms part of the display sign;

g) positioning the display sign at a fixed location for operation at that fixed location for a display of advertising and other information to a group of people simultaneously at a public facility without need for electronic signal networking, such that the display sign operates as a self-contained and stand alone unit;

h) re-generating the display from the digital signals and statically displaying same on the display sign; and

i) automatically controlling at the display sign the time of each display and the particular display which is regenerated at the display sign enabling the advertising and other information to be presented for promotion of products and services on a large screen format.

11. The method for generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that the method comprises transmitting the electronic signals from the remote source to the display sign through an electrical conductor.

12. The method for generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that the method comprises transmitting the electronic signals from the remote source to the display sign through wireless transmission means.

13. The method for generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that the method comprises sequentially transmitting said plurality of displays from said remote source to said display sign and storing the digital signals at said memory means in said display sign, and providing display generating signals at said processing means for sequentially displaying said individual displays.

14. The method for generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that said method generates the display on a plasma operated back lighted screen.

15. The method for generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises a sequencing capability for sequentially displaying each of the individual static displays for fixed periods of time which may be determined at said remote source, and after receipt of same the display thereof is independent of the remote source.

16. The method of generating the display of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises storing at the display sign and controlling the display of an image generated from a signal received from the remote source for immediate display or later display, and after receipt of same the display thereof is independent of the remote source.

17. A display generating system for generating a static non-continuous display in electronic format and in the form of fixed images at a source remote to and transmitting same to a display sign for display on said display sign, said system comprising:

a) scanner means at the remote source for scanning a previously prepared image and providing temporary image signal;

b) a temporary storage means for receiving and temporarily holding said temporary image signal;

c) keyboard means for introducing and receiving in said temporary storage means keyboard input signals to modify or add to the temporary image signal;

d) computer assist design means for receiving said temporary image signal and keyboard input signals and thereby processing and editing same in a predetermined format to provide electronic signals representative of a display;

e) permanent storage means at said display sign for receiving and holding said electronic signals so that said electronic signals which are fully processed can be later recreated into a display;

f) a readily transportable self-contained and stand alone display sign positionable at a fixed location for operation at that fixed location and which may be located at a substantial distance from the display generating means, said display sign having an electronically operable plasma operated flat panel display member which is back light for displaying of advertising and other information with high density resolution to a large group of people simultaneously with wide angle viewing almost independently of angle of view by an individual;

g) self-contained and dedicated computer operated processing means in said display sign for generating a static display from the signals generated at and transmitted from the remote source; and

h) means for transmitting electronic signals representative of the plurality of displays from the remote source to the processing means at the display sign and allowing the electronic signals to be reconverted to visible images which are statically displayed one at a time at the display sign enabling advertising and information to be presented for promotion of products or services on a large screen format and without need of any electronic networking for generation of the displays.

19. A display sign capable of generating a static non-continuous display from a received electronic signal generated at and transmitted to said sign from a remote source, said display sign comprising:

a) a relatively transportable outer housing having an interior compartment and being constructed for operation at a fixed location;

b) a relatively thin plasma operated flat high definition display panel on said housing and being observable simultaneously to a group of viewers;

c) a self-contained dedicated computer processor means within the interior compartment of said housing and receiving electronic signals from a remote source representative of the sequential displays to be generated, said processor moans causing generation of sequentially displayable static displays in the display panel based on the signals received from the remote source for display of advertising and other information for promotion of products and services;

d) means on the exterior of said display housing to mount the housing to a fixed support without placing undue stress on the display panel;

e) a power supply means located in the interior compartment of said housing for operating said processor means and operating other electrically operable components in said housing; and

f) ventilation means for causing an air flow through the housing to enable dissipation of heat generation in said housing.

20. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that said display panel is a plasma operated display panel.

21. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that a chassis is provided for removable insertion into said housing and which is generally snugly received therein.

22. The display sign of claim 21 further characterized in that said processor means is mounted on said chassis and said power supply is also mounted on said chassis for operation of said display panel.

23. The display sign of claim 21 further characterized in that the means on the exterior of said housing comprises a mounting plate which is located on the exterior of said housing and is secured through said housing to said chassis in order preclude unauthorized removal from a mounted location.

24. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that a display storage is associated with said processor means for storing an electronic signal equivalent to a display to be generated.

25. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that said display sign also comprises receiver means for receiving a transmitted electronic signal equivalent to a display to be stored.

26. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that an interference filter is on said sign and is capable of reflecting infrared radiation and a transmission of heat from said housing.

27. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that said power supply means comprises a first power supply for operating said processing means and a second power supply for operating other electrical components in said housing.

28. The display sign of claim 19 further characterized in that a lid extends over said interior compartment and closes same, said lid having an enlarged opening allowing for complete viewing of said display panel.

29. The display sign of claim 28 further characterized in that said ventilation means comprises a plurality of ventilation fans in said housing to cause movement of air through the interior compartment.

30. The display sign of claim 28 further characterized in that said flat display panel is located at said opening, and transparent protection sheet means covers said display panel allowing for viewing thereof.

31. A display sign capable of generating a static display from a received electronic signal generated at and transmitted to said sign from a remote source, said display sign comprising:

a) an outer housing;

b) a display panel on said housing and being observable to a viewer;

c) processor means within said housing and receiving an electrical signal from a remote source representative of the display to be generated, said processor means causing generation of that static display in the display panel based on the signal received from the remote source; and

d) an interference filter on said sign and reflecting any infrared radiation and for enabling a transmission of heat from said housing.

32. The display sign of claim 31 further characterized in that said display panel is a plasma operated display panel.

33. The display sign of claim 31 further characterized in that a chassis is provided for removable insertion into said housing and which is generally snugly received thereein and which carries said display panel and said processor means.