Light emitting diode display system

• US 6,677,918 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G-LEC Europe GmbH
• Original Assignee: Hiroyuki Kodama, Yuji Yuhara
• Inventors: Kodama, Hiroyuki, Yuhara, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/960,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/4, 345/5, 345/55, 345/82, 345/903, 345/905, 345/32, 361/681, 361/683, 406/05, 406/060.1, 404/52, 407/29, 407/30
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

LED image display system with rigid frames positioned in at least one vertical stack forming a planar vertical display, with vertical rigid bar members mounted to each of the frames and with equal spacing, and LED pixels mounted to each bar member. The pixels are equally spaced apart forming a matrix of pixels that project colored light beams. A rod bearing weight of the frames in tension is connected to each of the frames, and the rods have top and bottom connectors. Top connector of top frame is removably secured to an overhead support while bottom frame is spaced from stage or other surface. Bottom ring connector of weight-bearing rod of each stacked frame is removably connected to top hook connector of each below stacked frame. Each weight-bearing rod includes rod portions threadably connected to a turnbuckle for tightly positioning all adjoining frames of the stack; and system includes controls receiving video signals and processing same as either still color images and/or color animated images.

Claims

1. A large-scale light emitting diode (LED) image display system, comprising:

a plurality of rigid frames positioned in at least one vertical stack so as to form a planar vertical display, wherein said plurality of frames includes a top frame and a bottom frame spaced from the surface,

a plurality of vertical rigid bar members mounted to each of said plurality of rigid frames, said bar members being equally spaced apart,

a plurality of LED pixels mounted to each of said plurality of bar members, said pixels being equally spaced apart, said LED pixels forming a matrix of pixels, said LED pixels projecting colored light beams defining images,

means for bearing the weight of the frames in a tension mode connected to each of said plurality of frames, said means for bearing weight having a top connector and a bottom connector, said top connector of said top frame being for being removably secured to an overhead support, said bottom frame being spaced from the surface,

means for removably securing said bottom connector of each stacked frame to said top connector of each below stacked frame,

means for tensioning each of said means for bearing weight so as to tightly position all frames of said vertical stack,

means for transmitting electrical signals and electrical power to said pixels, and

control means for receiving external video signals, processing said signals into memory as still images, processing said still images as multiple image animation data and transferring said animation data to an LED driver for transfer to said pixels as pixel display animation data, said controller means including means for processing color separation capacity of said plurality of said pixels into a plurality of colors in combination with said pixel display animation data, said plurality of colors including color brightness, color balance and color speed.

2. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of pixels includes a red LED, a blue LED and a green LED wherein the colors of the visible spectrum can be created.

3. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each individual frame of said plurality of frames includes opposed top and bottom sides, and said means for bearing the weight of the frames is at least one elongated support rod connected to said each individual frame at said top side.

4. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said at least one support rod is two spaced support rods.

5. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said at least one support rod has opposed rod top and rod bottom ends, said rod top end having a rod top end connector and said rod bottom end having a rod bottom end connector, said rod top end connector being spaced above said top side of said each individual frame and said rod bottom side connector being spaced above said bottom side of said each individual frame.

6. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said means for removably securing said bottom connector to said top connector includes said rod bottom end connectors of said plurality of vertical frames being removably connected to said rod top end connectors of said plurality of frames.

7. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said rod top end connectors are rings and said rod bottom end connectors are hooks.

8. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 6, wherein each said rod has an rod upper portion and a rod lower portion, and further including a turnbuckle theadably and adjustably connected to said rod upper portion and to said rod lower portion.

9. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, further including a plurality of protective transparent tubes enclosing said plurality of bar members, said plurality of tubes being connected to each of said plurality of frames.

10. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 8, further including a printed circuit connected to said means for transmitting power and signals mounted to each of said plurality of bar members.

11. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control means includes a master computer.

12. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 11, further including a video and a video capture board operatativly connected to said master computer for receiving video signals from said video.

13. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said master computer has the function to send out signals to said pixels as still images.

14. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said master computer has the function to send out signals to said pixels as animated images.

15. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 11, further including at least one auxiliary computer operatively connected to said master computer for receiving signals from said master computer for transmittal to said pixels.

16. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said at least one auxiliary computer is two auxiliary computers.

17. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 11, further including a lighting console operatively connected to said master computer.

18. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said frame is configured as a rectangle.

19. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said planar vertical display is configured as a rectangle.

20. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 3, further including means for aligning each of said plurality of frames in said at least one stack.

21. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said means for aligning is at least one vertical pin connected to each of said top sides of each of said plurality of frames and an aperture defined in each of said bottom sides of each of said plurality of frames.

22. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one vertical stack is a plurality of vertical stacks of frames.

23. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said plurality of stacks of frames includes a plurality of adjoining frames in adjoining stacks, further including means for holding each of said adjoining frames together.

24. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 23, wherein said means for holding is at least one clamp holding together each of said side walls of the adjoining frames of said plurality of adjoining frames in each of said plurality of stacks of frames.

25. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display system comprises three stacks of frames with each of said stacks having four frames for a total of twelve said frames.

26. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display system comprises two stacks of frames with each of said stacks having three frames for a total of six said frames.

27. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display system comprises three stacks of frames with each of said stacks having six frames for a total of eighteen said frames.

28. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display system comprises four stacks of frames each of said stacks having six frames for a total of twenty-four said frames.

29. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display system comprises six stacks of frames each of said stacks having six frames for a total of thirty-six said frames.

30. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of frames are made of a thin, lightweight material.

31. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said material is a lightweight metal.

32. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said material is a plastic.

33. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said top and bottom sides of each said plurality of frame are linear.

34. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 33, where each frame of said plurality of frames includes opposed linear side walls connected to each of said linear top and bottom side walls wherein each said frame is rectangular in configuration.

35. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one vertical stack is a single stack and said plurality of frames includes two stacked frames.

36. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 37, further including a plurality of rows and a plurality of stacks, and said rows and stacks total either an odd/even number.

37. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of frames total either an odd/even number.

38. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of frames disposed side-by-side constitute a row in said display system.

39. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 23, wherein each said frame includes a top side and an opposed bottom side and opposed side walls joined to said top and bottom sides, said means for holding including a plurality of frame side connectors, each said frame side connector including a connecting plate that is removably secured to each top side of frames of one stack and to each top side of frames of an adjoining stack at said side walls of said frames in side to side association, said connecting plate being further removably positioned with each top side of frames of one stack and each bottom side of frames of the same stack, wherein all said frames of one stack are connected to said frames of each said adjoining stack and all said stacks of said display system are secured in side-by-side connection in the assembled mode of said display system.

40. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 39, wherein each said top side of each said frame is provided with an upright holding pin proximate at each said side wall of each frame for a total of two holding pins per frame and each said connecting plate includes at least two bore holes in linear aligment with said holding pins, wherein each said connecting plate straddles said adjoining frame side walls and said holding pins extend through said two bore holes in the assembled mode of said display system.

41. The large-scale display system in accordance with claim 40, wherein each said frame side wall has a lower area wherein each said lower area defines a vertical pin hole, said holding pins of each said connecting plate also extending into said pin holes in the assembled mode of said display system.