Handheld programmable sign with folding screens

• US 6,753,788 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Timothy Munyon
• Original Assignee: Timothy Munyon
• Inventors: Munyon, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/620,632
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.47, 340/525, 340/479, 340/321, 345/168, 345/905, 341/22, 404/46, 405/41, 405/84, 405/86, 406/12
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/006 Portable traffic signalling devices G08B5/004 takes precedence; emergency signalling devices to be placed on roads or vehicles B60Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A handheld programmable sign including a sign portion and a hand-grip portion mounted transverse to said sign portion and a keyboard/microprocessor mounted in the hand-grip portion for receiving input data and transmitting the input data to the microprocessor,. At least two display screen units are mounted as representing the sign portion including display screens for displaying the input data to observers, the screen units being foldable relative to one another between an operative open planar mode and an inoperative closed mode wherein the two screens are in parallel facing relationship. In the open mode the display screen units present input data electrically contained therein to an observer. In the inoperative closed mode the first and second display screen units are in a fully aligned parallel folded relationship and no data is transferred to an observer. A computer microprocessor/memory unit and a serial port wired thereto are optionally positioned in the hand-held portion. A computer microprocessor/memory unit and a serial port wired thereto are optionally positioned in the hand-held portion. A three-display screen unit having a center screen unit with two display screen units rotatably attached to the center display screen unit is optional.

Claims

1. A handheld programmable sign, comprising, in combination,

a housing including a sign portion and a hand-grip portion mounted transverse to said sign portion, said sign portion having opposed front and rear sides,

miniaturized microprocessor means for processing data mounted within said housing,

keyboard means mounted in said hand-grip housing for receiving input data and transmitting the input data to said microprocessor means, said keyboard means including a keyboard miniaturized microprocessor,

message display means for presenting the input data to an observer, said message display means being visually operative on said front side of said sign portion,

circuit means for electrically joining said keyboard means, said microprocessor means and said message display means,

said message display means including at least two display screen units foldable between an operative open mode wherein said at least two display screen units are planar in relationship and an inoperative closed mode, wherein in said open mode said at least two display screen units are planar in relationship and said message display means contained within said at least two display screen units visually presents said input data to an observer, and wherein in said closed mode said at least two display screen units are in a fully aligned parallel folded overlapping relationship said circuit means being first directed to said first display screen, hinge means for connecting said at least two display units for movement between said open mode and said closed mode,

power means for supplying electrical current to said primary circuit means, and

on/off means for connecting and disconnecting said circuit means with and from said power means.

2. The sign according to claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a connecting circuit between said microprocessor means and one of said at least two display screen units, said circuit means further including a secondary circuit for electrically connecting said one of said at least two display units with the other of said at least two display screen units.

3. The sign according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least two display screen units includes a non-conductive screen backing, a PC driver board mounted to said screen backing, and an illuminated display screen mounted to said PC driver board.

4. The sign according to claim 3, wherein said illuminated display screen is an light emitting diode (LED) display screen.

5. The sign according to claim 3, wherein said illuminated display screen is a cholesterol liquid crystal display (CHLCD) screen.

6. The sign according to claim 3, wherein said illuminated display screen is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display screen.

7. The sign according to claim 3, wherein said illuminated display screen is an liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.

8. The sign according to claim 3, wherein said illuminated screen is a photo polymer display screen.

9. The sign according to claim 3, further including hinge means for foldably connecting said at least two display screen units for movement between said open mode and said closed mode.

10. The sign according to claim 1, wherein in said open mode said at least two screen units are in a generally planar relationship.

11. The sign according to claim 10, wherein in said closed mode each of said screen backings for said at least two display screen units are in adjacent relationship.

12. The sign according to claim 1, wherein said at least two screen units being first and second screen units and wherein said hinge means is positioned in rotatable connecting relationship between said first and second screen units, said sign portion having a width having a midwidth, said hinge means being positioned at said midwidth.

13. The sign according to claim 12, wherein each said hinge means includes at least two hinge flanges, one of said hinge flanges being attached to said backing of one of said at least two display screen units and the other of said hinge flanges being attached to said backing of the other of said display screen units.

14. The sign according to claim 13, further including locking means for removably securing said hinge means in said open mode and further for removably securing said hinge means in said closed mode, said locking means being mounted to hinge means.

15. The sign according to claim 14, wherein in said locking means includes a rotatable spring loaded locking cap mounted to said each of said upper and lower hinges.

16. The sign according to claim 15, wherein each said locking cap includes inner and outer portions, said inner portion being secured to each of said upper and lower hinges and said outer portion being movable between a locked mode and an unlocked mode relative to said inner portion.

17. The sign according to claim 1, wherein said sign portion has a width having a midwidth and said hand-grip portion is mounted to said sign portion at said midwidth and one of said at least two display screen units is a first screen unit mounted to said hand-grip portion to one side of said midwidth and the other of said at least two display screen units is a second display screen unit foldably mounted to said first display screen unit for movement between said open mode and said closed mode.

18. The sign according to claim 1, wherein said at least two display screen units is three display screen units comprising a center display screen unit, a first side display screen unit and a second side display screen unit, said center display screen unit having opposed side edges, said first side display screen unit being foldably mounted to one of said side edges of said center display screen unit for movement between said open mode and said closed mode relative to said center display screen unit, and said second side display screen unit being foldably mounted to the other of said side edges of center display screen unit for movement between said open mode and said closed mode relative to said center display screen unit.

19. The sign according to claim 18, wherein said hinge means includes a first hinge positioned between said center screen unit and said first side screen unit and a second hinge positioned between said center screen unit and said second side screen unit.

20. The sign according to claim 18, wherein said main display screen unit has a size and configuration and said first side display screen unit has half the size of said center display screen unit and said second-display screen unit has half the size of said center display screen unit, said first and second display screen units being of equal size and configuration, said first and second display screen units together being of the same size and configuration as said center display screen unit.

21. The sign according to claim 3, where said circuit means includes a secondary circuit for electrically connecting said at least two display screen units.

22. The sign according to claim 21, wherein said secondary circuit electrically connects said illuminated display screens of said at least two display units.

23. The sign according to claim 20, wherein said secondary circuit is an elongated ribbon cable.

24. The sign according to claim 22, wherein said ribbon cable includes a power wire, a ground wire, a logic wire, a data wire, a clock wire, and a strobe wire.

25. The sign according to claim 1, further including a staging monitor mounted to said sign portion at said rear side of said sign portion.

26. The sign according to claim 1, further including monitor display means for receiving the input data from said microprocessor means prior to transmission of the input data to said message display means and for displaying the data on a monitor display screen to a user at said rear side of said sign portion of said housing for editing and verification of the input data by the user prior to the data being transmitted to said message means, said monitor display means being mounted within said housing, said circuit means being also for electrically connecting said keyboard means and said microprocessor means with said monitor means.

27. The sign in accordance with claim 26 wherein said monitor display is mounted in said sign portion.

28. The sign in accordance with claim 26, wherein said monitor display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).