Modular protective structure for floor display

• US 7,009,523 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Collin Peel
• Original Assignee: Intellimats LLC (Intellimat, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Duston, Dwight P., Kokonaski, William
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/454,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20040021617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/691.6, 345/1.3
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/22 Devices or implements resting on the floor for removing mud, dirt, or dust from footwear built-in gratings, e.g. foot-scrapers, E04F19/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/266 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/20 with colour-mixing effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/228 Ground signs, i.e. display signs fixed on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor display system with a modular protective structure for preventing damage to the display system due to its use in a floor environment. The modular protective structure may be configured to provide a distributed system of vertical supports to absorb and diffuse pressures and impacts on the floor display system.

Claims

1. A floor display system, comprising:

a floor covering; and

an electronic display assembly associated with the floor covering, the assembly comprising a plurality of distinct display modules configurable to display electronically modifiable arbitrary content and each arranged within a modular protective enclosure comprising one of a common transparent cover or a plurality of separate transparent covers, and one or more vertical supports.

2. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the modular protective enclosure comprises a top member, a bottom member, and vertical supports.

3. The floor display system of claim 2, where the top member comprises a clear material.

4. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the clear material comprises at least one of glass and plastic.

5. The floor display system of claim 2, wherein the vertical supports comprise at least one of plastic, metal, glass and wood.

6. The floor display system of claim 2, wherein the vertical supports are horizontal beams.

7. The floor display system of claim 2, wherein the vertical supports are vertical columns.

8. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein each display module is removable from the assembly.

9. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein each modular enclosure is removable from the assembly.

10. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the electronic display assembly is about 1 inch or less.

11. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the electronic display assembly is about ½

inch or less.

12. The floor display system of claim 2, the plurality of display modules capable when aggregated of generating an electronically modifiable arbitrary image larger than an image formed by a single one of said display modules, and wherein said floor display system is connected to a computer.

13. The floor display system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of display modules are located on the floor.

14. The floor display system of claim 12 wherein said floor display system is connected to a network.

15. The floor display system of claim 12 wherein said floor display system is connected to the World Wide Web.

16. A floor display system, comprising an electronic display assembly including a plurality of distinct electronic display modules having a protective cover, the plurality of distinct electronic display modules configurable to display electronically modifiable arbitrary content, the electronically modifiable arbitrary content comprising at least one of:

an independent image formed on a single module, or

a composite image, portions of which are respectively formed on each of a plurality of the modules,

wherein each of the plurality of the electronic display modules is arranged within a respective modular protective enclosure, wherein vertical supports are formed by sidewalls of the modular protective enclosures.

17. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein a volume of space is provided between a top member of each modular enclosure and a display module received therein.

18. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of display modules are configurable to present a coherent display in the aggregate.

19. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein each display module is removable from the assembly, and replaceable by a substitute material of about the same dimensions.

20. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein each modular protective enclosure is removable from the assembly, and replaceable by a substitute material of about the same dimensions.

21. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein the electronic display assembly is associated with a floor covering.

22. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein the electronic display assembly is received within a floor.

23. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein the vertical supports are horizontal beams.

24. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein the vertical supports are vertical columns.

25. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the electronic display assembly is about 1 inch or less.

26. The floor display system of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the electronic display assembly is about ½

inch or less.

27. A floor display system, comprising:

an electronic display device; and

a protective structure comprising vertical supports configured to be received by apertures formed in the display device and projecting beyond an upper surface of the display device to support a top member of a protective enclosure of the display device.

28. The floor display system of claim 27, wherein the electronic display device comprises a plurality of display modules.