Image display system

• US 7,321,342 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nagae, Nobukazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US10/734,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 21- 23, 345 3- 5, 345/55, 345/76, 345/87, 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 349/1, 349/17, 701/213, 701/200, 701/207, 701/211
• US Class Current: 345/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

An image display system includes at least one display panel, a memory circuit, and a position sensing subsystem. The memory circuit stores image information, associated with positions within a space in which the at least one display panel is provided, at least temporarily. The position sensing subsystem detects the position of the at least one display panel within the space. The at least one display panel presents at least a portion of the image information thereon according to its position that has been detected by the position sensing subsystem in the space.

Claims

1. An image display system comprising:

at least one display panel;

a memory circuit to store predefined image information, associated with all positions within a predefined space in which the at least one display panel is provided, at least temporarily; and

a position sensing subsystem for detecting the position of the at least one display panel within the space,

wherein the at least one display panel presents at least a portion of the image information thereon according to its position that has been detected by the position sensing subsystem in the space, wherein the at least one display panel presents the portion of the image information in actual dimensions, and wherein

the at least one display panel includes a main display panel and a sub-display panel, each of the main display panel and the sub-display panel being moveable within the space,

the position sensing subsystem includes a position sensing detector which detects at least the position of the main display panel within the space, and

the display system includes a relative position sensing subsystem for detecting the relative positions and relative configurations of the main and sub-display panels, the position and configuration of the sub-display panel within the space being detected based on the relative positions of the main and sub-display panels.

2. The image display system of claim 1, wherein the position sensing subsystem includes a detecting subsystem for detecting the configuration of the at least one display panel within the space, and

wherein the at least one display panel presents at least a portion of the image information thereon according to its position and configuration that have been detected by the position sensing subsystem.

3. The image display system of claim 1, further comprising a display data generator for recognizing an image memory area and resolution of the at least one display panel and supplying at least a portion of the image information to the at least one display panel according to the image memory area and resolution recognized.

4. The image display system of claim 3, wherein the display data generator selects at least the portion of the image information according to the image memory area and resolution recognized, and compresses or expands the selected portion of the image information if necessary.

5. The image display system of claim 1, wherein the position sensing subsystem detects the position and/or configuration of the at least one display panel within the space at regular time intervals, and the at least one display panel refreshes the information on its display screen at the regular time intervals.

6. The image display system of claim 1, wherein

the position sensing subsystem includes at least one oscillator, which forms an integral part of the main display panel;

and

the position sensing detector is provided within the space where the main display panel is arranged and detects at least the position of the main display panel within the space in response to a signal that has been transmitted from the at least one oscillator.

7. The image display system of claim 6, wherein multiple display panels, including the main display panel and the sub-display panel, are provided, and

wherein the at least one oscillator is attachable to, and removable from, any of the multiple display panels, and

wherein the display panel with the at least one oscillator attached thereto functions as the main display panel.

8. The image display system of claim 6, wherein the relative position sensing subsystem detects the relative positions and the relative configurations by using an electromagnetic wave.

9. The image display system of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic wave is an infrared ray.

10. The image display system of claim 6, wherein the relative position sensing subsystem detects the relative positions and the relative configurations by using a magnetic field.

11. The image display system of claim 1, wherein multiple display panels, including the main display panel and the sub-display panel, are provided, and

wherein each of the multiple display panels includes the memory circuit, and extracts an associated portion of the image information according to its position that has been detected within the space by the position sensing subsystem and presents the extracted portion thereon.

12. The image display system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the image information, which is associated with the position within the space, is information that would be unavailable tousers without this image display system.

13. The image display system of claim 1, wherein the image information is associated with absolute positions within the space.

14. The image display system of claim 13, wherein the image information includes pictures of piping and/or wiring provided near the space.

15. The image display system of claim 13, wherein the image information includes information representing an intensity distribution of an electromagnetic wave in the space.