Rotational light emitting display apparatus

• US 7,477,208 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dan Matlock, Peter Matlock
• Original Assignee: Dan Matlock, Peter Matlock
• Inventors: Matlock, Dan, Matlock, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amadiz; Rodney
• Application Number:
  US10/775,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20050174308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 345 31- 39, 345/110, 345/619, 345/659, 340/815.45, 340/444, 340/441
• US Class Current: 345/31
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A rotational light emitting display apparatus is provided. The rotational light emitting apparatus device allows static and animated images and instruments to be displayed on dynamic screen. The display is refreshed repeatedly to take advantage of the persistence of vision property of the human eye. The illuminating element of the apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a line. Display refreshing is accomplished by mounting the apparatus on a rotating object, so that the line of light emitting elements lies along a radial direction. In this way, each of the light emitting elements traverse a circular path, while being flashed on and off to produce the desired display.

Claims

1. A light emitting display apparatus for displaying a stationary or animated image on a rotating object, the light emitting display apparatus comprising:

a support attachable to the rotating object so as to having the same center of rotation as the rotating object;

a plurality of light emitting elements on said support and arranged in one or more generally parallel columns;

one or more image maps of an image to be displayed, each image map including an array of plurality of columns;

a means for sensing the rotational position of said support about the center of rotation and generating a signal;

a microcontroller attached to each of said plurality of light emitting elements, said microcontroller receives said signal and operates to select an image map and a column from said selected image map in accordance with said signal and configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column and said signal, thereby displaying said image as said support is rotated about the center of rotation so as to be viewed by humans;

a power source connected to and providing electrical power to said microcontroller; and

said microcontroller determines the rotational frequency of said support from said signal and using said rotational frequency determines the linear velocity of the object to which said support is attached, and wherein said image is of a speedometer which dynamically displays said linear velocity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller further operates to define a delay period and is further configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column, said signal, and said delay period.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a vehicle wheel; and

wherein said support is attachable to said vehicle wheel so as to have the same center of rotation as said vehicle wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle wheel; and

wherein said support is attachable to said vehicle wheel so as to have the same center of rotation as said vehicle wheel.

5. A light emitting display apparatus for displaying a stationary or animated image on a rotating object, the light emitting display apparatus comprising:

a support attachable to the rotating object so as to having the same center of rotation as the rotating object;

a plurality of light emitting elements on said support and arranged in one or more generally parallel columns;

one or more image maps of an image to be displayed, each image map including an array of plurality of columns;

a means for sensing the rotational position of said support about the center of rotation and generating a signal;

a microcontroller attached to each of said plurality of light emitting elements, said microcontroller receives said signal and operates to select an image map and a column from said selected image map in accordance with said signal and configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column and said signal, thereby displaying said image as said support is rotated about the center of rotation so as to be viewed by humans;

a power source connected to and providing electrical power to said microcontroller; and

said microcontroller determines the rotational acceleration of said support from said signal and using said rotational acceleration determines the linear acceleration of the object to which said support is attached, and wherein said image is of an accelerometer which dynamically displays said linear acceleration.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a vehicle wheel; and

wherein said support is attachable to said vehicle wheel so as to have the same center of rotation as said vehicle wheel.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said microcontroller further operates to define a delay period and is further configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column, said signal, and said delay period.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a vehicle wheel; and

wherein said support is attachable to said vehicle wheel so as to have the same center of rotation as vehicle wheel.

9. A light emitting display apparatus for displaying a stationary or animated image on a rotating object, the light emitting display apparatus comprising:

a support attachable to the rotating object so as to having the same center of rotation as the rotating object;

a plurality of light emitting elements on said support and arranged in one or more generally parallel columns;

one or more image maps of an image to be displayed, each image map including an array of plurality of columns;

a means for sensing the rotational position of said support about the center of rotation and generating a signal;

a microcontroller attached to each of said plurality of light emitting elements, said microcontroller receives said signal and operates to select an image map and a column from said selected image map in accordance with said signal and configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column and said signal, thereby displaying said image as said support is rotated about the center of rotation so as to be viewed by humans;

a power source connected to and providing electrical power to said microcontroller; and

said object is a vehicle wheel and said microcontroller is encoded with the radius of the wheel and the vehicle mass to which the vehicle wheel is mounted, and further wherein said microcontroller determines the rotational acceleration of said support from said signal and using said rotational acceleration determines the linear acceleration of the wheel, and then using said linear acceleration determines the power of the vehicle using the said linear acceleration, the vehicle mass, and the radius of the wheel, and further wherein said image is of a vehicle instrumentation which dynamically displays the determined power of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said microcontroller further operates to define a delay period and is further configured to illuminate one or more of said light emitting elements in accordance with said selected image map, said selected column, said signal, and said delay period.