Repeatably displaceable emanating element display

• US 8,327,564 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Myhrvold, Cameron A., Myhrvold, Conor L., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, TONY O
• Application Number:
  US11/603,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/31, 345/111, 345/634, 345/619, 345/660, 345/690, 405/90, 405/91
• US Class Current: 40/591
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/045 supported by the wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/10 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/26 to give the appearance of moving signs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

One aspect relates to generating a repeatably displaceable emanating element display that may display at least part of an at least one synchronously modifiable oriented image based at least in part on alterable vehicle-related information, wherein the repeatably displaceable emanating element display may be synchronously modified as perceivable by a viewer at least partially by synchronizing an at least one repeatably displaceable display emanating element based at least in part on an orientation of the repeatably displaceable emanating element display as synchronously modified as perceivable by the viewer.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle-related information source operable to provide vehicle-related information, wherein the vehicle-related information is relevant to a vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants;

a projector comprising an array of projection elements, the projector coupled with a displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is configured to move in a repeating motion such that each projection element of the array of projection elements moves in the repeating motion; and

a timing mechanism configured to actuate at least a portion of the array of projection elements based on a corresponding position and velocity of each projection element, such that the projector projects an image based on the vehicle-related information from the at least a portion of the array of projection elements onto a non-displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device such that the projected image appears substantially stable relative to the repeating motion of the projection elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to project the image as at least part of a moving image.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to project the image as at least part of a holographic image.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to project the image as at least part of a static image.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to project the image as at least part of a text-based image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image is a processor-derived image.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image is a mote-based device image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repeating motion of each projection element of the array of projection elements is a rotational motion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repeating motion of each projection element of the array of projection elements is a translational motion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is one of a rotating hub or a road wheel or tire supporting the vehicle or mobile device, or a hubcap of the wheel, or a windshield wiper.

11. A system, comprising:

a sensor operable to provide vehicle-related information based at least in part on sensing a condition relating to an operation of a vehicle or mobile device or its occupants;

a projector comprising an array of projection elements, the projector coupled with a displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is configured to move in a repeating motion such that each projection element of the array of projection elements moves in the repeating motion; and

a timing mechanism configured to actuate at least a portion of the array of projection elements based on a corresponding position and velocity of each projection element, such that the projector projects an image based on the vehicle-related information from the at least a portion of the array of projection elements such that the projected image appears substantially stable relative to the repeating motion of the projection elements.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the array of projection elements comprises movable projection elements.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the array of projection elements comprises static projection elements.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the projector at least partially comprises a holographic projector.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the projector is configured to display at least part of the image based at least in part on a repetitive orientation of the array of projection elements.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the projector is configured to project a text-based image.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is one of a rotating hub or a road wheel or tire supporting the vehicle or mobile device, or a hubcap of the wheel, or a windshield wiper.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

sensor means for deriving vehicle-related information based at least in part on quantifiably recording an operation of a vehicle or mobile device or its occupants;

an array of projection means, the array of projection means coupled with a displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is configured to move in a repeating motion such that each projection means of the array of projection means moves in the repeating motion; and

timing means configured to actuate at least a portion of the array of projection means based on a corresponding position and velocity of each projection means,

wherein, in operation, the array of projection means projects an image based on the vehicle-related information from the at least a portion of the array of projection means such that the projected image appears substantially stable relative to the repeating motion of the projection means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array of projection means at least partially comprises movable projection means.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array of projection means at least partially comprises static projection means.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array of projection means at least partially comprises an array of holographic projection means.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array of projection means is configured to project a text-based image.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is one of a wheel or tire supporting the vehicle or mobile device, or a hubcap of the wheel, or a windshield wiper.

24. A method, comprising:

projecting, from an array of projection elements, an image based at least in part on alterable vehicle-related information, wherein the array of projection elements is coupled with a displaceable surface portion of a vehicle or mobile device, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is configured to move in a repeating motion such that each projection element of the array of projection elements moves in the repeating motion; and

actuating at least a portion of the array of projection elements based on a corresponding position and velocity of each projection element such that the image projected from the at least a portion of the array of projection elements appears substantially stable relative to the repeating motion of the array of projection elements.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting is performed at least partially in response to an activity.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a networked communication system.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via an 802.11 communication system.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via an optical communication system.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a cell phone communication system.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a moving-image communication system.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a television communication system.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a video communication system.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the projecting relies at least in part on the vehicle-related information that is at least partially transferred via a positional information communication system.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is one of a wheel or tire supporting the vehicle or mobile device, or a hubcap of the wheel, or a windshield wiper.

35. A method, comprising:

obtaining vehicle-related information associated with an operating parameter of a vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants; and

projecting by an array of projection elements, in response to obtaining the vehicle-related information, an image based at least in part on the vehicle-related information, wherein the array of projection elements is coupled with a displaceable surface portion of a vehicle or mobile device, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is configured to move in a repeating motion such that each projection element of the array of projection elements moves in the repeating motion; and

actuating at least a portion of the array of projection elements based on a corresponding position and velocity of each projection element such that the image projected from the at least a portion of the array of projection elements on to a non-displaceable portion of the vehicle or mobile device appears substantially stable relative to the repeating motion of the array of projection elements.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the vehicle-related information associated with an operating parameter of a vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants comprises information related to an external environment of the vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the vehicle-related information associated with an operating parameter of a vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants comprises hazard-based vehicle-related information associated with the vehicle or mobile device, or its occupants.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements comprises movable projection elements.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements comprises static projection elements.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements comprises holographic projection elements.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements is configured to project a text-based image.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements is configured to display at least part of the image based at least in part on a repetitive orientation of the array of projection elements.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the array of projection elements is configured to project a static image.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein the displaceable surface portion of the vehicle or mobile device is one of a wheel or tire supporting the vehicle or mobile device, or a hubcap of the wheel, or a windshield wiper.