System and method for a modular multi-panel display

• US 9,195,281 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, William Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): RHU, KRIS M
• Application Number:
  US14/341,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/023 Power supplies in a casing F21V23/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/188 Mounting of power supply units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/60 Memory management
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3023 Segmented electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/04 : Structural and physical details of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 : by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 : Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/045 : Protection against panel overheating
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/10 : Dealing with defective pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 : Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/006 : Electronic inspection or testing of displays and display drivers, e.g. of LED or LCD displays testing individual LED's G01R31/2635; testing lamps G01R31/44; testing of optical features of LCD displays G02F1/1309
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 : semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 : Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/02 : Cables with twisted pairs or quads
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/2825 : using a water impermeable sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/003 : including electrical control or communication wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/00 : Television systems details H04N3/00, H04N5/00; methods or arrangements, for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00; selective content distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 : associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/066 : Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 : Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 : Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1028 : Thin metal strips as connectors or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 : electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0256 : of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 : Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 : Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1422 : Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 : Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20127 : Natural convection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20136 : Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans H05K7/202 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 : characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20954 : for display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 : Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to integrated modular display systems. In one embodiment, a modular multi-panel display system includes a mechanical support structure, and a plurality of LED display panels detachably mounted to the mechanical support structure so as to form an integrated display panel. Each LED panel includes an LED array and an LED driver coupled to the LED array. Each panel further includes a power supply unit disposed outside the housing and electrically coupled to the receiver circuit. The mechanical structure is configured to provide mechanical support to the plurality of LED display panels without providing hermetic sealing. Each of the plurality of LED display panels is hermetically sealed.

Claims

1. A method that includes a method of maintaining a modular multi-panel display that includes a mechanical support structure, a plurality of LED display panels detachably coupled to the mechanical support structure without a cabinet, a data receiver box mounted to the mechanical support structure, the data receiver box configured to provide power, data, and communication to the plurality of LED display panels, wherein each LED display panel is mechanically coupled to the mechanical support structure by a corner plate and is mechanically coupled to three other lighting panels by the corner plate, the method of maintaining comprising:

determining that a defective LED display panel has a defect;

electrically disconnecting the defective LED display panel from the multi-panel display;

removing the corner plate from the defective LED display panel;

removing the defective LED display panel from the multi-panel display;

placing a replacement LED display panel at a location formerly taken by the defective LED display panel;

attaching the corner plate to the replacement LED display panel; and

electrically connecting the replacement LED display panel to the multi-panel display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defective LED display panel has a defect comprises determining that a power supply of the defective LED display panel is not converting power.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defective LED display panel has a defect comprises determining that a pixel of the defective LED display panel is not drawing power.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defective LED display panel has a defect comprises automatically monitoring the defective LED display panel using monitoring circuitry disposed within a housing of the LED display panel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the corner plate comprises removing four corner plates, each corner plate being removed from a respective corner of the defective LED display panel and wherein attaching the corner plate comprises attaching the replacement LED display panel with the four corner plates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically connecting the replacement LED display panel to the multi-panel display comprises electrically connecting an input of the replacement LED display panel to a first adjacent LED display panel and connecting an output of the replacement LED display panel to a second adjacent LED display panel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each LED display panel comprises an LED board within a housing and a power supply outside the housing, the LED board thermally coupled to the housing, wherein no fan is included within the housing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each LED display panel comprises an LED board, a power supply and a fan within a housing.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of LED display panels is sealed to be waterproof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the LED display panels are arranged in an array of rows and columns, each LED display panel of each row being electrically connected to an adjacent LED display panel within that row;

wherein, for each row, a first end LED display panel receives an input data connection from a data source and has an output data connection to a next LED display panel in the row, each further LED display panel until a second end LED display panel providing data to a next adjacent LED display panel; and

wherein a power line is run across each row to power the LED display panels in that row.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data receiver box provides ac power to each of the LED display panels and wherein each LED display panel includes a power supply unit that is configured to convert the ac power to dc power.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data receiver box provides dc power to each of the LED display panels and wherein each LED display panel includes a power supply unit that is configured to convert the dc power to dc power at a different voltage level.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein none of the LED display panels includes a receiver card.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the modular multi-panel display is cooled passively and includes no air conditioning, fans, or heating units.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each LED display panel includes an LED board enclosed within a housing, wherein no air gaps larger than 1 cubic inch are present within the housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the LED board physically contacts a thermally conductive material at a backside of the LED board and wherein the thermally conductive material physically contacts an inner wall of the housing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises a plastic housing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical support structure includes a top bar, a bottom bar, a left bar, a right bar, and a plurality of vertical bars extending from the top bar to the bottom bar, the vertical bars disposed between the left bar and the right bar.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the top bar, the bottom bar, the left bar and the right bar are each capable of bearing a load of 1.738 lb/ft and wherein the vertical bars are each capable of bearing a load of 3.23 lb/ft.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical support structure comprises an outer frame including a top beam, a bottom beam, a left outside beam, and a right outside beam and a plurality of vertical beams extending from the top beam to the bottom beam within the outer frame, each of the vertical beams having a smaller diameter and weighing less than any beam of the outer frame;

wherein the modular multi-panel display includes no cabinets; and

wherein the modular multi-panel display is cooled passively and includes no air conditioning, fans, or heating units.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the LED display panels is sealed with an ingress protection rating of IP 65 or higher.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein each LED display panel is attached to a respective vertical beam by a rectangular corner plate that includes a hole at each of four corners of the plate and a center hole at a center of the plate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each corner plate is mechanically connected to corners of four of the LED display panels and to the respective vertical beam to secure the LED display panels to the respective vertical beam.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising assembling the modular multi-panel display prior to maintaining the modular multi-panel display, the assembling comprising:

assembling the mechanical support structure, which includes an outer frame including a top beam, a bottom beam, a left outside beam, and a right outside beam and a plurality of vertical beams extending from the top beam to the bottom beam within the outer frame, each of the vertical beams having a smaller diameter and weighing less than any beam of the outer frame;

mounting the plurality of LED display panels to the mechanical support structure so as to form an integrated display panel that includes an array of rows and columns of LED display panels, wherein each of the LED display panels sealed to be waterproof;

mounting the data receiver box to the mechanical support structure; and

electrically connecting each of the LED display panels to a data source and to a power source.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the mechanical support structure is assembled so that the outer frame extends within a first vertical plane and the vertical beams extend in a second vertical plane laterally spaced from the first vertical plane.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein electrically connecting each of the LED display panels to the data source comprises electrically coupling a first LED display panel in each row to the data source and daisy-chain coupling the other LED display panels in each row to an adjacent LED display panel.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the assembling and mounting are performed at a first location, the method further comprising shipping the mounted LED display panels to a second location for final installation.