Multi-panel display with hot swappable display panels and methods of servicing thereof

• US 9,207,904 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• 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:
  US14/720,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• 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 1/188 Mounting of power supply units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• 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: 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 2320/029 by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/10 Dealing with defective pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/12 Test circuits or failure detection circuits included in a display system, as permanent part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/2825 using a water impermeable sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• 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: H10K 59/18 Tiled displays

Abstract

A method includes providing access to a multi-panel display including a plurality of display panels. Each panel of the plurality of display panels is mounted onto a mechanical support structure. The method further includes identifying a defective panel from the plurality of display panels. Without powering down the multi-panel display, electrical connection to the defective panel is disconnected and the defective panel is removed from the mechanical support structure. The method also includes attaching a replacement display panel to the mechanical support structure at the location of the defective panel, and connecting power to the replacement display panel. One or more of the remaining of the plurality of display panels continue to display during the time the defective panel is disconnected and removed, and the replacement display is attached.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing access to a multi-panel display comprising a plurality of display panels, each panel of the plurality of display panels being mounted onto a mechanical support structure;

identifying a defective panel from the plurality of display panels, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal from an adjacent panel indicating the defect;

without powering down the multi-panel display, disconnecting electrical connection to the defective panel and removing the defective panel from the mechanical support structure;

attaching a replacement display panel to the mechanical support structure at the location of the defective panel; and

connecting power to the replacement display panel, wherein one or more of the remaining of the plurality of display panels continue to display during the time the defective panel is disconnected and removed, and the replacement display is attached.

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the defective panel from the plurality of display panels comprises using a monitoring circuit to determine, at the plurality of display panels, that the defective panel has a defect.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal indicating a type of repair service needed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal from the defective panel indicating the defect.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal from a control box indicating the defect, the control box being a central monitoring unit for monitoring all of the plurality of display panels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein disconnecting electrical connection to the defective panel comprises removing alternating current (AC) being supplied to the defective panel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein disconnecting electrical connection to the defective panel comprises removing direct current (DC) being supplied to the defective panel.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repairing the defective panel; and

attaching the repaired defective panel to another mechanical support structure of another multi-panel display at a different location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each panel of the plurality of display panels comprises a power conversion unit to convert a received alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the power conversion unit is disposed in a separate housing outside each of the panel.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display panels comprises a first row of panels, a second row of panels, and a third row of panels, wherein the defective panel is located within the first row of panels, wherein all panels in the second row and the third row continue to display during the time the defective panel is disconnected and removed, and a new display is attached.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises:

receiving a signal indicating a health issue of the defective panel;

determining which panel of the multi-panel display is the defective panel based on the received signal; and

identify a geographic physical address of the multi-panel display.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring the multi-panel display to identify health issues, the signal being received based on the monitoring.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a message requesting servicing.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a service personnel nearest to the geographic physical address of the multi-panel display needing servicing; and

sending a service request to the identified service personnel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the identified service personnel performs the disconnecting, the attaching and the connecting.

19. A method for servicing a multi-panel display, wherein the multi-panel display comprises a plurality of display panels mounted on a mechanical support structure, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a panel of the plurality of display panels needs to be serviced, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a signal from an adjacent panel indicating a defect in the panel to be serviced;

providing access to a rear side of the multi-panel display, the opposite front side comprising a display surface;

locating the panel to be serviced from amongst the plurality of display panels;

removing the panel to be serviced from the mechanical support structure without turning off power to the remaining plurality of display panels;

attaching a new display panel to the mechanical support structure to replace the panel to be serviced; and

connecting power to the new display panel, wherein one or more of the remaining of the plurality of display panels continue to display during the time the panel to be serviced is removed and a new display is attached.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein removing the panel to be serviced comprises removing alternating current (AC) being supplied to the panel to be serviced.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving an indication that a panel of the plurality of display panels needs to be serviced comprises receiving a signal indicating a type of repair service needed.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving an indication that a panel of the plurality of display panels needs to be serviced comprises receiving a signal from the panel to be serviced.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving an indication that a panel of the plurality of display panels needs to be serviced comprises receiving a signal from a control box indicating a defect in the panel to be serviced, the control box being a central monitoring unit for monitoring all of the plurality of display panels.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein each panel of the plurality of display panels comprises a power conversion unit to convert a received alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the power conversion unit is disposed in a separate housing outside each of the panel.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of display panels comprises a first row of panels, a second row of panels, and a third row of panels, wherein the panel to be serviced is located within the first row of panels, wherein all panels in the second row and the third row continue to display during the time the panel to be serviced is disconnected and removed, and a new display is attached.

27. A method comprising:

providing access to a multi-panel display comprising a plurality of display panels, each panel of the plurality of display panels being mounted onto a mechanical support structure, wherein the plurality of display panels comprises a first row of panels, a second row of panels, and a third row of panels;

identifying a defective panel from the plurality of display panels, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal from an adjacent panel indicating the defect, wherein the panel to be serviced and the adjacent panel are located within the first row of panels;

disconnecting electrical connection to the defective panel;

removing the defective panel from the mechanical support structure, wherein all the panels in the first row are powered down when an electrical connection to the panel to be serviced is disconnected;

attaching a replacement display panel to the mechanical support structure at the location of the defective panel; and

connecting power to the replacement display panel, wherein all panels in the second row and the third row continue to display during the time the panel to be serviced is disconnected and removed, and the replacement display is attached.

28. A method comprising:

providing access to a multi-panel display comprising a plurality of display panels, each panel of the plurality of display panels being mounted onto a mechanical support structure, wherein the plurality of display panels comprises a first row of panels, a second row of panels, and a third row of panels;

identifying a defective panel from the plurality of display panels, wherein identifying the defective panel comprises receiving a signal from an adjacent panel indicating the defect, wherein the defective panel is located within the first row of panels;

disconnecting electrical connection to all the panels in the first row without powering down any panels in the second or third rows;

removing the defective panel from the mechanical support structure;

attaching a replacement display panel to the mechanical support structure at the location of the defective panel; and

connecting power to the replacement display panel, wherein all panels in the second row and the third row continue to display during the time the defective panel is disconnected and removed, and the replacement display is attached.