Display devices

• US 9,257,061 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Second Harvest Asia Ltd., The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Jurewicz, William Jefferson, Squires, James Allen, Haroldson, Barrett David, Duarte, Lawrence Alexander, Hueske, Jeremiah Matthew, Roske, Shawn, Obelleiro, Julio, Perkins, Mervin, West, Ryan, Revelas, Peter, Kirschner, Jonathan, Marchbanks, Lisa R., Presten, Marjorie, Brown, Katherine Marie, Billig, Jeremy D., Bryant, Gregory Oren, Kwong, Lo Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/213,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/22 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/18 Image warping, e.g. rearranging pixels individually
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/00 Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising G09F9/00, G09F11/00 take precedence; control of displays in general using static means to present variable information G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/005 Illumination controller or illuminated signs including an illumination control system
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0454 Slidable panels or parts
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/30 with moving light sources, e.g. rotating luminous tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/34 with light sources co-operating with movable members, e.g. with shutters to cover or uncover the light source apparatus wherein advertising or display material is moved in a continuous or intermittent succession G09F11/00; construction or details of lighting devices F21V11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/189 Three dimensional effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• 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 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 : Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 : using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 : characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 : Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 : Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00

Abstract

A display device includes a base structure, a plurality of modules coupled to the base structure, where each of the modules include a plurality of actuator assemblies. Each of the actuator assemblies is individually controllable to move the actuator assemblies between a retracted state and a plurality of extended states. A controller is coupled to each of the modules and is programmed to control the actuator assemblies to move the actuator assemblies between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a base structure;

a plurality of modules coupled to the base structure, each of the modules include a plurality of actuator assemblies, with each of the actuator assemblies being individually controllable to move the actuator assemblies between a retracted state and a plurality of extended states;

a plurality of light modules coupled respective ones of the actuator assemblies; and

a controller coupled to each of the modules, the controller being programmed to control the actuator assemblies to move the actuator assemblies between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states, wherein the controller accesses a video file to determine a desired state from among the retracted state and the plurality of extended states for each of the actuator assemblies.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein each of the actuator assemblies includes:

a stationary core;

a holding tube coupled to the stationary core;

a moving cube movably coupled to the holding tube; and

a linear actuator coupled between the holding tube and the moving cube, the linear actuator being programmed to move the moving cube between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the linear actuator includes a logic controller that is programmed to control a servo driver system, the servo driver system being configured to control a motor that moves the moving cube.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuator assemblies are arranged in a grid pattern.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules are arranged in a grid pattern.

6. A system for displaying content, the system comprising:

a display device including;

a base structure;

a plurality of modules coupled to the base structure, each of the modules including a plurality of actuator assemblies, with each of the actuator assemblies being individually controllable to move the actuator assemblies between a retracted state and a plurality of extended states;

at least one light module coupled to each of the modules; and

a controller coupled to each of the modules, the controller being programmed to control the actuator assemblies to move the actuator assemblies between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states; and

a computing device configured to generate content for the display device, the computing device including;

memory; and

a processing unit encoding instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to control the actuator assemblies and the light modules;

wherein the computing device is programmed to generate content for controlling the display device, the content including first content configured to control motion of the actuator assemblies and second content configured to control content displayed by the light modules, wherein the first content is a first video file that controls the motion of the actuator assemblies and the second content file is a second video file that controls the content displayed by the light modules, with the first and second content files being synchronized so that the motion matches the content.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the actuator assemblies includes:

a stationary core;

a holding tube coupled to the stationary core;

a moving cube movably coupled to the holding tube, wherein the light module is coupled to the moving cube; and

a linear actuator coupled between the holding tube and the moving cube, the linear actuator being programmed to move the moving cube between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is further programmed to execute a content authoring application configured to generate a three dimensional visualization of the display device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first video file includes a greyscale video.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the greyscale video includes black pixels that indicate a fully retracted state of an associated actuator assembly, white pixels that represent a fully extended state of the associated actuator assembly, and intermediate grey pixels that represent intermediate states of the associated actuator assembly.

11. A method for controlling a display device, the method comprising:

generating three dimensional content for controlling the display device;

converting a first portion of the three dimensional content into a first video signal for controlling motion of a plurality of actuator assemblies, with each of the actuator assemblies being individually controllable to move the actuator assemblies between a retracted state and a plurality of extended states;

converting a second portion of the three dimensional content into a second signal for controlling lighting of a plurality of light modules, with at least one of the light modules being coupled to each of the actuator assemblies; and

synchronizing the first and second signals to generate a desired effect on the display device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the actuator assemblies includes:

a stationary core;

a holding tube coupled to the stationary core;

a moving cube movably coupled to the holding tube, wherein the light module is coupled to the moving cube; and

a linear actuator coupled between the holding tube and the moving cube, the linear actuator being programmed to move the moving cube between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a three dimensional visualization of the display device; and

allowing an author to use the three dimensional visualization to generate the three dimensional content.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a three dimensional visualization of the display device;

allowing an author to use the three dimensional visualization to generate three dimensional content; and

using the three dimensional content to control the actuator assemblies and the light modules.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the three dimensional visualization of the display device includes displaying a simulation of the actuator assembly movement.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the three dimensional content includes selecting from a plurality of predefined movement files.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the three dimensional content and the second portion of the three dimensional content include respective first and second video files.