Modular display panels with different pitches

• US 9,582,237 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, William Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, KUO-KONG
• Application Number:
  US14/550,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/76, 345/211, 345/647, 345/13, 345/82, 704/270.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• 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: 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 2310/0286 Details of a shift registers arranged for use in a driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/06 Use of more than one graphics processor to process data before displaying to one or more screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2088 with use of a plurality of processors, each processor controlling a number of individual elements of the matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2096 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a flat panel suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/006; specific for a CRT G09G1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/04 of switch contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• 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 5/04 : Metal casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 : Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 : Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 : Switch making

Abstract

An embodiment method of manufacturing modular panels includes manufacturing a group of modular display panels, including a first and second modular display panel that have the same size and shape. The first modular display panel includes a first pixel array arranged at a first pitch, and the second modular display panel includes a second pixel array that is arranged at a second pitch that is different than the first pitch. Any two modular display panels in the group are capable of being attached to each other in an integrated display system.

Claims

1. A method of displaying media, the method comprising:

providing a digital display system comprising a plurality of modular digital display panels so as to form an integrated display surface, each modular display panel having a first size and shape with a dimension of one foot by two feet, and wherein each modular display panel includes an LED pixel array arranged at a pitch selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.24 mm, 19.05 mm, 25.4 mm, and 30.48 mm; and

displaying media on the digital display system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each modular display panel further comprises a switch array coupled to a power source and to the LED pixel array, wherein the switch array switches power to at least one active pixel from the LED pixel array in accordance with at least one of a scan select signal, a scan timer, and an address select signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each modular display panel further comprises a plurality of shift registers and a register switch coupled to the plurality of shift registers;

and

wherein the register switch selects a first active shift register from the plurality of shift registers in accordance with at least one of a scan select signal, a scan timer, an address select signal, a latch signal, and a data counter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital display system further comprises a receiver unit coupled to the plurality of modular display panels;

wherein each modular display panel further comprises a video memory; and

wherein the receiver unit provides an identifiable video segment to each modular display panel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display surface comprises a first region and a second region, the first region comprising ones of the modular display panels and the second region having other ones of the modular display panels;

wherein each of the ones of the modular display panels have a first pitch and each of the other ones of the modular display panels have a second pitch that is different than the first pitch; and

displaying the media comprises simultaneously displaying a first media in the first region and a second media in the second region.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the media is displayed at a higher resolution than the second media, and wherein the first media is displayed at a higher frame rate than the second media.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first media comprises video and the second media comprises text.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the ones of the modular display panels are located at a central region of the display surface, and wherein the other ones of the modular display panels are located at an outer edge of the display surface.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of modular display panels further comprises a third modular display panel that is one foot by two feet in dimension, the third modular display panel comprising a third LED pixel array arranged at a third pitch that is different than the first pitch and the second pitch.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital display system further comprises a receiver unit coupled to the plurality of modular display panels;

wherein each modular display panel of the first region further comprises a first video memory;

wherein each modular display panel of the second region further comprises a second video memory;

wherein the receiver unit provides a first identifiable video segment to each modular display panel of the first region and a second identifiable video segment to each modular display panel of the second region;

wherein each modular display panel of the first region digitally stores the first identifiable video segment in the first video memory in accordance with a first unique identifier, the first unique identifier comprising a time-slot number or an address; and

wherein each modular display panel of the second region digitally stores the second identifiable video segment in the second video memory in accordance with a second unique identifier, the second unique identifier comprising a time-slot number or an address.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital display system further comprises a receiver unit coupled to the plurality of modular display panels;

wherein one of the modular display panels of the first region further comprises a first video memory of a first size; and

wherein one of the modular display panels of the second region is coupled to the of the modular display panels of the first region and further comprises a second video memory of a second size that is different from the first size.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiver unit is configured to provide to the one of the modular display panels of the first region a first video segment sized in accordance with the first size preceded by a second video segment sized in accordance with the second size.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the one of the modular display panels of the first region is configured shifts the second video segment to the one of the modular display panels of the second region such that the one of the modular display panels of the second region digitally stores the second video segment to completely fill the second video memory, and

wherein the one of the modular display panels of the first region is configured digitally stores the first video segment to completely fill the first video memory.

14. A modular digital display system comprising:

a mechanical support structure comprising a plurality of vertical beams and a plurality of horizontal beams;

a plurality of digital display panels mounted to the mechanical support structure so as to form an integrated display panel comprising a display surface, wherein the mechanical support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to the plurality of digital display panels, wherein each of the digital display panel is water and weather proof and requires no additional weather protection cabinetry;

wherein each of the display panels has the same size and shape, each display panel having a substantially rectangular perimeter having a dimension of one foot by two feet; and

wherein each of the display panels comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a pixel array having a pitch selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.24 mm, 19.05 mm, 25.4 mm, and 30.48 mm.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each display panel further comprises a power supply and a switch array coupled to the power supply and to the pixel array;

and

wherein, for each display panel, the switch array is configured to switch power to an input of a light emitting pixel unit in the pixel array in accordance with at least one of a scan select signal, a scan timer, and an address select signal.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein each display panel further comprises a data switch and a plurality of controllers;

wherein, for each display panel, the data switch is configured to select a first active controller from the plurality of controllers in accordance with at least one of a scan select signal, a scan timer, an address select signal, a latch signal, and a data counter; and

wherein the first active controller comprises a first shift register coupled to a first current driver.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the display surface comprises a first region and a second region;

wherein the first region comprises a first display panel and the second region comprises a second display panel attached to the first display panel; and

wherein the pixel array of the first display panel has a first pitch and the pixel array of the second panel has a second pitch that is different than the first pitch.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of digital display panels further comprises a third display panel, and wherein the third display panel comprises a third pixel array having a third pitch that is different from the first pitch.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second display panel is located along a bottom edge of the display surface.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first display panel is one of a plurality of display panels having the first pitch that are arranged in a central region of the display surface, and wherein the second display panel is one of a plurality of display panels having the second pitch located at an outer edge of the display surface.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a receiver unit coupled to the plurality of display panels;

wherein the first display panel further comprises a first video memory;

wherein the second display panel further comprises a second video memory;

wherein the receiver unit is configured to provide a first identifiable video segment to the first display panel and a second identifiable video segment to the second display panel;

wherein the first display panel is configured to digitally store the first identifiable video segment in the first video memory in accordance with a first unique identifier, the first unique identifier comprising a time-slot number or an address; and

wherein the second display panel is configured to digitally store the second identifiable video segment in the second video memory in accordance with a second unique identifier, the second unique identifier comprising a time-slot number or an address.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a receiver unit coupled to the plurality of display panels;

wherein the first display panel further comprises a first video memory of a first size;

wherein the second display panel further comprises a second video memory of a second size that is different than the first size;

wherein the receiver unit is configured to provide the first display panel a first video segment sized in accordance with the first size preceded by a second video segment sized in accordance with the second size;

wherein the first display panel is configured to shift the second video segment to the second display panel;

wherein the second display panel is configured to digitally store the second video segment to completely fill the second video memory; and

wherein the first display panel is configured to digitally store the first video segment to completely fill the first video memory.

23. A modular display panel comprising:

a casing having a recess and attachment points for use in attachment as part of a multi-panel modular display, a perimeter of the casing being substantially rectangular and having dimensions of one foot by two feet;

a printed circuit board disposed in the recess;

an array of LEDs attached to a front side of the printed circuit board, the LEDs arranged relative to one another at a pitch selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.24 mm, 19.05 mm, 25.4 mm, and 30.48 mm; and

a driver circuit electrically coupled to the printed circuit board.

24. The display panel of claim 23, wherein the display panel is completely waterproof against submersion in up to 3 feet of water.

25. The display panel of claim 23, wherein the casing comprises a plastic casing.

26. The display panel of claim 23, wherein the casing comprises an aluminum casing.

27. The display panel of claim 23, wherein the LEDs each comprises a surface mount device and wherein the a pitch selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, and 12.7 mm.

28. The display panel of claim 23, further comprising a cable connector configured to provide power and data to the modular display panel, the cable connector comprising:

a plurality of data connectors surrounded by an end enclosure, each data connector electrically coupled to a corresponding data wire; and

a plurality of power connectors surrounded by the end enclosure, each power connector electrically coupled to a corresponding power wire.

29. The display panel of claim 23, further comprising a power supply unit mounted outside the casing.

30. The display panel of claim 23, further comprising a power supply unit disposed within the casing.

31. A method of manufacturing a plurality of display panels, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of 1′

×

2′

casings, each casing having a recess and attachment points for use in attachment as part of a multi-panel modular display, a perimeter of each casing being substantially rectangular and having dimensions of one foot by two feet;

forming a first display panel by attaching a first printed circuit board in the recess of a first one of the 1′

×

2′

casings, the first printed circuit boarding having a first array of LEDs attached to a front side thereof, the LEDs of the first array arranged relative to one another at a first pitch; and

forming a second display panel by attaching a second printed circuit board in the recess of a second one of the 1′

×

2′

casings, the second printed circuit boarding having a second array of LEDs attached to a front side thereof, the LEDs of the second array arranged relative to one another at a second pitch that is different than the first pitch.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first pitch is selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.24 mm, 19.05 mm, 25.4 mm, and 30.48 mm;

and

wherein the second pitch is selected from the group consisting of 6.35 mm, 7.62 mm, 9.525 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.24 mm, 19.05 mm, 25.4 mm, and 30.48 mm.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

sealing the first display panel to be completely waterproof against submersion in up to 3 feet of water; and

sealing the second display panel to be completely waterproof against submersion in up to 3 feet of water.