Video conference endpoint displays

• US 9,998,706 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ijams, Stephen L., Bender, Shawn E., Fussy, Thomas M., Hamilton, Ciaran M., Campbell, Damon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh Kien
• Application Number:
  US14/630,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1407, 348 1408, 348 1409, 348 141, 2481241, 2481251, 2481252, 2481258, 248126, 248130-133, 248200, 2482051, 248207, 2482741, 2482821, 2482841, 248917-923, 36167901, 36167902, 36167904, 36167906
• 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: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

Presented herein is a display mounting system for an immersive multi-display (multi-screen) telepresence/videoconference endpoint. The display mounting system includes a mounting mechanism configured to movably mount one or more displays to a support frame. A first adjustment mechanism is configured to rotate the display with respect to the frame, while a second adjustment mechanism is configured to tilt the display with respect to the frame.

Claims

1. A video conference endpoint comprising:

a frame including a central section, a first side section, and a second side section, wherein the first side section and the second side section are disposed on opposite sides of the central section and each of the central section, the first side section, and the second side section includes an upper portion and a lower portion configured to support the upper portion a distance above a ground surface;

a first side display, a central display, and a second side display; and

a display mounting system comprising;

a mounting mechanism configured to attach the first side display to the upper portion of the first side section of the frame, attach the central display to the upper portion of the central section of the frame, and attach the second side display to the upper portion of the second side section of the frame; and

an adjustment assembly comprising;

a first adjustment mechanism configured to engage and vertically move a portion of the first side display proximate an outer edge of the first side display, so that the first side display rolls about a z-axis of the first side section of the frame with respect to the central display and aligns an inner vertical edge of the first side display with an adjacent vertical edge of the central display; and

a second adjustment mechanism configured to engage and horizontally move the portion of the first side display in order to move the outer vertical edge of the first side display into alignment with the frame.

2. The video conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to rotatably attach the first side display to the frame proximate a top edge of the first side display such that, when attached, the first side display may rotate away from the frame between a display position and an access position.

3. The video conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism is a hook and rail system comprising:

at least one hook disposed on the back side of each display; and

one or more rails disposed on each section of the frame,

wherein the at least one hook is configured to engage at least one of the one or more rails to provide a rotatably movable coupling between each display and the frame.

4. The video conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the display mounting system further comprises:

a cross bar member configured to engage a top edge of the first side display and the central display; and

a trim member configured to engage the inner vertical edge of the first side display- and the adjacent vertical edge of the central display when disposed adjacent to each other, wherein the cross bar member and the trim member are configured to secure the first side display to the frame prior to adjustment, by the adjustment assembly, of an orientation of the first side display.

5. The video conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein the adjacent vertical edge of the central display is a first adjacent vertical edge and the adjustment assembly further comprises:

a third adjustment mechanism configured to engage and vertically move a portion of the second side display proximate an outer edge of the second side display, so that the second side display rolls about a z-axis of the second side section of the frame with respect to the central display and aligns an inner vertical edge of the second side display with a second adjacent vertical edge of the central display; and

a fourth adjustment mechanism configured to engage and horizontally move the portion of the second side display in order to move the outer vertical edge of the second side display into alignment with the frame.

6. A display mounting system for a video conference endpoint comprising:

a mounting mechanism configured to movably mount a top edge of a display to a frame;

a first adjustment mechanism configured to engage and vertically move a portion of the display proximate an outer vertical edge to tilt an inner vertical edge of the display of the display to adjust an orientation of the display with respect to the frame; and

a second adjustment mechanism configured to engage and horizontally move the portion of the display proximate the outer vertical edge of the display to adjust the orientation of the display with respect to the frame.

7. The display mounting system of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one securing member configured to secure at least the top edge of the display to the frame prior to adjustment via the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism.

8. The display mounting system of claim 7, wherein the at least one securing member comprises:

a trim member configured to engage the inner vertical edge of the display; and

a cross bar member configured to engage the top edge of the display.

9. The display mounting system of claim 8, wherein the cross bar member is configured to:

engage the top edge of the display; and

receive a coupler that secures the cross bar member to the display.

10. The display mounting system of claim 8, wherein the trim member is configured to clamp the inner vertical edge of the display to the frame.

11. The display mounting system of claim 6, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to maintain the display mounted to the frame when the orientation of the display is adjusted by the first adjustment mechanism or the second adjustment mechanism.

12. The display mounting system of claim 6, wherein the display includes a first display and a second display, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to mount the first display adjacent the second display, and wherein the first adjustment mechanism is configured to vertically move the portion of the first display to tilt the first display with respect to the frame and the second display, and wherein the second adjustment mechanism is configured to horizontally move the portion of the first display to rotate the first display with respect to the frame and the second display such that at least the top edge and the inner edge of the first display are aligned with corresponding edges of the second display.

13. The display mounting system of claim 6, wherein the first adjustment mechanism comprises:

a threaded movable member that is movably coupled to a threaded boss included on the frame, wherein rotation of the threaded movable member with respect to the frame causes the threaded movable member to vertically move the portion of the display.

14. The display mounting system of claim 6, wherein the second adjustment mechanism comprises:

a control with a threaded stud that is fixedly coupled to a back of the portion of the display and rotatably coupled to the frame, wherein rotation of the control with respect to the frame causes the threaded stud to horizontally move the portion of the display.

15. A method of installing displays on a video conference endpoint comprising:

mounting a top edge of a display to a frame with a mounting mechanism that provides at least two degrees of freedom for at least a portion of the display;

adjusting the orientation of the display by engaging and moving a portion of the display proximate a bottom edge of the display to move the bottom edge with respect to the frame in a first degree of freedom with a first adjustment mechanism;

adjusting the orientation of the display by engaging and moving the portion of the display proximate the bottom edge of the display to move the bottom edge of the display with respect to the frame in a second degree of freedom with a second adjustment mechanism; and

securing the display to the frame.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mounting comprises:

mounting the display using a hook and rail system configured to allow the display to rotate with respect to a rail while remaining mounted on the frame.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the orientation of the display in the first degree of freedom comprises:

using the first adjustment mechanism in order to horizontally move the portion of the display and adjust an angular orientation of the display with respect to the frame.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the orientation of the display in the second degree of freedom comprises:

using the second adjustment mechanism in order to vertically move the portion of the display and tilt the display about a front-to-back axis with respect to the frame.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the display remains coupled to the frame via the mounting mechanism when the orientation of the display is adjusted in the first degree of freedom or the second degree of freedom.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the display includes a first display and a second display, and adjustment of the first display is performed with respect to the frame and with respect to the second display in order to align at least the bottom edge an inner edge of the first display with corresponding edges of the second display.