Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Plural display systems – Tiling or modular adjacent displays
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-29
2001-10-02
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Plural display systems
Tiling or modular adjacent displays
C345S205000, C345S206000, C345S090000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297787
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a display device, especially to a type of display which is attached on a wall, such as an electric bulletin board, an advertisement sign board or the like.
BACKGROUND ART
Wall display devices, such as electric bulletin boards and advertisement sign boards, are widely used as means for providing information to many and unspecific people on streets. Such a wall display device usually includes a number of display elements arranged on a plane in which an individual element is used for one pixel. The respective display elements are electrically actuated in various manner to display information. In an electric bulletin board, for example, one light bulb is used as one display element for one pixel, and a plurality of light bulbs are arranged in matrix. By illuminating those of the light bulbs in specified positions, it is possible to display letters and pictures. Recently electric bulletin boards using light emitting diodes in place of the light bulbs are widely used.
An advertisement sign board uses “panel display elements” as display elements constituting respective pixels. The “panel display elements” are not light emitting themselves but have a plurality of display faces only one of which is actually displayed. Usually one of the display faces to be displayed can be selected by using a rotary mechanism, such as a motor or the like. One display face is selected for each pixel, whereby letters or pictures can be displayed.
The display elements for respective pixels, which are thus provided by light bulbs, light emitting diodes, panel display elements or the like, are electrically actuated. The light bulbs and the light emitting diodes, for example, can be switched between their light emitting state and non-light emitting state by On/Off control of electric power supply. By conducting the On/Off control on the respective light bulbs or the respective light emitting diodes providing the respective pixels, only required pixels can be selectively illuminated, whereby required information can be displayed. In the panel display elements the On/Off control of electric power supply to the motor is conducted, whereby those of the display faces to be actually displayed can be selected. The On/Off control is conducted on the respective panel display elements providing the respective pixels, whereby a required display face for each pixel can be displayed and required information can be displayed.
In the above-described display devices, needless to say, larger numbers of pixels are necessary for improvement of their display resolution. Accordingly it is necessary that a large number of display elements for respective pixels are arranged in a matrix. As described above, since display manners of the respective display elements must be controlled by electric power supply, it is needed to provide an individual electric power supply line for the individual display elements. In an electric bulletin board having 100 light bulbs arranged in a matrix, for example, two electric power supply lines are needed for each of the 100 light bulbs, and therefore totally 200 lines must be wired from a switchboard to the light bulbs. For high resolution a lager number of light bulbs must be arranged, which increases a number of wiring lines. When a number of wiring lines becomes increased, a structure of a display device becomes complicated, which need much labor for its manufacture and maintenance. This results in higher manufacturing costs and maintenance costs.
A display device for solving such problems is disclosed in the International Application No. PCT/JP95/00901 based on the Patent Cooperation Treaty. In this display device, addresses are defined for every respective display elements and an addressed signal is delivered to a common signal line to thereby independently control the respective display elements thus to simplify wiring. This invention proposes a different technique for simplifying wiring for the respective display elements to facilitate the assembling work and the maintenance work.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
(1) The first feature of the present invention resides in a display device including plural display elements which are arranged in a matrix and have a function to vary display mode corresponding to one pixel by supplying an electric power, the display device comprising:
a plurality of display units each including a display element, a regulator for controlling electric power supply to the display element, memory means for storing display information to instruct the display element to change display mode in time and a controller for controlling the regulator on the basis of the display information stored in the memory means;
a device casing for accommodating and fixing the plurality of display units so that the respective display elements are arranged on a predetermined display screen in a manner adjacent to each other;
an electric power source for producing electric power which is supplied to the display elements; and
electric power transmission means for delivering electric power produced in the electric power source to the regulators within the respective display units, in the state where the respective display units are accommodated within the device casing.
(2) The second feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the first feature:
wherein plural display elements are respectively provided within each of the display units; and
wherein display information for the respective plural display elements are stored in the memory means.
(3) The third feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the first or second feature:
wherein one display element is constituted by three color presentation elements of a first color presentation element for presenting first primary color R by supplying electric power, a second color presentation element for presenting second primary color G by supplying electric power and a third color presentation element for presenting third color B by supplying electric power.
(4) The fourth feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the first to third feature:
wherein there are further provided;
a central control device for generating a predetermined synchronizing signal delivered to the respective display units; and
signal transmission means for delivering the synchronizing signal generated in the central control device to the controllers within the respective display units;
wherein the respective controllers have a function to control the regulators at timings synchronized with the synchronizing signal delivered thereto.
(5) The fifth feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the first to third feature:
wherein there are further provide;
a central control device for generating a predetermined write signal delivered to the respective display units; and
signal transmission means for delivering the write signal generated in the central control device to the controllers within the respective display units;
wherein the respective controllers have a function to carry out rewrite operation of display information stored in the memory means on the basis of the write signal delivered thereto.
(6) The sixth feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the fifth feature:
wherein unique address information for the respective display units are stored in the respective memory means;
wherein the write signal comprises address information indicating a specific display unit and display information to be newly written into the memory means within said specific display unit; and
wherein the respective controllers have a function to replace display information stored in the memory means by display information within the write signal when address information stored in the memory means and address information within the write signal correspond to each other.
(7) The seventh feature of the present invention resides in a display device having the first to third feature:
wherein there are further provided;
a central control device
Blackman Anthony J.
Brier Jeffery
Fourie Inc.
Ladas & Parry
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