Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Plural display systems – Tiling or modular adjacent displays
Patent
1992-11-12
1994-11-01
Brier, Jeffery
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Plural display systems
Tiling or modular adjacent displays
345 2, G09G 512
Patent
active
053610784
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display system capable of displaying images on a plurality of screens. For the purposes of this application, "screen" is used as a convenient expression to denote an image display device of any kind, whether a cathode ray tube device or not. The invention is concerned more particularly with a multi-screen display system of a kind useful for announcement, advertising and other purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is already known, using mixing deck techniques, to distribute video signals to multiple screens, including screens arranged in a so-called video wall, i.e. an array of screens stacked side-by-side and one above the other. In this case the images may be independent or related, so as to make up a larger image with portions on the individual screens. Existing video wall systems are video based and have the disadvantage that information or pictures to be displayed has to be pre-recorded. This limits the use of video walls considerably. Moreover, as the cost of making videos is very high, it is not commercially viable to record all the information that it would be desirable to be able to display on a video wall.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive system which will nevertheless give great flexibility in controlling what is displayed on the screens.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is defined in the appended claims.
The invention, in a preferred embodiment has the advantage that it reduces greatly the cost of displaying information via a video wall. The cost of generating graphics and text by computer is very small compared to the costs of filming video. This increases greatly the flexibility of video walls.
Moreover, the use of a computer to generate graphics and text has the advantage that information to be displayed can be updated easily. This means that a video wall may be used, for example, as a departure or arrival indicator in an airport, station or the like. In this manner the invention solves a long standing problem encountered in this field which is that of providing a low cost updatable display which can be read, easily, by passengers or customers. Heretofore, single video monitors have been used which are difficult to read from a distance and can only display a limited amount of information.
A preferred embodiment of the invention solves this problem by using a video wall of, for example, four or six screens which display the same information as the prior art single screen but enlarged over the whole wall. This greatly increases the readability of the monitor. Moreover, as the system is graphics based, additional information can be displayed such as airline logos or customer information.
The invention has the further advantage that the information can be updated from a remote location, for example from a central control station so that the information being displayed can easily be checked.
Update of information displayed can be performed remotely by computer on a pre-programmed basis or can be, for example, by a datacast signal sent to a number of locations. This facility enables a system embodying the invention to be used for advertising, for example in large stores, supermarkets, banks etc. The necessity to provide a pre-filmed video to each display location is removed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of a processor board;
FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram showing a four monitor graphics wall; and
FIG. 3 is a similar diagram to FIG. 2 showing how the system may be expanded into blocks of sixteen monitors.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a host computer 10 which may be an AT computer for example with its own internal memory and hard and floppy disc drives, not separately shown. If interactive operation is required the computer is equipped with a keyboard 12 and/or another m
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Brier Jeffery
Nadimelia Limited
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