Patent ID: 9554438
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G06F,G06T,G09G,H05B

Claim:
1. A method of controlling a display device having a processor, a viewing side, an opposing side, a display element, and a lighting element, at least a portion of the display element and lighting element being located on the viewing side of the display device, the display element for forming at least a portion of a display, the lighting element for providing illumination visible to an observer, wherein the display device is configured to be operably connected with a plurality of other display devices to form a larger display, the other display devices each having a display element and a lighting element, the method comprising: receiving, at the display device, display data and lighting data as a single signal; interpreting, with the processor, the display data and the lighting data; determining, with the processor, whether the display data includes data for display on the display element; determining, with the processor, whether the lighting data includes data for the lighting element; displaying, with the display element, any display data determined to be for the display element; and providing illumination visible to an observer, with the lighting element, according to any lighting data determined to be for the lighting element; and after determining to not display at least some of the display data and/or after determining to not output at least some of the lighting data to the lighting element, providing the display data and lighting data to at least one of the plurality of other display devices having a display element and a lighting element for determining whether either the display data or lighting data includes data for display or illumination by the other display device.