Abstract:
The exemplary embodiments herein disclose an electronic display assembly using a monolithic electronic display panel with a single video player in electrical connection with a single timing and control board (TCON) which is in electrical connection with the monolithic electronic display panel. The single video player and TCON are adapted to transmit a combination of both still images and full motion video to be shown simultaneously on the electronic display. Different areas of the display can be used to show different content, either video or still images. Bezels can be graphically generated between the images, which can change shape, location, or be removed altogether as the display content changes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/140,164 filed on Mar. 30, 2015 which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments generally relate to electronic displays used for advertising and point of sale applications. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0003]    Large electronic display assemblies have traditionally used an array of multiple separate electronic displays, each having their own video driver, timing and control board, as well as other electronics necessary to operate each display. A border or bezel is generally placed between each separate display in order to secure each display into the overall assembly. The bezels can be unattractive to the eye as they can provide a static shape that cannot change, they take up space that otherwise could be used for images, and they also prevent a seamless image to be shown across the separate displays. 
       SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0004]    Exemplary embodiments provide a single monolithic electronic display which can be driven with a single video player and TCON to create a number of separately controllable areas on the electronic display. The number and shape of the separate areas can change, resulting in a more attractive and dynamic electronic display assembly that contains less overall components and may be less expensive to operate for the user. 
         [0005]    The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    A better understanding of an exemplary embodiment will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a simplified bock diagram of a traditional array of electronic displays. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the monolithic display assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the images on the display create the appearance of a dynamic bezel shape. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the electronic display is creating a large monolithic image across the entire display. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a second perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the electronic display is creating a large monolithic image across the entire display. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the display has been oriented in a portrait fashion and showing separately controllable sections within the display. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one embodiment for the pedestal. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of another embodiment of the monolithic display assembly and showing suggested dimensions. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
         [0016]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0017]    Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. 
         [0018]    Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a simplified bock diagram of a traditional array of electronic displays. Three separate displays  10 ,  20 , and  30  are placed in a 1×3 array and contained within a housing that places a portion of the bezel  12  in between each display. Display  10  requires its own video player  1  and timing and control board (TCON)  1 . Similarly, display  20  requires its own video player  2  and TCON  2 . Finally, display  30  also requires its own video player  3  and TCON  3 . For users of this device, there are some primary concerns. First, the user must keep all three sets of components operating to ensure that each display  10 ,  20 , and  30  continues to operate. Second, software licenses for graphical content are typically driven by the number of video players providing the content. In this situation, the user of the device would be paying for three separate licenses, one each for players  1 ,  2 , and  3 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the monolithic display assembly. Here, a single monolithic display  110  is contained within a housing. The assembly lacks the bezels which would need to be placed between each display. The display  110  can be driven in separately controllable areas  100   a - 100   f , where in this case each area is being driven to show a different image. This assembly only requires a single video player and TCON in order to generate these different images within the areas  100   a - 100   f . The display  110  is also preferably mounted on a pedestal  150  which attaches to the housing of the display  110 . As shown, this embodiment is placed adjacent to a traditional drive-through lane  200  for a fast food or other type of quick service restaurant. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the images on the display  110  create the appearance of a dynamic bezel shape. Here, three separate image areas  101   a - 101   c  are used to show three separate images to the viewer. In this embodiment, a bezel  108  is visually created between area  101   a  and  101   b . Similarly, a bezel  109  is visually created between area  101   b  and  101   c . These bezels  108 / 109  are not positioned vertically, which is generally done when building physical bezels. Instead, the bezels  108 / 109  are angled relative to the top (or bottom) of the display  110 , rather than being positioned generally perpendicular to the top (or bottom) of the display  110 . 
         [0022]    Because these are only visual bezels  108 / 109 , they can appear or disappear between the image areas. They can also move dynamically to create a more fluid and dynamic effect. For example, the bezels  108 / 109  could rotate from the shown position until they are substantially vertical or perhaps rotating past vertical until they are angled towards the opposite direction. The bezels  108 / 109  can then rotate back to the shown position, in order to draw the viewer&#39;s eye and present a more exiting overall display. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the electronic display  110  is creating a large monolithic image across the entire display  110 . In this embodiment, the display  110  creates only a single image area  102   a  which is defined substantially by the entire available area of the display  110  itself. The visual bezels  108 / 109  shown above have been removed to provide one large seamless image across the substantial entirety of the display  110 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a second perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the electronic display  110  is creating a large monolithic image across the entire display  110 . This figure shows a similar situation as  FIG. 4  above, where the display  110  creates only a single image area  103   a  which is defined substantially by the entire available area of the display  110  itself. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  where the display  110  has been oriented in a portrait fashion and showing separately controllable sections  104   a - 104   c  within the display  110 . Here, while the display  110  has been reoriented, the graphics are shown to adjust with the rotation of the display  110 . While the previous embodiments have shown a display with a landscape orientation and image areas which had a portrait orientation, in this embodiment the display is shown with a portrait orientation while the image areas  104   a - 104   c  are shown with a landscape orientation. The exemplary embodiments allow for an increased amount of flexibility in designing the image areas while not being constrained by a bezel or the layout of individual displays within an array. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one embodiment for the pedestal  150 . A first substantially flat portion  155  may be attached to a substantially flat surface on or near the ground while a second substantially flat portion  151  is elevated above and is adapted to accept and support the housing for the display  110 . A pair of wings  152   a / 152   b  preferably extend upwardly from the flat surface  151  and are positioned to surround and attach with the sides of the display housing. 
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of another embodiment of the monolithic display assembly and showing suggested dimensions. The PDM dimensions represent the dimension of the display housing itself while the active area dimensions represent the area of the display which is visible to an observer. 
         [0028]    The electronic display  110  can be any flat panel electronic display including but not limited to: liquid crystal displays (LCD), organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, plasma displays, and electroluminescent polymer displays. 
         [0029]    Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described invention and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Additionally, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.