Patent Publication Number: US-2012044429-A1

Title: Digital display device system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to display device systems for vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital license plate system including a digital display that is removably attachable to a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Car aficionados have a wide variety of accessories that draw attention to one&#39;s vehicle. Such accoutrements include high-end car rims, elaborate details in bumpers or finishes, and even high-tech lighting and/or sound systems. However, vehicle license plates are one type of accessory that has had little advancements in terms of embellishments. To date, embellishments for license plates largely involve decorative license plate holders or personalized license plates. A digital license plate display device is desired that would allow vehicle owners to customize license plates using digital images. Accordingly, a need exists for a display device system that can display custom digital images or digital messages. A display device system is also required that can be easily installed and easily removed when desired. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A display device system includes a digital display device that can be removably attached to a front end of a vehicle. The display device has a mounting device on its rear surface which includes a brace and a male-mount that slidably connects to the brace. The male-mount of the display is receivable within a female receiving port that is disposed on a front end of the vehicle. The female port is dimensioned and configured to receive the male-mount of said display device. The digital display can display digital images, messages and vehicle identification information such as a license plate number. A controller may be used to manage the information displayed on the digital display device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a display device system of the present invention including a digital display and a receiving port. 
         FIG. 2  shows a rear view of the digital display shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of the display device system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a view of a control panel of the display device system of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a display device system  1000  of the present invention. The system includes a digital display  100 , a receiving port  200 . In some embodiments the digital display system  1000  includes a controller  300  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The digital display  100  is an LCD screen that has dimensions of a standard government issued license plate such as 12″×6″. The digital display, however may have other dimensions depending on the type of vehicle to which the system  1000  is attached, for instance if a motorcycle is used. The display  100  is designed to display digital images or messages. 
     The display  100  is waterproof as it is encased in polypropelyne to prevent water from destroying the internal components in said display  100 . The rear of the display  100  includes a mounting device comprising a brace  110  and a male-mount  120 . Said brace  110  has a length and said male-mount  120  is slideably connected to said brace  110 . The male-mount  120  may be positioned anywhere along the length of the brace  110  from a first end to a second end on said brace  110 . In one embodiment the male-mount  120  has electrical contacts  122 . In an alternative embodiment, the digital display  100  may be battery powered. 
     The receiving port  200  may be disposed on the front end of a vehicle such as a bumper of a vehicle. In one embodiment the port  200  is flush with and integrated into the bumper. See FIG.  3 . In another embodiment, the receiving port  200  is attached to and rests on the surface of the front bumper. In yet another embodiment, the port  200  is integrated into the bumper to receive the digital display  100  and will be concealed behind a plastic screen. In this embodiment, the port  200  may be assembled by cutting the bumper with a template in the size of the digital display  100 , cutting Styrofoam behind the bumper to nestle the port  200  and attaching or clipping a polycarbonate cover into the inside of the bumper to shield the digital display  100  from environmental conditions or theft. 
     The receiving port  200  is dimensioned and configured to receive the male mount  120 . Once the digital display  100  is received in the port  200 , the user of the system  1000  may arrange the digital display  100  at any position with respect to the position of the port  200  on the bumper. The receiving port  200  has corresponding electrical contacts  222  which are designed to connect with the electrical contacts  122  of the male-mount  120 . See  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment the receiving port  200  is electrically connected to the engine E of the vehicle to provide power to the corresponding electrical contacts  222  of the port  200 . Upon placing the male-mount  120  in the receiving port  120 , the corresponding electrical contacts  222  connect with the electrical connects  122  of the male-mount  120  to provide power to the digital display  100 . In the embodiment where the display  100  is battery powered, the port  200  would not require contacts  222  and would serve to support/position the display  100 . 
     The ability to remove the digital display  100  from the port  200  provides the user of the system  1000  with an option of leaving the display  100  on the port  200  or removing the display  100  from the port  200  when the vehicle is not in use. Thus, the invention provides an anti-theft feature to the system  1000 . When said digital display  100  is removed from said port  200 , a protective cover may be placed over the contacts  222  to protect said contacts  222  from environmental elements. In another embodiment, the electrical contacts  222  may be selectively exposed by a protective cover only when said male-mount  120  is disposed in the port  200 . 
     The display device  100  is used to display digital messages, pictures and vehicle registration information as directed by the user of the system  1000 . Examples of messages that may be displayed on the display device  100  include sports scores, advertisements, personal messages, examples of pictures that could be displayed on the display  100  include photographs, team logos, company logos. The user of the system  1000  can also decide to display the digital vehicle plate number that is assigned to the vehicle, which may be pre-programmed into the system  1000  and will be a default image displayed on the display  100 . Receipt of such vehicle information may be downloaded from authorized state issuing agencies and will be locked and uneditable. In another embodiment, the digital display  100  may display vehicle identification information specific to the vehicle to which the digital display  100  is attached by reading read said vehicle specific information off of a chip disposed on said port  200 . 
     The digital information displayed on the display  100  may be customized by the user of the system  1000 . In one embodiment, a controller  300  may be used to manage information displayed on the display  100 . The controller  300  may serve as the control center of the system  1000  providing options for the user to display pictures, video, license plate information, etc. on the display  100 . Management features will be in place to prevent the display of explicit messages, photos and video. The controller  300  may be a touch screen device that serves as a data receipt device and as a input device for entering data that will be sent to and displayed on the display  100  by manual entry or by receiving information from an SD card, or via devices that can be connected using a USB connection. The controller  300  may be a four inch touch-screen with 8 GB of memory. In an embodiment, the controller  300  is Bluetooth ready, may have smart phone application controls and a LINUX operating system. The controller  300  may be electrically communicable with the display  100  and may be powered by the engine E or independently powered by batteries or the like. In an alternative embodiment, the digital display  100  may include a computer for managing information and thus preclude the need for a controller. In another alternative embodiment, the digital display  100  and the controller  300  may be wirelessly communicable forgoing the need to hardwire the controller  300  and display  100  together. 
     The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying Figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.