Abstract:
The invention relates to portable dynamic display device, which may be used with for instance advertising using multimedia presentations. The device of the invention may be configured to be mounted on a human body and carried from place to place while displaying a video image and playing an audio track.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a portable dynamic display device. The device of the invention can be used, for example, as an advertising device using audiovisual presentations of digital image files, digital video files, and/or digital audio files.  
           [0002]    Various methods for advertising exist today in abundance. Many of the more common methods of advertising include billboards and signs, which are posted in locations frequented by many people. These methods of advertising while useful have a significant drawback in that they require large amounts of space. There is therefore a limited amount of signs and billboards which can be placed in an area before the area becomes saturated. Furthermore, signs and billboards often require significant effort to change advertising should one desire replace an old advertisement with a new advertisement.  
           [0003]    Other less frequent methods of advertising include wearable signs which are carried by a human operator in a populated area. This method solves some of the problems of space which are involved with normal signs and billboards, though the wearable signs can often be quite uncomfortable for the wearer. Additionally the wearable signs are still static and need to be replaced if a new advertisement is desired.  
           [0004]    Recently as technology has progressed, and miniaturisation techniques have been improved, several types of portable electronic devices have been made available. These sort of devices include a range of devices from portable telephones to personal computer which can be mounted on a person&#39;s body. Examples of these kinds of devices can be seen in for instance U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,981 to Kuenster et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,966 to Carroll et al.  
           [0005]    There has also been attempts at including video images on garments, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,653 to Stephan Fitch. This device while allowing changeable images on a person, are not useful for large scale advertising since the display has to be of reduced weight to prevent tearing of the garment.  
           [0006]    As can be seen from the prior art there is a need for a portable dynamic display device which can be used for large scale advertising and audiovisual presentations.  
           [0007]    Statement of the Invention 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a portable dynamic display device according to the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a front view of a support structure according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a diagram of the interior of a backpack of the embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a diagram of the interior of a backpack of the embodiment of FIG. 4.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a diagram of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, shown without a display device.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the invention according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, shown without a display device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    In one aspect, as shown in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to a portable dynamic display device  10 . The portable dynamic display device  10  comprises a general support frame  20 , on which is mounted a base support means  30 , and a carrying sack  40 . A hollow tube  50  is attached at one end to the base support means  30 . At the other end of hollow tube  50  is mounted a connecting means  60  which is used to attach display device  70  to the hollow tube  50 .  
         [0017]    The carrying sack  40  contains a media generating means (see below) which is connected to the display device  70  by a cable means  80 , which allows for the media generating device to send a generated image to the display device  70  which can then show the image.  
         [0018]    As can be seen in FIG. 2, the general support frame  20 , comprises two lateral bars  90  and  92 , which are held together by upper and lower bars  94  and  96 . The general support frame  20  also has straps  100  and  102  which can be used to fasten the general support frame  20  to the body of a person.  
         [0019]    Turning quickly back to FIG. 1. we see that general support frame  20  may have a curvature adapted to fit to the natural curvature of a persons body. This allows for greater comfort while carrying the device.  
         [0020]    The backpack  40  may be made from a hard plastic shell, and may contain batteries, a media generating means (e.g. a DVD player or a portable computer), and speakers. One example of the contents of the backpack  40  may be seen in FIG. 3. The media generating means  110  generates and image based on a video program which can be stored on a storage means. Said storage means being readable by the media generating means  110 .  
         [0021]    The media generating means  110  is connected to the display device  70 , and the speakers  120  such that the media generating means  110  can play back a video program from a storage means (e.g. a DVD disk or a MPEG-2 file), on the display device  70 , and play sounds using the speakers  120 . The speakers may also be placed on either end of the base support means  30 .  
         [0022]    Finally, the backpack  40 , also contains a battery  130  or some other power supply which powers the speakers  120  and the display device  70 . The media generating device  110  may have its own internal power supply or be powered by the battery  130 .  
         [0023]    In another embodiment of the invention, see FIG. 4, the display device  70  and the hollow tube  50  may be replaced by a telescoping pole  140  and projector  150 . In this embodiment an media generating means stored in the backpack  40 , will use the projector  150  to project images for viewing by an audience. The projector  150  may be mounted on a telescoping pole  140  such that an operator  160  can carry the projector  150  or support the projector on the ground via the telescoping pole  140 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the contents of the backpack  40  in the case where a projector  150  is used. In this embodiment the backpack  40 , may contain an media generating means  170 , such as a DVD player or a portable computer. The media generating means  170  generates an image based on a video program stored on a storage means, for instance a DVD disk or a video file. The media generating means  170  is connected to the projector  150  such that said image generated by the media generating means  170  is projected by the projector  150 .  
         [0025]    Additionally, the media generating means  170  is connected to a pair of speakers  180  such that an audio component generated by said media generating means  170  can be played back on said speakers.  
         [0026]    The backpack  40 , also may contain a pair of batteries  190  which power the projector  150  and the speakers  180 . The media generating means  150  may have a separate power source or may be connected to the batteries  190 . The backpack  40 , may also include a DC to AC converted  200  if a AC driven projector is used.  
         [0027]    In another aspect the invention includes an out-of-home audiovisual presentation method comprising:  
         [0028]    a) the use of a nomadic technology to provide the ability:  
         [0029]    a. to present audiovisual content in a moving fashion;  
         [0030]    b. to target the time of the presentation;  
         [0031]    c. to target the geographical area and the venues in which the content is presented;  
         [0032]    b) a human being wearing audiovisual equipment providing the ability:  
         [0033]    i) to rapidly change the time or location of the presentation;  
         [0034]    ii) to interact with the audience verbally or with signs;  
         [0035]    iii) to distribute and hand out collateral materials directly to passerbys;  
         [0036]    c) the use of commercially available equipment to enable:  
         [0037]    1. reproduction of existing broadcast quality and multimedia content in the MPEG-2 encoding format;  
         [0038]    2. playback from any DVD that can be read with a commercial DVD player;  
         [0039]    3. playback from any software application that can run on a commercial portable computer;  
         [0040]    4. display of any visual content fit for television or computer screens;  
         [0041]    5. projection of any visual content for television or computer screens.  
         [0042]    In another embodiment the invention may be a wearable and nomadic technology comprising:  
         [0043]    a) a costume customizable to each specific activity and facilitating the integration to a specific event or product brand, comprising;  
         [0044]    i) a long trench coat designed for hiding the backpack straps;  
         [0045]    ii) a hat of round form;  
         [0046]    iii) pants to be worn under the trench coat;  
         [0047]    iv) semi-transparent mask and gloves;  
         [0048]    b) a video monitor perched over the character&#39;s head on top of an inverse-T aluminum structure with the following specifications:  
         [0049]    i) a direct sunlight  1  viewable LCD display of suitable size;  
         [0050]    ii) a marine compliant (NEMA 4X) seal casing for watertight protection;  
         [0051]    iii) video inputs compatibility: Standard VGA/SVGA/XGA, Composite Video, S-Video;  
         [0052]    iv) resolutions: preferably 800×600 pixels, up to 1280×1024 pixels;  
         [0053]    v) on-screen display menu for video adjustments: position, size, brightness, contrast, etc.;  
         [0054]    C) a backpack for the monitor set-up made of a hard plastic shell and containing:  
         [0055]    i) an inverse-T structure made of aluminum tubes  
         [0056]    ii) a low voltage DC audio amplifier (for example 10-watts), and two speakers (for example 10-watts) located on each side of the character&#39;s waist in the two extremities of the horizontal tube;  
         [0057]    iii) one or more batteries weighing as little as possible, and a low voltage DC regulated power supply;  
         [0058]    iv) a commercial type portable DVD player or a portable Windows-compatible computer, both having external audio and video output ports;  
         [0059]    d) a video projector standing on a telescopic pole which may be held by the character at different heights and in different positions, with the following specifications:  
         [0060]    i) a LCD projector;  
         [0061]    ii) very light weight;  
         [0062]    iii) native resolution: true XGA 1024×768 or better;  
         [0063]    iv) data compatibility: all standard VESA modes, VGA, SVGA, XGA, and SXGA 85 Hz;  
         [0064]    v) video compatability: Full NTSC (M 4.43), PAL (BGHI, M, N), SECAM (M), HDTV (720p and 1080i RGBHV);  
         [0065]    e) a backpack for the projector set-up made of a hard plastic shell containing:  
         [0066]    i) a light weight tube attached at the bottom of the backpack in the horizontal position;  
         [0067]    ii) a low voltage VDC audio amplifier, and two speakers located on each side of the character&#39;s waist;  
         [0068]    iii) one ore more batteries as light as possible, and a DC to AC electrical converter;  
         [0069]    iv) a commercial type portable DVD player or a portable Windows-compatible computer, both requiring external audio and video output ports and their own battery pack.  
         [0070]    While the invention has been described in relation to several embodiments it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that several modifications and variations not mentioned exists. Accordingly the previous descriptions are only meant for the purposes of illustration, and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention.