Patent ID: 8451197

Claim:
An information display apparatus comprising: a plurality of thin-film light-emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in a matrix on a surface of a transparent substrate, the LEDs having respective anodes and cathodes; a plurality of anode thin-film electrical paths connected to the anodes of the plurality of thin-film LEDs; a plurality of cathode thin-film electrical paths connected to the cathodes of the plurality of thin-film LEDs; an anode driving circuit for controllably supplying current to the thin-film LEDs through the plurality of anode thin-film electrical paths; a cathode driving circuit for controllably sinking current from the thin-film LEDs through the plurality of cathode thin-film electrical paths; and a communication thin-film LED disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate; wherein the plurality of thin-film LEDs are driven to emit light according to image data representing an image to be displayed by the thin-film LEDs; and the communication thin-film LED is driven to emit light according to communication data separate from the image data the light emitted b the communication thin-film LED being received by an external communication device, and converted to communication information.