Visual message display device
View Patent ↗An alphanumeric and graphic symbol display device in which an LED array is rotated and controlled to project a display onto a translucent surface. The electrical power for the array is provided by way of a rotating contactless transformer independently of the control data for the array which is provided by infrared data transmission through a tubular shaft driven by a DC brushless, three-phase motor to rotate the array at a predetermined rate independent of the electrical power for the array and the control data.
1. A local area network comprising:
a host computer communicating with a moving display device having a vertically oriented LED array for projecting a moving display onto a translucent surface;
display control data;
network control data;
at least one of the display control data and network control data is supplied by the host computer to a stationary communication processor in the display device and the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission from the stationary communications processor to a rotating display processor for controlling the LED array;
the display device further comprises non-contact power transmission to the rotating display processor via magnetic induction, the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission along a line of sight between an infrared transmitter positioned on the stationary communications processor and an infrared receiver connected to the rotating display processor, and
wherein the line of sight is provided along the axis of a hollow drive shaft rotatably supporting the rotating display processor within the display device and the hollow drive shaft rotatably supporting the rotating display processor within the display device is driven by a motor, and a first power supply for the motor, a second power supply for the stationary communication processor and a third power supply for the rotating display processor and LED array are independent of one another.
2. The local area network as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a remote data entry device for directly providing via infrared data transmission of at least one of the display control data and network control data to the stationary communication processor in the display device.
3. The local area network as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a plurality of networked display devices wherein the display and network data is selectively passed between the host computer and the plurality of connected display devices.
4. The local area network as set forth in claim 1 wherein the display device is provided with a video camera connected to a video monitor device for visually monitoring a desired area around the display device.
5. A local area network comprising:
a host computer communicating with a moving display device having a vertically oriented LED array for projecting a moving display onto a translucent surface;
display control data;
network control data;
at least one of the display control data and network control data is supplied by the host computer to a stationary communication processor in the display device and the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission from the stationary communications processor to a rotating display processor for controlling the LED array;
the display device further comprises non-contact power transmission to the rotating display processor via magnetic induction, the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission along a line of sight between an infrared transmitter connected to the stationary communications processor and an infrared receiver connected to the rotating display processor, and
wherein the line of sight is provided along an axis of a hollow drive shaft rotatably supporting the rotating display processor within the display device.
6. The local area network as set forth in claim 5 wherein the hollow drive shaft rotatably supporting the rotating display processor within the display device is driven by a motor, and a first power supply for the motor, a second power supply for the stationary communication processor and a third power supply for the rotating display processor and LED array are independent of one another.
7. A local area network comprising:
a host computer communicating with a moving display device having a vertically oriented LED array for projecting a moving display onto a translucent surface;
display control data;
network control data;
at least one of the display control data and network control data is supplied by the host computer to a stationary communication processor in the display device and the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission from the stationary communications processor to a rotating display processor for controlling the LED array;
the display device further comprises non-contact power transmission to the rotating display processor via magnetic induction, the display control data is relayed via infrared data transmission along an unobstructed line of sight between an infrared transmitter connected to the stationary communications processor and an infrared receiver connected to the rotating display processor, and
wherein the unobstructed line of sight is provided along an axis of a hollow drive shaft rotatably supporting the rotating display processor within the display device.