Granted Patent B2

US 9,554,438 · App. 14/103,268 · Granted Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Claims (109)

1. A method of controlling a display device having a processor, a viewing side, an opposing side, a display element, and a lighting element, at least a portion of the display element and lighting element being located on the viewing side of the display device, the display element for forming at least a portion of a display, the lighting element for providing illumination visible to an observer, wherein the display device is configured to be operably connected with a plurality of other display devices to form a larger display, the other display devices each having a display element and a lighting element, the method comprising:

receiving, at the display device, display data and lighting data as a single signal;

interpreting, with the processor, the display data and the lighting data;

determining, with the processor, whether the display data includes data for display on the display element;

determining, with the processor, whether the lighting data includes data for the lighting element;

displaying, with the display element, any display data determined to be for the display element; and

providing illumination visible to an observer, with the lighting element, according to any lighting data determined to be for the lighting element; and

after determining to not display at least some of the display data and/or after determining to not output at least some of the lighting data to the lighting element, providing the display data and lighting data to at least one of the plurality of other display devices having a display element and a lighting element for determining whether either the display data or lighting data includes data for display or illumination by the other display device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving power; and

providing at least some of the power to the lighting element after determining to output the lighting data to the lighting element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display data and the lighting data are multiplexed in the single signal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the interpreting step includes de-multiplexing the multiplexed single signal to obtain the display data and the lighting data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single signal comprises a bandwidth, and wherein the display data is included in a first portion of the bandwidth and the lighting data is included in a second portion of the bandwidth.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the interpreting step includes obtaining the display data from the first portion of the bandwidth and obtaining the lighting data from the second portion of the bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display data comprises data destined for a first type of light-emitting diode (LED), and wherein the lighting data comprises data destined for a second type of LED.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the data destined for the first type of LED is sourced from a first source, and wherein the data destined for the second type of LED is sourced from a second source different from the first source.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display element includes the first type of LED and the lighting element includes the second type of LED, the first and second types of LEDs being located in a same screen area of the display device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a plurality of colors and the second type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a single color.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of colors comprises at least red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, amber, or magenta.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the single color is white.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving display data and lighting data as a single signal includes receiving display data formatted according to a display data format and receiving lighting data formatted according to a lighting data format, as a single signal, the lighting data format being different than the display data format.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the providing step includes providing the display data and lighting data as a single signal to the at least one of the plurality of other display devices.

15. A device, comprising:

a viewing side, an opposing side, a display element, and a lighting element, at least a portion of the display element and lighting element being located on the viewing side of the device, the display element for forming at least a portion of a display, the lighting element for providing illumination visible to an observer;

a data receiving module configured to receive display data and lighting data as a single signal; and

a controlling module configured to:

determine whether to display content associated with the display data on the display element; and

determine whether to output the lighting data to the lighting element;

wherein the controlling module is further configured to do at least one of:

after determining to not display at least some of the content associated with the display data, provide the display data to another device having a display element and a lighting element for determining whether the display data includes data for display by the other device; and

after determining to not output at least some of the lighting data to the lighting element, provide the lighting data to another device having a display element and a lighting element for determining whether the lighting data includes data for illumination by the other device.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising:

a power receiving module configured to receive power, wherein the controlling module is further configured to provide at least some of the power to the lighting element after determining to output the lighting data to the lighting element.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the display data and the lighting data are multiplexed in the single signal.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the controlling module is further configured to: de-multiplex the multiplexed single signal to obtain the display data and the lighting data.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the single signal comprises a bandwidth, and wherein the display data is included in a first portion of the bandwidth and the lighting data is included in a second portion of the bandwidth.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the controlling module is further

configured to:

obtain the display data from the first portion of the bandwidth; and

obtain the lighting data from the second portion of the bandwidth.

21. The device of claim 15 , wherein the display data comprises data destined for a first type of light-emitting diode (LED), and wherein the lighting data comprises data destined for a second type of LED.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the data destined for the first type of LED is sourced from a first source, and wherein the data destined for the second type of LED is sourced from a second source different from the first source.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the first type of LED and the second type of LED are located in a same screen area of the device.

24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the first type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a plurality of colors and the second type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a single color.

25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of colors comprises at least red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, amber, or magenta.

26. The device of claim 24 , wherein the single color is white.

27. A device according to claim 15 , wherein the controlling module is configured to provide the display data and the lighting data as a single signal to the other device.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a viewing side, an opposing side, a display element, and a lighting element, at least a portion of the display element and lighting element being located on the viewing side of the device, the display element for forming at least a portion of a display, the lighting element for providing illumination visible to an observer;

means for receiving display data and lighting data as a single signal;

means for determining whether to display content associated with the display data with the display element;

means for determining whether to output the lighting data to the lighting element; and

at least one of (1) means for providing the display data to another apparatus having a display element and a lighting element after determining to not display at least some of the content associated with the display data and (2) means for providing the lighting data to another apparatus having a display element and a lighting element after determining to not output at least some of the lighting data to the lighting element.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , further comprising:

means for receiving power; and

means for providing at least some of the power to the lighting element after determining to output the lighting data to the lighting element.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the display data and the lighting data are multiplexed in the single signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising:

means for de-multiplexing the multiplexed single signal to obtain the display data and the lighting data.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the single signal comprises a bandwidth, and wherein the display data is included in a first portion of the bandwidth and the lighting data is included in a second portion of the bandwidth.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 , further comprising:

means for obtaining the display data from the first portion of the bandwidth; and

means for obtaining the lighting data from the second portion of the bandwidth.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the display data comprises data destined for a first type of light-emitting diode (LED), and wherein the lighting data comprises data destined for a second type of LED.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the data destined for the first type of LED is sourced from a first source, and wherein the data destined for the second type of LED is sourced from a second source different from the first source.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 , wherein the first type of LED and the second type of LED are located in a same screen area of the apparatus.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the first type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a plurality of colors and the second type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a single color.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein the plurality of colors comprises at least red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, amber, or magenta.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein the single color is white.

40. An apparatus according to claim 28 , wherein the means for providing the display data and lighting data to another apparatus is configured to provide the display data and lighting data as a single signal to the other apparatus.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

a viewing side and an opposing side;

a display element, at least a portion of which is located on the viewing side of the apparatus for forming at least a portion of a display;

a lighting element, at least a portion of which is located on the viewing side of the apparatus for providing illumination visible to an observer;

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

receive display data and lighting data as a single signal;

determine whether the display data includes data for display on the display element;

determine whether the lighting data includes data for the lighting element; and

after determining the display data includes at least some data that is not for display on the display element and/or after determining the lighting data includes at least some data that is not for the lighting element, provide the display data and the lighting data as a single signal to another device having a display element and a lighting element for determining whether the display data includes data for display by the other device or the lighting data includes data for illumination by the other device.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive power; and

provide at least some of the power to the lighting element after determining to output the lighting data to the lighting element.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the display data and the lighting data are multiplexed in the single signal.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: de-multiplex the multiplexed single signal to obtain the display data and the lighting data.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the single signal comprises a bandwidth, and wherein the display data is included in a first portion of the bandwidth and the lighting data is included in a second portion of the bandwidth.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein the at least one processor is further

configured to:

obtain the display data from the first portion of the bandwidth; and

obtain the lighting data from the second portion of the bandwidth.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 , wherein the display data comprises data destined for a first type of light-emitting diode (LED), and wherein the lighting data comprises data destined for a second type of LED.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the data destined for the first type of LED is sourced from a first source, and wherein the data destined for the second type of LED is sourced from a second source different from the first source.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 , wherein the first type of LED and the second type of LED are located in a same screen area of the apparatus.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 , wherein the first type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a plurality of colors and the second type of LED is configured to emit light comprising a single color.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 , wherein the plurality of colors comprises at least red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, amber, or magenta.

52. The apparatus of claim 50 , wherein the single color is white.

53. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

display, with the display element, any display data determined to be for the display element; and

provide illumination visible to an observer, with the lighting element, according to any lighting data determined to be for the lighting element.

54. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be operably connected with a second apparatus to form a display system, the second apparatus comprising:

a viewing side and an opposing side;

a display element located on the viewing side of the second apparatus for forming at least a portion of a display;

a lighting element located on the viewing side of the second apparatus for providing illumination visible to an observer;

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

receive, from the apparatus, the display data and lighting data as a single signal;

determine whether the display data includes data for display on the second apparatus display element; and

determine whether the lighting data includes data for the second apparatus lighting element.

Assignments (17)