Display unit with monitoring features
View Patent ↗Display assemblies with monitoring features, along with related systems and methods, are disclosed. The display assembly includes a display unit having an electronic display movably mounted to a frame. A controller includes an orientation detection device in connection with a processor. The controller receives data from the orientation detection device and determines, from time to time, a state of the display assembly based, at least in part, on data received from the orientation detection device.
1 . A display assembly with monitoring features for digital out of home applications, said display assembly comprising:
a frame;
a display unit movably mounted to said frame for movement between the open position and the closed position, said display unit comprising an electronic display and an orientation detection device; and
a controller for controlling at least certain operations of the display assembly including of said electronic display, said controller comprising the orientation detection device and a processor, wherein said controller is configured to:
determine, from time to time and at least in part by way of said processor a state of said display assembly based, at least in part, on data received from the orientation detection device, said state of said display unit including an indication as to whether the display unit is in the open position or the closed position.
2 . The display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the controller is configured to:
determine, from time to time and at least in part by use of said processor, an orientation of the display unit based, at least in part, on data received from the orientation detection device;
determine the display unit to be in the open position where the orientation meets a first set of one or more predetermined criteria; and
determine the display unit to be in the closed position where the orientation meets a second set of one or more predetermined criteria or does not meet the first set of one or more predetermined criteria.
3 . The display assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the open position includes movement of a lower edge of the display unit away from the frame; and
the closed position includes placement of a rear of the display unit proximate to the frame.
4 . The display assembly of claim 3 wherein:
the orientation detection device is located, at least in part, at a lower portion of the display unit.
5 . The display assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the predetermined criteria comprises an expected threshold and a predetermined margin.
6 . The display assembly of claim 5 wherein:
the expected threshold comprises a baseline orientation; and
the controller is configured to determine the baseline orientation based on data received from said orientation detection device when the display unit is known or indicated to be in the closed position.
7 . The display unit of claim 5 wherein:
the data comprises azimuths; and
the expected threshold comprises a first azimuth.
8 . The display unit of claim 5 wherein:
the data comprises elevations; and
the expected threshold comprises a first elevation.
9 . The display assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the controller further comprises a timekeeping device; and
the controller is configured to generate an alert when the display unit is determined to be continuously in the open state for more than a predetermined period of time.
10 . The display assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the alert comprises an electronic notification; and
said controller is configured to transmit said electronic notification to one or more remote devices.
11 . The display assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one of a shock sensor and a vibration sensor in electronic communication with said controller, and wherein said controller is further configured to:
receive data from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor; and
query the orientation detection device for further data where the data received from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor is above a predetermined threshold, wherein said further data is used to determine the state of the display assembly.
12 . The display assembly of claim 11 wherein:
the controller is further configured to generate an alert where the data received from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor is above said predetermined threshold and said further data from the orientation detection device is outside an expected range; and
said alert comprises an indication that the display assembly is damaged.
13 . The display assembly of claim 12 wherein:
the controller is further configured to transmit the alert to at least one remote device.
14 . The display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the orientation detection device comprises at least one of a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a motion sensor, a location tracking device, compass, and gyroscope.
15 . The display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the controller is further configured to adjust operations of said display assembly based, at least in part, on the state determination.
16 . The display assembly of claim 14 wherein:
the electronic display comprises a directly backlit liquid crystal type display;
the display unit comprises a thermal management subsystem comprising at least one airflow pathway and one or more fans located along the at least one airflow pathway; and
the operations adjusted by the controller comprise at least one of: adjusting a fan speed of said one or more fans, and adjusting an illumination level of the backlight.
17 . The display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the frame is configured for mounting to a ground surface in a fixed manner.
18 . A display assembly with monitoring features for digital out of home applications, said display assembly comprising:
a frame;
a display unit movably mounted to said frame and comprising a housing, a liquid crystal type electronic display provided within the housing, and an orientation detection device connected to said housing, said display unit, including at least the housing, the liquid crystal type electronic display, and the orientation detection device, being movable relative to said frame between an open position where at least a portion of a rear surface of the display unit is moved away from the frame and a closed position where an entirety of the rear surface of the display unit is proximate to the frame;
a controller for controlling at least certain operations of the display assembly, Including of the liquid crystal type electronic display, said controller comprising the orientation detection device and a processor, wherein said controller is configured to:
determine, from time to time and at least in part by way of said processor, an orientation of the display unit based, at least in part, on data received from the orientation detection device;
determine, from time to time and at least in part by way of said processor, a state of the display unit based, at least in part, on the orientation, including by:
determining the display unit to be in the open position where the orientation meets a first set of one or more predetermined criteria; and
determining the display unit to be in the closed position where the orientation meets a second set of one or more predetermined criteria or does not meet the first set of one or more predetermined criteria; and
control at least certain operations of the display unit based, at least in part, on the orientation.
19 . A display assembly with monitoring features for digital out of home applications, said display assembly comprising:
a frame;
a display unit movably mounted to said frame for movement between the open position and the closed position, said display unit comprising a housing, a directly backlit liquid crystal type electronic display provided within the housing and an orientation detection device connected to said housing, said display unit, including at least the housing, the liquid crystal type electronic display, and the orientation detection device being moveable relative to said frame between an open position where at least a lower edge of the display unit is moved away from the frame and a closed position where the rear of the display unit is proximate to the frame;
a thermal management subsystem comprising at least one airflow pathway extending, at least in part, within the display unit, and one or more fans located along the at least one airflow pathway; and
a controller for controlling at least certain operations of the display assembly including illumination levels of a backlight of the directly backlit liquid crystal type electronic display, content displayed at the directly backlit liquid crystal type electronic display, and at least certain operation of the thermal management subsystem, said controller comprising the orientation detection device and the processor, and wherein said controller is configured to:
determine, from time to time and at least in part by way of said processor, an orientation of the display unit based, at least in part, on data received from the orientation detection device;
determine the display unit to be in the open position where the orientation meets a first set of one or more predetermined criteria;
determine, from time to time and at least in part by way of said processor, a state of the display unit based, at least in part, on the orientation, including by:
determining the display unit to be in the open position where the orientation meets a first set of one or more predetermined criteria; and
determining the display unit to be in the closed position where the orientation meets a second set of one or more predetermined criteria or does not meet the first set of one or more predetermined criteria; and
control at least certain operations of the display unit and the thermal management subsystem based, at least in part, on the orientation.