WO2002041628A1

WO2002041628A1 - System for displaying information and images, applicable to architectural structures

Info

Publication number: WO2002041628A1
Application number: PCT/IT2001/000569
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Ranaulo
Original assignee: Light Architecture Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-11-15
Filing date: 2001-11-13
Publication date: 2002-05-23
Also published as: ITRM20000595A1; AU2002222517A1; IT1316011B1; EP1342371A1; ITRM20000595A0

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for displaying information and/or images, applicable to architectural structures (1), comprising at least a covering, coupled to the architectural structure (1) to which the system is applied, by coupling mechanical means (6), the covering comprising one or more sections (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) for the displaying of images and/or information, at least one of said sections (9, 10, 11, 12) being comprised of translucent material, the system comprising one or more projectors (7, 7') for each translucent material section (9, 10, 11, 12), said projectors (7, 7') being coupled to the architectural structure (1), and projecting image and/or information in retro-projection mode on the corresponding section (9, 10, 11, 12), the system also comprising at least one control processor (14, 15, 16, 17, 19) for managing said projectors (7, 7') and the images and/or the information displayed on each section (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13). The invention also relates to an integrated system comprising at least two of said displaying systems, connected each other by a telecommunication network (25).

Description

SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION AND IMAGES, APPLICABLE TO ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES

The present invention relates to a system for displaying information and images applicable to architectural structures, allowing to realise a new visual communication in a reliable and efficient way, preferably an interactive visual communication, in case provided with audio information, able to draw the maximum attention of the citizen and/or consumer, allowing to make in an efficient way advertising and/or information campaigns of general interest, valorising architectural structure to which it is applied.

The present invention also refers to an integrated system comprising at least two of said display system connected by a network.

It is known that it is always more diffused the use of telecommunication apparatuses and/or systems allowing a dynamic displaying of direct and/or recorder information or messages.

Further, the connection of different apparatuses located in different places, often is co-ordinated in order to provide the same information or to allow the connection of different apparatuses. For example, said co-ordination is advantageous when making an advertising campaign.

Among the most innovative and diffused telecommunication systems, the Internet network can be mentioned, that allows the interactive displaying and the exchange of enormous amount of any kind of information among the users connected, by a terminal, to the network. At present, it is not completely satisfied the needing of having a dynamic displaying apparatus or system of direct or recorded information that allows to many persons to exploit the same communication, in the same place, or in geographically distributed places. In fact, the solution developed until today, such as the alphanumeric screens placed in the plazas of some towns, such as Piccadilly Circus at London and Times Square at New York, do not allow either the displaying of directly updated images or an interaction of the observers. Along with this needing, it must be also mentioned that of valorising some architectonic structures, such as abandoned factories or buildings, or groups of buildings, both modem or ancient buildings, the constructive style of which has to be harmonised. In this situation it is included the solution suggested according to the present invention, that allows to solve all the above mentioned problems.

Therefore, it is object of the present invention that of providing, in a reliable and efficient way, a system for the, preferably interactive, displaying of information and images, applicable to architectonic structures, also able to aesthetically valorise the architectonic structures on which it is applied.

Another object of the present invention is that of providing an integrated system comprising at least two of said display systems, connected by a network.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention a system for displaying information and/or images, applicable to architectural structures, comprising at least a covering, coupled to the architectural structure to which the system is applied, by coupling mechanical means, the covering comprising one or more sections for the displaying of images and/or information, at least one of said sections being comprised of translucent material, the system comprising one or more projectors for each translucent material section, said projectors being coupled to the architectural structure, and projecting image and/or information in retro- projection mode on the corresponding section, the system also comprising at least one control processor for managing said projectors and the images and/or the information displayed on each section.

Always according to the invention, the displaying system can comprise at least a section realised with a light emission diode screen, or LED.

Preferably, according to the invention, translucent material sections are comprised of glass and/or plastic material and/or marble, still more preferably, they are comprised of translucent glass, also known as "channel shaped glass", with an iridescent and/or opalescent treatment, and/or reinforced translucent glass, with an iridescent and/or opalescent treatment, and/or iridescent point glass and/or angular vision glass and/or with anti-UVA treated polycarbonate, and/or opalescent alveolar polycarbonate, and/or opalescent undulated polycarbonate. Still according to the invention, the coupling mechanical means can realise an integral coupling between at least one section and the architectonic structure, and/or can realise a movable coupling between at least one section and the architectonic structure, in this case said coupling mechanical means being controlled by at least one control processor.

Furthermore, according to the invention, at least one projector can be integrally coupled to the architectural structure. Preferably, according to the invention, the displaying system comprises at least two control processors, connected each other by a network.

Still more preferably, the displaying system comprises a main processor or server for managing all the others control processors. Always according to the invention, said server can be connected with at least a telecommunication network.

Still according to the invention, said server can be connected to a satellite network.

It is further object of the present invention, an integrated system comprising at least two of said displaying systems, connected each other by a telecommunication network, preferably by the Internet.

Always according to the invention, the displaying systems can transfer data by cryptographic communications.

Further features and embodiments of the inventions are described in the dependent claims.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a section lateral view of a building with a preferred embodiment of the displaying system according to the invention; figure 2 is a front view of a particular of a second embodiment of the displaying system according to the invention; and figure 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an integrated system providing four of said displaying systems according to the invention.

In the figures, similar elements are indicated by the same reference numbers.

A building 1 is shown in figure 1 , having four raised floors, and provided with a displaying system according to the invention. Said system provides a covering 2, covering the vertical face 3 and part of the roof 4, in such a way to cover the space between the vertical face 3 and the vertical wall 5 of the covering 2. Particularly, the vertical wall 5 is fixed to the vertical face 3 by static coupling means, such as, for example, metallic tie rods, metal and/or glass coupling joints or spacers.

The displaying system has some projectors 7, integrally coupled with the vertical face 3 of the building 1 , displaying on the vertical wall 5 by retro-projection, fixed and/or movable images.

The vertical wall 5 has, at the bottom, a light emission diode, or LED, lighting apparatus 8, for displaying fixed or sliding, written information.

Making reference to figure 2, it can be observed the vertical wall 5 of the covering 2 of a second embodiment of the displaying system according to the invention. Said vertical wall 5 works as a screen, divided into different sections, on each one of which a specific image and/or information is displayed, eventually projected by specific projection apparatuses. Possible interruptions between the different sections does not create problems for the images projections.

Particularly, in figure 2, the vertical wall 5 has:

- a first mega-screen, comprised of nine video sections 9, arranged according to a matrix arrangement, on which the images are displayed in a retro-projection mode by nine corresponding video projectors, not shown, in such a way to eventually be able to display images obtained even by the combination of more video sections 9;

- a second mega-screen, comprised of two juxtaposed photographic sections 10, on which static images and holograms are displayed in a retro-projection mode by two dia-projectors, not shown;

- a third mega-screen 11 , on which a dynamic Web page is displayed in a retro-projection mode;

- a fourth mega-screen, comprised of two side by side sections 12, on which static or movable images, or written information, are displayed in a retro-projection mode by two video projectors, not shown;

- a first LED horizontal screen, for displaying written information; and - a second LED vertical screen 13, for the displaying of written information. Advantageously, LED screens , that can be realised with different shapes and dimensions, are positioned in correspondence of the zones requiring a strong lighting of the displayed images and/or information, such as, for example, in those zones that, during the day light hours are exposed to the sun light. Said screens can also display images, besides written information.

The displaying system according to the invention can comprise more than one vertical wall 5, to cover more vertical faces 3 of the building. The number of projectors 7 can vary and depends on the number of vertical walls 5, on their sizes and on the number of sections in which each vertical wall 5 is divided. As it will be better described in the following, projectors 7, controlled in a computerised way, in such a way to manage the image composition, for example by multirama technology, thus minimising the connections. Preferably, the projectors 7 of the displaying system according to the invention are placed within the building and work within a protected area, in order to preserve the lighting ratio from the lighting pollution of the outer sources, such as lamps, vehicles lights and lighting signs.

Sections different with respect to LED screens comprising the vertical walls 5 are comprised of translucent materials, such as glass, plastic material or marble, preferably treated and mounted on support frames, still more preferably metallic frames. Said sections are preferably comprised of translucent glass laminate, also known as "channel shaped glass", with an reinforced or not, iridescent and/or opalescent treatment, and/or iridescent point glass and/or angular vision glass and/or with anti- UVA treated polycarbonate, and/or opalescent alveolar polycarbonate, and/or opalescent undulated polycarbonate.

The "channel shaped glass", particularly suitable for large surfaces, is a "U" shaped industrial glass, realised employing regenerated glass, having the advantages of making unnecessary a support structure and to be cheap. "Channel shaped glass" used in the system according to the invention is treated with sandblasting and iridescent substances in order to make it opalescent so as to perfectly diffuse high quality images.

Iridescent point glass allows having the appearance of images on the transparency. The image that can be obtained is a high quality image since it is possible to vary the sizes of the iridescent pixels in function of the distance form the viewpoint. This kind of glass offers a good visibility from inside the building towards the outside, leaving substantially not modified the view and the passage of the light through the windows.

Also the angular vision glass allows to perfectly seeing from inside the building towards the outside, while the projection of the images on said glass is visible only from some angles. This feature makes the glass ideal for spectacular effects, since images appear as holograms.

Alveolar polycarbonate "Ondex" is particularly resistant to shocks and UVA and allows having remarkable energetic savings. Making reference to figure 3, it can be observed that the displaying system according to the invention controls the projectors 7 by one or more processors, connected by a network each other. Embodiment of figure 3 comprises:

- a first processor 14, controlling corresponding video projectors 7 (displaying video images on sections similar to the sections 9 of figure 2);

- a second processor 15, controlling corresponding dia- projectors (displaying static images or holograms on sections similar to the photographic sections 10 of figure 2); - a third processor 16, controlling a LED vertical screen

(similar to the screen 13 of figure 2); and

- a fourth processor 17, controlling a LED horizontal screen (similar to the screen 8 of figure 2).

Processors 14, 15, 16 and 17 are connected by a network 18 and a main processor or server 19, by which it is possible to manage all the displaying system, suitably modifying and mounting images and information.

Displaying system according to the invention is also advantageously provided with audio reproduction devices. Server 19 also allows the connection of the displaying system with the outside, making the system interactive with outside. Particularly, system of figure 3 also comprises an outer processor 20, accessible to the public, connected with the server 19. Said outer processor 20, preferably provided with audio and video camera, can, for example, allow the interactive advertising and intervention on images and information

^•displayed by the system, for the public. Furthermore, server 19 is connected to a cellular phone 21 to receive and to send messages, such as SMS, WAP or UMTS messages, by cellular phone networks 22. In this way, for example public can send, by their cellular radio-telephones 23, messages that could be displayed by the system according to the invention, for example in the LED screen sections.

Preferably, server 19 able to control the content of the messages coming from the outer processor 20 and/or received from the cellular radio-telephone 21 , before their displaying, in order to filter those not wished.

Finally, server 19 is advantageously provided with a modem device 24 for the connection with a telecommunication network 25, preferably the Internet. In this way, the system according to the invention is able to display Web pages. In this case, outer processor 20 can be employed by the users as Internet site, while companies that have reserved the use of specific displaying sections of the system could dynamically update on-line images and/or information to be displayed.

Figure 3 also shows the preferred embodiment of an integrated system comprising at least two displaying systems according to the invention. In fact, by the server 19 connected to the telecommunication network 25, the displaying system described in the above is able to connect with the server of other geographically distributed displaying systems 26. In this way, the same images and/or information can be displayed at the same time on different systems according to the invention, for example realising co-ordinated and organic advertising or information campaigns, controlled from remote processors.

In other embodiments of the displaying system according to the invention, support metallic frames, on which the translucent materials realising the different displaying sections are mounted, are coupled to the building by movable coupling means, such as pantograph mechanical arms, preferably controlled by the server or by a further control processor, in order to modify, even dynamically, the shape of the covering on which images and/or information are displayed. For exemplificative purposes, the covering can be manoeuvred in such a way to improve the ventilation of the building on which it is provided. Advantages offered by the displaying system according to the invention and by the relevant integrated system are meaningful, thus satisfying the different communication needings.

First of all, the solution according to the present invention can be used by the public institutions to send social and public utility information, such as traffic, emergency information, information relevant to the artistic - cultural events, as well as new communication ways, such as the communication between communities and gemeled cities.

Further, it can be very efficiently used for advertising communication.

Still, the displaying system according to the invention offers a new architectural instrument for maintainance of historical buildings and re-evaluate industrial or commercial buildings, even if no more used. Even more, newly built buildings can acquire esthetical and functional value, when provided with the system according to the invention.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. System for displaying information and/or images, applicable to architectural structures (1), comprising at least a covering, coupled to the architectural structure (1 ) to which the system is applied, by coupling mechanical means (6), the covering comprising one or more sections (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) for the displaying of images and/or information, at least one of said sections (9, 10, 11, 12) being comprised of translucent material, the system comprising one or more projectors (7, 7') for each translucent material section (9, 10, 11, 12), said projectors (7, 7') being coupled to the architectural structure (1), and projecting image and/or information in retro-projection mode on the corresponding section (9, 10, 11 , 12), the system also comprising at least one control processor (14, 15, 16, 17, 19) for managing said projectors (7, 7') and the images and/or the information displayed on each section (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).

2. Displaying system according to claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises at least a section (8, 13) realised with a light emission diode screen, or LED.

3. Displaying system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said at least one section (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) is provided with a support frame.

4. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that translucent material sections (9, 10, 11, 12) are comprised of glass and/or plastic material and/or marble.

5. Displaying system according to claim 4, characterised in that, sections (9, 10, 11, 12) are comprised of translucent glass, also known as "channel shaped glass", with an iridescent and/or opalescent treatment, and/or reinforced translucent glass, with an iridescent and/or opalescent treatment, and/or iridescent point glass and/or angular vision glass and/or with anti-UVA treated polycarbonate, and/or opalescent alveolar polycarbonate, and/or opalescent undulated polycarbonate.

6. Displaying system according to claim 5, characterised in that at least one section (9, 10, 11 , 12) is comprised of "channel shaped glass", make opalescent by sandblasting treatment and iridescent substances.

7. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling mechanical means (6) realise an integral coupling between at least one section (8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13) and the architectonic structure.

8. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the mechanical means (6) realise a movable coupling between at least one section (8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13) and the architectonic structure (1).

9. Displaying system according to claim 8, characterised in that said movable coupling mechanical means (6) are controlled by at least one control processor (14, 15, 16, 17, 19).

10. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one projector (7, 7') is integrally coupled to the architectural structure (1 ).

11. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one projector (7, 7') is provided inside the architectural structure (1 ).

12. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it provides at least one projector (7, 7') and a video projector (7) or a dia-projector (7').

13. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises at least one audio reproduction device.

14. Displaying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least two control processors (14, 15, 16, 17, 19), connected each other by a network (18). 15. Displaying system according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises a main processor or server (19) for managing all the others control processors (14,

15, 16, 17).

16. Displaying system according to claim 15, characterised in that it comprises a processor (20) accessible to the public, connected to the server (19).

17. Displaying system according to claim 16, characterised in that the processor (20) accessible to the public is provided with audio device and video filming device.

18. Displaying system according to the claims 15 - 17, characterised in that said server (19) is connected with a cellular phone

(21) for receiving and/or sending messages.

19. Displaying system according to the claims 15 - 18, characterised in that said server (19) is connected with at least a telecommunication network.

20. Displaying system according to claim 19, characterised in that said server (19) is connected to a telecommunication network by a modem device (25).

21. Displaying system according to claim 20, characterised in that said server (19) is connected to the Internet by a modem device (25).

22. Displaying system according to the claims 19 - 21 , characterised in that said server (19) is connected to a satellite network.

23. Integrated system comprising at least two displaying systems according to each one of the claims 1 - 22, connected each other by a telecommunication network (25).

24. Integrated system according to claim 23, characterised in that the telecommunication network (25) is the Internet.

25. Integrated system according to claim 23 or 24, characterised in that the displaying systems transfer data by cryptographic communications.

26. System for displaying information and/or images, applicable to architectural structures (1), and relevant integrated system according to the preceding claims 1 - 22 and 23 - 25, respectively, substantially as illustrated and described.