DOCKET NO: ES001 WALL INSTALLATION FOR PHOTO DISPLAY FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This disclosure relates to installations for use 5 within dwellings such as homes, offices, places of business, etc. The installations are intended for the receiving and display of an array of photographs or similar decorations. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION o [0002] In an age of digital photography, it is common for people to store their photographs as digital images in a computer memory. It is possible to print digital images on a home colour printer or through commercial photo printing services. However, once printed, it is common for these 5 photographs to remain in a drawer or in an album hidden from view. Some photographs may be displayed on a wall by fixing frames to the wall. However, this kind of display is necessarily static because removal of the photograph frame from the wall can leave an unsightly mark on the wall where the frame O fixtures were. In rental properties, renters may not have the right to display photographs in frames because fixing of the frames to the wall will leave these unsightly markings when the renters vacate the premises. [0003] What is required is an improved system and method 5 for the display of photographs and similar adornments, including digital and non-digital photographs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a 0 wall installation comprising one or more photo support elements configured to be secured to a wall and comprising a photo frame 1 DOCKET NO: ES001 mounting layer; one or more frame edge members that form a border around the one or photo support elements; and one or more photo frames removably mounted to the photo frame mounting layer and configured to display one or more photos. 5 [0005] In one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of building a wall comprising erecting studwork of the wall; fixing a photo support element to the studwork, the photo support element comprising a magnetic photo frame mounting layer; fixing plasterboard to the studwork; fixing one or more O frame edge members around the photo support element such that gaps between the photo support element and adjacent plasterboard are hidden; and magnetically securing one or more photo frames to the magnetic photo frame mounting layer. [0006] In one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a 5 kit for a photo wall installation comprising one or more photo support elements; one or more frame edge members; and one or more photo frames. The kit is configured for assembly into a photo wall installation in which the one or more photo support elements may be secured to a wall; the one or more frame edge O members form a border around the edge of the one or more photo support elements; and the one or more photo frames are received on an exposed surface of the one or more photo support elements within the border defined by the one or more frame edge members. 5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] Reference will now be made, by way of example only, to specific embodiments and to the accompanying drawings in which: [0008] Figure 1 schematically depicts a wall installation 0 in front view; 2 DOCKET NO: ES001 [0009] Figure 2 schematically depicts a wall installation in side view; [0010] Figure 3 schematically depicts a photo frame in front view; 5 [0011] Figure 4 schematically depicts the photo frame in side view; [0012] Figure 5 schematically depicts a wall installation embedded within a wall; [0013] Figure 6 schematically depicts an electronic wall 0 installation in front view; [0014] Figure 7 schematically depicts an electronic wall installation in side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 5 [0015] In Figure 1, there is shown a wall installation in accordance with one embodiment of the present innovation. The wall installation 10 is shown schematically in front view in Figure 1 and in a cross sectional side view in Figure 2. The wall installation 10 includes a photo support element 20 that 0 provides a photo frame mounting layer 22. A plurality of photo frames 30 may be removably or permanently attached to the photo frame mounting layer 22. By having the photo frames 30 be removably attached to the photo frame mounting layer 22, the photo display may be more dynamic than if photo frames 30 of a 5 fixed size are arranged in a fixed position. [0016] A plurality of frame edge members 14 may provide a border around the edge of the wall installation 10 to enhance the decorative effect of the wall installation and to hide the edge of photo support element 20. 0 [0017] The wall installation may be of any desired size. For example, the wall installation 10 may cover an entire internal wall of a dwelling, including ceiling or floor 3 DOCKET NO: ES001 surfaces, or it may cover the length or height of a wall. The wall installation 10 may also fit within the dimensions of a wall. The wall installation 10 may also be provided on external and/or mobile walls. 5 [0018] The photo support element 20 provides the dual function of providing an inner surface 25 to be secured to a wall 23 and to provide a mounting surface 27 for supporting the plurality of photo frames 30. [0019] In the embodiment depicted in Figures 1 and 2, the 0 photo support element 20 includes a photo frame mounting layer 22 that is secured against a backing member 24. The backing member 24 may be a single member of the required total size or several members may be joined to form a backing member of the required size. The photo frame mounting layer 22 may be secured 5 to the backing member 24 by any suitable means such as screws, staples, rivets, adhesives, and the like. The backing member 24 may be any of a variety of materials such as plasterboard, chipboard, wood, plastic, polystyrene foam, metal, masonry, glass, rubber, and the like. In one particular embodiment, the 0 backing member 24 may be made of Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). [0020] The backing member 24 may be secured against the plasterboard 26 and into the studwork 29 of the wall 23 by suitable fastenings 28 such as plasterboard screws, brickwork 5 screws, studwork screws, nails, staples, adhesives or other suitable fastenings 28. The particular fastenings 28 used will depend on both the composition of the photo support element 20 and the type of wall 23 to which the wall installation 10 is being secured. The fastenings 28 may be provided through only 0 the backing member 24 or through the backing member and the photo frame mounting layer 22 and optionally through the frame edge members 14. 4 DOCKET NO: ES001 [0021] In one embodiment, the photo frame mounting layer 22 provides a magnetic surface for magnetically receiving and supporting the photo frames 30. The photo frame mounting layer 22 may therefore include one or more sheets of steel. The steel 5 sheets that form the photo frame mounting layer 22 may include decorative coatings or paint. An example of a steel sheet may be of the type marketed under the trade mark ColorBond@. An advantage of the use of ColorBond® is that is commercially available in a range of colours that can be chosen to suit the 0 internal decor of a dwelling. The steel sheet may be removable from the wall installation 10 so that it can be replaced by a sheet of another colour. [0022] The steel sheet may provide a flat surface 27 for receiving the photo frames. Alternatively, the surface on which 5 the photo frames are mounted may be a more intricate or decorative shape such as a corrugated shape. [0023] A further alternative to a flat photo frame mounting layer 22 is to provide a three dimensional surface that can receive the photo frames 30. Examples of a three dimensional 0 photo frame mounting layer include spheres, domes, cubes, branched structures, angled structures. Furthermore, the wall installation is not limited to a single wall and can be made to bend around corners and follow curved wall surfaces. [0024] In the simplest embodiment, the photo frame mounting 5 layer 22 covers the entire backing member 24. However, the photo frame mounting layer 22 need not cover the entire backing member 24. Because the function of the photo frame mounting layer 22 is to provide an area for detachably receiving the photo frames 30, the photo frame mounting layer 22 may be provided as a number of 0 discrete areas or in some regular or irregular shaped arrangement on the backing member 24. 5 DOCKET NO: ES001 [0025] The backing member 24 is depicted as a single layer but may be made of any number of layers. The use of composite layers for the backing member 24 may be beneficial for a number of reasons, for example to cause the wall installation to 5 project from the wall and enhance the decorative effect of the wall installation feature. [0026] In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the photo support element 20 of the wall installation 10 need not include a backing member 24. In such an embodiment, the photo frame 0 mounting layer may be affixed directly to the wall so that an internal surface of the photo frame mounting layer 22 abuts a wall and the outer surface 27 provides a photo frame mounting surface. [0027] The frame edge members 14 are provided around the 5 perimeter of the photo frame mounting layer 22. The frame edge members 14 may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials such as wood, metal, e.g. patterned or painted metals, wrought iron, plastic, and other types of moldings etc. The thickness of the frame edge members may be such that they 0 are capable of hiding any side faces of the backing member 24 and the photo frame mounting layer 22. [0028] An example of the photo frames 30 is shown in front view in Figure 3 and in side view in Figure 4. The photo frames may include a layer 31 of clear material such as Perspex, glass, 5 etc. The photo frame 30 may include a second backing layer 32 that is spaced from the front layer 31 to define a slot 33. A photograph 36 may be received between the slot 33 such that it is viewable through the front transparent layer 31. The slot 33 may be provided on a single side 34 of the rectangular 0 arrangement shown in Figures 3 & 4. Alternatively, the slot may be provided on multiple sides. The front layer 31 may be spaced from the back layer 32 by a spacer (not shown). In such an 6 DOCKET NO: ES001 embodiment, the back layer 32 need not be transparent and need not be of the same material as the front layer 31. The front layer 31 and back layer 32 may be joined by hinges. Alternatively or in addition, the front layer 31 may be secured 5 to the back layer, with a photo wedged between, by devices such as clamps and the like. [0029] In the particular embodiment depicted in Figures 3 and 4, the photo frame 30 is molded from a single piece of Perspex or similar clear material. The single piece is bent 0 through 180 degrees to define the front 31 and back 32 layers and the slot 33 therebetween. The bend 37 between the layers will typically be located on the lower surface to prevent photographs from falling out. Spring tension produced by the bend 37 urges front layer 31 against back layer 32, thereby 5 holding the photo 36 in place. While a rectangular photo frame 30 is depicted, in practice the photo frames 30 can be made in a variety of shapes. [0030] One or more magnets 35 may be secured to a back surface of the photo frame 30 to enable the photo frame 30 to be 0 magnetically secured to the magnetic photo frame mounting layer 22. [0031] In an alternative embodiment, the photo frame 30 may include only a single transparent layer with the magnet(s) being secured to a back surface of the single layer. An additional 5 projection may be provided at the lower surface if required to provide a stop to prevent photographs from falling out when the photo frame 30 is affixed against the photo frame support layer 22. [0032] The photo frames 30 may be of any size for receiving 0 a photograph or similar adornment (e.g. artwork) . The photo frame may also be configured to receive and display more than one photograph. 7 DOCKET NO: ES001 [0033] Through the use of multiple photo frames 30, a person can arrange photographs on the photo frame mounting layer 22 of the wall installation 10 in any decorative configuration that they choose. Furthermore, because the photo frames are 5 removable and the photos are replaceable within the photo frames, the wall installation 10 can provide a dynamic photo display that can be reconfigured whenever desired without the need to change the attachment points of the wall installation to the wall. 0 [0034] The above embodiments describe a magnetic arrangement for removably attaching the photo frames 30 to the photo support layer 22. Alternative embodiments for the photo support layer 22 may include layers such as felt, and other fabrics and textiles that allow the photo frames to be removably 5 attached by hook and loop fasteners such as VelcroTM. Other suitable materials for the photo support layer 22 could include cork, wood, metal, plastic, etc which could then hold the photo frames 30 by appropriate fixings. In addition, there are a range of non-marking removable adhesives, such as those marketed by 0 the 3M T M company, that can be used to allow the photo frames 22 to be removable attached to the photo support layer 22 if the photo support layer 22 is made of other materials such as wood, plastic, Perspex, etc. Alternatives include suction cups and the like. 5 [0035] While the embodiments depicted are generally rectangular, the wall installation may be any of a variety of shapes to enhance the decorative effect. The wall installation 10 may be regular geometric shapes such as a circle, ellipse, square, diamond. The wall installation may also be an irregular 0 shape such as a star pattern, tree shape (e.g. for displaying photos of a person' s family tree), etc. 8 DOCKET NO: ES001 [0036] In one embodiment, the wall installation may be provided as an unassembled kit. The kit may include one or more pieces that form the photo support elements, including the photo frame mounting layer, one or more pieces that form the frame 5 edge members, one or more fastenings for securing the wall installation to a wall, and one or more photo frames, e.g. of a standard 15x10 or 16x12 size. The kit may also include one or more pieces that form the backing member 24. Instructions may be provided that describe and/or illustrate how to assemble and 0 install the wall installation. Any tools required for the assembly, e.g. for use with the fastenings, may also be provided in the kit. In one embodiment, the kit may be configured for a particular size and may include a single photo frame mounting layer piece and, optionally, a single backing member piece for 5 the particular size. The photo frame mounting layer piece and the backing member piece may be pre-configured with holes that receive the fastenings to remove the need for the installer to drill holes in these components. [0037] In one embodiment depicted in Figure 5, the wall 0 installation may be embedded into the wall of a dwelling. A method for providing an embedded wall installation may include the steps of erecting studwork 29 of a dwelling for an internal wall, securing plasterboard 26 to one area of the studwork and securing a photo support element 20 to another area of the 5 studwork using fastenings 28. The photo support element may comprise a photo frame mounting layer 22, e.g. a magnetic layer, and, optionally, one or more backing layers 24. Frame edge members 14, a portion of which is shown in Figure 5, may be provided to cover any gaps between the photo support element 20 0 and the adjacent plasterboard 26. The plasterboard may be fixed to the studwork prior to or after the fixing of the photo support element to the studwork. Alternatively, the plasterboard 9 DOCKET NO: ES001 could be assembled against the studwork first and then a hole may be cut in the plasterboard to receive the photo support element. [0038] In the above described embodiments, the photo frames 5 30 have been described as receiving printed photographs, artwork, and the like. In an alternative embodiment, an electronic display is contemplated. In one electronic display embodiment, the photo frames 30 are magnetically mounted digital photo frames that may each store and display digital content 0 such as one or more digital images, video, graphics, etc. The digital photo frames may include their own memory for storing photos and may be self-powered, e.g. by battery or by an individual connection to a mains power supply. [0039] In a more complex embodiment, depicted in Figures 6 5 and 7, a digital wall installation 60 includes a processor 61 and memory 62 that stores an instruction set for operating the digital wall installation 60. Typically, the processor 61 will be provided with associated circuitry on a printed circuit board (not shown). The digital wall installation 60 may include a 0 permanent memory 63 that stores digital images. By permanent, it is meant that the memory 63 is a fixture of the digital wall installation 60 rather than that the memory 63 is a non writeable memory. Communications may be provided to the memory 63, e.g. via an Ethernet cable, or wirelessly, e.g. via 5 Bluetooth, to transfer digital images to and from the memory 63. Alternatively or in addition, the digital wall installation 60 may include a memory port 64 that receives a removable memory 65 that may store digital images. The memory port 64 may be, for example, a USB port or SD card reader. Multiple memory ports of 0 multiple types may be provided. [0040] The electronics of the digital wall installation may be provided out of view, e.g. in a wiring layer 71 behind the 10 DOCKET NO: ES001 photo frame mounting layer 22 or within the frame edge members 14. Figure 6 shows a portion of the frame edge member 14 removed to expose an area 68 in which some of the electronic components may be located. The communications connections and power 5 connections (not shown) may be provided through connectors located on the side faces of the frame edge members 14 in order to provide an aesthetic arrangement, though other locations are possible. The memory ports 64 may be similarly located. [0041] Digital photo frames 70 with suitable display 0 screens, such as LCD screens, TFT screens, LEDs, plasma, etc, may be secured to the photo frame mounting layer 22 in a similar manner as for the non-digital embodiments described above, e.g. magnetically. The photo frame mounting layer 22 may include removable inserts, slots, gaps or other arrangements 72 that 5 allow connector wires to connect from the circuitry of the processor 61 to the digital photo frames 70 via the wiring layer 71. Other connecting arrangements may be apparent to a person skilled in the art. It is preferable, though not essential, that the digital photo frames 70 may be located in any location and 0 in any density that is desired in order to maintain maximum flexibility, though in some embodiments it may be necessary for wiring purposes that the digital photo frames may only be mounted in certain locations on the photo frame mounting layer 22. 5 [0042] The digital photo frames 70 may be specially configured with socket connections that can be received through a compatible socket arrangement 72 to provide a connection to the wiring layer 71. In one particular embodiment, the socket arrangements 72 may be mini-USB ports that directly receive a 0 complementary mini-USB socket of the digital photo frame 70. USB and mini-USB configurations have the advantage of being able to 11 DOCKET NO: ES001 provide both power and addressable processing functions through a single connection. [0043] The processor 61 and associated circuitry may be operatively associated with the permanent 63 or removable 5 memories 65 and may execute programs to control the display of photos from any of the available memories onto the digital photo frames 70. The display of photos may be static so that each digital photo frame displays a particular photo until reconfigured. The display of photos may also be dynamic and a 0 multitude of display effects are possible. For example, the photos may be arranged into themes and the processor 61 may allocate photos from a theme to the digital photo frames 70. The allocation of photos to the digital photo frames 60 may be static, random, or based on some programmed characteristic. In 5 one instance, the display will display a theme and that theme will be displayed until the digital photo frames are refreshed, e.g. after 5 minutes, 30 minutes, one day, etc. Examples of different themes may be different holidays, different days of a holiday (in which case the display may successively display 0 successive days), different children of a family, different timeline events, etc. [0044] The multiple digital frames 70 may be arranged on the photo support element 20 in both landscape and portrait configurations. The processor 61 can be programmed to determine 5 whether a digital image should be displayed in portrait or landscape and allocate it to the correctly oriented digital photo frame 70 accordingly. [0045] In an embodiment in which the digital wall installation bends around a corner from one room to the next, 0 display effects may be used to move photos around a corner. Multiple wall disconnected wall installations may be provided in an area, e.g. on opposite walls of a room, and effects can be 12 DOCKET NO: ES001 programmed to coordinate the display between the two wall installations. In a particular example, two wall installations can be communicatively coupled so that display effects, control signals and/or digital images can be communicated from one wall 5 installation to the next, or from a central processing centre that can communicate with each wall installation. [0046] Different refresh effects are also contemplated. For example, the digital photo frames 60 may be arranged in columns and each frame within a column may refresh at the same time. 0 Each column may be selected to refresh at a fixed period, e.g. 5 seconds, after the adjacent column, so that the refreshing of the entire display may appear to scroll across the display. Random refresh rates and other programmed arrangements will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. 5 [0047] The display effects may be programmed by an associated software module that may be executed on a remote or connected computer. A display program may then be uploaded to the digital wall installation 60 through the communications channels described above. Alternatively or in addition, a user 0 interface may be incorporated into the digital wall installation to allow programming of the display effects. [0048] In one embodiment, the digital photo frames 70 of the digital wall installation 60 may be configured as a computer screen. The digital wall installation 60 may connect to a 5 computer through a suitable wired or wireless connection. The processor 61 of digital wall installation and/or a processor of the connected computer may include a display driver that is programmed to distribute the screen output of the connected computer across the digital photo frames. For example, the 0 digital photo frames 70 may collectively display a computer desktop display and any open and viewable windows. The entire computer display may be displayed across the entire digital wall 13 DOCKET NO: ES001 installation. Alternatively, individual digital photo frames 70 may display individual windows of the desktop display. A combination of these methods are also contemplated. [0049] In both the digital and non-digital embodiments, the 5 wall installation 10 may include additional lights, e.g. between the frame edge members 14 and the photo support element 20, embedded in the frame edge members, above the frame edge members etc. that project light onto the displayed photos to enhance the decorative and display effects of the wall installation 10. 0 Backlighting may also be provided through the photo frame mounting layer 22. The wall installation 10 may also include additional decorative features and adornments such as planter boxes, fish tanks, candle holders, etc. [0050] An advantage of the present innovation includes that 5 the wall installation may receive a plurality of photo frames in a dynamic and changeable configuration. That is, a plurality of photo frames may be mounted to a wall without requiring multiple mountings to be fixed to the plasterboard or brickwork of the wall that may later require repair if the photo display is 0 either changed or removed altogether. It is anticipated that the wall installation will be relatively inexpensive for a decorative feature of this nature and further may be purchased and installed as a relatively inexpensive DIY kit. [0051] The electronic embodiments described above have 5 additional advantage in being able to provide a relatively inexpensive electronic display that will be affordable for domestic dwellings. [0052] Although embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanied drawings and described in 0 the foregoing description, it will be understood that the innovation is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and 14 DOCKET NO: ES001 substitutions without departing from the spirit of the innovation as set forth and defined by the following claims. For example, the capabilities of the innovation can be performed fully and/or partially by one or more of the blocks, modules, 5 processors or memories. Also, these capabilities may be performed in the current manner or in a distributed manner and on, or via, any device able to provide and/or receive information. Further, although depicted in a particular manner, various modules or blocks may be repositioned without departing 0 from the scope of the current invention. Still further, although depicted in a particular manner, a greater or lesser number of modules and connections can be utilized with the present innovation in order to accomplish the present innovation, to provide additional known features to the present 5 innovation, and/or to make the present innovation more efficient. Also, the information sent between various modules can be sent between the modules via at least one of a data network, the Internet, an Internet Protocol network, a wireless source, and a wired source and via plurality of protocols. 0 5 15