CA3065285A1

CA3065285A1 - Container-based video wall display system

Info

Publication number: CA3065285A1
Application number: CA3065285A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Yakov Neiman (Jake); Girgis Michael; Dmitri Melamed; Jeff Wismer; Diego Grimaldi; Mazen Salloum; Emmett Martin; Adam Smith
Original assignee: Big Digital Corp
Current assignee: Big Digital Corp
Priority date: 2019-12-16
Filing date: 2019-12-16
Publication date: 2021-06-16

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A container-based video display system is provided. On a container having an interior environment accessed by an opening, a video wall is mounted on at least one surface without blocking the opening. A separate embodiment using stacked containers is also provided, as is a kit for modifying containers to provide a rapid-deployable video wall.

Description

CONTAINER-BASED VIDEO WALL DISPLAY SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to video wall display systems and more particularly relates to methods of mounting and securing such video wall display systems in exterior locations.
BACKGROUND
Video walls are (typically, large-scale) digital screens used to display many types of graphical and video content. Their use in permanent and semi-permanent installations is well-known.
However, it has been problematic to erect such video walls for temporary and pop-up installations, such as for concerts, festivals, fairs, temporary exhibits and promotions.
A typical installation involves a multi-part truss structure, which is typically assembled over several days requiring many hours of human labour, in addition to cranes and other heavy equipment. For example, Figure 1 shows one such typical structure for an outdoor concert with a video wall VW installed as part of a massive truss structure T also used to mount lighting for the stage.
Such truss structures set the video wall far away from users, due to safety concerns with the truss. Additional fencing or security gates may be installed (not shown) to keep users away and prevent them from climbing on or vandalizing the truss structure. However, this also prevents users from engaging with the video wall in an intimate or interactive context, or clearly seeing content on the screen.
The use of converted multimodal shipping containers (and other portable prefab units) for various types of temporary and semi-permanent commercial spaces has become a worldwide phenomenon. The relative low-cost, compact size, and versatility of containers has contributed to this popularity. Converted containers may be clustered together in a container shopping district, such as London's Boxpark or Toronto's Stackt market, to provide mutual assistance and co-promotion.
Typically, a container is converted into a retail space (such as a small shop or coffee bar) mainly by cutting one large service window that can be opened for receiving customers in a walk-up fashion. The container already has cargo doors allowing staff entry/exit and loading/unloading of goods and business supplies. The conversion requirements are minimal.
The roof areas of such converted containers may be used for HVAC units, generators, and the like, but overall, the roof areas have been mostly unused, due to limited space, and the desire for quick deployment of such converted containers.
It would be desirable to use the rooftop space (or other surfaces or structures) of a converted shipping container as a mounting point for a video wall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, a container-based video display system is provided. A container is provided having an interior environment accessed by an opening. A
video wall is mounted on a surface or other physical structure of the container without blocking the opening. The interior environment may, e.g., provide a space for users to participate in an activity. The video wall content may be used to promote that activity (or the content may be completely unrelated).
A mast arm may secure the video wall in position on the container, or the video wall may be mounted (directly or indirectly) in some other fashion to the container.
In an embodiment, the container has a track, and the video wall engages with the track so as to be translatable in a selected orientation into its mounted position.
Preferably, the video wall has wheels that engage with a corresponding shaped groove of the track.
Preferably, the video wall is translatable along the track by a cable and pulley system. In a lowermost position of its vertical translation, the video wall covers at least part of an opening of the open side wall (i.e. on one long side of the container).
Preferably, the video wall and the container share a common power source. For example, the common power source may be a solar power source. Solar panels may, for instance, be mounted on the container or on the video wall to provide all or some power to the video wall and/or the container.
In an embodiment, at least one of the width or the height of the video wall is approximately the same as the width or the height of the open side wall of the container.

2 The interior environment may serve as at least one of: an activation space, a gallery, a concert venue, an arcade, a showroom, a lounge, a retail store (e.g. popup retail store) (which may be manned and/or automated (e.g. vending machines or terminals for ordering), a waiting area (e.g. bus shelter), a consumption area, a ticket/will call booth, an information or customer service booth, an experiential marketing space, a projection experience, a housing for supplies or storage, an AN control area, a tech area, or a power generation/supply/distribution area. The activity may relate to one of these uses. The interior environment may also be modified or fitted to provide additional structural support, weight or anchoring to the video wall.
In some embodiments, the activity includes interacting with secondary content displayed in the interior environment. The secondary content may be displayed on at least one screen or video wall inside the interior environment. The secondary content may be displayed by projection on or from any surface of the interior environment. For example, a change in the secondary content may be timed to coincide with a change in the primary content.
A sensor or a camera may be mounted on or in the container. Interacting with the sensor or the camera may trigger a change in one or both of the primary or secondary content.
A video wall controller or processor for controlling the video wall (and/or the small screens) may be in communication with a video wall controller or processor from a position located in the container.
The video wall may be mounted on an interior or exterior surface or structure of the container.
The video wall may face toward the interior environment or away. In certain embodiments, the video wall is wrapped so that it extends along multiple surfaces of the container and may cross one or more corners or other joints.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a container-based video display system is provided. A first container has an opening for accessing an interior environment. A second container may be stacked on the first container. This second container may have fully enclosed side walls. A video wall is mounted on at least one surface of the second container without blocking the opening. The video wall may be secured on the second container such

3 that the video wall faces in the same direction as the opening the first container (i.e. in order to invite a visitor into the interior environment).
According to a third aspect of the invention, a kit is provided for modifying a container. A video wall is provided having wheels connected to a side thereof. A track is provided for mounting on a side of the container having a shaped groove sized to receive the wheels.
A pulley system with a crank is provided for mounting to the container, and a cable is provided connected to the video wall. The crank is operable to reel in the cable using the pulleys thereby pulling the video wall in a vertical translation up the track to a raised position on the container.
The kit may also include a mast arm for securing the video wall in its raised position by propping the video wall on a roof of the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 is a perspective view of truss-based video wall with a concert stage (prior art).
Figure 2 is a perspective view of container-based video wall display system with people and environment details.
Figures 3A and 3B are, respectively, front and side views with the video wall deployed.
Figure 4 is a detailed interior view of container.
Figures 5A-5C show stages of the deployment of the video wall on the container.
Figure 6 is an alternative embodiment with double-stacked containers.
Figure 7 is an alternative embodiment with a video wall on a side surface of the container.
Figure 8 is an alternative embodiment with a wrapped video wall along a top surface of the container.

4 Figures 9A-90 are detailed views of a portion of an exemplary video wall using LED tiles seen from the front (9A), side section (9B) and rear (90).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in Figure 2, the invention provides a container-based video wall display system 100.
The video wall 110 is mounted on a mobile preengineered enclosure 120 such as a shipping container. (It will be appreciated that in fact this can be any type of portable building structure of the type that is prefabricated so that it can be dropped into a location.
The term "container"
is used throughout the present disclosure with this broad connotation in mind.) The container 120 itself preferably has an opening (e.g. open side wall 130) so that visitors can simply walk up and enter into an interior environment 140. The interior environment 140 may be set up to serve as, for example, an activation space for a marketing campaign, a gallery, concert venue, arcade, showroom, lounge, retail store, waiting area (e.g. bus shelter), consumption area, a ticket/will call booth, an information or customer service booth, an experiential marketing space, a projection experience, a housing for supplies or storage, an AN
control area, a tech area, or a power generation/supply/distribution area, among other uses. A
small ramp 150 may be provided to enable the walk up to the interior environment 140. Some installations may also use the interior environment as a stage while visitors gather around outside.
The container 120 has in a typical configuration: a first pair of opposite (here, short) sides 123; and a second pair of opposite (here, long) sides 122. Square (and other) container shapes are also possible. Certain possible windows 136 and doors 135 of the conversion have been shown in Figures 7 and 8. In the embodiments shown, the container is a typical corrugated multimodal steel container of the type well known, although shipping containers are not the only type of preengineered enclosure contemplated. The original equipment of the container may include fully-openable hinged cargo doors, which may be opened as shown here to provide side entrance to the interior environment. Other details of the converted shipping container that may be needed in order to fit it for use (e.g. slab foundation and/or decking/stairs, water and power hookups, heating/cooling and ventilation apparatus) have been omitted from the drawings for simplicity.
As shown in Figures 9A-90, the video wall 110 preferably uses multiple monitors or small displays (typically with narrow bezels) in a tiled array to form one large screen. These are typically clipped together with connection hardware 113 provided with the tiles to form one

5 large screen, or individual screens may be attached to a common substrate or frame, so that the overall visual impression is of a contiguous display. Some typical display technologies include LCD panels, Direct View LED arrays, blended projection screens, Laser Phosphor Displays, and rear projection cubes.
Such screens may contain the hardware 113 necessary to stack similar screens together, along with connections 114 to daisy chain power, video, and command signals between screens. Command signals may, for example, power all screens in the video wall on or off, or calibrate the brightness of a single screen after bulb replacement.
In simpler embodiments, a video wall 110 may be used like a digital billboard with a simple static message or graphic. In more complex embodiments, the content is varied or cycled with animated segments or videos, for example. In still more complex embodiments, the content is keyed to sensors or cameras mounted nearby (e.g. on or in the container) so that the display responds interactively to persons or activities occurring in its vicinity.
Content is provided to the video wall through a video wall controller or processor (not shown).
Content may also be provided separately or in concert to small screens (or other displays, e.g. projections) in the interior environment of the container. Optionally, the primary content on the video wall and the secondary content in the interior environment are linked. In other embodiments, the primary and secondary content area completely unrelated.
In certain embodiments, as shown in Figure 4, sensors 160 or cameras 170 may be provided in or on the container so that the primary and/or secondary content is triggered by some aspect of the activity in or around the container and users/visitors may receive personalized or contextually-aware content based on the sensors 160 or cameras 170. Data capture from such sensors and cameras can also be used to provide rich data reporting and analytics to sponsors on use and traffic patterns related to the interior environment and the messaging uptake from the video wall and/or small screens.
Interactive features (on the small screens 142 or video wall 110) can be triggered, for example, by touch screen or by QR code snap/scan using a user's device. Cameras 170 may be used for detecting when a person approaches and triggering specific messaging or interactive content (e.g. photo booth effects), or providing interactive messaging notified directly to user's

6 device. Using a companion app, the user's device may also be enabled to inject AR content when pointed at specific regions of the screen 142 or video wall 110.
In the present invention, the video wall 110 is mounted, for example, above an open side wall 130 of a container. The video wall may be used to promote an activity occurring in the interior environment of the container.
Figures 3A and 3B show, respectively, front and side views of one embodiment of the container-based video wall display system 100. The video wall 110 is shown in its fully extended and mounted position. It is mounted in a selected orientation above the open side wall 130 of the container 120. One or more mast arms 180 may be provided to maintain the video wall 110 in the selected orientation on the container. The container roof 190 itself may be reinforced to receive and accommodate the weight of the video wall 110, which may be considerable.
Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the interior environment 140. As shown here, in a simple set up, the space may be provided with small screens serving as game terminals 142 and controllers 143 for an arcade experience. A small ledge 144 may be provided.
Most of the floor space 155 is open for receiving visitors. Other types of arrangements are of course .. possible, with various types of fixtures and furnishings. The interior 140 may itself be provided with one or more video walls 110 (e.g. for fully immersive experiences). Wall space may also be used for artwork, virtual or real windows (e.g. see 136, Figure 7) or skylights, information displays (with or without interactivity), and self-service retail units (e.g.
ordering terminals, kiosks or vending machines), among other uses.
To maximize the limited square footage of a typical container, such spaces may be particularly sparsely furnished to allow for traffic flow and greater occupancy on a standing room basis.
Auxiliary structures, such as vestibules, security rails and gates, ramps, power and utility facilities, washroom facilities, storage sheds and boxes, garbage and recycling facilities, may also be provided in direct or indirect connection with the container. Weather-proofing structures and closures may also be provided (e.g. auxiliary roofing, shades, awnings, etc.).
The video wall 110 itself is preferably selected to be outdoor grade. For example, outdoor grade LED panels may be used.

7 Power is preferably provided to the container environment and the video wall from a common power source. For example, in certain embodiments, rooftop solar panels (mounted on the container roof or above the video wall) may be used to provide some or all power requirements to the container and video wall.
Figures 5A-5C show a progression of raising a video wall on a single container using a simple cable-type pulley system 195 mounted on the exterior front and side walls of the container 120. As shown in Figure 5A, the video wall 110 in its lowered state sits in front of one wall 130 of the container 120. As the cable 197 is retracted using the crank 198 (see Figure 5B), wheels 199 on the video wall structure ride upward along a track 196, and the mast arm 180 begins to raise from its lowered position (Fig. 5A). At full extension (Fig.
5C), the wheels 199 are at the uppermost position on the track 196 and the video wall 110 is fully raised above the open side 130 of the container 120. Mast arm 180 (now in its fully raised angular position) can be further secured on the container roof 190 to buffer the video wall against wind shear and prevent toppling. The video wall 110 raises in a smooth vertical translation from lowermost point to uppermost (fully erected) position.
Such a pulley system is but one simple means of raising the video wall 110.
The video wall may also be raised using an arrangement of hydraulic or pneumatic tubes among other hoisting techniques. Preferably, such hoisting apparatus is mounted on (and travels with) the container itself in order to facilitate easy on-location deployment of video walls without the need for additional cranes, trusses and other apparatus or equipment on site.
In other embodiments, the video wall 110 (or video walls) are fixed to the container (directly or indirectly) using one or more of its walls or other structures as a mounting surface.
In another embodiment, two (or more) containers may be stacked on each other 120A, 1208, the video wall 110 being secured onto an upper container 120B, as shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment, the lower container 120A is used to provide an interior environment 140.
It will be appreciated that in these deployments the video walls 110 are raised above the heads of the human visitors. This allows for clearer visibility of the video wall content (and lures visitors to the interior environments). It also means that fewer security precautions need

8 to be taken to keep visitors away from the screens. In effect, visitors come quite close to the screens, however, are not in reach to damage or vandalize such screens or hurt themselves by climbing on truss or stage structures. This allows for both a more intimate experience with the displayed content as well as a natural (yet barrier-free) separation.
Further sample embodiments are shown in Figures 7 and 8 depicting possible deployments of a container as a type of waiting area (e.g. bus shelter) showing sample door 135 and window 136 placements. As shown, the video walls may be positioned on side (Figure 7) or top (Figure 8) surfaces of the container.
The video wall tiles are modular and deployable in an infinite number of different configurations and arrays, mounted on interior or exterior walls or windows of the container, or its frame or corners. Such video walls may also be deployed in sandwich arrangements (e.g. facing into the interior environment and out). The video wall tiles may themselves wrap around edges or corners providing multi-sided and multi-aspect displays.
The use of preengineered, prefabricated containers as the mounting surface for video walls takes advantage of the easy deployability of such structures. Containers can be easily transported to and deposited on a site (within minimal or no site preparation). Truck transport and small crane installation are known from shipping containers, for example.
Containers also provide ruggedized, hardened surfaces that are outdoor-ready and tolerant of high-traffic uses. The cutting of openings and flaps for windows, doors, connecting passages between containers, hinged shutters and awnings is also made possible by the containers, whose walls are sufficiently rigid to permit such structural modifications, with or without reinforcement.
In order to promote comprehension of the components of the present specification, relative terms such as up, down, upper, lower, left, right, top, bottom, inner, outer, and so forth, have been used (generally for consistency with the orientations of the components as shown in the figures). It will be appreciated that these may, in some cases, be subject to overall orientation of the container and its fittings and are not intended to state absolutes.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the foregoing disclosure, but should be given the broadest purposive construction consistent with the description as a whole and having regard to equivalents set forth or implied.

9

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A container-based video display system, comprising:
a container having an interior environment accessed by an opening; and a video wall mounted on at least one surface of the container without blocking the opening.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interior environment is for users to participate in an activity and the video wall promotes the activity.

3 The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a mast arm for securing the video wall in a selected position on the container.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface is a wall, roof, edge or corner of the container.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the opening is on a side of the container, and the video wall faces outward from that side of the container.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the container has a track and the video wall engages with the track so as to be translatable in a selected orientation into a mounted position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the video wall has wheels that engage with a corresponding shaped groove of the track.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the video wall is translatable along the track by a cable and pulley system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the video wall in a lowermost position covers at least part of the opening.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the video wall and the container share a common power source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the common power source is a solar power source.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein solar panels are mounted on the container or on the video wall.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the opening is on a long side of the container.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the width or the height of the video wall is approximately the same as the width or the height of the open side wall of the container.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the interior environment serves as at least one of: an activation space, a gallery, a concert venue, an arcade, a showroom, a lounge, a retail store, a waiting area, a consumption area, a ticket/will call booth, an information or customer service booth, an experiential marketing space, a projection experience, a housing for supplies or storage, an AN control area, a tech area, or a power generation/supply/distribution area.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the interior environment is modified or fitted to provide additional structural support, weight or anchoring for the video wall.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the activity includes interacting with secondary content displayed in the interior environment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the secondary content is displayed on at least one screen, or video wall inside the interior environment.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the secondary content is displayed by projection on or from any surface of the interior environment.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein a change in the secondary content is timed to coincide with a change in the primary content.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein a sensor or a camera is mounted on or in the container, and wherein interacting with the sensor or the camera triggers a change in one or both of the primary or secondary content.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the video wall is in communication with a video wall controller or processor in the container.

23. A container-based video display system, comprising:
a first container having an interior environment accessed by an opening;
a second container stacked on the first container; and a video wall mounted on the second container without blocking the opening.

24. A kit for modifying a container, comprising:
a video wall having wheels connected to a side thereof;
a track for mounting on a side of the container having a shaped groove sized to receive the wheels; and a pulley system with a crank for mounting to the container and a cable connected to the video wall, the crank operable to reel in the cable thereby pulling the video wall in a translation up the track to a raised position on the container.

25. The kit of claim 24, further comprising a mast arm for securing the video wall in its raised position by propping the video wall on a roof of the container.