GB2406427A

GB2406427A - Travelling image coordinated with vehicle speed

Info

Publication number: GB2406427A
Application number: GB0415812A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Allen Bailey
Original assignee: Lameek Ltd
Current assignee: Lameek Ltd
Priority date: 2003-07-15
Filing date: 2004-07-15
Publication date: 2005-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-15
Also published as: GB0316512D0; GB0415812D0; GB2406427B

Abstract

Apparatus comprising an elongate screen or other support (2) arranged to generate an image (3) travelling therealong, means (4) arranged to determine the velocity of a passenger-carrying vehicle (5) which is moving in the vicinity of the screen or support (2) and from which the image (3) can be viewed, and means (6) arranged to adjust the speed of travel of the image (3) along the screen or other support (2), to coincide generally with the speed of the passenger-carrying vehicle. The apparatus is particularly useful for advertising and information communications in, say, a railway environment, particularly an underground railway tunnel.

Description

CO-ORDINATED TRAVELLING IMAGE

DESCRIPTION

This invention is related to a method of and apparatus for generating a co-ordinated travelling image for use in such areas as advertising and information communications.

When travelling in trains, particularly trains in tunnels, such as underground trains, some passengers occupy their time by reading, whilst others occupy their time by merely staring through windows adjacent or opposite them.

In the latter case, that time is effectively wasted and could be better used by presenting advertisements, or indeed any other information, to the passengers.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention resides in apparatus comprising an elongate screen or other support arranged to generate an image travelling along the length thereof, means arranged to determine the velocity of a passenger-carrying vehicle which is moving in the vicinity of the screen or support and from which the image can be viewed, preferably generally parallel thereto, and means arranged to adjust the speed of travel of the image along the screen or other support to coincide generally with the speed of the passenger-carrying vehicle.

The passenger-carrying vehicle speed sensing means may be situated at any suitable location, for example, at or adjacent the screen or support, at a location(s) along the length thereof or remote therefrom and, also, may comprise one or more speed sensors.

The speed sensing means is preferably connected to a control unit which is arranged to operate the means for adjusting the speed of travel of the image along the screen or support and, optionally, for changing the image, as and when considered necessary.

The speed of travel of the image along the screen or support may be adjusted such that it is substantially the same as that of a passengercarrying vehicle from which the image can be viewed.

Alternatively, such speed of the travelling image may be adjusted so that it is more or less than that of the vehicle, so that passengers are able to read along the length of a longer image, particularly when in the form of words, rather than viewing continuously a shorter image.

In a preferred embodiment, the image travailing along the elongate screen or support may be generated thereon, for example cast thereon, by an image transmitted from a passenger-carrying vehicle, such as a train, which is moving in the vicinity of the screen or support and from which the so-generated image can be seen.

In another embodiment, the elongate screen or support its located along a section of a length of a railway tunnel, such as an underground tunnel, so that passengers within a train travelling through the tunnel can view readily the image travelling there- along.

Another aspect of the invention provides an installation comprising the apparatus defined above in combination with a transit way, such as a railway or road, with the travelling image screen or support extending generally parallel to the transit way.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred embodiment in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic partial perspective view of co-ordinated travel.ling image apparatus installed in an underground railway tunnel.

Referring, therefore, to the drawing, a railway tunnel comprising a brickwork lining 1 has secured to a section of the length thereof an elongate screen 2 capable of generating an image 3 travailing there- along in the direction of the arrows A. At spaced intervals along the length of the tunnel brickwork 1 are provided sensors 4 arranged to determine the velocity of an underground train 5 travailing along the tunnel in the direction of the arrow B which is also the same direction in which the image 3 is travelling along the tunnel.

Sensed speed signals from the sensors 4 are fed to a control unit 6 which, in turn, adjusts the speed at which the image 3 is travelling along the screen 2, so that it corresponds with the speed at which the train 5 is travelling along the tunnel.

In this manner, the image 3 is effectively stationary with respect to the train 5, so that it can be viewed easily by passengers within the train through the train windows 7.

If the image 3 is comparatively long, then its speed can be adjusted to be slightly greater than that of the sensed speed of the train 5, so that passengers can read the whole length of the image 3 over a given length of tunnel.

For passengers viewing an image on the other side of the train, with the train 5 travelling in the direction of the arrow B. the speed of travel of a comparatively long image 3 along the corresponding screen 2 can be adjusted to be slightly less than the speed of the train 5 travelling through the tunnel, again so that such an image can be read along its full length.

Thus, it can be seen that the invention provides a co-ordinated travelling image which can be used not only in vehicle transit tunnels, such as underground train tunnels, but also with any other form of transit way where the attention of persons travelling therealong can be utilised for the purposes of communicating information to those persons.

As indicated above, the moving image generated on the screen or support may be one transmitted from a passenger-carrying vehicle which is moving along in the vicinity of the screen or support and from which such generated image is viewable. In such an arrangement, the speed sensing means may or may not be employed. l5

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising an elongate screen or other support arranged to generate an image travelling therealong, means arranged to determine the velocity of a passenger-carrying vehicle which is moving in the vicinity of the screen or support and from which the image can be viewed, and means arranged to adjust the speed of travel of the image along the screen or other support to coincide generally with the speed of the passenger-carrying vehicle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said passenger-carrying vehicle speed sensing means is situated at or adjacent the screen or support.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said speed sensing means is situated at locations along the length of the screen or support.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said speed sensing means is situated remote from the screen or support.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said speed sensing means comprises one or more speed sensors.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said speed sensing means is connected to a control unit which is arranged to operate said means for adjusting the speed of travel of the image along the screen or support.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including means arranged to change the image moving along the screen or support.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the speed of travel of the image along the screen or support is adjustable, so that it is substantially the same as that of a passenger-carrying vehicle from which the image can be viewed.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the speed of the travelling image is adjustable, so that it is more or less than that of the vehicle, so that it is possible to read along the length of a longer image, rather than viewing continuously a shorter image.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the image travelling along the elongate screen or support is generated thereon by an image transmitted from a passenger-carrying vehicle which is moving in the vicinity of the screen or support and from which the so-generated image thereon can be viewed.

11. Apparatus for generating a coordinated travelling image, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

12. An installation comprising apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 11 in combination with a transit way, with the travelling image screen or support extending generally parallel to the transit way.

13. An installation according to claim 12, wherein the transit way is a railway or road.

14. An installation according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the elongate screen or support is located along a section of a length of a railway tunnel, such as an underground railway tunnel.

15. Apparatus comprising an elongate screen or other support upon which an image can be generated from one transmitted from a passenger-carrying vehicle moving along in the vicinity of the screen or support, so that the so-generated image moves along the screen or support in unison with the movement of the vehicle.