JPH09146471A - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To precisely perform an information display even when the power from a wire necessary for the information display is stopped by a service interruption, and enhance the reliability of the information to be displayed. SOLUTION: This device has a display part 20 having display elements 21 arranged vertically and horizontally in matrix and a control part 30 for selectively supplying a power to the display elements 21 to display various pieces of information. It also has a service interruption compensating power source 40, and the control part 30 is changeable to a general mode for operating the display part 20 in general time and an emergency mode for operating the display part 20 in a service interruption, and it is set so as to switch the power source to the service interruption compensating power source 40 in the emergency mode to operate the display part 20 with a low power.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information display device in which display elements are arranged vertically and horizontally in a matrix and a character pattern is displayed by dot-spacing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information display device in which display elements are arranged vertically and horizontally in a matrix form and a character pattern is displayed by dot-striping, a light emitting diode capable of multi-color display and moving image display with a long life is recently used as the display element. The use of (LED) is increasing.

Although the LED is turned on by applying a direct current, the luminous intensity of the LED is almost proportional to the applied current, so that a large information board requires a large power supply capacity.

For example, when the display surface of the information display device is for outdoor use having a size of 2 meters × 3 meters,
LEDs are often arranged at a pitch of 10 mm in order to perform fine display. In this case, the number of LEDs is 200
(Pieces) × 300 = 60,000 (pieces). here,
If the required power capacity of one LED is 0.2 W, the capacity required for the information display device is 0.2 W × 60,000 = 12.
It is a very large value of KW. However, the information display device mainly displays characters and does not turn on the entire surface. Therefore, the ratio of the number of display elements to be lit to the total number of display elements, that is, the lighting rate is about 30% in a normal information display device.

Therefore, the required power capacity is 12 kW ×
30% = 3.6 kW, and power is normally supplied via an electric wire.

[0006]

Among such information display devices, those installed on the road are shown in FIG. 10 when the road collapses or landslides in an emergency such as an earthquake or typhoon. It displays a sign such as "No traffic between XX and XX" to warn the following vehicles passing through and plays a very important role in preventing secondary disasters.

However, when there is a road collapse or a landslide due to a large earthquake, a typhoon, etc., the electric wire supplying power to the information board often breaks,
In that case, there is a problem that it is impossible to provide information to the road users by the information board.

Therefore, in the case of power failure by equipping each information board with an engine generator, it is conceivable to supply power from the engine generator to continue information display. Is about 2 kW at the maximum, so the capacity is totally insufficient. Further, in the case of a large-capacity generator of 4 kW class, there is a problem that the installation location cannot be provided because it is large. Further, there is a problem that it is too expensive to be widely used.

[0009] Further, as a general power failure compensation power source, there are a storage battery, a solar cell, etc., but their power capacity is smaller than the power generation capacity of the engine generator, and information is displayed by using the power failure compensation power source. It was difficult to display the device by the conventional display method.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such conventional problems, and it is possible to accurately display information even when the power from the electric wire necessary for information display is cut off due to a power failure. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information display device with highly reliable information to be displayed.

[0011]

Means for achieving the object are as follows.

1. A display section (20) having display elements (21) arranged vertically and horizontally in a matrix, and a control section (30) for selectively supplying electric power to the display elements (21). An information display device (10) for displaying various information includes a power failure compensating power supply (40), and the control unit (3).
0) is capable of switching between a normal mode in which the display unit (20) operates in a normal state and an emergency mode in which the display unit (20) operates in a power failure. In the emergency mode, the power source is the power source for power failure compensation ( 40), and an information display device (10), characterized in that the display unit (20) is set to operate at low power.

2. The control unit (30) is set so that the current supplied to the display unit (20) in the emergency mode is a pulse having a small duty ratio of the pulse width. Information display device described (10).

3. In the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit (30) switches to a character font that uses a smaller number of display elements (21) than a character font for displaying information in the normal mode. The information display device (10) according to item 1.

4. The information display according to item 1, wherein the control unit (30) is set to reduce the size of symbols for displaying information in the emergency mode as compared with that in the normal mode. Device (10).

(5) In the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit (30) is set to thin out and display a part of the symbols for displaying the information in the normal mode. Information display device described (1
0).

6. The control unit (30) is set to change the information display content in the emergency mode to preset information display content that is simpler than the information display content in the normal mode. Item 10. The information display device (10) according to item 1.

7 In the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit (30) switches from a character font for displaying information in the normal mode to a character font with a small number of display elements (21) to be used. Item 4. The information display device (10) according to item 3, wherein a program for automatically generating a character font having a small number of display elements (21) is incorporated.

8. The information display device (1) according to item 1, wherein the control unit (30) intermittently supplies electric power and blinks the information display in the emergency mode.
0). The information display device (10) has a display element (2) of the display unit (20) according to the information content to be displayed by the control unit (30).
Power is selectively supplied to 1). That is, the display element (21) is selectively turned on according to the information content.

Power is normally supplied from an electric wire, but in the event of a power failure due to an earthquake, typhoon, or other natural disaster, or due to an accident or the like (emergency), the control unit (30) uses the power supply for power failure compensation ( 40). Since the power failure compensating power source (40) has a small power capacity, the control unit (30) switches to the power failure compensating power source (40) and at the same time, changes the information display from the normal one to the low power emergency. Therefore, even if the contents of the information display are the same, the display mode is different between the normal mode, which is the normal display, and the emergency mode, which is the emergency display.

For example, when the control unit (30) is set so that the electric power supplied to the display unit (20) in the emergency mode is a pulse having a small duty ratio of the pulse width, the pulse interval is human eyes. If the display element (20) to be turned on is repeatedly turned off within the duration of the afterimage phenomenon, the visibility is not affected. The power consumption can be reduced.

Further, in the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit (30) is set to switch to a character font that uses a smaller number of display elements (21) than the character font for displaying information in the normal mode. If the information display in the normal mode has a character thickness (line width) of three display elements (21), the character thickness (line width) is displayed in the emergency mode. If the number of display elements (21) is one or two, the power consumption can be reduced as much as the number of the lighting display elements is reduced.

Further, in order to display information in the control section (30) in the emergency mode, even if the symbols are the same, the size is
Even when the size is set to be smaller than that in the normal mode, the power consumption can be reduced as a whole by the reduced amount of the lit display elements.

Also, when the control unit (30) is set to display a part of the symbols for displaying information in the normal mode in the information display in the emergency mode, the display is thinned out. It is possible to reduce the power consumption by the power consumption of the display element of a part.

In the above example, the symbols used for displaying information are basically the same in the normal mode and the emergency mode, but the power consumption is reduced by changing the thickness and size of the symbols. It is designed to be reduced.

As another means for reducing the power consumption of information display in an emergency, the control unit (30) is set so that the information display content in the emergency mode is simpler than the information display content in the normal mode. It is also effective to do. For example, if the place where “Earthquake has been closed for a long time” is normally displayed as “This road closed”, the amount of information will be reduced, but the power consumption will be reduced while displaying the most important information. You can

In the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit (30) switches from the character font for displaying information in the normal mode to the character font in which the number of display elements (21) used is small. Display element (2
A program for automatically generating character fonts with a small number of 1) can be built in.

In the emergency mode, the control unit (30) displays the same information as the normal mode,
It is also possible to reduce power consumption by intermittently supplying power to the display element (21) and blinking the information display.

[0029]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of an information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The information display device 10 has a display section 20 having display elements 21 arranged in a matrix in the vertical and horizontal directions, a control section 30 for selectively supplying electric power to the display elements 21 to operate the display section 20, and a power failure. The power source 40 for compensation is provided.

A direct current stabilizing power supply 11 for supplying power to the display element 21 is connected to the display section 20. A power source change-over switch S1 is connected to the DC stabilized power source 11, and power is supplied from the power failure compensation power source 40 when the monmon terminal CT and the contact A1 are connected. Switch S
The contact B1 of No. 1 is connected to the electric wire 12 side, and normally, the switch S1 connects the CONMON terminal CT to the contact B1, and the electric power is supplied from the electric wire 12 to the stabilized DC power supply 11.

The display section 20 includes display dot circuits C1 and C2.
~ Cn (Hereinafter, without specifying any display dot circuit,
When describing what is common to each display dot circuit, it is referred to as “display dot circuit C”. ), And the display dot circuits C have display elements 21. The display element 21 is a light emitting element, for example, an LED. The anode of the LED 21 is connected to the (+) terminal of the DC stabilized power supply 11.
The cathode of the LED 21 is connected to the collector of the transistor 22 for controlling the lighting / extinguishing of the LED 21, and the emitter of the transistor 22 is (−) of the DC stabilized power supply 11.
Connected to terminal.

The base of the transistor 22 is the AND circuit 2
3 is connected to the output terminal. The output terminal of the storage circuit 24 is connected to one of the input terminals of the AND circuit 23. The storage circuit 24 is for storing display data for causing the LED 21 of the display dot circuit C to light up or disappear, and is connected to the terminal 30D of the control unit 30 and receives the display data from the control unit 30. The display data can be stored.

The control unit 30 is composed of a CPU, a memory, a microcomputer having an I / O port, and the like, and can switch between a normal mode in which the display unit 20 operates during normal operation and an emergency mode in which the display unit 20 operates during a power failure. And
In the emergency mode, the power source is switched to the power failure compensation power source 40 and the display unit 20 is set to operate at low power. The control unit 30 outputs display data to the storage circuits 24 of the display dot circuit C for each dot in advance so as to perform lighting display or extinction display via the terminal 30D, and stores the display data in the storage circuit 24.

A switch S2 is connected to the control unit 30, and the monmon terminal CT and the contact A2 of the switch S2 are connected to the control unit 30. The switch S2 interlocks with the switch S1 and receives a signal to which the conmon terminal CT and the contact A2 of the switch S2 are connected at the time of a power failure, that is, receives a power failure signal and switches the control to the emergency mode.

A series resistor or a constant current circuit for stabilizing the current of the LED 21 is not shown.

Next, various operations in the normal mode and the emergency mode will be described.

In the normal mode in which the storage circuit 24 storing the display data for lighting outputs a signal to one input terminal of the AND circuit 23 and the power failure signal is not input from the switch S2 to the control unit 30. , The control unit 30 has a terminal OT
Is set to the [1] level, and the AND circuit 2 from the storage circuit 24
A signal is output to the output terminal of the transistor 3, the base of the transistor 22 is driven, the collector and the emitter of the transistor 22 are electrically connected, and a current flows through the LED 21, which is a display element, to perform lighting display. The signal states of the respective parts at this time are shown in section B of the waveforms of the respective parts in FIG. It should be noted that section a indicates a state in which the information display device 10 is not operating.

Next, a function of displaying information in the emergency mode will be described.

Next, when a power failure state occurs, a power failure signal is input from the switch S2 to the control unit 30, and the control unit 30 repeats the terminal 0T at the [1] level and the [0] level at a high speed, and the [1] level. Lower the duty ratio of
Supply is performed with a pulse having a small pulse width duty ratio.

The state of the signal level of each part at this time is shown in FIG.
As shown in section C, the switch S2 is [1], the terminal 0T of the control unit 30 repeats [1] and [0] at high speed, the output of the memory circuit 24 is [1], and the LED 21 is the control unit 30. Repeats [1] and [0] at high speed in synchronization with the output change of the terminal 0T.

At this time, the terminal 0T of the control unit 30 [0]
By repeating the level and the [1] level at a high speed within the duration of the afterimage phenomenon of the human eye, the information display on the display unit 20 does not flicker visually. Here, the control unit 30
Reducing the duty ratio of the [1] level of the terminal 0T of the above means shortening the lighting time ratio of the display element 21,
Although the amount of emitted light also decreases, the control unit 30 calculates this duty ratio from the power supply capacity and the ratio of the LEDs that are lit among all the LEDs 21 of the display unit 20 (referred to as the “normal lighting rate”), and the power storage location. The optimum duty ratio is set to match the power capacity of the power failure compensating power supply 40 configured by the above.

In this way, the on-time of the transistor 22 can be reduced, the average power consumption can be reduced, the power supply capacity can be reduced, and appropriate information display can be maintained even during a power failure. It should be noted that human beings can judge the lightness and darkness even between 30 to 50 even next to each other.
Since the difference in brightness is%, the duty ratio is 30
Even if lowered by -50%, there is no problem in visual recognition. As a result, the power supply capacity can be reduced by 30 to 50%.

Next, referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the control unit 30
However, the operation when the information display in the emergency mode is set to switch to a character font that uses a smaller number of display elements 21 than the character font for displaying information in the normal mode will be described.

FIG. 3 exemplifies the character font of "passage" when "passage closure" is displayed on the display unit 20 in the normal mode. At this time, the number of lit LEDs 21 is about 700. The character fonts shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 are examples of character fonts at the time of power failure, and the character font of “tsu” is illustrated for comparison with FIG. 3.

When a power failure occurs, the power failure signal is sent to the switch S.
When inputting from 2 to the control unit 30, the control unit 30 switches the normal mode to the emergency mode, outputs the display data of the character font having a low lighting rate to the storage circuit 24 of the display dot circuit C through the terminal 30D, and stores the display data. It is stored in the circuit 24.

For example, in the information display in the normal mode, assuming that the character thickness (line width) is three display elements 21 (FIG. 3), in the emergency mode, as shown in FIG. If the thickness (line width) of the display element 21 is set to one or two, the power consumption can be reduced as much as the lighting display elements are reduced.

In the case of FIG. 4, the number of lights of the LED 21 is about 23.
The number is 0, which is about 33% of the normal value, and the power capacity can be reduced by about 67%. At this time, since the characters are displayed in one row of the LEDs 21, the light emission amount of the LEDs 21 forming the characters decreases, but when viewed from a short distance, the human corneal illuminance increases, and further, in an emergency, the road The vehicle traveling above can also be seen sufficiently in combination with the fact that it is traveling slower than usual.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show the case where the control unit 30 is set so as to generate a character font with a low lighting rate. The character font of FIG. L
A part of the ED 21 is thinned out and displayed. In both FIGS. 5 and 6, the number of lights of the LED 21 is about 320.
This is about 46% of the normal number, and therefore the power capacity can be reduced by about 54%.

The one shown in FIG. 5 is one in which the line of the character font is thinned by one LED 21 and is thinned out at equal intervals, and the character font having a low lighting rate is stored in the control unit 30 in advance. The control unit 30 automatically generates a character font with a low lighting rate by the software of the CPU.

On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 6, the LEDs 21 in a specific row and column of the display unit are turned off, so that it is not necessary to prepare a character font in advance, and the control unit 30 can be constructed at low cost. It should be noted that even if the LED 21 and the LED 21 that are turned on for the purpose of thinning out the light are separated from each other as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the eyes of the human eye will continue to see them in a stippled manner due to the phenomenon of light bleeding, which is a visual problem. Absent.

It is needless to say that various methods can be considered for automatically generating a character having a low lighting rate, and a character having a lower lighting rate than that in FIG. 6 can be generated.

Next, in the case of FIG. 7, the information when the control unit 30 is set to display information in the emergency mode so that the size of the symbols is made smaller than that in the normal mode even if the symbols are the same. It is an example of a display. In this case, the number of lights of the LEDs 21 is about 120, which is about 17% of the normal amount, and the power capacity can be reduced by about 83%. At this time, since the LEDs 21 display characters in one row, the amount of light emitted from the LEDs that form the characters decreases, and the characters are half the normal height. In this case, it is difficult to see from a distance, but the human's corneal illuminance increases when viewed from a short distance, and in an emergency, the vehicle traveling on the road is slower than usual and traveling. Together, the letters look large and are fully visible.

Next, in the emergency mode, the information display itself in the control unit 30 is the same as that in the normal mode, but the power supply to the display element 21 is intermittently performed, and the information display is blinked for power consumption. Can be reduced.

In this case, when the power failure signal is input from the switch S2 to the control unit 30 and switched to the emergency mode, the control unit 30 lowers the output from the terminal 0T between the [1] level and the [0] level. Blinks are displayed by repeating at speed. As a result, the average power consumption can be reduced and the power supply capacity can be reduced. The signal states of the respective parts at this time are shown in section D of the waveforms of the respective parts in FIG. In FIG. 2, time t
During 3, the output from the terminal 0T is at the [1] level and L
The ED 21 lights up. On the other hand, during the time t4, the output from the terminal 0T is at the [0] level, and the LED 21 is turned off. It is also possible to reduce power consumption by increasing the ratio of time t3 to time t4 to 1: 4 or the like. Ratio 1 to 4
In this case, the normal power consumption is 20%, and the power supply capacity can be greatly reduced. Further, since the blinking display is a display method different from usual, it is possible to call more attention.

In the above example, the symbols used for displaying information are basically the same in the normal mode and the emergency mode, but the power consumption is reduced by changing the thickness and size of the symbols. It is designed to be reduced.

Next, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, as another means for reducing the power consumption of information display in an emergency, the control unit 3
A case will be described in which 0 is set so that the information display content in the emergency mode is simpler than the information display content in the normal mode.

FIG. 8 shows the contents of information displayed on the display section 20 in an emergency in the normal mode. When a power failure signal is input from the switch S2 to the control unit 30 and switched to the emergency mode, the control unit 30 causes the storage circuit 24 of the display dot circuit C to display content with a low lighting rate corresponding to the power failure via the terminal 30D. The display data is output and stored in the storage circuit 24, and the LED 21 is turned on and displayed.

FIG. 9 shows the information display contents of the display section 20 in the emergency mode. For example, if you set the place where "Earthquake XX-XX is closed" to be switched to "This road closed" in normal times, the amount of information will be reduced, but absolutely necessary information will be displayed. It is possible to reduce power consumption. In this case, the display data is stored in advance in the control unit 30 so that important characters such as “accident”, “fire”, “earthquake occurrence”, “closed road”, “no entry” can be displayed in a simple manner. Can respond. As a result, the number of characters displayed can be reduced, and the power capacity can be reduced.

Alternatively, among the displays at the normal time, auxiliary displays such as tunnel names and spot names are displayed in lowercase letters.
The lighting rate can be lowered without lowering the information density.

In the information display in the emergency mode, the control unit 30 has a small number of display elements when switching from a character font for displaying information in the normal mode to a character font having a small number of display elements to be used. By incorporating a program for automatically generating character fonts, it is possible to cope with the reduction in power consumption in displaying all information in the emergency mode.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, at the time of power failure, 1) lower the lighting duty ratio of the LED, 2) display with a character font with a low lighting rate, 3) display with a display content with a low lighting rate, 4) Although the description is given by performing the blinking display, it goes without saying that these may be controlled by any combination.

Further, in the information display device, when LEDs are used for display elements, it is normally displayed by using multicolors such as red and yellow-green, but it is possible to display only red and so on.
The lighting rate of the ED can also be reduced.

Although the display element has been described as an LED, the display element is not limited to this and may be another display element such as an incandescent lamp.

[0066]

According to the information display device of the present invention,
Since information can be displayed with low power, even if a power failure occurs due to a natural disaster, an accident, etc., it is possible to perform sufficient information display by using a general power supply individually provided in the information display device as a compensation power supply.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram showing a main part of an information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing signal waveforms in some of the components of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing “passage” when “passage” is displayed in the normal mode of the information display apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Is an example of the character font of.

FIG. 4 illustrates a character font in an emergency mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates another character font in the emergency mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates another character font in the emergency mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates another character font in the emergency mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of information display in an emergency in the normal mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates information display in an emergency mode of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows an example of display contents displayed by a conventional information display device in an emergency.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Information display device 20 ... Display unit 21 ... Display element (LED) 30 ... Control unit 40 ... Power supply for power failure compensation

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An information display device for displaying various information, comprising: a display section having display elements arranged in a matrix in a matrix form vertically and horizontally; and a control section for selectively supplying electric power to the display elements. A power source for compensation is provided, and the control unit is switchable between a normal mode for operating the display unit in a normal time and an emergency mode for operating the display unit in a power failure. An information display device, characterized in that the display unit is set to operate at low power by switching to a power source. 2. The information display according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set so that the current supplied to the display unit in the emergency mode is a pulse having a small pulse width duty ratio. apparatus. 3. The control unit, in the information display in the emergency mode, switches to a character font that uses a smaller number of display elements than the character font for displaying the information in the normal mode. Information display device described in. 4. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set to reduce the size of symbols for displaying information in the emergency mode as compared with that in the normal mode. . 5. The control unit is set so as to thin out and display a part of symbols for displaying information in the normal mode in displaying information in the emergency mode. Information display device. 6. The control unit is set so as to change the information display content in the emergency mode to a preset information display content that is simpler than the information display content in the normal mode. 1. The information display device described in 1. 7. The control unit controls the number of display elements when switching from a character font for displaying information in the normal mode to a character font having a smaller number of display elements in the information display in the emergency mode. 4. The information display device according to claim 3, further comprising a program for automatically generating a small character font. 8. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein in the emergency mode, the control section intermittently supplies power and blinks the information display.