System and Method for a Modular Multi-Panel Display

Abstract

A modular multi-panel display includes a frame having a number of members. Lighting panels are removably coupled directly to the frame using coupling mechanisms. Each lighting panel is mechanically coupled to one of the members and three other lighting panels by a one of the coupling mechanisms. A controller is configured to provide data to the plurality of lighting panels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular multi-panel display comprising:
 a frame comprising a plurality of members;   a plurality of coupling mechanisms;   a plurality of lighting panels removably coupled to the frame without a cabinet, wherein each lighting panel is mechanically coupled to one of the members and three other lighting panels by one of the plurality of coupling mechanisms; and   a controller configured to provide data to the plurality of lighting panels.   
     
     
         2 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lighting panels obtains all power and data from one of the three other lighting panels. 
     
     
         3 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the three other lighting panels comprises:
 an input data connection point coupled to a data output of a first one of the three other lighting panels; and   an output data connection point coupled to a power input of a second lighting panel.   
     
     
         4 . The display of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the three lighting panels comprises:
 an input power connection point coupled to a power output of first one of the three other lighting panels; and   an output power connection point coupled to a power input of a second lighting panel.   
     
     
         5 . The display of  claim 4 , wherein the one of the three lighting panels comprises:
 an input data connection point coupled to a data output of the first one of the three other lighting panels; and   an output data connection point coupled to a data input of the second lighting panel.   
     
     
         6 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each lighting panel comprises:
 a housing;   a plurality of lighting elements positioned within the housing to form a display surface;   circuitry positioned within the housing to control the plurality of lighting elements; and   a power supply coupled to the plurality of lighting elements and the circuitry.   
     
     
         7 . The display of  claim 6 , wherein each lighting panel comprises:
 an input power connection point coupled to the power supply;   an output power connection point coupled to the power supply;   an input data connection point coupled the circuitry; and   an output data connection point coupled to the circuitry.   
     
     
         8 . The display of  claim 6 , further comprising a thermally conductive material positioned in physical contact with the power supply and an outer wall of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The display of  claim 6 , wherein the power supply is mounted outside the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each lighting panel is cooled only passively. 
     
     
         11 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each of the lighting panels is sealed and has an ingress protection (IP) rating of IP67. 
     
     
         12 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each lighting panel comprises a plurality of attachment points by which the lighting panel is removably coupled directly to the frame separately from other lighting panels of the modular multi-panel display. 
     
     
         13 . The display of  claim 12 , wherein each lighting panel has four corner regions and wherein there is an attachment point in each corner region. 
     
     
         14 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each lighting panel includes a plurality of tabs and slots, each tab fitting into a slot of an adjoining lighting panel and each slot receiving a tab from another adjoining lighting panel. 
     
     
         15 . The display of  claim 14 , wherein the tabs and slots are located on an alignment plate of the lighting panel. 
     
     
         16 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each lighting panel includes an alignment plate and is mounted to the frame via the alignment plate. 
     
     
         17 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein each coupling mechanism includes a plate that abuts a member of the frame and is fastened to four of the lighting panels. 
     
     
         18 . The display of  claim 17 , wherein the plate comprises a back plate that abuts one surface of the member, the coupling mechanism further comprising a front plate disposed between the four lighting panels and an opposite surface of the member. 
     
     
         19 . The display of  claim 1 , wherein the members comprise vertical members, the frame further comprising a plurality of horizontal members attached to the vertical members. 
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling a modular multi-panel display, the method comprising:
 assembling a frame that comprises a plurality of members;   attaching a plurality of lighting panels directly to the frame using a plurality of coupling mechanisms, wherein each lighting panel is mechanically coupled to one of the members and three other lighting panels by one of the coupling mechanisms; and   providing a power connection and a data connection to each of the lighting panels.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the lighting panels are attached to the frame with coupling mechanisms that each include a plate that abuts a member of the frame and is fastened to four of the lighting panels. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each lighting panel includes a plurality of tabs that fit into slots of an adjacent lighting panel and also includes a plurality of slots that receive tabs from an adjoining lighting panel. 
     
     
         23 . A modular multi-panel display comprising:
 a frame comprising a plurality of members;   a plurality of coupling mechanisms;   a plurality of lighting panels removably coupled to the frame using the coupling mechanisms;   wherein each lighting panel is mechanically coupled to one of the members and three other lighting panels by one of the coupling mechanisms;   wherein each coupling mechanism includes a plate that abuts a member of the frame and is fastened to four of the lighting panels; and   wherein each lighting panel comprises:
 a waterproof housing; 
 a plurality of lighting elements positioned within the housing to form a display surface; 
 circuitry positioned within the housing to control the plurality of lighting elements; 
 a power supply mounted outside the housing and coupled to the plurality of lighting elements and the circuitry; 
 an input data connection point coupled to a data output of an upstream one of the lighting panels and/or an output data connection point coupled to a data input of a downstream one of the lighting panels; 
 an input power connection point coupled to a power output of the upstream one of the lighting panels and/or an output power connection point coupled to a power input of the downstream one of the lighting panels; and 
 four attachment points by which the lighting panel is coupled to the frame, each attachment point located in a corner region of the lighting panel. 
   
     
     
         24 . The display of  claim 23 , further comprising a thermally conductive material positioned in physical contact with the power supply and an outer wall of the housing. 
     
     
         25 . The display of  claim 23 , wherein each of the lighting panels is sealed and has an ingress protection (IP) rating of IP67. 
     
     
         26 . The display of  claim 23 , wherein each lighting panel includes a plurality of tabs and slots, each tab fitting into a slot of an adjoining lighting panel and each slot receiving a tab from another adjoining lighting panel. 
     
     
         27 . A modular multi-panel light emitting diode (LED) display comprising:
 a first lighting panel comprising a first array of LEDs disposed within a first sealed housing and a first power supply mounted on a back surface of the first housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the first housing, the front surface opposite the back surface;   a second lighting panel comprising a second array of LEDs disposed within a second sealed housing and a second power supply mounted on a back surface of the second housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the second housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the second lighting panel adjacent the first lighting panel;   a first data connection between the first lighting panel and the second lighting panel;   a third lighting panel comprising a third array of LEDs disposed within a third sealed housing and a third power supply mounted on a back surface of the third housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the third housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the third lighting panel adjacent the second lighting panel so that the second lighting panel is disposed between the first lighting panel and the third lighting panel;   a second data connection between the second lighting panel and the third lighting panel;   a fourth lighting panel comprising a fourth array of LEDs disposed within a fourth sealed housing and a fourth power supply mounted on a back surface of the fourth housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the fourth housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the fourth lighting panel adjacent the first lighting panel and diagonally adjacent the second lighting panel;   a fifth lighting panel comprising a fifth array of LEDs disposed within a fifth sealed housing and a fifth power supply mounted on a back surface of the fifth housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the fifth housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the fifth lighting panel adjacent the second and fourth lighting panels and diagonally adjacent the first and third lighting panels;   a first coupling plate mechanically attached to the first lighting panel, the second lighting panel, the fourth lighting panel and the fifth lighting panel;   a third data connection between the fourth lighting panel and the fifth lighting panel;   a sixth lighting panel comprising a sixth array of LEDs disposed within a sixth sealed housing and a sixth power supply mounted on a back surface of the sixth housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the sixth housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the sixth lighting panel adjacent the third and fifth lighting panels and diagonally adjacent the second lighting panel;   a second coupling plate mechanically attached to the second lighting panel, the third lighting panel, the fifth lighting panel and the sixth lighting panel;   a fourth data connection between the fifth lighting panel and the sixth lighting panel;   a seventh lighting panel comprising a seventh array of LEDs disposed within a seventh sealed housing and a seventh power supply mounted on a back surface of the seventh housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the seventh housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the seventh lighting panel adjacent the fourth lighting panel and diagonally adjacent the fifth lighting panel;   an eighth lighting panel comprising an eighth array of LEDs disposed within an eighth sealed housing and an eighth power supply mounted on a back surface of the eighth housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the eighth housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the eighth lighting panel adjacent the fifth, seventh and ninth lighting panels and diagonally adjacent the fourth and sixth lighting panels;   a third coupling plate mechanically attached to the fourth lighting panel, the fifth lighting panel, the seventh lighting panel and the eighth lighting panel;   a fifth data connection between the seventh lighting panel and the eighth lighting panel;   a ninth lighting panel comprising a ninth array of LEDs disposed within a ninth sealed housing and a ninth power supply mounted on a back surface of the ninth housing, outer surfaces of the LEDs exposed at a front surface of the ninth housing, the front surface opposite the back surface, the ninth lighting panel adjacent the sixth and eighth lighting panels and diagonally adjacent the fifth lighting panel;   a fourth coupling plate mechanically attached to the fifth lighting panel, the sixth lighting panel, the eighth lighting panel and the ninth lighting panel; and   a sixth data connection between the eighth lighting panel and the ninth lighting panel.   
     
     
         28 . The display of  claim 27 , further comprising a frame, the frame comprising:
 a top horizontal member;   a bottom horizontal member;   a left vertical member;   a right vertical member, wherein the first through ninth lighting panels are located between the top horizontal member, the bottom horizontal member, the left vertical member and the right vertical member;   a first intermediate member mechanically attached to the first coupling plate; and   a second intermediate member mechanically attached to the fourth coupling plate.