Outdoor Display System

Abstract

A display system including an upright housing meeting IP56 weatherproofing standards and including a first vent and a second vent positioned vertically above the first vent, a mounting arm coupled to the upright housing, an industrial PC mounted within the upright housing between the first vent and the second vent, a fan mounted within the upright housing adjacent the first vent, a thermostat mounted within the upright housing and controlling the fan continuously at or above a non-zero minimum speed so that a positive pressure is maintained within the upright housing between the first vent and the second vent, and a large format display mounted to the mounting arm and receiving signals from the industrial PC.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An outdoor display mounting apparatus comprising:
 thermally separate weather resistant subassemblies comprising a   first assembly being a display housing adapted to receive an electrically powered display and a second subassembly being an upright tower for supporting said second subassembly;   said first assembly has a first cooling regime formed and arranged to cool said electrically powered display;   said second subassembly having a tower width, tower depth and a tower height;   said first subassembly having a housing width, housing depth and a housing height;   said tower width being less than said housing width, said tower height being greater than said housing height and said tower depth being greater than said housing depth;   said second subassembly having a forward surface and a rear surface, and left and right side surfaces interconnecting said forward surface and a rear surface, left and right side edges defining said interconnection;   said surfaces defining a chamber;   said chamber being adapted to contain a computer adapted to control said display;   said chamber being adapted to contain a power supply adapted to power said display;   said computer and power supply creating a heat source;   said rear surface being formed and arranged to define at least one aperture;   closure for said aperture being formed and arranged to define a top vent and a bottom vent;   said rear surface defining a plane;   said top vent and bottom vent being oriented one vertically above the other in the same plane;   said chamber being adapted to contain a fan to move cooling air so as to transmit heat from said computer and power supply exterior to said chamber in a second cooling regime, said second cooling regime being thermally separate from said first cooling regime;   said cooling air in said second cooling regime traveling on a path passing generally horizontally after passing through said bottom vent, generally vertically past said heat source, and generally horizontally to exit said top vent.   
     
     
         42 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , said fan being controlled so as to operate sufficiently continuously at or above a non-zero minimum speed so that a sufficiently positive pressure is maintained within the chamber between the first vent and the second vent so as to provide resistance to ingress of environmental moisture. 
     
     
         43 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the computer is mounted vertically above the fan. 
     
     
         44 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , further comprising a second computer mounted within the upright pedestal between the first vent and the second vent; and a second large format display coupled to a mounting arm and receiving signals from the second computer. 
     
     
         45 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , further comprising a third industrial PC mounted within the upright pedestal between the first vent and the second vent; and a third large format display coupled to a mounting arm and receiving signals from the third industrial PC. 
     
     
         46 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein a thermostat controls the fan at the non-zero minimum speed when an ambient temperature is below about forty degrees Fahrenheit and at a maximum speed when the ambient temperature is above about ninety degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         47 . The display mounting apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the thermostat is pulse-width-modulated. 
     
     
         48 . An outdoor display system comprising:
 an upright pedestal providing environmental weather resistance and including a first cooling system first vent for intake and a second vent for exhaust;   said upright pedestal having a vertically oriented axis on a rear surface   said second vent is formed and arranged so as to be connected to said housing vertically above said first vent and on said axis;   a controller mounted within the upright pedestal above the vent;   a continuously operational fan mounted within the upright pedestal adjacent the vent;   a mounting bracket coupled to the upright pedestal;   a thermally separate housing containing a large format electronic display adapted to be mechanically mounted to the mounting arm and receiving signals from the controller, while maintaining thermal independence such that said a second cooling system cools said electronic display separate from said first cooling system   said separate housing and pedestal cooperating to provide structure adapted to withstand environmentally and climatologically imposed stresses.   
     
     
         49 . The display system of  claim 48 , wherein the fan operates between a minimum speed and a maximum speed to maintain a positive air pressure within the upright pedestal. 
     
     
         50 . The display system of  claim 48 , further comprising a thermostat that controls the fan at a non-zero minimum speed when an ambient temperature is below about forty degrees Fahrenheit and at a maximum speed when the ambient temperature is above about ninety degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         51 . The display system of  claim 48 , further comprising
 at least one gusset plate mounted within the upright pedestal above the vent.   
     
     
         52 . The display system of  claim 48 , further comprising a second controller mounted within the upright pedestal above the vent; and a second large format display coupled to the mounting arm and receiving signals from the second controller. 
     
     
         53 . The display system of  claim 48 , further comprising a third controller mounted within the upright pedestal above the vent; and a third large format display coupled to the mounting arm and receiving signals from the third controller. 
     
     
         54 . The display system of  claim 48 , further comprising a router providing communication between a remote network and the controller. 
     
     
         55 . An outdoor display system comprising:
 a housing configured to contain one or more large format displays;   a column configured to structurally support said housing;   said housing and column being thermally separate from one another;   said column being sealed so as to be weather resistant and including a first vent for intake and a second vent for exhaust;   said column having an axis perpendicular to the horizon;   said second vent is formed and arranged so as to be connected to said column vertically above said first vent on said axis;   a controller mounted within the column and configured to send display signals to the one or more large format displays; and   a fan mounted within the column and positioned vertically below the controller, the fan operating sufficiently continuously at or above a non-zero minimum speed to maintain a positive pressure within the column so as to resist ingress from environmental contamination;   said column includes said first vent positioned below the controller and a second vent positioned above the controller;   said controller being a heat source cooled by a first air flow passing in said first vent horizontally inwardly, passing vertically upwardly and exiting horizontally outwardly;   a second air flow cooling said electronic display within said housing and separate from said first air flow.   
     
     
         56 . The display system of  claim 55 , wherein the column includes a vent positioned below the controller. 
     
     
         57 . The display system of claim  15 , further comprising:
 a gusset plate mounted within the column between the controller and the fan.   
     
     
         58 . The display system of  claim 55 , further comprising a speaker mounted within the column and receiving audio signals from the controller. 
     
     
         59 . The display system of  claim 55 , further comprising a router providing communication between a remote network and the controller. 
     
     
         60 . The display system of  claim 55 , further comprising a thermostat that controls the fan at the non-zero minimum speed when an ambient temperature is below about forty degrees Fahrenheit and at a maximum speed when the ambient temperature is above about ninety degrees Fahrenheit.