Digital information system

Abstract

The invention relates to a digital information system ( 10 ) for displaying information on at least one display means with the aid of at least one projector ( 22 ). The exposures are presented at places accessible to and frequented by a general public. The information system ( 10 ) includes external information mediators ( 24 ) and information is controlled dynamically through the medium of a communication interface ( 26 ) and through the medium of an exposure handler in a central computer ( 28 ). The inventive system also include a communication interface ( 14 ) against an elective number of station computers ( 34 ) having connected projector computers ( 38 ) which control projectors ( 22 ) for displaying pictures or exposures. The station computers ( 34 ) and peripheral equipment are situated at mutually distanced places. According to one particular field of use, the places mentioned are subway stations ( 16, 18, 20 ) and projectors ( 22 ) project exposures or pictures onto display means positioned at selected places in the stations ( 16, 18, 20 ).

1. A method of dynamically coordinating and controlling projectors in a digital information system to display information  material in public places on at least one display device, said digital information system including a computerized control center having a plurality of communication interfaces, a plurality of computerized devices situated in proximity to said public places and being connected to said control center wherein each of said computerized devices controls at least one projector, and communications drive routine means for permitting at least one subscribing  external information mediator having communications drive routine means for  to selectively and transparently connecting  connect to said control center, said method comprising:
 receiving, by said control center, display information transmitted by said external mediators at any time, said display information including booking information, specified by said at least one external mediator, for reserving and controlling a time-period to display said display information  material;  
 generating, organizing, and dynamically updating an exposure list in real time, by an exposure handler included in said control center, in accordance with said display information, said exposure list also containing projector control instructions based on said reservation  booking information;  
 coordinating and controlling select ones of said projectors by said computer devices, in response to said projector control instruction  instructions contained in said exposure list, in order to display said display information  material on said display device in real time,  
 wherein said display information in said exposure list specifies a content of display, a location of display, a timing of display, and a duration of display such that said content, said location, said timing, and said duration are capable of being independently selected , and said exposure list enables each of said select projectors to independently and instantaneously receive said display information through said computerized devices.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further including a system administrator for updating said exposure list with elective information at any time. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  2    1 , wherein said coordinating and controlling includes interrupting said display of information  material by said select projectors when said display is hidden, obstructed, or otherwise visibly unavailable in said public place. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  3    1 , further including shielding lenses of said select projectors from dirt with protective devices. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  4    1 , further including coupling said select projectors to a projector computer for controlling and feeding said display information to said projectors begin controlled by a station computer included in said computerized devices, said projector computer having a corresponding memory  buffer memory for accommodating subsequently arriving display information while display information of a current display is erased from said buffer memory. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  4    1 , further including a projector computer included in a station computer within said computerized devices for controlling and feeding display information to said projectors, said projector computer having a corresponding memory  buffer memory for accommodating subsequently arriving display information while display information of a current display is erased from said buffer memory. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further including databases within said station computer situated in one of said public places, said databases include display information contained in said exposure list, said exposure list  contained information capable of being copied into databases of other selected station computers situated in other public places. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  7    1 , further including a plurality of reserved instruction fields in said exposure list for updating display information with said control instructions received from said external information mediators via one of said communication interfaces. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further including placing said control instructions in a queue when said exposure list lacks instruction fields for updating said control instructions  display information. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  9    1 , further including implementing a detector for determining whether a station computer ( 34 )  is nonfunctional in order to enable projectors being controlled by said nonfunctional station computer to be remotely controlled by a station computer situated at a different public place. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  10    3 , wherein said interrupting of display is used for monitoring by a system administrator to determine whether vehicles are running according to a schedule. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  11    1 , further including an electronic display with a control computer for each of said computerized devices such that said select projectors supply information  material to be displayed on said electronic display. 
     
     
       13. A system for dynamically coordinating and controlling projectors to display digital information  material on at least one display device in public places, said system comprising:
 a computerized control center for processing said  display information and having a plurality of communications interfaces to support data transmissions, said control center including an exposure handler for generating, organizing, and dynamically updating an exposure list in real time in accordance with said display information, said exposure list also containing projector control instructions based on said display information;  
 wherein at least one external information mediator for transmitting said display information to said control center at any time, each of said mediators beingcan electronically coupledcouple to said computerized control center via one of said communication interfaces and selectively and transparently connectingconnect to said control center through a communications drive routine means to transmit said display information to said control center at any time, said display information including booking information, specific by each of said external mediators, for reserving and controlling a time-period to display said display informationmaterial;  
 a plurality of computerized devices, situated in proximity to said public places, for coordinating and controlling select ones of a plurality of projectors in response to said projector control instructions, each of said computerized devices being electronically coupled to said computerized control center via one of said communication interfaces; and  
 wherein said display information in said exposure list specifies a content of display, a location of display, a timing of display, and a duration of display such that said content, said location, said timing, and said duration are capable of being independently selected , and said exposure list enables each of said select projectors to independently and instantaneously receive information through said computerized devices.  
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , further including a system administrator, capable of updating said exposure list with effective information and any time. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim  14    13 , wherein said select projectors interrupts said display of information  material when said display is hidden, obstructed, or otherwise visibly unavailable in said public place. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim  15    13 , further including protective devices to shield lenses of said select projectors from dirt. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim  16    13 , wherein said select projectors are coupled to a projector computer which controls and feeds said display information to said projectors controlled by a station computer included in said computerized devices, said projector computer having a corresponding memory  buffer memory for accommodating subsequently arriving display information while display information of a current display is erased from said buffer memory. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim  16    13 , wherein a station computer included in said computerized devices is provided with a projector computer which controls and feeds display information to said projectors, said projector computer having a corresponding memory  buffer memory for accommodating subsequently arriving display information while display information of a current display is erased from said buffer memory. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein said station computer is situated in one of said public places and includes databases with display information contained in said exposure list, said exposure list  contained information capable of being copied into databases of other selected station computers situated in other public places. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim  19    13 , wherein said exposure list includes a plurality of reserved instruction fields for updating display information with said control instructions received from said external information mediators via one of said communication interfaces. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 19 , wherein said control instructions are placed in a queue when said exposure list lacks instruction fields for updating said control instructions  display information. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim  21    13 , further including a detector for determining whether a station computer is nonfunctional in order to permit projectors that are controlled by said nonfunctional station computer to be remotely controlled by a station computer situated at a different public place. 
     
     
       23. The system of claim  22    15 , wherein said display information  interruptions are used for monitoring by a system administrator to determine whether vehicles are running according to a schedule. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim  23    13 , wherein each of said computerized devices include an electronic display with a control computer such that said select projectors supply the information  material to be displayed on said electronic display. 
     
     
       25. A method of selectively displaying digital information at one or more of a plurality of locations, said method comprising:
   receiving control instructions from at least one external information mediator;        using said control instructions to generate an exposure list, said exposure list specifying three or more of the following items:      i )  what information content is to be displayed;        ii )  at which of said plurality of locations said information content is to be displayed;        iii )  when said information content is to be displayed for each location at which content is to be displayed; and        iv )  how long said information content is to be displayed for each location at which content is to be displayed;          displaying images at one or more of said locations in accordance with said exposure list; and        permitting said exposure list to be dynamically updated.     
     
     
       26. A system for selectively displaying digital information at one or more of a plurality of locations, said system comprising:
   a computerized control center having a plurality of communication interfaces for receiving control instructions from at least one external information mediator, said computerized control center including means for generating and dynamically updating an exposure list from said control instructions, said exposure list specifying three or more of the following items:      i )  what information content is to be displayed;        ii )  at which of said plurality of locations said information content is to be displayed;        iii )  when said information content is to be displayed for each location at which content is to be displayed; and        iv )  how long said information content is to be displayed for each location at which content is to be displayed;          a computerized device situated at each one of said plurality of locations, each computerized device being electronically coupled to said computerized control center; and        a means for displaying images in accordance with said exposure list assocaited with each one of said computerized devices.