Display device

Abstract

The invention relates to a display device with a housing (1) having a front (2) with at least one backlit cutout (3). The display device is characterized in that a screen (5) positioned parallel to the front (2) is arranged in the housing (1) for backlighting the at least one cutout (3), and the screen projects laterally beyond the at least one cutout (3), wherein a transparent or translucent element (4) having at least one reflective inner side surface (42) is inserted into or placed in front of the at least one backlit section (3).

Description

The invention relates to a display device with a housing having a front side with at least one backlit cutout. Such display devices are used, for example, for advertising purposes or as information boards. It is known to arrange light sources inside the housing to illuminate the cutout(s) from behind. The cutouts can be designed, for example, in the form of one or more letters or as logos. While the front itself is opaque, the cutouts are preferably sealed with a transparent or translucent material, creating the appearance of self-illuminating letters or logos. It is known to use one or more light sources emitting the same color in such a display device, so that all cutouts, and thus all logos or letters, appear identically. Alternatively, it is also possible to assign one or more separate light sources to each cutout, and thus to each individual letter or logo, in order to illuminate them in different colors and / or brightness levels. Each of the light sources can, for example, be a multicolor light-emitting diode (LED) that is individually controlled, resulting in a dynamic interplay of color and light. To create an even more interesting visual impression, protruding transparent or translucent elements are often arranged in the cutouts, creating a depth effect and thus a more interesting presentation, especially when the viewing perspective changes. Furthermore, it is known to use display devices with large screens on which slideshows or videos with corresponding advertising messages or information can be played. Although the variety of displays on a screen is greater than on the previously described display devices due to the large number of individually addressable pixels, the uniform and smooth surface of the screen does not appear particularly appealing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device of the type mentioned above with at least one backlit section, in which a highly variable range of colors and intensities is possible within the at least one backlit section. The display device should be easy to manufacture and allow for a wide variety of shapes for the at least one backlit section. This problem is solved by a display device with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the dependent claims. An inventive display device of the type mentioned at the outset is characterized in that a screen positioned parallel to the front is arranged for backlighting the at least one cutout in the housing, which projects laterally beyond the at least one cutout, wherein a transparent or translucent element, which has at least one reflective inner side surface, is inserted into the at least one backlit section or is placed in front of the at least one backlit section. According to the invention, a screen is used to backlight the section, making it possible to utilize a large number or density of individually controllable pixels of the screen in order to flexibly backlight the at least one section with regard to intensity, color and pattern. Instead of creating a complex matrix arrangement with numerous light sources (e.g., LEDs) whose dimensions and shape precisely match the desired area, a screen larger than the desired area is used. A standard, commercially available, and inexpensive screen, typically rectangular, can be employed for this purpose. This may result in the screen having a significant number of pixels that do not contribute to backlighting, potentially exceeding 50%. However, the advantage of using a standard screen far outweighs this perceived disadvantage of not all pixels contributing to backlighting. The at least one reflective inner surface of the transparent or translucent element can be produced by an externally applied reflective layer, e.g. a vapor-deposited metal layer. The reflections created on the reflective inner surface further enliven the image and lead to effective advertising effects, including a sense of depth. These reflections change with the viewer's position, creating a particularly dynamic effect when the viewer is moving. Furthermore, the reflections increase the possible viewing angle of the display. This ensures that the display attracts attention even at very shallow viewing angles, such as when approaching from the side. The thickness of the element, i.e., its extent in a direction perpendicular to the surface area of ​​the screen, is preferably greater than 5 mm and particularly greater than 10 mm or 15 mm. With sufficient thickness, total internal reflection occurs, so the mirror effect takes place even without an externally applied reflective layer. In an advantageous further development of the display device, all inner side surfaces of the element are reflective, thereby achieving a maximum mirror effect. In a further advantageous embodiment of the display device, at least two separate backlit cutouts are provided in the front panel, which can be backlit together by a single screen. In this way, two or more letters and / or logos can be illuminated by a single screen. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to assign exactly one screen to each backlit section. Both concepts can also be implemented in a mixed form within a single display device, with one screen having two or more cutouts assigned to it and another screen having a further cutout. This is particularly advantageous when some of the cutouts are positioned at a greater distance from others. In a further advantageous embodiment of the display device, the outline of the transparent or translucent element reflects the outline of at least one cutout. This element is particularly preferably projected beyond the front of the housing, creating a sense of depth when viewed. The element in question can, for example, be made of a clear or colored, transparent plastic, such as acrylic glass or polycarbonate. In a further advantageous embodiment of the display device, the housing is cuboid in shape. It can be made, for example, of aluminum sheets or plastic panels. It can also be provided with ventilation slots, and appropriately shaped covers on or over the ventilation slots provide protection against splashing water, e.g., rain, thus enabling the housing to be used outdoors. In a further advantageous embodiment of the display device, a control device is arranged in the housing, which controls the screen. The control device can, for example, be a single-board computer that is capable of controlling the screen while requiring little installation space and low power consumption. In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one sensor can be arranged, for example, on the sides or front of the housing, which is capable of detecting light and / or movement in front of the housing, with the screen being controlled depending on signals from the at least one sensor. In this way, the display device can be controlled situationally and, if necessary, interactively. The sensor can be a camera whose images are preferably analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI) methods. Using the AI-analyzed images from the camera, anonymized statistical data can be collected, for example, about the number, age, gender, clothing style, and / or behavior of the people viewing the images. In a further advantageous embodiment, it may be possible to select the content displayed on the screen depending on the results of the evaluation of the camera images. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 each a schematic, three-dimensional exploded view of a display device from different perspectives; Fig. 3 a top view of a front face of the display device; and Fig. 4 a schematic sectional view through the display device of the previous figures. Figures 1, 2, 3 to 4 schematically depict an embodiment of a display device according to the invention in various representations. In all figures, the same reference numerals denote identical elements. For the sake of clarity, not every element is provided with a reference numeral in every figure. In Figures 1 and 2, the display device is initially shown in a schematic, three-dimensional exploded view. The viewing direction differs in the two figures. Figure 1 shows a housing 1 of the display device, including its front surface 2. Several cutouts 3 are incorporated into this front surface 2; in this case, four cutouts 3, each in the shape of a letter. Alternative embodiments can utilize a larger or smaller number of cutouts 3, which can have any shape and outline, for example, as shown here, in the form of letters, but also in the form of logos or other symbols or shapes. Optionally, an element 4 made of a transparent or translucent material, such as acrylic glass or polycarbonate or another suitable plastic, can be inserted or placed in each of the cutouts 3 or in some of the cutouts 3. The elements 4 are cut from a sheet material several millimeters thick, e.g., in the range of approximately 5 to approximately 20 mm, and have a rectangular cross-section. In the example shown, they have front surfaces 41 facing forward towards the viewer and rear surfaces facing parallel to them towards the screen, as well as side surfaces 42 perpendicular to them. The side surfaces 42 are reflective towards the interior of the transparent or translucent element 4, e.g., by means of an externally applied reflective layer, such as a vapor-deposited metal layer, or by total internal reflection. In the assembled state of the display device, the inserts 4 preferably protrude above the surface of the front 2, which enhances the impression of depth. The edges of the elements 4 can be straight, as in the example shown, or chamfered. Fig. 2 shows the display device with a view of its back, which in the illustrated example is not closed, i.e., has no back panel, but this can be provided. In its open form as shown, the display device is particularly suitable for indoor use, for example, mounted on a wall. For outdoor use, a back panel is provided that closes off the housing 1, except for any ventilation openings, and protects it from the elements. The housing 1 contains a screen 5 which, when the display device is assembled, lies as flat as possible on the inside of the front panel 2. The screen 5 is controlled by a control device 6, indicated in Fig. 2, to display screen content. The screen 5 has an active screen area comprising a large number of pixels. The screen 5 can, for example, have a resolution of at least 1920×1680 pixels, also known as HD resolution. The screen 5 can also have a higher resolution, such as WXHD or 4K resolution. The size of the active area of ​​screen 5 is chosen such that, in the example shown, all four shown cutouts 3 lie within the area of ​​the active screen surface. The entire surface of all cutouts 3 can therefore be backlit by screen 5, and any color scheme and / or pattern can be displayed in the cutouts 3 within the resolution of screen 5. The content displayed on screen 5 is partially reflected on the reflective inner surfaces of the elements 4, which are arranged in the cutouts 3. Reflections occur and are visible to the viewer when the side surfaces 42 of the elements 4 are within the area of ​​the active screen area. The resulting reflections further enliven the image and create effective advertising effects, including a sense of depth. The reflections change with the viewer's position, creating a particularly dynamic effect when the viewer is moving. Furthermore, the reflections increase the viewing angle of the display. This ensures the display attracts attention even at very shallow viewing angles, such as when approaching from the side. Screen content can be displayed statically or semi-statically in the form of slideshows, or as videos. The displayed content is preferably tailored to the size, area, and shape of the sections to create the desired visual impression. When the display device is used for advertising purposes, videos can be used to play moving and engaging presentations in the various sections, ideally related to logos or lettering, captivating the viewer's attention and significantly increasing the advertising impact. Fig. 3 shows the display device again from the front, looking at the front 2 of the housing 1. The inserts 4 are, as in the previously shown illustrations in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, not inserted into or placed on the cutouts 3, but are shown floating in front of them for illustration purposes. Finally, Fig. 4 shows a cross-section in the vertical direction through the display device. This figure particularly shows the arrangement of the screen 5 with its active screen area parallel to the rear of the front surface 2 of the housing 1. The screen 5 lies flat on this front surface 2 or is optionally minimally spaced from it, for example by a frame that surrounds the active screen area of ​​the screen 5, i.e., the area in which the screen pixels are arranged. In Fig. 4, the control device 6, located behind the screen 5, can also be seen inside the housing 1. This device is shown here with a mains plug as a power supply connection 8. The screen 5 is also supplied with operating current via the power supply connection 8. The control device 6 can, in particular, be a single-board computer, for example a Raspberry Pi, whose processing power is sufficient to control even a high-resolution screen 5 and which advantageously has low power consumption. A wireless connection such as WLAN or Bluetooth can be used to easily change the content displayed on the screen 5 at any time. The display device shown in the exemplary embodiment further comprises a camera 7, which is arranged here by way of example on the front of the display device (see Fig. 1) and is directed towards the viewers. The camera 7 is connected to the control device 6, the control device 6 comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate images supplied by the camera, preferably using methods of Kl. Using the images from camera 7 evaluated by Kl, for example, anonymized statistical data on the number, age, gender, clothing style and / or behavior of viewers can be recorded. It may also be possible to select or adjust the content and / or colors, brightness, or scrolling speed displayed on the screen based on the results of the camera image analysis. In this way, the content can be controlled, for example, through conscious and / or unconscious gestures and / or eye movements (possibly interactively). Furthermore, a mood or emotion can be determined from a viewer's facial expression and / or posture and used as the basis for selecting content or controlling colors, brightness, scrolling speed, etc. As mentioned previously, the housing 1 can be provided with a back panel, optionally a sealing back panel, so that the housing 1 is weatherproof. Ventilation slots can be provided through which the screen 5 and the control device 6 are cooled, optionally passively via airflow or actively by a fan. For outdoor use, the ventilation slots are covered to prevent the ingress of splashing water, e.g., rain. The display device can thus be used, for example, on building facades. Reference symbol list 1 Housing 2 Front 3 Cutout 4 Element 41 Front surface 42 Side surface 5 Screen 6 Control device 7 Camera 8 Power supply connection

Claims

Display device with a housing (1) having a front (2) with at least one backlit cutout (3), characterized in that a screen (5) positioned parallel to the front (2) is arranged in the housing (1) for backlighting the at least one cutout (3), which projects laterally beyond the at least one cutout (3), wherein a transparent or translucent element (4) having at least one reflective inner side surface (42) is inserted into or placed in front of the at least one backlit section (3). Display device according to claim 1, in which at least two separate backlit cutouts (3) are provided in the front (2). Display device according to claim 2, in which a screen (5) is provided to which the at least two separate backlit cutouts (3) are assigned. Display device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which at least two screens (5) are provided, wherein the at least two separate backlit cutouts (3) are each assigned to one of the screens (5). Display device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an outline shape of the element (4) reflects an outline of the at least one cutout (3). Display device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the element (4) protrudes beyond the front (2) of the housing (1). Display device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the element (4) consists of acrylic glass or polycarbonate. Display device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing (1) is cuboid in shape. Display device according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which a control device for controlling the screen (5) is arranged in the housing (1). Display device according to claim 9, wherein at least one sensor is arranged in or on the housing (1) which detects light and / or movement in front of the housing, wherein the screen (5) is controlled depending on signals from the at least one sensor. Display device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is a camera (7) which is directed towards the viewer of the screen (5). Display device according to claim 11, comprising an evaluation device configured to evaluate images from the camera (7), preferably using artificial intelligence methods.

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