Method and System of Video Wall Setup and Adjustment Using GUI and Display Images

Abstract

A system is disclosed for setup and operation of a video wall including a system for utilizing unique calibration display Images in combination with user input commands via a GUI to facilitate setup. A method and computer readable medium are also disclosed that operate in accordance with the system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 926,295 filed on Jan. 12, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]Large electronic displays, may be formed from an array of monitors referred to as a “video-wall”. For example video-wall might be comprised of a 3 by 3 array of nine monitors, each monitor simultaneously displaying a segment of a single image, thereby creating the appearance of a single large display comprised of rectangular portions.[0003]The present invention relates generally to improving the setup and operation of such video-wall displays and particularly to network addressable displays.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The present invention relates generally to improving the setup and operation of video-wall displays and particularly to network addressable displays.[0005]A video-wall display system is a method to overcome the costs of manufacturing and install...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]A video wall server splits source-video into sub-images and distributes these sub-images to multiple listening display devices. Built-in algorithms optimize, parse and scale the individual video-wall segments. To accomplish this splitting efficiently it is beneficial to create a configuration file stored in a computer readable medium using information on the position, configuration and settings for each of individual physical display and how they relate to the video-wall canvas. Using such a configuration file allows the video wall server to efficiently create a seamless canvas across the display units. This invention deals with methods of supplying the information for the creation of such files by means of user feedback base on test-canvasses and to sequentially changing the configuration file before redeploying a test-canvas to further improve the overall viewer-image.

[0016]The ordering of the sub-images within the canvas. For example one method to achieve this is for the server to display a canvas with a number on each of the displays (perhaps corresponding to the order in which they were connected to the server). The GUI might present a corresponding empty array with the same set of numbers as the canvas available for drag and drop. Once the user has dragged each number to the same relative position in the array on the GUI as occupies on the canvas, the server easily accomplishes the appropriate reordering of the displays.

[0024]Fine tuning display placement and bezel correction via a specialized test output image(s). In one embodiment, an administrator GUI in combination with a test image on the video-wall is used to fine-tune the bezel corrections. This facilitates installation by eliminating the need for physical measurements of display and bezel width or complex calculations on the part of the installer. In one embodiment, an administrative GUI is provided that shows a representation of the video-wall. As changes are made within the GUI the relative positioning of the displays within the video-wall canvas itself is simultaneously updated thus the output image that the administrator sees displayed on the video-wall is also updated, enabling the administrator to quickly bring display positioning and bezel size into optimal alignment. The administrator adjust spading and positioning via manipulation until the lines of the image displayed on the video-wall appear to be continuous. In the case of a uniform grid configuration of displays, the GUI provides tools for the user to simultaneously adjust the padding / spacing / bezel correction of the rows or columns of the displays in blocks. In the case of a non-grid (non-standard) video-wall layout the GUI could enable the administrator to rotate and adjust individual displays or groups of displays. The administrator continues adjustment until the image displayed on the video-wall appears in perfect alignment. The images used for alignment may take various forms. For example in one embodiment the canvas image is comprised of lines of multiple styles, angles, thicknesses, and colors so as to both be able to visually distinguish which lines should align across the bezel. The image may also include horizontal and vertical lines to assist an installer in ensuring that the rotation of the video-wall is correct in relation to the horizon or a level. The image may also include one or more perfect circles or perfect squares so as to quickly visually discern any aspect ratio distortion either within individual displays or within the entire canvas. In one embodiment lines are drawn on the borders (the outermost pixels) of the displays, and the administrator can then adjust padding until the border is fully visible within each display area. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, multiple test images are provided for the administrator to utilize. During this adjustment process, distortion or overlap of the test image(s) indicates that alignment is not yet correct. These test images ensure that alignment of multiple segments of a line can easily be discerned either visually or using tools such as a ruler, piece of string, a level, etc. In an alternative embodiment the administrator can initiate and / or adjust individual placement of the lines via the GUI to evaluate line continuity as displayed on the video-wall output itself.

Problems solved by technology

Because the plurality of display devices need to be operated together to display a single image or canvas across a video-wall (rather than a separate independent image for each display), the set-up of the output displays is critical and their fine tuning can be laborious.

With conventional approaches to video-wall setup these tasks can be laborious.

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