Smart Sign Adjusting Display for Sunlight Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic display signs in outdoor or partially shaded locations face challenges in maintaining visibility due to varying environmental conditions such as sunlight intensity and obstructions, which existing technologies fail to address effectively without relying on physical sensors.
Innovation Solution
A smart sign system that utilizes third-party environmental data, including time of day, weather conditions, and positional relationships with the sun and objects, to dynamically adjust its content and display settings, such as brightness and orientation, without the need for internal sensors, thereby enhancing visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electronic display signs are placed in outdoor locations to provide information to the public, then the reach and utility of the display is improved, but the visibility of the displayed content deteriorates due to sunlight intensity and environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The display sign dynamically adjusts its brightness and contrast settings based on real-time environmental conditions such as sunlight intensity, weather conditions, and time of day. This dynamic adaptation allows the sign to maintain optimal visibility whether placed indoors or outdoors, resolving the contradiction between location flexibility and content visibility.
2Measurement precision
If physical sensors are installed on the smart sign to detect environmental conditions, then the accuracy of environmental data is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses third-party environmental data services as intermediaries to provide accurate environmental information (sun position, weather conditions, ambient light levels) without requiring physical sensors on the display sign itself. This intermediary approach maintains measurement precision while avoiding the complexity and cost of installing and maintaining sensor infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly measuring environmental conditions with physical sensors, the system copies environmental data from third-party sources that already perform these measurements. This copying approach provides accurate environmental information without the need for duplicate sensor infrastructure on each display sign.
3Illumination intensity
If the display brightness is increased to improve visibility in sunlight, then the content visibility is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display brightness is dynamically adjusted based on real-time environmental conditions. When sunlight intensity is high, brightness increases to maintain visibility; when conditions improve or it becomes darker, brightness decreases to conserve energy. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between visibility and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors environmental conditions and uses this feedback to adjust display brightness accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the display only consumes high power when necessary for visibility, optimizing the balance between content visibility and energy consumption.
4Illumination intensity
If the display content is modified frequently to adapt to environmental conditions, then the viewability is improved, but the processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The display content and settings are dynamically modified based on environmental conditions such as time of day, weather, and sun position. This dynamic content adjustment improves viewability while the system manages complexity through automated rule-based modifications rather than manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Briefly stated, embodiments are directed towards providing a smart sign that utilizes third-party environmental data to modify its displayed content and display settings. The environmental data includes a current position of the sun, the smart sign's position, weather conditions, and positional data of objects that are in proximity of the smart sign. Positional relationships of the sun and the objects relative to the smart sign are determined based on the positional data of the smart sign, the position of the sun, and the position of the proximity objects. A display change condition is generated based on a combination of the third-party weather conditions and the determined positional relationships of the smart sign, the sun, and the objects in the proximity of the smart sign. The displayed content and at least one display setting of the smart sign are modified based on the display change conditions.