System and method for a redundant multi-panel electronic display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10467610-B2
Application number	US-201916239849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2019
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for redundant multi-panel display is provided. A first system control board is electrically connected to the first electronic display and a first video player. A second system control board is electrically connected to the second electronic display, the first video player, and a second video player. The second system control board is configured to begin utilizing the first video player upon failure of the second video player. Order information is received from a point of sale data output and transmitted to at least one of the first system control board and the second system control board. The first and second video players are configured to cause background images to blended with the order information and displayed on the respective electronic display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A redundant multi-panel display system comprising:
a first electronic display;
a first system control board electrically connected to the first electronic display;
a first video player electrically connected to the first system control board;
a second electronic display;
a second system control board electrically connected to the second electronic display and the first video player;
a second video player electrically connected to the second system control board; and
a point of sale data output configured to receive order information and transmit it to at least one of the first system control board and the second system control board;
wherein the second system control board is configured to begin utilizing the first video player upon failure of the second video player;
wherein the first and second video players are configured to blend the background images with the order information and transmit the blended images to the respective electronic display for display on the respective electronic display.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first timing and control board electrically connected to the first system control board and the first electronic display; and
a second timing and control board electrically connected to the second system control board and the second electronic display.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein:
the first and second video players are configured to blend the order information with the background images through an alpha composting or an alpha blending process.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:
the alpha value is between 0 and 1.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein:
the order information is blended completely in front of the background image data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the first and second video players are configured to blend the order information with the background images such that the order information is visible atop of the background images and the background images are at least partially obscured by the order confirmation data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the blended image is displayed entirely in one of the first and second electronic displays.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the order information is displayed in a separate window.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:
the separate window appears temporarily after the order information is received.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the background images comprise advertisements.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the order information comprises the names of each of the items ordered.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:
the order information further comprises the quantity of each of the items ordered, the price of each of the items ordered, and a total amount due.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:
the order information further comprises a subtotal and a tax amount due.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a third electronic display;
a third system control board electrically connected to the third electronic display and the second video player;
a third timing and control board electrically connected to the third system control board and the third electronic display; and
a third video player electrically connected to the third system control board and the first system control board;
wherein the third system control board is configured to begin utilizing the second video player upon failure of the third video player; and
wherein the first system control board is configured to begin utilizing the third video player upon failure of the first video player.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:
said first, second, and third electronic displays are located within a single housing.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:
said first, second, and third electronic displays are separated from one another by a bezel.

17. A redundant multi-panel display system comprising:
a first electronic display;
a second electronic display;
a third electronic display;
a first system control board electrically connected to the first electronic display;
a first video player electrically connected to the first system control board;
a second system control board electrically connected to the second electronic display and the first video player;
a second video player electrically connected to the second system control board;
a third system control board electrically connected to the third electronic display and the second video player;
a third video player electrically connected to the third system control board and the first system control board; and
a point of sale data output configured to receive order information and transmit the order information to at least one of the first system control board and the second system control board;
wherein the first system control board is configured to begin utilizing the third video player upon failure of the first video player, the second system control board is configured to begin utilizing the first video player upon failure of the second video player, and the third system control board is configured to begin utilizing the second video player upon failure of the third video player.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:
said first, second, and third electronic displays are located within a single housing and are separated from one another by a bezel.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein:
the first and second video players are configured to blend background images with order confirmation data and to display the blended image on the respective electronic display.

20. A method for providing redundant multi-panel display system comprising:
providing a first, second, and third electronic display, a first system control board electrically connected to the first electronic display, a first video player electrically connected to the first system control board, a second system control board electrically connected to the second electronic display and the first video player, a second video player electrically connected to the second system control board, a third system control board electrically connected to the third electronic display and the second video player, a third video player in electrical connection with the third system control board and the first system control board, and a point of sale data output;
transmitting the order information from the point of sale data output to the first system control board and the second system control board;
blending the order information with background image data at the respective video player for display on the respective electronic display;
operating the first electronic display with the first video player;
operating the second electronic display with the second video player;
operating the third electronic display with the third video player;
upon failure of the first video player, operating the first electronic display utilizing the third video player;
upon failure of the second video player, operating the second electronic display utilizing the first video player; and
upon failure of the third video player, operating the third electronic display utilizing the second video player.

Assignees

• Mri Inc

Inventors

• Dunn William
• Williams David
• Bennett Doug

Classifications

• G06F3/1431

  using a single graphics controller · CPC title

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title

• G06Q30/0241

  Advertisements · CPC title

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• G06Q20/20 Primary

  Point-of-sale [POS] network systems · CPC title