Display unit with vandalism deterrence features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12373153-B2
Application number	US-202418897250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2024
Priority date	Oct 4, 2023
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

Display units with vandalism deterrence are disclosed, along with related systems and methods. A display unit includes electronic display(s), shock sensor(s), and a controller which receives data from the shock sensor(s). Where the controller determines that the data received from the shock sensor(s) is outside of one or more predetermined parameters, the controller initiates a vandalism deterrence protocol for the display unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display unit with vandalism deterrence, said display unit comprising:
one or more electronic displays;
one or more shock sensors; and
a controller in electronic communication with the one or more electronic displays and the one or more shock sensors, said controller comprising one or more of non-transitory electronic storage devices comprising software instructions, which when executed, configure one or more processors of the controller to:
receive data from the one or more shock sensors; and
where the data from the one or more shock sensors is outside of one or more predetermined parameters, initiate a vandalism deterrence protocol comprising electronically causing changes to operations of some or all of the one or more electronic displays to simulate damage to the display unit.

2. The display unit of claim 1 wherein:
the one or more predetermined parameters comprise a shock event threshold.

3. The display unit of claim 1 wherein:
the one or more shock sensors comprise a microelectromechanical system.

4. The display unit of claim 1 wherein:
the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises electronically displaying, at some or all of the one or more electronic displays, one or more images indicating that law enforcement has been and/or is being alerted.

5. The display unit of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more cameras, each located adjacent to a viewing surface of a respective one of the one or more electronic displays and facing outward to capture viewers of the respective one of the one or more electronic displays, wherein each of the one or more cameras are in electronic communication with the controller, and wherein the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises electronically causing display, at some or all of the one or more electronic displays, one or more images from the one or more cameras.

6. The display unit of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more cameras, each located adjacent to a viewing surface of a respective one of the one or more electronic displays and facing outward to capture viewers of the respective one of the one or more electronic displays, wherein each of the one or more cameras are in electronic communication with the controller, and wherein the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises transmitting one or more images from the one or more cameras from a predetermined time period associated with initiation of the vandalism deterrence protocol to at least one remote device.

7. The display unit of claim 6 wherein:
the controller is configured to command local storage of a constantly overwritten loop of video from the one or more cameras.

8. The display unit of claim 7 wherein:
the predetermined time period comprises the initiation of the vandalism deterrence protocol and a period of at least 30 seconds after initiation of the vandalism deterrence protocol.

9. The display unit of claim 8 wherein:
the at least one remote device comprises a backup database.

10. The display unit of claim 9 wherein:
the at least one remote device is associated with a law enforcement agency.

11. The display unit of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more speakers in electronic communication with the controller, wherein the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises providing, by way of the one or more speakers, a pre-recorded audio message indicating that law enforcement has been and/or is being alerted.

12. The display unit of claim 1 wherein:
said one or more of non-transitory electronic storage devices of said controller comprise additional software instructions, which when executed, configure said one or more processors to:
operate the display unit normally prior to initiating the vandalism deterrence protocol, including commanding display of advertising images at the one or more electronic displays;
monitor an elapsed period of time from initiating the vandalism deterrence protocol where the data received from the one or more sensors remains within the one or more predetermined parameters; and
where the elapsed period of time reaches a predetermined threshold, command normal operations of the display unit to be resumed.

13. The display unit of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing for the one or more electronic displays;
a cover forming, in part, a forward portion of the housing, wherein the one or more electronic displays each comprise a directly backlit liquid crystal type display positioned interior to the housing and rearward of the cover;
one or more media players in electronic communication with the controller; and
one or more field programmable gate arrays (“FPGA”) electronically interposed between the one or more media players and the one or more electronic displays.

14. The display unit of claim 1 wherein:
the one or more electronic displays comprise multiple electronic displays;
the one or more shock sensors comprise multiple shock sensors, each associated with a respective one of the electronic displays; and
the controller is configured to initiate the vandalism deterrence protocol on a display specific basis based on which of the shock sensors the data outside of one or more predetermined parameters is received from.

15. The display unit of claim 1 further comprising:
a network communication device in electronic communication with the controller facilitating electronic communication between a network of display units, including the display unit, wherein the controller is configured to alert at least one other display unit in the network of display units upon initiating of the vandalism deterrence protocol at the display unit.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises causing, at some or all of the one or more electronic displays, electronic generation of one or more of: an image simulating a broken or cracked display surface, an image simulating a blank screen or display, a blank screen or display, an image simulating an error message, and an error message.

17. A method for providing vandalism deterrence at a display unit, said method comprising:
operating the display unit normally, said display unit comprising:
one or more electronic displays;
one or more shock sensors; and
a controller in electronic communication with the one or more electronic displays and the one or more shock sensors, said controller comprising one or more of non-transitory electronic storage devices comprising software instructions and one or more processors;
wherein operating the display unit normally comprises displaying advertising images at the one or more electronic displays;

receiving data from the one or more shock sensors at the controller;
determining, at the controller, that the data from the one or more shock sensors is outside of one or more predetermined parameters, and in response, initiating a vandalism deterrence protocol, including electronically causing changes to operations of some or all of the one or more electronic displays to simulate damage to the display unit;
monitoring, at the controller, further data from the one or more shock sensors at the controller and an elapsed period of time from initiating the vandalism deterrence protocol where the further data is within the one or more predetermined parameters; and
upon determining, at the controller, that the elapsed period of time reaches a predetermined threshold, causing the normal operations to be resumed.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:
the vandalism deterrence protocol comprises causing, at some or all of the one or more electronic displays of the d

Assignees

• Mri Inc

Inventors

• Dunn William
• Schuch John
• Kaszycki Peter
• Bennett Douglas

Classifications

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• G08B13/19697

  Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves · CPC title

• G08B13/1663

  using seismic sensing means · CPC title

• G09G2354/00

  Aspects of interface with display user · CPC title