Electronic display assemblies with solar panels

A method for providing solar power to a display assembly, said method comprising:

• securing a solar panel at an elevated position above, and spaced part from, a housing comprising a display unit comprising at least one electronic display;
• electrically connecting said solar panel to said display unit;
• exposing said solar panel to ambient light;
• determining an amount of power required to operate the display unit within predetermined parameters;
• determining an amount of power available from said solar panel;
• determining a difference in the amount of power required to operate the display and the amount of power available from said solar panel;
• supplying the amount of power available from said solar panel to said display unit;
• and
• supplying the difference in the amount of power from an electrical grid;
• wherein said solar panel has a first footprint which is larger than a second footprint of said housing.

A system for providing solar power to a display assembly, said system comprising:

• a display unit comprising an electronic display, wherein said display unit is electrically connected to an electrical grid supplying alternating current (“AC”) power;
• a housing for said display unit;
• a solar energy harvesting device electrically connected to said display unit and configured to provide direct current (“DC”) power;
• at least one structural member extending between said housing and said solar energy harvesting device such that a bottom surface of said solar energy harvesting device is elevated above, and spaced apart from, a top surface of said housing;
• an airflow pathway extending through said housing and configured to receive ambient air;
• a fan located along said airflow pathway and configured to force said ambient air through said airflow pathway when activated;
• and
• a controller interposed between said power source, said solar energy harvesting device, said fan, and said display unit, wherein said controller comprises one or more processors and one or more electronic storage devices comprising executable software instructions, which when executed by said one or more processors, configures said one or more processors to:
• determine an amount of power required to operate the display assembly within customer defined parameters;
• determine an amount of DC power available from said solar panel;
• determine a difference in the amount of power required to operate the display assembly within said customer defined parameters and the amount of DC power available from said solar panel;
• supply the amount of DC power available from said solar panel to said display unit as DC power;
• and
• supply the difference in the amount of power as AC power from the electrical grid to said display unit as AC power;
• wherein said solar energy harvesting device defines a minimum depth dimension which is larger than a maximum depth dimension for said housing;
• wherein said solar energy harvesting device defines a minimum width dimension which is larger than a maximum width dimension for said housing.

A solar powered display assembly comprising:

• a structural framework configured for attachment to a ground surface;
• a display unit comprising at least one electronic display secured to said structural framework at a position elevated above said ground surface and below an upper portion of said structural framework;
• and
• a solar energy harvesting device connected to said upper portion of said structure framework such that said solar energy harvesting device is located above, and spaced apart from, said display unit, wherein said solar energy harvesting device is electrically connected to said display unit;
• wherein said solar energy harvesting device has a first footprint, said housing has a second footprint which is smaller than said first footprint.