# US 12,007,637 B2 · Display unit with orientation based operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,637 B2 - Document ID: US12007637B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/377,401 - Filed: 2023-10-06 - Published: 2024-02-01 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27 - Assignees: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc. - Applicants: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc. - Inventors: William Dunn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007637B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/133382: {Heating or cooling of liquid crystal cells other than for activation, e.g. circuits or arrangements for temperature control, stabilisation or uniform distribution over the cell} - G09G 3/20: for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix {no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters} - G01C 9/06: Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means - G04G 9/0005: {Transmission of control signals} - G04G 9/0064: {in which functions not related to time can be displayed (digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14)} - G04G 17/04: Mounting of electronic components - G04G 21/02: Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature - G09G 3/3406: {Control of illumination source (illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336)} - G01C 17/28: Electromagnetic compasses (with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26) - G09G 2320/041: Temperature compensation - G09G 2330/021: Power management, e.g. power saving - G09G 2330/04: Display protection - G09G 2330/045: Protection against panel overheating - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G04G: ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES ## Abstract Display units for digital out of home advertising with orientation monitoring features are disclosed. The units include an electronic display, an orientation detection device, and a controller. The controller receives orientation data from the orientation detection device, determines a baseline orientation of the display unit, and where a subsequently detected orientation is not within a predetermined margin of the baseline orientation, electronically generates an alert. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display unit for fixed installation at a surface to provide digital out of home advertising, said display unit comprising: an electronic display; an orientation detection device; and a controller in electronic communication with said orientation detection device, wherein said controller is configured to: receive orientation data from said orientation detection device; determine a baseline orientation of said display unit, at least in part from a portion of the orientation data; and where a later detected orientation of the display unit, determined, at least in part, from a later received portion of the orientation data, indicates that the display unit is not within a predetermined margin of said baseline orientation, electronically generate an alert. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: the orientation data comprises azimuth; the baseline orientation comprises a baseline azimuth; and the subsequently detected orientation comprises a subsequent azimuth. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: the orientation data comprises an elevation; the baseline orientation comprises a baseline elevation; and the subsequently detected orientation comprises a subsequent elevation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display unit of claim 3 wherein: the display unit comprises a frame and an access panel movably connected to the frame; the orientation detection device is positioned for movement with the access panel; and the alert comprises an indication that the access panel is in an opened position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The display unit of claim 4 wherein: the orientation detection device is mounted to the access panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The display unit of claim 5 wherein: the access panel is positioned rearward of the electronic display. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The display unit of claim 3 wherein: the display unit comprises a structural framework for fixed installation at said surface; the electronic display is part of a side assembly moveably connected to the structural framework; the orientation detection device is positioned for movement with the side assembly; and the alert comprises an indication that the side assembly is in an opened position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The display unit of claim 7 wherein: the side assembly comprises a housing for the electronic display; and the orientation detection device is mounted to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: the orientation data comprises azimuth and elevation; the baseline orientation comprises a baseline azimuth and a baseline elevation; and the subsequently detected orientation comprises a subsequent azimuth and a subsequent elevation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: the orientation detection device comprises at least one of: a magnetometer, inclinometer, and a gyroscope. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: the alert comprises an electronic notification; and said controller is configured to transmit said electronic notification to one or more remote devices. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 further comprising: at least one of a shock sensor and a vibration sensor in electronic communication with said controller, and wherein said controller is further configured to: receive data from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor; and query the orientation detection device for further orientation data where the data received from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor is above a predetermined threshold, wherein said further orientation data is used to derive the subsequently detected orientation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The display unit of claim 12 wherein: the controller is further configured to only generate the alert where the data received from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor is above said predetermined threshold; and said alert comprises an indication that the display unit is damaged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The display unit of claim 1 wherein: said controller is further configured to adjust operations of said display unit based, at least in part, on said orientation data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display unit of claim 14 wherein: the electronic display comprises a directly backlit liquid crystal type display; the display unit comprises a thermal management subsystem comprising at least one airflow pathway and one or more fans located along the at least one airflow pathway; and the operations adjusted by the controller comprise at least one of: adjusting a fan speed of said one or more fans, and adjusting an illumination level of the backlight. ### Claim 16 A display unit for digital out of home advertising, said display unit comprising: a structural framework for fixed installation at a surface; a side assembly comprising an electronic display moveably connected to the structural framework; an orientation detection device connected to the side assembly for movement therewith; and a controller in electronic communication with said orientation detection device, wherein said controller comprises software instructions stored at one or more non-transitory electronic storage devices of the controller, which when executed, configure one or more processors of the controller to: receive orientation data from said orientation detection device; determine a baseline orientation of said display unit, at least in part from a first received portion of the orientation data received after said fixed installation of said display unit at said surface; and where a subsequently detected orientation, determined, at least in part, from a second, later received portion of the orientation data while said display unit remains fixedly installed at said surface, indicates a current orientation not within a predetermined margin of the baseline orientation, electronically generate an alert indicating that the side assembly is in an opened positioned. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The display unit of claim 16 further comprising: at least one of a shock sensor and a vibration sensor in electronic communication with said controller, and wherein said controller is further configured to: receive data from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor; query the orientation detection device for further orientation data where the data received from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor is above a predetermined threshold; and generate a damage alert where the shock data received is above said predetermined threshold and said further orientation data orientation data is not within a second preterminal margin of the baseline orientation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display unit of claim of claim 17 wherein: the predetermined margin is relative to horizontal; and the second predetermined margin is an angular amount in terms of degrees or a mathematical equivalent. ### Claim 19 A display unit for fixed installation at a surface to provide digital out of home advertising, said display unit comprising: an electronic display; an orientation detection device; at least one of a shock sensor and a vibration sensor; and a controller in electronic communication with said orientation detection device and said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor, wherein said controller comprises software instructions stored at one or more non-transitory electronic storage devices of the controller, which when executed, configure one or more processors of the controller to: receive shock data or vibration data from said at least one of said shock sensor and said vibration sensor; receive orientation data from said orientation detection device; determined a baseline orientation of said display unit; and where said shock data or said vibration data is above a predetermined threshold and a later detected orientation of the display unit, determined from at least a later received portion of said orientation data indicated that the display unit is not within a predetermined margin of the baseline orientation, electronically generate an alert indicating damage to the display unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The display unit of claim 19 further comprising: a structural framework; and a side assembly comprising the electronic display, wherein the side assembly is moveably connected to the structural framework, and wherein the orientation detection device is connected to the side assembly for movement therewith, and wherein said controller is further configured to: determine a baseline orientation of said display unit; and where a subsequently detected orientation indicates a current orientation closer to horizontal than the baseline orientation by at least a predetermined margin, electronically generate a further alert indicating that the side assembly is in an opened positioned.