Display systems and methods having individually addressable monitor units

An elevator system for movement of passengers among respective floors of a building, the elevator system comprising:

• at least one elevator cab being moveably supported within an elongated vertical passageway, the passageway extending adjacent to a plurality of lobbies, each lobby being located upon a distinct floor of a building, the elevator cab being configured to receive passengers from at least some of the plurality of lobbies;
• a control system being connected with said elevator cab and being configured to selectively move said elevator cab through said passageway;
• a display system comprising a plurality of monitor units being disposed in locations visible to elevator passengers, each monitor unit comprising an enclosure, a display screen, a communication port, a power port, a storage device, and a control circuit, the control circuit being electrically connected with each of the display screen, the communication port, the power port, and the storage device, the enclosure supporting each of the display screen, the communication port, the power port, the storage device, and the control circuit, wherein the control circuit does not comprise a general purpose computer and is unable to operate an off-the-shelf operating system;
• a communications conduit being sequentially connected to the communication port of each of the monitor units, the communications conduit being configured to be selectively connected with a general purpose computer, wherein each of the monitor units is individually addressable over the communications conduit by a general purpose computer for receiving individualized control information and image information from a general purpose computer;
• wherein the control circuit of each of the monitor units is configured to store the control information and the image information within the storage device, and is further configured to act in accordance with the stored control information to selectively provide at least some of the stored image information to the display screen.

A method of displaying image information on a plurality of monitor units, the method comprising:

• providing a first monitor unit, a second monitor unit, a communications conduit, and a general purpose computer;
• mounting the first monitor unit in a first location, the first monitor unit comprising a first enclosure, a first display screen, a first communication port, a first power port, a first storage device, and a first control circuit, the first control circuit being electrically connected with each of the first display screen, the first communication port, the first power port, and the first storage device, the first enclosure supporting each of the first display screen, the first communication port, the first power port, the first storage device, and the first control circuit, wherein the first control circuit does not comprise a general purpose computer and is unable to operate an off-the-shelf operating system;
• mounting the second monitor unit in a second location, the second monitor unit comprising a second enclosure, a second display screen, a second communication port, a second power port, a second storage device, and a second control circuit, the second control circuit being electrically connected with each of the second display screen, the second communication port, the second power port, and the second storage device, the second enclosure supporting each of the second display screen, the second communication port, the second power port, the second storage device, and the second control circuit, wherein the second control circuit does not comprise a general purpose computer and is unable to operate an off-the-shelf operating system;
• connecting the communications conduit to the first communication port and to the second communication port in a sequential arrangement;
• connecting the general purpose computer to the communications conduit;
• transferring control information and image information from the general purpose computer to the first monitor unit over the communications conduit;
• storing within the first storage device the control information and the image information received by the first monitor unit;
• transferring control information and image information from the general purpose computer to the second monitor unit over the communications conduit;
• storing within the second storage device the control information and the image information received by the second monitor unit;
• providing at least some of the stored image information in the first storage device to the first display screen in accordance with the stored control information in the first storage device, and
• providing at least some of the stored image information in the second storage device to the second display screen in accordance with the stored control information in the second storage device.

A method of displaying advertisements on a monitor unit, the monitor unit being connected sequentially along a communications conduit with other monitor units and being individually and selectively addressable by a general purpose computer over the communications conduit, the method comprising:

• providing a monitor unit having a storage device, a control circuit, and a display, the control circuit being connected with a communications conduit, wherein the control circuit does not comprise a general purpose computer and is unable to operate an off-the-shelf operating system;
• receiving control information and image information from a general purpose computer over the communications conduit, the image information comprising a plurality of advertisement images;
• storing the control information and the image information within the storage device;
• processing the control information and the image information with the control circuit;
• and
• displaying at least some of the image information upon the display as directed by the control information.