Signage display system and process

Abstract

Display apparatus and process is provided for displaying a static source image in a manner that it is perceived as an animated sequence of images when viewed by an observer in relative motion to the apparatus. The source image is sliced or fractured to provide a plurality of image fractions of predetermined dimension. The fractions are redistributed in a predetermined sequence to provide an output image, which is placed in a preferably illuminated display apparatus provided with a mask. An observer in relative motion to the display apparatus, sequentially views a predetermined selection of image fractions through the mask, which are perceived by the observer as a changing sequence of images. Applying the concepts of persistence of vision, the observer perceives the reconstructed imagery as live action animation, a traveling singular image or series of static images, or changing image sequences, from a plurality of lines of sight.

1 . A process for treating a plurality of still images for use in providing an animated display comprising:
 providing a plurality of source image frames, wherein each frame has an x-axis and a y-axis;   fracturing of each said source image frames along said x-axis to provide a plurality of image fractions of a predetermined dimension;   distributing said image fractions of each source image frame in a predetermined sequence along the x-axis to provide an output image.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for treating a plurality of still images for use in providing an animated display comprising:
 providing a plurality of source image frames, wherein each frame has an x-axis and a y-axis;   fracturing of each said source image frames along said x-axis to provide a plurality of image fractions of a predetermined dimension;   distributing said image fractions of each source image frame in a predetermined sequence along the x-axis to provide an output image.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the image fractions are sequentially arranged to form an output image, which is substantially planar; and the apparatus is further provided with a mask, comprising a plurality of alternating opaque and transparent members, which is substantially planar and is substantially parallel to said output image; and a source of illumination is provided. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the opaque and transparent members of said mask are in parallel arrangement with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the transparent members are slits. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the transparent members are lenses. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the said output image and said mask are planar and are substantially parallel to an expected trajectory of relative motion of an observer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the source of illumination is natural light. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the source of illumination is artificial light. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the source image frames are selected from motion picture film, videotape, photographic images and computer and traditional animation works. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a plurality of masks are provided in substantially parallel arrangement to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said mask is further provided with a plurality of opaque baffles, said baffles having a dimension which is as least partially perpendicular to the mask. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of image fractions are of equal dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said image fractions are placed in a vertical orientation in sequence along a horizontal axis and the placement of said image fractions to provide an output image is determined by the formula:
     O   (x+y−1)y   =I   x,y    
 where O n,m =output frame n, fraction m, and
 I x,y =input image x, fraction y. 
 
 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said image fractions comprise a plurality of output image frames having a width, and each said opaque member and transparent member has a width, and the mask and output frame are separated by a predetermined dimension, and an observer of the apparatus has a known optimal dimension from the apparatus, wherein the width of each output image frame is equal to the sum of the widths of one opaque member and one transparent member. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the optimal dimension of the observer from the apparatus is determined by the formula: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 D 
                 v 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     D 
                     p 
                   
                   
                     D 
                     o 
                   
                 
                 × 
                 
                   D 
                   m 
                 
               
             
           
         
         where D v  is the distance of observer from the apparatus,
 D p  is a perceived width of the output image, 
 D o  is the width of the output frame, and 
 D m  is the predetermined dimensions separating the mask and the output frame. 
 
       
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the number of said fractions is determined by the formula:
     F=D   p   ×A    
 where F is the number of image fractions optimally required,
 D p  is the dimension of a perceived output image, and 
 A is the number of transparent members per unit of measure used for D p . 
 
 
     
     
         18 . A signage display system for the treatment of a plurality of still images to provide a perceivably changing visual display, comprising:
 a plurality of source image frames, wherein each frame has a vertical and horizontal axis;   vertically slicing each of said source image frames along said horizontal axis to provide a plurality of image slices of equal width;   distributing said image slices to a display substrate in a predetermined sequence;   placing a mask comprising of alternating opaque and transparent members in parallel orientation to the display substrate such that a portion of the image slices are selectively visible to an observer in relative movement substantially parallel to the display substrate and mask.