Visual display method

Abstract

A visual display method involves storing, in multiple portable display units, visual information to individually be displayed by each of the multiple portable display units located within a venue in response to instructions broadcast wirelessly for receipt by at least some of the multiple portable display units within the venue; establishing, for each portable display unit within the venue, a first ad hoc address based upon each portable display unit's physical location; and wirelessly broadcasting instructions for receipt by the portable display units instructing at least some or the multiple portable display units to display a specific portion of the visual information associated with their respective first ad hoc addresses, so that each of the multiple portable display units will display their specific portions of the visual information associated with their ad hoc addresses as specified by the broadcast instructions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A visual display method comprising:
 storing, in multiple portable display units, visual information to individually be displayed by each of the multiple portable display units located within a venue in response to instructions broadcast wirelessly for receipt by at least some of the multiple portable display units within the venue;   establishing, for each portable display unit within the venue, a first ad hoc address based upon each portable display unit's physical location; and   wirelessly broadcasting instructions for receipt by the portable display units instructing at least some or the multiple portable display units to display a specific portion of the visual information associated with their respective first ad hoc addresses, so that each of the multiple portable display units will display their specific portions of the visual information associated with their ad hoc addresses as specified by the broadcast instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the visual information to be displayed by the multiple portable display units includes image components associated with each of at least a first and second frame number, and the broadcasting the instructions comprises sending synchronization pulses that will instruct a portable display unit at a specified first ad hoc address to display a particular image component associated with one of either the first or second frame number.   
     
     
         3 . The visual display method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the instructions identify one of either the first or second frame number for each of the multiple portable display units.   
     
     
         4 . The visual display method of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions indicate that the image components associated with each of first and second frame numbers are to be displayed in sequential order; and the method further comprises:
 sending to at least one particular first ad hoc address, a first synchronization pulse followed by a second synchronization pulse, such that the portable display unit corresponding to the at least one particular ad hoc address will display the image component associated with the first frame in response to the first synchronization pulse and the image component associated with the second frame in response to the second synchronization pulse.   
     
     
         5 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the physical locations correspond to a known grid space at the venue, and wherein the establishing comprises using multi-dimensional addressing to establish the first ad hoc address.   
     
     
         6 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the establishing comprises automatically receiving each portable display unit's physical position.   
     
     
         7 . The visual display method of claim,  1  wherein:
 the establishing comprises prompting for input of physical locations into the portable display units. 
 
     
     
         8 . The visual display method of claim,  1  wherein the method further comprises:
 causing at least some of the portable display units to perform triangulation of location. 
 
     
     
         9 . The visual display method of claim,  8  wherein:
 the triangulation is performed by an individual portable display unit by triangulating with other portable display units. 
 
     
     
         10 . The visual display method of claim,  8  wherein:
 the triangulation is performed by an individual portable display unit by triangulating to a known target with in the venue. 
 
     
     
         11 . The visual display method of claim,  1  further comprising:
 causing, using multi-dimensional addressing, the first ad hoc address of an individual portable display unit to change to a second ad hoc address based upon a change in the physical location of the individual portable display unit. 
 
     
     
         12 . The visual display method of claim,  11  wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving an indication of the change in the physical location of the individual portable display unit, the change having been determined by the individual portable display unit using one or more position indicators within the individual portable display unit. 
 
     
     
         13 . The visual display method of claim,  12  wherein:
 the one or more position indicators comprise at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
 
     
     
         14 . The visual display method of claim,  11  the method further comprises:
 receiving an indication of the change in the physical location of the individual portable display unit, the change having been determined by the individual portable display unit through use of triangulation. 
 
     
     
         15 . The visual display method of  claim 14 , wherein the triangulation includes:
 triangulating with at least some other portable display units within the venue.   
     
     
         16 . The visual display method of  claim 14 , wherein the triangulation includes:
 triangulating to a known target within the venue.   
     
     
         17 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving an indication of the change in the physical location of the individual portable display unit, the change having been identified based upon physical input from the user.   
     
     
         18 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the specific portions of the visual information associated with the ad hoc address for a given portable display unit is based upon a direction of orientation of the portable display unit.   
     
     
         19 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the portable display unit is a smart phone.   
     
     
         20 . The visual display method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 once the first ad hoc address is established for an individual portable display unit, the specific portions of the visual information to be subsequently displayed by the individual portable display unit will be based upon dynamic readdressing to subsequent ad hoc addresses that reflect position changes of the individual portable display unit beyond a threshold amount.