Display for hand-held electronics

• US 10,217,338 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Inventors: Henson, Donald, Allison, Thaine, Goldberg, Jason, Olson, Justin, Pitt, Eric, Schatz, Kris, Wheeler, Wade, Peters, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US15/724,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 3405682, 3405688, 3406861, 340571, 34053916, 248551
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1454 Circuit arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1472 with force or weight detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/06 Electric actuation of the alarm, e.g. using a thermally-operated switch
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention disclosed here is a display system for managing power and security for a plurality of hand-held electronic devices sold to consumers in a retail location. The display includes features that allow power to be supplied to individual devices and security sensors without continuous hard wiring or multi-conductor retractor cables. The display also allows for individual security alarms to be triggered when a theft occurs. Security alarm conditions are preferably triggered via wireless signals.

Claims

1. A cable management apparatus for use in mounting an electronic device to a display, the apparatus comprising:

a puck assembly adapted to receive the electronic device;

a base assembly; and

a tether assembly adapted to connect the puck assembly with the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly comprises a portion that is adapted to transmit an optical signal;

wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between (1) a rest position in which (i) the puck assembly is in engagement with the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly, and (2) a lift position in which (i) the puck assembly is disengaged from the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly;

wherein the base assembly further comprises (1) base assembly circuitry configured to receive power from a power source, and (2) a base assembly electrical contact connected to the base assembly circuitry;

wherein the puck assembly comprises (1) a puck assembly electrical contact, (2) a power storage device, and (3) puck assembly circuitry connected to the puck assembly electrical contact and the power storage device;

wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to contact each other when the puck assembly is in the rest position to form an electrical connection between the puck assembly circuitry and the base assembly circuitry;

wherein the puck assembly circuitry is configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the power storage device to charge the power storage device; and

wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to lose contact with each other when the puck assembly is in the lift position to thereby break the electrical connection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a security sensor, and wherein the puck assembly circuitry, in cooperation with the security sensor, is further configured to generate a security condition signal in response to a detection by the security sensor of an event relating to a removal of the electronic device from the puck assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the puck assembly is further configured to wirelessly communicate the security condition signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the optical signal comprises the security condition signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

the puck assembly contact comprises a plurality of puck assembly contacts;

the base assembly contact comprises a plurality of base assembly contacts; and

the puck assembly contacts and the base assembly contacts are located at a plurality of positions around the puck assembly and the base assembly respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the base assembly contacts comprise a plurality of spring contacts.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the tether assembly is a retractable tether assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the retractable tether assembly comprises a modular retractable tether assembly, wherein the modular retractable tether assembly further comprises a mechanical retractor and rectractor housing that are adapted to provide retractability for the tether.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a power cable that is connectable to a power input of the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to deliver power to the power cable for charging the electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to draw power from the power storage device for wirelessly communicating the security condition signal when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tether assembly portion comprises a fiber optic cable for transmitting the optical signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base assembly comprises a first base assembly portion and a second base assembly portion;

wherein the first base assembly portion is adapted to (1) engage with the puck assembly when the puck assembly is in the rest position and (2) disengage from the puck assembly when the puck assembly is in the lift position;

wherein the second base assembly portion is adapted as a pedestal for the apparatus;

wherein the first and second base assembly portions are further adapted for detachable engagement with each other such that the first base assembly portion can engage with the base assembly portion a plurality of display angles.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the power source.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a cable that connects the power source with the base assembly circuitry.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the power source is a single source power supply that receives power from a power outlet.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the electronic device.

17. A cable management apparatus for use in mounting an electronic device to a display, the apparatus comprising:

a puck assembly adapted to receive the electronic device;

a base assembly; and

a tether assembly adapted to connect the puck assembly with the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly comprises a portion that is adapted to transmit an optical signal;

wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between (1) a rest position in which (i) the puck assembly is in engagement with the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly, and (2) a lift position in which (i) the puck assembly is disengaged from the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly;

wherein the base assembly further comprises (1) base assembly circuitry configured to receive power from a power source, and (2) a base assembly electrical contact connected to the base assembly circuitry;

wherein the puck assembly comprises (1) a puck assembly electrical contact, (2) a power cable that is connectable to a power input of the electronic device, and (3) puck assembly circuitry connected to the puck assembly electrical contact and the power cable;

wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to contact each other when the puck assembly is in the rest position to form an electrical connection between the puck assembly circuitry and the base assembly circuitry;

wherein the puck assembly circuitry is configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the power cable for use to charge the electronic device; and

wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to lose contact with each other when the puck assembly is in the lift position to thereby break the electrical connection.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a security sensor and a power storage device;

wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the power storage device to charge the power storage device;

wherein the puck assembly circuitry, in cooperation with the security sensor, is further configured to generate a security condition signal in response to a detection by the security sensor of an event relating to a removal of the electronic device from the puck assembly;

wherein the puck assembly is further configured to wirelessly communicate the security condition signal;

wherein (1) the puck assembly contact comprises a plurality of puck assembly contacts, (2) the base assembly contact comprises a plurality of base assembly contacts, and (3) the puck assembly contacts and the base assembly contacts are located at a plurality of positions around the puck assembly and the base assembly respectively; and

wherein the tether assembly is a retractable tether assembly.

19. A method for using an apparatus, the apparatus comprising (1) a puck assembly, (2) a base assembly on which the puck assembly rests, and (3) a tether assembly that connects the puck assembly with the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly includes a tether, the method comprising:

the base assembly receiving power from a power source;

the puck assembly receiving power from the base assembly via an electrical connection between a plurality of base assembly contacts and a plurality of puck assembly contacts that contact each other when the puck assembly is in a rest position;

connecting an electronic device to the puck assembly via a power cable;

the puck assembly providing power received via the electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and the puck assembly contacts to the connected electronic device via the power cable;

lifting the puck assembly from the rest position to a lift position in which the puck assembly does not rest on the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly remains connected to the puck assembly and the base assembly when the puck assembly is in the lift position;

breaking the electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and puck assembly contacts in response to the lifting;

the apparatus optically transmitting a digital signal not used for power;

returning the puck assembly to the rest position; and

in response to the returning, (1) creating a new electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and the puck assembly contacts when the puck assembly is in the rest position, (2) the puck assembly receiving power from the base assembly via the created new electrical connection when the puck assembly is in the rest position, and (3) the puck assembly providing power received via the created new electrical connection to the connected electronic device via the power cable.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the digital signal comprises an optical signal indicative of a security condition for the apparatus.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the tether assembly further includes a fiber optic cable, and wherein the optically transmitting step comprises the fiber optic cable optically transmitting the digital signal.