Display for hand-held electronics

• US 10,373,456 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2018
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Inventors: Henson, Donald, Schatz, Kris, Wheeler, Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US16/034,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20180322748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• 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, wherein the puck assembly comprises a power storage device, a first puck assembly electrical contact, and a second puck assembly electrical contact; and

a base assembly adapted to receive power from a power source, wherein the base assembly comprises a first base assembly electrical contact and a second base assembly electrical contact, wherein the first and second base assembly electrical contacts are configured to provide a power interface with respect to the power from the power source;

wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between a plurality of positions relative to the base assembly;

wherein the positions include a rest position in which (1) the puck assembly rests on the base assembly, (2) the first puck assembly electrical contact contacts the first base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the first puck assembly electrical contact and the first base assembly electrical contact, (3) the second puck assembly electrical contact contacts the second base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the second puck assembly electrical contact and the second base assembly electrical contact, and (4) power from the power source is delivered to the power storage device via the conductive paths; and

wherein the positions further include a lift position in which (1) the puck assembly does not rest on the base assembly, (2) the first and second puck assembly electrical contacts do not contact the first and second base assembly electrical contacts, (3) the conductive paths are broken, and (4) the puck assembly draws power from the power storage device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base assembly further comprises a third base assembly electrical contact and a fourth base assembly electrical contact, wherein the third and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are configured to provide a power interface with respect to the power from the power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the third base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the first base assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the second base assembly electrical contact.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the base assembly further comprises a ring to which the first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are connected.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first and second puck assembly electrical contacts comprise spring contacts.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least two of the contacts between the puck assembly electrical contacts and the base assembly electrical contacts comprise male-female contact interactions.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly includes security circuitry, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for operating the security circuitry when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the security circuitry includes a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a security signal that is indicative of a security condition for the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for charging the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the power cable is detachable from the puck assembly and the electronic device.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly further comprises a circuit configured to draw power from the power source via the conductive paths and deliver the drawn power to charge the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the rest position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the power cable is detachable from the puck assembly and the electronic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a tether assembly, wherein the tether assembly is adapted to tether the puck assembly to the base assembly in the rest position and the lift position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region is connectable to the tether assembly and does not include any of the puck assembly electrical contacts.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a third puck assembly electrical contact and a fourth puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the central region does not include the third or fourth puck assembly electrical contacts;

wherein the third and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts are positioned on the puck assembly such that, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, (1) the third puck assembly electrical contact contacts the third base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the third puck assembly electrical contact and the third base assembly electrical contact, and (2) the fourth puck assembly electrical contact contacts the fourth base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the fourth puck assembly electrical contact and the fourth base assembly electrical contact.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the third puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the first puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the second puck assembly electrical contact.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly and does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the tether assembly comprises a retractor cable.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the retractor cable comprises a steel retractor cable.

22. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a third puck assembly electrical contact and a fourth puck assembly electrical contact;

wherein the third and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts are positioned on the puck assembly such that, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, (1) the third puck assembly electrical contact contacts the third base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the third puck assembly electrical contact and the third base assembly electrical contact, and (2) the fourth puck assembly electrical contact contacts the fourth base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the fourth puck assembly electrical contact and the fourth base assembly electrical contact.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the third puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the first puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the second puck assembly electrical contact.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tether assembly, wherein the tether assembly is adapted to tether the puck assembly to the base assembly in the rest position and the lift position.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the tether assembly does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly and does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the tether assembly comprises a retractor cable.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the retractor cable comprises a steel retractor cable.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the base assembly further comprises a third base assembly electrical contact and a fourth base assembly electrical contact, wherein the third and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are configured to provide a power interface with respect to the power from the power source.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the third base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the first base assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the second base assembly electrical contact.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the base assembly further comprises a ring to which the first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are connected.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first and second puck assembly electrical contacts comprise spring contacts.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the puck assembly includes security circuitry, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for operating the security circuitry when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the security circuitry includes a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a security signal that is indicative of a security condition for the apparatus.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for charging the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

37. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a third puck assembly electrical contact and a fourth puck assembly electrical contact;

wherein the third and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts are positioned on the puck assembly such that, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, (1) the third puck assembly electrical contact contacts the third base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the third puck assembly electrical contact and the third base assembly electrical contact, and (2) the fourth puck assembly electrical contact contacts the fourth base assembly electrical contact to provide a conductive path between the fourth puck assembly electrical contact and the fourth base assembly electrical contact.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the third puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the first puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the second puck assembly electrical contact.

39. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region is connectable to the tether assembly and does not include any of the puck assembly electrical contacts.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the base assembly further comprises a third base assembly electrical contact and a fourth base assembly electrical contact, wherein the third and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are configured to provide a power interface with respect to the power from the power source.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the third base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the first base assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the second base assembly electrical contact.

42. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly further comprises a circuit configured to draw power from the power source via the conductive paths and deliver the drawn power to charge the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the rest position.

43. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a third puck assembly electrical contact and a fourth puck assembly electrical contact, wherein the third puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the first puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the fourth puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the second puck assembly electrical contact.

44. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region does not include any of the puck assembly electrical contacts.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly further comprises a circuit configured to draw power from the power source via the conductive paths and deliver the drawn power to charge the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the rest position.

46. 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, wherein the puck assembly comprises a power storage device and a plurality of puck assembly electrical contacts; and

a base assembly adapted to receive power from a power source, wherein the base assembly comprises a plurality of base assembly electrical contacts arranged on the base assembly in a ring orientation, wherein base assembly electrical contacts are configured to provide a power interface with respect to the power from the power source;

wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between a plurality of positions relative to the base assembly;

wherein the positions include a rest position in which (1) the puck assembly rests on the base assembly, (2) a plurality of the puck assembly electrical contacts contact a plurality of the base assembly electrical contacts to provide a conductive path between the contacting puck assembly electrical contacts and base assembly electrical contacts, and (3) power from the power source is delivered to the power storage device via the conductive path; and

wherein the positions further include a lift position in which (1) the puck assembly does not rest on the base assembly, (2) the puck assembly electrical contacts do not contact the base assembly electrical contacts, (3) the conductive path is broken, and (4) the puck assembly draws power from the power storage device.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 further comprising a retractor cable adapted to tether the puck assembly to the base assembly in the rest position and the lift position.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the retractor cable does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the retractor cable does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the retractor cable does not include a conductor for providing a power signal to the puck assembly and does not include a conductor for communicating a security signal between the puck assembly and the base assembly.

51. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the retractor cable comprises a steel retractor cable.

52. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the base assembly electrical contacts comprise first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the first base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the third base assembly electrical contact, and wherein the second base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the fourth base assembly electrical contact.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region is connectable to the retractable cable and does not include the puck assembly electrical contacts.

55. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the base assembly further comprises a ring to which the first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are connected in the ring orientation.

56. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the puck assembly electrical contacts comprise spring contacts.

57. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the puck assembly includes security circuitry, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for operating the security circuitry when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the security circuitry includes a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a security signal that is indicative of a security condition for the apparatus.

59. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for charging the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

60. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the puck assembly electrical contacts comprise first, second, third, and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts;

and

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts are positioned on the puck assembly such that, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, the contacts between the puck assembly electrical contacts and the base assembly electrical contacts comprise four contact connections.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the first puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the third puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the second puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the fourth puck assembly electrical contact.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region is connectable to the retractable cable and does not include the puck assembly electrical contacts.

63. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region is connectable to the retractable cable and does not include the puck assembly electrical contacts.

64. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly further comprises a circuit configured to draw power from the power source via the conductive path and deliver the drawn power to charge the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the rest position.

65. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the base assembly electrical contacts comprise first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the first base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the third base assembly electrical contact, and wherein the second base assembly electrical contact is positioned on the base assembly diametrically opposite the fourth base assembly electrical contact.

67. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein the base assembly further comprises a ring to which the first, second, third, and fourth base assembly electrical contacts are connected in the ring orientation.

68. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein the puck assembly electrical contacts comprise spring contacts.

69. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein at least two of the contacts between the puck assembly electrical contacts and the base assembly electrical contacts comprise male-female contact interactions.

70. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein the puck assembly includes security circuitry, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for operating the security circuitry when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 wherein the security circuitry includes a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a security signal that is indicative of a security condition for the apparatus.

72. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein the puck assembly comprises a power cable for charging the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly is configured to draw power from the power storage device for charging the electronic device via the power cable when the puck assembly is in the lift position.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 wherein the power cable is detachable from the puck assembly and the electronic device.

74. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the puck assembly electrical contacts comprise first, second, third, and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts;

and

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth puck assembly electrical contacts are positioned on the puck assembly such that, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, the contacts between the puck assembly electrical contacts and the base assembly electrical contacts comprise four contact connections.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein the first puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the third puck assembly electrical contact, and wherein the second puck assembly electrical contact is positioned on the puck assembly diametrically opposite the fourth puck assembly electrical contact.

76. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region does not include the puck assembly electrical contacts.

77. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a central region on a bottom surface of the puck assembly, wherein the central region does not include the puck assembly electrical contacts.