Interactive cabinetry door for use with a cabinet base

• US 10,624,219 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Sisson
• Original Assignee: Michael Sisson
• Inventors: Sisson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jinhee J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milliser, Theron S
• Application Number:
  US16/178,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0091 Electronic or electric devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers

Abstract

An interactive cabinet door for use with a cabinet base includes an electronic display, comprising an electronic display screen in communication with a printed circuit board substrate (PCB). The PCB has a display data receiver. A protective cover is sized to cover substantially all of a front face of the electronic display. The protective cover and the electronic display together form an assembled screen having a peripheral edge substantially perpendicular to the front face of the electronic display and running along the entirety of the assembled screen. A support frame covers the peripheral edge of the assembled screen and is biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen. The support frame is flush with front and back faces of the assembled screen. At least one mounting bracket is affixed to a back side of the support frame and coupleable to the cabinet base.

Claims

1. An interactive cabinet door for use with a cabinet base, the cabinet door comprising:

an electronic display, comprising an electronic display screen in communication with a printed circuit board substrate (PCB), the PCB having a processor and a display data receiver thereon;

a camera or microphone for recording user commands or user actions, and speakers for playing audio, integrated on the PCB;

a protective cover sized to cover substantially all of a front face of the electronic display, wherein the protective cover and the electronic display together form an assembled screen having a peripheral edge substantially perpendicular to the front face of the electronic display and running along the entirety of the assembled screen;

a support frame covering the peripheral edge of the assembled screen and biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen, wherein the support frame is formed of wood or a material stylized to resemble wood, and is flush with front and back faces of the assembled screen; and

at least one mounting bracket affixed to a back side of the support frame and coupleable to the cabinet base,

wherein the processor is configured to generate signals to cause the display to produce a first cabinet mode image that corresponds with an appearance of the support frame and the cabinet base and creates visual continuity from a first end of the support frame to a second end of the support frame and the cabinet base in a first, low power state, and to produce image data different from the first cabinet mode image data in a second, higher power state.

2. The interactive cabinet door of claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises a first support frame piece and a second support frame piece, and wherein the first and second support frame pieces are coupled together to cover the entire peripheral edge of the assembled screen.

3. The interactive cabinet door of claim 2, wherein the first support frame piece is biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen at a different biasing force than the second support frame piece.

4. The interactive cabinet door of claim 1, further comprising a user input device.

5. The interactive cabinet door of claim 4, wherein the user input device is one selected from the group consisting of:

a keyboard, a touchscreen, a camera, and a microphone.

6. The interactive cabinet door of claim 4, wherein the user input device is a mobile device.

7. The interactive cabinet door of claim 1, wherein the display data receiver is in communication with a plurality of connected devices.

8. The interactive cabinet door of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

temperature sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, humidity sensors, weight sensors, motion sensors, RFID scanners, barcode scanners, microphones, and ranging detectors.

9. An interactive cabinet system, comprising:

an electronic display, comprising an electronic display screen in communication with a printed circuit board substrate (PCB), the PCB having a processor and a display data receiver thereon;

a camera or microphone for recording user commands or user actions, and speakers for playing audio, integrated on the PCB;

a protective cover sized to cover substantially all of a front face of the electronic display, wherein the protective cover and the electronic display together form an assembled screen having a peripheral edge substantially perpendicular to the front face of the electronic display and running along the entirety of the assembled screen;

a support frame covering the peripheral edge of the assembled screen and biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen, wherein the support frame is formed of wood or a material stylized to resemble wood, and is flush with front and back faces of the assembled screen;

a cabinet base comprising a plurality of cabinet walls, a cabinet top, and a cabinet bottom all joined to create a hollow enclosure having an opening sized to allow the support frame and assembled screen to cover the opening;

at least one mounting bracket affixed to a back side of the support frame and coupled to a cabinet wall of the cabinet base; and

a power source in electronic communication with the electronic display,

wherein the processor is configured to generate signals to cause the display to produce a first cabinet mode image that corresponds with an appearance of the support frame and the cabinet base and creates visual continuity from a first end of the support frame to a second end of the support frame and the cabinet base in a first, low power state, and to produce image data different from the first cabinet mode image data in a second, higher power state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the support frame comprises a first support frame piece and a second support frame piece, and wherein the first and second support frame pieces are coupled together to cover the entire peripheral edge of the assembled screen.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first support frame piece is biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen at a different biasing force than the second support frame piece.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a user input device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user input device is one selected from the group consisting of:

a keyboard, a touchscreen, a camera, and a microphone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the user input device is a mobile device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the display data receiver is in communication with a plurality of connected devices.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

temperature sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, humidity sensors, weight sensors, motion sensors, RFID scanners, barcode scanners, microphones, and ranging detectors.

17. A method of displaying image data on an interactive cabinet door for use with a cabinet base, comprising the steps of:

providing an interactive cabinet door comprising;

an electronic display, comprising an electronic display screen in communication with a printed circuit board substrate (PCB), the PCB having a processor and a display data receiver thereon;

a camera or microphone for recording user commands or user actions, and speakers for playing audio, integrated on the PCB;

a protective cover sized to cover substantially all of a front face of the electronic display, wherein the protective cover and the electronic display together form an assembled screen having a peripheral edge substantially perpendicular to the front face of the electronic display and running along the entirety of the assembled screen;

a support frame covering the peripheral edge of the assembled screen and biased against the peripheral edge of the assembled screen, wherein the support frame is formed of wood or a material stylized to resemble wood, and is flush with front and back faces of the assembled screen; and

at least one mounting bracket affixed to a back side of the support frame and coupleable to a cabinet base;

displaying, on the electronic display, in a first lower power state, a cabinet state image corresponding to an appearance of the support frame and the cabinet base and creating visual continuity from a first end of the support fume to a second end of the support frame and the cabinet base;

receiving image data with the display data receiver;

adjusting at least a portion of the electronic display in a second higher power state, to display the received image data different from the cabinet state image; and

returning the at least a portion of the electronic display to the cabinet state image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the portion of the electronic display adjusted to display the received image data is less for image data corresponding to a text communication than for image data corresponding to a video.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic display returns to the cabinet state image after a predetermined timeout count.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the electronic display returns to the cabinet state image after a user indicates they have finished interacting with the electronic display.