DATA COMMUNICATION FOR REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISERS

• US 20100117848A1
• Filed: 11/11/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sunderland, Ted Wayne, Wagner, Dennis L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.600
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/04 Sensors detecting the presence of a person
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A merchandiser communication system including a first plurality of merchandisers arranged in a first row and a second plurality of merchandisers arranged in a second row. Each of the merchandisers includes a light assembly coupled to a case to illuminate a product display area, a light sensor coupled to the case to detect light pulses, and a microcontroller. The light sensor is in visual proximity with one or more of the adjacent merchandisers located across the aisle. The microcontroller is in electrical communication with the light assembly and the light sensor to operate the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly that are not detectable by a human eye. The communication system also includes a visible light-based communication network in communication with the merchandisers and is operable to communicate the encoded light pulses among the merchandisers via the light assemblies and the light sensors.

Claims

1. A merchandiser communication system comprising:

a first plurality of merchandisers arranged in a first row and a second plurality of merchandisers arranged in a second row such that an area between the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers defines an aisle, each of the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers including

a case defining a product display area,

a light assembly coupled to the case to illuminate the product display area,

a light sensor coupled to the case to detect light pulses and to generate a signal indicative of the light pulses, the light sensor positioned in visual proximity with one or more of the adjacent merchandisers located across the aisle from the associated merchandiser, and

a microcontroller in electrical communication with the light assembly and the light sensor of the corresponding merchandiser to operate the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly, the encoded light pulses not detectable by a human eye; and

a visible light-based communication network in communication with the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers, the communication network at least partially defined by the light assembly, the light sensor, and the microcontroller of each merchandiser of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers, the communication network operable to communicate the encoded light pulses among the first and second pluralities of merchandisers via the light assemblies and the light sensors.

2. The merchandiser communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication network is operable to control illumination of the product display areas based on the light pulses.

3. The merchandiser communication system of claim 1, wherein each of the light assemblies includes LED light sources.

4. The merchandiser communication system of claim 1, wherein the light pulses are indicative of case data including at least one of a presence of an individual adjacent one or more merchandisers of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers, a case status of one or more of the merchandisers, and a case condition of one or more of the merchandisers.

5. The merchandiser communication system of claim 4, further comprising a merchandiser sensor in communication with the microcontroller to generate and deliver at least one signal indicative of the case condition to the microcontroller, and wherein the merchandiser sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ambient light sensor adapted to detect ambient light level surrounding one or more of the merchandisers.

6. The merchandiser communication system of claim 1, further comprising a proximity sensor directed toward the aisle to detect the presence of an approaching individual and to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the approaching individual.

7. A method of communicating data among a plurality of merchandisers in a retail setting, the method comprising:

providing a first plurality of merchandisers arranged in a first row and a second plurality of merchandisers arranged second row such that an area between the first and second rows defines an aisle, each of the merchandisers defining a product display area and including a light assembly partially defining a light-based communication network;

detecting light pulses emitted from one or more merchandisers of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers;

generating a signal indicative of the light pulses;

operating the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly of a first merchandiser of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers; and

communicating the encoded signal among the first and second pluralities of merchandisers via the light-based communication network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising communicating the encoded signal from the first merchandiser to a second merchandiser of the second plurality of merchandisers via the light assembly of the first merchandiser;

and

communicating the encoded signal from the second merchandiser to a third merchandiser of the first plurality of merchandisers via the light assembly of the second merchandiser.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising delaying communication of the encoded signal from the second merchandiser to the first merchandiser for a period of time.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising

illuminating the product display areas with the respective light assemblies;

and

controlling the light output of the light assemblies of each merchandiser of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers based on the encoded signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting light pulses includes acquiring case data including at least one of a presence of an approaching individual adjacent one or more of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers, a case status of one or more of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers, and a case condition of one or more of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the acquired case data is indicative of the presence of an approaching individual, the method further comprising substantially simultaneously controlling the light level of each product display area based on the encoded signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein substantially simultaneously controlling the light level includes varying the light level of each of the light assemblies between a first light output and a second light output that is lower than the first light output.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising regulating the light level at the first light output for a first predetermined time in response to the encoded signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising

detecting the absence of an individual adjacent the first and second pluralities of merchandisers after the first predetermined time;

generating a case data signal indicative of the absence;

encoding the case data signal indicative of the absence in light pulses of the light assembly;

communicating the encoded light pulses to the remaining merchandisers via the light-based communication network;

substantially simultaneously reducing the light level from the first light output to the second light output in response to the light pulses; and

regulating the light level at the second light output for a second predetermined time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising

subsequently detecting the presence of an approaching individual adjacent one or more of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers using the corresponding light sensor;

generating a case data signal indicative of the presence;

encoding the case data signal indicative of the presence in light pulses of the light assembly;

communicating the encoded light pulses to the remaining merchandisers; and

substantially simultaneously increasing the light level from the second light output to the first light output.

17. A merchandiser comprising:

a case defining a product display area;

a light assembly coupled to the case;

a light sensor coupled to the case and configured to detect light pulses and to generate a signal indicative of the light pulses, the light sensor oriented to be in visual proximity with one or more adjacent merchandisers when arranged in an aisle of a store;

a microcontroller in electrical communication with the light assembly and the light sensor, the microcontroller programmed to operate the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly, the encoded light pulses not detectable by a human eye; and

wherein the light assembly, the light sensor, and the microcontroller at least partially define a visible light-based communication network adapted to be in communication with the one or more adjacent merchandisers when the merchandiser is arranged in the aisle of the store.

18. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the light assembly is positioned to illuminate the product display area.

19. The merchandiser of claim 18, wherein the communication network is operable to control illumination of the product display area based on the light pulses.

20. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the light assembly includes LED light sources.

21. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the encoded light pulses are indicative of case data including at least one of a presence of an individual, a case status, and a case condition.

22. The merchandiser of claim 21, further comprising a merchandiser sensor in communication with the microcontroller to generate and deliver at least one merchandiser signal indicative of a case condition to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller programmed to operate the light assembly to encode the merchandiser signal in additional light pulses of the light assembly, the additional encoded light pulses not detectable by a human eye, and wherein the merchandiser sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ambient light sensor adapted to detect ambient light level surrounding the merchandiser.

23. The merchandiser of claim 17, further comprising a proximity sensor directed toward the aisle to detect the presence of an approaching individual and to generate a presence signal indicative of the presence of the approaching individual, and wherein the microcontroller is programmed to operate the light assembly to encode the presence signal in additional light pulses of the light assembly, the additional encoded light pulses not detectable by a human eye.