Bi-directional charging/integrated power management unit

• US 7,741,808 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2007
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Cart Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Media Cart Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: McQuitty, Dan, Hartwell, Chris, Gibbons, James E. Jr., Fowler, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/690,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20080231228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,185 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/109, 320/113, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1424 Electronic display devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1428 Adaptations for calculators, memory aids or reading aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0096 Identification of the cart or merchandise, e.g. by barcodes or radio frequency identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A media enhanced shopping cart system comprises a shopping cart comprising a frame, a basket, a handle, a base tray, a plurality of wheels, a read component for performing a proximity scan of the shopping cart, a locationing component for determining a location of the shopping cart within a store based on the scan, and a display component for displaying at least one advertisement for a product based on the location of the shopping cart within the store, wherein the locationing component is further operable to determine a location of the product within the store relative to the shopping cart based on the scan, and wherein the display component is further operable to display an indication of the location of the advertised product relative to the location of the shopping cart.

Claims

1. A bi-directional recharge corral system for recharging a battery while storing a media enhanced shopping cart, comprising:

one or more corral sections each comprising a cart guiding portion and one or more charge rails extending from the cart guiding portion;

a power supply operably coupled to the charge rails of the one or more corral sections, wherein the power supply supplies current through the charge rails based on a direction of a shopping cart in the corral sections; and

a power management unit, wherein the power management unit determines at least one of voltage and temperature, and based on at least one of voltage and temperature, calculates a charging algorithm by which to supply current through the charge rails.

2. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting the direction of the shopping cart in the corral sections relative to the corral sections.

3. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 1, wherein the charge rails are positioned to engage a battery charging contact plate positioned on or proximate to one or more wheels on the shopping cart in one of at least two directions.

4. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 3, wherein for a first direction, the power supply conducts current from positive to negative.

5. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 3, wherein for a first direction, the power supply conducts current from negative to positive.

6. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 1, wherein the Power Management Unit is further operable to detect an error condition, and upon detection of an error condition, initiate remedial action.

7. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 6, wherein the remedial action comprises performing a system reset, altering a charging algorithm applied, or combinations thereof.

8. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 6, wherein the error condition comprises a failure of communication with a host computer of the shopping cart in the corral sections.

9. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 6, wherein the error condition comprises a voltage across a battery of the shopping cart that is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage.

10. The bi-directional recharge corral system of claim 6, wherein the error condition comprises a voltage across a battery of the shopping cart that is higher than a predetermined threshold voltage.

11. A method of charging a plurality of media enhanced shopping carts, comprising:

providing a conductive charge plate on a cart that is electrically coupled to a battery affixed to the cart, the battery operable to power one or more media enhancements of the cart;

providing a charging unit comprising a conductive charge rail electrically coupled to a power supply and a cart guiding segment comprising one or more guide grooves for positioning the cart in the modular charging unit;

positioning the cart in the guide grooves such that the conductive charge plate of the cart is in contact with the conductive charge rail of the modular charging unit;

forming an electrical connection between the conductive charge plate of the cart and the conductive charge rail;

determining at least one of voltage and temperature, and based on at least one of voltage and temperature, calculating a charging algorithm by which to conduct current through the charge rails;

detecting a direction of the cart in the charging unit; and

based on the direction of the cart in the charging unit, supplying current from the power supply through the conductive charge rail and the conductive charge plate of the cart, thereby charging the battery of the cart in a bi-directional fashion.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein for a first direction, current is supplied from the power supply from positive to negative.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein for a second direction, current is supplied from the power supply from negative to positive.

14. A method of charging a plurality of media enhanced shopping carts, comprising:

providing a conductive charge plate on a cart that is electrically coupled to a battery affixed to the cart, the battery operable to power one or more media enhancements of the cart;

providing a charging unit comprising a conductive charge rail electrically coupled to a power supply and a cart guiding segment comprising one or more guide grooves for positioning the cart in the modular charging unit;

positioning the cart in the guide grooves such that the conductive charge plate of the cart is in contact with the conductive charge rail of the modular charging unit;

forming an electrical connection between the conductive charge plate of the cart and the conductive charge rail;

detecting a direction of the cart in the charging unit;

based on the direction of the cart in the charging unit, supplying current from the power supply through the conductive charge rail and the conductive charge plate of the cart, thereby charging the battery of the cart in a bi-directional fashion; and

detecting an error condition, and upon detection of an error condition, initiating remedial action.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the remedial action comprises performing a system reset, altering a charging algorithm applied, or combinations thereof.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the error condition comprises a failure of communication with a host computer of the shopping cart in the corral sections.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the error condition comprises a voltage across a battery of the shopping cart that is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the error condition comprises a voltage across a battery of the shopping cart that is higher than a predetermined threshold voltage.