Method and apparatus for marketing an object

• US 8,186,083 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Chua, Johnson, Lian, Yam Fei, Toh, Boon Keat Eddy, Tan, Jeng Khim, Ng, Kar Choon
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbermann, Joanne
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, SHIN H
• Application Number:
  US12/544,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20110041368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 405/94, 405/95, 406/38, 206/459.1, 206/457, 206/534, 206/335, 206/776, 206/777, 206/769, 206/770, 206/775, 206/45.2, 249/58, 249/61, 249/65, 249/112, 249/113, 249/149, 249/151
• US Class Current: 40/463
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/02 incorporating moving display members
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

There is provided a method and an apparatus for marketing an object. The apparatus includes a display with a first mode and a second mode; and a housing for containing the object adjacent to the display. The display may preferably be coupled to a controller circuit for activating transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode, with the object being viewable through the display in the second mode. The method includes carrying out activities to create an association between the apparatus and the object; using the apparatus for containment of items; and causing an increase in awareness in the object through use of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for marketing an object, the apparatus including:

a display through which the object is viewable, the display being associable with one of a first mode and a second mode;

a housing and supporting structures within the housing for at least one of holding the object and partitioning an area within the housing, the object being adjacent to the display; and

an apparatus status sensor for detecting whether the display is displaced relative to the area within the housing,

wherein the display is coupled to a controller circuit for activating transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode,

wherein when in the first mode, the display is configurable to impede viewing of the object, and

wherein when in the second mode, the display is configurable to allow viewing of the object therethrough.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode includes effects selected from the group consisting of a vertical scrolling effect, a horizontal scrolling effect, and appearance of a graphic object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is hinged to the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is incorporated in a part of the apparatus selected from the group consisting of a frame of the display, the housing and a supporting structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein activating the transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode comprises either applying a force on the display or triggering an actuator which is electrically coupled to the controller circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein activating the transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode includes providing an audio output selected from the group consisting of a song, a spoken phrase, and an aural notation.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein activating the transition of the display between the first mode and the second mode includes providing illumination to the object adjacent to the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacing the display provides an audio output selected from the group consisting of a song, a spoken phrase, and an aural notation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the supporting structures being further for a role selected from the group consisting of absorbing impact forces exerted onto the apparatus and adding structural strength to the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is opaque in the first mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opaque display is either a dark surface or a reflective surface.

12. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an audio generator which is configurable to generate an audio output when the apparatus status sensor determines that the display is displaced relative to the area within the housing.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the apparatus status sensor determines that the display is displaced relative to the area within the housing when the display does not completely cover the area within the housing.

14. A method of marketing an object using an apparatus, including:

carrying out activities to create an association between the apparatus and the object;

using the apparatus for containment of items, the apparatus comprising;

a display which is associable with one of a first mode and a second mode;

a housing and supporting structures within the housing for at least one of holding the object and partitioning an area within the housing, the object being adjacent to the display; and

an apparatus status sensor for detecting whether the display is displaced relative to the area within the housing; and

causing an increase in awareness in the object through use of the apparatus,

wherein when in the first mode, viewing of the object through the display is impeded, and

wherein when in the second mode, viewing of the object through the display is allowed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the activities are carried out via either online selling channels or brick-and-mortar selling channels.