Charging merchandise items

• US 8,314,699 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Irmscher, Julia, Rapp, Michael, Brenner, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US13/276,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/568.8, 340/562, 700/214, 713/300, 341/172, 455/572
• US Class Current: 340/568.8
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• 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 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits

Abstract

Methods, systems and other embodiments associated with charging merchandise items are presented. A method of charging merchandise items includes displaying merchandise items at a consumer display so that the merchandise items can be handled by a consumer. A first powers supply charges a portion of the display that does not include the merchandise items and a second power supply charges the merchandise items. The merchandise items are charged at the display on a multiplexed basis. An alarm is generated if the first power supply or the second power supply looses power but not if the first and second power supply loose power.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a consumer display so that the plurality of merchandise items can be handled by a consumer;

determining at the consumer display which of the plurality of merchandise items that require charging;

charging at the consumer display only the plurality of merchandise items requiring charging; and

generating an alarm when one of the plurality of merchandise items is removed from the consumer display whether the one of the plurality of merchandise items is being charged or not being charged;

connecting the plurality of merchandise items to corresponding ports of a switch box;

determining ports of the switch box connected to the merchandise items and ports not connected to the merchandise items, wherein the charging the plurality of merchandise items further comprises;

providing charging current to ports connected to merchandise items on a multiplexed basis and not providing charging current to ports not connected to merchandise items.

2. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a consumer display so that the plurality of merchandise items can be handled by a consumer;

determining at the consumer display which of the plurality of merchandise items that require charging;

charging at the consumer display only the plurality of merchandise items requiring charging; and

generating an alarm when one of the plurality of merchandise items is removed from the consumer display whether the one of the plurality of merchandise items is being charged or not being charged;

charging a portion of the consumer display that does not include the plurality of merchandise items with a first power source;

charging the plurality of merchandise items at the display with a second power source; and

generating an alarm when one of the first power source and the second power source loses power, wherein the alarm is not generated when both the first power source and the second power source lose power.

3. The method of claim 2 where in the charging a portion of the consumer display that does not include the plurality of merchandise items further comprises:

charging a video display.

4. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a consumer display so that the plurality of merchandise items can be handled by a consumer;

determining at the consumer display which of the plurality of merchandise items that require charging;

charging at the consumer display only the plurality of merchandise items requiring charging; and

generating an alarm when one of the plurality of merchandise items is removed from the consumer display whether the one of the plurality of merchandise items is being charged or not being charged;

charging the plurality of merchandise items at the display on a multiplexed basis with equal time periods of charging.

5. A system for displaying a plurality of merchandise items comprising:

a display area to display the plurality of merchandise items configured to allow a customer to handle the merchandise items;

a merchandise item charger configured to provide a charging signal;

a charge detection logic at the display area to determine which of the plurality of merchandise items need recharging; and

a multiplexer configured to provide the charging signal to the plurality of merchandise items at the display area that need recharging on a multiplexed basis.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a switch box with a plurality of ports;

a plurality of tethers connected between at least some of the plurality of ports and the plurality of merchandise items, wherein the multiplexer is configured to provide the charging signal to the plurality of merchandise items through the plurality of tethers.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the multiplexer further comprises:

detection logic to determine when a merchandise item is connected to one of the plurality of ports through one of the plurality of tethers, wherein the multiplexer is configured to not provide the charging signal to a port when a merchandise item is not connected to one of the plurality of ports through one of the plurality of tethers.

8. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

handling detection logic configured to detect a selected merchandise item being handled by the customer; and

a display configured to display audio information and video information about the selected merchandise item when the selected merchandise item is detected as being handled by the customer.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a system charger configured to provide power to the handling detection logic.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

alarm logic configured to generate an alarm when one of;

the system charger and the merchandise item charger loses power, wherein the alarm logic is configured to not generate the alarm when both the system charger and the merchandise item charger lose power.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein the multiplexer is configured to provide the charging signal to the plurality of merchandise items on a round-robin time multiplexed basis with a time period, and wherein each merchandise item is charged throughout the time period.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the merchandise item charger is configured to provide a fixed charging signal, and wherein the multiplexer is configured to provide the fixed charging signal to merchandise items that need recharging in the time period.

13. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a plurality of tethers, wherein each of the plurality of merchandise items is connected to the display area with a corresponding tether, and wherein the system is configured to generate an alarm when one or more of the merchandise items is removed from a corresponding tether.