Charging merchandise items
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- determining which ports of a switch box are connected to the merchandise items and ports of the switch box are not connected to the merchandise items;
determining which of a plurality of merchandise items require charging, wherein the merchandise items are located at a display that permits the merchandise items to be handled;
charging the plurality of merchandise items that were determined to require charging, wherein the charging the plurality of merchandise items further comprises providing a charging current to ports of the switch box connected to merchandise items on a multiplexed basis and not providing charging current to ports not connected to merchandise items; and
generating an alarm when one of the merchandise items is removed from the consumer display.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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 power 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 can be charged at the display on a multiplexed basis.
62 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
determining which ports of a switch box are connected to the merchandise items and ports of the switch box are not connected to the merchandise items; determining which of a plurality of merchandise items require charging, wherein the merchandise items are located at a display that permits the merchandise items to be handled; charging the plurality of merchandise items that were determined to require charging, wherein the charging the plurality of merchandise items further comprises providing a charging current to ports of the switch box connected to merchandise items on a multiplexed basis and not providing charging current to ports not connected to merchandise items; and generating an alarm when one of the merchandise items is removed from the consumer display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for charging merchandise items comprising:
-
a switch box having ports that connect to merchandise items, the apparatus being configured to determine which ports of a switch box are connected to the merchandise items and ports of the switch box are not connected to the merchandise items; a monitoring and alarm device configured to determine which of a plurality of merchandise items at a merchandise display require charging, wherein the monitoring an alarm device is configured to generate an alarm when one of the merchandise items is moved a predetermined distance away from the merchandise display; and a charger configured to charge merchandise items the monitoring and alarm device determined require charging, wherein the charge is further configured to provide a charging current to ports of the switch box connected to merchandise items on a multiplexed basis and to not provide a charging current to ports of the switch box not connected to merchandise items. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
Specification