Product storage device with transparent LCD panel

• US 9,155,405 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2015
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Artwohl, Paul J., Nicholson, Jeffery W., Sandnes, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): FERENCE, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/686,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20150216326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/02 for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/005 with glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0063 for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1313 specially adapted for a particular application
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/0058 on electrical household appliances, e.g. on a dishwasher, a washing machine or a refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/065 Advertising in food vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 : using liquid crystals

Abstract

A display system for a product storage device includes a transparent unit having a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel. The transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content. A lighting element is attached to the transparent unit and configured to provide lighting for both the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device. The lighting element emits light in a direction away from the transparent LCD panel and toward the products within the product storage device. A light guide selectively reflects the light emitted from the lighting element back toward the transparent LCD panel and through the transparent LCD panel to provide backlighting for the transparent LCD panel.

Claims

1. A display system for a product storage device, the display system comprising:

a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;

a light guide positioned behind the transparent LCD panel; and

a lighting element attached to the transparent unit and positioned between the transparent LCD panel and the light guide, wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting for both the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device, wherein the lighting element emits light in a direction away from the transparent LCD panel and toward the light guide and the products within the product storage device;

wherein the light guide is configured to selectively reflect the light emitted from the lighting element back toward the transparent LCD panel and through the transparent LCD panel to provide backlighting for the transparent LCD panel.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the light guide is operable in:

a first mode in which the light guide reflects the light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and away from the product storage device; and

a second mode in which the light guide allows the light emitted from the lighting element to pass through the light guide and into the product storage device.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein:

the light guide comprises a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent state and an opaque state;

operating the light guide in the first mode comprises transitioning the switchable film into the opaque state; and

operating the light guide in the second mode comprises transitioning the switchable film into the transparent state.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the transparent unit is part of a fixed-position window in the product storage device.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the products within the product storage device are visible, through the transparent unit, from a location outside the product storage device.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the visual media content comprises at least one of product information, pricing information, nutritional information, advertising content, and store layout information.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the lighting element comprises a LED strip positioned within the transparent unit between the front panel and the rear panel.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the lighting element is positioned between the transparent LCD panel and the light guide.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the light guide is positioned within the transparent unit between the front panel and the rear panel.

10. The display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.

11. The display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller located at a remote location and connected with the transparent LCD panel via a data communications link, wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.

12. The display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker attached to the transparent unit, wherein the speaker is configured to present audio media content.

13. The display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive touch-based input from a user;

wherein the visual media content is presented on the transparent LCD panel in response to user input received via the touch screen.

14. A display system for a product storage device, the display system comprising:

a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;

a light guide positioned behind the transparent LCD panel;

a lighting element positioned between the transparent LCD panel and the light guide, wherein the lighting element emits light in a direction away from the transparent LCD panel and toward the light guide;

wherein the light guide is configured to transition between an opaque state in which the light guide provides reflected backlighting for the transparent LCD panel and a transparent state in which the light guide allows products within the product storage device to be viewed through the transparent LCD panel; and

a controller configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein the visual media content comprises at least one of product information, pricing information, nutritional information, advertising content, and store layout information.

16. The display system of claim 14, further comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive touch-based input from a user;

wherein the visual media content is presented on the transparent LCD panel in response to user input received via the touch screen.

17. The display system of claim 14, wherein, when the light guide is in the opaque state, the light guide reflects light emitted from the lighting element and causes the emitted light to pass through the transparent LCD panel;

and

wherein, when the light guide is in the transparent state, the light guide does not reflect the light emitted from the lighting element and causes the emitted light to pass through the light guide toward the products within the product storage device.

18. A display system comprising:

a transparent panel;

a transparent LCD panel coupled to the transparent panel and configured to present visual media content;

a light guide positioned behind the transparent LCD panel and configured to transition between a transparent state and an opaque state;

a lighting element positioned between the transparent LCD panel and the light guide, wherein the lighting element emits light in a direction away from the transparent LCD panel and toward the light guide; and

a controller configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel and to cause the light guide to transition between the transparent state and the opaque state, wherein the controller coordinates presentation of the visual media content via the transparent LCD panel with a state of the light guide.

19. The transparent unit of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to:

cause the light guide to transition into the opaque state when the visual media content is presented via the transparent LCD panel; and

cause the light guide to transition into the transparent state when the visual media content is not presented via the transparent LCD panel.

20. The transparent unit of claim 18, wherein light guide comprises a switchable film applied to at least one of the transparent panel and the transparent LCD panel.