Point of sale inductive systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- providing an inductive power supply at a point of sale, the inductive power supply including a primary coil that is adapted to generate a time-varying electromagnetic field;
providing a package at the point of sale, the package including a plurality of resonant circuits including a secondary coil and a luminescent load, each of the plurality of resonant circuits having a different resonant frequency; and
selectively driving the primary coil with a plurality of different operating frequencies corresponding to at least two different resonant frequencies of the plurality of resonant circuits,wherein the luminescent load of a first one of the plurality of resonant circuits illuminates in response to the primary coil being driven with an operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the first one of the plurality of resonant circuits, andwherein the luminescent load of a second one of the plurality of resonant circuits illuminates in response to the primary coil being driven with an operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the second one of the plurality of resonant circuits.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for the identification, powering and control of products and product packaging. The systems can include a point of sale display having a contactless power supply. The contactless power supply can provide a source of wireless power for products and product packaging. The products and product packaging can include light emitting diodes, e-ink displays and printed speaker circuits that activate as the operating frequency of the contactless power supply varies. Other embodiments include product level sensors, inductive reader networks, printed temperature sensors, product alignment systems, passive identification circuits and methods for controlling operation of the same.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing an inductive power supply at a point of sale, the inductive power supply including a primary coil that is adapted to generate a time-varying electromagnetic field; providing a package at the point of sale, the package including a plurality of resonant circuits including a secondary coil and a luminescent load, each of the plurality of resonant circuits having a different resonant frequency; and selectively driving the primary coil with a plurality of different operating frequencies corresponding to at least two different resonant frequencies of the plurality of resonant circuits, wherein the luminescent load of a first one of the plurality of resonant circuits illuminates in response to the primary coil being driven with an operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the first one of the plurality of resonant circuits, and wherein the luminescent load of a second one of the plurality of resonant circuits illuminates in response to the primary coil being driven with an operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the second one of the plurality of resonant circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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a package at a point of sale, the package including a plurality of resonant circuits including a secondary coil and a luminescent load having a luminescent output, each of the plurality of resonant circuits having a different resonant frequency; and an inductive power supply at the point of sale, the inductive power supply including a primary coil that is adapted to generate a time-varying electromagnetic field, wherein the primary coil is selectively operable at a plurality of different operating frequencies corresponding to at least two different resonant frequencies of the plurality of resonant circuits, such that the primary coil, when selectively inductively coupled to one or more the plurality of resonant circuits, controls the luminescent output of the luminescent load of the one or more of the plurality of resonant circuits while the product package is at the point of sale. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A product package comprising:
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a plurality of resonant circuits that are electrically isolated from each other, each of the plurality of resonant circuits including a secondary coil, a series resonant capacitor, and a luminescent load, each of the plurality of resonant circuits having a different resonant frequency; wherein a first one of the plurality of resonant circuits provides a luminescent output when electrically coupled to a primary coil that is driven with time-varying current at a first operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the first resonant circuit; and wherein a second one of the plurality of resonant circuits provides a luminescent output when electrically coupled to the primary coil when driven with time-varying current at a second operating frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the second resonant circuit, such that luminescent output of the product package is controlled by selective operation of the primary coil at the first or second operating frequencies, the primary coil being at the point of sale. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification