Interactive point of purchase display for toys

• US 9,646,328 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Skifstrom, Eric E., Teel, Peter E., Buzga, Vladimir, Sosnovskiy, Vladimir, Hinkley, Mary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GEORGALAS, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/325,963
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2010/005 using RFID elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising

Abstract

Techniques are provided for an interactive point of purchase product display. The interactive point of purchase product display includes a product placement region, one or more products located in the product placement region, an input device configured to receive an input signal, a controller device, and a selection indicator device. The input device may receive data about a potential consumer or customer. The controller device is coupled to the input device and the one or more products and is configured to receive data from the input device responsive to the input signal, select a product in response to the receive input and generate a selection signal identifying the product resulting in the attention of a customer to be drawn to the product.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a controller device, receiving data from an input device indicating that a potential customer has entered an interactive range of a product display that includes a plurality of individual products each associated with at least one unique selection indicator device, wherein the at least one unique selection indicator device associated with one of the plurality of individual products is different from the at least one unique selection indicator device associated with others of the plurality of individual products;

in response to receiving the data, selecting by the controller device one and only one of the plurality of products positioned within the product display as a selected product;

at the controller device, generating a selection signal identifying the selected product positioned within the product display;

sending from the controller device the selection signal to the at least one unique selection indicator device that is associated with the selected product positioned within the product display such that only the at least one selection indicator device associated with the selected product is activated; and

controlling, by the at least one unique selection indicator device that is associated with the selected product, one or more operations of the selected product in response to the selection signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting comprises processing the data to obtain identity information associated with the potential customer that has caused the input device to send the data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting further comprises selecting the selected product based on the identity information associated with the potential customer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting comprises obtaining, based on the identity information associated with the potential customer, product criteria information associated with the potential customer from a database that stores product preferences associated with the potential customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending comprises sending the selection signal to the at least one unique selection indicator device associated with the selected product such that the at least one unique selection indicator device activates a product presentation that demonstrates at least one feature corresponding to the selected product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending comprises sending the selection signal to the at least one unique selection indicator device associated with the selected product such that the at least one unique selection indicator device activates an indication to the potential customer that the potential customer should purchase the selected product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving the data from one of a camera device, a motion sensor device, an activation button, a bar code scanner device, an optical scanner device, a wireless receiver device, a radio frequency receiver device, a cellular communications device, a touch screen device, a computer terminal and a microphone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises an indication that the potential customer is within a predetermined distance range of the plurality of products.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises image information from an encoded image detected by the input device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises information from a modulated signal detected by the input device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sending comprises sending the selection signal to the at least one unique selection indicator device associated with the selected product via wireless transmission.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a back-off signal; and

sending the back-off signal to one or more secondary control devices associated with the plurality of products within the product display, wherein the back-off signal indicates to the secondary control devices that the selected product has been selected and that the secondary control devices should not activate any selection indicators associated with the others of the plurality of individual products.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling one or more operations of the selected product in response to the selection signal comprises:

causing the selected product to at least one of move, generate an audible signal, or generate a visible signal.

14. A method comprising:

at a controller device, receiving data from an input device, wherein the data comprises preference information associated with a potential customer, wherein the controller device is associated with a product display that includes a plurality of individual products comprising at least a first product and a second product, wherein one or more first selection indicator devices are associated with the first product and one or more second selection indicator devices are associated with the second product, and wherein the one or more second selection indicator devices are different from the one or more first selection indicator devices;

in response to receiving the data, selecting by the controller device only the first product for the potential customer as a selected product based on the preference information associated with the potential customer;

at the controller device, generating a selection signal identifying the first product; and

sending from the controller device the selection signal to the one or more first selection indicator devices that are associated with the first product such that only the first selection indicator device associated with the first product is activated, wherein the first selection indicator device is configured to control one or more operations of the first product in response to the selection signal.

15. A system comprising:

a product placement region;

a plurality of individual products located within the product placement region;

an input device configured to receive an input signal indicating that a potential customer has entered an interactive range of the product placement region;

a controller device operably coupled to the input device and the product and configured to;

receive data from the input device responsive to the input signal;

select, in response to the data, one and only one of the plurality of individual products as a selected product; and

generate a selection signal identifying the selected product; and

a selection indicator device operably coupled to the selected product and the controller device and configured to;

receive the selection signal from the controller device; and

control one or more operations of the selected product in response to the selection signal.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of electrical interconnects disposed in the product placement region configured to couple to corresponding electrical connectors on the selected product to enable an electrical connection between the controller device and the selected product.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising an electrically conductive medium disposed in the product placement region configured to operate as an antenna and to communicate wirelessly with the selected product.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrically conductive medium is configured to send the selection signal wirelessly from the controller device to the selection indicator device of the selected product.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the selection indicator device comprises a light source unit configured to illuminate the selected product in response to receiving the selection signal, an audio source unit configured to initiate audio sounds associated with the selected product in response to receiving the selection signal or a mechanical animation unit configured to provide mechanical movements for the selected product in response to receiving the selection signal.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller device is integrated within the selected product.