System for coupling package displays to remote power source

• US 9,881,327 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sweeney, William R., Totty, Kristen M., Maher, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Florian
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/071,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,630 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/005 with inductive power transfer for charging H02J7/025
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A merchandising system having a power distribution device associated with a package support system, and a package having a sensory output such as an image display capable of using power, data and/or signals provided from the power distribution device to produce a desired output when the package is associated with the package support system. Packaging materials of the package form the coupling medium for contactless coupling such as capacitive coupling of a controlled signal provided to the package support system to a display on the package.

Claims

1. A package comprising:

an image display that can be remotely controlled by a source providing power and data from a location external to said package,

said package being formed of electrically conductive packaging materials connected to said image display, and acting as a coupling medium for contactless coupling to the source, said electrically conductive packaging materials including at least two electrically separated electrodes formed on a surface of an insulated substrate and a transparent conductor wherein the image display is formed on a first of the two electrodes, and the transparent conductor is formed partially on a second of the two electrodes and partially on the image display.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein:

said image display includes electric field sensitive materials.

3. The package according to claim 1, wherein:

said image display is controllable to display plural images when said package is positioned in close proximity to the source, and said image display is fixed to display a single image when said package is moved away from the source.

4. The package according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive packaging materials comprise means for preserving a content of the package.

5. The package according to claim 1, wherein the image display comprises electrophoretic materials.

6. The package according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive packaging materials comprise foils and semiconductor substrates.

7. The package according to claim 1, wherein the contactless coupling is a capacitive coupling between said packaging materials and the source.

8. The package according to claim 1, wherein said transparent conductor is connected to said one of the at least two electrically separated electrodes via a conductive spacer layer.

9. The package according to claim 1, wherein said transparent conductor is separated from the first and second electrodes via an insulating spacer.

10. The package according to claim 1, wherein the two electrically separated electrodes are stacked and overlap over less than an entire length.

11. The package according to claim 10, wherein the transparent electrode is formed over the overlapping portion of the two electrodes.

12. The package according to claim 1, wherein a first end of the transparent electrode is formed on the second of the two electrodes, and a second end of the transparent electrode is formed on the image display.

13. The package according to claim 1, wherein the two electrically separated electrodes are on a common plane.