SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING DAMAGE TO PRODUCTS

• US 20190125102A1
• Filed: 12/07/2018
• Published: 05/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, William, De Laet, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 10,595,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0404 Cases or cabinets of the closed type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/06 Adjustment of display parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/02 Networking aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• 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 system and method for operating a transparent electronic display includes providing a display case having a door housing the transparent electronic display, and a controller programmed with transparency data which is in electronic communication with the electronic display. Said transparency data comprises a number of predetermined transparency levels for the electronic display during a number of corresponding time periods. The current time is determined and the electronic display is operated at the predetermined transparency level associated with a time period corresponding to the current time.

Claims

1. A method for operating a transparent electronic display comprising the steps of:

providing a display case having a door housing the transparent electronic display, and a controller programmed with transparency data and in electronic communication with the electronic display, wherein said transparency data comprises a number of predetermined transparency levels for the electronic display during a number of corresponding time periods;

determining the current time; and

operating the electronic display at the predetermined transparency level associated with a time period corresponding to the current time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the electronic display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said number of predetermined transparency levels comprises at least three transparency levels, wherein one of said three transparency levels defines substantially zero percent transparency; and

said number of predetermined time periods comprises at least three time periods.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the number of predetermined time periods comprises a retail hours time period and an after hours time period.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the LCD is a normally black LCD.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

a voltage is applied to the LCD during the retail hours time period such that the LCD is rendered at least semi-transparent; and

no voltage is applied to the LCD during the after hours time period such that the LCD is rendered substantially opaque.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

programming the controller with the transparency data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the step of programming the controller with the transparency data is performed by entering the transparency data at a user interface located remote from the display case.

9. A method for operating a transparent electronic display comprising the steps of:

providing a display case comprising a door which houses the transparent electronic display, and a controller in electronic communication with the electronic display and programmed with transparency data, wherein the transparency data comprises a number of predetermined transparency levels for the electronic display associated with a number of elapsed time points;

determining if the door is closed;

calculating the time elapsed since the door was closed; and

operating the electronic display at the predetermined transparency level associated with the elapsed time point which is nearest to the elapsed time while also being equal to or greater than the elapsed time.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the electronic display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

11. The method of claim 9 wherein:

each pixel is driven to substantially the same transparency level.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

accepting transparency data at the controller by way of a wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the transparency data is accepted from a remote device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the transparency data comprises a first predetermined transparency level, a second predetermined transparency level, a first elapsed time point, a second elapsed time point, and a third period elapsed time point.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the electronic display is operated at the first predetermined transparency level if the first elapsed time point is reached;

the electronic display is operated at the second predetermined transparency level if the second elapsed time point is reached; and

the electronic display receives no power if the third elapsed time point is reached.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the electronic display is driven at a different predetermined transparency level when the door is opened.

17. A system for operating a transparent electronic display comprising:

a display case having a door housing the transparent electronic display;

a controller in electronic communication with the electronic display, wherein the controller comprises transparency data and executable software instructions, which when executed, configure the controller to;

determine the current time;

determine if the current time falls within a time period specified in the transparency data; and

operate the electronic display at a predetermined transparency level by way of the controller and according to the transparency data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the electronic display is a normally black liquid crystal display (LCD).

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a wireless communication device in electronic communication with the controller and configured to receive the transparency data from a remote device.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the transparency data comprises a first predetermined transparency setting, a second predetermined transparency setting, a first elapsed time point, a second elapsed time point, and a third elapsed time point; and

the controller comprises additional executable software instructions, which when executed by the controller configure the controller to;

operate the electronic display at the first predetermined transparency level if the first elapsed time point is reached;

operate the electronic display at the second predetermined transparency level if the second elapsed time point is reached; and

provide no power to the electronic display if the third elapsed time point is reached.