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Patent 2877557 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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  • At the time the application is open to public inspection;
  • At the time of issue of the patent (grant).
(12) Patent: (11) CA 2877557
(54) English Title: DISPLAY CASE DOOR WITH TRANSPARENT LCD PANEL
(54) French Title: PORTE DE PRESENTOIR EQUIPEE D'UN PANNEAU ACL TRANSPARENT
Status: Granted
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • A47F 11/06 (2006.01)
  • A47F 3/04 (2006.01)
  • G02F 1/13357 (2006.01)
  • G09F 19/22 (2006.01)
  • G06Q 30/02 (2012.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • ARTWOHL, PAUL J. (United States of America)
  • NICHOLSON, JEFFERY W. (United States of America)
  • SANDNES, MARK (United States of America)
(73) Owners :
  • ANTHONY, INC. (United States of America)
(71) Applicants :
  • ANTHONY, INC. (United States of America)
(74) Agent: BERESKIN & PARR LLP/S.E.N.C.R.L.,S.R.L.
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 2016-10-25
(22) Filed Date: 2015-01-13
(41) Open to Public Inspection: 2015-07-31
Examination requested: 2015-08-13
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
14/170,378 United States of America 2014-01-31

Abstracts

English Abstract

An improved display case door assembly for a product storage device is provided. The display case door assembly includes a transparent unit comprising 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. The display case door assembly further includes a lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device and a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the product storage device.


French Abstract

Ensemble amélioré de porte de présentoir prévu pour un dispositif de stockage de produits. Lensemble de porte de présentoir comprend une unité transparente comportant un panneau avant, un panneau arrière et un panneau ACL transparent positionné entre le panneau avant et le panneau arrière. Le panneau ACL transparent est configuré pour présenter du contenu média visuel. De plus, lensemble de porte de présentoir comprend un élément déclairage configuré pour assurer léclairage du panneau ACL transparent et des produits, dans le dispositif de stockage de produits. En outre, un guide lumineux est configuré pour diriger de façon sélective la lumière émise, de lélément déclairage vers le panneau ACL transparent et vers les produits, dans le dispositif de stockage de produits.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


What is claimed is:
1. A display case door assembly for a product storage device, the
display case door assembly 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 lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent
LCD panel and for products within the product storage device; and
a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the
lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the
product storage device;
wherein the lighting element is attached to a surface of the LCD
panel and configured to emit light in a direction away from the LCD panel and
toward the products within the product storage device;
wherein the light guide is configured to cause the light emitted by the
lighting element to be reflected back toward the LCD panel and through the LCD

panel.
2. The display case door assembly 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.
3. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting
element comprises a LED strip positioned within the display case door assembly

between the front panel and the rear panel.
4. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide is
positioned within the display case door assembly between the front panel and
the
rear panel.
5. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide is
operable in a first mode in which the light guide reflects the light emitted
from the

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lighting element toward the LCD panel and away from the product storage
device;
and
wherein the light guide is operable in 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.
6. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide
comprises a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent
state
and an opaque state, wherein the switchable film is applied to at least one
of: the
front panel, the rear panel, and the transparent LCD panel;
wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element
toward the transparent LCD panel comprises transitioning the switchable film
into
the opaque state and using the switchable film in the opaque state to provide
a
backlight for the transparent LCD panel; and
wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element
toward the products within the product storage device comprises transitioning
the
switchable film into the transparent state and allowing the light emitted from
the
lighting element to pass through the switchable film and into the product
storage
device.
7. The display case door assembly 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.
8. The display case door assembly 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.

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9. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a speaker attached to the transparent unit, wherein the speaker is
configured to present audio media content.
10. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a touch screen configured to receive touch-based input from a user;
wherein the visual media content presented by the transparent LCD
panel is in response to user input received via the touch screen.
11. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a hollow hinge pin configured to rotatably couple the display case
door assembly to the product storage device; and
one or more electrical conductors extending through the hollow
hinge pin, the electrical conductors providing at least one of: power and data
to
the transparent LCD panel.
12. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the transparent
LCD panel, the lighting element, and the light guide are powered by a power
supply that outputs a DC voltage of 24V or less.
13. A display case door assembly for a product storage device, the
display case door assembly 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 configured to transition between an opaque state in
which the light guide provides 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 located external to the transparent unit 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.

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14. The display case door assembly of claim 13, wherein the visual
media content comprises at least one of: product information, pricing
information,
nutritional information, advertising content, and store layout information.
15. The display case door assembly of claim 13, further comprising:
a touch screen configured to receive touch-based input from a user;
wherein the visual media content presented by the transparent LCD
panel is in response to user input received via the touch screen.
16. The display case door assembly of claim 13, further comprising a
lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel
and
for the products within the product storage device;
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.
17. The display case door assembly of claim 16, wherein the light guide
is disposed between the lighting element and the products within the product
storage device;
wherein the lighting element emits light in a first direction away from
the transparent LCD panel and toward the products within the product storage
device;
wherein, when the light guide is in the opaque state, the light guide
reflects the light emitted by the lighting element in a second direction
substantially
opposite the first direction and toward the LCD panel.

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18. The display case door assembly of claim 13, wherein the controller
is configured to provide a control signal to the light guide causing the light
guide to
transition between the transparent state and the opaque state;
wherein the controller causes the light guide to transition into the
opaque state when the visual media content is presented via the transparent
LCD
panel.
19. The display case door assembly of claim 18, wherein the controller
causes the light guide to transition into the transparent state when the
visual
media content is not presented via the transparent LCD panel.

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Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


CA 02877557 2015-08-13
Atty. Dkt. No: 107939-0147
DISPLAY CASE DOOR WITH TRANSPARENT LCD PANEL
100021 The present disclosure relates generally to temperature-controlled
storage devices such
as refrigerated display cases as may be found in a supermarket or other
similar facility. The
present disclosure relates more particularly to a refrigerated display case
door with a transparent
LCD panel.
BACKGROUND
(00031 This section is intended to provide a background or context to the
invention recited in
the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued,
but are not
necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore,
unless otherwise
indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the
description and claims in
this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this
section.
100041 Temperature-controlled storage devices (e.g., a refrigerator, freezer,
refrigerated
merchandiser, display case, etc.) are used in a wide variety of commercial,
institutional, and
residential applications for storing and/or displaying refrigerated or frozen
objects. Many
temperature-controlled storage devices have a display case door (e.g., a door
with an insulated
glass panel) through which objects within the temperature-controlled storage
device can be
viewed. Traditional display case doors allow a customer in a supermarket or
other similar
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facility to see the objects within the temperature-controlled storage device
while shopping, but
do not otherwise facilitate product presentation or enhance the shopping
experience.
SUMMARY
100051 One implementation of the present disclosure is a display case door
assembly for a
product storage device. The display case door assembly includes a transparent
unit comprising 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. In some
embodiments, the visual media content includes at least one of: product
information, pricing
information, nutritional information, store layout information, and
advertising content. The
display case door assembly further includes a lighting element configured to
provide lighting for
the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device
and a light guide
configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element
toward the transparent
LCD panel and the products within the product storage device.
100061 in some embodiments, the lighting element includes a LED strip
positioned within the
display case door assembly between the front panel and the rear panel. In some
embodiments,
the lighting element is attached to a surface of the LCD panel and configured
to emit light in a
direction away from the LCD panel and toward the products within the product
storage device.
The light guide may be configured to cause the light emitted by the lighting
element to be
reflected back toward the LCD panel.
100071 In some embodiments, the light guide is positioned within the display
case door
assembly between the front panel and the rear panel. In some embodiments,
selectively directing
light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel
includes using the light
guide to reflect the light toward the LCD panel. Selectively directing light
emitted from the
lighting element toward the products within the product storage device may
include allowing the
= light to pass through the light guide and into the product storage
device.
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[00081 In some embodiments, the light guide includes a switchable film
configured to
transition between a transparent state and an opaque state. The switchable
film may be applied
to at least one of: the front panel, the rear panel, and the transparent LCD
panel. Selectively
directing light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD
panel may include
transitioning the switchable film into the opaque state. Selectively directing
light emitted from
the lighting element toward the products within the product storage device may
include
transitioning the switchable film into the transparent state.
100091 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes a
controller
positioned between the front panel and the rear panel. The controller may be
configured to
control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.
[00101 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes a
speaker
attached to the transparent unit. The speaker may be configured to present
audio media content.
[00111 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes a
touch screen
configured to receive touch-based input from a user. The visual media content
presented by the
transparent LCD panel may be presented in response to user input received via
the touch screen.
[00121 in some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes a
hollow hinge
pin configured to rotatably couple the display case door assembly to the
product storage device
and one or more electrical conductors extending through the hollow hinge pin.
The electrical
conductors may provide at least one of: power and data to the transparent LCD
panel.
100131 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes an
insulating
medium between the front panel and the rear panel. The insulating medium may
be at least one
of: an insulating foam and a transparent insulating gas.
100141 In some embodiments, the transparent LCD panel, the lighting element,
and the light
guide are powered by a power supply that outputs a DC voltage of 24V or less.
[00151 Another implementation of the present disclosure is a display case door
assembly for a
temperature-controlled storage device. The display case door assembly includes
a transparent
unit comprising a panel through which products within the temperature-
controlled storage device
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are visible and an electroacoustic transducer mounted in energy transmitting
relation to the panel.
The electroacoustic transducer may be configured to receive an audio signal
and to drive the
panel to produce sound in response to the audio signal. The display case door
assembly further
includes a controller for the electroacoustic transducer. The controller is
configured to affect the
audio signal received by the electroacoustic transducer_
100161 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes a
sensor. The
controller may be configured to receive an input signal from the sensor and to
detect a user in
front of the transparent unit based on the input signal. The controller may
affect the audio signal
received by the electroacoustic transducer in response to detecting a user in
front of the
transparent unit.
100171 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes an
anti-
condensate device comprising an electrically-conductive coating applied to the
panel. The
electrically-conductive coating may be configured to generate heat to prevent
condensation from
occurring.
[00181 In some embodiments, the display case door assembly further includes an
anti-reflective
coating applied to the panel. The anti-reflective coating may be configured to
increase an
amount of visible light transmitted through the panel.
[00191 Another implementation of the present disclosure is a transparent unit
including a
transparent panel and a transparent LCD panel coupled to the transparent
panel. The transparent
LCD panel may be configured to present visual media content. The transparent
unit further
includes a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent
state and an opaque
state. The switchable film is applied to at least one of: the transparent
panel and the transparent
LCD panel. The transparent unit further includes a controller configured to
provide a control
signal to the switchable film to cause the switchable film to transition
between the transparent
state and the opaque state. The controller is configured to control the visual
media content
presented via the transparent LCD panel and to coordinate the presentation of
visual media
content with a state of the switchable film.
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[0020I In some embodiments, the controller is configured to determine whether
to cause the
switchable film to transition between the transparent state and the opaque
state and to provide the
control signal to the switchable film based on a result of the determination.
The controller may
be configured to cause the switchable film to transition into the opaque state
when the visual
media content is presented via the transparent LCD panel.
100211 In some embodiments, the transparent panel includes an inner
transparent portion
through which the visual media content presented by the transparent LCD panel
is visible and an
outer opaque portion configured to conceal the controller. The outer opaque
portion may be
formed by at least one of: dot matrix decorating and applying a decal to an
outer portion of the
transparent panel.
100221 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is
illustrative only and is not
intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and
advantages of the
devices and/or processes described herein, as defined solely by the claims,
will become apparent
in the detailed description set forth herein and taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00231 FIG. 1 perspective view of a temperature-controlled storage device
having a plurality of
display case doors, each of the display case doors including a transparent
unit with a transparent
LCD panel contained therein, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[00241 FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the transparent unit of FIG. I, showing a
front panel, a
rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and
the rear panel,
according to an exemplary embodiment.
100251 FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the transparent unit shown in FIG,
2 with a portion of
front panel 18 cut away to show a controller housed between the front panel
and the rear panel,
according to an exemplary embodiment.
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100261 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the transparent unit of FIG.
2, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
100271 FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the transparent unit of FIG. 2 with
the rear panel
removed to show a lighting element attached to a rear surface of the
transparent LCD panel,
according to an exemplary embodiment.
[00281 FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional plan view of the transparent unit of
FIG. 2, illustrating
in greater detail the attachment of the lighting element shown in FIG. 5 to
the transparent LCD
panel and showing a potential location for a light guide, according to an
exemplary embodiment.
100291 FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a door frame assembly including the
transparent unit of
FIG. 2, showing a speaker and a controller mounted within a door frame of the
Assembly,
according to an exemplary embodiment.
100301 FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the door frame assembly of FIG. 7,
showing a sensor
mounted within the door frame and the controller contained within the
transparent unit,
according to an exemplary embodiment.
100311 FIG. 9 is another cross-sectional plan view of the transparent unit of
FIG. 2, illustrating
a spacer configuration in which a single spacer is used to position the front
panel, the rear panel,
and the transparent LCD panel, according to an exemplary embodiment.
100321 FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the transparent unit of FIG. 2
with a hinge pin
attached to upper and lower corners thereof, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
100331 FIG. 11 illustrates the hinge pin of FIG. 10 in greater detail, showing
multiple electrical
conductors extending therethrough, according to an exemplary embodiment.
100341 FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a controller for various
electronic components of
the display case door, according to an exemplary embodiment.
100351 FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional plan view of the transparent unit of FIG.
2, according to
another exemplary embodiment.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
100361 Referring generally to the FIGURES, a display case door with a
transparent liquid
crystal display (LCD) panel and components thereof are shown, according to
various exemplary
embodiments. The display case door described herein may be used as a door for
a refrigerator,
freezer, refrigerated merchandiser, or other display case in a wide variety of
commercial,
institutional, and residential applications. For example, the display case
door may be used as a
door for a temperature-controlled storage device in a supermarket or other
similar facility and
may include one or more transparent panels or panes (e.g., insulated glass
panels) through which
objects within the temperature-controlled storage device can be viewed.
100371 The display case door described herein includes a transparent LCD panel
as one of the
one or more transparent panels or panes. Advantageously, the transparent LCD
panel can be
used to present electronic content (e.g., product information, pricing,
nutritional value,
advertisements, store layout information, visual media, etc.) to a customer
while allowing a
customer to see into the temperature-controlled storage device and view the
items contained
therein. In some embodiments, the transparent LCD panel is the center panel of
a three-pane
unit, thereby maximizing visible transmittance while maintaining thermal
insulating performance
and protecting the LCD panel from impact damage. The transparent LCD panel may
be mounted
within a hermetically sealed unit to protect against moisture damage.
[00381 In various embodiments, the display case door described herein includes
one or more
electronic components such as sensors (e.g., a camera, a motion sensor, a
proximity sensor, a
temperature sensor, a microphone, etc.), speakers (e.g., for presenting audio-
content to a
customer), a touch-sensitive panel (e.g., for receiving a user input), a
lighting element (e.g., to
illuminate items within the temperature-controlled storage device, to provide
lighting for the
LCD panel, etc.) an anti-condensate system (e.g., to control condensation on
the display case
door), a light guide (e.g., to direct light from the lighting element to the
items within the
temperature-controlled storage device and/or to the LCD panel), and/or a
controller to process
data inputs and to provide control signals (e.g., operating instructions, data
signals, etc.) to the
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various electronic components. The electronic components may be located
between the front
and rear panels, embedded in the door frame, or otherwise located.
100391 In some embodiments, portions of the front rear and panels are
selectively decorated to
conceal any wires or other electronic components within the display case door.
For example, the
front and rear panels may be darkened or made opaque around a perimeter
thereof (e.g. using
screen printing, dot matrix decorating, roller printing, ink jet printing,
painting, etc.) to hide any
electronic components contained between the front and rear panels.
[00401 Before discussing further details of the display case door and/or the
components
thereof, it should be noted that references to "front," "back," "rear,"
"upward," "downward,"
"inner," "outer," "right," and "left" in this description are merely used to
identify the various
elements as they are oriented in the FIGURES. These terms are not meant to
limit the element
which they describe, as the various elements may be oriented differently in
various applications.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 1, a drawing of a storage device 10 haying a
plurality of display
case doors 12 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some
embodiments, storage
device 10 is a temperature-controlled storage device (e.g., a refrigerator, a
freezer, a warmer, a
heater, etc.) for storing and/or displaying refrigerated, frozen, or heated
goods. In other
embodiments, storage device 10 may be used to store and/or display products,
goods, or other
items at room temperature or at an uncontrolled temperature. Storage device 10
may be
implemented in any commercial, industrial, or residential facility. For
example, as shown in
FIG. 1, storage device 10 may be used to store and/or display refrigerated or
frozen goods to
customers in a supermarket, warehouse store, or other similar facility.
[00421 Storage device 10 is shown to include a plurality of display case doors
12. Each display
case door 12 is shown to include a door frame 14 and a transparent unit 16. In
some
embodiments, transparent unit 16 includes one or more panes of transparent or
substantially
transparent glass (e.g., insulated glass, tempered glass, etc.), plastics, or
other transparent or
substantially transparent materials. In some embodiments, transparent unit 16
includes multiple
layers of transparem panels (i.e., multiple panels per door 12). For example,
transparent unit 16
may be a three-pane unit having a front panel, a center panel, and a rear
panel.
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[0043] In some embodiments, transparent unit 16 includes a transparent LCD
panel.
Advantageously, the transparent LCD panel can be used to present electronic
content (e.g.,
product information, pricing, nutritional value, advertisements, store layout
information,
visual media, etc.) to a customer while allowing a customer to see into
storage device 10
and view the items contained therein. The content presented via the LCD panel
may be
generated dynamically (e.g., in response to user input and/or sensor signals)
and may be
updated to include new content (e.g., new advertisements, current product
promotions,
etc.) via a communications network or other data connection.
[0044] In some embodiments, transparent unit 16 includes a touch-sensitive
panel. In
various embodiments, some or all of the front panel may be touch-sensitive. A
user can
touch the touch-sensitive panel to access an information system, to retrieve
product or
nutritional information, to view a store layout, or otherwise interact with
display case door
12 and/or the electronic content presented by display case door 12.
Transparent unit 16 is
described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2-4.
[0045] Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, display case door 12
includes a
handle 56. Handle 56 may be used to open, close, lock, unlock, seal, unseal,
or otherwise
operate display case door 12. Display case door 12 may include any of a
variety of
structures or features for attaching display case door 12 to storage device
10. For example,
display case door 12 may include a structure for housing wiring, a mullion,
one or more
gaskets, and/or other associated brackets and components typically included in
refrigerated
display cases. Detailed descriptions of such components are provided in U.S.
Patent No.
6,606,832, and U.S. Patent No. 6,606,833.
[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, transparent unit 16 is shown in greater
detail,
according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded view drawing of
transparent unit 16, FIG. 3 is a front view of transparent unit 16, and FIG. 4
is a cross-
sectional plan view of transparent unit 16, according to an exemplary
embodiment.
Transparent unit 16 is shown to include a front panel 18, a rear panel 20, and
a transparent
LCD panel 22.
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100471 Transparent LCD panel 22 may be a single layer or multilayer panel that
includes an
LCD screen for presenting visual content (e.g., video, images, etc.). LCD
panel 22 may receive
control signals (e.g., startup signals, data signals, etc.) from a controller
38 and may be
configured to present the visual content in response to the control signals.
Transparent LCD
panel 22 can be used to present various types of electronic content such as
product information
(e.g., pricing, nutritional value, etc.), advertisements (e.g., video
advertisements, image
advertisements, text advertisements, etc.), store layout information, and/or
other forms of visual
media. Advantageously, transparent LCD panel 22 can be used to present
electronic content to a
user (e.g., a customer at a supermarket, retail store, etc.) while allowing
the user to see through
transparent LCD panel 22 and view the items contained within storage device
10.
100481 Transparent LCD panel may include a number of different layers or panes
of glass,
plexiglass or other suitable transparent or semi-transparent materials, The
layers may be
laminated to one another and/or held in position by a LCD panel frame 36. In
some
embodiments, LCD panel 22 includes a reinforcing layer of glass or a
transparent polymer
adhered thereto to improve strength and reduce strain (e.g., in the event that
display case door 12
is impacted or slammed). The reinforcing layer may improve the rigidity of LCD
panel 22 such
that LCD panel 22 has the strength and structural integrity of a double-
laminated panel_
100491 In some embodiments, transparent LCD panel 22 is used as the center
panel of a three-
pane unit (i.e., between front panel 18 and rear panel 20). By using
transparent LCD panel 22 as
the center panel., LCD panel 22 is protected from impact damage (e.g., by
shopping carts or other
objects) and moisture damage (e.g., from condensation when display case door
12 is opened,
from atmospheric air humidity, etc.). Additionally, mounting LCD panel 22
between front panel
18 and rear panel 20 may increase the visible transmittance of LCD panel 22.
100501 In other embodiments, LCD panel 22 is not the center panel. For
example, transparent
LCD panel 22 may be located in front of both front panel 18 and rear panel 20
or behind both
front panel 18 and rear panel 20. In some embodiments, LCD panel 22 may be
adhered or
laminated to the outside panel or the inside panel of a triple pane
refrigerator door. In another
embodiment, transparent unit 16 can include more than three panels or panes.
For example,
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transparent LCD panel 22 can be inserted between the first and second or
second and third panels
in a triple pane refrigerator door,
100511 Front panel 18 and rear panel 20 may be made from glass (e.g.,
insulated glass,
tempered glass, etc.), plastics, or other transparent or substantially
transparent materials. In some
embodiments, front panel 18 and rear panel 20 include a transparent portion 34
and an opaque
portion 32. Opaque portion 32 may be formed, for example, by screen printing,
by applying
another type of coating (e.g., dot matrix decorating, roller printing, ink jet
printing, painting,
etc.), and/or by applying a decal to a surface of front panel 18 and/or rear
panel 20. Opaque
portion 32 may hide or obscure the margin of LCD panel 22 (e.g., frame 36,
edges of the LCD
screen, etc.) as well as any other components which may be positioned between
front panel 18
and rear panel 20 (e.g., spacers 24-28, insulation 30, etc.).
100521 Each of panels 18-22 includes a front surface and a rear surface. As
shown best in FIG.
4, front panel 18 includes a front surface 40 and a rear surface 42, rear
panel 20 includes a front
surface 44 and a rear surface 46, and transparent LCD panel 22 includes a
front surface 48 and a
rear surface 50. Front surfaces 40, 44, and 48 face toward a customer when
display case door 12
is closed whereas rear surfaces 42, 46, and 50 face toward storage device 10
when display case
door 12 is closed. in some embodiments, opaque portion 32 may be formed by
applying a
coating to surfaces 42 and 44 (i.e., the interior surfaces of front panel 18
and rear panel 20). In
other embodiments, opaque portion 32 may be formed by applying an opaque
coating to any
other surfaces (e.g., in addition to or in place of surfaces 42 and 44) or by
using opaque materials
to form opaque portion 32.
100531 Still referring to FIGS. 2-4, transparent unit 16 is shown to include
three panels.
However, in various embodiments, transparent unit 16 may include a greater or
lesser number of
panels. For example, transparent unit 16 may be a two-pane unit (e.g.,
transparent LCD panel 22
and one other transparent or substantially transparent panel, two traditional
non-LCD panels,
etc.), a three-pane unit (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2 or with three non-LCD
panels), a four-pane unit
(e.g., transparent LCD panel 22 and three traditional non-LCD panels), a five-
pane unit, a six-
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pane unit, or a unit having any other number of panes or panels. Transparent
unit 16 may
include any combination of transparent LCD panels and/or traditional non-LCD
panels.
[0054] In some embodiments, panels 18-22 may be outfitted with an anti-
condensate
device. Coolers are a type of refrigerated display case which operate at a
temperature of
approximately 38 F. Freezers are another type of refrigerated display case
which operate
below 0 F. If the external surface of transparent unit 16 is colder than the
temperature of
the air external to display case door 12, moisture from the outside air may
condense on the
surface of transparent unit 16. In some embodiments, one or more of panels 18-
22
includes an electrically-conductive coating (e.g., a pyrolitic coating or
other similar
coating) to prevent condensation from occurring. The electrically-conductive
coating can
be applied by spraying, adhering, laminating, or otherwise depositing the
coating (e.g.,
using chemical vapor deposition) on any of surfaces 40-50.
[00551 To provide electricity to the coating, transparent unit 16 may
include parallel
bus bars (e.g., top and bottom, left and right side, etc.). The bus bars may
be spaced apart
from one another and adhered to the electrically-conductive coating. Each bus
bar may
include a lead assembly or solder tab for adhering wires that are in
communication with an
electrical source. In this arrangement, electric current may pass through one
of the lead
assemblies, to a first of the bus bars, across the electrically-conductive
coating to the
second bus bar, and through the other lead assembly. The electric current may
cause heat
to be generated across panels 18-22 (e.g., due to electrical resistance of the
coating), which
may assist in preventing condensation on panels 18-22. An exemplary bus bar
system is
described in greater detail in U.S. Patents No. 6,606,832, and 6,606,833.
[0056] In some embodiments, panels 18-22 are configured to maximize visible
light
transmission through transparent unit 16 to a customer, thereby improving the
ability of
customers to view display items within storage device 10 and content presented
via LCD
panel 22. However, it is also desirable to minimize the transmission of non-
visible light
(i.e., ultraviolet and infrared light) through transparent unit 16 in order to
improve thermal
performance (e.g., by reducing radiation heat transfer) and, to protect the
items stored
therein.
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[00571 In some embodiments, panels 18-22 may be configured to use non-visible
wavelengths
of light to heat panels 18-22, thereby reducing or preventing condensation.
For example, one or
more of panels 18-22 may include an ultraviolet (UV) inhibitor. A UV inhibitor
may increase
the shelf life of products within storage device 10 by preventing ultraviolet
light from passing
through display case door 12. The ultraviolet light may be absorbed or
reflected by the UV
inhibitor and may be used as a source of energy to heat panels 18-22. As
another example,
panels 18-22 may be treated with a low-emissivity heat-reflective coating to
improve overall
thermal resistance (e.g., by reducing radiation heat transfer) and/or to
prevent external
condensation.
[00581 In some embodiments, an anti-reflective coating may be applied to any
of panels 18-22.
The anti-reflective coating may absorb or transmit infrared light, ultraviolet
light, or any
combination thereof In some embodiments, the anti-reflective coating may
absorb or transmit
some frequencies of visible light in addition to infrared and/or ultraviolet
light.
100591 Still referring to FIGS. 2-4, transparent unit 16 is shown to include a
plurality of spacers
24-28. In some embodiments, spacers 24-28 include at least three different
spacers (i.e., first
spacer 24, second spacer 26, and third spacer 28). First spacer 24 may span
the distance between
front panel 18 and rear panel 20, second spacer 26 may span the distance
between front panel 18
and LCD panel 22, and third spacer 28 may span the distance between LCD panel
22 and rear
panel 20. Spacers 24-28 may be used to ensure an appropriate spacing between
panels 18-22 and
to prevent undesirable flexure thereof. For example, first spacer 24 may be
adhered to surfaces
42 and 44 (i.e., the interior surfaces of front panel 18 and rear panel 20)
and may be used to
maintain a desired distance between front panel 18 and rear panel 20.
[00601 In some embodiments, spacers 24-28 form closed shapes. For example,
FIG. 2 shows
each of spacers 24-28 as a substantially rectangular frame. In other
embodiments, one or more
of spacers 24-28 may be replaced with a plurality of spacer segments (as shown
in FIG. 5). In
some embodiments, spacers 24-28 may be combined into a single spacer (as shown
in FIG. 9).
100611 In some embodiments, spacers 24-28 are made of an elastomeric material.
The
elastomeric material may help support and suspend transparent LCD panel 22
within display
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case door 12 and may prevent damage from shock and vibration when display case
door 12 is
opened and closed. In other embodiments, spacers 24-28 may be made of other
materials such
as polymers, metals, ceramics, or any combination thereof.
[00621 Still referring to FIGS. 2-4, transparent unit 16 is shown to include
insulation 30.
Insulation 30 may be thermal insulation, electrical insulation, magnetic
insulation, or any
combination thereof Insulation 30 may be included between front panel 18 and
rear panel 20 to
reduce heat transfer through display case door 12. In some embodiments, LCD
panel 22 is
smaller than front panel 18 and rear panel 20 (e.g., a smaller height, a
smaller width, etc.).
Insulation 30 may be provided around LCD panel 22 (e.g., above, below, to the
sides of, etc.) to
fill empty space between front panel 18 and rear panel 20. Insulation 30 may
include multiple
sections and one or more cut-outs for housing electrical or mechanical
components. For
example, in FIGS. 2 and 3, insulation 30 is shown to include a cut-out 80
configured to house
controller 38.
100631 Insulation 30 may be formed from molded polyurethane foam, polystyrene
bead,
extruded polystyrene, or other similar material. In some embodiments, other
types of insulation,
such as superinsulation (e.g., silica aerogel) can be used in areas where
bulky and/or conductive
components require greater insulation in a limited space (e.g., to prevent
external condensation in
a refrigerator or freezer). In some embodiments, an insulating gas (e.g.,
argon, xenon, krypton,
sulfur hexafluoride, etc.) may be used to fill the spaces between front panel
18 and rear panel 20.
An insulating gas may be ideally suited for low temperature applications and
may be used in
addition to or in place of insulation 30 for insulating spaces around LCD
panel 22.
100641 As shown in FIG. 4, the insulating gas may be used to fill cavities 58
between front
panel 18 and LCD panel 22 and between rear panel 20 and LCD panel 22. In
operation, light
from within display case door 12 may pass through cavities 58 before reaching
a user.
Advantageously, the insulating gas within cavities 58 may be transparent to
visible light such
that light from within display case door 12 is able to pass through cavities
58. The insulating gas
may improve the thermal insulation of display case door 12 without impairing
the functionality
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of LCD panel 22 and without preventing light from passing through cavities 58
and
reaching a user.
[0065] In some embodiments, transparent unit 16 includes a seal 60. Seal 60
may
hermetically seal cavities 58 to prevent external contamination (e.g., with
dust, residue,
pollution, chemicals, moisture, etc.) and to prevent the insulating gas within
cavities 58
from escaping.
100661 Still referring to FIGS. 2-4, in some embodiments, transparent unit
16 includes
a touch screen 62. Touch screen 62 may be located in front of front panel 18
(e.g., along
surface 40), behind front panel 18 (e.g., along surface 42), within front
panel 18, or
elsewhere within or external to transparent unit 16. Touch screen 62 may use
any type of
touch screen technology such as resistive, acoustic (e.g., surface acoustic,
acoustic pulse,
etc.), capacitive touch, projected capacitance (e.g., mutual capacitance, self
capacitance,
etc.), infrared (e.g., infrared grid, infrared acrylic projection, etc.),
optical imaging, and/or
dispersive signal technology. Exemplary touch screen technology is disclosed
in U.S.
Patent Publications No. 2009/0146945 and No. 2007/02166571. In various
embodiments,
some or all of front panel 18 may be touch-sensitive
100671 Touch screen 62 may be configured to detect a user's proximity,
movement,
gestures, touch, or other forms of user interaction with display case door 12.
For example,
a user can touch the external surface of front panel 18 (i.e., surface 40) to
interact with
display case door 12. Touch screen 62 may be configured to transmit touch
detection data
to controller 38 for processing and interpretation. Touch screen 62 may be
used to access
an information system, retrieve product or nutritional information, view a
store layout, or
otherwise interact with display case door 12 and/or the electronic content
presented via
LCD panel 22.
100681 In various embodiments, transparent unit 16 can be modified as
necessary (e.g.,
resized, reshaped, components added or removed, etc.) for use with any type of
door (e.g.,
a hinged door, a sliding door, a revolving door, an insulated door, a non-
insulated door, a
fire door, a security door, etc.) or door assembly. For example, transparent
unit 16 may be
implemented as part of an insulated door assembly for a refrigerator, multi-
deck
refrigerator, or freezer. In other implementations, transparent unit 16 may be
used as a
fixed window for a walk-in cooler, an

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insulated service deli case, a fixed product display window, or other non-door
related
applications.
100691 In some embodiments, transparent unit 16 may include two or more LCD
panels. The
two or more LCD panels may be combined in a matrix to increase the visible
display area. For
example a 46" 16:9 standard TV size in a 30" x 67" door leaves a large opaque
margin above
and below the LCD panel. Two smaller adjacent panels would leave more space
for visible
transmittance. Another way to increase the visible area is to cut down the
long side of a larger
16:9 LCD panel to better fit the available display area within transparent
unit 16.
100701 In some embodiments, a series of display case doors 12 (e.g., along a
supermarket aisle)
can be synchronized to display related images on each of the display case
doors 12 (e.g., similar
to a JumboTron that displays an image or images on a series of adjacent
screens). Controller 38
or another central control unit may communicate with each of the display case
doors 12 to
synchronize or coordinate the visual displays. For example, multiple display
case doors 12 may
be used to display a large image or video, with a portion of the image or
video presented via each
of display case doors 12.
[00711 Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional drawing of transparent unit
16 is shown,
according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates a rear view of
transparent unit 16
(e.$2... from inside storage device 10) with rear panel 20 removed. In FIG. 5,
transparent unit 16
is shown to include several components previously described with reference to
FIGS. 2-4. For
example, transparent unit 16 is shown to include front panel 18, spacer 24
attached to a rear-
facing surface of front panel 18 (i.e., surface 42), insulation 30,
transparent LCD panel 22, and
controller 38.
100721 Transparent unit 16 is shown to further include a lighting element 64.
Lighting element
64 may include one or more light-emitting devices (e.g., light emitting diode
(LED) strips,
fluorescent light tubes, incandescent lights, halogen lights, etc.) configured
to provide
backlighting for transparent LCD panel 22 and/or to improve the presentation
and display of the
items within storage device 10. In some embodiments, lighting element 64
includes a plurality
of LED strips 64a and 64b. LED strips 64a-64b may be vertically-oriented
within transparent
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unit 16. In various embodiments, lighting element 64 may be attached to LCD
panel 22 (e.g.,
attached to rear-facing surface 50), attached to spacer 28 (i.e. between LCD
panel 22 and rear
panel 20), or otherwise mounted within transparent unit 16 or external to
transparent unit 16
(e.g., within storage device 10, attached to a mullion for display case doors
12, etc.). Lighting
element 64 may be positioned behind opaque portion 32 of front panel 18 such
that light emitted
from lightiml. element 64 is not directly visible to a user.
100731 As shown in FIG. 5, lighting element 64 may be attached to a rear-
facing surface of
LCD panel 22 between spacer 28 and insulation 30. In some embodiments, spacer
28 may be a
substantially rectangular frame (as shown in FIG. 2). In other embodiments,
spacer 28 may
include a plurality of discrete (e.g., non-connected, separate, isolated,
etc.) spacer segments 28a-
28f (as shown in FIG. 5). Spacer segments 28a-28f may be separated from each
other to allow
light from lighting element 64 to pass between spacer segments 28a-28f and
reach the portion of
LCD panel 22 visible to a user. For example, light emitted from LED strip 64a
may pass
between spacer segments 28a and 28b, between spacer segments 28b and 28d, and
between
spacer segments 28d and 28f. Light emitted from LED strip 64b may pass between
spacer
segments 28a and 28c, between spacer segments 28c and 28e, and between spacer
segments 28e
and 28f.
100741 Referring now to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional plan view of display case
door 12 is shown,
according to an exemplary embodiment. In FIG. 6, lighting element 64 is shown
attached to a
rear-facing surface of LCD panel 22 between spacer 28 and insulation 30. In
various
embodiments, lighting element 64 may be positioned between spacer 28 and
insulation 30,
interior of spacer 28 (e.g., such that spacer 28 is between insulation 30 and
lighting element 64),
integrated with spacer 28 or insulation 30, or otherwise located between LCD
panel 22 and rear
panel 20. In some embodiments, lighting element 64 may be located behind rear
panel 20 (e.g.,
attached to surface 46, attached to a separate panel behind rear panel 20,
mounted within storage
device 10, etc.).
[00751 Still referring to FIG. 6, in some embodiments, display case door 12
includes a light
guide 66. Light guide 66 may be configured to guide the light emitted by
lighting element 64
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toward the items within storage device 10 and/or toward LCD panel 22. In some
embodiments, light guide 66 is a light guide plate (e.g., made of glass,
plexiglass or the
like) that helps illuminate the images on LCD panel 22 by directing light from
lighting
element 64 through transparent LCD panel 22. In various embodiments, light
guide 66
may be disposed along a front surface of rear panel 20 (i.e., surface 44),
along a rear
surface of rear panel 20 (i.e., surface 46), behind rear panel 20 (e.g., on
another panel,
within storage device 10, etc.), or otherwise positioned to receive light from
lighting
element 64.
100761 In some embodiments, light guide 66 may include a switchable film or
glass.
The switchable film or glass may be configured to transition between an opaque
state and
transparent state based on whether voltage or electric current is applied. For
example,
when voltage or current is applied, the switchable film or glass may become
clear. When
the voltage or current is removed, the switchable film or glass may become
opaque or
frosted. Light guide 66 may be configured to selectively apply an electric
voltage or
current to the switchable film or glass based on control signals received from
controller
38.
100771 In some embodiments, light guide 66 includes a liquid crystal
switchable film.
An exemplary switchable film that may be used with light guide 66 is the 3G
Switchable
FiImTM produced by Scienstry, Inc. of Richardson, Texas, USA. Another
exemplary
switchable film that may be used with light guide 66 is described in U.S.
Patent No.
5,270,8431.
100781 In some embodiments, the switchable film is applied to a surface
behind LCD
panel 22 (e.g., using a lamination process, an optical adhesive, double sided
tape, etc.). For
example, the switchable film may be applied to surface 44 or surface 46 of
rear panel 20.
Lighting element 64 may be positioned between LCD panel 22 and light guide 66.
In this
position, light guide 66 can be transitioned between the opaque state and the
transparent
state (e.g., by a control signal received from controller 38) to function as a

reflective/refractive surface and provide backlighting for LCD panel 22 (e.g.
in the opaque
state) and to provide lighting for items within storage device 10 (e.g., in
the transparent
state).
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[00791 For example, if no voltage or current is applied, light guide 66 may be
opaque (e.g.,
frosted, cloudy white, etc.), thereby preventing a user from seeing through
display case door 12.
In the opaque state, light emitted by lighting element 64 may be absorbed,
dispersed, or reflected
- by light guide 64, thereby providing backlighting for LCD panel 22. In the
opaque state,
transparent LCD panel 22 may appear to be a typical LCD television. The opaque
state
facilitates the presentation of content via LCD panel 22 by reducing or
eliminating the
transmission of light from within storage device 10 through display case door
12.
[00801 If voltage or current is applied, liOn guide 66 may be transparent,
thereby allowing a
user to see through display case door 12 into storage device 10. In the
transparent state, light
emitted by lighting element 64 may be transmitted through light guide 66 to
provide illumination
and improve the presentation of the items within storage device 10.
[00811 Referring now to FIGS. 7-8, display case door 12 is shown to include a
sensor 68 and a
speaker 70, according to an exemplary embodiment. Sensor 68 may be an optical
sensor (e.g.,
an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, a sensor/emitter pair, etc.), a
visual recognition camera,
a motion sensor, a proximity sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor,
or any combination
thereof.
[00821 Sensor 68 may be configured to sense or detect a user nearby display
case door 12. For
example, if a user walks by or in front of display case door 12, sensor 68 may
send a detection
signal to controller 38. In some embodiments, sensor 68 is a visual
recognition camera
configured to capture visual images of a user in front of display case door
12. Controller 38 may
use a data signal from sensor 68 to determine whether the user is a man or a
woman. In some
embodiments, controller 38 customizes the advertisements or other content
presented via LCD
panel 22 based on the information gathered via sensor 68 (e.g., based on
whether the user is a
man or woman, etc.).
100831 Speaker 70 may be configured to play audio content. Speaker 70 may
communicate
various types of audio content such as music, sound effects, spoken words,
audio advertisements,
etc. In some embodiments, the audio content played by speaker 70 may
supplement the visual
content presented via LCD panel 22. In other embodiments, the audio content
played by speaker
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70 may be independent of the visual content presented via LCD panel 22. For
example, in some
embodiments, display case door 12 may not include a LCD panel and speaker 70
may be the
only content output device used by display case door 12. Speaker 70 may
receive data signals
from controller 38 and may produce audio content in response to the data
signals from controller
38.
100841 Still referring to FIGS. 7-8, sensor 68 and/or speaker 70 may mounted
on or within door
frame 14. For example, door frame 14 may include a hollow area 72 within which
sensor 68
and/or speaker 70 may be positioned. Hollow area 72 may be covered with a
cover 74 that is
removably attached to door frame 14 by threaded fasteners or the like. Cover
74 can be removed
to allow access to hollow area 72 and the electronic components contained
therein for repair,
upgrade, replacement, inspection, or other purposes. In some embodiments,
controller 38 may
be located within hollow area 72 rather than between front panel 18 and rear
panel 20.
100851 In some embodiments, speaker 70 is a traditional speaker including a
driver, a
diaphragm, and other traditional speaker components. In other embodiments,
speaker 70 is an
acoustic driver (i.e., an electroacostic transducer) configured to use a
portion of panels 18-22 as
the speaker diaphragm. For example, speaker 70 may include one or more
individual transducers
configured to vibrate a portion of panels 18-22 to create pressure waves
(e.g., audible sound)
rather than using a traditional speaker diaphragm. In various embodiments, the
transducers may
be attached to the rear surface of front panel 18 (i.e., surface 42) or any
other surface of display
case door 12 (e.g., surfaces 40-50, surfaces of another panel, etc.). The
transducers may cause a
portion of front panel 18 to vibrate, thereby producing sound waves emanating
directly from
front panel 18. The transducers may receive a control or data signal from
controller 38 and may
be configured to vibrate front panel 18 in response to the control or data
signals.
100861 In some embodiments, the transducers may be attached to opaque portion
32 of front
panel 18 such that the transducers are hidden behind an opaque surface. In
some embodiments,
the transducers may be attached to a portion of front panel 18 that exhibits
favorable acoustical
or vibrational characteristics (e.g., based on the natural frequency of the
selected portion of front
panel 18, the stiffness or rigidity of the selected portion, etc.). For
example, relatively high
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frequency transducers may be better suited for more rigid parts of front panel
18, whereas
relatively low frequency transducers may be better suited for less rigid parts
of front panel
18.
[0087] Referring now to FIG. 9, a cross-section of transparent unit 16 is
shown,
according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative
configuration of
spacers 24-28 in which spacers 24-28 are combined into a single spacer 52.
Spacer 52
may span the distance between front panel 18 and rear panel 20 and may be
adhered to
surfaces 42 and 44. Spacer 52 is shown to include a detent 54 for receiving
LCD panel
22. Detent 54 may hold LCD panel 22 in a stable position relative to front
panel 18 and
rear panel 20.
[0088] Referring now to FIGS. 10-11, a hinged electrical connection for
display case
door 12 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. As previously
described,
display case door 12 may include a variety of electrical and/or electronic
components
(e.g., LCD panel 22, controller 38, sensor 68, speaker 70, anti-condensate
heaters, etc.).
FIGS. 10-11 illustrate a mechanism for supplying power, electric current,
voltage (e.g.,
120VAC or 240VAC), and/or data to display case door 12 through a hinge pin 76.
[0089] Hinge pin 76 may be a hollow, slotted hinge pin configured to house one
or more
electrical conductors 78-82. As shown in FIG. 11, insulated electrical
conductors 78-82
and/or wired communications can be directed through hinge pin 76 (e.g. via
TCP/IP-type
Internet communications). Electrical conductors 78-82 may pass axially through
hinge
pin 76 to deliver power and/or data to the electronic components within
display case door
12. Advantageously, passing electrical conductors 78-82 through hinge pin 76
may
reduce the flexing and fatigue stress/strain experienced by conductors 78-82
when
compared with traditional power delivery systems.
[0090] In some embodiments, electrical conductors 78-82 are high voltage
conductors
that require appropriate insulation and spacing as dictated by UL and other
safety
certification organizations. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,671,582 to
Stromquist et al.,
discloses a hinge pin configured to house high voltage AC conductors. In other

embodiments, conductors 78-82 may include one or more low voltage DC
conductors
(e.g., conductors having a voltage of 24V or less relative to ground) and a
data cable
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(e.g., a CAT 5 cable, a CAT 6 cable, a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable, or
any other type of
cable) configured to relay TCP/IP type communications.
100911 In some embodiments, the case into which display case door 12 is
mounted is prewired
with low-voltage DC power supply 12V, 24V, UL Class 2, etc.) so that it
accepts a
transparent LCD display case door 12 with power through hinge pin 76 or wired
cords near the
hinge pin 76. In some embodiments, all of the electrical components between
front panel 18 and
rear panel 20 may be powered by a power supply that supplies a relatively low
amount of power
(e.g., less than 200W, less than 100W, less than 50W, etc.). Low voltage
conductors can be used
to power all electronic components of display case door 12. However, this is
not a limitation on
the present invention. For example, a high-voltage option can also be
implemented. The
electrical conductors passing through hinge pin 76 (e.g., power cables, data
cables, etc.) may
connect directly to various electrical components within display case door 12
or to an
intermediary component (e.g., a controller, a power supply, etc.).
100921 In some embodiments, hinge pin 76 can be omitted and a regular hinge
pin can be used.
For example, in an outside mount embodiment of display case door 12, the
electronic
components can be powered by (and data communicated therewith) a cord that
does not run
through the hinge pin. This type of door may be used, for example, on a self
serve case at the end
of a check out aisle in a store.
[00931 In some embodiments, some or all of the electronic components used in
conjunction
with display case door 12 (e.g,, controller 38, sensor 68, speaker 70, a data
storage device, a
media player, a power supply, etc.) may be located external to display case
door 12 and/or frame
14. For example, controller 38 and/or a data storage device used to store
media presented via
LCD panel 22 may be positioned at a remote location (e.g., on-site or off-
site). Similarly, sensor
68, speaker 70, and/or a media player for display case door 12 may be remotely-
located (e.g.,
external to display case door 12 and/or frame 14). Remotely-located components
may be
connected with display case door 12 directly or via a communications network
(e.g., a local
network, the Internet, etc.). In various ethbodiments, electronic components
located external to
display case door 12 may provide display case door 12 with power and/or data
via electrical
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conductors which pass through hinge pin 76 or via a wireless communications
link. In other
embodiments, some or all of the electrical components may be located within
display case door
12 (e.g., between front panel 18 and rear panel 20), mounted within frame 14,
or otherwise
combined with display case door 112.
100941 Referring now to FIG, 12, a block diagram of controller 38 is shown,
according to an
exemplary embodiment. Controller 38 may be located within transparent unit 16
(e.g., in cut-out
80 as shown in FIG. 3), within door frame 14 (e.g., in hollow area 72 as shown
in FIG. 7), or
otherwise located within display case door 12 or exterior to display case door
12. In some
embodiments, controller 38 is a local controller for a single display case
door. In other
embodiments, controller 38 may control multiple display case doors 12. For
example, controller
38 may be a supervisory controller for a building management system including
display case
doors 12. In some embodiments, controller 38 is part of a distributed control
system with the
various functions and components of controller 38 distributed across several
different control
devices.
100951 Still referring to FIG. 12, controller 38 is shown to include a
communications interface
88 and a processing circuit 90. Communications interface 88 may include wired
or wireless
interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire
terminals, Ethernet
ports, WiFi transceivers, etc.) for conducting data communications with local
or remote devices
or systems. Communications interface 88 may be used to communicate with a
wireless
networking device (e.g., a wireless router, wireless-enabled computer, laptop,
tablet, cell tower,
etc.) and/or a wired networking device (e.g., via an Ethernet cable, a SATA
cable, USB cable, or
other physical data connection),
100961 Communications interface 88 may be configured to receive data from
various electronic
devices. For example, communications interface 88 may receive sensory data
from sensor 68
(e.g., motion detection data, proximity detection data, visual imaging data,
temperature data,
humidity data, lighting data, etc.), touch data from touch screen 62 (e.g.,
data indicating user
interaction with a particular portion of touch screen 62, etc.), content-
related data from content
providers 86 (e.g., updated media content for presentation via LCD panel 22),
and/or other types
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of electronic data (e.g., data from user devices 84, from network 82, etc.).
Controller 38 may use
the data received via communications interface 88 to determine appropriate
control actions
and/or data outputs for various operable components of display case door 12.
100971 Communications interface 88 may be configured to provide control
signals and/or data
signals to LCD panel 22, lighting element 64, light guide 66, anti-condensate
device 78, and
speaker 70. For example, controller 38 may use communications interface 88 to
provide visual
content data (e.g., product information, pricing, nutritional value,
advertisements, store layout
information, visual media, etc.) to LCD panel 22 and audio content data to
speaker 70.
Controller 38 may use communications interface 88 to provide control signals
to lighting
element 64 (e.g., instructing lighting element 64 to turn on or off), light
guide 66 (e.g., causing
light guide 66 to transition between an opaque state and a transparent state),
and anti-condensate
device 78 (e.g., causing anti-condensate device 78 to activate or deactivate
to provide heat to
panels 18-22).
100981 Communications interface 88 may be configured to conduct electronic
data
communications-with a communications network 82. Network 82 may be a local
area network
(LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a cellular network, a satellite network, a
radio network, the
Internet, or any other type of data network or combination thereof. Network 82
may include any
number of computing devices (e.g., computers, servers, routers, network
switches, etc.)
configured to transmit, receive, or relay data. Network 82 may farther include
any number of
hardwired and/or wireless connections. For example, controller 38 may
communicate wirelessly
(e.g., via WiFi, cellular, radio, etc.) with a transceiver that is hardwired
(e.g., via a fiber optic
cable, a CAT5 cable, etc.) to a computing device of network 82. Network 82 may
be used to
receive content from content providers 86 and to communicate with user devices
84.
100991 Still referring to FIG. 12, controller 38 is shown to include a
processing circuit 90.
Processing circuit 90 is shown to include a processor 92 and memory 94.
Processor 92 may be
implemented as a general purpose processor, an application specific integrated
circuit (AS1C),
one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a CPU, a GPU, a group of
processing
components, or other suitable electronic processing components.
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101001 Memory 94 may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash
memory, hard
disk storage, etc.) for storing data and/or computer code for completing
and/or facilitating the
various processes, layers, and modules described in the present disclosure.
Memory 94 may
comprise volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Memory 94 may include
database
components, object code components, script components, or any other type of
information
structure for supporting the various activities and information structures
described in the present
disclosure. In some implementations, memory 94 is communicably connected to
processor 92
via processing circuit 90 and includes computer code (e.g., data modules
stored in memory 94)
for executing one or more control processes described herein. For example,
memory 94 is
shown to include a sensor data module 96, a remote communications module 98, a
content
selection module 100, a display control module 102, a speaker control module
104, a lighting
control module 106, and an anti-condensate module 108.
[01011 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include a sensor data
module 96.
Sensor data module 96 may include instructions for receiving and storing
sensor data from
sensor 68, touch screen 62, and/or other sensory input devices. Sensor data
module 96 may
receive input signals via communications interface 88. In some embodiments,
the sensor data
may be received as an analog data signal. Sensor data module 96 may include an
analog-to-
digital converter for translating the analog signal into a digital data value.
Sensor data module
96 may segment a continuous data signal into discrete measurement values by
sampling the
sensor data periodically (e.g., once per second, once per millisecond, once
per minute, etc.). In
some embodiments, sensor data module 96 converts the sensor input data into
different format
using a conversion formula, a translation table, or other conversion criteria.
101021 In some embodiments, sensor data module 96 may attach a time stamp to
the sensor
input data to organize the data by time. If multiple input devices are used to
acquire sensor data,
sensor data module 96 may assign an identifier (e.g., a label, tag, etc.) to
each measurement to
organize the data by source. For example, the identifier may signify whether
the sensor data is
received from touch screen 62, sensor 68, or any other sensory input device.
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101031 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include a remote
communications
module 98. Remote communications module 98 may include instructions for
conducting
electronic data communications with remote systems and devices via
communications interface
88. For example, remote communications module 98 may communicate with user
devices 84,
content providers 86, or other networked devices (e.g., via network 82).
Remote
communications module 98 may receive and store media content from content
providers 86. The
media content may be stored in a local or remote database for subsequent
presentation via LCD
panel 22 and/or speaker 70. Remote communications module 98 may interact with
user devices
84 to provide diagnostic information, to allow user devices 84 to make changes
to configuration
settings, to report diagnostic information or content presentation statistics,
to update system
software, or to facilitate any other type of interaction with user device 84
as may be desirable in
various implementations.
[01041 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include a content
selection module
100. Content selection module 100 may include instructions for determining
which content to
present via LCD panel 22 and/or speaker 70. Content selection module 100 may
select one or
more visual content items (e.g., videos, images, text, etc.) to display to a
user via LCD panel 22
and one or more audio content items (e.g., music, sound effects, etc.) to emit
via speaker 70. In
some embodiments, content selection module 100 uses the sensor data stored by
sensor data
module 96 to select content items. For example, content selection module 100
may use the
sensor data to identify whether a user in front of display case door 14 is a
man or woman and
may select a corresponding content item based on the identification.
[01051 In some embodiments, content selection module 100 selects a content
item based on
user input received via touch screen 62. For example, a user may interact with
touch screen 62
to request product information, nutritional information, store layout
information, or other
information accessible by controller 38. Content selection module 100 may
respond to the user's
request for information by causing the requested information to be presented
via LCD panel 22.
[01061 In some embodiments, content selection module 100 selects one or more
products (e.g.,
product advertisements, product images, product information, etc.) to present
to a user via LCD
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panel 22. Content selection module 100 may select the products according to
product selection
criteria. In some implementations, the product selection criteria includes
criteria for selecting
products that are estimated to be most likely to invoke a purchase, a
conversion event, a
commercial interaction, or other desirable interaction by the user. In some
implementations, the
product selection criteria includes criteria for selecting products that are
most relevant (e.g.,
products that are estimated to be appealing, interesting, enticing, etc.) to a
particular user.
101071 In some embodiments, content selection module 100 identifies products
which are most
relevant to a particular user using information specific to the particular
user (i.e., "user-specific
information"). User-specific information may include, for example, user
demographics, user
preferences, user behavior data, user profile data, user location data, or
other information relating
to a particular user. A user may input a user identifier (e.g., by entering a
user ID number,
scanning a bar code or card, etc.) to allow content selection module 100 to
identify a particular
user and select relevant products accordingly.
101081 In some embodiments, content selection module 100 selects content for
presentation via
a single display case door 14. In other embodiments, content selection module
100 coordinates
content presentation by a series of display case doors 14. For example,
content selection module
100 may select content which is presented on multiple LCD panels 22
concurrently or content
which is split into multiple portions (e.g., multiple sections of a large
video feed) and delivered
to multiple LCD panels 22 (e.g,, using each LCD panel as a portion of a larger
video display).
Content selection module 100 may deliver a selected content item or an
indication of a selected
content item to display control module 102 and/or speaker control module 104.
101091 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include a display
control module 102.
Display control module 102 may be configured to control LCD panel 22. Display
control
module 102 may receive media content from content selection module 100 and
cause the
selected media content to be presented via LCD panel 22. Display control
module 102 may
control LCD panel 22 to present any of a variety of media content including
advertisements,
product information, pricing information, nutritional information, store
layout information, or
any other visual information capable of being presented via LCD panel 22.
Display control
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module 102 may control the media content presented on a single LCD panel or on
multiple LCD
panels.
[01101 Display control module 102 may communicate with content selection
module 100
and/or sensor data module 96 to track the media content presented on LCD panel
22. For
example, sensor data module 96 may record a sensory input indicating that a
particular portion of
touch screen 62 has been touched by a user. Display control module 102 may be
used to
determine the content associated with the touched portion of touch screen 62
(e.g., a menu
button, an icon, etc.). The information maintained by display control module
102 may be used to
associate touch screen inputs with particular actions (e.g., selecting a menu
item, requesting
product information, etc.).
101111 Still referring to FIG, 12, memory 94 is shown to include a speaker
control module 104.
Speaker control module 104 may be configured to control speaker 70. Speaker
control module
104 may receive media content from content selection module 100 and cause the
selected media
content to be emitted by speaker 70. In some embodiments, speaker control
module 104 controls
a traditional speaker (e.g., a speaker having a traditional voice coil,
driver, diaphragm, and/or
other speaker components). In other embodiments, speaker control module 104
controls an
acoustic transducer that uses one of panels 18-22 as the speaker diaphragm.
[01121 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include a lighting
control module 106.
Lighting control module 106 may be configured to control lighting element 64
and/or light guide
66. Lighting control module 106 may determine when to activate, deactivate,
adjust a
brightness, or otherwise vary an output produced by lighting element 64. For
example, lighting
control module 106 may cause lighting element 64 to turn on at a particular
time of day and to
turn off at a different time of day. Lighting control module 106 may operate
lighting element 64
according to a set lighting schedule, in response 10 input received from user
devices 84, or in
response to other types of input received via communications interface 88. For
example, if
sensor 68 does not detect a user for a predetermined period of time, lighting
control module 106
may cause lighting element 64 to deactivate to conserve energy. If a user is
subsequently
detected by sensor 68, lighting control module 106 may cause lighting element
64 to activate in
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order to better illuminate the items within storage device 10 or to provide
backlighting for LCD
panel 22.
[0113i In some embodiments, lighting control module 106 controls the operation
of light guide
66. Lighting control module 106 may cause light guide 66 to direct the light
emitted from
lighting element 64 toward the products within storage device 10 or toward LCD
panel 22. For
example, lighting control module 106 may cause light guide 66 to transition
between an opaque
state and a transparent state (e.g., by applying or removing voltage from a
switchable film or
glass component of light guide 66).
[0114f If no voltage or current is applied, light guide 66 may be opaque
(e.g., frosted, cloudy
white, etc.), thereby preventing a user from seeing through display case door
12. In the opaque
state, light emitted by lighting element 64 may be absorbed, dispersed, or
reflected by light guide
64, thereby providing backlighting for LCD panel 22. In the opaque state,
transparent LCD
panel 22 may appear to be a typical LCD television. The opaque state
facilitates the presentation
of content via LCD panel 22 by reducing or eliminating the transmission of
light from within
storage device 10 through display case door 12. In some embodiments, lighting
control module
106 is configured to coordinate a transition into the opaque state with the
presentation of media
content on LCD panel 22. For example, lighting control module 106 may cause
light guide 66 to
transition into the opaque state to when media content is presented via LCD
panel 22 to improve
the visibility of the media content.
101151 if voltage or current is applied, light guide 66 may be transparent,
thereby allowing a
user to see through display case door 12 into storage device 10. In the
transparent state, light
emitted by lighting element 64 may be transmitted through light guide 66 to
provide illumination
and improve the presentation of the items within storage device 10.
[01161 Still referring to FIG. 12, memory 94 is shown to include an anti-
condensate module
108. Anti-condensate module 108 may be configured to control anti-condensate
device 78. In
some embodiments, anti-condensate device 78 includes an electrically-
conductive coating (e.g., a
pyrolitic coating or other similar coating) applied to one or more of panels
18-22 to prevent
condensation from occurring. The electrically-conductive coating can be
applied by spraying,
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adhering, laminating, or otherwise depositing the coating (e.g., using
chemical vapor deposition)
on any of surfaces 40-50. The anti-condensate device 78 may further include
one or more
parallel bus bars (e.g., top and bottom, left and right side, etc.). The bus
bars may be spaced
= apart from one another and adhered to the electrically-conductive
coating. Each bus bar may
include a lead assembly or solder tab for adhering wires that are in
communication with an
electrical source.
101171 Anti-condensate module 108 may be configured to apply a voltage across
the bus bars,
causing an electric current to flow across the electrically-conductive
coating. The electric
current may cause heat to be generated across panels 18-22 (e.g., due to
electrical resistance of
the coating), which may assist in preventing condensation on panels 18-22. In
some
embodiments, anti-condensate module 108 determines whether to apply or remove
the electric
current based on sensor data (e.g., temperature data, humidity data, etc.)
measured by sensor 68.
For example, if the humidity of the air outside storage device 10 has a
humidity level greater
than a threshold value, anti-condensate module 108 may activate anti-
condensate device 78 to
prevent condensation from occurring. The threshold value may be based on the
dew point
temperature of the outside air or other calculated or measured values.
101181 Referring now to FIG. 13, a cross-sectional drawing of a transparent
unit 16' is shown,
according to another exemplary embodiment. Transparent unit 16' includes many
of the same
features of transparent unit 16 as described with reference to FIGS. 2-6. For
example,
transparent unit 16' is shown to include a front panel I 8, a rear panel 20,
and a transparent LCD
22 panel positioned between front panel 18 and rear panel 20. Transparent unit
16' is shown to
further include insulation 30, a spacer 24 spanning the distance between front
panel 18 and rear
panel 20, and a seal 60 around a perimeter of transparent unit 16'. In some
embodiments,
transparent LCD panel 22 may be positioned adjacent to front panel 18, as
shown in FIG. 13.
Transparent LCD panel 22 may be secured to front panel 18 by an adhesive or
fastener 69 (e.g.,
bolts, screws, double-sided tape, glue, epoxy, etc.) or held in place by a
geometric fitting.
[01191 Still referring to FIG. 13, transparent unit 16' is shown to include a
lighting element 64
and a light guide 66. Lighting element 64 may include one or more light-
emitting devices (e.g.,
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light emitting diode (LED) strips, fluorescent light tubes, incandescent
lights, halogen lights,
etc.) configured to provide backlighting for transparent LCD panel 22 and/or
to improve the
presentation and display of the items within storage device 10. Light guide 66
may be a
phosphorescent embedded material configured to direct the light emitted from
lighting element
64 toward transparent LCD panel 22 and/or toward products within storage
device 10.
101201 In some embodiments, lighting element 64 and light guide 66 are located
within
transparent unit 16' (e.g., between front panel 18 and rear panel 20). For
example, lighting
element 64 and light guide 66 may be positioned between transparent LCD panel
22 and rear
panel 20. As shown in FIG_ 13, lighting element. 64 may be positioned adjacent
to light guide 66
(e.g., on one side, on both sides, above, below, etc.). Light emitted from
lighting element 64
may pass through a side surface of light guide 66 and may be directed (e.g.,
scattered, deflected,
redirected, etc.) by light guide 66 toward transparent LCD panel 22 and/or
rear panel 20.
Spacers 26 and 28 may be located on either side of light guide 66. For
example, spacer 26 may
be located between transparent LCD panel 22 and light guide 66. Spacer 28 may
be located
between light guide 66 and rear panel 20.
[01211 In some embodiments, lighting element 64 and/or light guide 66 may be
attached to a
housing 67. Housing 67 may be used to secure lighting element 64 and/or light
guide 66 in a
stable position relative to transparent unit 16'. Housing 67 may be positioned
between
transparent LCD panel 22 and rear panel 20, as shown in FIG. 13. In some
embodiments,
housing 67 includes a feature (e.g., a slot, a channel, a mounting surface, a
corner, a rib, etc.)
configured to receive and/or secure light guide 66. Housing 67 may also
include a feature
configured to receive and/or secure lighting element 64_ In various
embodiments, housing 67
may be attached to a rear surface of LCD panel 22, a front surface of rear
panel 20, a side surface
of spacers 26 or 28, to insulation 30, and/or to spacer 24. Housing 67 may be
attached to various
elements by an adhesive or fastener 69 (e.g., bolts, screws, double-sided
tape, glue, epoxy, etc.)
or held in place by a geometric fitting.
[01221 The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown in
the various
exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few
implementations of the
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present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art who
review this
disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g.,
variations in sizes,
dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values
of parameters,
mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without
materially departing
from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited.
101231 Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough
understanding of the
disclosure_ However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details
are not described
in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to "some embodiments,"
"one
embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," and/or "various embodiments" in the
present
disclosure can be, but not necessarily are, references to the same embodiment
and such
references mean at least one of the embodiments.
101241 Alternative language and synonyms may be used for anyone or more of the
terms
discussed herein. No special significance should be placed upon whether or not
a term is
elaborated or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. A
recital of one or
more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples
anywhere in
this specification including examples of any terms discussed herein is
illustrative only, and is not
intended to further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any
exemplified term.
Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given in this
specification.
[0125) The elements and assemblies may be constructed from any of a wide
variety of
materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide
variety of colors,
textures, and combinations. Further, elements shown as integrally formed may
be constructed of
multiple parts or elements.
101261 As used herein, the word "exemplary" is used to mean serving as an
example, instance
or illustration. Any implementation or design described herein as "exemplary"
is not necessarily
to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations or
designs. Rather, use
of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner.
Accordingly, all
such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present
disclosure. Other
substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the
design, operating
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conditions, and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary
implementations without
departing from the scope of the appended claims.
101271 As used herein, the terms "approximately," "about," "substantially,"
and similar terms
are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted
usage by those
of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure
pertains. it should be
understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these
terms are intended to
allow a description of certain features described and claimed without
restricting the scope of
these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these
terms should be
interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications
or alterations of the
subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of
the invention as
recited in the appended claims.
101281 As used herein, the term "coupled" means the joining of two members
directly Or
indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or
moveable in nature and/or
such joining may allow for the flow of fluids, electricity, electrical
signals, or other types of
signals or communication between the two members. Such joining may be achieved
with the
two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being
integrally
formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or
the two members
and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another. Such
joining may be
permanent in nature or alternatively may be removable or releasable in nature.
101291 Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this
disclosure,
many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions,
structures, shapes and
proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting
arrangements, use of
materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements
may be reversed or
otherwise varied and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions
may be altered or
varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within
the scope of the
present disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may
be varied or re-
sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions,
modifications, changes,
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and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement
of the
exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure.
101301 The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and program
products on any
machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments
of the present
disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a
special purpose
computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another
purpose, or by a
hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure
include program
products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-
executable
instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media
can be any available
media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or
other machine
with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise
RAM, ROM,
EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or
other
magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or
store desired
program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures
and which can be
accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine
with a processor.
When information is transferred or provided over a network or another
communications
connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or
wireless) to a machine,
the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus,
any such
connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the
above are also
included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable
instructions include,
for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer,
special purpose
computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function
or group of
functions.
101311 Although the figures show a specific order of method steps, the order
of the steps may
differ from what is depicted. Also two or more steps may be performed
concurrently or with
partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware
systems chosen
and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the
disclosure. Likewise,
software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming
techniques with
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rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps,
processing steps,
comparison steps and decision steps.
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Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

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Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date 2016-10-25
(22) Filed 2015-01-13
(41) Open to Public Inspection 2015-07-31
Examination Requested 2015-08-13
(45) Issued 2016-10-25

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Maintenance Fee

Last Payment of $210.51 was received on 2023-12-19


 Upcoming maintenance fee amounts

Description Date Amount
Next Payment if small entity fee 2025-01-13 $125.00
Next Payment if standard fee 2025-01-13 $347.00

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  • the reinstatement fee;
  • the late payment fee; or
  • additional fee to reverse deemed expiry.

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Please refer to the CIPO Patent Fees web page to see all current fee amounts.

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2015-01-13
Application Fee $400.00 2015-01-13
Request for Examination $800.00 2015-08-13
Final Fee $300.00 2016-09-13
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 2 2017-01-13 $100.00 2017-01-11
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 3 2018-01-15 $100.00 2017-12-20
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 4 2019-01-14 $100.00 2019-01-14
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 5 2020-01-13 $200.00 2020-02-14
Late Fee for failure to pay new-style Patent Maintenance Fee 2020-02-14 $150.00 2020-02-14
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 6 2021-01-13 $204.00 2021-01-08
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 7 2022-01-13 $203.59 2022-01-07
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 8 2023-01-13 $210.51 2023-01-09
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 9 2024-01-15 $210.51 2023-12-19
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
ANTHONY, INC.
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
Documents

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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Abstract 2015-01-13 1 19
Description 2015-01-13 35 2,047
Claims 2015-01-13 5 162
Drawings 2015-01-13 13 316
Representative Drawing 2015-07-03 1 6
Cover Page 2015-08-10 2 41
Description 2015-08-13 35 2,005
Claims 2015-08-13 5 181
Representative Drawing 2016-03-31 1 11
Description 2016-02-29 35 1,998
Representative Drawing 2016-10-06 1 13
Cover Page 2016-10-06 1 44
Assignment 2015-01-13 9 342
Prosecution-Amendment 2015-08-13 15 621
Examiner Requisition 2015-09-01 4 251
Amendment 2016-02-29 4 171
Final Fee 2016-09-13 1 43