MERCHANDISING COMMUNICATION AND INVENTORYING SYSTEM
Provided herein are display systems and units, including those configured for dynamic communication, inventorying, and monitoring environmental conditions in a physical location, such as in retail settings. Also included herein are methods for dynamically displaying product information in a physical location, such as a retail setting.
1 . A retail display system comprising:
a. a display unit, the display unit comprising a viewable display surface configured to face in a first direction;
b. a camera, the camera configured to face a second direction, the second direction being about 90 degrees to about 180 degrees opposed to the first direction; and
c. a sensor controller, the camera being configured to provide an output signal to the sensor controller, the output signal conveying information regarding objects in proximity to the camera, and the sensor controller comprising:
an input configured to receive the output signal; and
one or more processors configured to execute sensor controller program modules, the sensor controller program modules comprising:
one or more module configured to determine whether an object in proximity to the camera is out of place, based on the information conveyed by the output signal; and/or
one or more module configured to determine the amount of an object in proximity to the camera, based on the information conveyed by the output signal.
2 . The system of claim 1 , the display unit having an aspect ratio of at least 2:1.
3 . The system of claim 1 , the display surface comprising an array of viewable LED pixels.
4 . The system of claim 3 , the LED pixels having a pixel pitch of less than 2.5 mm and the array has a height of at least 30 pixels.
5 . The system of claim 1 , the second direction being about 160 degrees to about 180 degrees opposed to the first direction.
6 . The system of claim 1 , the display unit being attached to or integrated along a front edge of a retail shelf and the output signal of the camera conveying information regarding objects located on the retail shelf.
7 . The system of claim 1 , the display unit being attached to or integrated along a front edge of a first retail shelf and the output signal of the camera conveying information regarding objects located on a second retail shelf configured below the first retail shelf.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises one or more module configured to determine whether an object in proximity to the camera is out of place comprising:
a. a module configured to identify objects in proximity to the camera;
b. a module configured to access a data store comprising information regarding an object assigned to be in proximity to the camera; and
c. a module configured to determine whether an object in proximity to the camera corresponds to the object assigned to be in proximity to the camera.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises one or more module configured to determine the amount of an object in proximity to the camera.
10 . The system of claim 1 , the display unit comprising a housing defined with at least one opening; the display surface and the camera received in the housing; and the display surface and a lens of the camera being exposed by the at least one opening.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor configured to provide environmental output signals conveying information regarding the environment in proximity to the environmental sensor to the sensor controller.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor.
13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second camera, the second camera configured to face a third direction, the third direction being aligned within 0 degrees to about 90 degrees of the first direction, the second camera configured to convey output signals to a display controller.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the third direction is aligned within 0 degrees to about 30 degrees of the first direction.
15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising
a. a second camera, the second camera configured to face a third direction, the third direction being aligned within 0 degrees to about 45 degrees of the first direction;
b. a first housing defined with at least one opening; the display surface, the camera, and the second camera being received in the first housing; and the at least one opening exposing the display surface, a lens of the camera, and a lens of the second camera;
c. a second display unit, the second display unit comprising a second housing, the second housing receiving a second viewable display surface configured to face in a fourth direction, a third camera being configured to face in a fifth direction, the fifth direction being about 90 degrees to 180 degrees opposed to the fourth direction, and a fourth camera being configured in a sixth direction, the sixth direction being aligned within 0 degrees to about 45 degrees of the fifth direction, the third camera being configured to convey third output signals to the sensor controller;
d. a display controller, the second camera being configured to convey second output signals to the display controller, the fourth camera being configured to convey fourth output signals to the display controller, the second and fourth output signals conveying information regarding a state of one or more operating parameter, and the display controller comprising one or more processors configured to execute display controller program modules, the display controller program modules comprising:
a module configured to determine the state of the operating parameter(s) based on the information regarding the state of the operating parameter(s) in the second and/or fourth output signals; and
a module configured to identify display information to be provided to the display unit and the second display unit, based on the status of the one or more operating parameter(s).
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the state of the one or more operating parameter is whether or not a face is detected and/or whether or not motion is detected.
17 . A high aspect ratio light emitting diode (LED) retail display unit comprising:
a receiving card comprising a first circuit board, the first circuit board comprising a first input, and a first output mounted thereon, the first input configured to receive or to be connected to receive first display information;
an LED display component comprising a second circuit board comprising a first and a second surface, an array of first LED pixels mounted on or in the first surface, and a second input configured to receive display information and mounted on the second surface, the first output configured to covey second display information to the second input, and the first surface being configured to face a first direction;
a sensor configured to provide or to be connected to provide a sensor output signal, the sensor output signal conveying information regarding motion and/or a person in proximity to the display unit;
a camera configured to provide or to be connected to provide a camera output signal, the camera output signal conveying information regarding the identity and/or quantity of objects in proximity to the display unit, the camera being configured to face a second direction, the second direction being about 90 degrees to 180 degrees opposed to the first direction; and
a housing defined with at least one opening, the receiving card, the display component, and the sensor received in the housing, and the first surface and a lens of the camera being exposed by the at least one opening,
the array of LED pixels having a pixel pitch of about 2.5 mm or less the display unit having an aspect ratio (length/height) of about 2 or more; and the first and second display information being the same or different.
18 . The display unit of claim 17 , wherein
the receiving card further comprises a second output mounted thereon;
the display unit further comprises a second LED display component comprising a third circuit board comprising a third and a fourth surface, a second array of second LED pixels mounted on or in the third surface, and a third input configured to receive display information and mounted on the fourth surface, the second output configured to covey third display information to the third input, the second array of second LED pixels having a pixel pitch of about 2.5 mm or less, and the first and second, and third display information being the same or different.
19 . The display unit of claim 17 , further comprising a third output configured to be connected to and convey first display information to an additional display, the additional display being the same as or different from the display unit.
20 . The display unit of claim 17 , further comprising an environmental sensor, the environmental sensor configured to provide or to be connected to provide an environmental sensor output signal, the environmental sensor output signal conveying information regarding the environment in proximity to the display unit.