System and method for decreasing energy usage of a transparent display case

1. An apparatus for controlling the illumination of a display case comprising:

a housing defining a compartment configured to hold a plurality of products;

an access panel mounted to the housing, said access panel comprising a transparent display for displaying images, wherein the access panel is configured for movement between an opened position, whereby at least one of the plurality of products may be accessed, and a closed position;

an illumination device for illuminating the transparent display;

a sensor configured to determine if the access panel is in the opened position; and

a processor electrically connected to the illumination device and the sensor, wherein said processor is configured to measure the time elapsed since the access panel was last moved out of the opened position and drive the illumination device at a reduced power level based upon the amount of time that has elapsed since the access panel was last moved out of the opened position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a network communications device electrically connected to said processor and configured to receive power reduction data for the illumination device and transmit said power reduction data to the processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the processor is configured to drive the illumination device at a normal power level unless and until the elapsed time reaches a predetermined threshold, then the processor is configured to drive the illumination device at the reduced power level according to the backlight power reduction data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

the reduced power level is a non-zero power level.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

the processor is configured to drive the illumination device at a second reduced power level according to the power reduction data if the amount of time that has elapsed reaches a second predetermined threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the transparent display is an emissive display and the illumination device is integrated with the transparent display.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the transparent display is a transmissive display and the illumination device comprises edge lighting.

8. An apparatus for controlling the illumination of a display case comprising:

a housing defining a compartment configured to hold a plurality of products;

an access panel mounted to the housing;

a transparent display associated with said access panel and configured for display images, wherein the access panel is configured for movement between an opened position, whereby at least one of the plurality of products may be accessed, and a closed position whereby the access panel is located adjacent to the housing;

an illumination device for illuminating the transparent display;

a sensor configured to determine if the access panel is in the closed position; and

a processor electrically connected to the illumination device and the sensor, wherein said processor is configured to measure the time elapsed since the access panel was last placed in the closed position and drive the illumination device at a reduced power level based upon the amount of time that has elapsed since the access panel was last placed in the closed position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a network communications device electrically connected to said processor and configured to receive power reduction data for the illumination device and transmit said power reduction data to the processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

the processor is configured to drive the illumination device at a normal power level unless and until the elapsed time reaches a predetermined threshold, then the processor drives the illumination device at the reduced power level according to the backlight power reduction data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the reduced power level is a non-zero power level.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the processor is configured to drive the illumination device at a second reduced power level according to the power reduction data if the amount of time that has elapsed reaches a second predetermined threshold.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the transparent display is an emissive display and the illumination device is integrated with the transparent display.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the transparent display is a transmissive display and the illumination device comprises edge lighting.

15. A method for controlling the illumination of a display case containing a plurality of products comprising the steps of:

displaying images on a transparent electronic display illuminated by way of one or more illumination devices and associated with an access panel such that the images and at least some of the plurality of products may be viewed at the same time, wherein the access panel is moveably mounted to a housing;

determining that the access panel has been moved from an opened position;

determining the time elapsed since the access panel was moved from the opened position; and

operating the one or more illumination devices at a reduced power level based upon the time elapsed since the access panel was last moved from the opened position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the reduced power level is a non-zero power level such that the images continue to be displayed on the transparent display.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

accepting data at a processor by way of a network communications device for operation of the one or more illumination devices, wherein the data comprises a first percentage reduction level, a second percentage reduction level, a first period of elapsed time, and a second period of elapsed time.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

driving the one or more illumination devices at a zero percent reduction in power when the access panel is opened;

reducing the power to the one or more illumination devices by the first percentage reduction level once the first period of elapsed time is reached; and

reducing the power to the one or more illumination devices by the second percentage reduction level once the second period of elapsed time is reached.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the second percentage reduction level is greater than the first percentage reduction level; and

the second period of elapsed time is greater than the first period of elapsed time.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the transparent display is a transmissive display; and

the one or more illumination devices are oriented along an edge of the transparent display.