IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,611,052
Granted Patent B2
US 12,611,052 · App. 18/588,331 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Reducing power consumption of refrigerated display case with electronic door display

Inventors: Adrian Rodriguez (Santa Clarita, CA); Pedro Almaguer (North Hills, CA); Francisco Flores Rivera (Valencia, CA)
Assignee: Anthony, Inc.
A47F3/0478A47F3/043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,611,052
App. No.
18/588,331
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for reducing power consumption of refrigerated display cases with electronic door displays. A door system for a refrigerated display case includes: a movable door configured to provide access to the refrigerated display case; an electronic display mounted to the movable door; a sensor; at least one processor in electronic communication with the sensor and the electronic display; and a data store coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, from the sensor, data indicating a position of the movable door; and in response to receiving the data indicating the position of the movable door, adjusting a power setting of the electronic display.

Claims (47)

1 . A refrigerated display case, comprising:

a movable door configured to provide access to the refrigerated display case;

an electronic display mounted to the movable door;

a sensor configured to indicate one or more positions of the movable door;

at least one processor in electronic communication with the sensor and the electronic display; and

a data store coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from the sensor, sensor data comprising an indication that the movable door has been open for a time duration;

determining, based on the sensor data, that the time duration is greater than a threshold duration; and

reducing a power setting of the electronic display in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration.

2 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein reducing the power setting of the electronic display in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration comprises turning the electronic display off or on.

3 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , comprising:

a circuitry module comprising a media player in electronic communication with the electronic display, the media player configured to control media content presented on the electronic display.

4 . The refrigerated display case of claim 3 , wherein reducing the power setting of the electronic display in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration comprises transmitting an instruction to the circuitry module to present no content on the electronic display.

5 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , comprising a light configured to illuminate an interior of the refrigerated display case, the operations comprising:

adjusting a power setting of the light in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration.

6 . The refrigerated display case of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the power setting of the light comprises turning the light off or on.

7 . The refrigerated display case of claim 5 , wherein:

the sensor data comprises an indication that the movable door is shut; and

adjusting the power setting of the light comprises turning the light off after a delay period.

8 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , comprising a heater configured to provide heat to at least a part of the refrigerated display case, the operations comprising:

adjusting a power setting of the heater in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration.

9 . The refrigerated display case of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the power setting of the heater comprises turning the heater off or on.

10 . The refrigerated display case of claim 8 , wherein the heater comprises an anti-condensation heater configured to provide heat to the movable door.

11 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes sensor data indicating that the movable door is open or shut.

12 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes sensor data indicating a swing angle of the movable door.

13 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein an internal volume of the refrigerated display case holds an inventory, and the electronic display is configured to present a planogram representing the inventory.

14 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein the movable door comprises an insulated panel.

15 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a camera, a proximity sensor, a contact sensor, a position switch, a rheostat, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

16 . A refrigerated display case system, comprising:

a case including an internal volume; and

a door system comprising:

a movable door configured to provide access to the internal volume of the case;

an electronic display mounted to the movable door;

a sensor configured to indicate one or more positions of the movable door;

at least one processor in electronic communication with the sensor and the electronic display; and

a data store coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from the sensor, sensor data comprising an indication that the movable door has been open for a time duration;

determining, based on the sensor data, that the time duration is greater than a threshold duration; and

reducing a power setting of the electronic display in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration.

17 . The refrigerated display case system of claim 16 , wherein reducing the power setting of the electronic display in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration comprises turning the electronic display off or on.

18 . The refrigerated display case system of claim 16 , comprising:

a circuitry module comprising a media player in electronic communication with the electronic display, the media player configured to control media content presented on the electronic display.

19 . A computer-implemented method of operating a refrigerated display case, comprising:

receiving, by one or more computers and from a sensor, sensor data comprising an indication that a movable door has been open for a time duration;

determining, based on the sensor data, that the time duration is greater than a threshold duration; and

reducing, by the one or more computers, a power setting of an electronic display mounted to the movable door in response to determining that the time duration is greater than the threshold duration.

20 . The refrigerated display case of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises data indicating that the movable door is retained in an open position by a mechanical hold-open device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2024
From: RODRIGUEZ, ADRIAN; ALMAGUER, PEDRO; RIVERA, FRANCISCO FLORES
To: ANTHONY, INC.
Reel/Frame 067761/0789 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250268400A1 · Aug 28, 2025
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