Package and merchandising system

[0001] Product packaging for product promotion and a system including the packaging. In particular, the packaging and promotion system for interactive shopping environments.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The number of different products in different product categories is a challenge for marketers to draw the attention of potential buyers. Labels, colors, shapes and other packaging attributes are well-known tools for passively attracting buyer's attention.

[0003] EP-A-1736951 (Schoeller Arca Systems Service) provides a device for identifying products with an electronic display (6) which has been placed on the packaging by means of gluing, sealing or riveting. The display has two display modes - opaque and transparent. The display is a liquid crystal display (LCD) placed in the recess (5) and surrounded by a frame.

[0004] An active system is needed to attract the buyer's attention to the products offered by the seller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention is a product promotion system that includes a sensor for detecting the presence of a target. If the target is detected, the sensor sends an output signal. The system also includes a package consisting of a package wall, a display element that forms part of the package wall and is visible from the outside of the package, and a power receiving component that forms part of the package and is connected to the display element. The display element changes the feature or property displayed on it according to the first profile modifying the feature obtained from the power-receiving element.

[0006] The system includes a power distribution element and a controller. The controller is connected to the sensor and to the power distribution element. The controller receives the output signal from the sensor as an input signal and passes the output profile to the power distribution element. The power distribution element receives the output profile from the controller and transfers the power profile to the power receiving element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007]

Figure 1 is a diagram of the packaging that is the subject of one version of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic of the promotion system that is the subject of one version of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0008] The packaging 100 shown in the drawing has a packaging wall 110. The packaging may have a greater number of packaging walls 110. The packaging may be made of any known materials that are used for this purpose. Examples of packaging materials are cardboard and corrugated cardboard, metal foil, polymeric materials, wood, and composite material obtained from their packaging 110 includes display element 120. Examples of 120 display elements are organic light emitting diodes, thermochromic elements, and their connections. The display element may include elements printed on the wall of the package 110 or on a label affixed to the wall of the metallocene coating. The wall of the package 110. The display element 120 must be positioned so that it is visible from outside the package 100.

The display element may include a portion of the outer surface of the package 100, or the nature of the package 10 may allow viewing of the display element 120 disposed on the inner surface of the package through the transparent or translucent outer surface of the package 100.

The transparent or translucent surface may include all or only part of one or more of the outer surfaces of the package 100.

[0009] Display element 120 may include symbols or a portion thereof. The display element can act as the outline or midtones of symbols or their parts. Symbols may include text or graphics and may be related to the contents of the packaging or other elements. Symbols can be printed on the packaging, cast on the packaging wall or placed on the packaging in another known manner. Symbols may contain brand information related to the contents of the packaging or other marketing element. Symbols may be related to a product feature or property. Examples of product features include keywords such as new, better, stronger, whiter, more concentrated, fat-free, decaf, less caloric, as well as odor indicators. Examples of product properties include keywords such as cleans, brightens, whitens, stains, instant, long-lasting or permanent. Graphic illustrations of the above described keywords are also considered symbols.

[0010] Display element 120 may include all or part of any of the symbols described above. Display element 120 may include a partial shade adjacent to or closely adjacent to the symbols to outline or highlight them.

[0011] The package 100 may also include a power receiving element 130. The power receiving element 130 is connected to the display element. Display element 120 changes the displayed feature or property according to the power profile obtained from the receiving element 130. The power profile modifies the display feature on the display element 120 and can be called the feature modification profile.

[0012] The package 100 may include a plurality of display elements 120 and a plurality of power receiving elements 130. A single power receiving element 130 may transfer a feature modification profile to one or more display elements 120. A plurality of respective power profiles may be transmitted to the package 100 by appropriate elements receiving power 130.

[0013] Obtaining the appropriate feature modification profiles may cause a change in the feature or property displayed on the packaging display elements in accordance with a predetermined pattern or in accordance with a random pattern due to the transmission of a string of power profiles.

[0014] Modification of the feature displayed on the display element 120 may include a change in brightness, color, or both. In one version, at least part of the display element 120 changes from the first color to the second color according to the feature modification profile.

[0015] In one version, the package 100 includes an integral power source (not shown). The power source (not shown) transfers power to the power receiving element 130, and thus to the display element 120. Examples of integral power sources (not shown) are solar panels and chemical cells of the battery.

[0016] In one version, the package 100 includes a control element 150. The control element 150 is connected between the power receiving element 130 and the display element 120. The control element 150 consists of a control system that can change the profile modifying the feature obtained from the power receiving element 130 In one version, the control element 150 transmits the feature modification profile to the display element 120 in response to the power received from the power receiving element 130. In this version, the received power can be presented in the form of a generalized step function, where the power is on or off. The power received is then modified by the control element to pass the feature modification profile to the display element 120. Exemplary profiles are sinusoidal, sawtooth, segmented step function for turning power transfer on and off, and other known control signal patterns.

[0017] In one version, the control element 150 transmits a plurality of profiles to a plurality of display elements 120 to provide many feature modifications in the package.

[0018] The package 100 may include part of a promotion system 1000. The system 1000 may also include a sensor 200 to transmit a signal depending on the presence of the buyer at a predetermined location relative to the display area of ​​the package. Examples of 200 sensors are retroreflector and barrier electromagnetic sensors, inductive loop sensors for detecting the presence of a metal shopping cart / trolley, load cell sensors for detecting the buyer's weight in a given area, and other known sensors.

[0019] System 1000 includes at least one power distribution element 300 arranged to transfer power to one or more packages 100 arranged next to the power distribution element 300. Power can be transmitted by inductive, conductive, acoustic energy transmission, radiation energy transmission, and other known means of transferring energy. In one version, the 1000 system contains many 300 power distribution elements. In this version, the system transmits many profiles to a package of 100. Each appropriate power profile is transmitted using the appropriate 300 power distribution elements.

[0020] System 1000 includes a controller 400. The controller 400 is used to receive a signal from the sensor 200 in connection with the presence of a buyer. The controller 400 may transfer one or more output profiles to the power distribution element 300 according to the sensor signal. The controller 400 may include one or more profile programs that serve as the basis for the output profiles transmitted by the controller 400. The corresponding programmed profiles can be transmitted as output signals in accordance with the nature of the input signals, and by transmitting a plurality of output signals from a plurality of sensors 200 in accordance with changing environmental conditions, the controller 400 can transmit to the power distribution element 300 output profiles that are sensitive to weather conditions. Each of the power distribution elements 300 can be placed in a separate position.

[0021] The dimensions and sizes disclosed herein should not be taken as strictly limited to the numerical values ​​cited herein. However, if it is not explicitly stated, each dimension is meant to mean both the cited value and a functionally equivalent range around such value. For example, the dimension "40 mm" should be understood to mean "about 40 mm".

[0022] If any meaning or definition of an expression in this document does not agree with the meaning or definition of the same expression in a document contained in the reference list, then the meaning or definition of the given expression as given herein should be used.

[0023] While particular versions of the present invention have been shown and described, it is clear to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.