WO2022182842A1

WO2022182842A1 - Display control for computing devices

Info

Publication number: WO2022182842A1
Application number: PCT/US2022/017657
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kyle Baker; Gary A. TAYLOR
Original assignee: Invue Security Products Inc.
Priority date: 2021-02-25
Filing date: 2022-02-24
Publication date: 2022-09-01

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling displays of computing devices are provided. In one example, a display control system includes a plurality of computing devices and a plurality of sensors. Each sensor is operably engaged with a respective one of the plurality of computing devices. The display control system further includes a control device located remotely from the plurality of computing devices and the plurality of sensors and configured to communicate with each of the plurality of sensors. The control device is configured to transmit a control signal to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling the computing devices.

Description

DISPLAY CONTROL FOR COMPUTING DEVICES

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to United States Provisional Application No. 63/153,593 filed on February 25, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many types of establishments, including retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and airports, utilize computers. For retailers, these computers are on display for people to interact with to help inform a purchase decision. Regardless of the use, many establishments wish to turn the computers off during certain hours such as when the establishment is closed. This can be a problem, especially in establishments with a large number of computers. Each computer would need to be manually shut down by an associate, which is a time-consuming process. Moreover, these establishments are unable to effectively communicate with the computers to obtain information from the computers in order to gain valuable insights regarding the computers.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the present invention are directed towards TV sensors, systems, and methods for communicating with and/or controlling televisions. In one example, a display control system for a plurality of computing devices is provided. The display control system includes a plurality of computing devices and a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is configured to operably engage a respective one of the plurality of computing devices. The display control system also includes a control device located remotely from the plurality of computing devices and the plurality of sensors and configured to communicate with each of the plurality of sensors. The control device is configured to transmit a control signal to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling the computing devices.

[0004] In another embodiment, a sensor is provided and includes a housing and a USB connector operably engaged with the housing and configured to facilitate communication with a USB input port of a computing device. The sensor further includes wireless communication circuitry contained in the housing for communicating with a control device located remotely from the computing device. The wireless communication circuitry is configured to receive a control signal from the control device, and the USB connector is configured to facilitate communication with the computing device for controlling the computing device based on the control signal.

[0005] In another embodiment, a method for controlling a plurality of computing devices is provided. The method includes operably engaging a plurality of sensors with a respective one of a plurality of computing devices and inputting a command at a control device located remotely from the plurality of computing devices and the plurality of sensors such that a control signal is transmitted to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling the computing devices.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is schematic of a display control system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is schematic of a display control system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 3 is schematic of a display control system according to additional embodiments of the present invention.

DET AIDED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Referring to the accompanying figures wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views, the embodiments of methods and systems disclosed herein are capable of controlling a plurality of computing devices without the need for a remote control or manually turning off the device. Although described in relation for use in a retail environment or store, the system 10 shown and described herein is suitable for other settings, such as for example, a residential or commercial environment, and is not intended to be limited to use only as a system for a retail environment.

[0010] According to one embodiment, a system 10 is provided that includes a plurality of computing devices 12 and a plurality of sensors 14 (see, e.g., FIGS. 1-2). As shown in FIG. 1, the computing devices are separate and independent from one another and may be configured to be independently controlled. As used herein, the term “computing device” is not intended to be limiting and may be any computer, laptop, portable electronic device, tablet, display monitor, or the like.

[0011] A control device 18 may be used for communicating with any one of the computing devices 12 or all of the computing devices via an associated sensor 14. For example, the control device 18 may be configured to send messages to a number of computing devices 12 simultaneously (e.g., in real time or near real time) or control each of them independently from a remote location. The control device 18 may be independent of and located remotely from the computing devices. For instance, the control device 18 may located in a back office of a retail store or other establishment, or the control device may be at a location that is remotely located from the retail store or other establishment where the computing devices are located. In other cases, the control device 18 may be located within a retail store or establishment, but remotely from the computing devices 12. For instance, the control device 18 may be a sales associate’s mobile device (e.g., phone or tablet) that is configured to communicate with each of the sensors 14 located within a particular retail store (see, e.g., FIG. 3). Thus, the control device 18 is “remote” or located “remotely” from the sensors 14 in that they do not need to be in proximity with one another or in physical engagement with one another in order to communicate with one another. Moreover, the control device 18 may be configured to communicate remotely from the sensors 14 from any desired location.

[0012] In some embodiments, the control device 18 may be part of a network of devices, for example, including a gateway or aggregator (e.g., a LoRa gateway), that is configured to send and receive signals over a cloud network. According to some example embodiments, the control device 18 may be a computer that is configured to communicate with a plurality of computing devices 12. In some embodiments, a plurality of control devices 18 may be used, such as a combination of one or more computers, mobile devices, and/or gateways that are configured to communicate directly to the sensors 14 or with one another. In other examples, the control device 18 may be a gateway device that is configured to communicate or relay control signals to the sensors 14. The control device 18 may be configured to transmit one or more signals to each of the sensors 14. For instance, the control device 18 may be configured to broadcast a single signal that is detected by each of the sensors 14. In other cases, the control device 18 may transmit individual control signal to each sensor 14 or transmit control signals to a grouping of selected sensors.

[0013] In some embodiments, one or more sensors 14 may be wired to a control device 18 using cables 20 (see, e.g., FIG. 2). Where a plurality of computing devices 12 are desired to be controlled, the cables 20 can be aggregated into a single control device 18. In one embodiment, the control device 18 may be connected to one or more additional computers and/or networks that has the ability to send commands to the control device. The control device 18 may be able to send global signals to each of the computing devices 12 via communication with respective sensors 14 (e.g., turning all computing devices off) or individual signals to a given computing device (e.g., turning off a single computing device). In this manner, the control of the computing devices 12 could occur at a single location such as a back office or at a remote location (e.g., via the internet). In some embodiments, the control device 18 may be set to automatically control one or more computing devices 12. For example, the control device 18 may be automated from a corporate office according to a schedule in order to ensure local compliance with corporate plans (e.g., all computing devices at a given location turn on at the same time, such as 8:00 AM). The control device 18 may send a control signal to the sensor 14 including the schedule. The schedule could be a daily, weekly, monthly, or customized schedule where certain actions are to be taken at predetermined times and days. In other embodiments, a schedule may be programmed in memory for each sensor 14 such that the sensor is able to communicate with a respective computing device 12 without first receiving a command from a control device 18. For example, the sensor 14 may be configured to maintain the current time (e.g., using a real-time clock) and send a signal to a respective computing device according to the schedule stored in the sensor’s memory. Furthermore, it is understood that the control device 18 may send a variety of control signals to the sensors 14, such as power on or off the computing devices, provide data to the computing devices, provide images to be displayed at the computing devices, etc.

[0014] In another embodiment, the sensors 14 and control device 18 may communicate wirelessly such that no cables are needed between the computing devices 12 and the control device. In this embodiment, the sensor 14 may include wireless communication circuitry. The sensor 14 may have one or more additional connectors for operably engaging the computing device 12, such as a connector for receiving power and charging a power source (e.g., a USB connector). Many different forms of wireless communication protocols could be used, such as the LoRa or LoRaWAN standard, Bluetooth, WIFI, radiofrequency, etc. to communicate with the control device 18. In some cases, the sensor 14 is connected to the computing device 12 via a USB connection, and there is no need to run or hide any cables, which may lead to increased ease of use and better aesthetics. Moreover, in this embodiment, control signals are transmitted using the wireless communication circuitry over a network but have the ability to be controlled in a similar manner as the wired connections described above. In some cases, the sensor 14 may include an antenna for facilitating such wireless communication.

[0015] The sensor 14 may include a housing that is configured to contain or operably engage various components, such as for example, a microcontroller or MCU(s), wireless communications circuitry (e.g., LoRa MCU), a memory, a real-time clock (“RTC”), USB input port(s), USB output port(s), power port(s), LEDs or indictors for status, antenna, buttons or like interfaces, and/or a power source (e.g., battery). As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor 14 may be configured to be positioned in various locations relative to the computing device 12, such as above or below a display counter 32.

[0016] In one embodiment, a sensor 14 is employed that provides the ability to control a plurality of computing devices 12 by connecting to the USB input ports using USB communication (e.g., USB-C or USB-A). For example, the sensor may include a USB connector for operably engaging the computing device’s 12 USB input port with a USB cable 24 having corresponding USB connectors on each end of the cable. The sensor 14 also includes wireless communications circuitry for wirelessly communicating with the control device 18, which may include, for example, a wireless coil for communicating using the LoRa wireless protocol. In this example, the sensor 14 includes a power source, which may be external to the sensor 14 as or internal within the housing of the sensor. As noted above, the sensor 14 may be configured to receive power from the computing device 12, such as for charging the power source. The sensor 14 may be configured to operate using its power source when the computing device 12 is in an off state. The sensor 14 may be configured to conserve its power in some cases, such as where the sensor includes wireless communication functionality and relies on the computing device 12 for receiving its power. For instance, the sensor 14 may be configured to cease wireless communication based on the schedule of the computing device 12, such as when the computing device has been powered off. Thus, the sensor 14 may be configured to toggle between communicating wirelessly and ceasing wireless communication based on a schedule of the computing device 12. In addition, the sensor 14 may be configured to transition to a sleep state to conserve power, but is configured to transition to a wake state upon receiving a command or signal from the control device 18.

[0017] In another embodiment, instead of the sensor 14 using the USB port, some other means of controlling the computing devices 12 could be used, such an ethernet connection. One example of using an ethernet connection is via network protocols such as “wake on ethernet”, “wake on LAN”, or “wake on Wireless LAN”. This protocol signals a computing device 12 to wake up from a powered off or sleep mode when an ethernet signal is sent. While this is convenient for turning a computing device on, it will not turn the computing device off. In one embodiment, the power setting of the computing device 12 may be synched with the ethernet signal to power off the computing device. For instance, the computing device 12 may be programmed to power off or enter a sleep mode after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 minutes), and the control device 18 may be programmed to provide an ethernet signal at a predetermined time that is in sync with the computing device. In some cases, the ethernet signal may include an identifier associated with the computing device 12 (e.g., MAC address). Thus, the computing device 12 may be configured to power off temporarily if no one has interacted with it for the predetermined period of time, but would be powered on upon receipt of the ethernet signal, ensuring that the computing device is on and active a large percentage of the day. During off or after hours, the control device 18 may be configured to pause the ethernet signal such that the computing device 12 would go into a sleep mode and not be woken up until the following day or desired time upon the ethernet signal resuming.

[0018] In another embodiment, Bluetooth communication may be used to receive commands from the control device 18. In the case where computing devices 12 are Bluetooth capable and use Bluetooth communication for their remote control devices, Bluetooth communication may be used to receive commands from the control device 18. In one example, a Bluetooth transmitter device could be attached anywhere on the computing device 12. This transmitter may be configured to be paired to the computing device 12 via Bluetooth communication. Again, this transmitter could be hardwired but may alternatively use a wireless signal to receive commands, and this transmitter may communicate with the sensor 14 or may be integrated therewith as a single component. In the instance where longer range communication is needed than is capable by Bluetooth communication, wireless communication (e.g., LoRa or WiFi communication) between the sensor 14 and the control device 18 could also be used. Thus, a combination of Bluetooth communication between the transmitter and the computing device 12 and long-range communication between the sensor 14 and the control device 18 may be used. Bluetooth may have interference issues with objects such as the human body or metal fixtures. Indeed, if one were within Bluetooth range of all the computing devices, one would only need a single control device to connect to the Bluetooth radios of all the computing devices to accomplish the goal of controlling the computing devices. But, because Bluetooth has a limited communication range, this is often not practical. Therefore, by combining a long-range communication protocol with a Bluetooth device and operably engaging such device to each computing device, the issues with range and interference should be reduced if not eliminated.

[0019] In each of the disclosed embodiments, the sensor 14 may be configured to obtain and communicate various types of information to the control device 18 or some other remote device (e.g., computing device make, model, serial number or other unique identifier, power status, location, and/or customer dwell time). For example, the sensor 14 could utilize a USB communication protocol to determine the serial number, make and/or model of the computing device 12 it is connected to and communicate this information to the control device 18. In some cases, USB HID may be leveraged to also detect customer interaction with the computing device 12 via, for example, mouse, touch point, glide pad, or touch screen. These types of information may be beneficial, especially to retailers who have planograms to control what products are out on display. The sensor 14 may be configured to store the information in memory for communicating the information to the control device 18. The sensor 14 may be configured to obtain the information from the computing device 12 and to deliver it to the control device 18 for monitoring. For example, a retailer may be able to track which computing devices 12 are powered on or off and what computing devices are currently being displayed in a particular retail store, which avoids in-person audits. Thus, the information obtained from the sensors 14 may be used by retailers to monitor and manage planogram compliance and take appropriate remedial action based on feedback from the sensors.

[0020] In some embodiments, the sensor 14 may be configured to monitor if it is removed from the computing device 12 and to send a message to the control device 18 or other remote device upon removal. The sensor 14 may be configured to detect this removal via the USB connection between the sensor and the computing device 12. In some case, a sense loop or circuit may be defined between the computing device 12 and the sensor 14, such as where a sense loop or circuit is broken when the sensor is detached from the computing device or the cable 24 is cut or unplugged. In some instances, removal of the sensor 14 may be detected, while in other cases a loss in communication with the sensor may be detected indicating a possible issue. The sensor 14 may be further configured to communicate the occurrence of the removal or other issue with the computing device to the remote device 18. In this way, the corporate office or the store manager will know if a given computing device 12 may be experiencing a problem, such as for example, the computing device not turning on, the computing device is missing, or the computing device is not communicating or operating for some other reason. In some embodiments, the system 10 may further include an alarm node 30 configured to generate an alarm signal (e.g., an audible and/or a visual signal) in response to a security event associated with the computing device 12 and/or sensor 14. The alarm node 30 may be in wireless or wired communication with one or more sensors 14.

[0021] In other embodiments, the system 10 could also deliver content or commands to the computing devices 12. In some cases, the control device 18 could be configured to mimic various commands of the computing device, such as mimicking an input device. Thus, key presses entered on a keyboard of the control device 18 could be communicated to the computing device 12. For example, if a retailer provides for password protection on the computing devices 12, when the computing device wakes up or is otherwise activated by the control device 18, the control device may also be used to enter in the username and password to log in to the computing device. The control device 18 could also be configured to mimic a mouse or other input device to move a pointer around the screen of the computing device 12. Moreover, programs could be run or settings on the computing device 12 changed, all from the remote location using the control device 18.

[0022] According to additional embodiments, the system 10 may operate in conjunction with a network of wireless devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 62/909,506 filed on October 2, 2019 and entitled Merchandise Display Security Systems and Methods, International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/031850 (WO 2020/227513 Al) filed on May 7, 2020 and entitled Merchandise Display Security Systems and Methods, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, wherein in some embodiments, the sensor 14 and/or control device 18 may be configured to communicate within a wireless network with, or in a similar manner to, a plurality of merchandise security devices and electronic keys (e.g., in some embodiments, the sensors 14 and/or control device 18 may communicate in a network using the same wireless communications protocols as disclosed therein). In other embodiments, the system 10 may operate in a similar manner as that disclosed in United States Provisional Application No. 62/929,492 filed on November 1, 2019 and entitled Display Control for Televisions, and International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/057958 (WO 2021/087111 Al) filed on October 29, 2020 and entitled Display Control for Televisions, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0023] The foregoing has described one or more embodiments of systems and methods for display control for computing devices. Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is provided for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation.

Claims

That which is claimed is:

1. A display control system for a plurality of computing devices comprising: a plurality of computing devices; a plurality of sensors, each sensor configured to operably engage a respective one of the plurality of computing devices; and a control device located remotely from the plurality of computing devices and the plurality of sensors and configured to communicate with each of the plurality of sensors, wherein the control device is configured to transmit a control signal to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling the computing devices.

2. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to wirelessly communicate with and receive control signals from the control device.

3. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is wired to the control device.

4. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of computing devices comprises a USB input port, and wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to operably engage a respective USB input port.

5. The display control system of Claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to communicate with a respective computing device using USB signals for controlling the computing device.

6. The display control system of Claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured detect removal from a respective USB input port.

7. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to wirelessly communicate with the control device using LoRa communication.

8. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a schedule for automating the control of each of the sensors.

9. The display control system of Claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to store the schedule in a respective memory.

10. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to obtain information from a respective computing device and to communicate the information to the control device.

11. The display control system of Claim 10, wherein the information comprises planogram information.

12. The display control system of Claim 10, wherein the information comprises a make and model for each of the plurality of computing devices.

13. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the plurality of computing devices comprise a computer or laptop.

14. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to communicate with each of the plurality of sensors simultaneously.

15. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to communicate a single control signal to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling each of the plurality of computing devices.

16. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to communicate with each of the plurality of sensors for powering off the plurality of computing devices.

17. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control device is not a remote control.

18. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to communicate with a respective computing device using ethernet signals for powering on the computing device.

19. The display control system of Claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to mimic one or more commands of the plurality of computing devices.

20. The display control system of Claim 1, further comprising any combination of features recited by any of Claims 1-19.

21. A sensor comprising: a housing; a USB connector operably engaged with the housing and configured to facilitate communication with a USB input port of a computing device; and wireless communication circuitry contained in the housing for communicating with a control device located remotely from the computing device, the wireless communication circuitry configured to receive a control signal from the control device, wherein the USB connector is configured to facilitate communication with the computing device for controlling the computing device based on the control signal.

22. The sensor of Claim 21, further comprising a power source contained in the housing, wherein the power source is configured to be charged by the computing device.

23. The sensor of Claim 22, further comprising a second USB port operably engaged with the housing and configured to receive power from the computing device for powering the power source.

24. The sensor of Claim 21, further comprising a real-time clock contained within the housing for determining a time.

25. The sensor of Claim 24, further comprising a memory contained in the housing, wherein the memory is configured to store a schedule for controlling the computing device, and wherein the real-time clock is configured to determine when to control the computing device based on the schedule.

26. The sensor of Claim 21, wherein the USB connector is configured to facilitate communication with the computing device using USB signals for controlling the computing device.

27. The sensor of Claim 21, further comprising a cable configured to engage the USB connector and the USB input port of the computing device and to transmit the control signal.

28. The sensor of Claim 21, wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate with the control device using LoRa communication.

29. The sensor of Claim 21, wherein the USB connector is configured to facilitate communication with the computing device for obtaining information from the computing device.

30. The sensor of Claim 29, wherein the information comprises planogram information for the computing device.

31. The sensor of Claim 29, wherein the information comprises a serial number for the computing device.

32. The sensor of Claim 21, wherein the control signal is a signal to power off the computing device.

33. The sensor of Claim 21, further comprising any combination of features recited by any of Claims 21-32.

34. A method for controlling a plurality of computing devices comprising: operably engaging a plurality of sensors with a respective one of a plurality of computing devices; and inputting a command at a control device located remotely from the plurality of computing devices and the plurality of sensors such that a control signal is transmitted to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling the computing devices.

35. The method of Claim 34, wherein operably engaging comprises operably engaging a respective USB input port of each of the plurality of computing devices.

36. The method of Claim 34, further comprising communicating a schedule from the control device to each of the plurality of sensors for automating the control of each of the sensors.

37. The method of Claim 34, further comprising receiving a signal at the control device in response to removal of any one of the plurality of sensors from a respective computing device.

38. The method of Claim 34, further comprising receiving information at the control device regarding each of the computing devices from each of the plurality of sensors.

39. The method of Claim 38, further comprising managing a planogram of the plurality of computing devices at the control device based on the information.

40. The method of Claim 34, wherein inputting comprising inputting a command for communicating with each of the plurality of sensors simultaneously.

41. The method of Claim 34, wherein inputting comprises inputting a command for communicating a single control signal to each of the plurality of sensors for controlling each of the plurality of computing devices.

42. The method of Claim 34, wherein inputting comprises inputting a command to power off the plurality of computing devices.

43. The method of Claim 34, wherein inputting does not include inputting a command with a remote control.

44. The method of Claim 34, further comprising any combination of features recited by any of Claims 34-43.

45. An apparatus, system, method, and/or computer program medium comprising any combination of features disclosed herein.