Display Case Door with Interior-Facing Camera for Inventory Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerated enclosures face challenges in real-time monitoring of customer access and inventory levels, leading to inefficient restocking and inventory management.
Innovation Solution
A display case door equipped with a transparent panel assembly, hinges, a camera, and a sensor, where the camera captures images of the interior when the door is open, allowing for real-time monitoring and inventory management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a camera is installed inside the display case to monitor inventory, then real-time inventory monitoring is improved, but the device complexity and thermal insulation requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the transparent door panel as an intermediary medium to transmit light from the display case interior to the camera positioned on the exterior. This eliminates the need to install the camera inside the temperature-controlled environment, simplifying installation while maintaining monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for physical camera installation inside the display case with an optical system that uses the transparent panel to transmit images. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical mounting requirements and thermal insulation modifications
2Measurement precision
If the camera captures images continuously, then inventory monitoring accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic image capture triggered by door opening events rather than continuous recording. The sensor detects when the door is opened and triggers the camera to capture an image at that specific moment, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining monitoring effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a sensor to detect door opening status and provides feedback to trigger the camera operation. This feedback mechanism ensures the camera operates only when necessary (when the door is opened), optimizing the balance between monitoring accuracy and energy consumption
Data Source
AI summary
One broad aspect of the invention features a display case door. The display case door includes a transparent panel assembly, hinges, a camera, and a sensor. The hinges are coupled at a first peripheral edge of the transparent panel assembly. The camera is coupled to the transparent panel proximate to a second peripheral edge of the transparent panel assembly opposite the first peripheral edge. The camera is arranged to capture images of the interior of a display case with the display case door mounted to the display case. The sensor is coupled to the transparent panel assembly, and is in electronic communication with the camera. The sensor is configured to generate a signal that indicates that the display case door is in an open position. The camera is configured to capture an image of the interior of the display case based on the signal generated by the sensor.