Highlighting a product in a store fixture, display or shelf

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current retail store lighting systems fail to effectively highlight specific products, leading to potential waste due to static lighting that does not draw attention to products nearing expiration or with less appealing packaging, making it difficult to reduce waste and increase sales.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device with adjustable light segments and a controller that switches between normal and highlighting modes based on a sensed field, using magnetic or RFID technology to selectively increase the intensity or change the color of light emitted to draw attention to specific products, preventing accidental mode changes with a magnetically operable switch or RFID reader.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If static lighting is used in retail stores, then the lighting system is simple and energy-efficient, but products cannot be highlighted to reduce waste or increase sales

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct highlighting capabilityVSAvoidlighting system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device is divided into multiple independent light segments (first light segment, second light segment) that can be controlled separately. Each segment corresponds to a specific product section and can be independently adjusted in intensity and color, enabling selective product highlighting without requiring complete system redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting system transitions from static to dynamic operation through a controller that receives signals from sensing devices (magnetic field sensors, RFID readers). The controller dynamically adjusts light intensity and color based on detected signals, allowing the system to adapt to different highlighting needs while maintaining simplicity during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If spot lights are used to highlight individual products, then product visibility is improved, but the system becomes expensive and limited in the number of products that can be highlighted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of highlightable productsVSAvoidlighting system cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device is designed as a universal unit that can highlight any product positioned in its coverage area. By integrating multiple light segments controlled by a single controller, the system can highlight one or multiple products simultaneously without requiring separate spotlight installations for each product, reducing overall system cost and increasing flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If a magnetically operable switch is used to control highlighting mode, then accidental mode changes are prevented, but the switching mechanism becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode switching reliabilityVSAvoidswitching mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A magnetic field serves as an intermediary between the user and the lighting system. The magnetic field sensor detects the presence of a magnetic key without direct physical contact or complex mechanical switches. This intermediary approach provides reliable authentication while maintaining system simplicity, as the magnetic field detection mechanism is well-established and requires minimal additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively highlights products in need of sale, reducing waste by increasing visibility and appeal, while preventing unintended mode changes, thus enhancing sales and environmental sustainability.

Implementation Method 1

The sensing device is arranged for sensing a magnetic field and further arranged for generating the signal indicative of the presence of the magnetic field

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field detection: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP3844437B1Highlighting a product in a store fixture, display or shelf
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP3844437B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3844437B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3844437B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A lighting device is presented for highlighting a first product over a second product placed in a first and a second section respectively of a store fixture, display or shelf to draw a shopper's attention to the first product, the lighting device comprising: a first and a segment, adjacent to each other, arranged for providing a first light output for illuminating the first product and a second light output for illuminating the second product respectively, a controller arranged for changing an operational mode of the lighting device from a normal lighting mode to a highlighting mode based on a signal indicating presence of a field; wherein in both the normal lighting mode and the highlighting mode, the first segment and the second segment provide illumination, and wherein in the highlighting mode, the first segment highlights the first product over the second product.