Device and method for adjusting transparency of display used for packaging a product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9984659-B2
Application number	US-201314015266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2013
Priority date	Aug 30, 2012
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A device and method for adjusting the transparency of a display used for packaging a product are provided. The method includes: receiving a user input on the transparent display that encloses the product; adjusting the transparency of the transparent display based on the user input; and displaying information related to the product, which is enclosed by the transparent display, on the transparent display whose transparency has been adjusted. A transparent display with adjustable transparency includes a display configured to display product information provided by a product; a sensor configured to detect a user input on the transparent display; and a controller configured to adjust, based on the detected user input, the transparency of at least a portion of the transparent display determined by a device connected to the transparent display, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the transparency of the determined portion according to control information received from the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of adjusting transparency of a transparent display in a device including the transparent display, the method comprising:
receiving product information from a tag attached to a product surrounded by the transparent display via short-range communication;
receiving a user input on an outer surface of the transparent display of the device;
adjusting transparency in a portion of the transparent display, based on the user input; and
displaying, on the portion of the transparent display whose transparency has been adjusted, information related to the product based on the product information received from the tag,
wherein the device comprises an inner surface of the device and an outer surface of the device,
wherein the inner surface of the device is oriented toward the product surrounded by the transparent display, and the outer surface of the device is oriented away from the product surrounded by the transparent display, and
wherein the outer surface of the device includes the outer surface of the transparent display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input includes a touch input,
wherein adjusting of the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes adjusting a portion of the transparent display based on a determination regarding the touch input, and the transparency of the determined portion is adjusted.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes adjusting the transparency of a portion of the transparent display within a preset range from a touch input point.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the touch input includes an input that occurs in response to a closed curve being drawn on a surface of the transparent display,
wherein adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes adjusting the transparency of a portion of the transparent display within the closed curve.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes a touch input,
wherein the adjusting of the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes determining a degree of transparency in the portion of the transparent display based on the touch input, and the transparency in the portion of the transparent display is adjusted according to the determined degree of transparency.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display in a step-wise manner based on a number of touches on the transparent display.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes an input by a user's hand holding the display,
wherein adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes determining a portion of the transparent display whose transparency will be adjusted based on a position of the transparent display held by the user's hand, and the transparency of the determined portion is adjusted.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the adjusting of the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes adjusting the transparency of a portion of the transparent display opposite from the portion of the transparent display held by the user's hand.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes an input by a user's hand holding the display,
wherein the adjusting the transparency in the portion of the transparent display includes determining a degree of transparency in the portion of the transparent display based on a magnitude of a pressure exerted on the transparent display by the user's hand, and the transparency in the portion of the transparent display is adjusted according to the determined degree of transparency.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product information is received from the product by a Near Field Communication (NFC) reader included in the transparent display.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product information includes at least one of an identifier value of the product, a current inventory status, a warehouse plan, a price, discount coupons and advertising information.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the product information on the portion of the transparent display includes changing the displayed product information in response to the transparency of the transparent display being adjusted.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program wherein the program, when executed on a processor of a computer, causes the computer to execute the method of claim 1 .

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the transparent display whose transparency has been adjusted comprises a first portion, and the information related to the product comprises first information, and
wherein the method further comprises displaying, on a second portion of the transparent display, second information related to the product based on the product information received from the tag, the second information being different from the first information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first information comprises at least one from among a product name and a brand name, and the second information comprises at least one from among advertising information, price information and coupon information.

16. A device for adjusting transparency of a transparent display in a device including the transparent display, the device comprising:
a communication interface configured to receive product information from a tag attached to a product surrounded by the transparent display via short-range communication;
an input interface configured to receive a user input on an outer surface of the transparent display of the device;
a processor configured to adjust transparency in a portion of the transparent display, based on the received user input; and
a display configured to display information related to the product, on the portion of the transparent display whose transparency has been adjusted, based on the product information received from the tag,
wherein the device comprises an inner surface of the device and an outer surface of the device,
wherein the inner surface of the device is oriented toward the product surrounded by the transparent display, and the outer surface of the device is oriented away from the product surrounded by the transparent display, and
wherein the outer surface of the device includes the outer surface of the transparent display.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the user input includes a touch input,
wherein the processor is configured to determine a portion of the transparent display whose transparency will be adjusted based on the touch input, and adjusts the transparency of the determined portion.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the processor adjusts the transparency of a portion of the transparent display within a preset range from a touch input point.

19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the touch input includes an input that occurs in response to a closed curve being drawn on a surface of the transparent display,
wherein the processor is configured to adjust the transparency of a portion of the transparent display within the closed curve.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the user input includes a touch input,
wherein the processor is configured to determine a degree of transparency in the portion of the transparent display based on the touch input, and adjusts the transparency in the portion of the transparent d

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Ji-Hyun
• Lee Geun-Ho

Classifications

• G09G5/10 Primary

  Intensity circuits · CPC title

• B65D5/4212

  Information or decoration elements, e.g. content indicators, or for mailing (B65D5/522 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09F2003/0273

  Labels for bottles, flasks · CPC title

• B65D2203/00

  Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators · CPC title

• B65D5/4233

  Cards, coupons, labels or the like formed separately from the container or lid · CPC title