Display case

Abstract

A display case includes a transparent LCD panel for viewing display case contents therethrough.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display case for viewing a product through a transparent liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, the display case comprising:
 a housing arranged around a product display space;   a display case front including the screen that provides a view into the product display space;   a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) arrays for backlighting the screen, the LED arrays located away from the display case front;   a power supply responsive to control signals for selectively distributing electric power to one or more of the arrays;   a local controller for electrically exchanging signals with the power supply and a sensor; and,   the sensor for triggering operation of the screen when a patron is recognized by the sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The display case of  claim 1  further comprising:
 scene creation that results in video and audio content that is personalized based on patron assessment; and, 
 patron reaction to the personalized scene followed by a display case system multimedia message responding to the patron. 
 
     
     
         3 . The display case of  claim 2  further comprising delivery of the personalized scene directed to a space occupied by the patron. 
     
     
         4 . The display case of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a display case front-most glass through which the product display space is viewed; 
 the LCD screen having pixels and opposite the front-most glass with no structure therebetween; and, 
 the product display space opposite the LCD screen with no structure therebetween; 
 wherein the LCD screen consists of an LCD cell covered by and mounted to a carrier glass. 
 
     
     
         5 . The display case of  claim 4  wherein during operation of the LCD screen a regular pattern of LCD screen pixels covering all of the screen is operated for continuous transparency while the remaining pixels are operated to reproduce a desired image. 
     
     
         6 . The display case of  claim 5  wherein the regular pattern is a checkerboard pattern of pixels. 
     
     
         7 . A display case system including a housing and a transparent window immovable with respect to the housing for viewing a product therethrough, the display case comprising:
 a window LCD screen formed from a transparent LCD cell, the window LCD screen mounted to a front of the display case;   display case product opposite the LCD screen with no structure therebetween;   a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) arrays for backlighting the LCD screen, the LED arrays opposite the front of the display case;   a power supply responsive to control signals for selectively distributing electric power to the arrays;   a local controller for electrically exchanging signals with the power supply and a sensor; and,   the sensor for sensing a presence of a patron for triggering operation of the screen.   
     
     
         8 . The display case system of  claim 7  wherein multiple sensed patron positions determine whether the patron is approaching the display case and screen operation requires that the patron be approaching the display case. 
     
     
         9 . The display case system of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a multimedia facility for immersing a patron in a multimedia presentation when the display case system recognizes the patron is positioned in an interaction zone; and, 
 the multimedia facility for delivering a scene including video presented in a first plane via the LCD screen and projected video presented in a second plane different from the first that intersects the first plane. 
 
     
     
         10 . The display case system of  claim 9  wherein the projected video is video projected on a floor on which the patron stands. 
     
     
         11 . The display case system of  claim 10  wherein a premises video camera captures video that is later used in a scene. 
     
     
         12 . In a display case system for viewing a product through a transparent liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, an image visibility improvement method comprising the steps of:
 providing a display case door and mounting the screen in the door;   providing a product display space viewable through the screen;   providing a light emitting diode (LED) array opposite the display case door for backlighting the screen;   selectively distributing power to one or more of the arrays with a power supply responsive to control signals;   a controller exchanging control signals with the power supply and a sensor; and,   the controller triggering operation of the screen when a patron direction of motion moves the patron closer to the sensor;   wherein visibility of an image displayed on the LCD screen is improved by operating the LCD screen such that every other pixel is operated for continuous transparency.