Patent Grant
8186200
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for displaying timekeeping products, and in particular to a retail store display that allows a customer to visually determine the accuracy of a timekeeping product.
Retail store displays of timekeeping products allow a customer to identify and appreciate a variety of characteristics of individual timepieces. Such displays can help to increase brand recognition, convey product value, and provide useful information to customers during a shopping experience. Although currently available retail store displays provide real benefits to both retail merchants and customers alike, many advances may still be made to provide improved display systems and methods for displaying timekeeping products. Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for at least some of these needs.
Embodiments of the present invention encompass retail store display systems and methods for displaying timekeeping products that allow a retail customer to visually determine the accuracy of a timekeeping product. Such retail store displays can advantageously allow a customer to quickly verify the accuracy of a particular timepiece, or a multitude of timekeeping products simultaneously, and provide information that a customer can utilize in making a purchasing decision relative to a particular timekeeping product. Hence, a customer may ask a salesperson questions relating to the accuracy of the timekeeping product, and the customer can verify statements made at the point of sale. This information can be of great importance as many mechanical timekeeping products can portray unsatisfactory accuracy, and display time-of-day information with errors of up to seconds or more per day.
An exemplary display method can include the steps of synchronizing a timekeeping product with a reference clock at a known time-of-day, displaying within the retail store display the known time-of-day at which the timekeeping product was synchronized with the reference clock, and placing the synchronized timekeeping product and the continuously calibrated reference clock within the retail store display so that a retail customer can visually identify a discrepancy or a lack thereof between a product time-of-day displayed by the synchronized timekeeping product and a standard time-of-day displayed by the reference clock. The method may also include the steps of receiving at the retail store a reference time signal that has been broadcast from a national measurement standards laboratory, and using the reference time signal to continuously calibrate the reference clock so that the reference clock displays a standard time-of-day as maintained by the national measurement standards laboratory. This system can increase customer satisfaction by providing objective data by which a customer can determine the accuracy of a timekeeping product prior to purchase. Such a reaction can improve customer loyalty by limiting buyer's regret and possible feelings of animosity towards the store and salespeople based on a perceived duplicity in sales tactics, because a customer can recognize the accuracy of a timepiece independent of any salesperson interaction.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for displaying a timekeeping product in a retail store display may include the steps of a) receiving, at a retail store, a reference time signal broadcast from a national measurement standards laboratory; b) continuously calibrating, at the retail store, a reference clock using the reference time signal, so that the reference clock displays a standard time-of-day as maintained by the national measurement standards laboratory; c) synchronizing, at a known time-of-day, the timekeeping product with the reference clock; d) displaying, within the retail store display, the known time-of-day at which the timekeeping product was synchronized with the reference clock; and e) placing the synchronized timekeeping product, and the continuously calibrated reference clock, within the retail store display so that a product time-of-day displayed by the synchronized timekeeping product, and the standard time-of-day displayed by the reference clock, are visible to a retail customer at the retail store in a way by which the retail customer can visually identify a discrepancy or a lack thereof between the displayed product time-of-day of the timekeeping product and the displayed standard time-of-day of the reference clock.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention include methods for displaying a timekeeping product in a retail store display. Such methods may include, for example, synchronizing the timekeeping product with a reference timekeeping product at a known time and date, wherein the reference timekeeping product is continuously calibrated to a time and frequency standard that is received via a transmission. Methods may also include incorporating the synchronized timekeeping product into the retail store display. Methods may still further include identifying, within the retail store display, the known time and date on which the timekeeping product was synchronized with the reference timekeeping product. Methods may yet still include, in some aspects, locating the reference timekeeping product near the retail store display so that a retail store customer can visually identify a discrepancy in timekeeping accuracy between the timekeeping product and the reference timekeeping product. In some cases, the timekeeping product may be an analog timekeeping device, a digital timekeeping device, a battery-powered timekeeping device, a manually-winding-type timekeeping device, an automatically-powered timekeeping device, or a timekeeping device that is powered by a combination of automatic power and battery power. In some aspects, the timekeeping product can be a kinetic-powered or motion-powered timekeeping device, a solar-powered timekeeping device, or a thermo-electrically-powered timekeeping device. In still other cases, the timekeeping product may be a kinetic-powered timekeeping device that includes a kinetic-powered winding mechanism, and the retail store display may include a maneuvering mechanism to which the kinetic-powered timekeeping device is coupled such that the movement of the maneuvering mechanism operates to wind the kinetic-powered winding mechanism. In some aspects, the maneuvering mechanism can be, for example, a rotating pedestal.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention may relate to a method for displaying in a retail store display a timekeeping product that has been synchronized with a reference timekeeping product. The method may include calibrating the reference timekeeping product via a signal received from a broadcast from a national measurement standards laboratory. The methods may include synchronizing the timekeeping product with a reference clock at a known time-of-day, and displaying the known time-of-day, or date and time, within the retail store display. In some cases, the retail store display can also include, in the same location as the displayed known time-of-day, an indication of a winding time-of-day at which a manually-winding-type timekeeping device was wound.
In some aspects, embodiments of the present invention encompass a method for displaying in a retail store display a timekeeping product that includes a solar conversion panel and energy cell. The method may also include, for example, including a lighting mechanism within the retail store display such that the solar conversion panel is exposed to light from the lighting mechanism so as to charge the energy cell of the timekeeping product.
In accordance with yet another aspect, embodiments of the present invention encompass a method for displaying within a retail store display an automatically-powered timekeeping device that is a thermo-electrically-powered timekeeping device. The thermo-electrically-powered timekeeping device may include, in some cases, an endothermic plate, a thermoelectric conversion mechanism, and an energy cell. The retail store display may include a heating mechanism, and, in some aspects, the thermo-electrically-powered timekeeping device is positioned in the retail store display such that the endothermic plate is exposed to heat from the heating mechanism so as to charge the energy cell of the thermo-electrically-powered timekeeping device with electricity produced by the thermoelectric conversion mechanism.
In still another aspect, embodiments of the present invention include methods for displaying a reference timekeeping product in a retail store display where the reference product is calibrated to a timekeeping standard received from a broadcasted signal. The methods may also include, for example, using the reference timekeeping product to synchronize a timekeeping product. The methods may also include displaying the timekeeping product in the retail store display with the reference timekeeping product so that a retail customer can visually compare time kept by the timekeeping product against time displayed by the reference timekeeping product. In some cases, the retail store display is constructed to allow a transmission of a reference time signal to be received by the reference timekeeping product for calibration purposes.
Additional embodiments and features are set forth in part in the ensuing detailed description and accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, combinations, and methods described in the specification.
Watches, clocks, timepieces, and timekeeping products present a variety of different forms that all affect the ability of the particular timekeeping product to maintain the accuracy of its timekeeping function. For example, whether a timekeeping product maintains its accuracy by use of the piezoelectric effect in a quartz crystal or by use of a wound mainspring can affect the accuracy of timekeeping by as much as seconds or more per day. Timekeeping products can be both analog and digital, and are powered by a variety of mechanisms. Examples of the ways in which timekeeping products are powered include battery-powered, manually-winding-type power, and automatically-powered timekeeping devices. Automatically-powered timekeeping devices can be powered in many different ways, and examples of such different ways include, kinetic or motion power, solar power, or thermo-electric power.
Embodiments of the present invention encompass methods for displaying a timekeeping product in a retail store display. Such retail displays can advantageously allow a customer to quickly verify the accuracy of a particular timepiece, or a multitude of timekeeping products simultaneously, and provide information that a customer can utilize in making a purchasing decision relative to a particular timekeeping product. An exemplary method can include the steps of receiving, at a retail store, a reference time signal that has been broadcast from a national measurement standards laboratory; continuously calibrating, at the retail store, a reference clock using the reference time signal, so that the reference clock displays a standard time-of-day as maintained by the national measurement standards laboratory; synchronizing a timekeeping product with the reference clock at a known time-of-day; displaying within the retail store display the known time-of-day at which the timekeeping product was synchronized with the reference clock; and placing the synchronized timekeeping product and the reference clock within the retail store display so that a retail customer can visually identify a discrepancy or a lack thereof between a product time-of-day displayed by the synchronized timekeeping product and the standard time-of-day displayed by the reference clock.
Turning to the drawings,
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The time signal 420 may additionally be broadcast, for example, by the entity 410 over a radio station whereby an employee of the retail store can listen to the reference time signal 420 as it is broadcast by the entity 410 and then manually calibrate the reference timekeeping product 450 to the timekeeping standard. In other aspects, the reference time signal 420 may be available over the internet such that a retail store employee may retrieve the current reference time and then use that information to manually calibrate the reference timekeeping product 450 to the timekeeping standard.
In yet another aspect, the reference time signal 420 may be made available by the entity 410 such that a retail store employee, for example, can communicate with the entity 410 by telephone or other communication device and receive the current reference time signal 420 aurally. The retail store employee can then use that reference time to manually calibrate the reference timekeeping product 450 to the timekeeping standard.
In some embodiments, the timekeeping product 450 can be an automatically-powered timekeeping device, and could be kinetically or motion-powered, solar-powered, or thermo-electrically powered.
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The maneuvering mechanism 480 can be, as an example, a rotating pedestal or holder, or any similar device known to those skilled in the art, that rotates the timekeeping product 450 in a pattern that can allow the face of the timekeeping product 450 to remain, while in operation, directed towards a retail customer. In other aspects, the maneuvering mechanism 480 can be, for example, a shaker, or other device that moves the timekeeping product 450 in a way by which the kinetic-powered winding mechanism is able to utilize the motion to produce power.
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The lighting mechanism 490 may be incorporated within the retail store display 430 in several different ways, as illustrated in
The lighting mechanism 490 may include any type of light source that would provide the solar conversion panel with an adequate source of energy. The types of lighting mechanisms that could be used may include lighting that can be, but is not limited to, fluorescent, incandescent, halogen, CFL, LED, HID, solar replication, and daylight.
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The heating mechanism 495, may include any type of heat source that would provide the endothermic plate with an adequate source of energy. The types of heating mechanisms 495 that could be used may include heat lamps; electric heating plates, which may or may not be directly coupled to the timekeeping product 450 in some embodiments; convection heaters; or radiant heating plates. The heating mechanism 495 should be of a type that provides heat to the endothermic plate but does not provide so much heat that it undesirably alters the ambient temperature of the environment within the retail store display 430. Only by maintaining a temperature differential between the endothermic plate and the ambient temperature to which the timekeeping product is exposed can the thermoelectric conversion element have the capability to use the temperature differential to convert heat energy to electricity. A convenient location for the heating mechanism 495 is directly behind the location of an individual timekeeping product, and directly facing the endothermic plate, whereby an amount of heat can be generated that provides the most energy to the endothermic plate, but may be of a small amount so as to not have much affect on the ambient temperature in the retail store display 430. It is understood that the locations provided herein are exemplary in nature, and that any element of the method of displaying a timekeeping product can have any desired location to suit any of a variety of needs.
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In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the retail store display 430 can include a maneuvering mechanism 480 that is capable of being coupled with the crown so as to automatically wind the manually-winding-type timekeeping device. This maneuvering mechanism can be a device such as, or similar to, the Sempre model manual watch winder produced by Orbita.
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The preceding description has been presented only to illustrate and describe exemplary embodiments of the methods and systems of the present invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. The foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention. The invention may be practiced otherwise than is specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope. This description of the invention should be understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements described herein, and claims may be presented in a later application to any novel and non-obvious combination of these elements.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a process” includes a plurality of such processes, and reference to “the energy cell” includes reference to one or more energy cells and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.
Also, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, and “includes”, when used in this specification and in the following claims, are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, acts, or groups.
This application is a nonprovisional of, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61,427,674, entitled “TIMEKEEPER DISPLAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, filed Dec. 28, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
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