Abstract:
A container for a beverage or other foods or household goods includes a wall with a display generating digital images). A controller is also provided associated with a memory, said memory storing digital imaging data. The controller selectively retrieves the data from the memory and generates electrical signals to the display. Data may also be transmitted from or received by the container through an external interface controlled by the controller. Switches, sensors and other selector elements may be provided to activate the display and to select the images to be shown. Additionally, miniature speakers may also be provided which cooperate with the display to show multimedia presentations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of Invention 
     This invention pertains to beverage cans as well as containers for foodstuff, household goods, and other products having various images provided on their outside surfaces. More particularly, the present invention pertains to containers such as metallic cans, boxes and the like, which are provided with an electronic display for showing images thereon, including for example, still or moving color images related to the contents of the container, other products made by the same manufacturer, or even unrelated subject matter. 
     B. Description of the Prior Art 
     Beverage containers such as cans are typically formed with a cylindrical sidewall and two circular ends made of sheet metal. Typically, the sidewall is provided with a colorful label identifying the manufacturer and the contents of the can. The label is printed on the sidewall of the container itself, or on a paper or plastic sleeve which is then attached to the can. Sometimes, additional information is provided on the ends as well. 
     A major function of the label on beverage containers is to attract the attention of the customer. The label can be a powerful advertising means that can increase sales and revenues. Therefore, manufacturers compete to make beverage and other containers very colorful and striking to attract as much attention as possible. 
     OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage container with a display disposed on a container sidewall that can selectively and dynamically show a plurality of electronic images. 
     A further objective is to provide a beverage container associated control circuitry that includes an external interface that can be used to transfer data to and from the container. 
     Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     Briefly, a beverage container constructed in accordance with this invention includes a tubular sidewall and two end walls cooperating to form a closed, water and airtight enclosure for a liquid. A sleeve is mounted around the tubular wall. The sleeve includes a display arranged to show images, including color images, in response to electrical signals generated by a control circuit. The control circuit is mounted on the beverage container as well and includes a memory storing imaging data, a microprocessor and a driver receiving commands from the microprocessor and generating the electrical signals for the display. The control circuit further includes sensors coupled to the microprocessor for sensing a predetermined condition. These sensors include a manual switch and/or other elements that detect ambient light or the opening of the container. The microprocessor is responsive to signals from the sensors and activates the display or modifies the images on the display in some manner. The control circuit also controls an external interface that can be used for transferring data to and from the container. The external interphase may comprise a wired or a wireless connection and may be used to exchange data with the outside world, such as an external data source. A battery is also provided for powering the control circuit and the display. 
     Optionally, small speakers may also be provided on the container. 
     The control circuit is adapted to generate on the display still images or moving images, or, if provided with speakers, may provide a multimedia presentation combining the images with sounds. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a beverage container with a sleeve having a display constructed in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a developed view of the sleeve of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the control circuit associated with the display incorporated into the sleeve shown in FIGS. 1-3; and 
     FIG. 5 shows a flow chart for showing several (for example, three) visual and/or multi-media presentations using the display and its circuitry shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a beverage container  10  constructed in accordance with this invention consists of a body  12  having a cylindrical sidewall  14 , a top end wall  16  and a bottom end wall  18 . The bottom end wall  18  is usually bowed inwardly leaving a concave space under the container  10 . Disposed around the sidewall  14  is a sleeve  20 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve  20  has two ends  22 ,  24  that are joined seamlessly when slipped over body  12 . A display  26  is formed on the sleeve  20 . Preferably the display  26  is made of a flexible material such as light emitting polymer (LEP) available from Cambridge Display Technology of Cambridge, U.K. Between display  26  and one end  22 , the sleeve  20  may be provided with a zone  28 . This zone (as well as a zone adjacent to end  24 , not shown) may be reserved for standard printed matter containing the identification of the manufacturer, the contents of the container  10  and so on. This printed matter is provided in case the display  26  fails. Alternatively, the display  26  may extend continuously all around the body  12  and the printed matter may be provided on either the top wall  16  or the bottom wall  18 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the display  26  is preferably composed of three layers: a plastic base  32  which is used to provide strength and dimensional stability to the sleeve  20 , the LEP layer  34  (including the associated drive conductors), and a protective layer  36 . The protective layer  36  is also made of a plastic material and is transparent or at least translucent so that the images formed by the LEP are clearly visible. 
     A control circuit together with a battery is incorporated into a case  38  disposed, for instance, in the space formed by the bottom wall  18 , or on top wall  16  as shown in FIG. 1 at  38 ′. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, the control circuit  42  includes a microprocessor  44 , a memory  46 , an external interface  62  and a display driver  48 . The memory  46  is used to store digital data for various images. The microprocessor  44  retrieves this data and uses the same to generate commands to the display driver  48 . The display driver  48  generates electrical signals in response to the commands from the microprocessor  44 . These electrical signals are sent to display  26 . Power to the control circuit  42  is provided by a battery  52 . 
     Also associated with the control circuit  42  are three sensors  52 ,  54 ,  56 . These sensors detect when certain predetermined conditions exist as described below. 
     When the container  10  is disposed in a closed box for shipping, or inside a refrigerator, there is no need for any images to be generated and accordingly the display may be turned off to save energy thereby extending the life of battery  50 . Sensor  52  comprises a light detector. As soon as it detects light, it sends a corresponding signal to microprocessor  44 . The microprocessor  44  is then primed to show images on the display  26  as discussed more fully below. 
     As seen in FIG. 1, top wall  16  of container  10  is provided with a closing tab  40 . This tab  40  is removed or lifted by a customer to open the container  10 . If the container  10  is pressurized, for example, if it holds beer or soda, its body  12  undergoes a slight distortion when the tab  40  is opened. Sensor  54  could be a stress sensor (for example, a piezoelectric transducer) which detects a flexure of body  12 . Alternatively, the sensor  54  may be a standard miniature switch which senses when tab  40  is opened or removed. In response to the opening of the tab  40 , the sensor  54  sends a corresponding signal to the microprocessor  44 . 
     Sensor  56  may comprise an activating switch  56 A such as a mechanical switch which may be selectively activated by a customer. The switch  56 A may be attached to the sleeve  20 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Alternatively, the sensor  56  may be a touch sensitive sensor embedded into the sleeve which is activated when a customer lifts the container. For example, the touch sensitive sensor may overlap the zone  28  shown in FIG.  2 . 
     To improve the dynamic nature of the container  10 , image, sound or other data may be transferred between it and an external source  64 . For this purpose, an external interface  62  is provided which may be, for example, a serial or parallel port, an IR, RF coupler, or other similar hard-wired coupling. Alternatively, the interface  62  could be a wireless modem capable of exchanging data with the external source  64  over an Intranet- or Internet-based network. 
     The transfer of data may be automatic or it may be triggered, for example by an appropriate sensor such as sensors  52 ,  54 ,  56  or by activating another switch provided for this purpose. The addition of the external interface could serve multiple purposes. For example, a user can generate an image or sound file on his computer (not shown), or download it, for example from the Internet, and then transmit it to the microprocessor  44  via interface  62 . The interface  62  can then store this file in the memory  46 . Similarly, data could be transferred from the container  10  to an external source  62  in response to an advertisement displayed on the container  10  activated by an appropriate sensor such as the stress sensor  54 . 
     The container  10  may also be provided with several piezoelectric or ceramic speakers  58 . These speakers  58  may be disposed on the sleeve  20  and/or on the top wall  16  as shown. Alternatively, the speakers may be provided in the form of a sheath (not shown) incorporated into sleeve  20 . 
     The display  26  comprises a number of pixel elements depending, for example, on the size of the container  10 . Even for a large container, a display of 480.times.640 pixels may be sufficient. If memory  46  has a storage capacity of 10 M bytes, and if data compression is used, it can hold data for up to five hundred color images for the display  26 . Alternatively, instead of pixels, the display  26  may comprise several discrete image elements having distinct shapes, the image elements being selectively activated by the microprocessor  44 . The images can be shown one at a time, or may be displayed in a rapid succession to generate moving images. These moving images may be accompanied by appropriate sounds from the speaker  58 . 
     A typical operation for a container  10  is now described in conjunction with FIG.  5 . In this Figure, initially, the control circuit  42  is in an idle mode (step  100 ). In this mode the light sensor  52  is monitored (step  102 ). If light is sensed, it is assumed that the container has been placed on a shelf in a store and accordingly, a preselected presentation A, consisting, for example, of a plurality of images shown in succession is started in step  104 . In step  106  the presentation A continues to be played until one of several events take place. Alternatively, presentations may be delayed until one of these events occurs. 
     In step  108  a check is performed to determine if sensor  56  has been activated, by a customer or potential customer. For example, adjacent to switch  56 A, a sign (which may be presented by display  26  at  60 ) may be provided with the legend ‘PRESS HERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION’ If the sensor  56  is a touch sensitive switch, it is automatically activated when the container is lifted, as discussed above. 
     Returning to FIG. 5, in step  108 , if the sensor  56  is activated then in step  110  the data for a second presentation B is retrieved from the memory  46  and is shown in step  112  on display  26 . Presentation B may provide further information about the beverage in container  10 . Alternatively, in response to the activation of sensor  56 , a different unrelated presentation may be shown. For example, the legend may indicate that a presentation is available regarding a coming movie attraction. At the end of presentation B, the system recycles to step  100 . 
     If in step  108  it is determined that sensor  56  has not been activated, then in step  114  a check is performed to determine if sensor  54  has been activated, indicating that the container  10  has been opened. If in step  114  the sensor  54  has been activated, then in step  116  the data for a third presentation C is retrieved from the memory  46  and shown by display  26  in step  118 . This third presentation C may be related to other products made by the same company or promotional data informing the customer of prizes, goods or services associated with the sale of the container  10 . Alternatively, the third presentation C may concern an unrelated product or service. At the end of the third presentation C, the system may recycle to step  100 . Some, or all the presentations A, B, and C may be multimedia presentations consisting of still or moving images combined with sounds emitted from speakers  58 . 
     If in step  114  it is determined that sensor  54  has not been activated then the system returns to step  106  and continues displaying the first presentation A. 
     The mode of operation described in FIG. 5 is presented merely as an illustration of the flexibility of the system. The number of presentations, their content and length is limited only by the information storage capability of the memory  46 . Obviously many different types of presentations and modes of operations can be stored and sequenced as well. Moreover, other types of sensors may be added and some or all of the sensors  52 ,  54 ,  56  may be omitted. 
     The subject invention has been described in association with a beverage container. One skilled in the art will appreciate that with little or no modification the invention may also be used to show still pictures, moving pictures, or multimedia presentations on various other types of containers as well, such as plastic or glass bottles, cardboard or plastic boxes and other containers used for packaging and dispensing various foods, household and any other types of products. 
     Numerous modifications may be made to the subject invention without departing from its scope. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive in any manner.