Patent ID: 8395524

Claim:
A merchandiser communication system comprising: a first plurality of merchandisers arranged in a first row and a second plurality of merchandisers arranged in a second row such that an area between the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers defines an aisle, each of the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers including a case defining a product display area, a light assembly coupled to the case to illuminate the product display area, a light sensor coupled to the case to detect light pulses and to generate a signal indicative of the light pulses, the light sensor positioned in visual proximity with one or more of the adjacent merchandisers located across the aisle from the associated merchandiser, and a microcontroller in electrical communication with the light assembly and the light sensor of the corresponding merchandiser to operate the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly, the encoded light pulses not detectable by a human eye; and a visible light-based communication network in communication with the first plurality of merchandisers and the second plurality of merchandisers, the communication network at least partially defined by the light assembly, the light sensor, and the microcontroller of each merchandiser of the first and second pluralities of merchandisers, the communication network operable to communicate the encoded light pulses among the first and second pluralities of merchandisers via the light assemblies and the light sensors.