Television – Camera – system and detail – Support or housing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-06
2001-05-22
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Support or housing
C348S376000, C348S333010, C348S333060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236435
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to retail selling of consumer electronics and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for displaying and actively demonstrating the operating features and performance qualities and characteristics of a camcorder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Retailers largely rely upon active demonstrations to present electronic consumer products and, particularly, audio and video entertainment products to customers. Such active demonstrations allow the customers to explore product features, directly compare products and match customer needs and desires with the available products. Accordingly, active demonstrations are very effective in facilitating sales of consumer electronic products.
It is also clear that any system for actively demonstrating consumer electronic products must also protect those products from theft. Further, such a system should be as vandalism proof as possible. These additional considerations cannot be simply ignored in today's cultural environment.
The present invention relates to the display and demonstration of camcorders. The camcorder has evolved into the product of choice for consumers wishing to record live picture with sound. The range of technical features now available in camcorders demands that the shopper be free to handle them in order to evaluate picture qualities such as detail and color rendition, screen stabilization performance, ease-of-use features such as focus and zoom and aesthetic values including weight. Further, since the trend in retailing is away from skilled sales staff and towards self-service, it is left up to the consumer to demonstrate electronic goods themselves. Accordingly, simplified display function is an essential element of any good demonstration and display system.
In order to provide the capability to demonstrate such a wide range of camcorder features, the present invention provides a convenient support for displaying the camcorder in the manner similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,205 to Keifer et al. More specifically, an upright cylindrical column is mounted to a base plate that is anchored or otherwise secured to a display fixture. A pin is secured to the base of the camcorder. The pin is removably held in the column so that the camcorder is conveniently displayed and also may be lifted from the column for inspection and demonstration of features.
While the display column disclosed in the Keifer et al. patent is quite effective, it does suffer from several shortcomings. First and foremost, the Keifer et al. display system fails to provide for automatic demonstration of the camcorder as it is lifted from the stand by the consumer. This is a particularly important feature in today's self-service retail environment. Second, the Keifer et al. display system utilizes a cumbersome product security system including separate mechanical and electronic security cables. This is a relatively cumbersome system that requires some extra time to install and can make consumer handling of the camcorder awkward and inconvenient. This latter problem is of particular concern since it discourages the customer from fully investigating the product thereby interfering with a potential sale.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for demonstrating a camcorder overcoming the above described limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for conveniently displaying and automatically demonstrating camcorder performance when the camcorder is lifted by a customer from the display stand for inspection. Specifically, the video output of the camcorder is automatically connected to a nearby monitor in order to display the picture being picked up by the camcorder. In this way, the retailer may share costly and spaced-consuming television monitors among two or more camcorders while freeing the shopper from the burden of (1) learning that the camcorder of interest must be manually selected to get the picture up on the monitor and (2) finding and operating the switch that enables the selection. Additionally, since the manual selector switch is often the target of vandalism, the elimination of a manual selector switch is a very significant advantage provided by the present invention.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a camcorder display and demonstration system that provides a looped current through the conventional stereo patch cord utilized to connect the camcorder's audio and video jacks to a playback monitor. When the continuity of the camcorder loop is broken by the cutting or disconnection of the patch cord, the resulting voltage increase between the audio and video jacks results in the triggering of a theft alarm. Advantageously, this eliminates the need for separate security cables which may be found cumbersome and inconvenient when a consumer handles and inspects a camcorder.
Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a new and improved apparatus and method for displaying and demonstrating a camcorder is provided. The apparatus comprises a holder for receiving and holding a camcorder and its display monitor for demonstrating camcorder performance. Further, the apparatus includes a detector for detecting displacement of the camcorder from the holder as well as a controller for operatively connecting the camcorder to the display monitor upon detecting displacement of the camcorder. Thus, it should be appreciate that when the camcorder is handled by a customer and removed from the display stand for inspection, a nearby monitor automatically begins demonstrating performance of the camcorder without delay or any further action on the part of the customer. This is the most convenient and effective demonstration network that may be developed for the display and demonstration of camcorder performance.
Still further, the apparatus includes an effective security feature. Specifically, a patch cord is provided for delivering audio and video signals from the camcorder to the controller which serves to route those signals to the television monitor at the time the camcorder is being inspected by a consumer. The controller also includes a means for generating a loop current in the patch cord at all times and a security alarm. Any interruption in the loop current caused by disconnection or cutting of the patch cord causes the alarm to be activated. Accordingly, an efficient security system for deterring theft is provided without the need for separate mechanical or electronic security cables as utilized in typical prior art designs.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a novel and effective method for displaying and demonstrating a camcorder is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a holder for each camcorder on display, detecting displacement of any camcorder from its holder and connecting any camcorder displaced from any holder to a monitor in order to demonstrate the camcorder. This simple and straightforward method provides a more efficient and consumer friendly approach for demonstrating the performance features of a camcorder. This represents a significant advantage in today's self-service retail environment that promotes sales to the advantage of the retailer.
Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a
Audio Authority Corporation
Garber Wendy R.
King and Schickli PLLC
Wilson Jacqueline
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