CA1083715A - Commodity key control for two printers - Google Patents

Abstract

COMMODITY KEY CONTROL OF TWO PRINTERS
Abstract of the Disclosure A system for weighing and labeling random weight packages of commodities includes a weighing scale, a price computer, and printers for printing both human readable and machine readable information. A commodity key includes a printing area for reproducing readable commodity identifica-tion and coded identification which is used to produce machine readable commodity identification. Entry of the key into the human readable printer also enters the coded identification.
A second computer coacts with the machine readable label printer to produce a unique check character which is included in the printed information. Two labels are supplied, unique to each package, and are so presented from the printers that the label applicators guide the package to align the two labels on opposite sides of the package.

Description

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~ Docket 6056 ,' ' - Back~round of the Invention -;~ ~oth manual and automatic systems for weighing and labeling of random weight commodities are well known, and are in widespread use in supexmarkets, meat markets, and large delicatessens. In general, the manual system comprises a computing scale which weighs each item, generates a weight - code, and transfers this code to a computer into which an operator sets the price per unit weight (e.g., price per pound). The computer calculates the value by multiplying these two factors, and this information is transmitted to a labeling machine which prints a unique label for that item, such label containing human readable information identifying the weight, price per unit weight, value, and in many cases ; the type of commodity and some identification of the store.
The printed label is ejected at a label applicator station where the package commodity can be pressed against the label to adh¢re it thereto, usually with a thermally activated adhesive on the label back. The label printer generally is provided with some sort of replaceable commodity identifica-tion printing plate which can easily be inserted in the printer, and a quantity of such plates are kept handy to the label printer so that an operator can easily interchange them when he is labeling various different commodities at different times.
Automatic systems comprise these same elements, plus conveying mechanism and label applicator mechanism by means of which the items, usually coming from an automatic wrapping machine, are carr~ed to and away from the scale o2~

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platform and then past a label applicator station where the appropriate label is adhered to the corresponding item.
Recently, the Uniform Grocery Product Code Council has brought about adoption of a standard machine readable code . ~ .
for various items, particularly food items, which is known as the Universal Product Code (UPC). The version of the code used for random weight products, such as ~eat, poultry, produce, cheese or other delicatessen items, is known as the UPC number system 2, version A. Some details of a typical such code are described hereinafter, and further details are disclosed in publications entitled Approaches to UPC I~lementation, published by Super Market Institute, Inc., copyright 1974, and UPC Symbol Specification January 1975 (and other dates) published ., , i~ by Distribution Codes Inc., 401 Wythe Street, Alexandria, ` ~
-Vlrginia 22314 as administrator for the Uniform Product Code Council. The symbol includes both machine readable bar code and corresponding human readable numerals. ~he code is struc-tured to pro~ide ~or the identification of the number system, the identification of the commodity, a check or parity number to prevent erroneous read, and in the UPC number system 2 the vallle of the package being labeled.
The machine readable label, in preferred embodiments, is provided as a separate label which is adhered to the bottom of the package, enabling the operator at a check out counter to pass the machine readable label over a scanner which "reads" the code information. The value or total price information is trans- -mitted to an electronic cash register at the chec~ out station in order to provide a visual display as well as to add the price o~ the parti~ular item to a customer's hill during check out procedures. The information may be utili~ed in other ways, :

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such as transmitting it to an in-store computer memory for compilation of products sold, or total value of certain ; products sold, during a given time, and to provide various . ,~
inventory information.

` 5 ~o assist the check out opera~or, it is desirable - to locate the machine readable label in some way where it is i,, ~ , ~ easy to pass it directly over the check out scanner. A con-., ~ ,. .
~ venient arrangement is to locate the machine readable label .
~r on the bottom of the package directly opposite the human readable label applied to the top of the package. Thls may be done manually, through positioning by the weighing and ;, labeling machine operator who applies the appropriate labels in sequence, or it may be done mechanically in connection with automatic wrapping and labeling e~uipment.
Thus, for each weighlng and calculating operation j for a given item, two labels may be produced, and these labels are pre~erably applied to different parts of the same package.
Some of the information on both labels is the same, however, the form of information is different, i.e., human readable vs.
machine readable marking. There is, there~ore, a need for an integrated system which will quickly and accurately produce both labels for each random weight item, permit these labels to be applied at desired places on the itemed package, and assure that appropriate warningsare provided so that the operator, or the automatic machine, does not inadvertently omit one or the other of the labels.
Summary of the Invention The present invention thus relates to a total 8~stem for weighing and marking with labels various random ~ls~:
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weight articles, particularly food articles, by integrating into existing systems, which produces only a human readable label, an additional label printing device capable of printing ; in machine readable form a label that carries at least commodity and value representation. ~his is achieved by en~ering commodity identification code into the machine read-~;- able label printer, by supplying coded information as to product total price or value to both labeling printing machines, and by assuring through appropriate interlock connections that a 0 new weighing operation cannot commence until the appropriate labels have been taken from each label printed for the previ-ously weighed product. In an average supermarket random weight items represent about one-fifth of the commiodities passing through the check out, and in such a market havina a UPC
' 15 scanning point-of-sale system, the labels properly printed ` with machine readable UPC symbols enable the cashier to read the necessary information as to these packages without having to manually key-enter the information at the check out station.
:i me primary object of the invehtion, therefore, is to provide an integrated weighing, computing and labeling system, including a weighing scale, a computer operable from weight information received from the scale to calculate the , value of random weight items, and two label printers which ~ print, respectively, human readable and machine readable ; 25 labels, together with label applicators incorporated in each printer, all acting together to produce an appropriate ` unique set of labels for each random weight item; to provide such a sy~tem in which both labels must be utilized before .

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operation of the system can continue; to provide such a system ` in which commodity identification can readily be changed in both of the printers, and to provide such a system which can be made available either for manual or automatic label application to -: the package items.
~ The above objects are achieved,in accordance with .~ one aspect of the invention by a system for weighing and labeling random weight articles of different commodities with both human . readable and machine readable labels, said system including: a ~ 10 weighing scale having means providing a coded output representing ?~
. the weight of an article on the scale, means for generating a ~ coded output representing price per unit weight of a commodity, - computing means having inputs from said weight code means and : said price per unit weight code means and an output on which the .; value of each article is represented as the produce of said inputs, :. a first label printer connected to said computing means and '~' . arranged to print on a label human readable information identifying the commodity and at least the value of the article, a second :~:
label printer also connected to said computing means and arranged -.. 20 to print on a label machine readable information also identifying :;
'~ the value of the article, a replaceable printing plate member in .. . .
said first printer providing the commodity identification, means .:.
associated with said plate member providing a commodity identification code, and means for transmitting such commodity identification to said second printer for printing in coded form.

:., In a further aspect of the invention there is s provided a commodity weighing system for computing the value ;; :~
of each of a plurality of successively weighed articles of a commodity in accordance with predetermined price information :~

relating to the commodity and printing, on at least one label :~ to be attached to an article of the commodity being weighed, ~ human readable information identifying the commodity, the weight .. ~ 11 ~ 6 - ~
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~083715 and total value of the article, the price for a predetermined amount of said commodity, and machine readable coded information relating to the commodity and its total value; said system including: a weighing scale, a value computer, a first printer for printing human readable information, a second printer for :
printing machine readable information, means for supplying information relative to the price for a predetermined unit weight of said commodity to said computer and to said first printer, means for supplying identification information relative to said commodity in human readable form to said first printer and in machine readable form to said second printer, and means responsive . .
to a weighing operation of said scale for transmitting weight .~ information to said computer, said computer being operative upon receipt of said weight information to compute the total value of the article on said scale and to transmit: a) a weight information and total value information to said first printer along with a ; .
signal to print such information together with commodity identification and price, and b) total value information to said `
second printer along with a signal to print corresponding coded ; 20 information and coded commodity identification.
~ In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention there is provided label preparing apparatus for :
weighed commodity packages comprising: a weighing scale providing electrical weight signals responsive to commodity package weight;
means connected with said weighing scale for multiplying said , electrical weight signals by price per unit weight signals to ~- obtain total value signals; means for supplying commodity identity information to the apparatus; first printing means for printing, in human readable form, an indication of said total value signals and an indication of commodity identity according to said , commodity identifying information on a label; second pr.inting .. means for printing, in machine readable form, an indication of ,,...... I .
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said tota] value signals and an indication of commodity identity according to said commodity identifying information on a label.
Still further aspects of the invention are set out in the claims appended hereto and which form a part of this specification.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In The Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical system provided by the invention, set up for manual application of the printed labels to the packages;
Fig. 2 is a view illustrating a commodity identi-fication plate or key which contains commodity identification information both in human readable and coded form;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the first or ;~ human readable label printer showing the manner in which the key illustrated in Fig. 2 is interchanged;

Fig. 4 is an illustration of application of a human readable label to a package;

Fig. 5 is an illustration showing application of a machine readable label to the package;
Fig. 6 is an illustration of the two labels, in-cluding the UPC symbol printed by the second or machine readable label printer;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an automatic weighing and label printing-applicator system which may be -, used in conjunction with an automatic wrapping machine; and - 6b -~. :

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337~ 5 Docket 6056 Fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the system arrangement.
Descri~tion of the Preferred F.mbodirnent The various units of a typical system employing manual handling of packaged food articles are shown in a convenient grouping in Fig. l. A weighing scale 10 having a platform 12 provides a means for weighing articles such as ~; wrapped or packaged foods, a typical package 14 being shown -~
handled in Figs. 4 and 5. The scale includes a means for providing a coded output representing the weight of the ; articles, indicated at 13 in Fig. 8. Details of the scale and its weight encoding apparatus are per se known, and may be, by way of example, of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 3,557,353. ~
A human readable label or ticket printer 20 is associated with the system. It receives the weight and value information from a first computer 22, along with other `-information representing the price per unit weight ~e.g., price per pound) of the particular articles being weighed ~, 20 and labeled. This pricing information is supplied from manually operated apparatus 23 which may be incorporated in the printer and controlled by knobs 24, or by an equivalent keyboard.
, ~he label printer also includes a commodity key ; 25 receptacle which receives a commodity identification key 25 (see also Fig. 2). This key includes a commodity identifi-~, .

`~ cation printing plate 26 at one end, which is foremost in-`
serted into the receptacle, and also coded identification 28 ., , ' .

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37~L5 ~ocket 6056 of the commodity nearer its center. This coded information may be in the form of a pattern of holes or transparent regions in an otherwise opaque key body, or in any other suitable form. Details of the printer 20 and its use of a ~5 commoditv insert key are described in U. S. Patent No.
3,104,806 issued September 24, 1963, and detai~s of such a key with coded information are disclosed in Canadian appli-cation Serial No. 249,281 filea March 31, 1976. A quantity of keys 25 may conveniently be stored on top of printer 20 in a rack 29, such as described in U. S. Patent No. 3,238,001 - issued March 1, 1966.
As explained in detail in U. S. Patents Nos.
- 3,104,806 and 3,557,353, the scale 10, computer 22, and printer 20 cooperate to calculate the value of a particular ; 15 article of a commodity placed on scale platform 12. An appropriate commodity key 25 is previously inserted in the printer, and the price per unit weight for such commodity is entered via knobs 24. The printer, at the end of the value calculation, prints a human readable label 30 (Fig. 3 on which appears figures stating the weight, price per unit weight, and value of that particular article along with the .
name of the commodity. In many instances it is customary to :, :
use label stock which is pre-printed with the name of the store.

The label 30 has a suitable adhesive on its reverse ;: i side, and is delivered with this adhesive side uppermost into an applicator chute or holder 32, which may be of the type ~`j disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3,55S,8~8 issued January 19, ~. ,~ . . .

i 1971. The ejector mechanism that contains chute 32 incorporates -~
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'' a switch ~not shown) which is connected as part of an inter-lock control for the printers. }f the label is not removed from the ejector, the interlock control prevents a second ~ ~ .
,'"~ printing cycle. Fig. 4 illustrates an operator in the act ', 5 of applying a label 30 to a package. It should be noted that the operator holds the package top downj with one edge parallel to the printer housing; and due to the length of , ', ?:.
the chute, the label 30 is attached to the package at a .;. ~ .
i location which is spaced inward a predetermined distance .; .
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"" 10 from, and oriented to, that one edge of the package. ~' ,'', m e system also includes a second label printer 40 which is adapted to print a machine readable label (UPC code), ,,, 42 and to deliver such label onto a chute 44. The printer ,, mechanism may be of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No.

,,~, 15 3,866,8Sl issued February 18, 1975. The label,~elivery ;'~',;; mechanism 44 including the chute and associated intérlock t,;;
~,, switch (not shown) are essentially identical to the same apparatus as used in the printer 20, and details are disclosed ~,i,,~, in V. S. Patent No. 3,866,851 as previously noted. The `;'.!
~, 20 interlock switch of delivery mechanism 44 is also incorporated in the printer interlock control. ~hus, unless labels are ~.... .
~, removed from both of the delivery-mechanisms 32 and 44 after ~''.', ' .
~, a printing cycle, both printers ~ and 40 are inhibited.

, Details of the interlock control are co~ventional, hence ~,' 25 the interlock is shown schematically in Fig. 8.

The second printer40 incorporates within its ~,. housing a code conversion unit 46 and a second computer 47, ~, as indicated in Fig. 8. Coded weight information from the ~' scale, price per unit weight entered manually, and value as ~.`''' ' ' '~' .

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calculated by computer 22 are all handlèd on a per se known basis, as more fully explained in U. 5. Patent No. 3,557,353 However, in this system it is also necessary to convert the total value information into a form suitable for printing the total value in UPC symbol or code where, as shown in Fig. 6 it appears along with identification of the commodity in UPC
symbol. The code conversion unit also converts the commodity identification read and stored by the commodity key reader 48.
That reader incorporates the key receptacle which is located in the side of printer 20. The reader functions as described in said Canadian application Serial No. 249,281 filed March 31, 1976.
The label 42 thus presents in UPC code the commodity identification and the total value of the item to which the label is attached. In addition, this label includes a notation known as the number system designator, which identifies the . ~i number system used on that label. For random weight items J! in UPC, the designator is 2, and this distinguishes the entire ... .
code from other UPC codes. The final notation on label 42 is -.. . . .
~' 20 a check character; a number having a predetermined mathematical relation to the other numbers on the label. The manner in ; ~ .. .
i'~r'~ which the check character is derived and used is explained in !~ the publication Approaches to UPC Implementation. Basically the check character allows determining whether the coded information has been properly read by a scanner, as at a check out stat1on.

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The second computer functions to calculate the check character from the total value and commodity identifi-~ , .
cation codes, and to enter the check character vla the code conversion unit 46. Thus, generation of the check character S is a part of each weighing, calculating, printing and label application cycle. -~
` Following through one complete operation, with reference to Fig. 8 which is a system block diagram, the operator performs the preliminary step of selecting and inserting the appropriate key 25. This locates the printing ~, plate portion 26 withln printer 20, and during the insertion ;l step the key reader 48 enters the commodity identification ~j code into the second computer 47. ~he operator enters the ~.. ,.; :
price per unit weight by turning knobs 24.
~ ~ The operator then places an article of the commodity on scale platform 12. If the article lS placed within a container such as a paperboard boat, its weight is first subtracted as tare weight in the usual manner. When the scale platter comes to rest, computer 22 multiplies the weight code information then available by the price per unit ~ weight to obtain total value. This value information is sent ;~,;, to printer 20 and to computer 47. Printer 20 prints a label 30 which is ejected into application position in chute 32.
This label has the commodity identification printed on it from plate 26j the weight of the article in appropriatemeasure of we.ight, the price per unit ~f such weight measure, . .
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Docket 6056 . , and the total value of the article in appropriate currency.
The adhesive side of label 30 faces outward toward the ; operator.
Computer 47 calculates the check character, and the code conversion unit 46 converts the total value and commodity identification into UPC code, adds on the check character and supplies this information to printer 40. A
label 42 is printed and ejected, adhesive side up, down chute 44. ~
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The operator removes the packaged-article from the scale platter and places a next article on the plàtter.
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~ The operator then orients the top of the package over with .. . . . . .
chute 32, preferably aligning one edge of the package alonq ^~

the front of the printer housing, then presses the package .~. . ~ .
lS against label 30. By reason of the length of the chute, label 30 is adhered to the package at a predetermined dis-tance from the one edge. Pressin~ the package against the chute 32 actuates the reset switch of that label delivery s' mechanism and removes one of the inhibitors in the interlock ,20 control.
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Next the operator inverts the package, top for bottom and aligns- the same one edge adjacent the housing ;~
; of printer 40 over its delivery chute 44, and presses the ~ package against label 42. This actuates the reset switch of ;~25 the second label delivery and removes its inhibition in the interlock control. Since chute 44 is essentially identical ~` to chute 32, the label 42 is applied to the bottom of the package at the same distance from the onededge of the package.
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~01~3715 ., ocket 6056 With the two labels removed from the chutes, the interlock is cleared and the weight of the next package will be read and a new read, compute and print cycle will begin.
When the machine readable label 42 is scanned at a later time, for example in passing through a check out station, the ~- location of the human readable label 30 on top of the package ~' serves as a guide to the clerk for aligning the label 42, invisible to him and passing it over the scanner window or .~ slot.
Fig. 7 illustrates an automated form of the inven-tion. The scale lOa has its platform arranged as part of a ~; .
conveyor system 55 and the first label printer 20a is mounted downstream of the scale. Th~e label delivery chute 32a is connected to a conveyor 57 for the human readable labels, ~,15 which delivers them to a label applicator mechanism 58.
The printer 20a is of the same construction as printer 20, ,. . .
and includes the commodity key reader. The second printer , 40a is located farther downstream in the package conveyor ;l system and is arranged to present the machine readable .,':i . .. .
~ 20 labels to an applicator (not shown) which applies these .,j :
, labels to the underside of the packages.
Details of the conveying system 55 and the label applicators do not form a part of this inv~ntion, but are ~, ( .
disclosed in Canadian application Serial No. 249,552 1 -file~ April 5, 1976 and issued patents identified therein.

~ The system diagram, Fig. 8, applies to the automated '!:' form of the invention, however, with the exception that label presence detectors in the s chanical applicators are utilized :

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` for interlock control signals rather than interlock switches in the label delivery chutes.
In the form of the invention illustrated, two separate labels have been described as being printed and applied to different parts of each package. Obviously, the .; independent printer 20 and 40 can be so physically associated in relation to a single label feeder as to provide simultaneous , .
or sequential printing in different locati.ons on the same label . of both the human readable and machine readable information.
While the form of apparatus herein described con-stitutes a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this . precise form of apparatus and that chang~smay be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclus-ive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A system for weighing and labeling random weight articles of different commodities with both human readable and machine readable labels, said system including a weighing scale having means providing a coded output representing the weight of an article on the scale, means for generating a coded output representing price per unit weight of a commodity, computing means having inputs from said weight.
code means and said price per unit weight code means and an output on which the value of each article is represented as the product of said inputs, a first label printer connected to said computing means and arranged to print on a label human readable information identifying the commodity and at least the value of the article, a second label printer also connected to said computing means and arranged to print on a label machine readable information also identifying the value of the article, a replaceable printing plate member in said first printer providing the commodity identification, means associated with said plate member providing a commodity identification code, and means for transmitting such commodity identifi-cation to said second printer for printing in coded form.

A system as defined in claim 1 including code converting means connected between said computer and said second printer to convert value information supplied to said second printer into a machine readable code pattern.

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said commodity identification code is on said printing plate member, and reading means associated with said first printer for reading such commodity code from said plate member.

A system as defined in claim 3 including code conversion means receiving information from said reading means and converting such information into machine readable code supplied to said second printer.

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said printers prints a separate label and each said printer includes a delivery mechanism for presenting a label for attachment to the article to which it pertains, and interlock means inhibiting a further complete operation of the system until the related labels have been removed from both delivery mechanisms.

A system as defined in claim 1 including a second computer receiving said value and said commodity identification and operable to produce a unique check character therefrom and to supply such check character to said second printer.

A commodity weighing system for computing the value of each of a plurality of successively weighed articles of a commodity in accordance with predetermined price information relating to the commodity and printing, on at least one label to be attached to an article of the commodity being weighed, human readable information identifying the commodity, the weight and total value of the article, the price for a pre-determined amount of said commodity, and machine readable coded information relating to the commodity and its total value;
said system including a weighing scale, a value computer, a first printer for printing human readable information, a second printer for printing machine readable information, means for supplying information relative to the price for a predetermined unit weight of said commodity to said computer and to said first printer, means for supplying identification information relative to said commodity in human readable form to said first printer and in machine readable form to said second printer, and means reponsive to a weighing operation of said scale for transmitting weight information to said computer, said computer being operative upon receipt of said weight information to compute the total value of the article on said scale and to transmit:
a) weight information and total value information to said first printer along with a signal to print such in-formation together with commodity identification and price, and b) total value information to said second printer along with a signal to print corresponding coded information and coded commodity identification.

A commodity weighing system for providing both human readable and machine readable data on labels for attach-ment to random weight articles of various commodities, comprising a scale for measuring weight of an article;
a first printer for printing human readable labels;
means for providing data relating to price for a unit weight of said commodity;
a first computer operably connected to said scale and said price providing means for receiving signals relative to weight and price per unit weight of a unique commodity and for computing the total value of the article of that commodity being weighed;
means at said first printer for printing human readable indicia on a label;
said indicia including a) weight information received from said first computer, b) price for a predetermined unit weight of the commodity being weighed received from said price providing means, c) total value information received from said first computer, and d) commodity information relative to the type of article being weighed;
a second printer for printing coded information in machine readable form on labels;
a second computer operably connected to said first computer to receive computed total value information relative to the article from the first computer;

-8 (Cont'd.)-means for providing said second computer with commodity information relative to the article being weighed;
said second computer being operable to calculate check data from said commodity information and the total value information received from said first computer for subsequent machine reading to determine the accuracy of the information contained on the label as read by machine; and means at said second printer for printing coded machine readable information on a label, including e) commodity information relative to the type of article being weighed, f) total value information received from said second computer, and g) check data received from said second computer.

Label preparing apparatus for weighed commodity packages comprising:
a weighing scale providing electrical weight signals responsive to commodity package weight:
means connected with said weighing scale for multiplying said electrical weight signals by price per unit weight signals to obtain total value signals;
means for supplying commodity identity information to the apparatus;
first printing means for printing, in human readable form, an indication of said total value signals and an indica-tion of commodity identity according to said commodity identifying information on a label;
second printing means for printing, in machine read-able form, an indication of said total value signals and an indication of commodity identity according to said commodity identifying information on a label.

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for supplying commodity identity information includes indicia means carrying commodity identity information in both human readable and in coded form.