EP0834854A2 - Verfahren zum Anzeigen einer Produktinformation-Nachricht auf einem elektronischen Preisschild - Google Patents

Verfahren zum Anzeigen einer Produktinformation-Nachricht auf einem elektronischen Preisschild Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0834854A2
EP0834854A2 EP97306256A EP97306256A EP0834854A2 EP 0834854 A2 EP0834854 A2 EP 0834854A2 EP 97306256 A EP97306256 A EP 97306256A EP 97306256 A EP97306256 A EP 97306256A EP 0834854 A2 EP0834854 A2 EP 0834854A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product information
epl
product
message
information message
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97306256A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0834854A3 (de
Inventor
John Coker Goodwin, Iii
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NCR International Inc
Original Assignee
NCR International Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/726,596 external-priority patent/US5907143A/en
Priority claimed from US08/726,594 external-priority patent/US5854475A/en
Priority claimed from US08/726,595 external-priority patent/US5854476A/en
Application filed by NCR International Inc filed Critical NCR International Inc
Publication of EP0834854A2 publication Critical patent/EP0834854A2/de
Publication of EP0834854A3 publication Critical patent/EP0834854A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F9/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electronic price labels, and in particular, to a method of displaying a product information message by an electronic price label (EPL).
  • EPL electronic price label
  • EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs, each associated with a particular product on display in large retail establishments such as supermarkets or department stores.
  • the EPLs are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of a shelf on which items of the associated product are stored and display the price of the product item.
  • thousands of individual EPLs may be used in order to display the prices of all products which are available for purchase within the store.
  • Each EPL within a retail establishment is typically coupled to a central EPL computer in which information relating to the EPL is stored in memory in an EPL data file.
  • Price information displayed by the EPL is stored in memory in a price look-up (PLU) file.
  • PLU price look-up
  • a method of displaying a product information message by an electronic price label (EPL) of a retail system characterized by the steps of:
  • a retail system comprising a electronic price label (EPL) associated with a merchandise product, characterized by
  • the retail system 10 shown therein comprises an electronic price label computer 12 which is associated with a memory unit 24 and which comminicates with a plurality of electronic price labels 14 (EPLs), only one of which represented in Figure 1.
  • the retail system 10 further comprises a transaction server 32 which is associated with an input device 30 and a memory unit 34.
  • the transaction server 32 communicates with the EPL computer 12.
  • Each EPL 14 includes a control circuit 16, a memory unit 20 and a display unit 22.
  • the control circuit 16 controls the internal operation of the EPL 14 and receives commands from and transmits response commands to the EPL computer 12.
  • the control circuit 16 also controls the operation of the display unit 22 to display price and additional product information.
  • the memory unit 20 stores product information and other data necessary for the operation of the EPL 14.
  • the display unit 22 is preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD) and displays the price of the product with which the EPL 14 is associated and other product information.
  • LCD liquid crystal display
  • the EPL computer 12 records, schedules and transmits all commands including price change commands and diagnostic commands to the EPL 14, and analyses status commands from the EPL 14.
  • Communication between the EPL computer 12 and the individual EPLs 14 may be by remote communication such as radio or infrared communication, by cable or by a combination of both.
  • the memory unit 24 of the EPL computer 12 includes an EPL basic data file 26 and an EPL additional data file 28.
  • the EPL basic data file 26 contains records for all the EPLs of the retail system 10 in which general product information, identification data, product price verifier data and status data for the product with which the EPL is associated, is stored.
  • the EPL additional data file 28 stores product information messages 38 and associated product information indicators 39 which uniquely identify each product information message 38.
  • the product information messages 38 may be related to a product promotion, a product restriction or a product which is eligible under a government subsistence program, and may include text and or special graphic images.
  • Promotional messages identify products which are for sale at a reduced price or which are subject to other special offers, e.g three items for the price of two.
  • Product restriction messages identify products such as alcohol, cigarettes, solvents etc, the sale of which is restricted by law. Such laws may require that the product may not be sold at certain times or to customers under a certain age, or that identification be presented to the cashier on purchase of the product.
  • Government program messages identify products eligible for sale under special government programs, such as a food stamp program or infant children program.
  • the product information messages 38 and product information indicators 39 are stored in table form in the EPL additional data file 28. Examples of such tables and the product information messages 38 stored therein, are shown below; Table 1 illustrates a product promotion data file, Table 2 illustrates a product restriction data file and Table 3 illustrates a government program data file, respectively.
  • Indicator Promotional Information Message 00 (No information) 01 (ICON) 02 BUY ONE/GET TWO (FLASHING) 03 LOW PRICE 04 Both 01 and 03 information displayed simultaneously)
  • Indicator Product Restriction Information Message 00 (No information) 01 ID REQUIRED 02 NO SALE BETWEEN 15.00pm and 18.00pm 03 NO SALE TO PERSONS UNDER 18 04 (Both 01 and 03 information displayed simultaneously)
  • Indicator Government Program Information Message 00 (No information) 01 FOOD STAMPS MAY BE USED FOR PURCHASE 02 INFANT CHILDREM PROGRAM 03 (Both 01 and 02 information displayed simultaneously)
  • the transaction server 32 is a host computer and communicates with a plurality of individual transaction terminals (not shown in Figure 1) within the retail system.
  • the primary function of the transaction server 32 is to communicate price information and product information to the transaction terminals from a price look up file (PLU) 36 stored in the memory unit 34 of the transaction server 32.
  • PLU price look up file
  • the PLU file 36 also contains product information indicators 39 for preselected products. These product information indicators 39 may be manually input to the PLU file 36 by an operator via the input device 30.
  • the input device 30 may be a keypad or any other suitable input device.
  • FIG 2 an EPL 14 is shown in more detail.
  • a product restriction information message 38 informing customers that identification must be presented to the cashier in order to purchase this product, is being displayed in the display unit 22 of the EPL 14.
  • This product restriction information message 38 is associated with product information indicator "01" in the EPL additional product data file 28 (Table 2).
  • a promotional information message 38 informing customers that the product is for sale at a reduced price is being displayed in the display unit 22 of the EPL 14.
  • This promotional information message 38 is associated with the product information indicator "03" in the EPL additional product data file 28 (Table 1).
  • step 40 all EPL product information messages 38 are stored in the additional product data file 28 in the memory unit 24 of the EPL computer 12.
  • step 44 an operator enters a product information indicator 39 for a particular product in the store for which a product information message is to be displayed, via the input device 30 of the transaction server 32.
  • new price information for the product may also be entered during this step.
  • this product information indicator 39 and any new price information is processed by the transaction server 32 and is stored in the record associated with that product in the PLU file 36 of the memory unit 34.
  • the PLU file 36 is read by the EPL computer 12 in step 48, and the product information indicator 39 and any new price information is retrieved therefrom.
  • This product information indicator 39 and any new price information is stored in the record of the EPL 14 associated with that product in the EPL basic data file 26 of the memory unit 24 of the EPL computer 12.
  • the EPL basic data file 26 is periodically read by the EPL computer 12, in order to retrieve any product information indicators 39 which have been entered therein.
  • EPL computer 12 creates a control message addressed to the EPL 14 associated with the product, by reading the product information indicator 39 in EPL basic data file 26 and retrieving a product information message 38 corresponding to that product information indicator 39 from EPL additional product data file 28.
  • step 54 the product information message 38 is transmitted by the EPL computer 12 to the control circuit 16 of the addressed EPL 14 (i.e, to the control circuit 16 of the EPL 14 associated with the particular product for which the product information message is to be displayed).
  • step 56 the product information message 38 is received by the control circuit 16 of the EPL 14 and an acknowledgement signal is transmitted to the EPL computer 12.
  • step 58 the product information message 38 in stored in the memory unit 20 of the EPL 14, and in step 60, the control circuit 16 controls the display unit 22 of the EPL 14 to display the product information message 38 associated with the product information indicator.
  • the product information message 38 may be displayed as a permanent message (i.e not flashing), or as a flashing message and may be displayed integrally with or separately from the price information normally displayed by the EPL 14.
  • step 62 the method ends.
  • the method of the present invention is advantageous in that it is no longer necessary to print or mark special tags, labels, banners or other notices with the relevant product information and to install the paper tags, labels etc, on or in close proximity to a particular product, in order to convey special product information to a customer. Hence, considerable savings in time and costs are achieved.
  • EPL computer 12 and the transaction server 32 and their associated memory units and input devices may be a single computer which functions to control both all the EPLs and the transactions terminals in the retail establishment.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
EP97306256A 1996-10-07 1997-08-18 Verfahren zum Anzeigen einer Produktinformation-Nachricht auf einem elektronischen Preisschild Withdrawn EP0834854A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/726,596 US5907143A (en) 1996-10-07 1996-10-07 Method of displaying a promotional message by an electronic price label
US08/726,594 US5854475A (en) 1996-10-07 1996-10-07 Method of displaying a government program message by an electronic price label
US726594 1996-10-07
US726596 1996-10-07
US726595 1996-10-07
US08/726,595 US5854476A (en) 1996-10-07 1996-10-07 Method of displaying a product restriction message by an electronic price label

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0834854A2 true EP0834854A2 (de) 1998-04-08
EP0834854A3 EP0834854A3 (de) 2000-10-25

Family

ID=27419090

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97306256A Withdrawn EP0834854A3 (de) 1996-10-07 1997-08-18 Verfahren zum Anzeigen einer Produktinformation-Nachricht auf einem elektronischen Preisschild

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0834854A3 (de)
JP (1) JPH10232613A (de)
AU (1) AU721810B2 (de)
NZ (1) NZ328582A (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2778775A1 (fr) * 1998-05-18 1999-11-19 Alain Jean Charles Couly Etiquette electronique de prix variables
EP0984377A2 (de) * 1998-08-31 2000-03-08 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Verwalten der Prioritäten von angezeigten Nachrichten in einem System von elektronischen Preisschildern
EP0992925A2 (de) * 1998-10-07 2000-04-12 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Übertragen von Nachrichten an eine Gruppe von elektronischen Preisschildern
EP1030283A2 (de) * 1999-02-17 2000-08-23 Ncr International Inc. Flüssigkristallanzeigevorrichtung mit verbesserter Zeichensichtbarkeit
EP1039405A2 (de) * 1999-03-23 2000-09-27 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren für die Ausgabe von Informationen auf einem elektronischen Preisschild
EP0984378A3 (de) * 1998-09-01 2003-11-19 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Anzeigen von Informationen über Artikel mit zufälligem Gewicht mit Hilfe von elektronischen Preisschildern
US6662165B1 (en) * 1998-09-01 2003-12-09 Ncr Corporation Electronic price label system promotional information verifier

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3967054B2 (ja) 1999-12-07 2007-08-29 東芝テック株式会社 商品販売登録システム

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2164777A (en) * 1984-09-19 1986-03-26 Telepane Inc Improvements in or relating to alphanumeric display modules
US4962466A (en) * 1987-03-27 1990-10-09 Viscom Systems, Inc. Electronic product information display system
EP0604382A2 (de) * 1992-12-22 1994-06-29 Electronic Retailing Systems International, Inc. Verfahren zur Kommunikation mit elektronischen Etiketten in einem elektronischen Preisanzeigesystem

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4924363A (en) * 1989-02-15 1990-05-08 Dapopp Products Ltd. Attention-attracting device for use beneath a display shelf
US5172314A (en) * 1991-05-03 1992-12-15 Electronic Retailing Systems International Apparatus for communicating price changes including printer and display devices
US5448226A (en) * 1994-02-24 1995-09-05 Electronic Retailing Systems International, Inc. Shelf talker management system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2164777A (en) * 1984-09-19 1986-03-26 Telepane Inc Improvements in or relating to alphanumeric display modules
US4962466A (en) * 1987-03-27 1990-10-09 Viscom Systems, Inc. Electronic product information display system
EP0604382A2 (de) * 1992-12-22 1994-06-29 Electronic Retailing Systems International, Inc. Verfahren zur Kommunikation mit elektronischen Etiketten in einem elektronischen Preisanzeigesystem

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2778775A1 (fr) * 1998-05-18 1999-11-19 Alain Jean Charles Couly Etiquette electronique de prix variables
EP0984377A3 (de) * 1998-08-31 2003-12-10 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Verwalten der Prioritäten von angezeigten Nachrichten in einem System von elektronischen Preisschildern
EP0984377A2 (de) * 1998-08-31 2000-03-08 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Verwalten der Prioritäten von angezeigten Nachrichten in einem System von elektronischen Preisschildern
US6764002B1 (en) 1998-09-01 2004-07-20 Ncr Corporation System and method of displaying random weight item information by electronic price labels
EP0984378A3 (de) * 1998-09-01 2003-11-19 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Anzeigen von Informationen über Artikel mit zufälligem Gewicht mit Hilfe von elektronischen Preisschildern
US6662165B1 (en) * 1998-09-01 2003-12-09 Ncr Corporation Electronic price label system promotional information verifier
EP0992925A3 (de) * 1998-10-07 2002-12-18 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Übertragen von Nachrichten an eine Gruppe von elektronischen Preisschildern
EP0992925A2 (de) * 1998-10-07 2000-04-12 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren zum Übertragen von Nachrichten an eine Gruppe von elektronischen Preisschildern
US6816840B1 (en) 1998-10-07 2004-11-09 Ncr Corporation System and method of sending messages to a group of electronic price labels
EP1030283A3 (de) * 1999-02-17 2001-01-17 Ncr International Inc. Flüssigkristallanzeigevorrichtung mit verbesserter Zeichensichtbarkeit
US6317184B1 (en) 1999-02-17 2001-11-13 Ncr Corporation Liquid crystal display with enhanced character visibility
EP1030283A2 (de) * 1999-02-17 2000-08-23 Ncr International Inc. Flüssigkristallanzeigevorrichtung mit verbesserter Zeichensichtbarkeit
EP1039405A2 (de) * 1999-03-23 2000-09-27 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren für die Ausgabe von Informationen auf einem elektronischen Preisschild
EP1039405A3 (de) * 1999-03-23 2004-01-07 Ncr International Inc. System und Verfahren für die Ausgabe von Informationen auf einem elektronischen Preisschild
US8504429B2 (en) 1999-03-23 2013-08-06 Ncr Corporation System and method of displaying information by an electronic price label
US8504430B2 (en) 1999-03-23 2013-08-06 Ncr Corporation System and method of displaying information by an electronic price label

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10232613A (ja) 1998-09-02
AU721810B2 (en) 2000-07-13
NZ328582A (en) 1998-11-25
EP0834854A3 (de) 2000-10-25
AU3604197A (en) 1998-04-09

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