GB2369918A

GB2369918A - Electronic price label networks

Info

Publication number: GB2369918A
Application number: GB0029946A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Williamson
Original assignee: NCR International Inc
Current assignee: NCR International Inc
Priority date: 2000-12-08
Filing date: 2000-12-08
Publication date: 2002-06-12
Also published as: GB0029946D0

Abstract

An Electronic Price Label (EPL) network 10 includes: a plurality of EPLs 12; a central server including a price look-up file 14; and a data warehouse 16. The data warehouse is in communication with the price look-up file 20. The data warehouse is adapted to receive a range of pertinent information 26,30 and is arranged to determine sales prices for individual items based on the said information. The network is arranged 18 to transmit said prices to the EPLs on a periodic basis, so as to update the EPLs.

Description

AN ELECTRONIC PRICE LABEL NETWORK

Field of the invention This invention relates to an (Electronic Price Label) EPL network and in particular to a method of and an apparatus for automatically updating EPLs within the network.

Description of the prior art EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the prices of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.

EPLs may also display additional information, such as promotional information. The additional information may also include employee-directed information to assist in managing the transaction establishment, such as inventory information, sales dollars, on-order quantities, sales quantities (e. g. , daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, last year, this day). As the amount of additional information increases and the frequency of change of displayed information increases, the complexity of EPL management increases.

An EPL system which includes a method of displaying updated information on the EPLs is disclosed in the applicant's corresponding European application EP 1 039 405 A2.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a useful method of automatically determining appropriate produce prices and automatically updating EPLs within an EPL network.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a useful apparatus for automatically determining appropriate produce prices and automatically updating EPLs within an EPL network.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an EPL network that can be easily updated to take notice of sales patterns and other pertinent information regarding the sales of individual items.

Summary of the invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an Electronic Price Label (EPL) network including: a plurality of EPLs ; a central server including a price look-up file ; a data warehouse, the data warehouse being in communication with the price look-up file, the warehouse being adapted to receive a range of pertinent information and being arranged to determine sales prices for individual items based on the said information, the network being arranged to transmit said prices to the EPLs on a periodic basis, so as to update the EPLs automatically.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of updating an Electronic Price Label (EPL) network including: a plurality of EPLs ; a central server including a price look-up file; and a data warehouse, the data warehouse being in communication with the price look-up file the method including the steps of: the warehouse receiving a range of pertinent information; determining sales prices for individual items based on said information; and said prices being transmitted to the EPLs on a periodic basis, so as to update the EPLs automatically Preferably, the server contains an EPL price change record file.

Preferably, the warehouse updates the price look-up file.

Preferably, the server contains an EPL data file, which contains information regarding the EPLs in the network.

Preferably, the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the sales of individual items.

Preferably, the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the numbers of an individual produce item in stock at a given time.

Preferably, the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the shelf life of individual produce items in stock at a given time Preferably, the prices determined by the warehouse are optimum sales prices.

Preferably, the warehouse utilises relationship management technology to determine the optimum sales prices.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a data warehouse for use in a network as described herein.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer program for updating the EPLs within an EPL network and utilising a method as described herein.

Brief description of the drawings An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a network in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an EPL of the network of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the invention The embodiment disclosed herein represents the best way of putting the invention into practice that is known

to the applicant, although other embodiments may be possible.

The term"data warehouse"is used to refer to a storage means that is able to store data in such a manner that it is easily and quickly available in real time.

The term"object relational data warehouse"is used to refer to a storage means that is able to store complex data including images or sound recordings as well as complex and related product information in such a manner that it is easily and quickly available in real time.

Actions or processes which are initiated and completed substantially instantaneously, after the occurrence of one or more trigger events are said to be completed in"real time" In the present invention, either a data warehouse or an object relational data warehouse is used to store information about produce units and their purchase and sale. A warehouse such as the"Teradata"warehouse as

sold by NCR Corporation of Dayton Ohio is envisaged for use in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to Figure 1 there is illustrated an EPL network 10 in accordance with the present invention.

The network 10 includes a plurality of EPLs 12, a central server 14 and a data warehouse 16.

The server 14 includes an EPL control system 18, a look up table 20, an EPL data file 22 and a price change record file 24.

The data warehouse 16 includes means for storage and collation of sales information 26; obtained from a Point of Sales (POS) network 28, as well as purchase and stock information 30, on a range of produce.

The warehouse 16 is adapted to review the information available to it regarding sales patterns for each produce item with an associated EPL. The warehouse first determines if the produce items are selling as expected, when the initial item price was determined. This along

with produce shelf life and other pertinent information pre-programmed into the warehouse is taken into consideration. The warehouse then determines an appropriate or optimum produce item price to sell the items prior to the end of their shelf life. For example, if a store or a range of stores is selling red apples at a particular price and the number of red apples sold in a predetermined time is less than expected the warehouse can be triggered to review the price of red apples. If the shelf life is two weeks the system may determine that the present price should not be discounted. If however, the shelf life is only two days then the warehouse may determine that discounting is required in order to sale the red apples before they pass their sell by date. The warehouse 16 then informs the server 14 and the EPL control system 18 updates the item price automatically.

If in the same time, for example, the store is also selling green apples and they are selling better than expected the system may increase the per item price, perhaps only for a short period of time. Again as the items approach their sell by date the price may be again reduced.

At predetermined time intervals, for example, every day or every four hours or as determined by a store manager the warehouse can run to determine appropriate current prices for items, which can then result in EPL updating as discussed above.

However, other options are also available. For example, analysis of an appropriate pricing structure may be triggered by the sales of particular produce items moving outside of a predetermined range i. e. exceeding or failing predetermined expectations. In this way underselling items may be reduced in price an items that sell well may be increased in price, automatically.

The look up table 20 is always updated in unison with the updating of the EPLs 12 so that the price a user is charged at the POS terminal 28 agrees with the price advertised by the EPLs 12.

The EPLs 12, as illustrated in Figure 2 are standard EPLs as sold by NCR Corporation of Dayton Ohio. Each EPL has an electronic display 32 and may also include an additional non-electronic display area 34.

Modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An Electronic Price Label (EPL) network including : a plurality of EPLs ; a central server including a price look-up file; a data warehouse, the data warehouse being in communication with the price look-up file, the warehouse being adapted to receive a range of pertinent information and being arranged to determine sales prices for individual items based on the said information, the network being arranged to transmit said prices to the EPLs on a periodic basis, so as to update the EPLs.

2. A network as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server contains an EPL price change record file.

3. A network as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the warehouse updates the price look-up file.

4. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the server contains an EPL data file, which contains information regarding the EPLs in the network.

5. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the sales of individual items.

6. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the numbers of an individual produce item in stock at a given time.

7. A network as claimed in any claim 6, wherein the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the shelf life of individual produce items in stock at a given time

8. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the prices determined by the warehouse are optimum sales prices.

9. A network as claimed in claim 8, wherein the warehouse utilises relationship management technology to determine the optimum sales prices.

10. A method of updating an Electronic Price Label (EPL) network including : a plurality of EPLs ; a central server including a price look-up file; and a data warehouse, the data warehouse being in communication with the price look-up file the method including the steps of: the warehouse receiving a range of pertinent information; determining sales prices for individual items based on said information; and said prices being transmitted to the EPLs on a periodic basis, so as to update the EPLs.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the sales of individual items.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the information received by the data warehouse includes information on the numbers of an individual produce item in stock at a given time.

13. A network as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the information received by the data warehouse

includes information on the shelf life of individual produce items in stock at a given time

14. A method as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the prices determined by the warehouse are optimum sales prices.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the warehouse utilises relationship management technology to determine the optimum sales prices.

16. A data warehouse for use in a network as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9.

17. A computer program for updating the EPLs within an EPL network as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, utilising a method as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15.