JPH0777940A - Electronic type price tag display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide information effective for sales promotion in addition to merchandise names and unit prices and to execute the processing meeting customers' needs or desires, etc. CONSTITUTION:An electronic tag device 1 displays the merchandise names and unit prices and, in addition, displays various kinds of messages and data. The electronic tag device 1 transmits dissatisfaction data together with a tag identification No. to a controller 2 and switches a message display to other message data in response with the operation of a sold-out dissatisfaction key K when the sold-out dissatisfaction key K disposed in the electronic tag device 1 is operated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic price tag display device for displaying a product name and a unit price.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an electronic price tag display device called a so-called electronic tag has been known, which displays the product name and unit price of each product displayed on a product shelf in a large store or the like. This electronic price tag display device is centrally managed by, for example, a POS (Point of Sales) system, and when the unit price is changed, a new unit price is set in the changed electronic price tag display device. Then, the display contents are switched.

[0003]

However, the electronic price tag display device of this kind merely displays the product name and unit price unilaterally from the store side, and the amount of information to be provided to the customer is small. The reality is that the price tag display device has not been fully utilized. An object of the present invention is to provide not only a product name and a unit price but also information effective for sales promotion, and to be able to execute a process according to a customer's intention or request.

[0004]

The means of the present invention are as follows. (1) The display means displays message data, and is, for example, a character display device for displaying special sale information and the like. (2) The input means is a key input device or the like for a customer. For example, when a product is out of stock, a key for declaring that the customer is dissatisfied with the shop or when a customer wants to receive an explanation of the product, a clerk is called. Keys for etc. (3) The input processing means executes a predetermined process in accordance with the input operation by the input means. For example, the message data displayed on the display means is switched and displayed, or the input operation by the input means is performed. Operate to transmit data to other electronic devices.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. Normally, in addition to the product name and unit price, message data is displayed.In this state, the customer operates a predetermined key to declare that he or she is dissatisfied with the store when the product is out, and explains the product. If it is assumed that the key for calling the clerk is operated when he / she wants to receive it, the input processing corresponding to it is performed. Therefore, in addition to the product name and unit price, it is possible to provide effective information for sales promotion, and it is possible to execute processing according to the customer's intention or request.

[0006]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a local area network system (shelf price tag system). This shelf price tag system includes an electronic tag device 1, a controller 2, and a P.
It is configured to have an OS terminal 3 and an ordering terminal device 4. The electronic tag device 1 is attached to the shelf position corresponding to the type of product displayed on the product shelf,
In addition to the product name and unit price transmitted from the controller 2,
Display various message data. Further, the electronic tag device 1 is provided with a sold-out dissatisfaction key K. When the sold-out dissatisfaction key K is sold out and no product remains on the shelf position, the customer wants the dissatisfied product. Is the key to declare. The controller 2 supplies power to the electronic tag device 1, sets the product name, unit price, and various message data in the electronic tag device 1, and further, every time the out-of-stock complaint key K is operated on the electronic tag device 1 side. The number of operations is counted and the count value is stored and held together with the tag identification number. POS terminal 3
Is an electronic cash register, which performs sales data registration processing and the like. The POS terminal 3 transmits the product name, unit price, and various message data to be set in the electronic tag device 1 to the controller 2. The ordering terminal device 4 has a key input unit for inputting registration data and the like for each product and a display unit for displaying a list of the ordering data, and when the ordering list is displayed, each product stored in the controller 2 is out of stock. The number of times of operation of the dissatisfaction key K (the number of dissatisfactions) is transmitted from the controller 2, and the number of dissatisfactions is displayed and output corresponding to the corresponding product in the order list.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the electronic tag device 1. A display unit 1 divided into two stages is provided on the front surface of the device body 1-1.
2, 1-3 are provided, and the upper display unit 1-2 switches and displays various message data at regular intervals,
The lower display unit 1-3 is a character display device that fixedly displays the product name and unit price. In addition to the out-of-stock key K on the front of the device body 1-1,
An indicator 1-4 is provided, and the indicator 1-4 is a display that lights up only while the out-of-stock key K is pressed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic tag device 1. The CPU 1-5 controls the overall operation of the electronic tag device 1 according to various programs, and takes in the product name, unit price, and various message data transmitted from the controller 2 via the transmission control unit 1-6. Is set in the memory 1-7, or the display is output from the display units 1-2 and 1-3. When the out-of-stock key K is operated, the CPU 1-5 gives the dissatisfaction data together with its own tag identification number to the transmission controller 1-6 and transmits it to the controller 2.

The memory 1-7 stores a product name, a unit price, message data such as a plurality of product information, out-of-stock information, arrival date information, dissatisfaction information, confirmation information and the like, and also stores self-specific tag identification data. It is composed. here,
FIG. 4 shows a concrete example of various message data. As a plurality of product information, “** new sale **”, “3 for 200
"Circle", "Out of stock now" as out-of-stock information, "I will receive it in two days" as arrival date information, "Please key operation if you are dissatisfied" as dissatisfaction information, "I knew" as confirmation information Is. In addition, multiple items of product information are switched and displayed at regular intervals, and when a product is out of stock,
Out-of-stock information, arrival date information, and dissatisfaction information are switched and displayed at regular intervals. At this time, when the out-of-stock key K is operated, confirmation information is displayed for a certain period of time.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the controller 2. The CPU 2-1 controls the overall operation of the controller 2 according to various programs.
The U2-1 includes a tag transmission control unit 2-2 that controls data transmission with the electronic tag device 1, and a POS transmission control unit 2-3 that controls data transmission with the POS terminal 3.
An order transmission control unit 2-4 that controls data transmission with the order terminal device 4 is connected. Also, CPU2-1
Counts the number of dissatisfactions for each tag identification No. based on the dissatisfaction data transmitted from the electronic tag device 1 via the tag transmission controller 2-2, and associates the count value with the tag identification No. Store at -5. In addition, the memory 2-5
The product name, unit price, product information, etc. transmitted from the POS terminal 3 are stored in advance in the CPU 2-1.
Transmits these pieces of information to each electronic tag device 1 as setting data.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller 2, which starts the operation when the power is turned on. First,
Power is supplied to each electronic tag device 1 to automatically power on each electronic tag device 1 (step A1). After that, the unit price and the product name are read from the memory 2-5 for each electronic tag device 1 and transmitted to each electronic tag device 1 via the tag transmission control unit 2-2 (step A2). Next, memory 2
Each item information is read from -5 and the tag transmission control unit 2-2
To each electronic tag device 1 via the (step A
3). Furthermore, the out-of-stock information and the arrival date information stored in the memory 2-5 are read out only for the specific product that is out of stock, and the electronic tag device 1 corresponding to the specific product is read via the tag transmission control unit 2-2. It is transmitted (step A4).

When the transmission process to the electronic tag device 1 is completed in this way, whether the dissatisfaction data is transmitted from the electronic tag device 1 (step A5), or the data to be set in the electronic tag device 1 in step A6. While monitoring whether or not there is a change request from the POS terminal 3, the system waits until there is dissatisfaction data or a data change request. Here, if there is dissatisfaction data from the electronic tag device 1, the number of dissatisfactions in the memory 2-5 corresponding to the electronic tag device 1 is incremented by "1" and updated (step A
7) Further, if there is a data change request from the POS terminal 3, the change data is transmitted to the electronic tag device 1 to be changed (step A8).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic tag device 1. The operation is started by the automatic power-on from the controller 2. First, it is checked whether the unit price has been transmitted from the controller 2 (step B1), and a standby state is set until the unit price is transmitted. Now, when the unit price is transmitted from the controller 2 together with the product name, it is set in the memory 1-7 (step B2),
The display is output from the display unit 1-3 (step B3). As a result, the product name and unit price are fixedly displayed on the display unit 1-3. Next, by initializing a pointer (not shown) for displaying product information, initial product information (product information stored first among a plurality of product information sequentially set in the memory 1-7). ) Is set in a displayable state (step B4). In this state,
In the next step B5, message data setting processing is performed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing this message data setting process. First, when the controller 2 transmits its own product information (step C1), it is sequentially set in the memory 1-7 (step C2). Next, when the own out-of-stock information is transmitted from the controller 2 (step C3), it is set in the memory 1-7 (step C4). Similarly, when the own arrival date information is transmitted from the controller 2 (step C5), it is set in the memory 1-7 (step C6). In this way, the reason why the product information, the out-of-stock information, and the arrival date information are transmitted from the controller 2 and set in the electronic tag device 1 is that the contents are appropriately changed. On the other hand, since the complaint information and the confirmation information are fixed information, the memory 1-7 of each electronic tag device 1 is stored in advance.
It is fixedly set within.

When such message setting processing is completed,
Each product information set in the memory 1-7 is sequentially read from the beginning and sent to the display unit 1-2, and is cyclically displayed and output at fixed time intervals. That is, first, the designated product information (in this case, the first product information) is displayed and output for a certain period of time (step B6). Next, memory 1-
It is checked whether or not the final product information in 7 is being displayed (step B7). If it is not the final product information, the process proceeds to step B8, specifies that the next product information should be displayed, and then returns to step B5. The above operation is repeated thereafter. When the final product information is displayed by this, step B7
This is detected in step B9 and the process proceeds to step B9, and the memory 1
It is checked whether the out-of-stock information is set in -7, that is, whether or not the product is out of stock. If it is not out of stock, the process proceeds to step B10, and the product information initially stored in the memory 1-7. After designating that should be displayed, the process returns to step B5.

If the out-of-stock information is set, the out-of-stock information is read from the memory 1-7, sent to the display section 1-2, and displayed and output for a certain period of time (step B1).
1). Next, the arrival date information set in the memory 1-7 is read out and displayed for a certain period of time (step B1).
2) Further, the dissatisfaction information is read out from the memory 1-7 and displayed and output (step B13). Then, it is checked whether or not the out-of-stock key K has been operated (step B14),
If it is not operated, it is checked whether or not the dissatisfaction information is displayed for a certain period of time (step B15). Here, if the out-of-stock complaint key K is not operated while the complaint information is displayed for a certain period of time, the above message setting process (step A18) is performed, and then the process returns to step B9. While the out-of-stock information is set in this way, the out-of-stock information, arrival date information, and dissatisfaction information are cyclically displayed and output at fixed intervals.

If the out-of-stock dissatisfaction key K is operated while the dissatisfaction information is being displayed, this is detected in step B14 and the process proceeds to step B16, where the memory 107
Confirmation information is read from and displayed and output for a certain period of time. Then, the dissatisfaction data together with its own tag identification number are transmitted to the controller 2 (step B17). Thereafter, similarly to the case described above, the process proceeds to step B16, the message setting process is performed, and then the process returns to step B9. When the out-of-stock information is deleted by the message setting process, the absence of out-of-stock information is detected in step B9, and therefore the process proceeds to step B10, and it is specified that the first item information should be displayed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, usually, a plurality of product information is cyclically displayed and output, but when the product is out of stock, the out-of-stock information, arrival date information, and dissatisfaction information are cyclically displayed. At this time, when the out-of-stock complaint key K is operated, the complaint data together with the tag identification number is transmitted to the controller 2 and counted. Therefore, the memory 2-5 in the controller 2 stores the number of times the out-of-stock complaint key K is operated for each tag identification number as the number of complaints.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an order list display of the order terminal device 4. The order terminal device 4 displays a list of the inputted order information. At this time, the "existence request display" item "Yes 3" is displayed. Indicates the number of times the out-of-stock key K has been operated (number of times of dissatisfaction). That is, when displaying the order list, the order terminal device 4 receives the number of dissatisfactions together with the tag identification number from the memory 2-5 of the controller 2 and displays the number of dissatisfactions as the number of ordering requests corresponding to the corresponding product. This has the advantage that the ordering person can know the product that the customer wants, and can take measures such as making the order quantity larger than usual.

[0020]

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. In the above-described embodiment, the customer operates the out-of-stock dissatisfaction key K when the product is out of stock, but in the present embodiment, the customer call key is operated when the customer requests the description of the product. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic tag device 1 according to the present embodiment. First, according to the transmission data from the controller 2, the electronic tag device 1
Performs the process of setting the product name, unit price, and various message data (step D1). Then, the product name and unit price are fixedly displayed and output, and various message data are sequentially displayed and output (step D2). Here, as various message data, in addition to a plurality of product information, product description request information (please operate the key if you want a product description), this information is displayed and output at regular intervals. .

Next, in step D3, it is checked whether or not the customer operates the staff call key to receive the product explanation.
If it is not operated, the process returns to step D1, but if it is assumed that the staff call key is operated, the confirmation information is "OK."
Is displayed and output for a certain period of time (step D4). And
The calling data, the tag identification number, and the product name are transmitted to the POS terminal 3 via the controller 2 (step D5).
In this case, on the POS terminal 3 side, the product name is displayed together with the call data, and when the operator who confirms the product name operates the confirmation key, a response message is transmitted to the corresponding electronic tag device 1 via the controller 2. Here, in the electronic tag device 1, it is checked whether or not the response message is transmitted within a fixed time (step D
6) If there is, a response message "Immediately go" is displayed and output for a certain period of time (step D7), but if there is no response within a certain period of time, an absence message indicating that the clerk is absent is displayed for a certain period of time. It is output (step D8).
Then, the process returns to step D1 and the above operation is repeated.

In the first embodiment, the out-of-stock key K is sold out.
Although the number of operations of the controller 2 is counted on the controller 2 side, the number of operations of the controller 2 is counted on the electronic tag device 1 side.
It may be transmitted to. Further, in the second embodiment described above, the clerk is called by the clerk call key, but by operating the product description key, a summary of the product may be displayed in a message.

[0023]

According to the present invention, in addition to the product name and unit price, effective information for sales promotion can be provided, and processing according to the customer's intention or request can be executed. The price tag display device can be effectively used, which has many advantages for customers and stores, and is extremely practical.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a shelf price tag system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an electronic tag device 1.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of an electronic tag device 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram specifically showing various message data.

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a controller 2.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller 2.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic tag device 1.

8 is a flowchart showing in detail step B5 (message setting process) in FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an order list displayed and output from the order terminal device 4.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic tag device 1 according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Electronic Tag Device 1-2, 1-3 Display Unit 1-5 CPU 1-6 Transmission Control Unit 1-7 Memory 2 Controller K Out-of-stock Key

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic price tag display device for displaying a product name and a unit price, a display means for displaying message data, an input means for a customer, and a predetermined process according to an input operation by the input means. An electronic price tag display device comprising: an input processing unit. 2. The electronic price tag display device according to claim 1, wherein said input processing means switches and displays the message data displayed on said display means. 3. The electronic price tag display device according to claim 1, wherein said input processing means is adapted to transmit data to another electronic device in response to an input operation by said input means.