Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Mechanized store
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-10
2004-06-15
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Mechanized store
C235S385000, C235S441000, C235S472010, 36, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06749116
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the electronic storage, control, and display of information on a shelf-mounted price tag. More specifically, it relates to electronic price displays which communicate with a central store computer and point of sale computers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A large supermarket may have as many as thirty-five thousand different items for sale. The items are generally arranged on shelves. Price tags are generally disposed below the product items on the front of the shelves that are providing the support for the items. Most store shelves have an edge channel into which the tags are placed. The tags are generally passive, that is; they are prepared in advance and are affixed to the front of the shelves inside of the shelf edge channel. The tags may be made from a suitable material such as cardboard or plastic and may be affixed to the shelves in a manner such that they can be easily removed from the shelves. The information on the tags may be typed or printed. This information may include the identity of the item, the supplier's or the stores trademark for the item, the price of the item, the price per unit quantity (e.g. price per ounce or price per fluid unit or price per pound), any discount from a previously established price, or a special sales price.
It has been estimated that approximately 10% of the prices of a store's inventory are changed weekly to reflect cost variations. Perhaps another 10% of the prices may be changed so as to reflect sales specials, and then changed back again when the sale event is terminated. For the most part, such price changes are effected on overtime, or at least when the store is closed to normal business. Further, since auditing a price ordinarily must be accomplished with the aid of a printed book, it is next to impossible to maintain computer prices (the scanned prices) synchronous with book prices.
It is not uncommon to change the price of a product in the central processing unit in the market and to forget to change the price on the tag identifying the item on the store shelf. This creates confusion, particularly at the cashier's counter, in the operation of the supermarket and sometimes resentment in the minds of the customers. Often the supermarket may have to provide the customer with the price indicated on the tag even though the true price indicated in the supermarket's central processing unit is higher than such indicated price.
Passive tags on shelves as discussed above have vast acceptance because of their apparent low cost and because of their widespread use over a considerable number of years. The apparent low cost, however, must be factored against the labor costs associated with the preparation of the new tags and the costs in removing the outdated tags from the shelves, and in affixing the updated tags to the shelves. For large supermarkets, the services of a clerk on a full time basis are often required to accomplish the above tasks.
Various attempts have been made to replace the passive system to updating tags as discussed above with an active system. In these active systems there has been a computer-based means of changing pricing information and electronic display means or electronic product tag, which are computer controlled. Some systems have used a wireless radio frequency (RF) broadcast medium, for at least part of the communications link between the point-of-sale, the store computer, and the electronic display units on the shelves. Other wireless media have included infrared broadcast or handheld infrared transmitting devices. In all cases, the display device itself has either been powered by battery or by use of photovoltaic cells (solar cells).
Many such systems are described in prior art patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,295, dated Aug. 23, 1988, which describes the use of battery operated display tags and wireless control of the tags. The tags respond to remotely transmitted signals from overhead transmitters using infrared energy. A handheld unit using the same signaling structure is used to change price tags manually. U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,085, dated Nov. 7, 1995, discloses the use of wireless, remotely controlled electronic product display tags that are powered by photovoltaic cells (solar cells). The tags are controlled by wireless means using overhead infrared transmitters to up-date or change displayed information.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,886, dated Jan. 11, 1977, describes the use of electronic display modules that are directly connected to the store main computer and every display unit in the store has its own separate internal address code. The means of connecting the computer to the display tags is by the use of a separate enclosed bus strip that is affixed to every shelf edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,149, dated Feb. 13, 1979, presents a system in which the electronic display tags do not have an internal address code. The display modules are connected directly to the central store computer and all units are in series with each other. The computer transmits a continuous serial data stream to all of the display units. The computer sends signals conveying the data for each display unit in the same order as the display units are connected to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,815, dated Dec. 20, 1994, shows the use of display modules without the need for internal address codes. Display modules are directly connected to a computer. Modules are located by the computer using a zoning system in combination with an electrical contact system along the length of the display bus, which is attached to the shelf edge. In response to a poll from the central computer for determining any displacement of the label, the latter generates a signal indicative of the combination of terminals electrically connected to the interface. Based on this signal and knowledge of the pattern of the electrical contacts along the interface, the central computer can effectively determine the location of the label on the rail and detect any displacement of same. A separate electronic display bus is needed for every four-foot shelf section at the most and for every vertical layer of shelf for all store shelf rows at the least.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,196, dated May 5, 1992, presents electronic display tag units that are battery powered. A portable, handheld device is used to reprogram and change the displayed information in each tag. The means for affecting the change is by having the handheld device make direct electrical contact with the display tag. The portable data terminal is electrically connected to the display module by a multi-terminal connector, whereby electrical contact pins of the connector are aligned for engagement with respective electrical contact strips located at the face of the display module and connected to the memory thereof.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,880, dated Feb. 19, 1985, the display module is hardwired to the store-based computer, and the computer provides both power and associated data. Each display module has an internal address code. The address code of any of the display units can be changed at its location by the use of a handheld reprogramming device. The display unit is placed in the handheld device and its address is changed by using the optical scanner in the fixture to scan the bar code (UPC) of the item of merchandise to which the display unit is to be associated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,817, dated Jan. 19, 1999, presents electronic display tag units that are solar powered. A portable, handheld device is used to reprogram and change the displayed information in each tag. The means for affecting the change is by having the display tag transmit an optical signal which includes its identification to the handheld device. The handheld device then transmits the updated display information that corresponds to this identification code to the display tag. The handheld device also uses optically transmitted signals to communicate with the display tag. A display tag unit is needed for every different item on the shelf
U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,257, dated May 12, 1998
Gore Gregory J.
Hess Daniel A.
Le Thien M.
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