Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Patent
1993-09-21
1996-07-23
Bowler, Alyssa H.
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
340825540, 340825350, 364464010, H04Q 700, G06F 704, G06F 748
Patent
active
055393934
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an information system for the presentation of visual information on one or more display units, wherein the information is controlled by a centrally located master station, and wherein each individual display unit is adapted to detect signals transmitted by the master station and to transmit response messages to the master station.
The system concerned is particularly suited for use in shops or warehouses where display units may be arranged adjacent various items of merchandise, e.g. at the front edges of shelves carrying merchandise. The facility for displaying variable information adjacent individual items of merchandise is particularly relevant for e.g. price information, since price information hereby may be updated quickly and automatically. Moreover, it may obviously also be of interest to display other kinds of information adjacent the item of merchandise, e.g. special offers, special sales terms, explanations, advertisements etc. In warehouses, price information is, in many instances, marked directly onto individual items of merchandise, involving heavy costs to the labor necessary for the marking, and making it difficult to alter the prices. Price alterations are, however, frequently desirable due to variations in wholesale prices or due to competition.
In some warehouses, prices are displayed on poster boards placed adjacent to groups of goods, which method still involves substantial labor by the set-up and the revision of the price posters and yet involves the risk of unauthorized manipulation of the posters, causing inconvenience for later customers. An automatic information system could mean substantial savings in labor costs and could also permit a more active marketing strategy. The implementation of this kind of automatic system has, however, encountered very substantial practical and technical difficulties. Firstly, display units should be provided at minimal costs, in view of the substantial number of goods items offered for sale. Secondly, frequent service requirements are not acceptable. In warehouses or in supermarkets, shelves, stands and racks for merchandise must be easily movable, as movements are frequent, and hard wiring to individual display units is consequently not practically feasible. In cases with wireless diplay units, it is, however, difficult to guarantee an adequate power supply or to guarantee reliable communication. Conditions for wireless transmission may be greatly varying, and may even vary from one display unit to another. One-way communication will hardly be acceptable. A facility for responding is required for the purpose of verifying from a central location that the display units have perceived the instructions correctly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,886 discloses an electronic price information system where the shelves are provided with electric bus conductors carrying cables for power supply as well as cables for information signals, the various display units being connected to these bus conductors during the set-up. Each display unit is associated with an individual address code, and a centrally located master station may broadcast messages addressed to individual display units.
WO published patent application no. 86/02477 discloses an information system comprising display units adapted for placement on the edges of shelves located in shops or warehouses or the like, where each individual display unit is provided with an internal power source, a memory with an individual address, and a receiver for infrared communication. A master station may broadcast price instructions addressed to individual displays for display. Upon a special command, the display may temporarily change so as to show some other kind of information stored in its memory. This published application also mentions a portable control unit, by which an operator may instruct display units individually.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,586 discloses a price information system for warehouses, by which individual displays are battery-powered and adapted to receive radio signals in the fre
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Phillip Lighting; Product Brochure: "MCS 100 system"; Europe; Oct. 1990.
Bowler Alyssa H.
Esel-Krabbe Systems A/S
Rinehart Mark H.
Vigil Thomas R.
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