GB2240416A

GB2240416A - Electronic price display systems

Info

Publication number: GB2240416A
Application number: GB9001844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Mclean; Michael John Abrams
Original assignee: Esselte Meto International GmbH; Esselte Meto International Produktions GmbH
Current assignee: Meto International GmbH
Priority date: 1990-01-26
Filing date: 1990-01-26
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Also published as: GB9001844D0

Abstract

To display prices of items in a store each of a plurality of electronic price display units is located adjacent to a respective item of merchandise, and can receive data from a control unit to generate a predetermined price value for its respective item of merchandise. Each electronic price display unit can hold an electronic address code so as to accept data coded with its own address code and to reject other data, the address code being generated from the bar code carried by the item of merchandise to which the electronic price display unit relates.

Description

ELECTRONIC PRICE DISPLAY SYSTEMS This invention relates to electronic price display systems. Such systems offer a number of significant advantages in the area of store management. Typically, a central computer or control unit is used to provide price data which is displayed by a plurality of electronic price display units located adjacent to the merchandise to which they relate. The control unit can also be linked to an electronic point of sale system so that the same basic datum is used to generate the price displayed by an electronic price display unit and to record the charge for that item of merchandise at the point of sale.

Such a price control system also allows very rapid changes in price to be made, thereby providing considerable savings in man power required to mark price changes by a manual system.

This sort of control system is also valuable in other aspects of store management, for example in stock control. When linked to an electronic point of sale system, it is a simple matter for the control unit to register the number of sales of any given item and to compare this with an earlier inventory and thus to establish the current level of stocks of any given item.

There are a number of different techniques available for transferring price data from a computer or control unit to individual electronic price display units. The most promising techniques are generally believed to be those which operate in a wireless fashion, for example using electromagnetic radiation typically in the radio frequency band or in the infrared band. Where a central computer or control unit is used to generate price data which is then transmitted by electromagnetic radiation, it is necessary for each electronic price display unit to be able to discriminate between data intended for that unit and all other data, which is to be rejected by that unit.This problem can be overcome by assigning an address code to each electronic display unit, and arranging the transmission of data such that each datum is prefaced by an address code; circuitry within each of the electronic price display units then "listens" to all of the data transmissions, but registers only such data as are prefaced by its own individual address code. An electronic price display unit addressed in this fashion will then respond to data addressed to it by, for example, displaying a new price where the data consisted of price change information.

Although it is theoretically simple to assign a unique code to each electronic price display unit, and thereby (theoretically) to ensure that all of the goods in a store are correctly priced, nevertheless there is still considerable scope for human error to introduce anomalies and inaccuracies in the end result. One area of likely error is in the incorrect placement of electronic price display units in relation to the goods to which they relate. A further area of potential error is in the programming of an electronic price display unit with its address code; if an incorrect code is programmed into the unit, then outwardly the unit may appear to be correctly positioned but nevertheless it will respond to the wrong data and so will display an incorrect price for the merchandise to which it relates. The present invention aims to provide a method which ameliorates these difficulties.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of displaying prices of items of merchandise, in which each of a plurality of electronic price display units is located adjacent to t collocation of samples of a respective item of merchandise, each electronic price display unit being capable of receiving data from a control unit to generate a predetermined price value to be displayed for its respective item of merchandise, and each electronic price display unit being capable of holding an electronic address code whereby it can discriminate data from said control unit so as to accept data coded with its own address code and to reject other data, characterised in that the address code for each of the electronic price display units is generated from the bar code carried by or applied to the item of merchandise to which it relates.

Use of a bar code to generate the address code for a given electronic price display unit ensures that the address code is uniquely related to the product for which the electronic price display unit is intended to be used.

Preferably, each electronic price display unit is programmed with its address code after it has been sited adjacent to the collocation of samples or units of the item of merchandise to which it relates. In other words, the electronic price display unit is affixed to, for example, a shelf edge and is then programmed with its address code by using the appropriate bar code for goods stocked on that shelf.

Preferably, a label including a bar code for a given item of merchandise is applied to the electronic price display unit before its address code is programmed. Such a label will advantageously include alphanumeric indicia so that a worker can instantly ascertain that the electronic price display unit and the goods to which it relates are properly matched.

It is preferable for the address code for a given electronic price display unit to be generated from the bar code on a label which has been affixed to the electronic price display unit in the manner just described. Furthermore, the electronic price display unit can incorporate a check procedure, for example by comparing the bar code on the label which the unit itself carries with that on an item of merchandise on the shelf to which the electronic price display unit is affixed.

The electronic price display unit can thus be programmed to accept its address code only provided that two identical bar codes are read into the electronic price display unit successively.

Conveniently, a wand may be used to read the bar code data and to transfer this data to the electronic price display unit. To this end, the wand may be electrically connected to one or more programming ports provided on the electronic price display unit.

Alternatively, the wand may transfer such data by means of electromagnetic radiation, for example radio frequency or infrared radiation. Ultrasound may also b used for this data transfer step.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic price display unit which is adapted to receive data from a control unit to generate a predetermined price value for a selected item of merchandise, and is capable of holding an electronic address code whereby it can discriminate data from said control unit so as to accept data coded with its own address code and to reject other data, characterised in that the electronic price display unit is programmed to receive its address code from a bar code reader.

Conveniently, the electronic price display unit is programmed so that its address code can be checked by means of a bar code reader which, in use, will read the bar code on an item of merchandise with which the electronic price display unit is associated.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates schematically the transmission of data to individual electronic price display units; Figure 2 illustrates one electronic price display unit in accordance with this invention; and Figure 3 illustrates the electronic price display unit of Figure 2 in use.

Referring to the drawings, a central control unit 1 supplies data by a suitable link 2 to a transmitter 3.

The transmitter from time to time emits electromagnetic radiation 4 which is suitably coded to convey data to a plurality of electronic price display units 5a, Sb Sn. Each of the electronic price display units (EPDU's) 5 is programmed with an address code so that it accepts only data from the transmitter 3 which is prefaced with its own address code, rejecting all other data.

Figure 2 shows one embodiment of EPDU 5. The unit 5 includes a display unit 6 which incorporates an LCD display 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d. Display 6 also includes a region 8 where additional information may be displayed.

The unit 5 includes three programming ports 9a, 9b and 9c. These are shown on the front face of the unit 5, although it will be appreciated that they may be positioned in any suitable location on the unit.

The unit 5 includes an area 10 which is designed to receive a label 11. Label 11 includes a bar code 12, printed indicia 13 giving a description of the merchandise to which the label relates, and an additional area 14 for secondary or additional printed matter.

Referring next to Figure 3, an EPDU 5 is shown mounted on the front edge 15 of a merchandise display shelf 16. Items of produce such as 17 are stocked on shelf 16. A wand 18 is shown connected by an electrical lead 19 to the three programming ports 9a, 9b and 9c; it is to be understood that when the EPDU 5 is used for its intended price display function, wand 18 will not be attached to the unit; the illustrated connection is only needed during the step of address-coding the EPDU.

The generation of an address code for an EPDU 5 by means of the method of this invention will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. First of all, a generic (i.e. non-address coded) EPDU 5 is affixed to shelf edge 15. The produce 17 (red salmon in the illustrated example) carrying a label 18 which includes a bar code 19 is already displayed for sale on shelf 16. After the unit 5 has been put in place it is powered up (by means which do not form a part of this invention) and is then receptive to being programmed with an address code. At this stage, or between emplacement and powering up, a label 11 is fixed to the unit 5 by a worker. The worker ensures that label 11 corresponds with the label 18 on produce 17. Label 18 includes, as well as bar code 19, descriptive matter 20.

The worker will compare descriptive matter 20 with the indicia 13 (see Figure 2) on label 11 to ensure that the correct label is affixed to unit 5. Thereafter, wand 18 is connected via lead 19 to programming ports 9a, 9b and 9c, and is used to read bar code 12. Unit 5 is programmed to accept this bar code read out as the address code for data subsequently transmitted by transmitter 3 (see Figure 1). In one embodiment of this method, the worker next uses wand 18 to read out the bar code 19 on produce 17; the EPDU 5 then compares the read out from bar code 12 with that from bar code 19, and only accepts its intended address code if the two read outs are identical. The unit 5 can be programmed to generate an error indication in the event that the read outs from bar codes 12 and 19 are not identical.

By means of the method just described, correct location of an electronic price display unit in relation to the goods to which it relates is achieved with great reliability. In addition, this method offers the possibility that an electronic price display unit may be moved from one location within a store to another, and can then readily be re-programmed with a new address code.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of displaying prices of items in a store in which each of a plurality of electronic price display units is located adjacent to a respective item of merchandise, each electronic price display unit being capable of receiving data from a control unit to generate a predetermined price value for its respective item of merchandise, and each electronic price display unit being capable of holding an electronic address code whereby each electronic price display unit can discriminate data from said control unit so as to accept data coded with its own address code and to reject other data, characterised in that the address code for each of the electronic price display units is generated from the bar code carried by or applied to the item of merchandise to which the electronic price display unit relates.

2. A method according to claim 1, further characterised in that each electronic price display unit is programmed with its address code after it has been sited adjacent to the collocation of units of the item of merchandise to which it relates.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, further characterised in that a label including a bar code for said item of merchandise is applied to the electronic price display unit before its address code is programmed.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterised in that said address code is generated from the bar code on said label after said label has been affixed to the electronic price display unit.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterised in that a wand is used to read said bar code and to transfer data from the bar code to the electronic price display unit.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that said wand is electrically connected to one or more programming ports provided on the electronic price display unit to transfer said data.

7. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that said wand transfers said data to the electronic price display unit by means of electromagnetic radiation.

8. A method according to claim 7, characterised in that said wand transfers data to the electronic price display unit by means of radio frequency radiation.

9. A method according to claim 7, characterised in that said wand transfers aid data to the electronic price display unit by means of infrared radiation.

10. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that said wand transfers data to the electronic price display unit by means of ultrasound.

11. An apparatus which is adapted to receive data from a control unit to generate a predetermined price value for a selected item of merchandise, and is capable of holding an electronic address code whereby it can discriminate data from said control unit so as to accept data coded with its own address code and to reject other data, characterised in that the electronic price display unit is programmed to receive its address code from a bar code reader.