Methods and apparatus for self diagnosing electronic price labels

• US 20060122887A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Bhyravabhotla, Raghurama
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A self-diagnosing electronic price label. The label communicates with a central processor in order to receive price information for display and to report the status of the label to the central processor. The label periodically runs a self-test program to verify proper operation of its components. If a component fails the self-test, the failure is reported to a central processor, and the central processor reports the failure for investigation. During normal operation, the label issues a signal to the central processor indicating normal operation. In the event of a failure, the label ceases to send the signal indicating normal operation. When the signal is not received as expected, the central processor reports the failure to receive the signal for investigation. This allows the central processor to be alerted to failures which disable communication between the label and the central processor.

Claims

1. A method of electronic price label self-diagnosis of failures, the method comprising the steps of:

periodically performing a self-diagnostic test in the electronic price label independent of communication with a central processor, the electronic price label having a processor to execute the self-diagnostic test on the electronic price label and a battery to independently supply its own operating power independent of an external power source; and

wirelessly communicating to the central processor a fault detected by the self-diagnostic test performed by the electronic price label.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

periodically transmitting a normal operation signal by an electronic price label to the central processor as long as the electronic price label operates normally;

receiving the normal operation signal by the central processor as long as the electronic price label operates normally; and

reporting a fault by the central processor when the normal operation signal is not received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of reporting a fault detected by the self-diagnostic test is in response to a status request message received at the electronic price label.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an error indication at the faulted electronic price label if the detected fault precludes accurate reporting of the fault to the central processor.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the error indication is an audible tone.

6. An electronic price label operating comprising;

a battery for powering the electronic price label independent of an external controller;

memory for storing diagnostic software;

a communication interface for communicating with a host system;

a display for displaying price information; and

a processor being powered by the battery, the processor, when executing diagnostic software, furnishes test signals to at least one of the display, communication interface, memory, and battery, the processor, analyzes return signals from the at least one of the display, communication interface, memory, and battery, the processor to determine whether a failure exists in the electronic price label, and, if so, reports said failure.

7. The electronic price label of claim 6 wherein the processor, when executing diagnostic software, compares return signals against fault signatures stored in memory.

8. The electronic price label of claim 6 wherein the processor directs the display to identify the reported failure.

9. The electronic price label of claim 6 wherein the processor transmits the reported failure through the communication interface.

10. The electronic price label of claim 6 wherein the processor transmits the reported failure through the communication interface in response to a status request message previously received through the communication interface.

11. A method of self-diagnosis of failures in an electronic price display system, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between a central processor and a plurality of electronic price labels, each of said plurality of electronic price labels having a battery to independently supply its own operating power independent of an external power source;

periodically performing a self-diagnostic test on each of the electronic price labels independent of a status request issued by the central processor;

reporting each fault detected by the self-diagnostic test to the central processor if the detected fault does not preclude accurate reporting of the fault; and

providing an error indication if the detected fault precludes accurate reporting of the fault to the central processor.

12. The method of claim 111 and also including the step of periodically transmitting a status request from the central processor to each of the plurality of electronic labels and returning responses from each of the electronic labels to the central processor.

13. The method of claim 12 and also including the step of interpreting the responses received from each of the labels to determine whether a fault exists in the label and to determine the identity of the fault.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the self-diagnostic label determines whether a failure disables the electronic price label from accurately reporting the failure and wherein the label ceases transmitting signals to the central processor in the event that a failure occurs which disables the electronic price label from reporting the failure.