Automatic price display control by emulation of electronic cash register price lookup

• US 20080319865A1
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sweeney, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,487 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 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product. The ECR emulation hub acts like an ECR, thereby requiring no special software or hardware modifications to existing pricing display systems that already support ECRs.

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45. A system for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising:

one or more electronic cash registers;

an electronic price display unit;

an electronic cash register emulation hub, for translating product information in a universal price code format to an electronic price display unit format;

a central computer, located at the retail establishment, comprising;

an internal communications bus;

an input/output device;

a memory containing a master price look-up table; and

a communication interface for communicating with the one or more electronic cash registers and the electronic cash register emulation hub located in the retail establishment.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wireless local area network.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wired network.

48. The wired network of claim 47, comprising:

an ethernet transmission system.

49. The wired network of claim 47, comprising:

an RS 232 twisted pair transmission system.

50. The system of claim 45, wherein the electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

a first part, and a second part, the first part comprising;

a first part processor having the capability of receiving product information in a first format, and re-formatting the product information in a second format;

a first part communication interface;

a first memory;

a first part first internal communications bus; and

a first part second internal communications bus; and

, the second part comprising;

a second part communication interface;

a second part processor having the capability of receiving product information in the second format;

a second memory; and

a third communication interface for transmitting the product information in the second format to the electronic price display unit.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the first format is a universal product code format.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

53. The system of claim 45, wherein the electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

a first processor having the capability of receiving product information in a first format, and re-formatting the product information in a second format;

a first processor communication interface;

a memory;

a first processor internal communications bus;

a first processor second internal communications bus; and

a third communication interface for transmitting the product information in the second format to the electronic price display unit.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the first format is a universal product code format.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

56. The system of claim 45, wherein the electronic price display unit comprises:

a receiver interface for receiving product information in a second format;

a first part, wherein the first part displays fixed information; and

a second part capable of receiving product information in a second format and displaying it in a third format.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the third format is the English language.

58. The system of claim 45, wherein the electronic price display unit comprises:

a receiver interface for receiving price and sales information in a second format; and

a display for displaying price and sales information in a third format.

59. The system of claim 45, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

60. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

a primary wireless LAN transceiver connected to the central computer;

a plurality of secondary wireless LAN transceivers, in wireless communication with the primary wireless LAN transceiver, connected to the one or more electronic cash registers; and

at least one electronic cash register emulation hubs connected to both the one or more electronic cash registers and electronic price display unit.

61. A system for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising:

one or more electronic cash registers;

an electronic price display unit;

an electronic cash register emulation hub, for translating product information in a universal price code format to the electronic price display unit format; and

a master electronic cash register, located at the retail establishment, the master electronic cash register including at least

a processor;

an internal communications bus;

an input/output device;

a memory containing a master price look-up table; and

a communication interface for communicating with the one or more electronic cash registers and the electronic cash register emulation hub located in the retail establishment.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wireless local area network.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wired network.

64. The wired network of claim 63, comprising:

an ethernet transmission system.

65. The wired network of claim 63, comprising:

an RS 232 twisted pair transmission system.

66. The system of claim 61, wherein the electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

a first part, and a second part, the first part comprising;

a first part processor having the capability of receiving product information in a first format, and re-formatting the product information in a second format;

a first part communication interface;

a first memory;

a first part first internal communications bus; and

a first part second internal communications bus; and

, the second part comprising;

a second part communication interface;

a second part processor having the capability of receiving product information in the second format;

a second memory; and

a third communication interface for transmitting the product information in the second format to the electronic price display unit.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the first format is a universal product code format.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

69. The system of claim 61, wherein the electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

a first processor having the capability of receiving product information in a first format, and re-formatting the product information in a second format;

a first processor communication interface;

a memory;

a first processor internal communications bus;

a first processor second internal communications bus; and

a third communication interface for transmitting the product information in the second format to the electronic price display unit.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the first format is a universal product code format.

71. The system of claim 69, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

72. The system of claim 61, wherein the electronic price display unit comprises:

a receiver interface for receiving product information in a second format;

a first part, wherein the first part displays fixed information; and

a second part capable of receiving product information in a second format and displaying it in a third format.

73. The system of claim 61, wherein the third format is the English language.

74. The system of claim 61, wherein the electronic price display unit comprises:

a receiver interface for receiving price and sales information in a second format; and

a display for displaying price and sales information in a third format.

75. The system of claim 61, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.