System and Method of Using Rewritable Paper for Displaying Product Information on Product Displays

• US 20100109839A1
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Perkins, Dion Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.910
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting

Abstract

The invention provides systems, methods, and computer program products for the display of product information in or about a store. In particular, systems and methods are provided that use information from an in-store communication network to display product information on a rewritable paper at designated points within or about a store including product displays. A system and method for communicating through the in-store communication network printing and erasing instructions from a system controller to a printer located on a product display for printing and erasing the product information on the rewritable paper positioned about a display surface of the product display.

Claims

1. A system for displaying product information on a product display in a store, the system being comprised of:

an in-store communication network positioned about said store, said in-store communication network being in operative communication with a printer;

at least one product display positioned within said store, wherein each said at least one product display comprises at least one display surface;

a rewritable paper positioned about said at least one display surface;

said printer positioned on said rewritable paper;

whereby a system controller wirelessly communicates a command through said in-store communication network to said printer to print said product information pertaining to at least one product displayed on said at least one display surface;

whereby said printer prints said product information upon said rewritable paper creating printing information;

whereby said printer communicates said printing information to said system controller; and

the system controller positioned into operable connection to said printer whereby said system controller comprises a database of said product information;

wherein said system controller is configured to;

select said product information;

locate said printer within said store;

send the product information to said printer; and

control the printing and erasure of said product information by said printer on said rewritable paper.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said in-store communication network is a communication multi-network, said communication multi-network comprising at least one mesh communication network and at least one star communication network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller manages, organizes, and routes said product information and said printing information transmitted through said in-store communication network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said product display further comprises a housing for storing the printer when said printer is not in operation;

whereby said housing is in communication with said system controller for receipt of printing commands and erasing commands to be relayed to said printer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical system for feeding a loop of said rewritable paper through said printer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is in communication with at least one external network to which it communicates product information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said printer is configured to pick up or install at least one product tag on said at least one display surface of said at least one product display, wherein the printer is further configured to print or erase product information on said at least one product tag.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the printer comprises a thermal scanner for determining the quantity of products on the product display, whereby said thermal scanner is in communication with the system controller through the in-store communication network, whereby said thermal scanner transmits the quantity of products on the product display to the system controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one display surface comprises a lighting system configured to illuminate the product information printed on the rewritable paper.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller is configured to determine each said product information to print on each said display surface based on a product layout for the store.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said in-store communication network commands said printer to erase said product information pertaining to said at least one display surface;

whereby said printer erases said product information upon said rewritable paper creating erasing information, whereby said printer communicates said erasing information to said system controller.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system controller compiles the erasing information with the printing information regarding said at least one display surface to create historical operational database.

13. A method for communicating product information regarding a product at a store, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying said product to be displayed to select said product information that corresponds with said product;

determining a product display position of said product on a display surface of a product display based on a product layout for said store;

locating a printer positioned upon a rewritable paper positioned about said display surface of said product display;

sending the product information to the printer through an in-store communication network positioned about said store; and

controlling the printing and erasure of the product information by the printer on a rewritable paper.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises positioning a system controller in communication with said in-store communication network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said system controller controls, routes, organizes, and manages data transmitted through said in-store communication network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said in-store communication network is a communication multi-network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said communication multi-network comprises at least one star communication network and at least one mesh communication network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said communication multi-network comprises at least two star communication networks.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said communication multi-network comprises at least two mesh communication networks.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a system controller to:

select product information;

locate at least one printer;

send product information to the at least one printer; and

control the printing or erasure of the product information by the at least one printer on a rewritable paper.