AUTOMATIC PRICE DISPLAY CONTROL BY EMULATION OF ELECTRONIC CASH REGISTER PRICE LOOKUP

• US 20110258060A1
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• 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 9,058,621 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.

Claims

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

a master computer, comprising a first internal communications bus, a first input/output device, and a first memory containing a master price look-up table;

a first communications interface connected to the master computer;

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 or dedicated price lookup key table format to an electronic price display unit format;

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

a second internal communications bus;

a second input/output device;

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

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

a third communications interface, connected to the central computer, for communicating with the master computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communications interface comprises:

a satellite communications system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communications interface comprises:

the internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communications interface comprises:

a wide area network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wireless local area network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communications interface comprises:

a wired network.

7. The wired network of claim 6, comprising:

an ethernet transmission system.

8. The wired network of claim 6, comprising:

an RS 232 twisted pair transmission system.

9. The system of claim 1, 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 processing 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.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first format is a universal product code format, or a dedicated price lookup key table format.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

12. The system of claim 1, 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 hubs;

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.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first format is a universal product code format, or a dedicated price lookup key table format.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second format is a universal serial bus format.

15. The system of claim 1, 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.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the third format is the English language.

17. The system of claim 1, 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.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

19. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

transmitting product information from a master database to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

translating the product information to an electronic display unit;

transferring the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit; and

displaying the translated product information on the electronic price display unit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of transmitting product information from a master database to an electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

transmitting product information from a master database to a central database located at a retail establishment; and

transmitting the product information from the central database to the el3ectronic cash register emulation hub.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of transferring the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

translating product information from one of a universal price code format and a dedicated price lookup key table format to an electronic price display unit format in the electronic cash register emulation hub; and

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

39. The method of claim 19, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

22. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

transmitting product information from a central database to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit; and

displaying the product information on the electronic price display unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

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

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

24. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

transmitting product information from a master electronic cash register to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit;

displaying the product information on the electronic price display unit; and

recording selling price information from said product information in a memory or transmitting said selling price information to another location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

translating product information from one of a universal price code format and a dedicated price lookup key table format to an electronic price display unit format in the electronic cash register emulation hub; and

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

26. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

requesting product information located in a master database from an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transmitting product information from a master database to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic pride display unit; and

displaying the product information on the electronic price display unit.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of transmitting product information from a master database to an electronic cash register emulation hub comprises:

transmitting product information from a master database to a central database located at a retail establishment; and

transmitting the product information from the central database to the electronic cash register emulation hub.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

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

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of requesting product information from a master database by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a scheduled transmission.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of requesting product information from a master database by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a customer request.

42. The method of claim 26, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

31. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

requesting product information located in a central database from an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transmitting product information from a central database to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit; and

displaying the product information on the electronic price display unit.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

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

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of requesting product information from a central database by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a scheduled transmission.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of requesting product information from a central database by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a customer request.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

35. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:

requesting product information from a master electronic cash register by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment transmitting product information from a master electronic cash register to an electronic cash register emulation hub;

transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit; and

displaying the price and sales information on the electronic price display unit.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of transferring the product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to an electronic price display unit comprises:

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

transmitting the translated product information from the electronic cash register emulation hub to the electronic price display unit.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of requesting product information from a master electronic cash register by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a scheduled transmission.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of requesting product information from a master electronic cash register by an electronic cash register emulation hub located at a retail establishment, comprises:

requesting product information according to a customer request.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein product information comprises price information, sales information, or, price and sales information.

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