AUTOMATIC PRICE DISPLAY CONTROL BY EMULATION OF ELECTRONIC CASH REGISTER PRICE LOOKUP
First Claim
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.
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Accused Products
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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Citations
75 Claims
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1. A system for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 39)
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22. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (23, 40)
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24. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (25, 41)
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26. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 42)
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31. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 43)
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35. A method for the distribution and display of product information in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 44)
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Specification