Apparatus for communicating price changes including printer and display devices
First Claim
1. Price updating means for use in a price display system including both individually addressable information display devices and printed price indicators disposed to display prices, and having a data source, a communications channel connecting said data source with said information display devices, and a printer connected to the data source, said printer disposed to print said printed price indicators in response to print commands, the data source comprising a first data file of records corresponding to product locations, each record containing product information indicative of the product associated with the location corresponding thereto, each record also containing information indicative of whether the location corresponding thereto is associated with an information display device or with a printed price indicator, the price updating means comprising:
- input means for receiving update data indicative of a product for which a price change is desired and the changed price therefor;
lookup means responsive to the update data for looking up among records in the first data file those matching records, if any, for which the product information matches the product for which a price change is desired;
first posting means responsive to a matching record having information indicative of its respective location being associated with an information display device, for posting the changed price to the associated information display device;
queueing means responsive to a matching record having information of its respective location being associated with a printed price indicator, for storing a print command capable of causing the printer to print a printed price indicator illustrative of the changed price; and
means responsive to said stored print command to activate said printer to print the price indicator.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved price updating apparatus for use in retail store pricing systems has an input for receiving update data indicative of a product for which a price change is desired and the changed price. The apparatus looks up records in a database relating to store locations, for locations where the product may be found. Where the location has an electronic price display device, preferably connected with the apparatus by a serial data link, the changed price is transmitted to the display device by the serial data link. Where the location has a printed price, the apparatus stores a print job record containing information about the price and the shape and size of printed price. A user is later able to select, one by one, the various shapes and sizes of printed prices, and to print all the records intended for printing at the selected shape and size.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. Price updating means for use in a price display system including both individually addressable information display devices and printed price indicators disposed to display prices, and having a data source, a communications channel connecting said data source with said information display devices, and a printer connected to the data source, said printer disposed to print said printed price indicators in response to print commands, the data source comprising a first data file of records corresponding to product locations, each record containing product information indicative of the product associated with the location corresponding thereto, each record also containing information indicative of whether the location corresponding thereto is associated with an information display device or with a printed price indicator, the price updating means comprising:
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input means for receiving update data indicative of a product for which a price change is desired and the changed price therefor; lookup means responsive to the update data for looking up among records in the first data file those matching records, if any, for which the product information matches the product for which a price change is desired; first posting means responsive to a matching record having information indicative of its respective location being associated with an information display device, for posting the changed price to the associated information display device; queueing means responsive to a matching record having information of its respective location being associated with a printed price indicator, for storing a print command capable of causing the printer to print a printed price indicator illustrative of the changed price; and means responsive to said stored print command to activate said printer to print the price indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification