Method of sending messages to electronic price labels prior to their identification with price look-up items

• US 5,828,315 A
• Filed: 10/05/1995
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Goodwin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/539,448
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.54, 340/825.49, 340/825.35, 340/568, 340/571, 340/572, 340/825.52, 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 364/464.01, 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 364/464.04, 395/220, 395/221
• US Class Current: 340/10.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method of sending messages to electronic price labels (EPLs) prior to their identification with price look-up (PLU) items which causes non-assigned EPLs to execute commands. In a first embodiment, non-assigned EPLs are provided with a common reserved EPL identification number. A broadcast message addressed to the reserved EPL identification number of the non-assigned EPLs and containing a command is transmitted as a broadcast message. Non-assigned EPLs accept the message and execute the command. In a second embodiment, non-assigned EPLs are provided with their own unique EPL identification numbers. A message addressed to the unique EPL identification number of the non-assigned EPL and containing a command is transmitted. Only the non-assigned EPL accepts the message and executes the command.

Claims

1. A method of sending a command to electronic price labels (EPLs) prior to their assignment to price look-up (PLU) items comprising the steps of:

providing the EPLs with a single unique reserved temporary EPL identification number prior to their installation in a transaction establishment;

transmitting a broadcast message addressed to the single reserved temporary EPL identification number of the EPLs after their installation in the transaction establishment, wherein the broadcast message contains the command; and

accepting the message by the EPLs.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command comprises a diagnostic command.

3. A method of sending a command to an EPL prior to its assignment to a price look-up (PLU) item comprising the steps of:

providing the EPL with a unique temporary EPL identification number prior to its installation in a transaction establishment;

transmitting a message addressed to the unique temporary EPL identification number of the EPL after its installation in the transaction establishment, wherein the message contains the command; and

accepting the message by only the EPL.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the command comprises a change EPL identification number message.

5. A method of installing an electronic price label (EPL) in a transaction establishment comprising the steps of:

assigning a single unique temporary EPL identification number to the EPL prior to its mounting in the transaction establishment;

preventing the EPL from responding to broadcast messages while it is assigned the single unique temporary EPL identification number;

transmitting a message addressed to the unique temporary EPL identification number of the EPL after its placement in the transaction establishment and its assignment to a price look-up (PLU) file item, wherein the message contains a change address command and a new EPL identification number;

accepting the message by only the EPL; and

executing the change address command to replace the single unique temporary EPL identification number with the new EPL identification number.

6. A method of determining the operability of electronic price labels (EPLs) prior to their assignment to price look-up (PLU) items comprising the steps of:

providing the EPLs with a single unique reserved temporary EPL identification number prior to their installation in a transaction establishment;

transmitting a broadcast message addressed to the single reserved temporary EPL identification number of the EPLs after their installation in the transaction establishment, wherein the broadcast message contains the single unique reserved temporary EPL identification number and a diagnostic command;

accepting the message by a number of the EPLs which are operating; and

executing the diagnostic command by the operating EPLs.