Technique for communicating with electronic labels in an electronic price display system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for displaying information having a predetermined address and comprising:
- a screen;
at least one memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, each memory element storing display data;
means for reading the memory elements;
means for displaying on said screen information based on the display data stored in the memory elements read by the reading means;
means for receiving messages each including an address field and a data field; and
means for accepting the received messages whose address fields match said predetermined address, the data field of an accepted message comprising a sequence of data words each including at least a first subword, the first subword of each data word in the sequence identifying a memory element, a subset of the memory elements identified by first subwords of the data words being read by the reading means for display in an order identical to that of the corresponding first subwords in the sequence.
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Abstract
In a system for displaying prices in a retail store, an improved protocol is disclosed to permit improved communications between a host, or central computer and display devices. Such a protocol enables the host to effectively communicate messages to the display devices for the latter to display information to consumers and/or store personnel.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for displaying information having a predetermined address and comprising:
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a screen; at least one memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, each memory element storing display data; means for reading the memory elements; means for displaying on said screen information based on the display data stored in the memory elements read by the reading means; means for receiving messages each including an address field and a data field; and means for accepting the received messages whose address fields match said predetermined address, the data field of an accepted message comprising a sequence of data words each including at least a first subword, the first subword of each data word in the sequence identifying a memory element, a subset of the memory elements identified by first subwords of the data words being read by the reading means for display in an order identical to that of the corresponding first subwords in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for use in an apparatus for displaying information, said apparatus having a predetermined address and comprising a screen, and at least one memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, each memory element storing display data, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading the memory elements using a reading means; displaying on said screen information based on the display data stored in the memory elements read by the reading means; receiving messages each including an address field and a data field; and accepting the received messages whose address fields match said predetermined address, the data field of an accepted message comprising a sequence of data words each including at least a first subword, the first subword of each data word in the sequence identifying a memory element, a subset of the memory elements identified by first subwords of the data words being read by the reading means for display in an order identical to that of the corresponding first subwords in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for displaying information comprising:
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control means including means for providing messages each including an address and a data field; a multiplicity of electronic displays communicatively coupled with the control means, each display having a respective address and comprising; a screen; at least one memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, each memory element storing display data; means for reading the memory elements; means for displaying on said screen information based on the display data stored in the memory elements read by the reading means; and means for accepting messages provided by the control means, addresses of the accepted messages being identical to said respective address, the data field of an accepted message comprising a sequence of data words each including at least a first subword, the first subword of each data word in the sequence identifying a memory element, a subset of the memory elements identified by first subwords of the data words being read by the reading means for display in an order identical to that of the corresponding first subwords in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for use in a system for displaying information, said system comprising control means and at least one display apparatus communicatively coupled with the control means, said display apparatus having a predetermined address and comprising a screen, and at least one memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, each memory element storing display data, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing from said control means messages each including an address and a data field; reading the memory elements using a reading apparatus; displaying on said screen information based on the display data stored in the memory elements read by the reading apparatus; and accepting by said display apparatus messages provided by the control means, addresses of the accepted messages being identical to said predetermined address, the data field of an accepted message comprising a sequence of data words each including at least a first subword, the first subword of each data word in the sequence identifying a memory element, a subset of the memory elements identified by first subwords of the data words being read by the reading apparatus for display in an order identical to that of the corresponding first subwords in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification