Method of delaying availability of price changes to checkout terminals following EPL price changes
First Claim
1. A method of delaying replacement of a first price of an item with a second price of a item in a price file following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) comprising the steps of:
- storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL;
providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price;
reading the price change file to obtain a delay period;
determining whether a current time is later than the first time plus the delay period; and
executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of delaying availability of a price change to checkout terminals following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) which minimizes server overhead required to change prices. The method includes the steps of storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL, providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price and containing a delay period, reading the price change file to obtain the delay period, determining whether a current time is later than the first time plus the delay period, and executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of delaying replacement of a first price of an item with a second price of a item in a price file following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) comprising the steps of:
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storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL; providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price; reading the price change file to obtain a delay period; determining whether a current time is later than the first time plus the delay period; and executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of delaying replacement of a first price of an item with a second price of a item in a price file following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) comprising the steps of:
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storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL; providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price and containing a delay period; reading the price change file to obtain the delay period; determining whether a current time is later than the first time plus the delay period; executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price; determining a new delay period if the current time is earlier than the first time plus the delay period; creating a new price change file containing the new delay period; and executing the new price change file after the new delay period to replace the first price with the second price.
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8. A method of delaying replacement of a first price of an item with a second price of a item in a price file following a change in price displayed by an electronic price label (EPL) comprising the steps of:
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storing a first time associated with the change in price displayed by the EPL; providing a price change file for changing the first price to the second price, including the substep of storing a delay period in the price change file if the second price is greater than the first price; reading the price change file to determine whether the price change file contains the delay period; if the price change file contains the delay period, executing the price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price; and if the price change file does not contain the delay period, determining whether the second price is greater than the first price; if the second price is less than the first price, executing the price change file without delay to replace the first price with the second price; and if the second price is greater than the first price, providing another price change file with the delay period, and executing the other price change file if the current time is later than the first time plus the delay period to replace the first price with the second price.
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Specification