Arrangement for and method of expediting commercial product transactions at a point-of-sale site

• US 6,308,888 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Swartz, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/548,865
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/383, 235/375, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• 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: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of and arrangement for updating inventory markings include printing an updated label containing updated information such as price obtained from the data base of a host computer on a real-time basis. The updated label is applied to a product identified by a scanner.

Claims

1. A method of labeling articles with an integrated reader/printer unit, comprising the steps of:

a) storing product identity information of products having attributes and data corresponding to the attributes of each product in a data base of a computer;

b) associating a tag bearing coded indicia having parts of different light reflectivity with each of the products, each coded indicia representing the identity of a respective product;

c) electro-optically scanning and reading the coded indicia on the tag associated with a product visually selected by a human operator by moving the unit relative to, and at a distance away from, the coded indicia to position thereon a light beam emitted exteriorly of the unit and movable across the coded indicia to automatically identify the product selected by the operator to the computer on a real-time basis;

d) accessing on a real-time basis the data base subsequent to the reading step to automatically retrieve the stored data corresponding to the attributes of the product selected;

e) printing a bar code symbol representing the retrieved data on a label with a printer associated with the unit;

f) applying the printed label to an article; and

g) automatically reading the symbol on the printed label applied to the article.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing step is performed by also printing sequential coded data indicative of the total number of labels printed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data is a base price;

and further comprising the step of periodically changing the base price of a product whose price has changed and storing the changed price in the data base; and

wherein the printing step is performed by selectively printing the changed price on the label only if the base price of the product has been changed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reading, printing and applying steps are performed at an article transaction terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the article bears original indicia, and wherein the applying step is performed by applying the printed label over the original indicia so as to obscure the original indicia from being read.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the article bears original indicia, and wherein the applying step is performed by applying the printed label adjacent the original indicia so that both the original indicia and the symbol on the printed label may be read.

7. An arrangement for expediting transactions of articles, comprising:

a) a computer having a data base in which product identity information of products having attributes and data corresponding to attributes of each product are stored;

b) a tag bearing coded indicia having parts of different light reflectivity associated with each of the products, each coded indicia representing the identity of a respective product;

c) means for electro-optically scanning and reading the coded indicia on the tag associated with a product visually selected by a human operator, including means for directing a light beam exteriorly of the reading means, and means for movably positioning the light beam on the coded indicia on the tag of the selected product to automatically identify the selected product to the computer and produce a signal when such identification is successfully made;

d) means for accessing the data base on a real-time basis in automatic subsequent response to said signal from the reading means to retrieve the stored data corresponding to an attribute associated with each identified product;

e) means for printing attribute information corresponding to the retrieved data on a label on a real-time basis with the operation of the means for accessing the data base;

f) adhesive means for adhering the printed label to an article; and

g) means for completing a transaction by electro-optically reading the attribute information on the printed label on the article.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the data is a base price;

and further comprising means for periodically changing the base price of a product whose price has changed and storing the changed price in the data base; and

wherein the printing means selectively prints the changed price on the label only if the base price of the product has been changed.

9. The arrangement according to claim 7;

wherein the reading, printing and applying means are located at an article transaction terminal.

10. The arrangement according to claim 7;

and further comprising receipt means for printing a receipt evidencing the transaction.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the receipt means includes a printhead for imprinting graphical markings on a paper roll.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the printhead has a tear-off edge.

13. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the printhead is connected to a portable data terminal.

14. The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the terminal has a keyboard and a display.

15. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the printhead is connected to the scanning means.