Solar powered price display system
First Claim
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1. A system for displaying product information, comprising:
- a controller;
a ceiling node having IR transmitter and an RF receiver;
a first bus coupling said controller and said ceiling node for carrying messages between said controller and said ceiling node;
an end cap having IR receiver and RF transmitter, said end cap being mounted to a display shelf or gondola;
an individually addressable display module;
a rail for mounting said end cap and said individually addressable display module;
a second bus for carrying messages between said end cap and said individually addressable display module;
a third bus for carrying power, said individually addressable display module coupled to said third bus;
wherein said IR transmitter consumes more power than said IR receiver when said IR transmitter and IR receiver are operative, and said RF receiver consumes more power than said RF transmitter when said RF transmitter and RF receiver are operative.
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Abstract
An information display system comprises a controller, a ceiling node, a rail, an end cap and a solar powered display module. The display module stores and displays information. The controller communicates with the end cap through an IR downlink and an RF uplink, and the end cap communicates with the display module by wired communication. By uniquely combining RF and IR communication systems in the information display system, communication between the controller and the module is fast and accurate and the display module'"'"'s power consumption is significantly reduced to make a solar powered information display system practical. By a unique power bus, excess power is shared.
120 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for displaying product information, comprising:
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a controller;
a ceiling node having IR transmitter and an RF receiver;
a first bus coupling said controller and said ceiling node for carrying messages between said controller and said ceiling node;
an end cap having IR receiver and RF transmitter, said end cap being mounted to a display shelf or gondola;
an individually addressable display module;
a rail for mounting said end cap and said individually addressable display module;
a second bus for carrying messages between said end cap and said individually addressable display module;
a third bus for carrying power, said individually addressable display module coupled to said third bus;
wherein said IR transmitter consumes more power than said IR receiver when said IR transmitter and IR receiver are operative, and said RF receiver consumes more power than said RF transmitter when said RF transmitter and RF receiver are operative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for displaying product information comprising:
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a controller;
a ceiling node having an IR transmitter and an RF receiver;
a first bus coupling said controller and said ceiling node for carrying messages between said controller and said ceiling node; and
an individually addressable display module having an IR receiver and an RF transmitter;
wherein said IR transmitter consumes more power than said IR receiver when said IR transmitter and IR receiver are operative, and said RF receiver consumes more power than said RF transmitter when said RF transmitter and RF receiver are operative. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for displaying product information comprising:
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a controller;
a ceiling node capable of transmitting and/or receiving wireless communications;
a first bus coupling said controller and said ceiling node for carrying messages between said controller and said ceiling node;
a plurality of individually addressable display modules for displaying product information, each of said individually addressable display modules comprising a solar power source;
a rail for mounting said plurality of individually addressable display modules; and
a second bus for carrying power between modules in said plurality of individually addressable display modules, whereby power from the solar power source within at least a first module of said plurality of individually addressable display modules is carried to supply a second module of said plurality of individually addressable display modules to supplement power available from the solar power source within said second module. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of changeably displaying information in an information display system comprising a controller, a ceiling node, a first bus coupling said controller and said ceiling node for carrying messages between said controller and said ceiling node, an end cap, and a display module, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting information from said controller to said ceiling node over said first bus;
retransmitting said information transmitted to said ceiling node from said ceiling node to said end cap using an IR downlink;
transmitting a first acknowledge message acknowledging receipt of said information from said end cap to said ceiling node over an RF uplink;
retransmitting said information retransmitted to said end cap to said display module over a second bus;
displaying said information on said display module;
transmitting a second acknowledge message acknowledging receipt of said information from said display module to said end cap over said second bus; and
retransmitting said second acknowledge message from said end cap to said ceiling node using said RF uplink;
wherein retransmitting said information transmitted to said ceiling node from said ceiling node to said end cap using said IR downlink is performed at a first power level, transmitting said first acknowledge message acknowledging receipt of said information from said end cap to said ceiling node over said RF uplink is performed at a second power level, and said first power level is greater than said second power level.
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Specification
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Current AssigneePricepoint Incorporated
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Original AssigneePricepoint Incorporated
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InventorsCantu, Gary R., Steinberg, Daniel B., Pfeiffer, James W.
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Primary Examiner(s)LAO, LUNYI
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Application NumberUS08/895,498Time in Patent Office1,651 DaysField of Search235/383, 235/385, 235/472, 340/825.07, 340/825.35, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.73, 340/825.75, 340/5.91, 340/597, 364/400, 364/401, 345/1-2, 345/30, 345/31, 705/28, 705/22, 705/23, 705/400, 705/416, 359/154US Class Current345/2.3CPC Class CodesG06F 3/147 using display panelsG09G 2380/04 Electronic labelsH04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wir...
