System and method for using an enhanced external data interface to display data in EPL systems

• US 6,542,873 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, III, John C., Zimmerman, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rudy, Andrew Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/587,785
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 705/20, 235/383, 340/5.9, 340/5.91
• US Class Current: 705/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for using an enhanced external data interface to display data in electronic price label (EPL) systems. The enhanced external data interface (EDI) responds to various stimuli or requests, such as a store manager or other user logged onto a computer terminal in real time, computer-generated applications and timed file data. The enhanced EDI may receive messages to store first information in, or to read first information already stored in, an EPL data file. The EDI determines whether it is time to update a message displayed by a particular EPL or group thereof for a particular merchandise item. If it is time to update the message, the EDI compares information read from the EPL data file with information about the same merchandise item stored in a message management file. If the two pieces of information are different from one another, the EDI causes a message to be transmitted to the EPL, containing the information from the message management file and a command to display such information.

Claims

1. A computerized method for using an enhanced external data interface to display data in an electronic price label (EPL) system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a message to store first information in, or to read first information already stored in, an EPL data file;

(b) if the message is to store information, storing said first information in the EPL data file;

(c) reading the first information stored in the EPL data file, said first information including a message presently displayed by an EPL or a group of EPLs displaying a same message;

(d) determining whether it is time to update the message displayed by the EPL or the group of EPLs for a particular merchandise item by comparing timer information with information from a message management file;

(e) if it is time to update the message, comparing the first information read from the EPL data file with second information about the same merchandise item stored in the message management file, said second information including a new message to be displayed by the EPL; and

(f) if the second information is different from the first information, transmitting a message to the electronic price label, containing the second information and a command to display the second information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message to store first information is a timer signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the message to read first stored information is received directly from an operator or from a computer-generated application.

4. A computerized method for using an enhanced external data interface to display data in an electronic price label (EPL) system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a message to store first information in, or to read first information already stored in, an EPL data file;

(b) if the message is to store information, storing said first information in the EPL data file;

(c) reading the first information stored in the EPL data file, said first information including a message presently displayed by an EPL or group of EPLs displaying a same message;

(d) determining whether it is time to update the message displayed by the EPL or the group of EPLs for a particular merchandise item by comparing timer information with information from a message management file; and

(e) if it is time to update the message, transmitting a message to the EPL, containing second information about the same merchandise item, read from a second data file, and a command to display the second information, said second information including a message to be displayed by the EPL.

5. A computerized system having an external data interface adapted to provide information to be displayed by an electronic price label (EPL), comprising:

means for receiving a message to store first information in, or to read first information already stored in, an EPL data file;

means for storing said first information in the EPL data file;

means for reading the first information stored in the EPL data file, said first information including a message presently displayed by the EPL;

means for determining whether it is time to update the message displayed by the EPL for a particular merchandise item by comparing timer information with information from a message management file;

means for comparing the first information read from the EPL data file with second information about the same merchandise item stored in the message management file, said second information including a new message to be displayed by the EPL; and

means for transmitting a message to the electronic price label, containing the second information and a command to display the second information.

6. A computerized method for using an enhanced external data interface to display data in an electronic price label system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a message to store first information in, or to read first information already stored in, a first data file;

(b) if the message is to store information, storing said first information in the first data file;

(c) reading the first information stored in the first data file;

(d) determining whether it is time to update a message displayed by a particular electronic price label or group thereof for a particular merchandise item;

(e) if it is time to update the message, comparing the first information read from the first data file with second information about the same merchandise item stored in a second data file; and

(f) if the second information is different from the first information, transmitting a message to the electronic price label, containing the second information and a command to display the second information;

wherein the first data file is an electronic price label data file;

wherein the second data file is a message management file; and

wherein step (d) comprises comparing information from the message management file with information from a timer.