System and method of managing expired products

• US 6,557,760 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Goodwin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H.
• Application Number:
  US09/822,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020139838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/376
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method of managing expired products which uses an electronic price label system to convey expiration information. The system includes a product label affixed to the time-sensitive product, an electronic price label system including an electronic price label and a product label interrogator controlled by the electronic price label which obtains the expiration information from the product label, and a computer which identifies the electronic price label as being associated with the product, causes the electronic price label to activate the product label interrogator to interrogate the product label, and receives the expiration information from the electronic price label. The computer may additionally compare the expiration information to current date information and cause the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired if the current date information is after expiration information.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining expiration information about a time-sensitive item comprising the steps of:

identifying the time-sensitive item;

identifying an electronic price label associated with the time-sensitive item;

causing the electronic price label to activate a product label interrogator to obtain the expiration information from a product label affixed to the time-sensitive item; and

receiving the expiration information from the electronic price label.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the product label interrogator comprises a radio frequency identification interrogator, and in which the product label comprises a radio frequency identification label.

3. A method of pricing a time-sensitive product comprising the steps of:

identifying the time-sensitive product;

identifying an electronic price label associated with the time-sensitive product;

causing the electronic price label to activate a product label interrogator to obtain expiration information from a product label affixed to the time-sensitive product;

receiving the expiration information from the electronic price label;

comparing the expiration information with current date information; and

if the current date information is after the expiration information, then causing the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the product label interrogator comprises a radio frequency identification interrogator, and in which the product label comprises a radio frequency identification label.

5. A method of pricing a time-sensitive product comprising the steps of:

identifying the time-sensitive product;

identifying an electronic price label associated with a number of instances of the time-sensitive product;

causing the electronic price label to activate a product label interrogator to obtain expiration dates from product labels affixed to the instances of the time-sensitive product;

receiving the expiration dates from the electronic price label;

comparing the expiration dates with current date information; and

if the current date information is after any of the expiration dates of the instances of the product, then causing the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the product label interrogator comprises a radio frequency identification interrogator, and in which the product label comprises a radio frequency identification label.

7. A system for obtaining expiration information about a time-sensitive product comprising:

a product label affixed to the product;

an electronic price label system including

an electronic price label; and

a product label interrogator controlled by the electronic price label which obtains the expiration information from the product label; and

a computer which identifies the electronic price label as being associated with the product, causes the electronic price label to activate the product label interrogator to interrogate the product label, and receives the expiration information from the electronic price label.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the product label interrogator comprises a radio frequency identification interrogator, and in which the product label comprises a radio frequency identification label.

9. A system of pricing a time-sensitive product comprising:

a product label affixed to the time-sensitive product;

an electronic price label system including

an electronic price label; and

a product label interrogator controlled by the electronic price label which obtains the expiration information from the product label; and

a computer which identifies the electronic price label as being associated with the product, causes the electronic price label to activate the product label interrogator to interrogate the product label, receives the expiration information from the electronic price label, compares the expiration information to current date information, and causes the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired if the current date information is after expiration information.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the product label interrogator comprises a radio frequency identification interrogator, and in which the product label comprises a radio frequency identification label.