Method of changing an electronic price label display sequence

• US 6,696,920 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, III, John C., Zimmerman, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/409,576
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.91, 340/5.92, 340/525, 705/16, 705/20, 705/21, 705/23, 705/28, 235/383, 235/385, 345/962
• US Class Current: 340/5.91
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

A method of changing a display sequence of an electronic price label which uses two commands to add and remove information from a display sequence. The method includes the steps of formulating a change sequence message including a number of change sequence commands which reference memory registers of the electronic price label, and sending the change sequence message to the electronic price label. An Add command causes the electronic price label to additionally display data in a predetermined memory register. A Remove command causes the electronic price label to stop displaying data in a predetermined memory register. If data accompanies an Add command, the method further determines whether such data will overwrite existing data in the predetermined memory register, and if it will, stores the existing data for later retrieval.

Claims

1. A method of temporarily changing a first display sequence of an electronic price label to a second display sequence comprising the steps of:

(a) formulating a first change sequence message including a first change sequence command which references a predetermined location in a memory of the electronic price label and which modifies the first display sequence to create the second display sequence, and including first data associated with the first change sequence command which will be displayed in accordance with the second display sequence;

(b) determining whether execution of the first change sequence command by the electronic price label will overwrite existing data in the memory of the electronic price label;

(c) if execution of the first change sequence command will overwrite the existing data in the memory, storing the existing data;

(d) sending the first change sequence message to the electronic price label;

(e) formulating a second change sequence message including a second change sequence command which references the predetermined location in the memory and which modifies the second display sequence to create the first display sequence, and including the existing data overwritten by the first change sequence command; and

(f) sending the second change sequence message to the electronic price label following a temporary period.

2. A method of changing a display sequence of an electronic price label comprising the steps of:

(a) formulating a change sequence message including a number of change sequence commands which reference memory registers of the electronic price label, wherein the change sequence commands include a first command which causes the electronic price label to additionally display first data in a first memory register and a second command which causes the electronic price label to stop displaying second data in a second memory register; and

(b) if the change sequence message includes the first command, determining whether execution of the first command by the electronic price label will overwrite existing data in the first memory register;

(c) if execution of the first command will overwrite the existing data, storing the existing data; and

(d) sending the change sequence message to the electronic price label.

3. An electronic price label system comprising:

an electronic price label including a memory; and

a computer which formulates a change sequence message including a change sequence command which references a predetermined location in the memory of the electronic price label and new data associated with the change sequence command, which determines whether execution of the change sequence command by the electronic price label will overwrite existing data in the memory of the electronic price label, which stores the existing data if execution of the change sequence command will overwrite the existing data, which sends the change sequence message to the electronic price label, which formulates another change sequence message including another change sequence command which references the predetermined location in the memory and including the existing data overwritten by the new data, and which sends the other change sequence message to the electronic price label following a temporary period.