Methods and apparatus for promotional electronic signs

• US 7,080,028 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Terry L., Goodwin, John C. III, Bhyravabhotla, Raghurama
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US09/847,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,903 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16, 705/17, 705/18, 705/19, 705/20, 705/416, 705/26, 705/27
• 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

Techniques for displaying promotional information by providing an electronic sign (ES) which displays promotional information, display slogans, bundled pricing, bulk pricing, and other types of information. The ES can be used by retailers to increase sales, provide an alternate technique for advertising and reduce costs. According to one aspect, an EPL computer reads an EPL/ES data file to determine if an entry is associated with an EPL or an ES. The EPL computer then reads a promotional message from a promotional data file. An index in the EPL/ES data file may be used to determine the correct promotional message. The EPL computer transmits a message to the ES which includes a command for the ES to display the promotional message. The ES then displays the promotional message, providing valuable information to customers who are in the process of making purchasing decisions. In one aspect, an ES displays promotional information associated with an offer and is not associated with any particular single item. Such a special offer may apply to a family of items, rather than a particular single item. In another aspect, an ES is associated with an item and displays promotional information relating to that item. In another aspect, an ES is associated with an item and displays promotional information relating to another item or items.

Claims

1. A combined electronic price label (EPL) and electronic sign (ES) system comprising:

a plurality of electronic signs (ESs) for displaying promotional messages associated with promotion identification numbers;

a plurality of EPLs;

a promotional data file;

a price lookup (PLU) file; and

a host computer reading a combined EPL/ES data file separate from the PLU file and having a field for storing both promotion identification numbers and an item identification numbers, the host computer determining whether a particular identification number stored in said field of the EPL/ES data file is a promotion identification number associated with an ES or an item identification number associated with an EPL, and, when the promotion identification number is associated with an ES, said host computer reading the promotional message corresponding to the promotion identification number from the promotional data file and sending a promotional display message to the ES which includes a command for the ES to display the promotional message.

2. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 further wherein the promotional data file further includes a plurality of promotional messages, and wherein the host computer utilizes the identification number to provide an index to select one of the plurality of promotional messages from the promotional data file for transmission to the ES.

3. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the message to the EPL includes a command for the EPL to display a price if the identification number is associated with the EPL.

4. The combined EPL and ESL system of claim 1 wherein the identification number:

provides a message offset pointer indicating a location of the promotional message, if the identification number is associated with the ES, and

provides a price offset pointer indicating a location of a price displayed by the EPL, if the identification number is associated with the EPL.

5. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the promotional message is associated with an offer.

6. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 5 wherein the offer applies to a family of items which are not associated with a single PLU number.

7. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the promotional message includes bundled price information associated with an offer.

8. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the ES displays a default message when the ES is not displaying the promotional message.

9. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the message sent to the ES includes a time period for which the promotional message is to be displayed.

10. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the ES displays a default message after the time period has expired.

11. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 10 wherein the ES displays the default message before the message is received.

12. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein the promotional message includes a frequent buyer price.

18. The combined EPL and ES system of claim 1 wherein if the identification number is associated with the EPL, then the host computer looks up a price for the EPL in the PLU and sends a message to the EPL.

13. A method of displaying a promotional message by a combined electronic price label (EPL) and electronic sign (ES) system comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a record associated with an EPL or an ES from a combined EPL/ES data file separate from a price lookup (PLU) file, the record having a field for storing both a promotion identification number and an item identification number;

(b) determining whether a particular identification number stored in said field of the combined EPL/ES data file is a promotion identification number associated with an ES or an item identification number associated with an EPL;

(c) reading a promotional data file to determine the promotional message, when the record is associated with the ES;

(d) sending a promotional display message to the ES; and

(e) displaying the promotional message by the ES.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step (b) utilizes a flag which indicates if the record is associated with an EPL or an ES.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising, before step (a), the step of:

displaying a default promotional message by the ES.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the promotional display message includes a time period for which the promotional message is to be displayed.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(f) displaying a default promotional message after the time period has elapsed.