Digital advertisement board in communication with point-of-sale terminals

• US 7,841,514 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S., Mueller, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US11/456,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16, 705/20, 235/375, 235/377, 235/378, 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/378
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

A price associated with a menu item is determined automatically based at least in part on revenue management information. A menu display is updated on an electronic display device such as a digital menu board to include the automatically-determined price.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data storage device;

a menu display; and

a processing mechanism coupled to said data storage device;

wherein the processing mechanism is operable to;

determine a reduction in price for an item from a first price to a second price, wherein said reduction in price is based at least in part on revenue management data stored in the data storage device;

automatically update a menu display of the item to show both the first price and the second price; and

update the menu display to provide an indication that the price of the item is temporarily reduced.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing mechanism is further configured to update the menu display to provide an indication as to a duration of the temporarily reduced price.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said duration is based on either a period of time or inventory level.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein subsequent to expiration of said duration, said price for said item is restored from said second price to said first price.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein subsequent to updating said menu display to indicate said price for said item is restored to said first price, a determined time lag is interposed prior to charging said restored first price for the item at a terminal.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said determined time lag is based at least in part on a predetermined period of time.

7. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said determined time lag is based at least in part on a number of transactions being processed.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said determined time lag is based at least in part on a number of waiting customers.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said reduction in price is based at least in part on a time of day.