Methods and apparatus for self-diagnosing electronic price labels
First Claim
1. A method of electronic price label self-diagnosis of failures, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving power from only a battery by an electronic price label;
periodically performing an unsolicited self-diagnostic test by a processor in the electronic price label;
wirelessly communicating from the electronic price label to a central processor a normal operation signal when the processor of the electronic price label fails to detect a fault during the unsolicited self-diagnostic test; and
wirelessly communicating from the electronic price label to the central processor a fault signal identifying a fault when the processor in the electronic price label detects the fault during execution of the unsolicited self diagnostic test.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-diagnosing electronic price label. The label communicates with a central processor in order to receive price information for display and to report the status of the label to the central processor. The label periodically runs a self-test program to verify proper operation of its components. If a component fails the self-test, the failure is reported to a central processor, and the central processor reports the failure for investigation. During normal operation, the label issues a signal to the central processor indicating normal operation. In the event of a failure, the label ceases to send the signal indicating normal operation. When the signal is not received as expected, the central processor reports the failure to receive the signal for investigation. This allows the central processor to be alerted to failures which disable communication between the label and the central processor.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of electronic price label self-diagnosis of failures, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving power from only a battery by an electronic price label; periodically performing an unsolicited self-diagnostic test by a processor in the electronic price label; wirelessly communicating from the electronic price label to a central processor a normal operation signal when the processor of the electronic price label fails to detect a fault during the unsolicited self-diagnostic test; and wirelessly communicating from the electronic price label to the central processor a fault signal identifying a fault when the processor in the electronic price label detects the fault during execution of the unsolicited self diagnostic test. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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5. An electronic price label comprising;
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a battery for providing sole power for powering the electronic price label; memory for storing diagnostic software for performing a self-diagnostic test; a communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a host system; a display for displaying price information; and a processor powered by the battery, wherein the processor periodically performs the self-diagnostic test according to a schedule without first receiving a status request from the host system, wherein the processor furnishes test signals to at least one of the display, communication interface, memory, and battery during the self-diagnostic test, wherein the processor analyzes return signals from the at least one of the display, communication interface, memory, and battery during the self-diagnostic test, wherein the processor determines whether a failure exists in the electronic price label during the self-diagnostic test, and then wirelessly reports said failure to the host system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of self-diagnosis of failures in an electronic price label system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving power from only a battery by each of a plurality of electronic price labels; periodically performing an unsolicited self-diagnostic test without first receiving a status request from a central processor by each of the electronic price labels; wirelessly reporting each fault detected by the self-diagnostic test from the electronic price labels to the central processor when the detected fault does not preclude accurate reporting of the fault by the electronic price labels; and providing an error indication when the detected fault precludes accurate reporting of the fault to the central processor by the electronic price labels.
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Specification