Food product scale

• US 9,377,346 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Dyer, Debra L., Davis, Robert S., Highley, James E. Jr., Broering, Jill M., Knoop, Fredrick D., Blankley, Randy L. Jr., Dusing, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Titcomb, William
• Application Number:
  US14/322,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 715/771
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/36 Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3721 with particular representation of the result, e.g. graphic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A scale includes a weigh station for receiving items to be weighed, an operator interface configured to display information associated with scale operations and a controller operably coupled to the operator interface to effect display of information. The operator interface may be in the form of a touch-screen display that is used to facilitate ease of use and scale adjustment.

Claims

1. A scale, comprising:

a weigh station for receiving items to be weighed;

an operator interface configured to display information associated with scale operations;

a controller operably coupled to the operator interface to effect display of information thereon, the controller configured to present an item weigh primary interface screen view for weighing operations and at which identity data regarding a given item to be weighed can be entered by an operator and retrieved item information for the given item responsively displayed in at least one product-related display field on the item weigh primary interface screen view,

wherein the item weigh primary interface screen view is one of multiple primary interface screen views available to an operator, the operator able to interact with the operator interface to move between the multiple primary interface screen views, wherein each of the multiple primary interface screen views is a first level interface screen view that the controller is configured to present for display without requiring an operator to click through another screen view,

wherein the controller is configured such that item information retrieved and displayed on the item weigh primary interface screen view remains available when an operator transitions from the item weigh primary interface screen view to another primary interface screen view and back again.

2. The scale of claim 1 wherein one of the primary interface screen views is a supplementary product information primary interface screen view that includes at least one additional product-related display field and when identity data regarding the given item to be weighed is entered by the operator at the item weigh primary interface screen view the controller automatically retrieves and loads the additional product-related display field with data even though the supplementary product information primary interface screen view is not being displayed on the operator interface.

3. The scale of claim 2, wherein the item weigh primary interface screen view includes a selectable menu icon, where selection of the menu icon triggers display of an menu interface window superimposed over the item weigh primary interface screen view and through which an operator can access supplemental information, and wherein the controller is configured such that item information retrieved and displayed on the item weigh primary interface screen view remains populated when an operator temporarily accesses and then closes the menu interface window.

4. The scale of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured such that item information displayed on the item weigh primary interface screen view is automatically loaded into RAM and remains loaded in RAM when an operator transitions from the item weigh primary interface screen view to another primary interface screen view, such that the item information loaded in RAM remains available for viewing upon transition back to the item weigh primary interface screen view.

5. A scale, comprising:

a weigh station for receiving items to be weighed;

an operator interface configured to display information associated with scale operations;

a controller operably coupled to the operator interface to effect display of information thereon, the controller configured to present an item weigh primary interface screen view for weighing operations and at which identity data regarding a given item to be weighed can be entered by an operator and item information for the given item responsively retrieved and displayed, wherein the item weigh primary interface screen view is a first level interface screen view that the controller is configured to present for display without requiring an operator to click through another screen view,

wherein the item weigh primary interface screen view includes a selectable menu icon, where selection of the menu icon triggers display of a pop-up menu interface window superimposed over the item weigh primary interface screen view and through which an operator can access supplemental information,

wherein the controller is configured such that item information retrieved and displayed on the item weigh primary interface screen view remains populated when an operator temporarily accesses and then closes the pop-up menu interface window.

6. The scale of claim 5 wherein the controller is configured such that item information displayed on the item weigh primary interface screen view is automatically loaded into RAM and remains loaded in RAM when an operator temporarily accesses and then closes the pop-up menu interface window.

7. A method of facilitating user access to information during performance of a weighing operation using a scale including a weigh station for receiving items to be weighed, an operator interface configured to display information associated with scale operations, the operator interface including a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving identity data regarding a given item to be weighed;

displaying on an item weigh primary interface screen view of the interface retrieved item information for the given item in at least one product-related display field on the item weigh primary interface screen view;

transitioning from display of the item weigh primary interface screen view to one of a different primary interface screen view or a pop-up menu interface window;

wherein each of the item weigh primary interface screen view and the different primary interface screen view is a first level interface screen view that the controller is configured to present for display without requiring an operator to click through another screen view,

transitioning back to display of the item weigh primary interface screen view, with the retrieved item information for the given item continuing to be displayed in the product-related display field, enabling operator completion of the weighing operation.