Patent ID: 6112988
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
A method of operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store includinga plurality of areas each includinga shelf,a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, anda respective interface with an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, and a battery, the interface being supported by the shelf, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units,the method comprising the steps, performed for each interface, of:recording a respective first signal, in the interface, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface;detecting, in the interface, a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting step being performed after the recording step; andsending the recorded first signal through the interface contact to the card detected in the previous step, the sending step being performed while powering the interface from the battery, the sending step being performed for multiple cards per performance of the recording step.