Abstract:
Techniques for cost effectively displaying a bagging indicator by an electronic price label (EPL) are described. An EPL computer reads an EPL data file to determine if an item contains a bagging indicator. The EPL computer transmits a message to an EPL associated with the item which includes a command for the EPL to display a bagging indicator. The EPL then displays the bagging indicator, providing valuable information to customers who are in the process of making purchasing decisions. In one aspect, one or more colored areas on a face plate of the EPL are formed by silkscreening. An EPL liquid crystal segment shaped substantially similar to the colored area is aligned behind each of the colored areas. When the EPL segment behind a colored area is not active, the color is visible to customers, providing the bagging indicator.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to improvements in electronic price label (EPL) systems used in transaction establishments. More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in EPL systems including systems and methods for an EPL to display a bagging indicator which indicates where an item associated with the EPL should be placed in a customer&#39;s shopping container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for each merchandise item in a store. EPLs display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A store may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file which contains EPL identification information and EPL merchandise item information. The central server sends messages, including price change messages, to the EPLs. 
     Consumers and governments are becoming more conscious of health concerns relating to purchased food items. Currently, consumers typically browse through a retail establishment, select certain items and place the items to be purchased in a shopping container, such as a shopping cart, a shopping basket or a shopping bag. When disparate items are placed in a common shopping container, contamination from one item may potentially be spread to another item. For example, packaged raw meat may leak a fluid containing salmonella onto fresh produce or onto the surface of a clean can. Governments are beginning to respond to this problem by requiring that certain items be kept in separate shopping containers or in an approved shopping container which includes multiple compartments. Consumers need to know or may profit from a reminder as to which items should be placed into a particular shopping bag or compartment. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide EPL systems and methods which include an EPL that displays a bagging indicator which indicates where an item associated with the EPL should be placed in a customer&#39;s shopping container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention advantageously provides methods and apparatus for displaying a bagging indicator by an EPL to provide shopping information to customers. The bagging indicator may suitably indicate a product type of the item, informing customers of which compartment or shopping bag the item should be placed into. According to one aspect of the present invention, an EPL computer reads an EPL data file to determine if an item has an associated bagging indicator. The EPL computer transmits a bagging message to an EPL associated with the item which includes a command for the EPL to display a bagging indicator. The EPL then displays the bagging indicator providing valuable information to customers who are in the process of selecting items. 
     In one aspect, the present invention advantageously allows a retailer to make the consumer aware that certain items need to be grouped in a particular compartment or bag when selected for purchase. In a preferred embodiment, a bagging indicator displayed by an EPL may comprise a color which indicates the categorization of an item. For example, a first color may correspond to items which potentially include a risk of salmonella contamination, a second color may indicate that an item is a produce item and must be placed in a separate plastic bag, and a third color may indicate that an item includes a sealed container which prevents the spread of any contamination. Customers may advantageously use the bagging indicator to place items with like colors in the same compartment or bag. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for the display of a colored bagging indicator by an EPL by silkscreening, or otherwise imprinting, one or more colored areas on a face plate of the EPL. An EPL segment shaped substantially similar to the colored area is aligned behind each of the colored areas. When the EPL segment behind a colored area is not active, the color is visible to customers. Conversely, when the EPL segment behind a colored area is active, the color is not visible to customers. 
     In another aspect, the bagging indicator is displayed by an EPL as a number. The number may suitably correspond to one compartment of a shopping bag or to a particular type of shopping bag. 
    
    
     A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transaction management system, including an EPL system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing data files used within a transaction establishment in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an EPL in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4A is a frontal view of an EPL face plate and a liquid crystal display for displaying a bagging indicator in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4B is a frontal view of an EPL displaying a bagging indicator in accordance with another aspect of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 shows a method of displaying a bagging indicator by an EPL in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention now will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     FIG. 1 shows a transaction management system  10  which includes a host computer system  12 , a point-of-service (POS) system  14 , and an EPL system  16 . Here, components  12 ,  14 , and  16  are shown as separate components that are networked together, but they and their subcomponents may also be combined in various ways. Thus, host computer system  12  may be a POS terminal which doubles as a host computer for a network of other POS terminals. 
     The host computer system  12  includes a storage medium  36 , a host price look-up (PLU) terminal  40 , and an input device  42 . The storage medium  36  includes a PLU data file  44  which stores item prices which are available for distribution to a POS terminal  20  by the host PLU terminal  40 . Alternatively, provision may be made for a bar code scanner  18  to directly access the PLU data file  44 . Host PLU terminal  40  executes PLU maintenance routine  50  which updates PLU data file  44 . Input device  42  is preferably a keyboard, but it will be recognized that data can be entered in a variety of alternative manners. 
     POS system  14  includes bar code scanner  18  and terminal  20 . 
     EPL system  16  primarily includes EPLs  22 , host EPL terminal  24 , EPL storage medium  26 , and display  25 . EPLs are typically attached to store shelving adjacent to items. 
     Terminals  20 ,  24 , and  40  are shown as separate components that are networked together, but they may also be combined in different ways. For example, EPL terminal  24  and host PLU terminal may be combined to form a single host computer. POS terminal  20  and host PLU terminal may be combined to form a POS terminal which doubles as a host computer for a network of other POS terminals. 
     Host EPL terminal  24  executes EPL software  30 , which maintains the contents of EPL data file  32 . Host EPL terminal  24  also executes bagging indicator program  38 , described in further detail below. In an alternative embodiment, bagging indicator program  38  may be combined with EPL software  30 . 
     EPL software  30  records, schedules, and transmits all messages to EPLs  22 . EPL software  30  also maintains and uses EPL data file  32 , which contains item information, such as a PLU number and EPL identification information for each of the EPLs  22 . EPL software  30  includes data scheduler  34  which schedules messages to EPLs  22 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, EPL data file  32  and PLU data file  44  are shown in more detail. EPL data file  32  includes a line entry for each EPL  22  in EPL system  16 . Each line entry has an item identification entry (ITEM ID), an EPL identification entry (EPL ID), entry price checksum (EPL CHECK) and a bagging indicator (BAGGING INDICATOR) entry. Entry ITEM ID identifies a store item. Entry EPL ID identifies which EPL is assigned to the item. Entry price checksum (EPL CHECK) is calculated from the price in PLU data file  44 . Entry BAGGING INDICATOR identifies which, if any, bagging indicator is to be displayed by the EPL assigned to the item. 
     While in a presently preferred embodiment BAGGING INDICATOR is maintained in EPL data file  32 , BAGGING INDICATOR may also be maintained in a separate file. 
     PLU data file includes a line entry for each item sold in the store. Each line entry has an item identification entry (ITEM ID) identifying a store item, and a PLU price entry (PLU PRICE) identifying the price read by POS system  14  to determine the price of each item during scanning by bar code scanner  18 . 
     During normal operation, EPL software  30  obtains price information for an item from PLU data file  44 . Data scheduler  34  schedules price change messages for transmission to EPLs. EPL software  30  controls transmission of messages to the EPLs. 
     In order to provide a customer with color coded or numerical bagging information, bagging indicator program  38  reads EPL data file  32  to determine if an item has a BAGGING INDICATOR entry. If the BAGGING INDICATOR entry indicates that a bagging indicator is to be displayed by the EPL assigned to the item, the bagging indicator program  38  causes EPL software  30  to transmit a bagging indication message to the EPL  22  associated with the item. The bagging indication message instructs the EPL to display a bagging indicator which may suitably comprise a colored area or a numerical indicator, for example, as described below. 
     FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an EPL  22  in accordance with the present invention. The EPL  22  includes EPL circuitry  52 , a display  53 , a battery  54 , a transmit and receive antenna  55  and a memory device  56 . The memory device  56  includes a plurality of registers  57  which store price, promotional and other types of information to be displayed by the EPL  22 . In one aspect, when a bagging indication message is received by the EPL  22 , an entry is made in one of the registers  57 , causing the EPL circuitry  52  to display a bagging indicator by activating, or turning on, liquid crystal segments, described below, aligned behind colors which are not to be displayed. By leaving the segment inactive, or turned off, behind a color to be displayed, this color is visible to customers on the display  53 . The default setting for EPL circuitry  52  is for the display of no colors until a bagging indication message is received. 
     In another aspect, when a bagging indication message is received by the EPL  22 , an entry is made in one of the registers  57 , causing the EPL circuitry  52  to activate a display of a numerical indicator corresponding to a particular compartment or a particular bag into which the item should be placed. 
     FIG. 4A shows a frontal exploded view of an EPL  22  which includes an EPL face plate  70  and an EPL liquid crystal display  72  in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The face plate  70  is adapted to cover EPL display  72  while the EPL  22  is in operation and includes one or more colored areas  74 ,  75 ,  76 ,  77  which have been applied to the surface of the face plate  70  using silkscreening or some other suitable method. Each colored area  74 - 77  may suitably have a different color, such as, for example, red, green, yellow or blue. The EPL display  72  includes one or more individually addressable liquid crystal segments  78 ,  79 ,  80 ,  81  which are shaped substantially similar to the colored areas  74 - 77 . The segments  78 - 81  are positioned such that when the face plate  70  is placed adjacent to a front surface of the display  72 , each colored area  74 - 77  is in substantial alignment with a corresponding liquid crystal segment  78 - 81 , respectively. As described above, a color is displayed by turning off, or deactivating, the segments  78 - 81  aligned behind the color to be displayed. While the present invention is being shown with the colored areas  74 - 77  and segments  78 - 81  being of a generally square shape, any suitable shape may be utilized, such as, for example, a circle, a triangle or a custom shape. 
     FIG. 4B shows a frontal view of an EPL  22  displaying a bagging indicator  85  in the form of an exemplary text message “I” in conjunction with a paper overlay  86  reading “Bag Type No.” 
     In one aspect, the present invention advantageously allows a retailer to make the consumer aware of that certain items need to be grouped in a particular compartment or bag when selected for purchase. In a preferred embodiment, a bagging indicator displayed by an EPL may comprise a color which indicates the categorization of an item. For example, a first color, such as red, may correspond to items which potentially include a risk of salmonella contamination, a second color, such as green, may indicate that an item is a produce item and must be placed in a separated plastic bag, and a third color, such as blue, may indicate that an item is packaged in a sealed container which prevents the spread of any contamination. Customers may advantageously use the bagging indicator to place items with like colors in the same compartment or bag. 
     FIG. 5 shows a method  100  of displaying a bagging indicator by an EPL in accordance with the present invention. In step  102 , a bagging indicator program reads an EPL record associated with an item in an EPL data file. In step  104 , the bagging indicator program determines if a BAGGING INDICATOR entry in the EPL record indicates that the EPL should display a bagging indicator. If the BAGGING INDICATOR entry indicates that the EPL associated with the item should not display a bagging indicator, the method proceeds to step  110  and ends. If the BAGGING INDICATOR entry indicates that the EPL should display a bagging indicator, such as a colored area, then the method moves to step  106  and the bagging indicator program sends a bagging indication message to the EPL. In step  108 , the EPL deactivates, or turns off, a liquid crystal segment aligned behind the colored area to be displayed, allowing the color to be visible to customers. Alternatively, a number such as “1”, “2” or “3” beside the text “Bag Type No.” is displayed. The method continues to step  110  and ends. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.