Abstract:
A system and method of managing expired products which uses an electronic price label system to convey expiration information. The system includes a product label affixed to the time-sensitive product, an electronic price label system including an electronic price label and a product label interrogator controlled by the electronic price label which obtains the expiration information from the product label, and a computer which identifies the electronic price label as being associated with the product, causes the electronic price label to activate the product label interrogator to interrogate the product label, and receives the expiration information from the electronic price label. The computer may additionally compare the expiration information to current date information and cause the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired if the current date information is after expiration information.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a system and method of managing expired products.  
           [0002]    EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail or shelf channel along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file.  
           [0003]    RFID technology provides an alternative to bar code reader technology for distinguishing and recording items for purchase. Some of the uses of RFID technology are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,394 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference.  
           [0004]    Store associates must perform routine tasks throughout the store and require information to support operation of the store. Inventory management is on routine task which can be labor intensive. Some items, such as perishable food items, carry expiration dates assigned by the manufacturer or packager of the items. Store associates must routinely track and remove expired items from shelves.  
           [0005]    Therefore, it would be desirable to combine the communication capabilities of electronic price label systems with RFID technology in order to identify expired products.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method of managing expired products is provided.  
           [0007]    The system includes a product label affixed to the time-sensitive product, an electronic price label system including an electronic price label and a product label interrogator controlled by the electronic price label which obtains the expiration information from the product label, and a computer which identifies the electronic price label as being associated with the product, causes the electronic price label to activate the product label interrogator to interrogate the product label, and receives the expiration information from the electronic price label. The computer may additionally compare the expiration information to current date information and cause the electronic price label to display a message indicating that the product has expired if the current date information is after expiration information.  
           [0008]    It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of managing expired products.  
           [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to use expiration date information stored in a product RFID label to identify expired products.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to communicate expiration date information stored in a product RFID label through an electronic price label system.  
           [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to communicate expiration date information stored in a product RFID label through an electronic price label system and display an “expired” sign on the electronic price label. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transaction processing system; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    Referring now to FIG. 1, transaction system  10  primarily includes server  12  and EPL computer  14 , and radio frequency identification (RFID) label  20 .  
         [0016]    Server  12  handles price requests from POS terminal  24 . POS terminal  24  sends item identification information to server  12  and server  12  returns the corresponding price from PLU data file  26 . PLU data file is stored within storage medium  44 .  
         [0017]    Server  12  also executes inventory management software  28  which tracks inventory numbers on store shelves, tracks purchases at POS terminal  24 , and tracks expired items. Inventory information is stored within inventory data file  29  and is reported to inventory management software  28  by RFID interrogators  36  and  40 , which may include RF transceivers.  
         [0018]    Inventory management software  28  maintains report data file  31 , which contains a list of EPLs  48  associated with expired products and corresponding item identifications. Inventory management software  28  provides reports using report data file  31 , which may be displayed by display  30  or printed by printer  32 . A store employee may manage reporting and data entry through input device  34 , which may include a keyboard.  
         [0019]    To assist with execution of certain tasks performed by inventory management software, server  12  includes a built-in time keeping device, commonly referred to as a system clock, which is synchronized with current time, in order to automatically execute the tasks at their scheduled times.  
         [0020]    The present invention also envisions that the functions of server  12  may be handled by EPL computer  14 , or vise versa, effectively combining both of their functions into a single computer.  
         [0021]    EPL computer  14  executes EPL software  46 . EPL software  46  is responsible for scheduling and transmitting price data to EPLs  48 . EPL software  46  obtains prices from PLU data file  26 .  
         [0022]    EPL software  46  periodically sends messages to EPLs  48  requesting current quantities of items associated with EPLs  48 . EPL software  46  activates RFID interrogators  38  and forwards received shelf inventory information to inventory management software  28 .  
         [0023]    EPL software  46  also periodically sends messages to EPLs  48  associated with perishable items requesting expiration date information. EPL software  46  activates RFID interrogators  38 . EPL software  46  forwards received expiration date information to inventory management software  28  for analysis. If the current date is after the expiration date reported by any of the items, inventory management software  28  changes inventory data file  29  to reflect that one or more items may have expired. A store employee may generate a report for viewing by display  30  or printing by printer  32 .  
         [0024]    Inventory management software  28  may also instruct EPL software  46  to send a message to the EPL  48  associated with the item with instructions to display an “expired” sign on display  66 , which may include words, graphics, or a combination of both.  
         [0025]    Communication between EPL computer  14  and EPLs  48  may be wireless or wired communication. EPLs  48  includes control circuitry  62  and memory  64 .  
         [0026]    EPL software  46  maintains EPL data file  50  which includes EPL identification information and price verification information. EPL data file  50  also identifies items which have perishable date information. EPL data file  50  is stored within storage medium  52 .  
         [0027]    EPL shelf display  16  includes RFID interrogator  38  and EPL  48 . RFID interrogator  38  receives identification information from nearby items bearing RFID labels  20 . RFID interrogator  38  obtains expiration date information from items having identification information associated with EPL  48  and communicates the expiration date information to EPL software  46  through EPL  48 . RFID interrogator  38  may be mounted to shelves or integrated into shelves.  
         [0028]    EPL  48  includes control circuitry  62 , memory  64 , and display  66 . Control circuitry  62  controls operation of EPL  48 . Control circuitry  62  receives incoming messages from EPL computer  14  and acknowledges messages from EPL computer  14 . Control circuitry  62  receives expiration date information from RFID interrogators  38  and stores the expiration date information in memory  64  until it can be sent to EPL computer  14 . Control circuitry  62  also displays an “expired” sign on display  66  in response to a message from EPL software  46 .  
         [0029]    Checkout station  18  includes POS terminal  24  and RFID interrogator  40 . During checkout, RFID interrogator  40  obtains item identification information from items labeled with RFID labels  20  and reports the item identification information to POS terminal  24 . POS terminal  24  sends the item identification information to server  12  with price requests. After receiving price information for the items from server  12 , POS terminal  24  completes a sale of the items by accepting payment. POS terminal  24  also sends inventory adjustment information to server  12 .  
         [0030]    RFID label  20  includes RFID communicator  56 , memory  58 , and power source  60 . Label communicator  56  sends item identification and expiration date information stored in RFID memory  58  to RFID interrogators  36 . Label communicator  56  may include an RF transceiver.  
         [0031]    Memory  58  stores item identification information and may include a read-only memory (ROM) for one-time use, or a programmable ROM (EPROM) for repeated use. Memory  58  also stores identification information for distinguishing RFID labels  20  from each other.  
         [0032]    Power source  60  may include a battery.  
         [0033]    RFID labels  20  may vary in size, depending upon product size, and may be visible or hidden when attached to products. RFID label  20  may be removably or permanently attached to products.  
         [0034]    Turning now to FIG. 2, EPL  48  is shown with an example expired sign  68 . This example includes the word “EXPIRED”.  
         [0035]    Turning now to FIG. 3, EPL data file  50  and inventory data file are shown in more detail.  
         [0036]    EPL data file  50  includes entries EPL ID, ITEM ID, PRICE, and PERISH.  
         [0037]    Entry EPL ID represents information identifying EPLs  48 . Each EPL  48  has a unique identification.  
         [0038]    Entry ITEM ID represents information identifying an item which is associated with a particular EPL  48  and is located adjacent EPL  48 .  
         [0039]    Entry PRICE represents price information for the item associated with EPL  48 . Price information is derived from PLU data file  26  and may include price verification information.  
         [0040]    Entry PERISH represents a date flag which is set to either on or off. If the flag is on, then the item associated with EPL  48  is a perishable item with an expiration date. Otherwise, the item is not a perishable item.  
         [0041]    Inventory data file  29  includes records for each item in the store. Each record is identified by entries ITEM ID. Each record also includes entry PERISH associated with entry ITEM ID. Additional entries include RFID and EXP.  
         [0042]    Entry RFID represents information identifying each RFID label  20  found in the store.  
         [0043]    Entry EXP represents expiration date information for each RFID label  20 .  
         [0044]    RFID labels  20  are interrogated to determine their identities to determine inventory levels. RFID labels  20  associated with perishable items are interrogated to determine their expiration dates.  
         [0045]    Report data file  31  contains a list of EPLs  48  associated with expired products and corresponding item identifications. Report data file  31  includes entries EPL ID and ITEM ID.  
         [0046]    Entry EPL ID represents information identifying EPLs  48 . Each EPL  48  has a unique identification.  
         [0047]    Entry ITEM ID represents information identifying an item which is associated with a particular EPL  48  and is located adjacent EPL  48 .  
         [0048]    Turning now to FIG. 4, the method is illustrated in more detail beginning with START  70 .  
         [0049]    In step  72 , inventory management software  28  reads a record in inventory data file  29 .  
         [0050]    In step  74 , inventory management software  28  determines whether the PERISH flag is set for the ITEM ID. If so, operation proceeds to step  76 . Otherwise, operation returns to step  78 .  
         [0051]    In step  76 , inventory management software  28  reads a corresponding entry EPL ID from EPL data file  50  and stores it in inventory data file  29 .  
         [0052]    In step  78 , inventory management software  28  determines whether the record is the last record. If not, operation returns to step  72  to read another record. If so, operation proceeds to step  80 .  
         [0053]    In step  80 , inventory management software  28  signals EPL software  46  to send a message to identified EPLs  48  to activate RFID interrogators  38 . The message is preferably a broadcast message addressed to all EPLs  48 , but may also be addressed to individual EPLs  48  or groups of EPLs  48 .  
         [0054]    In response to the message, EPLs  48  activate RFID interrogators  38 . RFID interrogators  38  receive messages from RFID labels  20  of perishable items.  
         [0055]    In step  82 , inventory management software  28  signals EPL software  46  to send another message to the identified EPLs  48  to obtain the expiration date information after a few minutes of time for collecting the expiration date information has passed.  
         [0056]    In response to the message, EPLs  48  respond with the expiration date information  
         [0057]    In step  84 , inventory management software  28  receives the expiration date information from EPL software  36  and stores it in inventory data file  29  as entries EXP.  
         [0058]    In step  86 , inventory management software  28  reads a record in inventory data file  29 .  
         [0059]    In step  88 , inventory management software  28  determines whether the PERISH flag is set for the ITEM ID. If so, operation proceeds to step  90 . Otherwise, operation proceeds to step  94 .  
         [0060]    In step  90 , inventory management software  28  reads each of the expiration dates and compares them with a current date to see if any of the expiration dates are before the current date.  
         [0061]    In step  92 , inventory management software  28  stores entries EPL ID and ITEM ID of expired items in report data file  31 .  
         [0062]    In step  94 , inventory management software  28  determines whether the ITEM ID record is the last record. If not, operation returns to step  88  to read another record. Otherwise, operation proceeds to step  96 .  
         [0063]    In step  96 , inventory management software  28  causes EPL software  30  to send messages to EPLs  48  associated with expired products. The messages include a command to activate expired sign  68 .  
         [0064]    In step  98 , inventory management software  28  generates a report from report data file  31  to assist store employees in removing expired products. The report may be printed by printer  32  or displayed by display  30 . Store employees view the expired sign on affected EPLs  48  and visually check expiration dates to determine the expired products.  
         [0065]    Operation ends at step  100 .  
         [0066]    Operation of inventory management software  28  may be scheduled or conducted manually.  
         [0067]    Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.