Abstract:
A method of selectively and timely promoting sale of a specific food product using a food product scale is provided, where the food product scale includes a weighing station including an associated mechanism for producing weight indicative signals, and a customer facing display is associated with the scale. The method involves entering product identification information of a specific food product into the food product scale using an operator interface of the food product scale; identifying an initial quantity of the specific food product; identifying expiration data for the specific food product; creating a shelf life record that is saved in memory, the shelf life record including the product identification information, the expiration data of the specific food product and the initial quantity; tracking subsequent transactions for the specific food product and quantity of each subsequent transaction; based upon the tracking step, automatically and selectively implementing a sales promotion for the specific food product when sales promotion criteria are met, the sales promotion criteria based at least in part upon remaining quantity of the specific food product; and when the sales promotion is implemented, displaying a sales promotional message on the customer facing display to notify customers of the sales promotion, the sales promotional message identifying both the specific food product and promotional price information for the specific food product.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present application relates generally to scales used to weigh food products in supermarkets, and more particularly to a system and method for tracking food products using a scale and automatically and selectively implementing sales promotions for certain food products. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Scales have been used in stores such as supermarkets and groceries to weigh and price food items and to generate a pricing label for such food items. A typical store includes multiple scales located in multiple perishables departments. It is important that weighed items be priced properly and therefore scales are commonly connected into a store network so that the latest pricing information can be provided to the scales in a timely manner. It is also important to reduce discard or waste of food products that can occur for multiple reasons, such as expiration of product shelf life. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In an aspect, a method of selectively and timely promoting sale of a specific food product using a food product scale is provided, where the food product scale includes a weighing station including an associated mechanism for producing weight indicative signals, and a customer facing display is associated with the scale. The method involves entering product identification information of a specific food product into the food product scale using an operator interface of the food product scale; identifying an initial quantity of the specific food product; identifying expiration data for the specific food product; creating a shelf life record that is saved in memory, the shelf life record including the product identification information, the expiration data of the specific food product and the initial quantity; tracking subsequent transactions for the specific food product and quantity of each subsequent transaction; based upon the tracking step, automatically and selectively implementing a sales promotion for the specific food product when sales promotion criteria are met, the sales promotion criteria based at least in part upon remaining quantity of the specific food product; and when the sales promotion is implemented, displaying a sales promotional message on the customer facing display to notify customers of the sales promotion, the sales promotional message identifying both the specific food product and promotional price information for the specific food product. 
         [0004]    In another aspect, a method of selectively and timely promoting sale of a specific food product using a food product scale is provided, where the food product scale includes a weighing station including an associated mechanism for producing weight indicative signals, and a customer facing display is associated with the scale. The method involves creating and saving in memory a shelf life record for the specific food product, the shelf life record including product identification information for the specific food product, expiration data for the specific food product and initial quantity for the specific food product; tracking subsequent transactions for the specific food product and quantity of each subsequent transaction; and based upon the tracking step, automatically and selectively implementing a sales promotion for the specific food product when first sales promotion criteria are met, the first sales promotion criteria based at least in part upon remaining quantity of the specific food product, when the sales promotion is implemented, displaying a first sales promotional message on the customer facing display to notify customers of the first sales promotion, the first sales promotional message identifying both the specific food product and a first promotional price for the specific food product, and subsequently altering the sales promotion to further reduce price for the specific food product when second sales promotion criteria are met and thereafter displaying a second sales promotional message on the customer facing display, the second sales promotional message identifying both the specific food product and a second promotional price for the specific food product, the second promotional price lower than the first promotional price. 
         [0005]    In still a further aspect, a method of selectively and timely promoting sale of a specific food product using a food product scale is provided, where the food product scale includes a weighing station including an associated mechanism for producing weight indicative signals, and a customer facing display is associated with the scale. The method involves: for each of a plurality of food products, creating and saving in memory a corresponding shelf life record including product identification information, expiration data and initial quantity; automatically tracking subsequent transactions for the multiple food products, including quantity of each subsequent transaction; and based upon the tracking step, automatically identifying impending expiration of at least one food product and automatically implementing a sales promotion for the identified food product, implementation of the sales promotion involves displaying a sales promotional message on the customer facing display to notify customers of the sales promotion, the sales promotional message identifying both the identified food product and a promotional price for the identified food product. 
         [0006]    Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food product scale; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show and alternative embodiment of a food product scale including a second customer facing display; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of the food product scale of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a store including multiple departments and multiple scales; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an embodiment of a scale user interface screen; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of a shelf life label; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is an embodiment of flow diagram for synchronizing scales; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is an embodiment of a sale promotion identification routine. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1  an exemplary scale  10  is shown including a weigh station  12  and a display  14 . Weigh station  12  may take the form of a platter-type member supported in relationship to a load cell (internal of the scale housing) that produces a weight indicative signal when a food item is placed on the weigh station  12  for weighing. Illustrated display  14  may take the form of an LCD-type display, but other technologies could be used. In the illustrated embodiment the display  14  is a touch screen-type display that also functions as a user input device  16  by displaying image buttons/icons  18  that can be triggered or selected by an operator. The buttons/icons  18  allow for user selection of an item to be weighed from a menu or group  21  of items  23  presented to the user by display  14 . In one variation, the group  21  may be a numeric keypad allowing manual entry of product numbers. In another variation, the group  21  may be images of specific products that might be weighed by the scale. A separate operator input device could also be provided, for example, in the form of manually activated keys/buttons located alongside the display  14 . A side portion  20  of the scale housing holds a label printer and associated supply of labels, which are dispensed through a label slot  22  in the housing. A customer facing display  25  is provided for communicating information to customers (e.g., weight and price of a product being weighed). Although display screens  14  and  25  are shown incorporated into the housing of the scale  10 , the displays could take the form of marquee-type displays located on a support extending upward from the scale housing. By way of example, referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a scale embodiment including a second customer facing display  27  is shown. In this instance customer facing display  25  may be used for typical display of weight and price data and the customer facing display  27  may be used for display the sales promotion messages described below. In some implementations (e.g., a scale weigh and label system associated with a package wrapping machine for prepack), the display need not be attached to the scale/printer via a support but could be a separately housed console or display screen that is associated with the scale/printer by being logically attached, either directly or indirectly, to the scale/printer (e.g., per the wall or cabinet mounted customer display  29  shown schematically in  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exemplary schematic of the scale  10  is shown. The scale includes a controller  30 , such as a microprocessor based unit, connected to control the operator display/user input  14 ,  16  and customer facing displays  25  and  27 . The control is also connected to receive weight indicative signals from the weighing station  12 . A print head  32  and associated supply of label stock  34  that can be moved past the print head  32  is also shown. In one example the print head  32  may be a thermal print head for use with thermally activated label stock. However, other types of printing technologies and label media could also be used. The controller  30  is also connected with a communications interface  36 , which may take the form of a standard connector (and associated circuitry) for a USB, RS-232, Ethernet or other hard-wired communication line. In another example the communications interface  36  may be formed by a wireless communication device such as an RF transceiver. The communications interface  36  may communicate with other scales over the network. The network may also provide Internet connection. The illustrated controller  30  includes associated memory  38  for storing product information (e.g., product names, characteristics and pricing stored in association with corresponding product numbers). 
         [0017]    Referring also to  FIG. 5 , an exemplary store plan  50  is shown with multiple scales  10  in various store perishables departments  52 ,  54  and  56  (e.g., such as the deli department, the meat and fish department, the bakery department and/or the fruit and vegetable departments), each scale connected to a network  58  for communicating with one of the other scales  10  and/or for communicating with a store computer, which may be located in the store as indicated by computer  60  or at a site remote from the store as indicated by computer  62 . In a typical store application, each scale receives update data (e.g., price changes, etc.) via the network connection so that the scales are capable of labeling, pricing, tracking, etc. products accurately. The scales may receive the update data directly from a store computer  60  or  62 , typically utilizing some commercially available scale management software. 
         [0018]    In the inventive system of the present application the scales  10  are used to track product sales and implement sales promotions for food products that are at risk of expiring before the entire quantity of the food product is sold. In one exemplary application, an item to be cut-down or sliced, such as a block of cheese, loaf of turkey or ham is located in the deli department. Once the item is opened, it is desirable to track the expiration and/or any discards of the loaf of turkey or ham including any items derived from the loaf and placed on the shelf for purchase. The scales  10  are used to track the expiration date of the item and transactions involving the item (e.g., each filled customer order for the item and the quantity of the order). This tracking enables a remaining quantity of the item to be determined and tracked (e.g., either within the scale itself or using the store computer that receives transaction data from the scales). An automated determination can then be made (e.g., by the scale or store computer) to implement a promotional sale for the item if the item is at risk of expiring. As used herein, the term “expiration date” or “expiration data” can also include an expiration time of day. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the operator displays  14  of the scales  10  include a user input screen  66 .  FIG. 4  is an exemplary user input screen and there may be other user input screens in addition to user input screen  66 . The user input screen  66  includes an Enter PLU field  68  for use in entering a product look-up code (or other product identification information), an Enter Initial Quantity field  69  for entering the initial weight or count of the food product (e.g., the initial weight of a newly opened loaf of ham or the number of a newly made-up food item such as twice-baked potatoes) and a Description field  70  for displaying a product description corresponding to the product look-up code. A Shelf Life Days field  72  displays a number of days that the product associated with the product identification information can be placed on the shelf for purchase. Other product information fields include a Tare field  74  for entering packaging weight, a Unit Price field  76  that displays a unit price associated with the product identification information and a UPC Number field  78  that displays the Universal Product Code for that product. 
         [0020]    The number of days displayed in the Shelf Life Days field  72  can be a pre-set value retrieved from memory and associated with the PLU. The number of days displayed in the Shelf Life Days field  72  may also be selectable by the operator. Likewise, the initial quantity may in some cases be a pre-set quantity and in other cases may be selectable or otherwise enterable by the operator. Once the number of days displayed in the Shelf Life Days field  72  and the quantity in the Initial Quantity field are acceptable to the operator, a Shelf Life Label button  80  is actuated and a shelf life label  82  is printed. As shown in  FIG. 7  the shelf life label  82  may include an expiration day of the week  84 , an expiration date  86 , an expiration time  88 , an item description  90  and PLU  92 . When the shelf life label  82  is printed, a shelf life record is created in memory of the scale  10  and/or memory of the store computer that will be used to track the item. The shelf life record will include the initial quantity data. The scales may thereafter be used to track transactions involving the item (e.g., customer orders for the food item or conversion/incorporation of the food item into a made-up item). For each transaction involving the food item, the quantity (e.g., weight or count) involved in the transaction is identified and the shelf life record for the food item is updated accordingly, By way of example, the initial quantity field in the shelf life record may be overwritten with a new quantity (e.g., a remaining quantity automatically determined by subtracting the transaction quantity from the quantity in the initial quantity field). Alternatively, the shelf life record may have a separate, Remaining Quantity field that gets updated after each transaction, while the Initial Quantity field remains the same. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an exemplary flow diagram  100  illustrates an approach for consolidating and distributing data, including the shelf life records. In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a primary scale  10   a  is responsible for consolidating and distributing update data pertaining to itself and one or more secondary scales  10   b  to another or other secondary scales  10   b . Update data may be received from a number of sources. The shelf life records, a type of update data, are typically received by the primary scale  10   a  locally through an operator-initiated action at the primary scale or from a secondary scale where the shelf life label  82  is generated. Lines identified as A represent operator  102  interaction with a scale that causes changes to the scale&#39;s database. Lines identified as B represent updates from a location  104  remote from the scales, such as the store computer. Lines represented as C represent uploading of update data, such as self life records from the secondary scales  10   b  to the primary scale  10   a . Lines represented as D represent the primary scale  10   a  synchronizing the secondary scales  10   b  with update data. 
         [0022]    By default, a scale  10  may be configured as a primary scale or as a secondary scale. However, without a secondary scale  10   b  registered to a primary scale  10   a , the primary scale may merely listen passively for update data and update its database when update data arrives. Similarly, a secondary scale  10   b , without a primary scale  10   a , may merely listen passively for update data and update its database when update data arrives. In some embodiments, an operator may change a scale from a primary scale to a secondary scale and vice versa using the user input device  16 . In most embodiments, there is a single primary scale  10   a  for a group of secondary scales  10   b . Typically, the secondary scale  10   b  maintains the primary scale&#39;s host name/IP address in order to communicate with the primary scale  10   a  over the network. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , an exemplary sale promotion identification routine is shown. It is recognized that the various steps of the routine could be carried out by a scale, a store computer or the two devices in combination with each other. At step  100  the sales promotion routine is initiated (e.g., on a timed basis) and at step  102  a shelf life record of the shelf life record database is accessed. If the food item of the accessed shelf life record is identified as expired at step  104 , then at step  106  any current sales promotion for the item is discontinued, the operator is notified of the expiration and the price for the item in the pricing database is returned to normal. If the item is not expired, then at step  108  a determination is made as to whether sales promotion criteria for the food item are satisfied. By way of example, the sales promotion criteria may be based at least in part upon both remaining quantity of the food product and the remaining shelf life of the food product (e.g., remaining quantity of the food product being above a set threshold and remaining shelf life of the food product being below a set threshold). Other criteria may also come into play, such as historical sales data for the food product (e.g., if it is 10 AM on a Wednesday and the product expires at 4 PM, historical sales data identifying what the anticipated sales are for Wednesday between 10 AM and 4 PM). If the sales promotion criteria are satisfied, the shelf life record is identified and stored for possible sales promotion at step  110  and the routine moves to step  112 . If the sales promotion criteria are not satisfied, then at step  114  a determination is made whether the item is currently on sales promotion and, if so, at step  116  the sales promotion is discontinued and the price for the item is returned to the normal (e.g., non-sales promotion) price. At step  112 , a determination is made as to whether all shelf life records have been considered and, if not, the routine returns to step  102  for consideration of the next record. 
         [0024]    Once all shelf life records have been considered, at step  118  a determination is made as to whether multiple shelf life records have been identified for possible sales promotion. If so, then at step  120  a promotion prioritization scheme may be initiated to identify which of the food items should be place on promotion. The promotion prioritization scheme may take into account a variety of factors. By way of example, promotion prioritization criteria may be defined by a set promotion prioritization order for the identified multiple food products. Alternatively, the promotion prioritization criteria may be defined at least in part by dollar value of food product that might expire. At step  122 , for each food item identified for sale promotion, a sales promotion message is retrieved for display on the scale display (e.g., the customer facing display  27 ) and the price of the food item on promotion is updated to reflect a reduced price (e.g., the price in the pricing database is reduced (e.g., from $5.99 per pound to $4.99 per pound) or, in the case of a pricing database that has pre-stored both the normal price and a sales promotion price, the sales promotion price is set to be the active price). By way of example, the sales promotional message may be a static message (e.g., similar to a printed sign), a video message (e.g., as in playing of a vide file on the display, or an audio-visual message (e.g., similar to a television commercial). The routine ends at step  124 . 
         [0025]    Where more than one food item is identified for sales promotion at the same time, the display may display the sales promotional messages for the items sequentially in time in a repeating loop or, alternatively, all may be displayed simultaneously. Each sales promotion message will typically identify both the food product and promotional price information for the food product. Other information may also be displayed, such as an anticipated duration of the sales promotion. The scales and/or store computer may be programmed to automatically discontinue the sales promotion when the remaining quantity of the food item is none or zero. 
         [0026]    It is recognized that the level of the price reduction implemented as part of the sales promotion might vary depending upon just how much of the food item is remains before the expiration (e.g., the higher the remaining quantity the steeper the price reduction). In this case multiple sets of sales promotion criteria for each item may exist in order to determine the appropriate priced reduction. It is also possible that the price reduction for a given food item may be varied during the sales promotion. For example, when a sales promotion for a food item is initially implemented the price reduction may initially be set at one level based upon first sales promotion criteria being satisfied. During a later run of the sales promotion identification routine a determination may be made that the food item satisfies second sales promotion criteria that dictates an even lower price. 
         [0027]    It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken by way of limitation.