Abstract:
An electronic price label (EPL) system which is capable of communicating with a group of EPLs. The system includes the group of EPLs, which is less than the total number of EPLs within a transaction establishment, and a computer which records a unique group identifier for a group of products associated with the EPLs, determines unique EPL identifiers for the group of EPLs from a table linking the unique group identifier to the unique EPL identifiers, and sends messages addressed to the unique EPL identifiers which contain identical information.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a system and method of sending messages to a group of EPLs. 
     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 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 and stored within an EPL price change record. 
     The primary method of addressing an EPL is by its unique EPL identifier (unique addressing) or by a broadcast EPL identifier to which all EPLs respond (global addressing). Use of an item identification code, such as a price look-up (PLU) number is one type of unique addressing. Use of arbitrary numbers is another. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,049 to Briechle discloses an additional addressing method called “subglobal addressing”, which allows messages to be sent to groups of EPLs in order to increase bandwidth and resolve collisions between EPL responses. However, this method adds cost to the EPLs because it requires additional registers with the EPLs for storing additional addresses. Also, each tag can only be in one group at a time. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     In order to obtain a competitive advantage, retailers must effectively market their products. A typical marketing strategy is to define groups of merchandise items to which the retailer can tailor its promotion and pricing policies. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method of sending messages to a group of EPLs which automatically manages addressing of messages to EPLs as promotion and pricing policies for the group change. It would also be desirable to provide a system and method of sending messages to different groups of EPLs in which some EPLs may be in more than one group. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method of sending messages to a group of electronic price labels (EPLs) is provided. 
     The system includes the group of EPLs, which is less than the total number of EPLs within a transaction establishment, and a computer which records a unique group identifier for a group of products associated with the EPLs, determines unique EPL identifiers for the group of EPLs from a table linking the unique group identifier to the unique EPL identifiers, and sends messages addressed to the unique EPL identifiers which contain identical information. 
     A method of sending messages to a group of electronic price labels (EPLs) less than a total number of EPLs within a transaction establishment includes the steps of determining a unique group identifier for the group, determining unique EPL identifiers for the group of EPLs from a table linking the unique group identifier to the unique EPL identifiers, and sending messages addressed to the unique EPL identifiers which contain identical information. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of sending messages to a group of EPLs. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of sending messages to a group of EPLs associated with a predetermined group of merchandise items. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of sending messages to different groups of EPLs associated with predetermined different groups of merchandise items in which some EPLs may be in more than one group. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of addressing EPLs. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of sending messages to a group of EPLs which automatically manages addressing of messages to EPLs as promotion and pricing policies for the group change. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     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: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a transaction processing system; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data files used within a transaction establishment; and 
     FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, transaction system  10  primarily includes host computer system  12 , point-of-sale (POS) system  14 , and EPL system  16 . Here, components  12  and  14  are shown as separate components that are networked together, but they may also form a single component. Thus, host computer system  12  may be a POS terminal which doubles as a host computer for network of other POS terminals. 
     POS system  14  includes bar code reader  18  and terminal  20 . 
     EPL system  16  primarily includes EPLs  22 , host EPL terminal  24 , and EPL storage medium  26 . 
     EPLs  22  include a data register  54  and a display  56 . Data registers  54  contain data, usually price data, sent from EPL software  30 . The data is typically displayed by displays  56 . 
     Host EPL terminal  24  executes EPL software  30 . To assist with execution of certain tasks performed by EPL software  30 , EPL terminal  24  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. 
     EPL software  30  is responsible for scheduling and transmitting price data from EPL data file  32  to EPLs  22 . EPL software  30  obtains prices in PLU data file  46  as they are entered in input device  40  (immediate processing) or after they have been stored within price look-up (PLU) data file  46 . 
     EPL terminal  24  also executes EPL group management software  34  and EPL group action software  36 . EPL group management software  34  creates and manages group assignments for EPLs  22  through their associated merchandise items. Through operator input, EPL group management software  34  can add, delete, and change information associated with groups of EPLs or individual EPLs. An operator may directly input information through input device  40 . Alternatively, an operator may input information through a batch file, which executes a plurality of instructions, or through a message. These alternatives are useful if EPL group management software  34  is executed in multiple locations by different computers, such as another in-store computer or a host computer outside the store. This allows the retailer the flexibility to define and initiate group messaging from all store management levels. 
     Group assignments may be based upon any number of classifications. For example, group assignments may be based upon item categories or location or item department. One group might be all items “on sale” under special pricing or promotional terms on a predetermined day or all items “on sale” within a predetermined department or location. Thus, products and their EPLs may be in more than one group. 
     EPL group action software  36  formulates messages to EPL modules upon operator input and automatically addresses the messages by reading all records in EPL group identification file  34 . The messages contain commands for changing information displayed by EPLs  22 . Examples of information to be displayed by groups of EPLs  22  include phrases such as “ON SALE”, “ON SALE/SAVE 0.40”, “BOGO” (buy one, get one free), “OUT OF/STOCK”, and “DEL  0217 ” (next scheduled delivery February 17th). Operator input may be through input device  40 , through a file, or through a message. 
     EPL storage medium  26  stores EPL data file  32  and EPL group definition file  38 . EPL storage medium  26  and is preferably a fixed disk drive. 
     EPL data file  32  contains EPL identification and price checksum information. Price checksum information is calculated from price information in PLU data file  46 . EPL data file  32  contains current information displayed by EPLs  22 . 
     EPL group definition file  38  contains a list of groups and their identification numbers, as well as a table linking EPL identifiers to group identification numbers. 
     Input device  40  is preferably a keyboard. 
     Host computer system  12  includes PLU storage medium  44  and transaction server  42 . 
     Transaction server  42  handles price requests from POS terminal  20 . POS terminal  20  sends item identification information to transaction server  42  and transaction server  42  returns the corresponding price from PLU data file  46 . 
     PLU storage medium  44  stores PLU data file  46 . PLU data file  46  is available for distribution to POS terminal  20 . Provision may be made for direct access to PLU data file  46  by bar code reader  18 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, EPL data file  32 , EPL group definition file  38 , and PLU data file  46  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), and an EPL price checksum value entry (EPL CHECK). 
     Entry ITEM ID identifies a store item. Entry EPL ID identifies which EPL is assigned to the item. Entry EPL CHECK is a checksum value of the digits of the price information that is displayed by display  56 . 
     EPL group definition file  38  includes a line entry for each EPL  22  which is assigned to a group. Each line entry has an EPL identification entry (EPL ID) and a group identifier (GROUP ID). 
     Entry EPL ID identifies an EPL. Entry GROUP ID is a group identifier, such as a group name or number, to which the corresponding EPL is assigned. EPLs may be in multiple groups. 
     PLU data file  46  includes a line entry for each item sold in the transaction establishment. Each line entry has at least an item identification entry (ITEM ID) and a PLU price entry (PLU PRICE). 
     Entry ITEM ID identifies a store item. Entry PLU PRICE identifies the price read by POS system  14  to determine the price of each item during scanning by bar code reader  18 . 
     During normal operation, an operator sends messages to EPLs  22  within any of the assigned groups using EPL group action software  36 . EPL group action software  36  records operator group choices and information to be displayed by the EPLs in each group. Following operator input, EPL group action software  36  reads EPL group definition file  38  to obtain the EPL identifiers for the EPLs  22  in each group and formulates the messages for transmission. EPL software  30  then schedules and sends the messages. 
     For example, an operator may define a group called the “cereal” group, which contains only EPLs  22  that are assigned to cereal products, using EPL group management software  34 . In order to send a message to the only the EPLs  22  assigned to the cereal products, the operator uses EPL group action software  36 . 
     Under the present invention, some of EPLs  22  in one group may be in another defined group. For example, some of the EPLs assigned to the cereal group may also be in a defined group called the “health foods” group. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, the method of operation of EPL group action software  36  is illustrated in more detail beginning with START  60 . 
     In step  62 , EPL group action software  36  records a group identifier and information to be displayed by EPLs within the group. EPL group action software  36  may record the group identifier and information from keyboard, file, or message input. Thus, group identifiers and associated information may be recorded through manual or batch input. 
     In step  64 , EPL group action software  36  reads a record in EPL group definition file  38 . 
     In step  66 , EPL group action software  36  determines whether the record contains the recorded group identifier. If so, operation proceeds to step  68 . If not, operation jumps to step  70 . 
     In step  68 , EPL group action software  36  obtains an EPL identifier from the record. 
     In step  70 , EPL group action software  36  determines whether the record is the last record in EPL group definition file  38 . If so, operation proceeds to step  72 . If not, operation returns to step  64  to read another record. In this way, EPL group action software  36  automatically checks all records in EPL group definition file  38  to obtain EPL identifiers for a group EPLs each time a message must be sent to the group of EPLs. 
     In step  72 , EPL group action software  36  formulates a message addressed to each EPL identifier obtained from EPL group definition file  38 . 
     In step  74 , EPL group action software  36  passes the message to EPL control software  30  for scheduling and transmission. 
     In step  76 , operation ends. 
     Advantageously, EPL group management software  34  and EPL action software  36  provide a way to group EPLs along product groups and an additional way to address EPLs. EPL action software  36  automatically manages addressing of EPLs as promotion and pricing policies for product groups change so that retailers can more effectively market their product groups. 
     An additional advantage is that an operator can effectively communicate messages to a group of EPLs including different types of EPLs. For example, an operator can effectively communicate to a group of EPLs regardless of the number of address registers contained within the EPLs: the method works with EPLs which support subglobal addressing and those that don&#39;t. This feature gives the system the utmost flexibility in design and upgrading. 
     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. For example, EPL group management software  34  and EPL action software  36  may be a single application.