Abstract:
An electronic price label (EPL) system which is capable of simultaneously displaying price information in a plurality of different currencies. The system includes an EPL and a computer. The EPL includes a display having first and second portions, and a control circuit which causes the display to simultaneously display price information in a plurality of different currencies. The computer sends messages to the EPL instructing the EPL to display primary currency price information in the first portion of the display and secondary currency price information in the second portion of the display.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present invention is related to the following commonly assigned and co-pending U.S. application:  
         [0002]    “Electronic Price Label System Which Displays Prices in Multiple Currencies”, filed Dec. 19, 1997, invented by Goodwin, and having a Ser. No. 08/994,786. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to electronic price label systems, and more specifically to a system and method of displaying prices multiple currencies.  
           [0004]    Electronic price label (EPL) systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for each merchandise item in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display a price and a unit price of corresponding merchandise items on transaction establishment 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 the PLU file.  
           [0005]    In some transaction establishments it would be desirable to display prices in multiple currencies simultaneously, rather than a price and unit price in a single currency, particularly in countries in which multiple currencies are in use. Multiple prices may easily be displayed using conventional paper shelf tags. Given the many advantages of EPLs over conventional paper shelf tags, it would also be desirable to provide an electronic price label system and method of simultaneously displaying prices in multiple currencies, or by sequentially flashing prices in different currencies.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an electronic price label (EPL) system and method of simultaneously displaying prices in multiple currencies is provided.  
           [0007]    The system includes an EPL and a computer. The EPL includes a display having first and second portions, and a control circuit which causes the display to simultaneously display price information in a plurality of different currencies. The computer sends messages to the EPL instructing the EPL to display primary currency price information in the first portion of the display and secondary currency price information in the second portion of the display.  
           [0008]    In a preferred embodiment, the computer calculates the secondary price information from the primary price information using an exchange rate. When the first portion of the EPL typically displays total price information, but the second portion typically displays unit price information, the computer uses a package size entry of one to calculate secondary unit price information in order to cause the EPL to display secondary total price information in the second portion.  
           [0009]    It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an electronic price label system and method of simultaneously displaying prices in multiple currencies.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide simultaneously display total prices in multiple currencies using an electronic price label. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    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:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of transaction system including an EPL system;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data files used within a transaction establishment;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an EPL which is simultaneously displaying prices in first and second currencies; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating operation of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    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.  
         [0017]    POS system  14  includes bar code reader  18  and terminal  20 .  
         [0018]    EPL system  16  primarily includes EPLs  22 , host EPL terminal  24 , and EPL storage medium  26 .  
         [0019]    EPLs  22  each include data registers  54 , control circuitry  55 , and display  56 . Data registers  54  contain data, usually price data and promotional data, sent from EPL software  30 .  
         [0020]    Control circuitry  55  communicates with host EPL terminal  24  and controls operation of display  56 , including the display of price, currency, and other promotional information and blinking or flashing of display contents.  
         [0021]    Display  56  is preferably a liquid crystal display, which is capable of simultaneously displaying two pieces of price information, typically a price and a unit price in a single currency. Under the present invention, display  56  is alternatively used to simultaneously display price information in two different currencies.  
         [0022]    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.  
         [0023]    EPL software  30  is responsible for scheduling and transmitting messages to EPLs  22 . The messages may contain price and promotional data from price look-up (PLU) file  46 . EPL software  30  obtains prices and promotional data in PLU data file  46  as they are entered using input device  40  (immediate processing) or after they have been stored within PLU data file  46 . EPL software  30  automatically initiates price changes for the displayed primary currency price.  
         [0024]    EPL computer  12  also executes multiple currency display software  34  which manages display of dual currency price information through EPL software  30 . Multiple currency display software  34  works with EPL control software  30  to send control messages to EPLs  22  containing the secondary currency price information and a command to display the secondary currency price information in the display field normally occupied by the per unit price in the primary currency. Multiple currency display software  34  may alternatively flash total and unit prices in different currencies in alternating fashion.  
         [0025]    Multiple currency display software  34  uses exchange rate information to convert primary currency price information to secondary currency price information. Multiple currency display software  34  may obtain the exchange rate information directly from foreign currency monitoring system  36 . Foreign currency monitoring system  36  may be any network source of foreign currency information. Alternatively, provision may be made for an exchange rate entry in PLU data file  46  from which multiple currency display software  34  may obtain the exchange rate information.  
         [0026]    EPL storage medium  26  stores EPL data file  32 . EPL storage medium  26  and is preferably a fixed disk drive.  
         [0027]    EPL data file  32  contains EPL identification information and checksum information. The checksum information is preferably a price checksum calculated from a corresponding price in PLU data file  46 .  
         [0028]    Host computer system  12  Includes PLU storage medium  44 , transaction server  42 , and input device  40 .  
         [0029]    Transaction server  42  handles price requests from POS terminal  20  and EPL system  16 . POS terminal  20  sends item identification information to transaction server  42  and transaction server  42  returns the corresponding price from PLU data file  46 . EPL control software  30  obtains primary currency prices from PLU data file  46  through transaction server  42 .  
         [0030]    PLU storage medium  44  stores PLU data file  46 . PLU data file  46  is available for distribution to POS terminal  20  and EPL system  16 . Provision may be made for direct access to PLU data file  46  by bar code reader  18  or EPL terminal  24 . When transaction server  40  controls prices for many transaction establishments, each transaction establishment also includes a transaction server  40  with its own PLU data file  44 .  
         [0031]    Under the present invention, multiple currency display software  34  preferably obtains primary price information from PLU data file  46 , but may also obtain primary price information from the price checksum in EPL data file  32 .  
         [0032]    Turning now to FIG. 2, EPL data file  32  and PLU data file  46  are shown in more detail.  
         [0033]    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 lD), an EPL identification entry (EPL ID), a price checksum value entry (PRICE CHECK), and a currency option entry (CURRENCY).  
         [0034]    Entry ITEM ID identifies a store item. Entry EPL ID identifies which EPL is assigned to the item. Entry PRICE CHECK is a checksum value of the primary currency price. Entry CURRENCY may be one or more entries which identify whether multiple currencies are displayed, and if so, the currencies and the mode of operation, simultaneous or flashing.  
         [0035]    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), a PLU price entry (PLU PRICE), and a package size entry (SIZE).  
         [0036]    Entry ITEM ID identifies a store item. Entry PLU PRICE identifies the price read by POS system  14  in terms of a primary currency to determine the price of each item during scanning by bar code reader  18 . Entry SIZE identifies unit of measurement for each item. Under the present invention, package size is set equal to “1” when the currency entry is set to display simultaneous display of prices in primary and second currencies.  
         [0037]    Alternatively, a configuration option may be used to indicate whether two currencies will be displayed simultaneously. For this option, a ‘0’ might indicate primary currency only, a ‘1’ might indicate a display two currencies simultaneously, and a ‘2’ might indicate display unit price and total price of primary currency and display the unit price and total price of all secondary currencies and flash through data registers  54  similar to a promotional flashing message.  
         [0038]    Turning now to FIG. 3, EPL  22  is shown in more detail. The primary currency price is in terms of U.S. Dollars and the secondary currency price is in terms of British Pounds Sterling.  
         [0039]    Overlay  66  contains information that changes so infrequently that there is little need to display it electronically using display  56 . Overlay  66  is made of paper or plastic and an adhesive to attach it to EPL  22 . When prices in two different currencies are displayed simultaneously, currency symbols  60  and  62  for first and second currencies are printed on overlay  66 . Overlay  66  contains no currency symbols if price information is sequentially flashed. Otherwise, overlay  66  may or may not include a currency symbol in the default mode of operation.  
         [0040]    Display  56  simultaneously displays price information in each currency. Here, display  56  displays a total price in each currency, but display  56  may alternatively be configured to display a unit price in each currency, or a total price and unit price in each currency in flashing sequence.  
         [0041]    Turning now to FIG. 4, operation of multiple currency display software  34  is illustrated beginning with START  70 . Multiple currency display software  34  displays prices in two different currencies simultaneously.  
         [0042]    In step  72 , multiple currency display software  34  reads a record for an EPL in EPL data file  32  to obtain an item identification number and to determine whether multiple currency prices must be displayed.  
         [0043]    In step  74 , multiple currency display software  34  determines whether the currency option is set to simultaneous display. If so, operation proceeds to step  76 . If not, operation proceeds to step  86 .  
         [0044]    In step  76 , multiple currency display software  34  reads a secondary currency from EPL data file  32 , or a separate file.  
         [0045]    In step  78 , multiple currency display software  34  obtains an exchange rate for the secondary currency, either directly from foreign currency monitoring system  36  or from some other source file, such as PLU data file  46 .  
         [0046]    In step  80 , multiple currency display software  34  obtains a primary currency price, either from PLU data file  46  or EPL data file  32 .  
         [0047]    In step  82 , multiple currency display software  34  converts the primary currency price to a secondary currency price.  
         [0048]    In step  84 , multiple currency display software  34  works with EPL control software  30  to send a message to EPL  22  containing the secondary currency price and an instruction to display the secondary currency price in place of a per unit price in the primary currency.  
         [0049]    In step  86 , multiple currency display software  34  determines whether additional records in EPL data file  32  must be read. If so, operation returns to step  72 . If not, operation ends in step  88 .  
         [0050]    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, a larger display area is also envisioned for displaying more than two prices in terms of more than two currencies.