Electronic Retailing Systems International

Electronic Retailing Systems, Inc.

Ers International, Inc.

Ers Associates Limited Partnership

Electronic Retailing Systems Int'l Inc.

Electronic Retailing Information Systems Int'l Inc.

George T Briechle

David H Lubowe

Bruce F Failing, Jr

Anthony P Fernandez

Edward J Fenwick

Marvin Ackerman

Alfred D Dobras

J Robert Venable

Raymond F DeLuca

Robert J Venable

An electronic price display system uses an RF communications channel between a central computer and a multiplicity of electronic price display labels. Each label is powered by a voltaic cell ('battery') such as a lithium cell. The receiver-on time, which in other RF-linked systems contributes heavily to the overall battery drain, here does not contribute appreciably to battery drain because a passive RF transceiver is used to receive and address-decode the address portion of received packets. Upon an address match, the passive RF transceiver generates an interrupt to the controller of the display label, and the interrupt prompts the controller to go to a higher-power-drain state to process the received data. If the received command requires a response, the controller of the label generates a response which is transmitted via RF from the label back to the central computer.

Low-powered RF-linked price display system

An improved system for space management in retail stores is described. The space management system includes price display labels mounted on rails along the edges of shelves in a store. A communications link between the computer and the labels permits the computer to address each label by a logical address and to determine the physical location of each label to within a resolution of typically four feet. The system prepares price audit lists and adjacency audit lists that permit economical use of the time of store personnel during the audit. The lists are generated in such a way that the items on a particular list are physically contiguous; thus once the correct general area has been located by the auditor little additional time need be spent locating the individual items. In performing an audit of product facings, the user is able to use the display hardware, including the pushbutton on each label, as a data collection system for product facing information. In product location mode, the user starts at the first label at one end of a shelf and presses the button on the first label. The user moves to the second label, presses its button, moves to the third label, and the process is repeated for each label along the shelf, and for the rest of the shelves in the area being audited. This permits the system to collect information as to the sequence of labels along a rail.

Space management system

In a system for displaying prices in a retail store, an improved protocol is disclosed to permit improved communications between a host, or central computer and display devices. Such a protocol enables the host to effectively communicate messages to the display devices for the latter to display information to consumers and/or store personnel.

Technique for communicating with electronic labels in an electronic

An electronic price display system has uniquely addressed electronic shelf labels (ESLs) controlled by a central computer or host. To save power and communications channel bandwidth, subglobal addressing is defined which permits the central computer to address more than one but less than all of the labels. In one application of the addressing protocol the central computer causes the subglobally addressed labels to perform some common action such as changing a display to an alternative display. In another application of the addressing protocol the central computer uses the subglobal addressing to disambiguate when data collisions occur due to more than one label attempting to respond to a global query.

Subglobal area addressing for electronic price displays

In a system for displaying prices in a retail store, an improved protocol permits improved communications between a host, or central computer and display devices. Such a protocol enables the host to effectively communicate messages to the display devices for the latter to display information to consumers and/or store personnel.

An improved electronic price display system has rails into which are installed price display labels. Ridges along the top and bottom of the rails are shaped to receive a label readily. A removal tool may be engaged to release the pawls of the label to extract the label. Ridges at the rear of the rails, together with a resilient insert, permit quick mounting to a shelf with a minimal number of fasteners. A hemicylindrical feature at the back of the rails permits generous area of contact with a mounting screw having a hemispherical head. Opposed groove features permit the concealment of the screw heads and provide a visual design element. Angled ridges on the rear face of the label engage with knurls on the rails providing contact wiping, enhancing electrical integrity of the label-to-rail connection, and also fix the label in place. A feature along an edge of the rail provides a cylindrical concavity. An optional clear plastic cover mounted with a cylindrical edge bead in the concavity provides a hinged connection therebetween. A protruding button on the face of the label is actuated by the pressing of the cover in the vicinity of the button. A subassembly of the label provides a robust carrier for springy contacts providing electrical connection long conductors on the rails.

Information display rail system

An electronic price displaying label is disclosed for use in conjunction with a rail, the rail having two lips which define an access slot and a cavity, in which the label is prevented from slidably moving in a horizontal direction along the rail. The label has a protuberance connected to the rear of the label and first and second grooves arranged on the rear of the label such that the label can be secured in a display position along the rail. The aforementioned grooves disposed on the rear of the label contain a resilient substance such as a rubber band. The protuberance of the label may be removed from and inserted into the cavity of the rail when the label is in a position perpendicular to the rail, with the protuberance securing the label to the rail when the label is in a position parallel to the rail. Upon attaching the label on the rail, the compression of the resilient substance by the lips of the rail prevents the label from slidably moving in a horizontal direction along the rail.

Non-slidable display label

A vertical stringer or rail system is provided for use with an electronic price display system in a store, warehouse or other application. A vertical rail is made of an insulating material and is of substantially constant cross section along its extent, with ridges along each edge. A channel in the front face of the rail carries a plurality of exposed conductors, and the channel and edges are keyed. Snap-on connectors fit to the rail, and due to the keying it is impossible to snap the connector on backwards. The snap-on connectors each have a flat cable running to a shelf rail at the front of a shelf, and electronic price display labels lie within the shelf rail. U-shaped snap-on cable clamps provide clamping of the flat cable to the vertical rail nearby to the snap-on connectors, and the cable clamps are captive to the flat cable so they are not easily misplaced. Because the snap-on connectors and clamps may be snapped on at a multitude of locations they can easily accommodate shelves at varying heights. Shelf moves are easily accommodated regardless of starting and ending shelf positions.

Growing community of inventors

New Canaan, CT, United States of America

George T Briechle