Price display system for sales areas and/or windows.

p0001The invention relates to a price display system for shops and / or window in which erected the article and at the site and / or in the vicinity are provided price tags.

p0002For many years, the products were provided with a solid, readable by eye price inscription which was read at a detection point of an operator and typed in a checkout. Also for the customer the price was recognizable. Lately, more and more businesses move to a computerized inventory management with an article database on. In this article codes are used for the detection rate increases, which are read at the collection points with special readers of the articles. The current data is then delivers the product database.

p0003Thus, the price marked in the traditional sense is technically no longer necessary. But as it is required by law and by the customer, the manufacturer or the seller must in addition be customized with the prices on the items or stick or he must attach to the sale racks corresponding price tags. The method is letzerere but inflexible and requires constant tracking by the staff. On the other hand provides the additional attachment of the prices on the products a significant overhead is. In addition, this method is rather inflexible even when, for example, thinking about special offers or promotions.

p0004By the invention, the system now to be improved to the effect with the attached to the sale racks price tags that no decentralized tracking by the staff is more necessary, and that changes, such as price discounts and the like, can be displayed quickly. In addition to the system beyond just prices also for other functions, such as sales promotion, be upgradeable by other ads and the like.

p0005This object is inventively achieved in that the price tags are formed by electronically controllable displays which are connected to at least one central control unit for the power supply and the supply of price data and any further information.

p0006The controller, which preferably receives its information from a database, the article managing computer periodically sends the price data to the individual displays. Any changes are therefore to the display almost immediately available. In forming corresponding to the display, in addition to price, the item number, additional text and / or special effects can be displayed. In addition, special equipment for the promotion, for example, those with ticker, and accessories for other functions, such as monitoring devices for chillers or freezers, are inserted into the system. The latter enables the avoidance of multiple installations.

p0007In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and drawings; it shows:<ul><li>FIG. 1 shows a schematic section of a self-service shop,</li><li>FIG. 2a, b each an example of a display according to the invention,</li><li>Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the mounting system for displays according to Fig. 2a, b,</li><li>Fig. 4, an example of an auxiliary display,</li><li>Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the inventive system, and</li><li>FIGS. 6, 7 details the block diagram of FIG. 5.</li></ul>

p0008Fig. 1 shows a goods shelf 1 with side walls 2 and shelves 3 on which are set up for sale various articles. In the area of ​​the respective products, as illustrated, immediately before this, ads PA are provided. The ads PA can, as shown in Fig. 2a, be pure price display, or may additionally, as shown in Fig. 2b, include the item number and possibly other information.

p0009The fastening of the displays PA is shown in FIG. 3 by pressing in on the front sides of the trays 3 or of the side walls 2 provided for mounting rails 4, which have two longitudinal grooves, in each of which a conductor rail A, B is performed. Thus either both horizontal and vertical mounting of ads PA is possible. The ads PA, which are designed as labels or small boards are provided on its back with suitable contact springs 6a, 6b, or other contact and / or fastening means of a suitable material that fix both the ads PA in the grooves 5 and the electrical connection to the busbars A or B produced.

p0010The ads PA are designed for horizontal or vertical mounting in various housings and designs and included as an actual display unit either light emitting diodes (LED) with self-luminous display in different colors, or liquid crystal cell (LCD) of conventional design for prices and article without (Fig. 2a) and with (Fig. 2b) Article ID display and additional text or special effects, or transmitted-light liquid crystal cells for devices with common lighting.

p0011The busbars A, B of the mounting rails 4 form a common supply and data line via which the ads PA are connected to a common control device, which transmits the respective data is periodically sent to the various displays PA. The controller itself receives its information directly from the article database managed computer. the price information is thus continuously upgradable for each item.

p0012more ads can be inserted, including devices for Verkausförderung, for example, have a marquee or blink in a conspicuous color, or as in FIG. 4 using a temperature gauge 7 on a cooling rack, various Ueberwachungszu rates, to the in the in the display system usually a suitable sensor 8 is connected.

p0013The mounting rails 4 (Fig. 3), which are adapted to the design aspects of the respective sales room are on the shelves, racks, chests and other containers products with little effort, even retrospectively, mountable. In this case the mounting system also includes connecting members and flexible connection cable, so that a simple and modular structure is ensured. To increase the availability of the system, this is preferably divided into several strands.

p0014In Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the inventive system is shown, Fig. 6 shows a block diagram of a display PA and Fig. 7 shows a block diagram of the control unit SG of the system. It can be seen in Fig. 5, a number of ads PA (1) to PA (s), via the guided into the mounting rails 4 busbars A, B (Fig. 3) are connected in parallel to an already-mentioned control unit SG. This is with the article database managing computer (not shown) via a data interface 9.

p0015The control unit SG can accommodate up to 128 and more ads with power and data supply, the power supply by direct or alternating current or from the data signal can be carried out. Of course, a plurality of control devices SG can be connected to said computer. Depending on the number of connected display PA is the repetition rate for the periodic transfer of data to those between 0.1 and 100 seconds. As address designation for data transmission, the respective item number is used for each display PA. The display data can be changed continuously by the computer. The control unit only serves to supply the ads PA power and communication also to their supervision and shall implement them periodically.

p0016According to FIG. 6, each display PA two terminals 6a and 6b for connection to the busbars A and B (Fig. 3), which are formed for example by contact springs. The terminals 6a, 6b are supplied to a supply common and decoupling stage 10, which is on the one hand on the other hand connected to an analog / data-converter 11 and a control chip 12th The output of the analog / data converter 11 is fed to the control chip 12 having also a programming input 13 and its output is connected to the actual display 14 which, as already mentioned, for example formed by light-emitting diodes or liquid crystal cells.

p0017The programming input 13, which is formed for example by a PROM port, used for reading of the articles assigned addresses, which are preferably formed by the part numbers. This setting of address information is carried out by a special a portable or stationary programming device to which a wand is connected. This wand is read from the respective items of the item code and read via the programming input 13 in the control chip 12 of the display PA. Then, the latter in the mounting rail 4 (Fig. 3) is used.

p0018If the data to be displayed in the control unit SG (Fig. 5, 7) are available, they will be already displayed the next repetition of the data transmission. The programmer stores the read address information, which can be dubbed to the article database managing computer, whereby the current status of the product offer can be captured with minimal effort.

p0019Setting the address information described can be connected to an additional control by in the programmer input the number of the item and also transferred to the computer, the perform with this additional information, effective internal control over the product inventory and control corresponding logistical processes and / can or trigger.

p0020The control unit SG, according to FIG. 7 at its input a to the data interface 9 (Fig. 5) connected to stage 15, a so-called host interface, to which via a data bus 16 to a RAM 17, a PROM 18 and the actual control unit 19 is connected. In the RAM 17, the data for the periodic transmission of data and in the PROM 18, the programs are stored. The control unit 19 is connected to a power supply circuit 20 for the current rails A, B (Fig. 3) and to the input or output data / analog and analog / data converter of a respective 21 and 22, respectively, which in turn, like the power supply circuit 20 are connected to a computer connected to the busbars a, B output 23 of control unit SG. The control unit 19 is also connected to an alarm stage 24, which is used for dispensing a the monitoring functions of the system associated alarm signal.

p0021Such monitoring functions can be, for example: - Monitoring the presence and / or the functioning of ads - Theft monitoring correspondingly secured article - Ueberwachungszusätze according to FIG 4 and the like..

p0022The mentioned monitoring functions are listed here is not exhaustive and can be expanded and developed in a wide range. Likewise, the entire description of the system, in particular the specific training of ads PA and their assembly, to be understood only as exemplary. It is essential to the inventive main idea of ​​electronically controllable price displays, which are connected to one or more central control unit or control equipment and receive from each the current pricing information. Against the background of this main idea, the actual design of the system is the present state of automation and data processing in the understanding of the skilled person.

p0023For example, the ads PA to be specially illuminated by light-emitting diodes (LED), and show specific ads, such as that shown in Fig. 4, may have a call button, with the display at a critical temperature, an operator can be requested.