US5880449A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for providing a store customer with personally associated prices for selected items
Assignee: Eldat Communication Ltd
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Filing: 1996-08-19
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Granted: 1999-03-09
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Expires: 2016-08-19
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for granting a customer visiting a store with personally associated prices for selected items is provided. The customer receives a portable customer unit which communicates with a check-in unit for establishing personal prices for selected items. In one preferred embodiment the personal prices are then downloaded into the portable customer unit, and in an alternative embodiment the identity of the portable customer unit and the respective reduced price is then downloaded into the shelf labels whose price is reduced. During shopping, the customer unit transmits coded signals to the electronic shelf labels. Electronic shelf labels respective to items whose code is included in the items for which a personal price is effective respond with an eye-catching signal to attract the customer's attention.
Inventors
- 👤 Mordechai Teicher
- 👤 Avner Halperin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:02
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/02; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/201; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/343; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/387; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/12; G07G1/14; G07G1/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A system for providing a customer within a store with personally associated prices for selected items from items offered for sale in said store, comprising: a portable unit associated with said customer, said portable unit being operative to obtain said personally associated prices for selected items; at least one point of sale for collecting payment for said customer's purchases, said at least one point of sale interfacing with said portable unit to calculate payment in accordance with said personally associated prices for selected items; and a plurality of electronic shelf labels, each displaying information associated with one of said items offered for sale in said store, said portable unit being effective to temporarily change said displayed information so as to display information related to said selected items.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A system for providing a customer within a store with personally associated prices for selected items from items offered for sale in said store, comprising: a portable unit associated with said customer, said portable unit being operative to obtain said personally associated prices for selected items; at least one point of sale for collecting payment for said customer's purchases, said at least one point of sale interfacing with said portable unit to calculate payment in accordance with said personally associated prices for selected items; and a plurality of electronic shelf labels, each displaying information associated with one of said items offered for sale in said store, said portable unit being effective to temporarily change said displayed information so as to display information related to said selected items.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable unit communicates with electronic shelf labels associated with said selected items to temporarily change said displayed information according to said personally associated prices for said selected items.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels comprises means to attract the customer's attention to said selected items.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system according to claim 1 and further comprising a store computer operative to select said selected items and to generate said personally associated prices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system according to claim 4 and wherein said store computer is operative to select said selected items and to generate said personally associated prices in accordance with data related to the customer's past purchase record.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 5 and wherein said store computer is operative for the storage of said customer's past purchase record.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system according to claim 4 and further comprising at least one check-in unit linked to said computer system wherein each of said at least one check-in unit is operative to communicate with said portable unit to download thereto said personally associated prices for selected items.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system according to claim 4 and further comprising at least one customer interface unit, operative to communicate with said store computer and to receive input from said customer to thereby affect the generation of said personally associated prices for selected items.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system according to claim 1 and further comprising a store computer operative to select said selected items and to generate said personally associated prices wherein said store computer is operative to store general data related to each of said store items and to communicate with each of said electronic shelf labels to download said general data respective to each of said store items.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system according to claim 9 and wherein said store computer is operative to communicate with each of said electronic shelf labels of said selected items to download thereto the identity of said portable unit and the respective personally associated price.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 1 and wherein said portable unit communicates with said at least one point of sale to upload said personally associated prices for selected items.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system according to claim 1 and wherein said portable unit communicates with said at least one point of sale to transmit its identity.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for providing a customer, within a store having at least one point of sale, with personally associated prices for selected items, the method comprising the steps of: providing said customer with a portable unit; downloading item-specific information to each of a plurality of electronic shelf labels, wherein each of said electronic shelf labels is associated with one of said store's items; displaying said item-specific information on the respective electronic shelf label; generating said personally associated prices for selected items, for said customer; temporarily changing the information displayed on said respective electronic shelf labels to said personally associated prices for selected items upon receiving a communication from said portable unit; and upon completion of purchase and presentation of said portable unit, charging said customer in accordance with said personally associated prices for selected items purchased.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for providing a customer, within a store having at least one point of sale, with personally associated prices for selected items, the method comprising the steps of: providing said customer with a portable unit; downloading item-specific information to each of a plurality of electronic shelf labels, wherein each of said electronic shelf labels is associated with one of said store's items; displaying said item-specific information on the respective electronic shelf label; generating said personally associated prices for selected items, for said customer; temporarily changing the information displayed on said respective electronic shelf labels to said personally associated prices for selected items upon receiving a communication from said portable unit; and upon completion of purchase and presentation of said portable unit, charging said customer in accordance with said personally associated prices for selected items purchased.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 13 and wherein said step of displaying includes the step of generating an eye catching signal to attract said customer's attention.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 13 and further comprising the step of storing said personally associated prices for selected items in a store computer in said store.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 13 and further comprising the steps of: a. providing said portable unit with identification; b. communicating said identification and said personally associated prices for the respective selected items to each of the said respective electronic shelf labels; and c. temporarily changing said displayed information on said respective electronic shelf label to display said personally associated prices upon said portable unit communicating said identification.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to claim 13 and further comprising the steps of: a. downloading said personally associated prices to said portable unit; b. said portable unit communicating said personally associated prices for the respective selected items to each of the said respective electronic shelf labels; and c. temporarily changing said displayed information on said respective electronic shelf label to display said personally associated prices upon receiving a communication of said personally associated prices from said portable unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of temporarily changing the displayed information is automatic.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-08 | 2002-09-07 | 2003-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-08 | 2006-09-07 | 2007-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-08 | 2010-09-07 | 2011-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |