System and method for rendering price information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019333125-A1
Application number	US-201916372575-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2019
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Oct 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A price label is created, positioned, and dimensioned according to pricing information, regulatory information, location information, and dimensions of the screen. The price label is inserted into or over display content to form labeled pricing content. The labeled pricing content is transmitted to the electronic product such that the electronic product renders the labeled pricing content on the display screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system that is configured to display pricing information on a product display screen, the system comprising:
an electronic product being disposed at a retail store, the electronic product including a display screen; an electronic communications network; a central processing center, the central processing center coupled to the electronic communications network and configured to determine and provide pricing information concerning the electronic product; an electronic mixing apparatus that is disposed at the retail store or in the electronic product, and is communicatively coupled to the electronic communications network, the electronic mixing apparatus comprising a control circuit, a database, a transceiver circuit, and a sensor; wherein the sensor obtains location information concerning the current location of the product; wherein the transceiver circuit is configured to receive the pricing information from the electronic communications network; wherein the database is configured to store video content to be rendered on the display screen, the database also being configured to store regulatory information, the regulatory information describing a required position and dimensions of a price label on the display screen, the database also storing dimensions of the screen; wherein the control circuit is configured to: create, position, and dimension the price label according to the pricing information, the regulatory information, the location information, and the dimensions of the screen; insert the price label into or over the display content to form labeled pricing content; transmit the labeled pricing content to the electronic product such that the electronic product renders the labeled pricing content on the display screen; transmit status information to the central processing center or to an employee in the store via the transceiver circuit, the status information being received from the electronic product and indicating a status of the electronic product such that the employee or a robot can be instructed to re-activate the electronic product when the electronic product has become deactivated.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic product is a television, a computer, or a smartphone.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the price label is displayed intermittently on the display screen.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to add tax amounts to the pricing information for inclusion in the label.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic mixing apparatus is coupled to the electronic product via a USB port at the electronic product.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic mixing apparatus is coupled to the electronic product via a wired or wireless connection.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the display content is a movie, an advertisement, or null content.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic mixing apparatus comprises at least in part a software application.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the status of the electronic product is activated or deactivated.

10 . A method for displaying pricing information on a product display screen, the method comprising:
disposing an electronic product at a retail store, the electronic product including a display screen; configuring a central processing center to determine and provide pricing information concerning the electronic product; at an electronic mixing apparatus that is disposed at the retail store or in the electronic product, obtaining location information concerning the current location of the product; at the electronic mixing apparatus, receiving the pricing information from the central processing center via an electronic communications network; at the electronic mixing apparatus, storing video content to be rendered on the display screen, storing regulatory information, the regulatory information describing a required position and dimensions of a price label on the display screen, and storing dimensions of the screen; at the electronic mixing apparatus, creating, positioning, and dimensioning the price label according to the pricing information, the regulatory information, the location information, and the dimensions of the screen, inserting the price label into or over the display content to form labeled pricing content, transmitting the labeled pricing content to the electronic product such that the electronic product renders the labeled pricing content on the display screen, and transmitting status information to the central processing center or to an employee in the store, the status information being received from the electronic product and indicating a status of the electronic product such that the employee or a robot can be instructed to re-activate the electronic product when the electronic product has become deactivated.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electronic product is a television, a computer, or a smartphone.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the price label is displayed intermittently on the display screen.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising adding tax amounts to the pricing information for inclusion in the label.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising coupling the electronic mixing apparatus to the electronic product via a USB port at the electronic product.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising coupling the electronic mixing apparatus to the electronic product via a wired or wireless connection.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the display content is a movie, an advertisement, or null content.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electronic mixing apparatus comprises at least in part a software application.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the status of the electronic product is activated or deactivated.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• High Donald R
• Crecelius Jr John C
• Jones Nicholaus A
• Jones Matthew A
• Taylor Robert J

Classifications

• G09G2380/04

  Electronic labels · CPC title

• G06F3/1431

  using a single graphics controller · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623 Primary

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title

• G09G5/005

  Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal · CPC title

• G09G2340/12

  Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels · CPC title