WO1988006773A1

WO1988006773A1 - Retail display system

Info

Publication number: WO1988006773A1
Application number: PCT/GB1988/000114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gabriel Ordonez; Andrew Joseph Moore; Harry James Coles; Helen Frances Gleeson
Original assignee: Gabriel Ordonez; Andrew Joseph Moore; Harry James Coles; Helen Frances Gleeson
Priority date: 1987-02-26
Filing date: 1988-02-22
Publication date: 1988-09-07
Also published as: GB8704576D0; AU1249988A; IL85497A0

Abstract

A retail display system comprising at least one display device secured to a retail goods support member, the display device when addressed by a signal from a programming means, displaying selected information and continuing to display this information when the signal from the programming means is discontinued, the programming means being separate from the display device.

Description

Pa ti t.- 1

Title. Retail Display System

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a retail display system which includes a display device such as for example a price ticket displaying information about the nature and price of retail goods, or an advertising sign for advertising the goods being displayed, the display device being secured to a retail goods support member such as for example, a shelf, basket or rack.

It is known from GB 2166577 to provide a price ticket which has a digital display which can be changed by means on the ticket, so that the ticket is reusable, but providing this facility on each ticket makes each ticket expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved retail display system.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a retail display system comprising at least one display device secured to a retail goods support member, the display device, when addressed by a signal from a programming means, displaying selected information and continuing to display this information when the signal from the programming means is disconnected, the programming means being separate from the display device.

Thus a plurality of display devices can be reprogra med as and when required by a single programming means.

Preferably the programming means addresses the display device electronically.

The programming means may for example comprise a computer which can itself be reprogrammed electronically to address the display device to cause the display device to display selected information.

The computer maybe remote from the display device. For example, the computer may be physically connected e.g. by hard wiring and/or optical fibres, to the display device so that the computer can address the display device by sending the signal along a physical connection between the computer and the display device, or the computer may be connected to a transmitter means which transmits the signal to a receiver means which relays the signal to the display device. The transmitter may, for example, transmit an electromagnetic wave such as a radio wave or infrared wave and/or may transmit a signal along a telephone communication line to the receiver means.

Alternatively, the programming means may comprise an electronic device connected to the display device, and arranged to relay information from a command signal from a computer, to the display device, to address the display device.

Further alternatively, the programming means may be a portable device arranged to be connectable temporarily to the display device to address the display device after which the programming means may be disconnected. Thus, the programming means may address the display device electronically, optically, or by any other suitable means.

The display device may comprise a liquid crystal information storage device including a layer of material containing a side chain polymeric liquid crystal.

In this event, it will be appreciated that the programming means may include means to effect a thermal transition of selected parts of the material from a viscous state to a fluid state, to address parts of the material by effecting field-induced alignment to achieve a selective variation in texture and orientation of molecules so that the display device displays selected information which is retained when the material subsequently cools and returns to its viscous state, when the programming signal from the programming means is discontinued.

Such material is known from GB 2146787 to which reference is made for more detail concerning the structure and configuration of the material.

In one embodiment, where the display device is programmed electronically, the display device may comprise an array of conductors which may be transparent arranged in an x-y matrix, including conductors which may have current passed through them individually to address selected parts of the device. The mechansism of such addressing may be through heating to effect the viscous to fluid transition or by an electric field across the material to change its optical properties or a combination of the two. The display means may comprise alphanumeric and/or graphic information as required.

The display device may comprise a static display whereby information is displayed for relatively long periods of time, at least in excess of an hour, before the display device is reprogrammed by the programming means.

Alternatively, by appropriate choice "'of the said polymeric liquid crystal display material, the display may give the illusion of being dynamic, the programming means being programmed to re—address the display device at frequent intervals. Where the intervals are sufficiently small, the display may thus appear to be moving i.e. the display may be animated. Alternatively, the information displayed may appear stationary but be changed at frequent intervals.

In each case, using the material mentioned above, the display device does not require a continuous programming signal or any continuous power source, to maintain the display.

In one example, the retail goods storage member comprises a shelf on or under which in use, retail goods are stored, and displayed, the display device being secured to an edge of the shelf. For example, the device may extend along an entire shelf edge or part of a shelf edge only as required.

Alternatively, the retail goods storage member may comprise a basket or rack or other fixture in or- on which retail goods are stored and/or displayed. Thus the display device can display information concerning the price, size, quality and any other selected information desired concerning the retail goods stored by the retail goods storage member.

Where the display device extends along the shelf edge for a significant distance, the display device may be segmented so that different regions of the display device, display different selected information, although the programming means may address all of the segments simultaneously.

It will be appreciated that with the system according to the invention it would be possible fo a retailer to change every display device displaying price etc. in even a large store, from a remote position such as a central control computer. It is envisaged that a computer can be programmed to address a large number of display devices uniquely directly, or through appropriate intermediate electronic devices, throughout a single store, or throughout a plurality of stores using telephonic communication.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a system comprising a central control at which programming means .is situated, at least one display device in each outlet secured to a retail goods support member, each display device when addressed by a signal from the programming means, displaying selected information and continuing to display this information when the signal from the programming means is discontinued, means to send a signal from the programming means to each of the plurality of retail outlets to address the display devices within the retail outlets. The system of the second aspect of the invention may have any appropriate features of the system of the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of a retail display system in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of a second embodiment of a retail display system in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of the third embodiment.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the fourth embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1, the retail display system comprises a retail goods storage member which in this example is a shelf 10, but could be a rack, basket, or other fixture usually within a retail sales outlet such as a shop or supermarket.

Secured to an edge of the shelf 10 there is a display device 11 which comprises a liquid crystal storage device which includes a layer of material including a side chain polymeric crystal.

The structure and use of such material is described in detail in GB 2146787 to which reference is made. The material is the type which when heated, changes from a viscous state to a fluid state. When selected parts of the material are addressed thermally, electronically, optically, magnetically, or even by stress field—inducing means or by any combination of these, a variation in texture and re-orientation of the molecules in the selected parts only occurs. This variation in texture and orientation of molecules of the selected parts of the material is retained by the viscosity of the material.

Thus the material can be used to display and retain selected information until reprogram ed.

Erasure of the display or parts thereof may equally well be achieved by suitable optical, electrical, magnetic, stress or thermal fields or combinations thereof to produce an optical texture corresponding to the background optical state of the display. Readdressing of the same or different selected parts may then be carried out using the methods described. By experimentation, no limit has been observed to the number of times the display may be addressed and erased by the methods described herein.

The layer of material may comprise a smectogenic side chain polymeric liquid crystal for one example, or a side chain liquid crystal of the pol.ysiloxane type having cyanbiphenyl side chains, for another, other polymeric liquid crystal phases such as cholesteric or nematic may be used in the invention or in combination with certain low molar mass materials provided the resultant viscosity is high enough to retain the displayed information for the required period.

In the Figure 1 example, the material is addressed electronically.

The display device 11 has over its entire area, a crisscross of conductors in an x-y matrix. The conductors P ge y

are individually connectable to effect addressing of selected parts of the material as described above by passing an electrical current through individual conductors. Of course if desired, only part of the display device 11 may have such a matrix.

By providing electrical current to certain selected conductors of the matrix, an electric field can be provided to cause field—induced alignment of selected areas. The display may thus display segments like a conventional digital display to display numeric or some alphabet symbols, or the display may be a dot matrix display made up of individual pixels in the same way as a conventional liquid crystal display.

The layer of material may be provided between a pair of supporting plates of which at least one is partially or completely transmitting whilst the other may be transparent, translucent, fluorescent, absorbing, reflective, luminescent, phosphorescent etc, and which may encapsulate the layer, to make the layer robust in various environments. At least one of the plates may carry the conducting electrode or electrodes. For example, the plates may be made of glass or a suitable plastics material as required, mechanical properties subject to the application. The liquid crystal material mentioned above has the property of appearing either transparent or scattering or coloured when addressed as described.

The display may be highlighted by lighting, for example as is conventionally provided below shelves or a background P e 1

may be provided behind the device in a chosen colour. If desired, the material may be doped with a dye to highlight or further highlight the display. In each case though, because the selected, addressed parts of the material where the molecules are aligned, appear optically different from the background, the information displayed by the device will appear in the colour of any background material, or lighting provided.

The programming means in this example may be a dedicated computer 14 which is physically permanently connected to the display device 11 by hard wiring 15 which extends along the shelf edge, but could extend below the shelf, or even be built into the shelf as required.

It will be appreciated that once the display device 11 is addressed, although the wiring 15 still extends between the display device 11 and the computer 14, no signal is required to maintain the display. Further, the display device 11 once programmed, requires no external or internal power source in order to retain the display. Thus in an alternative arrangement, the computer- 14 could be only temporarily physically connectable to the display device 11 so that the computer 14 may be used to program a plurality of display devices subsequently. Preferably though in this arrangement, the computer 14 is simultaneously physically connected to a plurality of display devices like that shown at 11, and is programmable to address the display devices together or individually so that a plurality of display devices, for example throughout a retail sales outlet, can be Page 1Θ

programmed from one central computer 14.

Although in the example described, the computer 14 is hard wired to the display devices, the computer 14 may be otherwise physically connected, e.g. by a link including optic fibres.

Referring to Figure 2, an alternative arrangement is shown. The retail goods support member again-' comprises a shelf 20 and on an edge of the shelf, two display devices 21 and 22 are provided, which are connected together by wiring 25. The devices 21 and 22 are not physically connected to any programming means, but the wiring 25, connects each if the display devices 21 and 22 to a receiving means 23 which is adapted to receive radio signals from a transmitter 26 of programming means 24. Again, the programming means comprises a computer which may be dedicated, or part of a larger computing system and is programmed to transmit radio signals to a plurality of display devices such as devices 21 and 22. In this example, the transmission is a radio wave, although in an alternative arrangement, particularly where the computer 24 is situated relatively close to the shelf 20, infrared or other electromagnetic wave transmission may instead be employed.

Further alternatively other transmission means such as ultrasonic signals from the programming means 24 can be used.

The receiving means 23 may be intelligent, i.e. the receiving means 23 may decode signals received, and address each of the display devices 21 and 22 individually by relaying an appropriate signal received from the computer 24, or alternatively, may simply relay the signal directly from the computer 24 to each of the display devices 21, 22.

Throughout a retail sales outlet, the display devices 21, 22 may be arranged in groups, each of which may have a receiving means 23, which receives a unique signal from the transmitting means 26 of the computer 24 so that again, the computer 24 can address each of the display devices 21, 22, or at least each of the groups of the display devices individually, within a single retail outlet so that the ^"devices 21 and 22 can be individually reprogrammed, for example to update information on the quality or price of goods for example, being displayed on the shelf 20 immediately above or below the devices 21, 22.

Referring to Figure 3, a yet further embodiment is shown. Again, the system includes a retail goods support member comprising a shelf 30 on an edge of which a display device 31 is provided, again comprising a liquid crystal with polymeric side chain liquid crystals.

The display device 31 in this arrangement is adapted to be addressed by a optical addressing means to create a field to induce the molecules of the selected parts of the material to align. In this example, the optical addressing means comprises a suitable light source 34 which shines light through a mask 35. In this embodiment, the mask 35 is also made from a liquid crystal material having a side chain polymeric crystal and is itself changeable by means of a computer 36 which may be temporarily connected to the mask 35 by virtue of connections 37 on the mask and 38 on the computer 36.

Thus the mask 35, or a plurality of such masks, may be addressed at a central control at which the computer- 36 is positioned, and then moved around a retail sales outlet for- use with display devices 31. The mask 35 is placed against the display device 31 and the light source 34 is shone through the mask 35. As a result, the molecules of the device 31 align and take on the display of the mask 35. This alignment may be modified by using other fields in conjunction with the optical field. Alternatively the optical field may be used to heat the material and its alignment could be self-induced or caused by an external additional field.

Thus the material of the display device 31 is addressed optically by the lamp 34 using the mask 35. Of course, if desired, a purpose made mask, for example of cardboard or plastic mask could be used in place of the mask 35 described. However this would require the retailer to keep a stock of masks and of course the information which could be presented on the display device 31 would be limited entirely to information for which there are available masks in stock. Hence the arrangement described with the changeable mask 35 is preferred. However, it may be possible for a moving optical beam, such as a laser beam, to be used to address the display device, without the need for any mask whatsoever.

Referring to Figure 4, a central computer 44 may be used to address display devices 41 fixed to their respective retail support members, in a plurality of retail sales outlets 50, 51 and 52. This is achieved by virtue of a telephonic connection between the compute 44, a telephone exchange 45, and telephone lines 46, 47 and 48 to each of the outlets 50-52.

At each of the outlets, a computer may be provided which may be intelligent, i.e. the computer at the sales outlets 50-52 may interpret signals received on the telephone lines 46—48 so that for example, the display devices 41 throughout the retail sales outlet 50-52 can be correctly addressed to display selected in ormation concerning the retail goods displayed on the shelves or other retail goods support members in or on which the display devices 41 are provided. Alternatively, particularly if the layouts in each of the outlets 50-52 were identical, means may be provided simply to relay directly the signal received from the respective telephone line 46 to 48 directly to the display devices 41. The system of Figure 4, may include a transmitter within each respective retail sales outlet 50-52 so that the signal from the computer 44 can be transmitted in the store from the telephone line 46 to 48 to the display devices 41 in a similar manner to that described above with reference to Figure 2.

Within a single retail outlet, or throughout a plurality of retail outlets, the programming means described with reference to all the embodiments and modifications mentioned, may include intelligent intermediate electronic devices to relay a signal from a computer, or an appropriate signal delivered from a computer command signal, to one, or a group of display devices.

It will be appreciated that in each of the embodiments described, the information displayed by the respective display devices 11, 21, 31, and 41 may include information about the price, quality and nature of goods being displayed in, on or upon the associated retail goods support member. The display devices may display graphic information or simply alphanumeric symbols as required. It is envisaged that the display may display bar code symbols as are conventionally used for stocktaking and processing purposes.

Each of the retail display systems described include a static display, i.e. the display displayed by the devices 11, 21, 31, 41, are static and display the information with which they are programmed for a significant period of time of, for example, at least an hour. However, the display devices can retain the information with which they are programmed for periods of several years.

In Figure 5, a display device 21 containing the appropriate materials which gives the appearance of providing a moving or animated display is shown. This is achieved by a computer 54 which re—addresses the display device 51 along hard wiring 55 in this example, at frequent intervals determined by a clock 56. Preferably the display device 51 is reprogrammed more frequently than the time of persistence of vision of the human eye so that the display appears to be animated. In another arrangement, the display device 51 is re—addressed less frequently so that the display frequently changes, but does not give the appearance of a continuously moving display.

Conveniently, particularly with the Figure 5 embodiment a plurality of display devices may comprise layers of liquid crystal material as described above, but encapsulated together between common supporting plates.

Particularly where the entire edge of a shelf comprises a display device, different segments of the display device may display different selected information, although all segments of the display device may be addressed simultaneously.

In all the arrangements described, by virtue of the nature of the liquid crystal material in use, when it is desired to display alternative information, it is necessary to reorientate the molecules previously aligned by the electronic, optical or other field. This can be achieved by subjecting the entire display device to a suitable field or combination or fields where such a field or fields may be optical, electrical, magnetic, thermal or mechanical as required.

Subsequently, the display may again be readdressed electronically, magnetically, optically, mechanically or thermally as described above.

Thus the display may be as large or small as required, and the definition of the displayed information is entirely dependent upon either the matrix of conductors, where the display is addressed electronically, or the resolution of the addressing means generally.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in Page It-

the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their- specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or- a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A retail display system comprising at least one display device secured to a retail goods support member, the display device when addressed by a signal from a programming means, displaying selected information and continuing to display this information when the signal from the programming means is discontinued, the programming means being separate from the display device.

2. A system according to Claim 1 which includes a plurality of display devices to each of which a signal is sent to address the display device.

3. A system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the programming means comprises a computer which is programmable to address the display device electronically.

4. A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the computer is remote from the display device.

5. A system according to Claim 4 wherein the programming means is physically connected to the display device so that the signal is transmitted along a physical connection from the programming means to the display device to address the display device.

6. A system according to any one of the preceding claims Page IS

wherein the programming means is connected to a transmitter means which transmits a signal to a receiver means which relays the signal to the display device.

7. A system according to Claim 6 wherein the transmitter- means transmits an electromagnetic wave which is received by the receiver means.

8. A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the programming means is portable and connectable temporarily to the display device to address the display device.

9. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal information storage device which includes a layer of material containing a side chain polymeric liquid crystal.

10. A system according to Claim 9 wherein the programming means includes means to effect a thermal transition of selected parts of the material from a viscous state to a fluid state, to address the selected parts of the material so as to effect field induced alignment of molecules of the selected parts, to achieve selected variation in texture and orientation of the molecules so that the display device displays selected information which is retained when the selected parts of the material subsequently cool and return to a viscous state.

11. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the display gives the illusion of being animated, the programming means being arranged to re-address the display device at frequent intervals.

12. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the retail goods storage member comprises a shelf on which, in use, retail goods are stored and displayed.

13. A system according to Claim 11 wherein the display device is secured to an edge of the shelf.

14. A system according to any of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of display devices each of which are addressable by a unique signal from the programming means.

15. A system comprising a central control at which a programming means is situated, at least one display device in each outlet secured to a retail goods support member, the display device when addressed by a signal from a programming means, displaying selected information and continuing to display this information when the signal from the programming means is discontinued, means to send a signal from the programming means to each of the plurality of retail outlets to address the display devices within the retail outlets.

16. A system according to Claim 15 wherein the signals are Page 2Q

sent via a telephonic communication line, to each retail sales outlet.

17. A retail display system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.