FR2564224A1 - INSTALLATION FOR DISPLAYING MESSAGES AND PRICES - Google Patents

Abstract

LUMINOUS NEWSPAPER PERFECTED TO ALLOW THE PERMANENT DISPLAY OF A PRICE DURING THE TIME OF ISSUE OF A CORRESPONDING MESSAGE. ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION, THE LUMINOUS DIARY 10 IS COMPLETED BY AN AUXILIARY SCREEN 15 SPECIALIZED IN THE PRICE DISPLAY AND THE NUMERICAL INFORMATION CORRESPONDING TO THE PRICE DISPLAY ARE LOADED IN THE PROGRAM MEMORY M OF THE ILLUMINATED LOG WITH A SPECIAL CODE DETECTED THROUGH THE MICRO-PROCESSOR 12 TO ADDRESS THE CORRESPONDING INFORMATION TO THE AUXILIARY SCREEN 15 INSTEAD OF THE LIGHT POINT MATRIX 11 OF THE SAID LIGHT LOG. APPLICATION TO ADVERTISING IN LARGE SURFACES AND MAJOR STORES.

Description

AFFIC INSA.LATION: AGE OF YESSAGES AND DE? Rr.

  The invention relates to a message display installation

  this of light spots, in particular electroluminescent diodes whose selective ignition makes it possible to reconstitute the words of a message, this matrix being associated with additional display means in order to display a price during a time interval of diffusion.

message.

  "Newspapers" have spread widely with the help of

  electroluminescent diodes. It has indeed become possible

  to realize for a reasonable price, a matrix of such diodes ma-

  terializing as many points of light on a display surface

  given. The selective ignition of these diodes, controlled by micro-processors

  seur, allows to reconstruct on the display surface the letters and words of any desired message. The microprocessor is coupled

  to a program memory containing the digital information

  of the various alpha-numeric characters of the message or messages

  and a keyboard for composing these messages. For some uses, however, it is desirable to associate additional information with the message being broadcast. This is particularly the case when the installation is intended to be operated on a

  point of sale (supermarket, department store) and that the definite message

  during a given period of time, the characteristics and advantages of a product must be accompanied by the display of its price

  during all of said time interval. The invention provides a solution

this type of problem.

  In this spirit, the invention essentially concerns an installation

  information display comprising, in a manner known per se, a matrix of light points and means for selecting some of these points, comprising a program memory, for reconstituting a

  message on said matrix, characterized in that it comprises in

  at least one auxiliary screen specialized in displaying a price,

  this screen being controlled by said program memory.

  In other words, the digital information representative of the prices and those representative of the messages are loaded in the same program memory and decoding means are coupled thereto to identify in the information delivered by said program memory, those which are representative of a program. price. Switching means are provided for addressing this information representative of a price

  to said auxiliary screen instead of the "light log" matrix.

  It is advantageous to use seven-segment displays, well known in the art, to make the auxiliary display, or a seven-segment array of light-emitting diodes, which allows for large formats. The improvement according to the invention is therefore feasible inexpensively. Preferably, two groups of such displays will be used, one for displaying the price of the item and the other for displaying a price per unit of measure, if any.

  The invention will be better understood and other advantages of this

  will appear better in the light of the following description of a

  embodiment of an installation according to its principle, given

  only by way of example and with reference to the nonlimited drawing.

  attached form in which: - the single figure is a general block diagram of an installation

  display according to the invention.

  In the diagram, there is a classic "light newspaper"

  including a display panel 11 consisting of a matrix

  this of electroluminescent diodes, a microprocessor 12 coupled to the

  panel 11 through an input-output circuit 13 for pi-

  to batch the selective ignition of the light-emitting diodes according to information read in a program memory M. The "loading" of the messages in the memory M is effected by means of a keyboard 14 as well as the programming of the various modes of operation of the "light log": continuous scrolling of the message or display thereof in successive groups of words, etc ... the keyboard 14 may be a unit

  independent disconnectable from the light log housing itself.

  According to the invention, the installation furthermore comprises an auxiliary screen

  specialized in displaying a price. This screen is controlled by

  program memory M, via the input-output circuit, under the management of the microprocessor 12. The auxiliary screen is divided into two parts.

  groups 16 and 17 of seven-segment displays, each group being

  by respective registers, 16a, 17a, forming a memory, for displaying

  price during the whole duration of the circulation of the

  Corresponding wise on the display panel 11. The display group 16 is provided to view the price of the article pointed to the attention

  of the public, while the poster group 17 is intended to visualize

  price per unit of measure (price per liter or kilo) of the same

  if necessary. The microprocessor 12 is arranged to decode

  a special code in the digital information read from the memory-

  - 3 - program. This code makes it possible to identify the information delivered by the program memory which is representative of a pair of decimal numbers representing the price of the article and, possibly, its price.

  per unit of measure. When such a code is identified, the micro-process-

  It controls the input-output circuit 13 to switch the transfer of the digital information that follows the reading of the code to the screen.

  auxiliary 15 (on the display group 16, then on the group of

  17) instead of the billboard 11. This price information

  are for example transmitted at the beginning of the broadcast of a message giving

  created and erased when the microprocessor detects again the special code mentioned above and corresponding to a new message,

  so a new price. At the time of programming the system by

  intermediate keyboard 14, the digital information representative messages and prices are introduced successively into the same storage unit. If a price is missing in the sequence of digital information identified by the code, its image on the screen

  auxiliary is completely erased. Similarly, if the digital information

  corresponding to part of a price (cents) is missing,

  its image on the auxiliary screen is completely erased.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment of

  the display installation just described; she

  includes all the technical equivalents of the means involved if those

  they are within the scope of the following claims.

-4 -

Claims (4)

  1. Information display installation comprising, in a manner   known per se, a matrix of light points (11) and means of se-   selection (12,13) of some of these points, including a memory-pro-   gram (M) for reconstructing a message on said matrix, characterized in that it further comprises at least one auxiliary screen (15) specialized in the display of a price, this screen being controlled by said program memory (M).   2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that   it includes decoding means (12) coupled to said memory   program (M) for identifying in the information delivered by said program memory those which are representative of a price and   switching means (13) for addressing this representative information.   from one-price to said auxiliary screen (15).   3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in   said auxiliary screen (15) comprises at least one display group   numerical data, known as so-and-memory registers,   for the permanent display of the price during the broadcast of the correct message.   sponding. 4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said auxiliary screen comprises two groups of displays (16,17) one for the display of an item price and the other for the display of a price per unit of measure. I