Importance

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Abstract

A handhold control unit (HCU) shaped like a gun includes a non volatile random access memory (RAM) for storing price information (e.g. price, price per ounce, sales discounts) for the items on the market shelves. The HCU receives such information from a central processing unit (CPU) in the market. When aimed at a stock keeping unit (SKU) tag adjacent a particular item on a shelf, the HCU interrogates the SKU tag to determine the item identity. The HCU may also provide photovoltaic energy to the SKU tag to provide for the SKU tag operation. The SKU tag responds with a code (preferably infra red) identifying the particular item and sends this code to the HCU as by infra red energy. The HCU then identifies the particular item in the RAM from the transmitted code and recovers from the RAM the price information relating to the particular item. The HCU then transmits to the SKU tag the code identifying the item and also the price information for the item. The SKU tag then recovers the transmitted information and compares the code in this information with the code identified by the SKU tag for the particular item. When the compared codes are identical, the SKU tag displays the price information for the particular item and sends an acknowledgement to the HCU that it has received such price information. The HCU stores this acknowledgement in the RAM and sends this acknowledgement to the CPU.

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First Claim