CA1317347C

CA1317347C - Shoppers communication system and processes relating thereto

Info

Publication number: CA1317347C
Application number: CA000579653A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Leo Vela; Roger L. Martin; Thurman Sasser
Original assignee: Vela Group Inc
Current assignee: Fujitsu Frontech North America Inc
Priority date: 1987-10-14
Filing date: 1988-10-07
Publication date: 1993-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-04
Also published as: US4882724A; AU2626088A; WO1989003555A1; US5630068A

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A communication system (22) for a marketing area (33) locates a light signal generating system (25) and a master computer (24) at a control center (23) and delivers message bearing light signals over optical channels (61) to predetermined subdivisions of the marketing area. Message relay units (27) are provided on the shopping carts in the marketing area for transmitting audio and/or visual messages to the shopper. Among the visual messages transmitted are those which visually display a list (132) of items available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, a graphics display of the marketing area and the merchandise display facilities therein, a video picture which is often of a product or item available for purchase in the marketing area and a traveling word message .

The relay units (27) disclosed have a computer (74) which operates under the control of the master computer (24?, a signal recieving system (85) and various message signal storage facilities (112) (118) (122) as well as a message transmission system (71) that includes a video display device (72) and an audio transmission device (75). Various computer controls are provided for shopper use, including controls (126) (128) (129) (130) (131) that facilitate the recording of items destined for purchase by the shopper and which facilitate the generation of indicia on the graphics display indicative of the item locations in the marketing area and a control (138) that changes the size and viewing mode of the graphics display of the marketing area, Procedures for guiding the shoppers about the marketing area and for delivering the messages to the shoppers in the marketing area are also considered

Description

- 1- 1 3 ~ ~ iJ` ~

Shopper~t Communlcatlon S~otem nnd Proco~ttt~t Rttlatlng Thereto This lnventlon relste~ to aystems and processes for communlcntlng ~lth shoppers ln marketlng area~t and lncludes processess for guidlng and dell~ering me3sAges to shoppers ln marketlng areas, a~t well a9 to certaln apparatus combLnations that may be used ln Ruch systems and proce3ses.

Back~round of the In~ention There are two basic communlcatlon problems whlch arl~e because of the nature of what mnJ be called "supermsrket" merchandlslng. The shopping or marketlng areas are ~ast and the number of ltems or products on display and avallable for aelectlon and purchase are numerous.

One problem 19 that of communlcatlng to the shopper the sctual location of the ltems that are deslred for purchase. That many of the ltems are dlfflcult to flnd by a shopper 18 a well known fuct to anyone who ha~ frequented a modern supermarket and encountered the numerous ltem dlaplays ln the msrketlng area.
The market managers usuallr resort to o~erhead slgns or dlspIays that carry lncomplete llst~ of a~allable ltems wlth seemlngly appropriate alsle designstlons. Such deslgnations are often out of date and are usuall~ only general in nsture.

The latest approach has been to supplement the use of such o~erhead displays wlth the uae of placards or posters bearlng ltem lists with deslgnated locatlon~. These posters are mounted on the shopplng carts used by the shoppers ln carrying ltems that 13~ 7~7 have been selected for purchsse. Agaln, ho~ever, the llsts of item3 are usually lnco0plete and the desi8nated locatlons lsck speclflcity. Also, they Dre often flO mounted on the shopping carts as to become obscured or covered by ltems thHt have been selected for purcha~e and nre belng carrled ln the shopplng cart 8 .

Such attempts to solve the product locstlon problem have been generally unsatlsfactory to both the shopper and the mana8ement of the market as 19 evldent by the numerous request that are stlll made of supermarket personnel for the locatlon of ltems.

The second problem of communicatlon has to do wlth product advertlslng at the polnt of product selectlon. Shelf space i8 limlted in any marketing area and the u3e of placards or posters at the polnts of dlsplay for the items offered for purchase, although used extensively, i8 unsatlsfactor~. The posters obscure the view of the products belng displayed, take up space and must frequently be ~o small ln some marketlng areas as to be lneffectlve for thelr lntended purpose, In general, the use of the posters and dlspla~s i9 llmlted br many store mana8ers to product item speclals that are frequentl~ dlsplared ln large quanitles and usuall~ located at the ends of the slsles for the shelved items in the marketlng area.

The lack of sl)elf and floor space for Advertlsing has lead some product purveyors to set up speclsl dlsplays at some store locatlons. In such csses, televlslon recelvers and vlewlng screens for movle or sllde proJectors have been strateglcally located ln the marketlng area as dlsplays to gain product identlty or to explaln the use of a product. Such dlsplays'are usuallr set up in a speclal srea wlthln the marketlng area. Apart 3 3 ~

from thls, the message belng communlcated i8 usuall~ limlted to one product and frequently takes 80 much tlme to present a~ to preclpltate buyer dislnterest. Furthermore, the space avallable for shopper vlewlng in such lnstAnces i9 usuall~ llmlted and the costs for communicatlng the messa8e to each buyer are e~cesslve b~ market standards.

Other attempts to solve the advertislng problem at the polnt of product selectlon have involved the use of loud speakers whlch are fed prerecorded messages about the dlsplaged ltem. In other cases, visual dlsplays have been used at the polnt of product selectlon and whlch lnvolve the use of traveling word messages about the products.

Summar~ of the Inventlon The lnventlon lla~ varlous aspects but is based on provldlng a shopper wlth a message relay unlt that includes a computer controlled vlsual dlsplay devlce whlch 19 used ln communlcating wlth the shopper ln the marketing area. Tlle relay unit may be simply carried around the marketlng area br and on the person of the shopper. On the other hand, ln the preferred practlce of the invention, the rela~ unlt 18 mounted and transported about the mar~etlng area on a shopplng cart used b~ the shopper.

In accord with certaln aspect~ of the lnventlon, tlle communlcation system ha~ a slgnfll generatlng system whlch 18 isolated from the message relay unlta and whlch 19 provlded for generatlng message bearlng slgnals that are recelvable by the relay unlts. Under such c~rcumstances, each unlt has a slgnal receiver system and a message transmisslon s~stem that lncludes a computer controlled vlsual dlsplay devlce for transmlttlng ~ 3 ~ rl ~3 ~ J

visually dlsplngable messsges.

CertAin aspect3 of the lnventlon have to do wlth provlding a visually dlsplayable message bearlng signal wlth a dats component that lncludes a vlsuall~ dlsplaynble messa8e such a9 contalned ln a 11st of dlsplayed ltems that are avallable for purchase ln the marketing area, a graphlcs dlsplay of the marketlng area and the merchandlslng dlspluy facllltes used therein, a vldeo picture of a fixed or moving product tilat 19 avallnble for purchase and on displa~ in the marketlng area, and/or A travellng word message, an audlo message belng also contemplated for transmisslon, lf deslred, and either wlth or wlthout the transmission of a visually displayable message.

In accord wlth certaln aspects of the lnventlon, provlslons are made for the shopper to control the vlewlng of the 11st of displayed items and to ~elect ltems on the 11st. Thls results ln the sppearance of lndlcla that 18 lndlcatlve of the selected items during a subseguent dlsplay of a graphlcs dlsplay of the marketlng ares and serves to lnform the shopper of the locatlon of such ltems thereln. Other aspects, permlt the shopper to control the slze of the marketlng area represented by the graphlcs dlsplay, thus enabllng the shopper to llmlt the ares sho~ on the graphlcs dlspla~ to that ln the proxlmate area of ~he shopper.

Stlll other aspects of the lnventlon llave to do wlth the generatlon and dellvery of the messa8e bearlng slgnal~ to the marketlng areas, the inventlon here emphaslzlng the use of llght signal generators and the dellver~ of the the slgnal~ to the marketlng area through the uRe of an optlcal channel network.
Certaln process aspects of the lnvention lnvolve communlcatlng ~ 3 ~ ~ .

with the shopper ln A marketlng area ln order to guide the shopper ln seeklng ltems that are on dlsplay and avallable for selectlon by the ~hopper ln the marketlng area.

The generatlon on the Ylsual dlsplay devlce of a 11st of ltems whlch are a~ail~ble for purchase nnd on dlspla~ ln the marketlng area 19 contemplated ln accord wlth certain of these process aspects, In accord wlth other process aspects, the generatlon of certaln lndlcla on the dlsplay devlce and whlch are lndlcetive of the locations in the marketing area of the ltems on the 11st 1 contemplated wllile the ltems on the 11st are being generated thereon.

With the shopper guldlng thoughts ln mlnd, certaln process aspects of the lnventlon contemplate the generatlon on the dlsplay devlce of a graphlcs dlspla~ of the marketlng area and whlch lllustrates the floor plan of the marketlng area and the layout of the merchandlse dlsplar facllltles thereon. Stlll other procedural aspects contemplate the generatlon of lndlcla on the ~lsual dlspla~ whlle the graphlcs dlspla~ of the marketlng area 18 belng 8enerated thereon, the lndlcla ln such cases belng assoclated wlth ltems avallable for selectlon ln the marketlng srea and so located ln the marketlng ares deplcted by the graphlcs dlsplar as to be lndicatlve thereln of the locatlons thereof. Yet other process aspect contemplate the generatlon of indlcla on the vlsual dlsplay whlle the graphlcs dlsplar of the marketlng area 18 being generated thereon, the indlcia in thls lnstance belng 80 located ln relation to the marketlng area deplcted by the graphlcs dlsplar as to be lndlc~tlve thereln of the location of the shopplng cart on which the vlsual dlsplar 19 mounted.

~ ~ . . . ... . ... . . . . . ~ . .

-6~ rl r^J

Other procedural nspects of the inventlon contemplate shopper selectlon of ltems on the 11st when the 11st 19 belng genersted on the vlsual dl~play. Each selectlon lnvolves a ~wltchlng step that 19 accompllshed by the sllopper and thereafter results ln the generatlon of lndlcla whlch 19 90 located ln the marketlng area deplcted by the graphlcs dlsplay durlng lts subsequent generatlon on the vlsual dlsplay devlce as to be lndlcatlve of the locatlon ln the marketlng area of the selected ltem. Stlll another procedural aspect wlth a vlew to guldlng the sllopper ln the shopping srea lnvolves the generatlon on the visual dlsplay devlce oE a graphlcs dlsplay wlllch deplcts a local area of the marketing area wllich 19 proximate to the locatlon of the shopplng cart therein and all ln contrast to the deplctlon of the total or substnntlally entlre marketlng area. Other procedural aspects contemplate switchlng between steps whlch generate the grsphlcs dlsplay of the total marketlng area and those which generate the graphlcs dlspla~ of a local subdlvlslon tlloeof.

Other process aspects of the invention have to do with communicating wlth the shopper with the view to promotlng product items that are on display and nvsllable for purchAse ln tlle marketin8 area. ~lere pro~isions are made for pnsslng the messa8e bearing signals lnto a predetermined zone in whlch the~ are detectable by the relay units and wllereat the message is thereby transmitted at the polnt of product selectlon. Certain nspects of the lnventlon here llsve to do wlth the generation of the message bearing signals as llght slgnals and wlth the passlng of such ll~llt slgnals lnto the predetermlned zones.

These and other aspects of tlle lnventlon wlll be evldent from the more detalled dlsclosure whlch follows.

~7~

Brlef Descrlptlon of Vlews of Dra~lnRs The novel fetures whlch are belleved ~o be chnracterlstlc of thls lnventlon are set forth wlth particularlt~ ln the appended clalms. The inventlon, ltself, however, both as to lts orgnnlzntlon and method of operation, tD8ether ulth further ob~ects and sdvantnges thereof, msy best be understood by reference to the followlng descriptlon taken ln connectlon wlth the nccompanying drawlngs, whereln:

Fi8. 1 schematlcally deplcts an embodlment of the lnventlon and generally shows the relatlon of the components of the communicatlon system that are located at the control center to the components of the system that nre located ln the marketin8 area, the srstem deplcted belng a preferred embodlment wherein the message relay units of the communicatlon ~yYtem are mounted on respective shopping cnrts that are u3ed ln the marketlng area;
Flg. 2 schematically depicts the control center facllltles and the signal distrlbutlon system of the preferred embodlment of the communlcatlon sy~tem shown ln Fi8. 1;
Flg. 3 schematicallr deplcts n message relay unit of the communlcatlon system of Flg. 1, the unit belng show ln Flgs 8-10;
Flg. 4 schematlcally deplcts a signal 8eneratin8 cycle used ln the communlcation system of Flg.l;
Flg. 4A schematlcally depicts the tlme slot ln the cycle of Fig. 4 whlch 19 ~evoted to the generatlon of the sgnc signal;
Flg. 4B schematlcall~ deplcts the time slots in the cycle of Fig. 4 which are devoted to the generation of the cart finder signals.
Fig. 4C schematicall~ deplcts the tlme slots ln the cycle of Flg. 4 which are devoted to the generatlon of the cart locnt'ion signals;

-8- ~3~

Fig. 4D schemntlcnlly deplct~ tho tlme slot~ ln the cycle of Flg. '~ which are devoted to shopping ll~t slgnal, the graphlcs design slgnal, and one each of the vldeo picture, tr~vellng messs8e and audlo messa8e slgnals.
Fig. 5 dlagrammatlcall~ deplcts the floor plsn and product merchsndislng Escllltles ln the mnrketlng or 3hopplng nrea of a 3upermarket ln whlch the communlc~tlon system 19 lnstnlled;
Flg. ~ dlagrammatlcally deplcts an elevatlonal vlew through the marketlng area along the llnes 6-6 of Flg. 5 and ln which dlsplay shelf ln deplcted ln vertlcal sectlon togetller Witll certsln support components for the network of optlcal channels, the optl~al pro~ectlons from the termlnal optlcs of each channel bein8 lllustrated ln broken llnes.
Flg. 7 diagr~mmatlcally deplcts an elevatlonal vlew tllrough the marketlng area along the llnes 7-7 of Flg. 6;
Fig. 7~ is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line 7A-7A of Fig. 7.
Fig. 7B is a sectional view taken generally along the line 7B-7B of Fig. 7B.
Flg. 8 19 a side ele~atlonal vi~w of a frs8ment of a shopplng cart silowlng a messa8e relay unlt used ln the communlcatlon system of Flg. 1 as mounted on the handle thereof;
Flg. 9 19 a top plsn vlew of the messa8e relay unit seen ln Fig. 8 and as seen along the lines 9-9 thereln;
Flg. 10 19 an elevatlonal ~lew of the messa8e relay unlt and shopplng cart frngment seen in Flg. 8 and as seen along the llnes 10-10 thereln.
Flg. 11 dlagrammatically deplcts the floor plan and product merchsndlsing facilitles ln the marketlng area seen ln Flg 5 and further deplcts certain zones to whlch messages are transmitted and relayed to the sllopper plus a route that may be taken by a shopper through the marketlng ares durlng a vlsit to the marketlng ~ea;
Fig. 12 i~ a vlew of a fragment of the message relay unit along the llnes 12-12 of Fig, 8, the vlew showlng certaln control keys and the vlewing screen of the vlsu~l displa~ devlce when one ~9~ 1 ~ r~ r ;oJ

of the pnges of a 11st of ltems avallable for purchase and on displag in the marketlng area 19 seen on the screen;
Flg. 13 19 a vlew of the fragment of the messsge relay unlt seen in Flg. 12 but sho~lng the vlewlng screen of the vl9ual display device when a graphlcs dlsplA~ deplctlng the floor plan and merchandislng dlspla~ fscllltles ln the marketlng aren 19 seen on the ~creen, an lndlcia 90 appesring on the ~creen ln relatlon to the floor plan and merchandlse dlsplay facllltles deplcted ln the graphlcs dlspla~ as to be inldlcatlve of the locatlon of the shopplng cart ln the marketlng area, and certsln other lndlcla also 90 appearlng on the screen in relatlon to the floor plan and merchandlslng display facllltles deplcted tllereon as to be lndlcatlve of the locatlons ln the marketlng area of certaln ltems on the list contemplated ln Flg. 12 that have been selected by the shopper for locatlon ln the shopplng area.
Flg. 14 19 a vlew of the fragment of the message relay unit seen in Flg. 13 but showlng the vlewlng screen of the vlsual dlsplay devlce wlth the lndlcla lndlcatlve of the shopplng cart centered ln the screen and the graphics dlspla~ deplctlng the floor plan and merchandlslng di~pla~ facllltes ln the marketlng area as enlarged and offset to llmlt the deplcted marketlng area ln the display to an area proxlmate to the shopplng cart, the enlarged view bein8 at a locatlon for the shopplng cart deplcted in Flg. 11.
Flgs. lS thru l9 are views of the fragment of the message relay unit as seen in Flg. 13 and show the viewlng screen of the visual displa~ devlce under the local or proxlmate area vlewlng ~hich 19 deplcted ln Flg. 14, the vlews ln the ~lg9. depictlng the vlewlng screen at successlve stops along the route deplcted in Flg, 11.

Detalled Descrlptlon of Inventlon - l o- ~ 3 ~ 7 ~ - , The lnventlon wlll be best understood br flrst referrin8 to the preferred erobodlment shown ln the drawlngs.

F18- 1.
Reference 19 now made to the drawlngs snd more particularly to Fig. l. Ilere, a system for communlcatlng with shoppers is generally designated st 22. In sn area control center 23, lt iDcludes a computer 24 and a llght slgnal generatlng system 25 that is controlled by the computer 24 for generating message bearin8 slgnals for dellvery to the marketlng area. The system 22 has a signal dell~er~ system 26 whlch 19 connected with the generatlng s~stem 25 and whlch 19 used for passlng the genera~ed ~lgnals to a marketlng area that is generall~ designated at 33 in Fig. 1 and show ln greated detall in Flg. 5.

The communication system 22 also includes a pluralit~ of messaee relay units 27. These units 27 are preEerrably mounted on and flxed to the respecti~e shopplng carts 28 ~hlch are furnlshed shoppers for use in carrying ltems selected for purchase about the marketlng area 33. Alternati~ely, the relay units 27 may be simpl~ supported on the shopping carts during u~e of the shopplng cart ln the marketin8 area 33 and then remo~ed from the carts as thelr item carrylng functlon ends at the check out counter. The lnvention in lts broader sspects al80 contemplates that the relay unlts ma~ be simply carrled around the marketing area on the person of the shopper, lf deslred, but the greatest beneflts are derired lf the relay unlts are supported or mounted on the carts in a convlent place for ~lewing when in use, a~ will be more e~ident subsequently, The control center 23 19 separated or isolated from the messa8e relay units 27 and 19 provided with a sultsble message flle storage fscllit~ 29. Upon demand the~e mesaa8e fllea are addressable by the computer 24, A slgnal with the message bearing data component from a flle bein8 passed under the control of the computer 24 vla an lnput/output 0ystem 39 and an ampllfler 58 to the signal generating system 25. At the amplifier 58, the signal receives a codlfled marketin8 area address component from an encoder 34. Thls codlfled address component is decoded by the signal generating system 25 and used ln generatlng and dellvering the message bearing signal as a llght signal to lts proper address destination in the marketlng area. Slmllar address components are provided all slgnals that are passed to the slgnal generating system 25, as will be seen.

The center 23 also has a direct Access disk storage unlt 30 and a keyboard 31. Tlle ke~board and dlsk storage are used, among other things, ln initlatlng operation of the system 22, providing flle and marketlng area addresses for the varlous message bearin8 files that are stored ln the ~torage facllltlea 29, and ln modifying program and data flles a9 the needs arlse. For e~ample, they are used to provlde and update the marketing area addresses ln a Slgnal Address Record File that 19 provided to govern the slgnal addressin8 functlon of the encoder 34 and thus where the message bearin8 llght slgnals are sent.

A modem 32 19 provlded for connection wlth a dlstrlct control center (not shown) but which may be a command center for the control of several communlcatlon s~stems llke that belng described hereln and whlch are located at dlfferent stores or marketing areas. Through use of the modum, the command center may provlde the ~ystem 22 wlth new message bearlng flles and delete r~1'' f '^1 -12- !

message bearlng flles ln the storage fncllltles 29, A9 well as update snd/or modlfying progrAms and/or data flles currentlr ln storage and ln use by the system 22.

Flg. 2~

The components of the communlcstlon system 22 whlch are located at the control center 23 and the slgnal dellver~ system 26 are shown ln greater detall ln Flg. 2. Here, the computer 24 19 seen as lncluding the central processlng unit (CPU) 35, registers 36 and a main memory 37 which are all interconnected bg a suitable bus system 38 and further connected to the lnput/output system 39 for the computer by another bus s~stem 40.

The messa8e flle storage facllitles 29 include a shopping 11st file storage 41, a graphics display flle storsge 42, a video dlsplag flle storage 43, a traYelin~ messs8e flle storage 44 and an audio messsge fila storage 45. Each storage facility is a multi-access facility and dats is pAssed between the input/output system 39 and the file storsges 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 by mean~
of leads designated at 46, 47j 48, 49 and 50. It wlll be appreclated thst one or more of the file storages ma~ be comblned ln a single unlt and that each unit, bg preference, has B
multiple address system.

The keyboard 31, disk storage unlt 30 and modem 32 are connected to the lnput/output system 39 by leads 51, 52 snd 53 while the sequencer 54 i9 connected to the lnput/output s~stem 39 by lesd S5. The encoder 34 i9 connected for the reception of control signals from the computer lnput/output system 39 by lead 68 and to the amplifier 58 via lead 59, the amplifler 58 belng connected to an output of the lnput/output system by lead 56 and to the -13~

channel 3elector clrcuit network 62 by lead 57.

The llght slgnal dell~ery system 26 lncludes n network 60 of optlcsl channels 61 whlch comprlse optlcal flbers 78. each fiber 78 19 optlcally connected to a llght emlttlng dlode of the slgnal generatlng system 25. In ~he marketlng area 33 these flbers 78 are offset and overlle the floor of the marketlng area 33 a9 will be more evldent from a subsequent conslderatlon of Flgs. 6 and 7. The arrangement 19 such that each flber 78 forms a component of an optlcal channel 61 that 19 arranged to transmit slgnals between the generatlng system and a predetermined subdlvislon of the marketlng area. Each channel 19 thus arranged to service a predeterminend subdivision of the marketing area and serves to pass or dellver the light slgnals it recelves from the generatlng system 25 to a predetermined subdivislon ln the marketing area and with which it is obvlously assoclated. Each channel 61 19 also capable of recelvlng 8 llght slgnal that 19 generated b~ a relay unlt ln the subdivlslon 3ervlced by the channel and of returning the thus 8enerated llght slgnal wlth the ald of an au~lllar~ llght channel to the area control center 23 as wlll be subsequently seen.

Any slgnal handled bJ the system 22 may be dellvered to any one or more of the subdivlslons serviced by the optlcal channel network 60 in the marketlng area 33. As a slgnal from one of the storage files is belng delivered to the llght signal generatlng s~stem 25 it passes Vi8 lead 56 to the ampllfler 5~ and the ampllfled slgnal 18 then passes vla lead 57 to the channel selector clrcuit network 62 of the light slgnal generatlng system 25.

Computer 24 has a Slgnal Address Record File that is copied into r'1 maln memory 37 from dlsk storsge unlt 30 when operatlon of the s~stem 22 is lnitlsted. A3 a message bearin8 slgnal 19 sbout to be dellvered to the ~nplifier 5~, the Slgnsl Address Record Flle copg ln main nemory 37 is addressed bg the computer operatlon to determlne the subdlvlslon Address or addresses to which the signal 13 destlned for dellver~. Bssed on thl~ lnformation, a signal 19 sent from the computer 24 by lead 68 to the encoder 34 and the encoder 34 generates a codlfled component besring the de3tlnation subdlvlslon addresses for the slgnal. Thls sddress besring component 19 dellvered via lead 59 to the smpllfler 58 for smpllflcstion snd passes vla lead 57 to the slgnsl generatlng 3~stem 25 and as a component which lesds the slgnal ln tlme of delivery to the light generatlng system 25.

After the electronlc signal has been passed via the ampllfier 58 to the channel selector clrcuit network 62, the operatlng program for the computer 24 pssses a slgnal to the encoder 34 over lead 68. The encoder 34 responds to this slgnal by generstlng a reset signal that 19 then passed vla lesd 59 to smplifier 58 snd therefrom vis lead 57 to the channel selector circuit network 62 as a signal component whlch tralls the electronlc slgnal ln tlme of dellvery to the channel selector net~ork 62.

The slgnal generatlng system 25 lncludes a network 62 of channel selector clrcults and an arra1 63 of llght emltting dlodes that are optlcall~ connected to the respectlve optical chsnnel~ 61 of the signal delivery system 2~. Each address provlded b~ the encoder 34 represents a subdivision ln the marketlng area that is servlced b~ one of the llght channels 61, as will be more evldent from a consideration below of Figs.5-7. Each subdivislon address in the marketing srea i~ assoclated wlth a speciflc circuit in the channel selector circuit network 62 and which, upon belng -15- ~ 3 ~ r~

enabled and rendered operatlonAl, 19 capable of being energlzed to llght a light emlttlng diode that is al90 assoclated wi~h the address. The diode i3 optically connected to a specific light channel that i9 simllarly associated wlth the address and 3ervices one of the subdivision in the msrketlng area 33. A~
such, each address is associated with a speclfic circuit ln the selector network 62, with a specific dlode in the array 63, with a specific llght channel 61 ln the network 60 and wlth a speclfc subdivlslon ln the marketing area.

In the cyclic operation of the signal generatlng process, the addressed electronic slgnal 19 passed vla lead 57 to the slgnal generating system 25. Although other Yystems mal be used, the generatinK system 25 depicted is a light generatlng s~tem whlch 8enerates light slgnals under the control of the master computer 24 and which are based on the electronic signal that is delivered to it from the amplifier 5~ during the interval between the leading and tralling electronlc components that are added through the operatlon of the encoder to enable and reset the clrcult selectors ln the network 62.

As wlll~;be more evldent subsequently, the operation of the computer 24 is such that the coded addresses for the electronlc signal precedes the data component of the slgnal as lt is being dellvered to the system 25. At the channel selector clrcult network 62, the coded component serves to select and enable those circuits of the network 62 whlch upon being energlzed wlll energize those light emltting dlodes of the arrsr 63 that are assoclated wlth the subdlvlsion destlnatlon addresses in the marketin8 area. These diodes are optlcallr connected to the opticsl chsnnels 61 that service the subdlvisions con~emplated by the code component. Thereafter, as the electronlc data component -16- ~ ~ r~

of the slgnal arrlYes at the network 62, the thus aelected c~rcults of the net~ork 62 sre energlzed in accord wltll the data provided by the messa8e bearlng dstn component to 8enerate A
light slgnal wllich 19 commensurate with the dats fed to the enabled clrcults. The dlodes nssoclated wlth the selected circults are thus energlzed and the llght slgnnl thu~ generated i9 passed vla the optlcal channels 61 connected thereto to each of the selected subdlvlslons in the marketlng area 33.

As wlll be seen subsequently, each of the relay units 27 i9 capable of generstlng a llght slgnal whlch 19 plcked up and returned by the optlcal channel tllat 19 servlng the subdlvlslon of the marketlng ares 33 in whlch the relsy unit 18 then located.
Thls llght slgnal 19 used to determlne the locatlon of the shopplng csrt ln the shopplng area. Thls 19 done by detectlng the llght channel 61 over whlch the slgnal 19 returned to the area control center 23 and by generatlng the address (~,y coordlnstes) of the subdlvlslon served by the llght chsllnel 61.
Thls all hsppens durlng a tlme slot or frsme devoted to ascertslning the locatlon ln the marketlng area of the shopplng cart and the partlcular rela~ unlt mounted thereon.

Thls detectlon 19 all done by a detector/generator circult 64 whlch provldes a means remote from the message relay unltes 27 for detectlng the llght signals that are generated by the slgnal generatlng curcults of the relay unlts 27 and for generatlng data signals whlch are lndlcatlve of the subdlvlslon addresses (x,y coordinstes) of the unlts ln the marketlng area at the tlme the llght slgnals are generated.

As seen in Fig. 2, the clrcult 64 is optlcally connected~to a network 69 of auxlllary llght channels 65 whlch are tapped into tlle respectl~e optlcal channels 61 of the slgnal dellver ~ystem 26. When a return slgnal reaches one of the taps 66, lt is shunted by tlle optlcal tap 66 over the auxlllary llgllt channel 65 assoclated wlth the tap and the returnlng optlcal channel 61 to the detector/generator clrcult 64. Ilere, the clrcult 64 generates data, preferrable ln blnary code, which represents the x,y coordlnates of the subdlvision serviced by the optical channel 61 that dellvered the return signal from the marketing area 33.
These datn are pas3ed by lead 67 to the computer input/output system 39 and where, during each operating cycle of the system 22, the data are recorded in and used to update the recorded locatlon of the cart in a Carta Location Data File that 19 copied into main memory 37 from the dlsk storage 30 when operation of the system 22 is inltiated.

The data in the Csrts Location Data File is used in accord Witl the operatlng program for the computer to maintain an updated location flle for all carts ln the marketing area. These data coordinates are also passed via lead 56 to the amplifier 58 and therefrom ~ia lead 57 to the signal generator 25 during each operating cycle for redistrlbutlon to the respective shopping cart mounted units 27 ln the marketin8 area. As will be seen, ~hen received, the data coordinates are used for updflting a Cart Location Dsta Record that is mslntained ln each unitls computer memor~.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 illustrates the ~arlous circuit components of the message relay unit 70 seen in Figs, 8-lO. Each of the relay units 27 (Fig. l) 19 like the other unlts ln the communication s~st'em e~cept that the sequencer for each unit 19 tallored to only pass -18~

certaln slgnsls durlng certain tlme slots tllat are dedlcated ~olely to the unit o~ whlch the sequencer i9 a component, a9 wlll be subsequellt seen.

Tlle message relag unlt 70 lllustrated ln Flg. 3 lncludes B
messa8e transmisslon system 71 for trsnsmittlng visually dlsplayable messages contained ln the data of certaln slgnals recelvable br the unit. The system 71 lncludes a vlsual dlsplay device 72 (Fig. 10) whlch 19 pre~errably of the llquld crystal type in the lllustrated embodlment. It has a viewing screen 77 (Fig. 10) and a control clrcuit 73 (Flg. 3) that operates under the control of a computer 74 component of the unlt.

The transmlssion system 71 ln the embodlment illustrated 19 also equipped wlth a loud speaker or audlo transmlssion device 75 (Flg. 10). This devlce 75 also has a control clrcuit 76 (Fig.
3) for controlling the loud speaker 75 snd whlch also operates under the control of the computer 74.

The computer 74 19 connected wlth the control clrcults 73 and 76 through lts lnput/output system 79 and has a central processlng unlt 80, reglsters 81 and a maln memory 82 that are interconnected by a sultable bus s~stem 83 arran8ement and connected wlth the lnput/output system 79 b~ another bus srstem 84.

The unit 70 has a signal recelver system 85 for recelving light signals that are 8enerated by the generatlng s~stem 25 at the control center 23. Thls recelver system 85 includes an input diode 87 that 19 responsl~e to llght ln the wave length range of that generated by the dlodes of the array 63 and which is dellYered by the slgnal dellverr system 26 into the marketlng --19-- ~ r~

ares 33 by the optlcal channel3 assoclated therewlth. The dlode 87, ln response to the receptlon of a light signal detected thereb~, 8enerates nn electrlcal output that 19 fed by a lead 88 to an ampllfler 89. The output of the ampllfier 89 19, ln turn, pnssed to a sequencer 90 vla a lead 91.

The sequencer 90, as lndlcated prevlouslg and as wlll be more evldent subsequentl~, ssrve3 to dlscrlmlnate between those slgnals meant for receptlon by the rela~ unlt 70 and those signals meant onlj for receptlon b~ another of the relay unlts 27. In any event, llght slgnals plcked up by the lnput dlode 85 that are meant for receptlon by the rel~y unlt 70 pass the sequencer 90 and vla le~d 92 are dellvered to the lnput/output system 79 for the computer 74 for appropriate dlstrlbution in accord wlth the operatlng program. On the other hand, llght signals plcked up b~ the lnput dlode 85 whlch are only meant for reception by another one of the relay unlts 27 are blocked b~ the sequencer operatlon from passlng to lead 92 or elsewhere ln the relay unlt clrultry. Thls wlll be more apparent upon subsequent conslderatlon of the slgnal generatlon cycle deplcted ln Fi8s. 4-Power for the varlous devlces of the unlt 19 provlded by a power3upply 94 wlth approprlate d,c. outputs 95. The supply 94 19 connected b~ lead 96 to an arra~ 97 of solar cells (Flg. 9) that are located at the top of the unlt 70. The cells of thls array 97, b~ exposure to approprlate llghtlng ln the marketlng aren 33, serve to recharge and malntsln the power supply 94. An output 98 from the Yuppl~ 94 i9 passed to an lnverter 99 for rectlflcation and dellvered vla lead 100 to the transmlsslon system 71 90 as to provlde power for the vlsual displa~ control clrcuit 73.

For control purposes, the power suppl~ 94 19 connected wlth the ~3~

computer 74 ehrough the lnput/output s~stem 79 v18 a lead 101, and the lnput/output ~ystem of the computer 74 19 connected with computer controller clrcults 103 vla another lead 102. When the relag unit 70 is operational and the on/off switch 104 of the controller clrcults 103 19 depressed, the computer 74 is controlled to pass n disabling ~ignal ~la lead 101 to the power supply 94. Thls opens the clrcults dellvering power from the supply 94 to the various powered components of the unlt 70.
Conversel~, when the rela~ unlt 70 19 lnoperstlve and the on/off switch 104 is depressed, all components of the unit 70 powered b~
the 3upply 94 including the computer 74 are energized and rendered operational by connectlon therewlth.

The message relay unit 70 has a slgnal genernting circult 106 for generatlng a light slgnal and ln R predetermined time frame of the operating cycle whlch is dedicflted to and solely associated wlth the unlt 70 and wlth the shopplng cart on whlch the unlt la mounted, The circuit 106 lncludes a llght emltting diode 107 which i9 energlzed b~ a slgnal that is passed vla a lead 110 from an ampllfier deslgnated at 108. The.ampllfler 108 19 connected with the computer 74 through the input/output s~stem 79 via lead 109 .

As will be subsequentl~ seen, upon recelpt of a so-called cart finder signal in a time slot dedicated to the generation of a finder signal for the rela~ unlt 70 and shopping cart on whlch it ls mounted, the computer 74 of the unlt 70 causes a pulse to be sent via lead 109 to the ampllfler 108. This pulse is amplified and passed vla lead 110 to the output dlode 107 and which 19, in turn, energized and caused to emlt a llght slgnal. This emitted light signal generated b~ the output diode 107 is plcked'up and transmitted to the control center 23 during the same tlme slot of the operatlng cycle as tilUt ln whlch the cart flnder slgnal for the unlt 70 19 generated. The emlt~ed llght slgnal 18 transmltted to the control center 23 vla the optlcal channel 61 serving the marketin8 area subdlvlslon ln whlch the cart and unit 70 are located at the tl~e the cart flnder ~lgnal 18 generated aod vla the auxlllary llght channel 65 whlch ia assoclated wlth the optlcal channel of the dellver~ s~stem 26.

The reasons for generating cart flnder signals and for provldlng a slgnal generstlng clrcult 106 on each rela~ unlt 27 are to provlde a means for malntalnlng and contlnuouslr updatlng the marketlng area subdlvlslon addresses for the carts belng used ln the marketlng area. To thls end the address of each cart ln use ls recorded ln the Cnrts Locatlon Data File that 19 malntalned in the memory 37 of the control center computer 24 durlng the operatlon of tlle srstem 22.

The address of each cart 19 also returned to the relay units 27 of the cart durlng the operatlng crcle as wlll be subsequentlr seen 90 a~ to update the speclflc locatlon of the cart nnd lts relay unlt ln the Cart Locstlon Dats Record of the computer memory. The record 19 addressed durlng the generation of certaln lndlcls assoclated wlth the rlsual dlsplsr presented by the unlt as wlll be furtller explalned below.

The relay unit 70 also lncludes a vldeo mes3age storage facility l12 that 19 connected wlth the computer 74 vla the input/output srstem 79 and a lead 113 for the passage of vldeo dlsplar data therebetween. Storage faclllty 112 19 provlded to temporarily store data relatlng to a vldeo picture belng vlewed the data being that used durlng the interval between the recelpt by the unit 70 of successive transmisslons of light slgnals bearlng -22- ~ 3 ~

increments of the vldeo plcture belng vlewed, su~h tran~mlsslons of the llghts slgnals to the relay unlts belng durlng successlve operatlng cgcles and preferrnbl~ ln the burst modes. Durlng the interval between successlve tran~ml~slons, the data 19 fed to the control clrcult 73 via lead 113, lnput/output sgstem 79 and then vla lead 116 to the control clrcult 73. U~e of the stor~ge fscllltles may, of course, be ellmlnated by uslng a maln memor~
82 wlth ~ufflclent storage capacit~. Rowever, such ls generally considered uneconomlcal with currentl~ available technology.

The relay unlt 70 19 also provlded with a traveling message storage facilltg 118. This facility 118 18 connected with the computer 74 via a lead 119 to the input/output system 79 and from there with the control circult 73 of the viEual dlsplay device 73 via lead 120. Tlle facility 118 is provlded for the temporary storage of message data during the interval between successive transmissions to the unlt 70 of the light signals bearing the data as will be seen. Again, the facility 118 ma~ be ellminated br providing sufficient computer memory 82 to accommodate the storage requlrement.

The relay unlt 70 also has sn audlo message storage faclllty 122 whlch 19 connected wlth the computer 74 vla lead 123 to the input/outyut system 79. The input/output system 79 is, ln turn, connected to the control clrcult 76 for the loud speaker vla lead 124. Slgnals bearlng an audio messages are temporarlly stored ln facility 122 durlng the lnterval between successlve transmlsslons of the slgnal data to the unlt and are passed from the faclllty to the lnput/output system 79 vla lead 123 and from there vla lead 124 to the control clrcult 76 of the speaker devlce 75.
Agsln thls facllit~ 122 may be ellmlnated b~ provlding sufflcent 7 ~ -capaclty ln the main memorg 82 of the computer 74.

Certnin process aspects of the lnventlon contemplate the generation of a list 132 of items (Fig. 12) that are avallable for purcha3e and on displag in the marketin8 area on the visual dlsplay devlce 72. ~lthough other formats ma~ be used, the ll~t 132 of ltems preferrably comprises a plurallt~ of pages thst contain respective portions of the 11st of items, the page shown in Fig. 12 belng designated at 134.

The computer controller or swltchlng clrcults 103 lnclude a paglng clrcult (not show) and when swlth 126 19 depressed durlng 8 display of the list 132 (Fig. 12) on the screen 77 of the video dlsplay derlce 72, a slgnal 19 sent to the computer 74 vla lead 102 whlch lnltlates a flow of data over lead 127 to the control clrcult 73 and whlch results ln the dlspla~ of the prior page of the list. Slmllarly, when switch 128 19 depressed durlng a dlsplay of the 11st 132 on the ~i~ual dlsplay devlce 72, a slgnal 19 sent to the computer 74 vla lead 102 whlch lnltiates a flow of data over lead 127 to the control clrcuit 73 resultlng ln the dlsplay of the next page of the 11st, It wlll be apparent that other approaches ma~ be taken to vlewlng all portlons of the list 132 of items. For example this may be accomplislled by uslng scrolllng technlques commonly used ln computer programs, Under such clrcumstances, depression of switches 126 and 128 may cause the vlewed portion of the 11st to change b~ causlng the list to scroll respectlvely downwardly and upwardly on the viewing screen 77 and thereby to expose portlons of the 11st for view on the screen 77 which are closer to the beglnning and end of the 11st, respectlvel~. 1 -24- ~ 3 ~

Under the operatlng progrAm Eor the s~stem 22 a~ deplcted ln the preferred embodlment, when 8 11st of ltems 19 belng dlspls7ed on the screen 77, the control clrcult 73 19 controlled bg the computer to genernte n pslr of srrow hesds 133 whlch are shown on the displny devlce ln Fl~. 12, and denote an ltem on the 11st 132 th~t 19 belng vlsuall~ dlsplnyed thereon.

When the 11st 132 of items 19 belng displnyed on the screen 77, depresslon of switch 129 operates a controller clrcult that sends a slgnal over line 102 which initiates a flow of data to the control clrcult 73 over lead 127 and serves to move the arrow heads 133 towsrd the top of the page nnd to the next ltem on the list which is above that at the former position for the item denoting lndicla 133. Simllarly, swltch 130 18 provided for movlng the item denotlng arrow hends 133 dowardl~ on the psge. By depresslng the switch 130 when the 11st 132 of items 19 belng dlsplsyed, a flow of datn from the computer to the control circuit 73 19 initiated over llne 127 nnd whlch results ln movement of the srrow hesds 133 towsrd the bottom of the psge snd to the next ltem on the list whlch 19 below thst nt the former posltlon for the arrow heflds.

When a shopper has moved the arrow hesds 133 to nn ltem deslred for location in the marketlng area~ the entry switch 131 19 depressed, This sends a signal vla lead 102 to the computer input/output system 79 nnd wllere the computer in nccord with the opersting progrnm nddresses the Product Location Record in memory 82 snd copies the name of the item indicated by the arrow heads 133 on the displnyed 11st nnd the subdivlslon nddress ln the marketing area at whlch the lndlcated item 19 on dlsplay into n Selected Product Record tllnt i9 nl90 located ln memory 82. Thls Selected Product Record 19 maintalned for subsequent use ln ~ 3 ~L 7 gener~tlng lndlcls on the graphlcs dl3play of the m~rketlng area and whlch represents the relatlve locatlon of these ltems ln the marketlng ~res, a~ wlll be subsequentl~ seen.

Although the embodlment lllustrsted ghow9 the use of arrou heads to indicate the ltems on the 119t, lt will be ~pp~rent that an~
suitable lndicia that will perform the function would be suitable.

The shopping list is called up and displa~ed as soon as the on/off switch 104 is depressed to energize the computer lf the cart is in a location where a ~ignal from the control center i3 receivable. The list remains on the displa~ device 72 for A
predetermined tlme period (preferrsble 15 sec.) following the lsst use of one of the switches 126, 128, 129, 130 and 131.
Thereafter, the display device 72, under the control of the computer 74 oper~ting program, automAtlcslly stsrts to dlsplsy the graphlcs displar of the marketlng area in the total area mode (Fig. 13) of operation. If recnll of the list of items 19 deslred at any time, depression of the ~'~nter~ ~witch 131 will ~ignal the computer to terminate the dlspla~ then bein8 view on the displar device and will lnltlate a flow of data from the computer over lead 127 to the control clrcult 73 whlch will control and cause the vlsusl dlsplay devlce 72 to dlsplay the list 132 of items (Flg. 12) a9 well as the ltem denoting arrow heads 133. The Selected Product Record is malntslned whlle the shopper remalns in the marketin8 area but is erased a9 the cart and relay unlt mounted thereon pass through the checkout counter and the unit 19 de-energlzed b~ depression of the on/off swltch 104.

The graphlcs displa7 when seen on the vlewlng screen 77 deplcts, ~ 3 ~

among other thlngs, the floor plan and merchandlsing dlsplaJ
facilltes in the marketin8 area 33 (Flg. 5). It al90 deplcts ln the embodiment, the checkout and entrnnce and exlt areas of the shopping or marketing area. Provisions are made for dlspla~lng the locatlon of the shopper's shopplng cart ln the dlsplayed marketin~ nrea and algo the locatlon~ of anr ltema that ma~ have been made and recorded as a selectlon. There are two modes of operatlon ln presentlng the graphics dlspla~ of the marketlng area 33 ln the embodlment under conslderatlon. Under one mode of operation, the total marketlng area 33, such as lllustrated ln Fig. 13, 19 seen on the screen 77 of the dlsplar deYlce 72. In the other mode of operatlon, onlr a local portlon of the marketlng area, i.e. in the proxlmlty of the shopplng cart, 19 seen on the screen 77 of the visual display device 72, such aa illustrated in Figs. 14-19).

The data for the graphics displar 19 stored ln the computer memorr 82 of the relay unit during normal operatlon of the srstem. When called for br the operating program, the Graphlcs Displar Data File in the computer mqmory 82 i3 addressed and the displsr data passed vla the lnput/output system 79 and lead 137 to 8 dlsplar slze modlfrlng clrcuit 136. Thls circuit i8 only rendered operatlonal lf the local mode of operatlon is called for, and it serves to 90 modify the signal as to enlarge the vlew of the displayed area on the screen. When the modlfYlng clrcult 136 is lnoperative, the slgnsl recelved by the clrcult slmplr passes to the output of the modifylng clrcuit "as 19".

From the modlfylng clrcuit 136, the graphics dlsplar slgnal passes as the output vla lead 144 to a dlsplay offset clrcult 142. Thls clrcult 142 19 onlr operatlonal when the local~area mode of operation 19 ln use. It serves to add data to the slgnal ~ ~ r~

~hlch provlde~ lndlcla ln the dlsplay tllat i~ lndlcatlve of the shopping csrt and its relatlve locatlon ln the marketlng area The dnta added al90 serves to center the dlsplsged portlon of the marketing area around the cart locatlon. When the dlspla~ offset clrcult 142 19 lnoperatl~e the slgnal recelved by the clrcult 19 unchanged and passed as 1~ to the output.

From the dlspla~ offset clrcult 142 the graphlcs dlsplar data signal passes as the output of the dlspla~ offset clrcult 142 via lead 152 to a cart ofset circuit 149. This circult 149 is only operatlonal when the total display mode 19 ln use. It serves to add data to the slgnal whlch provldes indlcla ln the dlspla~
that is indlcative of the cart and its relative location in the marketinB area of the total area bein8 dlsplayed. When inoperatlve the signal received b~ the cart offset circult 149 is unchanged and passed "as is to the output of the clrcult.

From the cart offset circuit 149 the graphlcs displa~ signal passes as the output of the clrcuit via lead l53 to an item locatlon signal generDtor 146. Ilere data 19 added to the slgnal ln both local and total modes of operation if an item selection has been previously made and recorded ln the Selected Product Record ln memory 82. If no ltem selectlon has been prevlousl~
made and recorded ln the Selected Product Record the graphlcs display slgnal recelved b~ the locDtion signal generator 146 19 passed as is to the output of the circult 146. In the local mode of operation the circuit 146 add~ data to the signal that preferrably prorides the name (or other sultable indlcla) of each selected item at the approprlate display locatlon for the item ln the deplcted marketlng area as indlcated by its subdivision address ln the Selected Product Record. In the total mode of operation the circuit l46 adds data to the signal that provides ~ ~ r~

a slmple mark (or other suitable lndlcla) for eDch selected ltem at the approprlate display location for the ltem ns lndlcated b~
the subdlvlslon nddres3 of the ltem ln the Selected Product Record. The slgnal generator 146 i9 connected to the control circuit 73 of the vlsual d1splag devlce 72 b~ lead 154 ao that the graphlc~ data i9 finally passed to the control clrcult 73 vla lead 154.

The slze modlf~lng clrcult 136 is connected by a lead 140 to the iDpUt/output system 79 of the computer 90 as to recelve circult enabllng and di3abllng slgnals. These same slgnals are passed to circults 142, 149 and 146 b~ leads 143, 151 and 147 and whlch are connected to lead 140 by suitable line taps. The enabling signal which ls passed to the size modlfying clrcuit 136 also enables the dlspla~ offset circut 142. Howe~er, this enabllng signal for clrcuits 136 and 142 ser~es to disable the cart offset circuit 149 and places the item location signAl generator 146 in a local area mode of operatlon which will be subsequently e~plained. On the other hand, the disabllng signal whlch ls passed to the size modlfylng circuit 136 also di~ables the display offset clrcult 142. In addltlon lt serves to enable the cart offset circuit 149 and places the item location signal generator 146 ln a total area mode of operatlon.

When the slze modlf~lng circuit 136 19 enabled to provide a local area mode of operation of the dlsplay, it serves to so modlfy the graphics dlsplay data that 19 ultlmatelg passed to the control circuit 73 as to cause the generation of a dlsplay of the marketlng area ~hlch is enlarged by a predetermlned amount when viewed on the screen of the vlsual dlspla~ devlce. (See: Flgs.
14-19) On the other hand, when the clrcult 136 is dlsab~led to provlde a total area mode of operatlon of the dlspla~, the slgnal ~ ~ ~ 7;

pa3ses to circuit 142 vla lead 146 wlthout modl~lcatlon.

The dlsplag offset clrcuit 142 19 connected ~la lead 141 to the computer lnput/output system 79 for receivlng a dats slgnal bearin8 the current shopplng cart subdlYlslon address (~,y coordlnates) ~rom the Cart Locatlon Datc Record ln memory 82.
This data sign~l 19 passed ln accord wlth the operatlng program through lead 141 cach time an enabllng or dlsabllng slgnal i9 passed through lead 140 and 1~ elther used ln clrcul~ 142 or circuit 149 depending on the total or local mode of operation contemplated. Thus, via a lead 150 that 19 tapped into llne 141, the cart address data signal 19 also sent to the cart offset circuit 149 each time the circuits 136, l40 and 149 are enabled snd dlsabled.

In the display offset clrcuit 142, the cart sddress data slgnal 19 used to 8enerate data that i8 ndded to the graphlcs display signal. This added data pro~ides for tlle generation of indicia in the ~raphics displa~ of the marketlng area that deplcts the shopplng csrt and its location ln the marketlng area. It also adds data that ser~es to center the displayed area of the marketing area on the screen around the shopplng cart. In clrcult 149, the address data recel~ed bg the clrcult 19 only used to provide for the generatlon of lndlcla ln the graphics display which depicts the shopplng cart and lts locatlon in the marketin8 area.

The item location signal generator 146 i9 connected to tlle computer input/output system 79 ~ia lead 148 90 a9 to receive data from the Selected Product Record in memor~ 82 and which, with respect to each item that has been pre~iosl~ selected from the list by the shopper, 19 indlcatl~e of the name and display p~s~

addres~ (x,g coordlnates) of the ltem ln the marketlng nrea.
Each tlme an enabling slgnal 19 sent to the slze modlfying circult 136, the ltem locatlon slgnal generator 146 1~ placed ln a local area mode of operatlon. Under such circumstances, data relating to the name and locatlon ln the market area of each ltem that has been selected br the shopper 19 8enersted and added to the signal sent to the rlsual dlspln~ devlce 72. Thls added data provldes for the generatlon of the name of each selected ltem ln the Selected Product Record and at the displaJ locatlon ln the marketlng area contemplated therefor b~ the recorded address (~,~
coordlnates) for the ltem. Indlcia, other than the names of the items, may, of course, be generated to indicate the ltems.

When the size modifring circult 136 i9 dlsabled, the item locatlon signal generator 146 i9 placed in the total area mode of operation and data relatlng to the location ln the market area of each item that has been selected bg the shopper 19 generated by the clrcult and added to the slgnal sent to the control clrcult 73. Thls added data provides for the generatlon ln tlle graphlcs displar of a msrk that 19 indlcatlve of each selected ltem in the Selected Product Record and located at the displa~ locatlon ln the depicted marketlng area whlch is contemplated therefor by the recorded subdlrlslon address (~,y coordinates) for the ltem, Indlcla, other than slmple marks ma~, of course, be generated and used to lndlcate the selected ltems.

Tlle dlsplag offset clrcuit 142 is enabled and disabled at the same time and b~ the ssme signals that serve to enable and disable tlle size modlfylng clrcult 136. Each tlme the offset circult 142 19 enabled and dlsabled, dats from the Cart Locatlon Data Record ln the computer memory 82 and whlch is lndioatire of the current sllopplng cart locatlon ln tlle sllopplng area 19 passed -31~ J - :~

via lead 141 to the clrcuit 142. If the circult 142 i9 en~bled 30 that a local area mode of dlsplay 1~ called for, it provldea dats in the slgn~l dellvered to the cart offset clrcult 149 thnt provldes for the generatlon of a sultable mark or other lndlcla ~hlch 19 lndicatlve of the Yhopplng cnrt nnd lts locatlon ln the dlsplayed aren. It alao provldes dsta ln the slgnal dellvered to the cart offset circuit 149 that serves to center the dlsplayed area around the locatlon of the shopplng c~rt on ~hlch the rela~
unlt 70 i9 mounted. Such a mark 19 illustrated at 145 ln Flg.
14-19. On the other hand, if circuit 142 is disabled 90 that a total area mode of display on the screen 77 of the visual display devlce 71 19 called for, the signal passed to the cart offset circult 149 via lead 152 is unmodlfied and the same as that recelved from the display clrcult 136 vla lead 144.

When the cart offset clrcuit 149 is enabled the total area mode of dlsplay on the screen 77 la belng called for. Under such clrcumstances, clrcults 136 and 142 are dlsabled and the cart offset circult 149 generates a data component that 19 added to the unmodlfled slgnal received from the dlsplay offset circult 142. Thls data component 19 8enerated ln respon~e to the cart address data slgnal passed to the clrcult vla leads 141 and 150 and slmply provldes for the generatlon of a sultable mark, or other indlcia, which indicates the shopplng cart and lts location in the field of the total marketing area depicted on the screen 77 and a9 represented by the subdivlsion address data recelved from the computer. Such a mark is illustrated at 155 in Figs 13.
When tlle cart offset clrcult 149 19 dlsabled the local mode of dlsplay 19 bein8 called for, and the modified and offset graphics dlsplay data recelved from clrcult 142 19 slmpl~ passed "as 19"
to clrcuit 146.

~73, .i' When circults 136 and 142 sre enabled and circult 149 1B
disabled, the item location signal generator 146 is ln the local area mode of operatlon, havlng been placed ln thls mode by the signal recelved over lead 147 as clrcuits 136 and 142 were belng enabled. In this mode, a slgnal i9 sent to the generntor clrcult 146 vla lead 148 that passes data whlch 19 derlved from addresslng the Secected Product Record ln memor~ 82. The slgnal bears data representing the display address (~, ~ coodlnates) ln the marketlng area and the name of each item which has been selected by the shopper and entered in the Selected Product Record by the process previous discussed. The generator 146 in thls locai area mode of operatlon Benerates and passes a data component to the graphlcs display signal being delivered to the control circuit 73 and wllich causes the control circuit 73 to generate the nnme of each selected item on the screen of the visual displag device 72 and st the relative location in the marketin8 aren 33 indicated b~ the address (x,~ coordinates) for the selectlon item, as the location in the market area come lnto riew on the screen durlng the shoppers traversal of the shopplng area. (Figs. 14-19). The names of somc ltems 8enersted thls wag are llluYtrat ed at 135 ln Figs, 16 and 17. It Ylll be appreclated, however, that other forms of indicia may be generated.

~hen circuits 136 and 142 are disabled and circuit 149 is enabled, the ltem location signal generator 146 19 placed ln the total area mode of operation. In thls mode, a data signal is also sent to the circuit 146 vla lead 148 and whlch 19 derived by addresslng the Selected Product Record ln memory 82. Thls signal bears the address location of each item that has been ~elected by the shopper and entered in the memory by the process previously explalned. The generator 146 in this total area mode of ~3~ 7 operatlon, responds by generstlng and passlng dats to the control clrcult 73 whlch pro~ldes for the generation of a mark at the locatlon ln the marketlng area lndlcted by the dlspla~ nddress data derlved from the Selected Product Record for each ltem of merchandlse that wa9 selected from the 11st and entered ln the computer as lndlcated above. Marks lndlcatlng such ltems are shown at 157 in Flg, 13 but lt will be sppreclated that other forms of lndlcla may be 8enerated.

The graphics display data 19 automatlcally passed to the slze modifying circuit 136 from computer memory 82 after a predetermined tlme of lnactlvlt~ bg the shopper in vlewlng the 11st of ltems, the total marketlng area displa~ mode being the default mode of operatlon under such clrcumstances. Furthermore, if appearance of the graphlcs display of the shopping area 19 desired on the screen 77 at any tlme, all that needs to be done by the sllopper 19 to depress swltch 138.

Depression of the swltch 138 when the shopping list is ~eing displayed on the screen 77 brlngs on a total sres ~lewlng mode of operatlon. It csuses the passage of a sl6nal ~la lead 102 whlch lnltlates addresslng of the Graphlcs Dlsplay Dsta File ln memory 82 and the passage of dlsplar datn nlong llne 137, and tlle passage of a slgnal along line 140 wlllch dlsables clrcults 136 and 142, enables circuit 149 and places the generstor 146 in the total displsy mode of operatlon. Furthermore, it inltlates the passsge of data to'the ltem location slgnsl generator 146 through lesd 148 whlch is lndlcstive of the display sddresses in the marketing area for the selected ltems, and the further passage of dsts to clrcuult 149 which is indlcsti~e of the shopplng cart sddress in the marketing area.

~ 3 ~

The dl~pluy dntu 31gllul thereupon pusses ~lus Ia" through clrcuit 136, along lead 144, through circul~ 142 and along lead 152. At circuit 149, the data used in generutlng the curt indicla 19 added und the 3ignal with it~ additive is then passed via lead 153 to circuit 146. Ilere data used in 8eneratin8 indicla lndicative of the selected items at thelr displayed addresses ln 'the depicted marketin8 area is added. Thereupon, the dlspla~
data signal with lts udditlves 19 sent via lead 154 to the control clrcuit 73.

Through the operation of switch 138, the shopper may also select between the total and local area viewing or dlsplar modes of operatlon. When the total dlsplar area mode of operatlon 19 ln use, depresslon of swltch 138 will brlng on the local displag mode of operation. When swltch 138 i9 depressed to provide the local dlspla~ area, a signsl passe~ to the lnput/output system 79 via lead 102 and the computer responds b~ pns~lng un enabllng slgnal vla lead 140 to the circults 136 and 142. l'hls causes a data modlficatlon ln the output lead 144 that enlarges the slze of the graphlcs displag on the screen,77 relatlve to the si~e of the display in the total mode of operatlon. In effect, lt limlts the area of the graphlcs displar whlch 19 vlewable on the screen of the devlce and produces a close-up effect for anr portlon of the marketlng area vlewed on the screen. (Figs.14-19). Depresslon of the switch 138 agaln wlll brlng on the total area mode of operatlon.

Flles and Records There are several software flles and/or records that are used ln the programmed operatlon of the srstem 22 and a few comments about certaln of these and their use wlll lead to a better understandlng of the embodlment of the lnrentlon whlch le llluatrated. They are set forth ln the ltems below, l. Shopplng Llst Data Flle This flle e~lst ln the centrE~l computer ~lle atorage facllltles and 19 copled lnto the maln memor~r of the computer for each unlt as 300n as the unit 19 energl~ed under condltlons where lt recelves the approprlate signal.

The file has an Shopping Li3t Display Record with data representing a "list of items" that are a~railable for purchase and on display ln the marketing area as well a3 data representing suitable "indicia indicative of a location" of each item on the list.

It also has n suitable viewing program for riewing the shopping 11st and the location indicatlng lndicla. When the progrnm 19 run, the items nre preferrable arranged alphabetically in n column at one side of the screen and the item location indlcating indlcla nre preferrnble arrnn8ed ln a,nother column nt the other side of the screen, sultable lndlcla belng prorlded opposlte each ltem to indicate lts location ln the marketing area.
. .
The file in addltlon has an addressable Product Location Record containlng data lndicatire of the "name~ of each item on the li~t of the Shopping List Di3play Record and of the "~,y coordinAte"
location in the marketin8 area of each ~uch item on tlle list.

It also has an addressable Selected Product Record for recording data related to each item that ls selected by a shopper from the Shopplng List Data Flle. For each ltem ~elected, lt records the ltem "nnme" and the "x,y coordlnate" locatlon of the dlspla~ for .

36- ~;3~r~

the ltem in the marketin8 area.

2. Craphlcs Dlsplar Dsta Flle This file exlsts ln the central computer file storage facllity and 19 copled lnto the main memorr 82 of the computer of ench relay unit for rendy nccess ns soon ns the unlt 19 energlzed under condltlons where it receives the approprlate 31gnnl.

The file contalns data representing the floor plnn and the merchandising displa~ facillties in the marketlng area and includes a sultable vlewing program for viewing the graphics display of the floor plan and merchandising display facllltles on the screen of the visual display device.

3. Carts Locatlon Data File This flle is maintalned in the disk storage of the control center computer and is copied to the main memory of the master computer as soon as operstlon of the system operating progra~ for the control center computer i9 lnitiated. It contslns data representing and dlfltinguishing the shopping carts (relay unlt~) and representing the x,y coordln~te location of each such cart (relay unit) ln the marketlng area.

4. Cart Locatlon Dsta Record Each relsr unlt has an addressable Cart Locatlon Data Record which 19 maintalned ln the permanent memory of the relay unit computer as part of the computer operating program. 'rhis record relates solel~ to the cart (relay unit) locatlon on which the relay unlt 19 mounted and contalns data lndicative of the current x.r coordlnate locatlon of the cart (relay unlt) in the marketlng area. The record 19 updated each cycle of slgnal generation.

-~7~

5. Channel ~ddress Data Flle This ile is stored on the disk storage of the control center computer and is copied lnto main memory of the mester computer when the need arises to add or modlfg signal addreYs data in the Signal Address Record Flle.

It contains dats identlf~ing each optical channel and further indlcatlng the subdl~lsion addre3s (x ~ coordinates) in the marketlng area which is ser~ed bg the chnnnel.

6. Signal Address Record File This flle is stored on the disk storage of the control center computer and is copled into main memory of the master computer as soon as operatlon of the sgstem operatlng progrsm for the master computer is inltlated.

It contalns data identlfying each ~ignsl t1lat 19 contemplated for deli~ery to the signal generating system ln the control center area and also contains data lndicatinR each and every subdl~lslon a~dress (x y coordlnstes) ln the msrketlng ares to ~hlch the signal is contemplated for dlstrlbutlon durlng the operatlng c~cle.

Fig.4-4D

The operation of the communication sgstem 22 19 better understood b~ a conslderstion Df the vsrious signals thst are generated at the control center 23 and how each is handled by the rela7 units 27.

S~nc Signal Reference i9 flrst mude to Flg, 4. and where lt wlll be seen thst a speclflc tlme frame 160 i9 dedlcated ln the c~cle 159 t~ the generntlon of the s~nc pulse slgnal. The slgnal 18 U8ed throughout the communlcatlon s~stem 22 for synchronizlng the operatlon of the control center computer 24 and lts perlpherals Yith the operatlons of the ComputerY and perlphals of the man~
cart mounted messa8e rela~ unlts 27.

The operatlng program for the master computer 24 sontemplates the s~nc slgnal and pro~ides for lts passage during each operatlng c~cle from the sequencer 54 to the clock circuit (not shown) of the main computer 24 and to the sequencer and clock clrcult (not show) of each of the shopping cart mounted relay units 27.

When an opersting c~cle 159 begin9,the ~eneral time slot or ~rume 160 (Fig. 4) ln whlch the sync pulse is generated also beglns. Thereafter and followlng the commencement of the general time frsme 160, fl time frame 162 (Fig. 4A) commences and which i9 dedlcated to the generatlon of the subdlvlslon addresses to whlch the sync pulse 19 destlned for dellvery ln the marketlng area.
When time frame 162 commences the opersting program calls for the computer 24 to address the Signal Address Record File ln memory 37 and to copy and pass the destinatlon subdi~ision addresses for the sync pulse to the encoder 34 vla lead 68. Time frame 162 (Fig. 4A)is a specific time frame withln the general time ~lot 160 for generatlon of the sync pulse and follows the lnitlatlon of the cycle 159 and the time slot 160 by a predetermined time inter~al. The encoder 34 upon receipt of the address data, generates the destlnatlon subdivlslon addresses in code and deli~ers the codifled address data ~la lead 59 to the amplifier 58 where the codlfied address data is flmplified and passed ~ia lead 57 to the llght generatin8 system 25.

_39_ The sync pulse slgnal per se i9 generated bJ the sequencer 54 ln a speciflc tlme frame, deplcted at 161 (Flg. 4~) and wtllch falls ln the generDl tlme slot 160. Thls tlme frame 161 al90 follows the time frame 162 bearlng the address data b~ a predetermlned tlme lnter~al. ~a the tlme frame 161 commences ln the operatlng c~cle 159, the sequencer 54 19 lnstructed bJ the operatlng program to generate the srnc pulse and pass lt ~la lead 55, lnput/output s~stem 39, and lead 56 to the ampllfier 58 and where it i9 amplifled and passed via lead 57 to the llght slgnal generating sgstem.

A speciflc tlme frame 163 i3 allocated at the end of the general sync pulse tlme frame 160 for a reset component of the signal passed to the system 25. Thls tlme frame 163 tralls the speclflc time frame 161 for generation of the s~nc slgnAl by 8 predetermlned tlme lnter~al. As the tlme frame 163 commences, the computer passes a slgnal vla lead 68 to the encoder 34 ln accord wlth the operatlng program and which 19 baslcally an lnstructlon to gener~te 8 reset slgnal component. Thls reset component 18 tllen passed ~la lead 59 to the ampllfler 58 for ampliflcation and transmisslon o~er lead 57 to the 8eneratin8 system 25.

The data component ln the leadlng tlme frame 162 19 decoded b~
the channel selector clrcuit network 62 and used to enable those circuits which ure assoclated with the subdl~lslon addresses contemplated by the addres~ data borne by the component. The addresses ln the leadlng tlme frame 162 would normall~ lnclude all subdi~islons in the marketlng area whlch are traversable by the shopplng carts ln thls case.

~ ~ ~ ',? ~ `i The data component provlded ln the tralllng time frame 163 19 slmply a reset slgnsl that dlssbles and resets all the clrcults of the channel selector 62 readJ for receptlon of the ne~t electronlc slgnal.

In effect, the electronlc sync pulse slgnnl 3ent to the slgnal generatlng system 25 comprlses three components, nsmel~, the slgnal per se and whlch 19 8enerated ln a speclflc tlme frame 161 b~ the sequencer 55, a leadlng data component 8enerated by the encoder 34 and bearin8 the marketing srea subdlYision addresses to which the s~nc pulse i9 destlned for deli~err, and a reset component that 18 also generated br the encoder snd used ln resetin8 the channel circuit selector network 62 sfter the pulse signal has been transmltted to the marketin8 area as a light slgnal.

~t the channel selector circult network, once the clrcults associated with the subdiYlslon addres~ for the s~nc slgnal are enabled, the sync slgnal component 19 recel~ed at the network 62.
Thls energlzes those dlodes of the arra~ 63 wlllch are assoclated with tlle circuits that have been enabled b~ the address data component of the slgnal and the s~nc pulse 1~ passed to the marketlng area 33 o~er each optlcal channel 61 that 19 associated with an enabled clrcult of the network 62. Thus, the character of the srnc pulse dellvered to the generatlng system 25 differs from that of the sync pulse whlch passes tllerefrom to the subdivisions, ln that, the former bears an address component and 8 reset component whlle the latter does not. Thl~ 19, of course, ln addltlon to the obvlous dlfference ln the nature of the signals, wlth the former being an electronic signal and the latter a light signal in the embodiment under consideratloh.

As far as the h~ndlin8 of the s~nc slgnal b~ the relD~ unlts 18 concerned, reference 19 mnde to the unlt 7~ descrlbed ln Flg. 4.
The llght slgnal 19 detected b~ the lnput dlode 87. Thls cau3es an electronlc slgnal to be generated and sent ~la lead 88 to ampllfler 89 where the s~nc pulse 19 ampllfled and then dellvered b~ lead 91 to sequencer 90. Here lt servea to ~rnchronl~e the operatlon of the sequencer 90 wlth that at the control center and is dell~ered as an output of the sequencer vla lead 92 to the input/output system 79 where lt 19 dellvered to the computer clock clrcult for synchronl~lng the operatlon of the computer 74 ~ith the master computer 24 at the control center.

Cart Flnder Slgnals Followlng the general tlme ~lot 160 for generatlng the sync pulse, there 19 a general tlme slot 165 ln the operatlng cycle 159 ln whlch the cart flnder slgnals for all the shopplng carts are generated. As seen ln Flg. 4~, thls tlme slot 165 19 dlvlded lnto a plurallty of dlscrete but nevertheless general tlme slots or frames 166 whlch are assoclated wlth the respectlve carts (rela~ unlts) ln use ln the marketlng area and whlch are ldentified ln Flg. 4~ as Cart 11, Cart ~2 etc. Each of these general tlme frames 166 has a speclflc tlme frame 167 ~hich 19 dedicated to the generation b~ the encoder 34 of subdl~lslon address data to whlch the slgnal 19 destlned for dellvery ln the marketlng area, another speclflc tlme frame 168 whlch 19 dedlcated to the generatlon of a pulse slgnal that 19 destlned for transmlsslon to the speclflc cart that 19 assoclated wlth the general tlme frame therefor, and another speclflc tlme frame 169 vhlch ls dedlcated to the generatlon of a reset slgnal component b~ the encoder 34. Tlme frames 167, 168 and 169 are spaced, apart in tlme from each other and from the commencement and end of the ~C~3~ 7 general time frame 166 ln whlch the~ occur b~ tlme lnterval~ thst are predetermlned and controlled b~ sequencer 54, as 19 the case wlth nll the tlme frnmcs ln~ol~ed ln the operating srstem.

When the tlme frame 166 for the cart flnder slgnal for Cart ~1 commences ln the operatlng cycle 159 (Flg. 4B), there 19 nn inter~al of time before commencement of the speclflc time frame 167 that i9 dedlcated to the generatlon of the de~tlnatlon subdlvislon addresses for the flnder algnal. When time frame 167 commence3, the operating program calls for the computer 24 to address the Slgnal Address Record Flle ln memor~ 37 and to copr and pass a slgnal bearing the destlnatlon subdl~lslon addresses via lead 68 to thè encoder 34. ~ere, the address data 19 generated as a codlfled slgnal that 19 psssed vla lead 59 to ampllfler 58 for ampllflcstlon and retransml~slon ~la lead 57 to the channel selector clrcult network 62 durlng the tlme frame 167.

Thersafter, as tlme frame 168 commences, the computer 24 ln accord with the operatlng program therfore inatructe the sequencer 54 b~ means of 8 slgnal tran~mltted o~er lead 55 to generate a pulse servlng as B flnder slgnal component that vla lend 55, lnput1output system 39, and lead 56, 18 passed to the ampllfier 58 for ampllflcatlon and passage ~ia lead 57 to the slgnal generating s~tem 25. Following thls, and at the commencement of time frame 169 durlng the general time frame 166 for Cart Rl, the computer ln accord wlth the operating program passes a signal to the encoder 34 ~la lead 68 whlch lnstructs the encoder to 8enerate and pass a reset slgnal ~la lead 59 to the amplifier 58 where the slgnal 19 ampllfled and forwarded ~la lead 57 to the slgnal generatlng system 25.

1 3 ~ 7 ~

When the address bearlng ~ignal component 8enersted durlng the ~peclflc time frame 167 of the tlme slot dedlcated to Cart t1 (See Fig. 4B) 19 recelred at the clrcult network 62, lt enables those cLrcults whlch are ss30clHted vlth the subdlrlslon addre3~es borne by the ~lgnal component and plnces them ln a condltlon to be energlzed, Under normsl ~peratlon~, these addresses wlll lnclude all subdlrlslons in the marketing Hrea which are traYer~able by the shopping carts.

Therafter, as the csrt finder signal component arrires st the circuit network 62, the light emitting diode ln the array 63 which is assoclated vith each enabled clrcuit in the net~ork 62 i9 energl~ed. As such, the cart flnder slgnal 19 passed through the optlcal channels associated with the energl~ed diodes and to the subdivlons ln the msrket area that are serrlced therebl. Once this transpires and after an appropriate tlme lnter~al, the reset signHl component ln the ~peciflc tlme frame 169 18 called for by the computer Hnd 19 generated bg the encoder 34, ampllfled snd then passed to the network 62 where lt dlsables and resets all of tlle clrcuits ln the network 62 80 as to be rend~ for the ne~t signal to Hrrlve ln accord wlth the operating program for the system.

It may be sald at thls polnt that the ne~t ~lgnal to be generated would, of course, be the cart flnder slgnal associated wlth Cart t2 as seen in Fi8. 4B and wherein the process descrlbed wlth respect to the cart flnder signal for Cart ~1 i9 repeated, the process continulng to repeat itself for Cart ~3, Cart t4 etc.
untll the time frames 166 dedicated to the cart finder slgnals in the tlme slot 165 of the cycle 159 e~pire or are e~hausted.

For illustratlon purposes, lt wlll be assummed thHt the rela~

3 ~ r ?

unit 70 de~cribed ln Flg. 3 18 mounted on the ~hopplng cart whlch is designated a9 Cart ~1 ln Flg. 4B and that the unlt 70 19 operstlonal and ln use by a shopper. Under such clrcumstances, when the cart flnder slgnal ln the form of the llght ~lgnnl that i9 generated b~ the array dlode reaches the subdlvlsion at whlch the shopping cart 1~ located, the ~lgnAl 19 recelved and plcked up b~ the lnput diode 87. It then generates nn electronlc slgnsl Yhich 19 passed b~ lead 88 to ampllfler 89 and ampllfied before pas3age vla lead 91 to sequencer 90.

Sequencer 90 19, of course, speciflcally deslgned to handle slgnals lntended for receptlon b~ the unlt 70 ln whlch lt 19 lnstalled. As such and wlth respect to cart flnder slgnals, it 19 deslgned to only pass 8 cart flnder slgnal that 19 generated ln the tlme frame whlch 19 dedlcated to the cart on whlch the unlt 70 19 mounted, ln thls case, the slgnal generated ln the general time frame 166 dedlcated to Cart tl. Apart from thls, the sequencer 90 serve~ to block the passage of all other cart flnder ~lgnals, such a3 tho3e whlch are Benerated ln the general tlme frames 166 dedlcated to Cart ~2, Cart ~3, etc. as seen ln Flg.
4B. The sequencer lnstalled in each of the other rela~ unlts 18 simllarl~ speclflc in lts handllng of the cart flnder slgnal~ and ~111 only pass that vhlch 19 lntended for the unlt ln whlch the sequencer is lnstalled.

When the cart flnder slgnal 19 psssed b~ the sequencer 90, it passes ~la lead 92 to the lnput/output srstem 79 and where ln accord wlth the operatlng program for the computer 74, a slgnal is sent through the lnput/output s~stem 79 vla lead 109 to amplifler 108. Here, the slgnal 18 amplifled and passed ~la lead 110 to the output dlode 107. Thls energl~es the output dlode 107 and emlts a llght signal ln the ~ubdlvlsion where the unit 70 and ._ .. ..

~ 7 cart are located in the marketlng area.

Thls signal from the output diode 107 18 plcked up b~ the optlcal channel 61 ~ervlclng the subdl~lslon at which the cart i8 loCAted and 19 fed back to the area control center. ~ere, the signal i~
shunted to the auxlllary llght channel'65 (Fig. 2) Hssoclsted ~lth the llght channel 61 ser~lng the marketlng area subdl~lslon by means of the optical tap 66 whlch lnterconnects the channels.
When the 3ignal reaches the gener~tor 64, the address of the subdlvlslon assoclated wlth the feed back optical channel and au~lllary channel is generated thereby snd passed ~iN lead 67 to the lnput/output system 39. I~ere, the sddress data i9 transmltted to the computer memory 37 and recorded ln the Carts Locstlon Dnta File 90 as to update the flle a~ to the location of Cart ~1 ln the marketlng area.

It should be polnted out that the proces~ of returnlng the light signal from Cart #1 and of updating lts locatlon ln the Carts Locatlon Data Flle transplres durlng the time frame 166 whlch is dedicated to the generatlon of the cart flnder signal ~or Cart tl. As such, it will be appreclsted that the process of returnlng a llght slgnal from a cart and of updatlng the marketing area address therefor is a process whlch repeates itself for Cart~ ~2, Cart ~3, etc. untll the tlme frames 166 dedlcated to the cart finder slgnals ln tlme slot 165 of c~cle 159 e~plre or are e~hausted .

Cart Locatlon Slgnals Once the Carts Location Data Flle 19 updated during a cycle 159, the updated locatlon of each cart 19 returned to the cart relay unlt and recorded in lts Cart Locatlon DAta Record in the ~1 3 ~ 7 ~ ~

computer me~ory thereof. Therenfter, lt 18 used ln modlfylng the data used for the graphlcs dlspla~ of the marketlng area 33 by the rel~y unlt on the csrt 89 pre~lousl~ lndlcated.

The operatlng cycle 159 hss a general tlme slot or frame 171 (Flg. 4) whlch is dedlcated to updatlng the "on bonrd" Cart Locatlon Data Records of the computers for the varlou~ rela~
unlt~. Thls tlme frame 171 19 broken do~n lnto a plurallty of discrete tlme frames 172 (Flg. 4C) thst flre dedlcflted to updating the Cart Locatlon Data Record for the respectl~e computers of the relay unlts. ~ach of these dlscrete tlme frflmes 172 hfls three specific tlme ~rflmes 173, 174, and 175 that are dedlcated to the destlned subdl~lslon address data for the cart locfltlon data slgnal, the cart locstlon slgnal per se wlth lts coordlnflte data locatlon for the shopplng cart ln the mflrketlng area, snd the reset dflts slgnal respectl~ely. As lndlcated above for the other aignal~, these three speclflc tlme fr~mes are esch sp~ced apart in tlme from each other and from the commencement and end of the general tlme frame 172 ln whlch they occur br predetermlned lnter~als of tlme.

Conslder the cart locatlon slgnal for Cart ~1, as lndlcated ln Fi8. 4C. When the general tlme'slot or frame 171 for the cart locatlon slgnflls commences ln the operatlng cycle 159, the general tlme frsme 172 that 18 dedlcflted to Cart ~1 also commences as seen ln Flg. 4C. Thereafter, fl9 the tlme frame 173 commences, the operatlng program for the computer system cslls for the computer to address tha Signal Address Record Flle in memory 37 and to copy and pass the destined marketlng area address data for the cart locatlon slgnals thereln to the encoder 34. Thls data 19 passed to the encoder 34 vla lesd 68 and,whereat lt ser~es to lnstruct the encoder 34 to generntes ~ coded dsts ~47~ 1 3 ~ ~ -slgnal lndlcatlve of the destlned ~arketlng area Addre~ses and to pass the generated data slgnnl ~la lead 59 to the ampllfler 58.
Ilere, the datA slgnal la ampllfled and passed vla leMd 57 to the channel ~elector clrcuit net~ork 62 of the slgnal generatlng ~rstem 25.
This leadlng component i8 generated snd psssed to the sgstem 25 in the leading tlme frame 173 of tile generfll time frame 172 that is dedicated to Cart ~1 as seen in Flg. 4C. It serves to enable the approprlate clrcuits that are associated ~ith the subdivislon address de~tlnatlons contemplated b~ the Signal Address Record Flle. The subdi~lslon addre~ses ln thls lnstance will usually include substantially all subdivlsions that are tra~ersable br the shopping carts.

As for the cart locatlon ~lgnal component, uhen tlme frame 174 commences, the operatlng program for the computer calls for the computer to address the Carts Locatlon Data File ln memory 37 and to copg and pass the current coordinate data for Cart 01 to the ampllfler 58. Thl~ tran~plres Vi8 lead 56 and whereat the coordinate data slgnal is amplified and passed vla lead 57 the channel selector clrcuit network 62 of the light generatlng s~stem 25. After an approprlate and predetermined tlme lapse, and at the commencement of the tlme frame 175 a programed slgnal is sent bg the` computer and pAssed to the encoder 34 over lead 68. This results ln the generatlon of the reset component and lts passage via lead 59 to the amplifier 58 for ampllflcatlon and forwardlng over lead 57 to the slgnAl generatlon sgstem 25.

The process of generatin8 the signal bg the selector circuit network 62 and the diodè arraJ 63 19 eYident from the precedlng disclosure. The data in the leadlng tlme frame 173 of the general -48~ 7 .

tlme frame 172 dedlcated to Cart ~1 19 used to enable the circults assoclated wlth the subdlvlslon addresses contemplstd b~ the data of the leadlng component, the dsta component ln the tlme frame 174 thst follows tlme frame 173 18 used to 8enerate a light slgnal corresponding to the data component whlch 1Y
lndlcatlve of the current coordlnates of Cart ll ln tlle Carts Locatlon Flle, and the re~et component 18 used to disable and reset the channel selector clrcult network 62 for the next ~lgnal.

It wlll be apparent that the process of generatlng the cart locatlon slgnals contlnues to repeat ltself for Cart #2, Cart ~3, etc. untll the tlme frames 172 dedlcated to the cart flnder signal~ in the tlme frame 171 of cycle 159 expire or are e~hausted.

For lllustration purposes, lt wlll again be sssummed that the rela~ unlt 70 seen ln Flg. 3 19 mounted on the shopplng cart whlch 19 deslgnsted as Cart 41 ln Flg. 4C and that the unlt 70 18 operatlonal and ln use b~ a shopper. Under such clrcumstances, when the csrt locstlon slgnsl ln the form of the light slgnsl that 18 genersted b~ the ~rrs~ diode reaches the subdlvlslon at whlch the shopplng cart 19 locsted, the slgnal 19 recel~ed and plcked up b~ the lnput diode 87. The lnput dlode responds to the llght signal b~ generatlng an electronlc output whlch 19 pas~ed b~ lead 88 to ampllfler 89. llere the slgnal 19 a~pllfled and pa~sed vla lead 9l to sequencer 90.

Sequencer 90 19, again, speciflcall~ deslgned ~o handle slsnals lntended for receptlon br the unlt 70 ln uhlch lt i~ lnstalled.
As ~uch, lts deslgn 18 such as to onl~ pass a cart locatlsn slgnal that is generated in the tlme frame whlch 19 dedlcated to ~ 4 9 ~ n' ' ) the cart on whlch it 19 mounted. In thls caAe, the sequencer 90 ls designed to pass the cart locatlon sl~nal 8enerated in the tlme frame 172 for Cart ~1 and So block the psssage o~ all other cart locatlon slgnals, such as those which are 8enerated in the general time frame~ 172 dedlcated to Cart ~2, Cart t3, etc. as scen in Flg. 4C. The sequencer lnstallQd ln each of the other relay unlts 19 slmilarl~ speclflc ln its handllng of the cart locatlon slgnals and wlll onl~ pass thAt cart locatlon slgnal whlch 18 8enerated ln the proper tlme frame for the unlt in whlch the sequencer is installed.

When the cart locatlon slgnal is passed b~ the sequencer 90, lt passes via lead 92 to the input/output s~stem 79 and where ln accord with the operating program for the computer 74 the coordinate data borne b~ the slgnal 19 used in accord wlth the operating program for the computer to update the locatlon of the shopping cart in the Cart Location Data Record found in the computer memor~ 82, Shopplng List Slgnal~

The Shopplng IJist Data Flle 19 copied lnto memor~ 37 of the maln or master computer 24 by the operstlng program when the system 22 19 first brought "on linen, Thereafter, as 900n as a rela~ unlt is energlzed and 19 ln or enters a subdlvlslon to ~hlch the shopplng 11st signals are sent, the Shopping Ll3t Data File 19 totally copied into the maln memory of the unlt computer.

It may be generall~ sald, that the transmlsslons of the data signals between the maln computer and lts perlpherals and the the generatlng system 25 are b~ preference accomplished in the burst modes of operatlon known to those skilled ln the art. As ~ 3 ~

such, large nmounts of datn ma~ be trnns~erred ln short perlods of tlme.

Following the time slot 171 ln the c~cle 159 (Fig. 4), there 19 a general tlme slot 177 (Flg. 4) that i3 dedicated to the distributlon of the shopplng 11st slgnal to the relay unlts ln the marketlng area, Wiehln this general time slot 177, there i8 A
specific time frsme 178 in whlch the subdivislon address data component of the slgnal sent to srstem 25 19 generated, a speclflc tlme frame 179 ln whlch the shopping 11st dsta component ls generated, and a speclflc tlme frame 180 in whlch the reset data component 19 generated. These time frames 178, 179 and 180 are again spaced apart in tlme from one another and from the be~innlng and end of the general tlme frame 177 b~ predetermined time intervals.

When the tlme frame 178 for the shopplng 11st slgnals commences ln the operatlng cycle lS9, the operatlng program for the computer cslls for the computer 24 to address the Slgnal Address Record Flle ln memorr 37 nnd to cop~ nnd pass the destlned msrketlng area address data for the shopplng list signal to the e~coder 34 vla lead 68. ~{ere, the encoder 34 generstes the destlnatlon subdl-islon addresses in a code deslgned to enable the appropriate clrcults of network 62 and passe~ the 8enerated address data component to the ampllfler 58 vla lead 59 where the adddre~s data component is ampllfled and passed vla lead 57 to the channel selector circuit network 62. Thls data component of the signal, of course, enables the appropriate circuits contemplated in the network 62 and thus condltlons the network for reception of the shopplng 11st data component. ~Zere agaln the subdlvlslon destination addresses wlll normallr lnclude all subdlvislons that are traverslble b~ the shopping carts.

-51- ~ t~

When tlme frame 179 thereafter commences ln the operatlne cycle 159, the operatlng program for the computer calls for the ~omputer to nddress the Shopplng List Data Flle ln maln memorr 37 and to coPr and pass the dats component of the slgnal to the a~pllf~er vla lead 56. ~ere the dsta 1~ ampllfled and forw~rded to the clrcult network 62 of the llght slgnal gcneratlng srstem 25 vla lead 57. Thls, of course, energl~es the array dlodes that are assoclated with the enabled clrcult~ of the network 62 nnd the data slgnal representlng the Shopplng List Data Flle passes to the appropriate subdlvislons ln the marketlng area 33 a9 a light slgnal. Followlng the predetermined lnterval of tlme contemplated b~ the computer program, tlme frame 180 commences.
The computer, ln accord wlth the operatlng program, then sends a slgnal to the encoder 34 over lead 68 and which results ln the generatlon of the reset slgnal component and lts passage to the ampllfler vla lead 59 for ampllflcstlon and forwardlng vla lead 57 to the network 62 .

~s far as the handllng of the shopplng 11st slgnal b~ the relaJ
unlts 19 concerned, reference is agaln made to unlt 70 ln Flg. 3.
When the data component of the shopplng 11st slgnal 18 passed to the generatlng clrcult 25 durlng the tlme frame 179, lt passes to the subdlvlslons traversable b~ the shopplng carts a~ a llght slgnal that ls plcked up by the lnput dlode 87 and passes as an electronlc signal vla lead 88 to 0mpllfler 89. ~ere the signal 18 ampllfied flnd forwarded over lead 91 to sequencer 90. Sequencer 90, llke all of the other sequencers lnstalled ln the other relar unlts used ln the srstem 22, 18 deslgned to lnltlallr pass a signal recelved durlng thls tlme frame 179 and, as ~uch, the signal bearlng the data is sent v'is lead 92 to the lnput/output s~stem 79 of the computer 74 and where the data of the Shopplng -52- ~ ? ~J

Llst Data Flle i~ recelYed and stored ln maln memory 82 read~ for use ln the operatlon of the unit 70 b~ the shopper.

To avold unnecessnrr tlme shnrlng of input and output functlons bg the computer sequencer 90 has a gate whlch 1~ enable to block passage of any slgnal durlng time frame 177 after a predetermlned number of operatlng cycles ha~e been completed follo~lng the start up of the rela~ unlt 70 b~ the operatlon of the on/off swltch 104. The 8ate 19 sutomaticall~ disabled at any tlme the unit 70 power is turned off as b~ the operatlon of switch 104 ~o that upon subsequent energizing of the unit 70 it ma~ agaln recei~e and record the Shopping Llst Data File in memory 82 before the gate i8 agaln enabled to block passage of signal~
during this time frame 177.

Graphics Displa~ Data Signal The general tlme slot for the graphics dlspla~ ~lgnal 18 deslgnated at 181 in Fig. 4. The subdivlslon deatination address component is generated during the time frame 182 the graphlcs displa~ data bearing component i9 8enerated durlng the time frame 183 and the reset component 19 Benerated during the time frame 184 all of which is apparent from Fi8. 4D. These speclflc tlme frames 182 183 and 184 are all spaced apart in tlme from each other and from the commencement and end of general time frame 181 b~ predetermined time inter~als as pre~iousl~ lndicated.

When time frame 181 commencea durlng the operatlng cycle 159 the operating program for the computer 24 calls for the computer to address the Signal Address Rcord File in memory 37 and to copy snd pass the destiny subdi~islon address data to the encoder 34 ~la lead 68. The encoder respond~ b~ generatlng an encoded data - 5 3 ~ ~ e3 .~. 7 i~ i component bearln~ the coded de~tlnatlon addresses and b~ passing lt ~ia lead 59 to the ampllfler 58 where the dntn component is ampllfled and passed la lead 57 to the channel Yelector clrcult network 62. Ilere, the signal serves to enable those clrcults ~hlch sre as~oclated ~ith the destlnatlon 3ubdi~1slon addresses ln the marketlng ares ~hlch are contemplated b~ the Slgnal Address Record Flle.

After predetermlned tlme interval, tlme frame 183 commences.
When thls happens, the operating program for the computer 24 calls for the computer to address the Graphlcs Display Dats Flle in memory 37 and to copy and psss the f~le data to the amplifler 58 via lead 56. Here the data 19 ampllfled and forwarded to the channel selector circult network 62 vla lead 57. This causes the enabled clrcults of the network 62 to be energized in accord wlth the data presented. This, in turn, slmilarly energizes the light emittin8 dlodeY assoclated therewlth and cause~ the graphics display signal to be dellvered to the subdlvlslons ln the marketlllg area whlch are assoclated wlth the enabled clrcult~.

After the approprlate tlme lnterval ln the tlme frame 181, tlme frame 184 commences. When thls happens in the operatlng cycle, the operatlng program for the computer calls for the computer to send a slgnal to the eocoder 94 over lead 68 ~hlch causes the encoder to generate the reset component of the slgnal and to pass lt to the clrcuit network 62 of the light generating system 25.
At the network 62, the reset performs lts usual function and disables and resets all clrcults read~ for receptlon of the ne~t ~lgnal.

Receptlon of the Grsphlc~ Dlspla~ Slgnal 19 agaln lllu~trated br reference to Fig. 3. Ilere, as the slgnal 1~ recelved at the -54- ~ $ ~

3ubdlvlslon where the relu~ unlt 70 19 located the l~ght slunel is plcked up b~ lnput dlode 87 and pas~ed as an electronlc output ~la lead a8 to smpllfler 89 where lt 13 ampl~fled and pa~sed ~la lead 91 to the sequencer 90. Sequencer 90 llke the other sequencers u~ed ln the sJstem 22 ls deslgned to lnltlallr pass nny signnl 8enerated ln thls tlme frsme 181 and as such the graphlcs di~play signal i8 passed from the ~equencer and vla lead 92 to the lnput/output system 79 where the Graphlcs Dlspln~ Data File 19 recorded ln memor~ 82 for read7 availsblllt~ upon demsnd.

To a~oid unnecessary time sharlng of lnput and output functions b~ the computer sequencer 90 has another a gate which is enabled to block passage of an~ signal dùrlng the general tlme slot 181 after a predetermlned number of operatlng cycles have been completed following the start up of the rela~ unlt 70 b~ the operatlon of the on/off swltch 104. The gate 18 automatlcall~
dlsabled at an~ tlme the unit 70 power 19 turned off as by the operatlon of the swltch 104. As such upon subsequent energlzlng of the unlt 70 the unlt ma~ agaln recelve and record the Shopplng List Data Flle ln memor~ 82 before the 8ate 18 agaln enabled to block passage of signals during thls tlme frame 181.

Vldeo Plcture Slgnals It wlll be noted ln Flg. 4 that separate and distinct tlme slots or frames are provlded for the vldeo picture slgnal~ that are distributed to the marketin8 or shopplng area 33. Thus esch of the general tlme slots 187 188 189 and 190 18 dedlcated to the generatlon of approprlate slgnal components that are assoclated with a separate and distlnct vldeo plcture productlon.

_55~ r~

~ere, lt mn~ be polnted out that the prlmar~ purpose of each ideo productlon and lts tran~mlsslon to snd reproductlon and dlsplA~ ln the marketlng area 33 19 to create product awarenes~
in the mlnd of the shopper and to do thl~ ln the pro~lmlty of the d~splar polnt for the product ln the marketlng area. Thus, lt may involve the transmlsslon and reproductlon of one or more translent lmages of a fl~ed or mo~lng ltem thst 19 on dlsplay in the marketlng area 90 as to to create such swareness. In the preferred embodlment, each ~ldeo plcture slgnal 19 of relatlYelr short duratlon (preferrable less than 30 sec.) and 19 delirered into a predetermlned area or zone ln the mflrketin8 area whlch 19 in the pro~imitr of the dlsplar polnt for the product ln~olved in the ~ideo productlon.

Thls area or zone usuallg conslst~ of a pluralltr of contlguous subdl~lslons ln the proxlmate area of the dlsplar polnt for the product formlng the sub~ect matter of the rldeo productlon.

As far as vldeo signals generated br the communlcatlon srstem 22 sre concerned, a zone belng used for receptlon of n ~ldeo productlon no as to adYertlse e product located ln the pro~lmlt~
of the zone i9, br preference ln the preferred embodlment, baslcallr dedlcated solel~ to the receptlon of the ~ldeo plcture slgnal assoclated wlth the product and lts ~ldeo productlon untll such tlme as receptlon of the ~ldeo plcture slgnal wlthln the zone 19 dlscontlnued ln accord wlth the progrsm governlng the operatlon of the s~stem 22. For e~ample, ln accord wlth the operatlng program the vldeo ~lgnal representlng a flrst ~ldeo productlon for a flrst product harlng n dl~pla~ polnt ln a flrst zone conslstlng of 30 contlguous subdlvlslons ln the marketlng area may be contlnuousl~ fed lnto esch subdl~lslon of the flr~t zone durlng the tlme frame 188 of each operatlng c~cle 159 o~er a -56- ~ ~ d~

perlod of tlme lastlng for four hours. At the end of thls four hour perlod, the operatlng program for the ~stem 22 ma~
contemplate ~ dlscontlnuance of the vldeo slgnal representlng the first ~ldeo productlon and the lnltlatlon of a Yldeo slgnal vhlch represents a second ~ldeo production ln thls tlme slot 188 of the ~peratlng crcle snd for a product ~hat 13 locsted in a second zone ha~lng a plurallty of contlguous subdl~lslons that lnclude one or more of the subdl~lslons of the flrst zone. Under such circumstances, the flrst zone 19, br preference, dedlcated to the recelpt of Yldeo slgnals that are solel~ associated wlth the first ~ldeo productlon durlng the four hour perlod and no other ~ideo slgnal generated durlng anJ of the tlme slots dedlcated to the generatlon of the vldeo slgnals 19 dellvered lnto the subdl~lslons of the flrst zone durlng thls four hour perlod.
Thereafter, the subdl~lslons comprising the second zone become dedicated to the reception of Yideo signals that are solelr associated wlth the second ~ldeo produ-tlon untll such tlme as ~iewing of the second production in the second zone 19 programed to end.

Reference has been made to the generatlon of the vldeo signal a~sociated with the ~econd production during the time slot 188 theretofore ùsed for generatlon of the ~ldeo signal for the flrst production. It wlll be apyreclated that the rldeo signal assoclated wlth the second productlon ma~, nevertheless, be 8enerated in anr open time slot which i9 a~ailable for ~ideo signals associated with video productions at the end of the four hour perlod and will depend upon the programeduSe of the ~ldeo signal time slots 187-190 for such transmissions.

The entlre ~ldeo productlon data is transmitted to the ~lewlng zone in data lncrements which are generated during time ~lot3 -57~ 7 ~:

dedlcsted to the vldeo production ln succesalve operatlng cJclea.
~ach dats lncrement covers the lncrement of rlewlng tlme ln the zone for the video production whlch transplres durlng the tlme lnterval between the ~uccesslre tlme slots ~hlch are dedlcated to the ~ldeo production ln successlve operating c~cles. Thus, an increment of dsta transmitted to the ~lewlng zone durlng A tlme frame, ~uch a9 tlme frame 190, dedlcated to a video production i8 ln the bur~t mode and covers the needs of the rela~ unlt for operatlng and vlewlng the vldeo productlon untll the arrlval of the next tlme frame, such as tlme frame 190, dedlcated to the ~ldeo productlon ln the ne~t operating cycle 159.

Reference i8 now made to Fi8. 4D nnd more particularl~ to the tlme frame 190 whlch i9 dedlcated to the generatlon of the rldeo slgnal for vldeo picture No N. As seen therelo, the general time slot 190 also has three tlme frames 191, 192 and 193 which are spaced apart ln tlme from ench other and from the commencement and termlnatlon of the general tlme slot 190 b~ predetermlned time intervals. These tlme frame~ 191, 192 and 193 are dedlcsted to the generatlon of the subdlvlslon destinatloa addresses which define the zone in whlch the ldeo productlon 19 riewable, the data component for the increment of the video plcture and the control of the circuit~ whlch is ln~olred ln the transmlsslon, and the reset slgnal component.

Durlng the general tlme slot 190, when the time frame 191 for the destinatlon addresses commences in the operatlng cycle 159, the operatlng program for the computer 24 calls for the computer to address the Slgnal Address Record Flle ln memor~ 37 and to copy and pass the destinatlon subdlYislons that make up the dedicated riewlng zone for the vldeo productlon to encoder 34 vla ~ead 68.
This cause the encoder 34 to generate the subdiv~slon addresses . . .

~ 5 8 ~ r~

in code and pass them Yia le~d 59 to the ampllfler 58 where the slgnal compoaent 19 amplifled and then pa~sed vla lead 57 to the channel ~elec~or network 62. ~t the selector network 62, the slgnal component i9 decoded and used to enable tho~e clrcults o~
the network 62 whlch are asaoclated ~lth the ~ubdlvislons that make up the zone ln ~hich the vldeo productlon is vle~able.

When the time frame ~92 for the dnta component for the lncrement of the vldeo plcture and lts control circuitr arrlves, the operating progrsm for the computer calls for the computer to addre3s the flle of the Vldeo Program No. N ln the Vldeo Display Flle Storage 43 and to cop~ and pQss the appropriate increment ~ia lead 48, input/output s~stem 39 and lead 56 to the amplifier 58 for ampllflcation and forwarding ~la lead 57 to the channel selecter circult network 62. Ilere~ the signal data component energl~es the enabled circuits ln accord with the component data and thus energl~es the dlodes of the array 63 which are assoclated with the enabled circults. This, of course, sends an approprlate llght slgnal through the llght channels 61 that servlce the subdivlslon~ whlch mnke up the dedicated ~one for receptlon of the vldeo production.

After an appropriate time lnterval and ln accord wlth the operating program, the computer sends a signal vla lead 68 to the encoder 34 that resulte in the generatlon of the reset component of the slgnal bearlng the lncrement. Thls component la also passed vla lead 59 to the amplifler 58 for ampllflcatlon and therefrom vla lead 57 to the network 62. Ilere, lt performs lts usual functlons and dlsables and resets the circuits of the network read~ for receptlon of the ne~t signal.

The handllng of the vldeo slgnal lncrement by the rela~ units 19 . .

7 ^~

e~ident from 8 conslderatlon of Flg. 3 and unit 70. If the shopping cart on whlch the rels7 unit 70 i9 out~lde of the zone to whlch the ~ldeo slgnal 18 addressed, the ~ignal ne~er reaches the unlt 70. On the other hand, lf the ahopplng csrt on which the uoit 70 19 mounted 19 located wlthln the ~one or has entered the zone durlng the crcllc lnter~al followlng the last time slot for the trsnsmlsslon of a vldeo slgnal bearlng sn lncrement of the ~ideo productlon data, the light slgnal benrlng the data for the lncrement 18 plcked up b~ the lnput dlode 87 and passed as an electronic signal vla lead 88 to ampllfler 89. Here, the slgnal i9 ampllfled and passed rla lead 91 to sequencer 90.

The sequencer 90, llke all other sequencers lnstalled ln the relay unlts, 19 deslgned to pass the signals recel~ed durlng the ~ideo tlme slots 181-190 and, as such, the ~ideo slgnnl 19 passed via lead 92 to the lnput/output sJstem 79 of the computer 74.
Under the operatlng program for the computer, the data 19 l-medlatelr processed and sent to the Yldeo messa8e storage 112 and in accord wlth the preferred embodlment the programs governlng the dlspla~ of the shopplhg 11st and the grsphlcs displa~ of the marketing areas are placed oo hold.

The data co~erlng the lncrement of the ~ldeo dl~pla~ 19, of course, both generated and fed to the storage faclllty 112 durlng the tlme frame 192. Under the control of the computer 74 thls data 19 then fed to the control clrcult 73 of the vl8ual di9plar de~lce 72 durlng the lnterval between lts receptlon br the storage faclllt~ 112 and the commencement of the next tlme slot for the generatlon and receptlon of the next data lncrement lnvol~ed in the transmlssion of the entire ~ldeo productlon. Thls procedure for handling the ~ldeo displAr slgnal contlnue~ untll the ~ldeo production has been completely tran~mitted. Thereafter, and with or wlthout a short lnter~l therebetween, trnnaml~slon of the Yideo productlon lnto the same zone ma~ agaln be lnltiated.

It wlll be evldent ln Ylew of the short perlods of ~lewlng tlme that nre contemplated for nllocatlon to such ~ldeo productlon~
that a shopper enterlng A zone ln whlch a productlon lfl ln the process of belng presented wlll probably Ylew a complete productlon of the vldeo plcture before len~lng the zone dedlcated thereto. In many cases the ~ldeo productlon will ha~e llttle or no motlon because the maln ob~ectlYe 19 ngaln one of developlng product awarenes~ at the polnt of dlspla~ and, as such, whether 8 shopper srrlYes ln the mlddle or at the beglnning of the productlon 19 of llttle consequence.

It has been stated abo~e that when a shopper enters a zone to whlch a vldeo slgnal la belng sent, the progrsms goYerning the dlspla~ of the shopplng ll~t and the graphlcs dlspla~ of the ~marketlng area are placed on hold. In thls respect, lt ma~ also be sald that upon lenvlng the zons dedlcated to the receptlon of a vldeo slgnal snd entrJ lnto a subdlYlslon that 18 not assoclated wlth a ~ldeo zone, the computer of the rela~ unlt e~perlences a cJcle in whlch there..ls no receptlon of a vldeo slgnal, In accord wlth the operatlng program, thls dlsables the hold clrcuit responslble for plnclng the shopplng 11st and graphlcs dlsplar programs on hold 90 thst the last program in process upon entrJ to the zone dedlcated to the ~ldeo production ls resummed.

TraYellng Message Slgnals The traveling messa8e feature of the s~stem 19 lntended in the ~ ~ ~r~ ~;m e~bodlment of the in~entlon shown hereln prlmnrll~ a8 an means for dlsplsylng mes3nges as sn overla~ on the graphlcs dlsplays of the marketlng areas, although lt ~111 be e~ldent that the feature ma~ be used lndependentl~ of anr other dlspla~ or as an o~erla~
of other dlspla~s, lf de~lred.

Use of the traYeling message feature as sn o~erlag for vldeo picture displs~ ma~ be a~oided b~ ~udicious exclusion of those subdivlsons whlch are ln~ol~ed ln the composltion of zones dedlcated to the displa~ of ~ldeo productlons from the selectlon of the subdlvlsions for the zones to Yhich the data related to the traveling messa8e festures are sent. ~o~e~er, when a shopping list is belng displayed on the screen of the ~lsual dlsplay devlce of a relar unlt, use of the travellng message feature on the rela~ unit 19 prevented ln sccord wlth the operatlng program for the computer thereof.

In the embodlment lllustrated, the entlre travellng messege dlspla~ data 19 transmltted to the ~lewlng zone ln data increments whlch are 8enerated durlng tlme slots dedlcated to the mes~aBs dlspla~ and ln successl~e operatlng c~cles. each data lncrement covers the lncrement of ~lewlng tlme ln the zone for the tra~elln~ messa8e dlspla~ whlch tranaplres durlng the tlme interval between the tlme slot~ dedlcated to the message dlspla~
ln successl~e operatlng cycles. Thus, an lncrement of data transmltted to the ~lewlng zone durlng a tlme frame (such as tlme frame 198) dedlcated to travellng message No. N 19 ln the burst mode and covers the needs for operatlng and ~lewlng the messa8e displa~ b~ the rela~ unlt untll the srrl~al of the next tlme frame tsuch as tlme frame 198) dedlcated to the message dlspla~
in the next cycle 159 of operatlon.

J

It wlll be noted ln Flg. 4, that ~eparate and dlstillct tlme slot~
or frames are provlded for the travellng messa8e slgnals that sre distributed to the murketlng area 33. Thus, esch of the general time frames or slot~ 195, 196, 197, und 198 19 dedlcated to the generntlon of approprlate slgnal co~ponents that are associated with a separate and dl3tinct travellng messn8e ~lgnal. Each tlme slot 19 exemplifled b~ that for the general tlme slot 198 snd where in Flg. 4D lt wlll be noted that the tlme slot 198 has three tlme frames, deslgnated at 199, 200, and 201. These three time frames are spsced apart ln tlme from each other and from the commencement and end of tlme slot 198 br predetermlned tlme lntervals and are respectl~el~ used for generatlng the subdlvlslon addresses for the slgnals, the generatlng of the data lncrements of the slgnals, and the generaatlon of the re~et components of the slgnals.

Reference 19 made to Flgs. 4 and 4D and the generatlon of an increment of the travellng message dlsplar slgnal during the general tlme slot 198 for the tra~ellng messa8e slgnal deslgnated a9 No. N. When the tlme frame 199 commences ln the operatlng c~cle 159, the operatlng program for the computer calls for the computer to address the Slgnal ~ddress Record Flle ln memorr 37 and to copy and pass the subdlvlslon addresses of the destlnatlon zone for the tra~ellng message slgnal to the encoder 34 vla lead 68. When thls happens the encoder 34 8enerates a data component that 19 fed br lead 59 to the ampllfler 58 and therefrom vla lead 57 to the llght stgnal generatlng srstem 25. nere, the leadlng component enables those clrcults of the channel selector network 62 whlch are assoclated wlth the subdl~islons of the destlnatlon zone for the signal.

When the tlme frame 200 for the data component for the lncrement r~

of the tra~eling messflge and lts displn~ operatlng control arrlves, the operatlng program for the computer calls for the computer to address the flle of the Tra~ellng Message No. N ln the TraYellng messnge File Storage 44 snd to copJ and p898 the approprlate lncrement vln lead 49, lnput/output s7~tem 39, lead 56, smpllfler 5a and lead 57 to the chanoel aelecter clrcult network 62. ~ere, the signal data component energizes the enablPd circuits in accord wlth the data present in the signal component and thus ener8izes the dlodes of the arra~ 63 whlch are associated with the enabled clrcuits. Thl3, of course, sends an appropriate light slgnQl through the llght channels that servlce the subdivlslons whlch make up the zone for receptlon of the tra~eling message displar.

After an appropriate time lnterval and ln accord wlth the operRting program, the reset component of the slgnal besrlng the .
increment 18 generated ln the time frame 201 ln response to a slgnal passes from the computer over lead 68. This reset slgnal component is fed to the network 62 and where it performs its usual functlons and dlsables and resets the clrcults of the network 62 90 that the~ are read~ for receptlon of the ne~t signal.

The handling of the lncrement of the traveling message b~ the~
relay units is evident from a consideratlon of Fig. 3 and unlt 70. If the shopping cart on which the relay unit 70 19 outside of the zone to whlch the traiellng message lncrement 19 addressed, the slgnal never reaches the unlt 70. On the other hand, lf the shopplng cart on whlch the unlt 70 18 mounted is located withln the zone, or has entered the zone durlng the lnterval following the last time slot for the transmisslon of an increment of the message displa~, the light signal bearlng the 64- ~ 3 ~

data for the lncrement 19 plcked up br the lnput dlode 87 and pnssed as an electronlc slgnal ~ia lead 88 to empllfler 89. Here the slgnsl la ~mplifled snd pas~ed ~ln lead 91 to ~equencer 90.

The sequencer 90, llke all other sequencers inatAlled ln the relay unlt~, 19 deslgned to p~98 the slgnnls recel~ed durlng the travellng messa8e time slots 195-198 and, ag such, the slgnal lncrement of the tra~ellng messsge i8 passed ~la lead 92 to the lnput/output s~stem 79 of the computer 74. Uoder the operatlng program for the computer, the data i9 immediatelr processed and sent to the tra~ellng messa8e ~toruge 118 and the program goYernlng the 3hopplng list dlspla~ 18 placed on hold.

The dsta co~erlng the lncrement of the tra~ellng dlsplar 1B, of course, both generated and fed to the storage fHclllt~ 118 durlng the time frame 200. Under the control of the computer 74 thls data 18 then fed to the control clrcult 73 of the Yiaual dlspla~
de~lce 72 durlng the lnterval between lts receptlon bJ the storage faclllty 112 nnd the commencement of the ne~t tlme slot for the generatlon and receptlon of the ne~t data lncrement ln~olYed ln the transmlsslon of the entlre traYeling message, This procedure for hnndllng the slgnal lncrements of the travellng message contlnues untll the tra~eling messa8e hss been completel~ transmltted. Thereafter, and wlth or wlthout a short lDter~sl therebetween, transmlsslon of the tra~ellng message lnto the same zone may agaln be lnltlated.

Audlo Message Slgnals I wlll also be noted ln Flg. 4, that separste and distlnct time slots or frames are proYlded for the audlo messa8e slgnals,that are dlstrlbuted to the marketlng area 33. Thu~, each of the -65- ~ 3 1 ~6~ r, ,~

general time 910t8 204, 205, 206, and 208 1~ dedlcated to the gener~tlon of appropriate slgnal components that are assoclated Ylth a Heparate and dlstlnct sudlo message.

~ere, lt ma~ be polnted out that an sudlo message mav be dellvered to sn~ zone or Aubdlvislon ln the mnrketlng nrea ~ithout regard for the use belng glven to the vlsual dlsplag devlce ln the zone or subdlvlslon at the tlme the audlo messa8e i9 presented. Ilowever, ln accord wlth the preferred embodlment, and to avold the ml~ing of audio messages, only one audlo message is delivered to a subdivision for reception b~ a relar unit thereln st snr one time. Accordingl~, esch audio message signal 19 preferrablev dellvered into a predetermlned area or zone composed of a plurallt~ of contlguous subdlvlslons ln the marketlng ares. Such a zone may be ln the pro~lmlt~ of the displsy polnt for an item on displa~ in the marketing area if the mes~a8e relate~ thereto. On the other hand, the zone may be otherwise situsted if the messa8e 19 general in nature.

~ach audio me~ss8e 18 transmitted to ite reception zone ln data increments which are 8enerated durlng tlme slots that are dedlcated to the the audio messsge production in successive operating cycles. Bach data lncrement covers the lncrement of the audlo message whlch 19 related durlng the tlme lnterval between the time slots which are dedicated thereto ln successlve operatlng c~cles. Thus an increment of data transmltted to the reception zone during a tlme frame, such as frame 204, dedicated to an audlo messa8e productlon 19 ln the burst mode and covers the needs of the rela~ unit for operating snd transmitting the audio mes~a8e untll the arrival of the ne~t time frame, such as frame 204, dedicated to the audio messa8e production in the ne~t operating c~cle 159, Reference 19 noY made to Flg~ 4D nnd more pnrtlcularlr to the tlme frnme 208 whlch 19 dedlcated to the generstlon of the audlo meqss8e ~lgnal for audlo measa8e No. N. ~a seen thereln, the general tlme ~lot 208 al80 has three tlme frame~ 209, 210, nnd 211 whlch are spsced ~part ln tlme from each other nnd from the commencement and termlnntlon of the general time slot 208 b~
predetermlned tlme lnterval~. These tlme fram0s 209, 210, and 211 ~re dedlcated to the generatlon of the Rubdlvislon destinatlon Addres3es wlllch deflne the zone ln whlch the sudlo message productlon is to be recelved, the generstion of the data component for the lncrement of the sudlo messa8e and the control of the circultr~ lnvolved ln the transmlsslon, snd the generstlon of the reset slgnsl component.

When the tlme frsme 209 commenccs durlng the genersl tlme slot 208, the operstlng progrsm for the computer 24 calls for the computer to sddress the Slgnsl Address Record Flle ln memor~ 37 snd to copy snd pss~ the deslgnstluon subdlvl~on addresses thst make up the dedlcated receptlon zone for the messaBe to encoder 34 via lesd 68, The encoder 34 responds to reception of the nddresses by generstlng the addresses in code and passlng them ~la lend 59 to the ampllfier 58 where the slgnal component 19 smplifled snd then passed vla lead 57 to the chsnnel selector network 62. At the selector network 62, the signsl component i~
decoded and used to euable those circults of the network 62 whlch sre assoclated wlth the subdivlsions that make up the zone in which the audio message production is receivsble.

When the the time frame 210 for the dsts component for the increment of the audio messaBe and its control clrcultrr'srrive~, the opersting progrsm for the computer csll~ for the computer to ~3~

address the flle of the Audlo Mes~flge No.N ln the nudio messa8e flle storage 45 and to copr and pass the approprlate lncrement ~la lead 50, lnput/output s~stem 39 and lead 56 to the 0mpllfler 58 for ampll~lcatlon and forwardlng ~la lead 57 to the channel selector clrcult network 62. nere, the slgnal data component energlzes the enabled clrcults ln accord ~lth the component data and thus energlzes the dlodes of the arra~ 63 whlch are assoclated with the enabled clrcults. Thls, of course, sends and approprlnte llght signal through the llght channels 61 that servlce the subdl~lslons whlch make up the dedlcated zone for receptlon of the audlo messa8e productlon.

~fter an approprlate tlme lnter~sl and ln accord wlth the operatlng program, the computer sends a slgnal vla lead 68 to the encoder 34 that results ln the generatlon of the re~et component of the slgnal bearing the lncrement. Thls component 19 also passed ~la lead 59 to the ampllfler 58 for ampllflcatlon and therefrom ~la lead 57 to the network 62. Ilere~ lt performs lts usual functlons and dlsables and resets the clrcults of the network read~ for receptlon of the next signal.

The handllng of the audlo messa8e signal lncrement by the relar units 18 evldent from a conslderation of Flg. 3 and unlt 70. If the shopplng csrt oo whlch the relsr unlt 70 18 outslde of the zone to whlcll the au~lo slgnsl 18 sddressed, the slgnal ne~er reaches the unlt 70. On the other hand, lf the shopplng cart on ~hlch the unlt 70 19 mounted 19 located wlthin the zone or has entered the zone durlng the cycllc lnterval followlng the last tlme slot for the transmlsslon of sn audio slgnal bearlng an increment of the audlo me~sage productlon data, the llght slgnal bearlng the data for the lncrement 19 plcked up by the i~nput dlode 87 and passed as an electronlc ~lgnal ~la lead 88 to 7.
-68~

nmpllfler ~9. Here~ the slgnal 19 ampllfled and passed vlA lesd 91 to sequencer 90~

The sequencer 90, llke all other sequencers lnstalled ln the rela~ unlts, 19 deslgned to pass the slgnals recelved durlng the audio tlme slots 204-208 snd, sa such, the sudlo slgnsl 19 psssed via lead 92 to the lnput/output 3rstem 79 of the computer 74.
Under the operating progrsm for the computer, the data 19 immediately processed and sent to the sudlo messa8e storsge 122.

The data coverlng the increment of the sudlo messsge 19, both generated and fed to the storage fscilitr 122 durlng the tlme frsme 210. Under the control of the computer 74, this data 18 then fed vla lead 123, lnput/output s~stem 79 ~nd lead 124 to the control circult 76 of the loud spesker 75 during the intervsl between its reception bJ the storage fscilitJ 122 ~nd the commencement of the ne~t tlme slot for the generatlon and receptlon of the ne~t dsta increment involved in the tranflmisslon of the entlre audlo message productlon. Thls procedure for handllng the audlo messa8e slgnùl cohtinues untll the audlo production has been completelr trsnsmltted. Thereafter, snd wlth or wlthout a short lntervsl therebetween, trnnsmisslon of the audlo messa8e productlon lnto the same zone msJ sgaln be lnltlated.

Flgs 5-7B

Reference 19 msde to Flg. 5 snd wherein the floor plan and product merchandlslng or dlsplaJ facilltle~ ln the marketlng srea of a supermarket equlpped wlth the communlcatlon system 22 are diagrammatlcallg deplcted. The alsles and area~ ln the marketlng area which are traversable b~ the shopping carts are deslgnateù

a3 ~1 thru #20 lncluslve. The product dlspla~ fscllltles lnclude open shel~e~ 213, deep freezers or lockera 214 for frozen foods, produce dl~pl~rs 215, refrlgerated meat and dalrj product displays 216 and 217, and dlspla~ faclllties 218 for llve plsnts.
The marketlng area 19 also deplcted as ha~lng a dell 219, a bakery 220, a pharmacr 221 and mAgazlne dlspln~ facllltle~ 222.

The check out counters 223 are located at the front of the marketlng area 33, as 18 the customer ser~lce counter 224. Here, at the front of the area 33 and ln the proximlt~ of the entrance and exlt ways 226 and 227, con~ientl~ accesslble storage areaa 225 are pro~lded for the shopplng carts.

Figs. 6 and 7 generall~ show the arrangement of the optlcal channel network 60 ln the marketlng area 33. Ilere lt wlll be seen that the compo~ents of the network 60 are housed in elongated fixtures 230. These flxtures 230 are arranged ln parallel and suspended from the celling (not shown) in the marketlng area 33 b7 wlres 231 80 that the optical network components flre offset from snd o~erlle the floor 229 of the marketlng area 33. These elongated fixtures 230 sre spaced apart by spacers that are desi8nated at 232.

The structure of the fixtures 230 and the structural arrangement at the termlnal ends of the optlcal channels 61 18 e~ldent from Figs. 7A and 7~. Each flxturc 230 la involYed ln supportlng optlcal channel components of the network 60 that servlce two contlguous rows of subdi~islons ln the marketlng area, the ro~s in each case belng such as to extend from the front to the rear ertremities of the marketing srea 33 that 18 tra~ersable b~ a shopplng cart under the fixture. Each fl~ture 230 lncludes an elongated ll-shaped atructural member 233 wlth a horlzontal ~7 i. !

portlon 234 on ~hlch the optlcal fibera 78 thst are lnYolYed ln ser~lclng the subdi~lslons are supported and an ln~erted channel ~ember 235 whlch covers the optlcal flber~ 78 ln thelr reetlng place on portlon 234 and embrsce3 the ~ertlcal slde portlons 237 of the l~-shaped member 233.

The H-shaped member 233 rests on and i~ supported bJ flat plates or brackets 236 which are ~paced apart and underlle the ~ertlcal 31de portlons 237 of the member 233. These brackets 236 are connected to the celllng wlres 231 bJ means of ad~ustable e~e elements, designated at 238.

Each optical channel 61 has an optical fiber 78 and a mirror 239 that 1~ so arranged and mounted at the end of the flber 78 n~ to transmlt light signals deli~ered thereb~ lnto the subdiYlslon associated wlth the channel 61. It 19 al80 80 arranged and nounted aa to transmit light slgnals received from unlts ln the subdi~lsion as30clated wlth the channel 61 to the optlcal flber 78.

The horizontsl portion 234 of the elongated ~-shAped member 233 has a serles of longltudinalJ spaced apart palr~ of aperatures 240 that are transYer~elJ spacsd apart ln the structure. Each pair of apersturec 240 is located ad~acent to a web component 241 that depends from the horizontal portion 234 and extends trans~ersel~ of and between the ~ertical slde portlons 237 of member 234. An approprlate palr of optical flbers 78 that are sed ln ser~icing contiguous ~ubdl~isions in adJacent rows extend through the aperstures 240 of each row as generally seen in Fig.
7B. Esch fiber extend~ through and 19 mounted ln the Ad~acent web component 241 of the member 234 and in optlcal allgnment wlth the mlrror 239 sssoclated wlth the optlcsl flber 78.

The mirror 239 is ndJustabl~ mount~d and 1~ conflgured to pro~ec~
the light si~nnls recel~ed from the optlcal flber lnto the ~ubdi~lslon wlth whlch lt 19 assoclated and ln a psttern whlch ls lllustrated as a squnre pattern at 243 in Flg. 5. An~ sultable pattern whlch 19 deslgned to accommodnte slgn~l receptlon and transmlsslon b~ a rela~ unlt located ln the subdl~islon would, of course, be sstlfsctorr and, ln practlce, a pattern whlch o~erlaps adjacent subdl~lslon~ to some e~tent ~ould be found to be satlsfactory in most cases.

FiBs 8-lO

As pre~iousl~ lndlc~ted, ln the preferred embodlment, the rela~
unlts are mounted on 8 shopplng cart. Flgs. 8-10 show a rela~
unlt 70 as preferrably mounted on the handle of a nestlng type shopplng cart that 19 equlpped wlth a chllds seat and ln common use ln supermArkets toda~.

As far as the relaJ unlt 70 19 concerned, mont of the component~
are housed ln a two plece plaatlc case 245. The screen 77 of the ~i~ual displs~ de~ice 72 19 e~posed for vlewlng at the ~lewlng slde 246 of the ca~e 245 snd the loud apeaker 75 19 similarl~
posltloned and e~posed for sound transml~lon at the vlewlng slde 246 of the case. As seen ln Flg. 10, the ~lewlng slde 246 iY also pri~lded wlth e card 247 bearlng in~tructlons relating to the use of the unit 70 as well a~ the control swltche~ 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 138 and 104 referred to in the consideratioin of Fig.
3. At the top side 248 of the case 245, the ~olar cells 97 sre e~posed in two spaced apart arrays, desi8nated at 246 90 a9 to recei~e the nece~3sry llght ~ithln the ~arketlng area 33 that is useful ln rechsrging the power ~uppl~ 94 (Flg. 3). ~ere, st the -72~

top slde 248, the lnput and output dlodes 87 and 107 of the recel~er srstem 85 and slgnal generatlng clrcult 106 are also mounted.

The shopplng cart 26 lncludea a basket sectlon 251 which taper~
toward the front end of the cart to facllltnte nestlng of the carts. The basket section 251 has a rear wall 252 that 18 pi~otall~ suspended from a horlzontal cross member 253 whlch 18 bent at its opposlte end~ to provlde a palr of lncllned side members 254 that are flxed to and form part of the opposite side ~alls 255 of the basket. The upper end of the rear wall 252 has a horizontal cross piece 256 whlch is bent at its opposite ends to form n pair of upwardlr pro~ecting eyelet8 257 that embrace the horizontal cross member 253 to provlde the pi~otal connectlon with the other parts of the basket. The rear wall 252, as thus connected, is capable of piYotal mo~ement in the directlon of arrow 260 about the axls of cross member 253 and to a horizontal position. At the inside of the basket 251, the rear wall 252 supports a foldable seat 258 for a child and which is mounted on the wall 252 for pivotal mo~ement in the dlrection of arrow 259 and lnto a u~eable posltlon. Thls foldable seat 258 19 seen ln lts folded posltlon in the drawings and 18 simplr carried to the horizontal posltlon when the rear wall 252 1~ caused to pi~ot therelnto.

The handle 262 for the shopplng cart is formed br a pair of parallel and horlzontallr arran8ed cross members 263 and 264.
Member 263 is bent at lts opposlte ends to pro~ide a palr of rigid support members 265 st the opposite ~ide walls 255 of the basket while member 264 19 also bent at its opposite end ~o pro~ide a p&ir of ri8id support members 256 at such opposite sldes walls 255.

1 ~i\ ' ~`1 ~ '`7 '' -73- l ~

The case 245 has a depending mld-sectlon 258 and the handle forming membera 263 and 264 entend through and are fl~ed to the mld-sectlon 268 ln the mountlng srran8ement provlded on the cart for the rela~ unlt 70. As thus mounted, the case 245 e~tends upwnrdl~ from the handle 262 80 a9 to avold inter~erence durlng nesting of the shopplng carts for storage purposes. Furthermore, the vlewlng slde 246 of the case 245 19 srranged at a small angle to the ~ertlcal 80 as to facllitate vlewlng of the screen 77 b~
the shopper from a cart pushing posltlon from behlnd the cart 28, as is evident from Flg. 8.

To provlde hand grips 269 on the handle 262, a palr of elongated and preformed elements 270 are provlded at each slde of the mld-section 268. These elements as seen ln Flgs 8 and 10 are lnterconnected b~ a palr of fasteners 271 thst e~tend between the handle formlng cro~s members 263 and 264.

Flgs 11-19 Flg. 11 shows certaln zones ln the marketlne area whlch ln accord wlth the operatlng progrsm ~re dedlcated durlng the time perlod of the shopplng tour to be consldered below to the receptlon of predetermined messa8es snd into whlch slgnals bearlng such messaees are dellvered. Wlthln the zones, the messsges are rela~ed to the shoppers b~ means of the relay unlts 27 that are mounted on the shopplng csrts 28.

These zones are seen ln Flg. 11 and lnclude zones 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, and 281 ~hlch are dedlcated to receiving audio message productlons, zones 282, 283, 284, 285, 286 and 287 which are dedicated to recelvlng vldlo message -74~ ~ 3~

productlons, zones 2~8, 289, 290 and 291 whlch are dedlcated to the receptlon of both audlo and ~ldeo messages, and zones 292, 293, 294 and 295 whlch are dedlcated to the receptlon of traveling word messages.

In the lllustratlon, the shopplng carts whlch sre not ln uoe are retalned and stored ln one of the storage area~ 225. ~ shopper, after entering the msrketlng are~ 33 through entrance 226, withdraws a shopping csrt from a storage area 225 and depresses the on/off switch 104 of the rela~ unit mounted on the cart 90 a~
to energlze the unlt. Thls 19 done from prior e~perlence or pursuant to instructions imprinted on the csrd 147 locsted at the viewing slde 246 of the case 245 for the unit (Feg. 10) in the current embodlment. Tlowever, lnltiatlon of the unlt'~ operstlon mar be c~use to take place automatlcallr if desired.

Upon wlthdrawsl from the storage area 225, the cart enters a zone 276 which is dedlcated to the receptlon of an audlo message ln the lllustrated embodiment. The message trasmitted snd relared ln this zone 276 ~ar be one which i9 primarllr lnstructlve aa to the operation of the messc8e rela~ unlt.

When the relar unlt is energlzed, the Shopplng Llst Data Flle and the Graphlcs Dlspla~ Data Flle are lmmedlatel~ recelved and stored in the on-board computer memor~ as previouslr lndicsted.
As soon as this happens, the shopping 11st 132 and arrows 133 appear on the screen 77 of the visual displa~ device 72 (Flg.
12). This happens while the shopper and cart are stlll wlthln the audlo message zone 276, such as at posltion 297 in Fig. 11. Ilere, the shopper may select those items from the 11st 132 which are beinB consldered for purchase and enter the items ln the Selected Product Record as prevlousl~ indicated.

~ ~ ~ 7 . : i After a 15 sec. tlme lnterval has e~plred from the la~t entry of an item ln the Selected Product Record or from the last manipulatlon of ang one of the swltches 126, 128, 129, 130, and 131 as~oclated wlth the shopplng 11st dlsplar, the graphlcs dlsplar of the marketlng area and the merchandlzlng dlsplag facllltles in the total area mode of Yiewlng appears on the screen 77 (Flg. 13). Under such circumstances the ltems selected bg the ~hopper from the 11st 132 and entered in the Selected Product Record of the on-board computer memorg appear as marks 157 on the depicted displag facllitles and the locatlon of the cart in the marketing flrea appears as a mark 155 in the traversable area depicted bg the di3plag (Flg. 13). The shopping cart location deplcted by mark 155 ln Flg. 13 assumes that the Yhopper has progressed from positlon 297 to positlon 299 at the tlme the graphics displag seen in Fig. 13 was generated.

In the lllustrated shopping tour of the marketlng srea depicted ln Flg. 11, the shopper 18 seen to progress from posltlon 298 to 299. As the shopper moves to thls positlon 299, it 18 assumed that the shopper depresses swltch 138 90 as to call for the locsl displag mode of riewing, As previouslg lndlcated, this enlarges the graphlcs dlspla~ as viewed on the screen 77 and centers it around the locatlon of the cart. As such, the graphlcs displag of the marketlng area takes on the character generallg depicted in Fig. 14 when the shopping cart reaches the position depicted at 299. Under such clrcumstances, the shopplng cart is depicted by the mark 145 and the depicted shopplng area 18 centered around and ln the immedlate vaclnltg of the shopplng cart.

Flg. 15 ~hows the general character of the dlsplag under 'the local dlsplag mode of operation when the cart reaches the -76~ 7~

po31tlon deslgnnted at 300 ln Flg. 11. At thls positlon, lt mar be s3sumed for purposes of lllustratlon, that the shopper plcked up a ma8a~ine that was on dlsplay at the magazlne display facllity 222 and placed lt on the shoppin~ cart.

Flg. 16 deplcts the vlew on the screen 77 of the vlsual dlspla~
device 72 under the local dlspla~ mode of operatlon ~hen the shopper reaches the posltlon deslgnated at 301 ln Flg. 11. Here, in Fig. 16, lt will be seen that the word "EGGS" appears in the depiction of the dalry product dlsplnr 217 and that the words "BREAD" and "SPAGETTI" appear ln the deplctlons of the open shelves 213 seen ln Flg. 11. These names 135 of ltems whlch have been selected br the shopper from the list 132 and entered ln the Selected Product Record serve to prompt the shopper lnto making the selectlon of the named ltem as the dlspla~ locatlon for the item i9 passed during the tour of the shoppin~ area. As such, when the cart resches posltion 301, the shopper is prompted lnto picking up a suitable quantit~ of eggs.

It will nlso be noted ln Flg. 11, that upon reaching position 301, the cart has entered an audlo message zone 273. Thls audlo messaBe may advertlse some speclsl lo~ prlcing or other attractlve purchaslng feature for certaln products that are located in the d~iry products displar 217 as the shopper continues on the shopping tour from position 301 to position 302.
As seen in Fi8. 17, the words ~'CANN~D P~ACIJ~S" appears in the product display depicted therein for the open shelves 213 shown at positlon 302 in Fig. 11. This agaln represents an item previou3 selected from the ~hopping list b~ the shopper and entered ln the Selected Product Record. As such, the shopper is agaln prompted to stop and pick up the selected item.

Upon progressing along the tour path, the shopplng cart reaches the posltlon desi8nated nt 303 ln Flg. 11. Ilere, the vi~u81 dlsplay deplcts the proxlmate market area ln the local area mode of viewing seen in Fig. 18 and whereln the locatlon of the previously selected mllk ~tem 19 depicted br the word "MIL~n.
Again, the shopper la prompted to ~top and pick up the selected item.

While venturing further along the tour route from positlon 303 to position 305 in Fig.ll, the shopping cart enters an audio message zone 271 whlch may be dedlcated to the sdvertising of products avallable at the deli 219. Thls csuaes the shopper in the lllustratlon to stop at posltlon 305 to make 8 selectlon thereat, At posltlon 305, the shopper ma~ depres3 swltch 138 to provide a marketlng area graphlcs dlsplar ln the total area ~lewing mode which is llke that seen ln Fig, 13,, e~cept for the lndlcated locatlon for the shopping cart. Thls mode of ~iewlng gives the shopper a better overall ldea of the path to thereafter traverse to expedite completltlon of the shopping tour because it ~how~ b~
means of the ltem deslgnatlng marks 157 the general locatlon~ of the merchandlsing dlspla~s for the remalnlng ltems that have been selected. As such, the shopper prooeeds to posltions 306 and 307 ln alsle ~2 to pick up the selected items dlsplayed thereln.

Thereafter, the shopper proceeds as indicated in Fig. 11 to position 308 and picks up the selected item displayed thereat, ~ere, the shopper enters a zone 291 whlch 19 dedlcated to the reception of audio and video messa8es and which serve to advertlse an ltem on display ln the pro~imlty of the zone 291.
Upon enterin8 the zone 291, the grsphlcs dlsplay of the shopping Hrea 19 dlscontlnued and upon leavlng the zone 291, the total -78~ r~ n;

graphlcs dlspla,v mode of operatlon 19 agaln resumed.

Thereafter, n3 the shopper enters the zone de31gnated st 295, a travellng word message 19 superlmposed on the graphlca displar of the marketlng area 33 nnd whlch mar advertlse a product ln the proximltr of the zone. Wlthln thl3 zone 295, the shopper ln the lllustratlons stops at posltlon 309 to remo~e from the dlsplar area a prevlouslr selected ltem that i9 desi8nated on the total area vlew of the graphlcs displa~ of the marketlng area shown thereon.

Thereafter, as the shopper contlnues on the shopplng tour and traverses the zone designated st 287, a video message advertlslng an item on dlsplar ln the open dlsplars 213 proxlmate to the zone 207 appears on the screen 77 of the vl3ual dlsplar deYlce 75.
Upon entering the zone 287, the graphlcs dlsplay of the shopplng area 19 dlscontinued and the vldeo dl~pla~ commences. Recelpt of the vlde message slgnal termlnates as the shopping cart leaYes the zone 287 and here the graphlcs dlspla~ of the shopplng area 1~ resumed and contlnues untll the chopper enters zone 286.

As the shopper (relsy unit) enters zone 286, the graphlc~ di~plsr of the marketing srea i~'discontinued and ,vet another vldeo message appears on the ~creen 77, At positlon 310, the previouslr selected item depicted in alsle ~5 of Flg. 13 is plcked up by the shopper. Thereafter, the vldeo message 1~
termlnated as the cart lesves the zone 286. Upon leavlng the zone 286, the total vlevlng mode of the graphlc~ dlspls~ 19 re3umed and contlnues until the next rldeo zone at 285 along the depicted shopplng path 19 entered br the shopper.

As the shopplng cart moves (Fig. 11) through the posltions -79- ~ 3 ~

designated at 311 and 312, the shopper 19 movlng through an audio zone 279 whlch 19 used ln the lllustration to ad~ertise meat products. After makln~ nppropriate meat selectlons, lt ma~ be assumed that the shopper agaln Yle~s the screeo 77 of the Ylsusl display device 75 and note~ the prlor failure to pick up the selected ltems shown in aisles ~7 and ~6 of Flg. 13. As such, the shopper proceeds to position 313 and plcks up the selected ltem ou dlsplag thereat and thereupon proceeds further to positlon 314. At thls positlon 314, the shopper agaln plcks up the selected ltem on display thereat. IloweYer, upon enterlng the posltion 314, the shopper (relar unlt) entered a zone 274 for the r~ceptlon of audlon messages that are relayed o~er the loud speaker of the unlt. In thls csse, it ma~ be assumed that the shopper was lnfluenced by the audlo message and stopped at posltlon 315 to plck up an ltem formlng the sub~ect mltter of the message.

Followlng the selectlon of the ltem at posltlon 315, the shopper proceeds to positlon 316 and plcks up the ltem contemplated by the lndlcla 157 seen thereat ln Flg. 13. The shopper then proceeds to posltlon 317. As seen in Flg. 11, the shopper enters a ~ldeo zone 285 in alsle ~8. Here agaln, the graphlc~ displar 19 discontlnued upon enterlng the zone 285 and resumes upon lea~lDg the zone. At posltlon 317, the shopper plcks up the selected 1tem aod proceeds along the path to the next posltlon ln aisle ~9 as seen ln Flg. 11.

At posltlon 318, the shopper plcks up the last oE the items selected from the 11st, encounters an audlo message that 19 belng recel~ed and relayed ln zone 280 and proceeds to posltion 319 at the checkout counters 223. 11ere, the shopplng cart enters'a zone 288 for the receptlon and relay of audlo and ~ldeo messages.

-80~ J

After the cart 19 unloaded the clerk moYes the cart to posltion 320 where switch 104 18 depre~sed to de-energize the rela~ unlt.
When the unlt is de-energlzed the Selected Product Record 18 era~ed among other thlngs. It will be e~ldent that the unlts mar be also shut off or de-energized automatlcallJ br se1eral different methods. Followlng de-energlzing of the unlt the cart may then be placed ln the storage ares 225 read~ for use b~ the next customer.

General In the preferred embodlment dlsclosed hereln the ~arlou~ slgnals are generated and transmitted as llght signals. It will be evldent to those skllled ln the art howe~er that rndlo frequency (rf) generatlon and trunsmlsslon technlques may be used in lieu thereof ln accord wlth certaln aspects of the ln~entlon.

Furthermore although the preferred embodiment lnvol~es the generatlon and transmlsslon of messaBe bearlng slgnals lt 18 e~ident that one or more of the messa8es ma~ be recorded ln an on-board computer memor~ of a rela~ unlt and lster called forth for dlsplay on a vlsual dlsplar devlce or for audlo presentment on a loud speaker component of the unlt. Thl~ ma~ be done b~
provldlng a sultable sensor detection system in the relay unlts for detectlng sensors which are strateglcall~ located throughout the shopplng area and assoclated with respectlve ltems on dlspla~ in the marketlng ~rea. Such a s~stem m8y ha~e a pluralitJ of clrcuits which are associated with the respectlve me~ages and with the respectiYe sensors and whlch are selectl~el~ enabled when the sensor assoclated therewlth 18 detected to thereby lnltiate the dlspla~ or broad cast by the rela~ unlt of the me~sage assoclsted therewlth.

-81- ~3~ i3~ i It will also be evldent that Yarlous uees mar be made of the dats recorded in the computer memor~. For erample, a separate and composite 11st of the names and ai~le locatlons of the selected items may be made for ~ie~lng on the screen. Furthermore, such a composlte 11st may be made up snd organlzed accoFdlng to the ai31e location~.

It should also be polnted out that the llght slgnal dellvery s~stem ma~ take on varlous dlfferent forms that ~ill be apparent to those skilled ln the art. Thus, although optlcal fibers are used as components of the main and auxilisry optical chsnnel~
described in the lllustrated embodiment, and mlrrors are illustrated as bein8 used ln transmittlng the llght slgnals in the marketlng area, it is evldent that other optlcal systems and devices maJ be used, such as prisms, compound mirrors, etc.

It ma~ also be pointed out at this time that a suitable silent or audible alarm s~stem may be lncorported in the rela~ units and used to detect the pa~qage of the Yhopplng cart and the rela~
unit mounted thereon from the marketin8 area. Thus appropriate signals may be delivered into approprlate zoneA at the entrance and exit of the marketlng area 80 as to actlvate such alarm systems. Similary systems ma~ be used ~here the shopping carts are permitted to pass into automotive parking areas in the proximit~ of the marketing areas.

A video picture as contemplated herein ma~ involve the transmlssion and reproductlon of one or more translent lmages of a fixed or moving ob~ect. Thus the repeated transmisslon of a ~ingle frame of 8 vldeo production 90 as to pro~ide a still picture on the visual displav devlce is contemplated.

-82- 1 3 ~ 7 ~, ~

Furthermore, whlle lncrementsl trsns~lssalons of cert01n mes~age productlons, (e.g. ~ldeo production~) ha~e been descrlbed ln presentlng the preferred embodlment, lt wlll be appreclated that the contlnuous transwmlsslon of a meassge productlon elther for storage and subsequent dlsplay of the productlon or for simultaneous dlspla~ of the productlon 19 al~o contempl~ted ln accord wlth certaln aspects of the lnYentlon.

Whlle only a preferred embodlment of thls ln~ention hss been shown and descrlbed by w8y of lllustration, many modlflcations will occur to those skllled ln the art and ~t 19, therefore, deslred that lt be understood that lt 19 intended herein to cover all such modlflcatlons as fall wlthln the true splrlt snd scope of the ln~entlon.

Claims

1. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on and moveable with the respective shopping carts about the marketing area, and (b) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing light signals which are receivable by said units;
each of said message relay units having (1) a message transmission system for transmitting messages borne by said message bearing light signals and having a video display device for transmitting visually displayable messages borne by signals generated by said means, (2) a computer connected with the video display device for controlling the operation of the video display device and (3) a signal receiver system connected with the computer for receiving said message bearing light signals.

2. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area.

3. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, and said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area.

4. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, and each of said message relay units also have (4) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and selectively operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device.

5. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, said computer has a memory, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said device, to thereon generate an item denoting indicia which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by the shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list being visually displayed on said visual display device, and (7) computer controller means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list potion, to record the denoted item in said memory of said computer.

6. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal.
with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, said computer has a memory, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said device, to thereon generate an item denoting indicia which denotes an item on the list being visually displayed thereon, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list portion being visually displayed on said video display device, and (7) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion, to record the denoted item in said memory of said computer, said memory record being addressable by the computer for controlling said control circuit to generate indicia on said video display device which is indicative of the location in the marketing area of the denoted item recorded by the operation of the record producing controller means.

7. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area.

8. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, and (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper for controlling the operation of said circuit to generate indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicati.ve of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein.

9. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said visual display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is supported.

10. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia thereon that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area.

11. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper for generating indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicative of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein, and (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said video display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is mounted.

12. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area.

13. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, said computer has a memory, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said device, to thereon generate an item denoting indicia which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list portion being visually displayed on said video display device, and (7) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion, to record the denoted item in said memory of said computer.

14. A communication system in accord with claim l wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to generate indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicative of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein.

15. A communication system in accord with claim l wherein said message bearing light signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to generate indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicative of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein, and (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said video display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is mounted.

16. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals includes a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, said list having portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, and said computer has a memory;
each of said message relay units also has (4) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said device, to thereon generate an item denoting indicia which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (5) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (6) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list portion being visually displayed on said video display device, and (7) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion, to record the denoted item in memory of said computer;
said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (8) computer controller switching means connected with the computer and being located apart from said video display device and selectively operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said video display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is mounted.

17. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase in the marketing area.

18. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by shoppers in the marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a video picture bearing signal storage facility that operates under the control of said computer.

19. A communication system in accord with claim 1 wherein said message bearing light signals include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area, and each of said message relay units also has (4) a video picture bearing signal storage facility for storing video picture signals and which is connected with said computer for the passage of such video picture signals therebetween.

20. A communication system in accord with claim l wherein said message bearing light signals include a signal with a traveling word message.

21. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, and (b) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing light signals which are receivable by said units and include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area;
each of said message relay units having (1) a message transmission system for transmitting visually displayable messages which are borne by signals generated by said generating means and having a video display device for transmitting video pictures associated with said video picture signals, said transmission system also having a control circuit for controlling the operation of said device.

22. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, and (b) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing signals which are receivable by said units and include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area:
each of said message relay units having (1) a message transmission system for transmitting visually displayable messages which are borne by signals generated by said generating means and having a video display device for transmitting video pictures associated with said video picture signals, said transmission system also having a control circuit for controlling the operation of said device;
said generating means including a light signal generating system, said communication system further comprises (c) a signal delivery system that is connected with the light signal generating system for passing said message bearing signals to the marketing area and including a network of optical channels which are optically connected to said light generating system and which, in the marketing area, are offset from and overlie the floor thereof, and each of said optical channels being arranged to deliver a light signal generated by said light signal generating system to a predetermined subdivision of the marketing area.

23. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, and (b) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing signals which are receivable by said units and include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area;
each of said relay units having (1) a message transmission system for transmitting visually displayable messages which are borne by signals generated by said generating means and having a video display device for transmitting video pictures associated with said video picture signals, said transmission system also having a control circuit for controlling the operation of said device;
said generating means including a light signal generating system, said communication system further comprises (c) a signal delivery system that is connected with the light signal generating system for passing said message bearing signals to the marketing area and including a network of optical channels which are optically connected to said generating system and which, in the marketing area, are offset from and overlie the floor thereof, each of said optical channels being arranged to deliver a light signal generated by said light signal generating system to a predetermined subdivision of the marketing area, and each of said message relay units also having (2) a computer connected with said control circuit for controlling the operation thereof, and (3) a signal receiver system connected with the computer for receiving message bearing signals delivered to the subdivisions.

24. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, and (b) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing signals which are receivable by said units and include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area;
each of said message relay units having (1) a message transmission system for transmitting visually displayable messages which are borne by signals generated by said generating means and having a video display device for transmitting video pictures associated with said video picture signals, said transmission system also having a control circuit for controlling the operation of said device;
said generating means including a light signal generating system, said communication system further comprising (c) a signal delivery system that is connected with the light signal generating system for passing said message bearing signals to the marketing area and including a network of optical channels which are optically connected to said light signal generating system and which in the marketing area are offset from and overlie the floor thereof, each of said optical channels being arranged to deliver a light signal generated by said light signal generating system to a predetermined subdivision of the marketing area, and each of said message relay units also having (2) a computer connected with said control circuit for controlling the operation thereof, (3) a signal receiver system connected with the computer for receiving message bearing signals delivered to the subdivisions, and (4) a signal generating circuit for generating a light signal; and said communication system further comprises (d) detecting means remote from said units for detecting the light signals generated by the signal generating circuits of said units.

25. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on and moveable with the respective shopping carts about the marketing area for transmitting messages borne by signals received by the units, (b) a signal generating system that is apart from said units for generating message bearing light signals which are receivable by said units, and (c) a signal delivery system that is connected with the generating system for passing said message bearing light signals to the marketing area and includes a plurality of optical channels which are optically connected to said generating system, (d) a computer that is apart from said units and connected with said generating system for controlling the operation of said generating system, and (e) a visually displayable message file storage facility connected with and operating under the control of said computer;
each of said optical channels being arranged to pass a light signal received from said generating system to a predetermined subdivision of the marketing area, said storage facility having a visually displayable message file and being controllable by said computer to deliver a signal bearing the visually displayable message from the file to said generating system, said generating system being controllable by said computer to generate a light signal bearing the visually displayable message of the signal delivered thereto.

26. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area that is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items selected for purchase comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are fixed to and mounted on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, (b) a signal generating system that is apart from said units for generating message bearing light signals receivable by said units, and (c) a signal delivery system connected with the generating system for passing said message bearing light signals to the marketing area including a network of optical channels which are optically connected to said generating system and in the marketing area are offset from and overlie the floor thereof, (d) a computer that is apart from said units and connected with said generating system for controlling the operation of said generating system, and (e) a visually displayable message file storage facility connected with and operating under the control of said computer;
each of said optical channels being arranged to pass a light signal received from said generating system to a predetermined subdivision of the marketing area, said storage facility having a visually displayable message file and being controllable by said computer to deliver a signal bearing the visually displayable message from the file to said generating system, said generating system being controllable by said computer to generate light signal bearing the visually displayable message of the signal delivered thereto from the file and to deliver the generated light signal to selected ones of said optical channels, and said selected ones of said optical channels being arranged in the network to pass the light signals delivered thereto to a plurality of subdivisions of the marketing area that are contiguous and define a zone in which the displayable message bearing light signals are receivable by said units, each of said message relay units having (1) a visual display device for displaying the visually displayable message of a light signal received thereby, said device having a control circuit, (2) a computer connected with said control circuit for controlling the operation thereof, and (3) a signal receiver system connected with the computer of the unit for receiving a signal bearing the displayable message in said zone.

27. The combination of:
a shopping cart for carrying items selected for purchase in a marketing area, a message relay unit supported by and movable with said shopping cart, and means for generating and delivering visually displayable message bearing signals to the message relay unit including signals with a visually displayable video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase in the marketing area, said message relay unit including (a) a message transmission system having a video display device for transmitting visually displayable messages borne by the visually displayable message bearing signals that are delivered to the unit, (b) a computer connected with the video display device for controlling the operation thereof, and (c) a receiver system connected with the computer for receiving the visually displayable message bearing signals delivered to the unit.

28. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area.

29. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device.

30. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said signal also includes indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, said computer has a memory, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said display device, to generate an item denoting indicia on said display device which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (e) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (f) computer controller means connected to the computer and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list being visually displayed on said video display device, and (g) computer controller means connected to the computer and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion to record the denoted item in the memory of said computer.

31. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said signal also includes indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, said computer has a memory, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said display device, to thereon generate an item denoting indicia on said display device which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (e) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (f) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list portion being visually displayed on said video display device, and (g) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion, to record the denoted item in said memory of said computer, said memory record being addressable by the computer for controlling said control circuit to generate indicia on said video display device which is indicative of the location in the marketing area of the denoted item recorded by the operation of the record producing controller means.

32. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area.

33. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing message include a signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, and (e) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to generate indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicative of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein.

34. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and said message relay unit also includes (d) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper when said graphics display is visually displayed on said video display device to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is supported.

35. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a a signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area.

36. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a a signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to thereon generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area, (e) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to generate indicia on said video display device when said graphics display is visually displayed thereon, such indicia being indicative of the location in the marketing area of an item available for purchase and on display therein, and (f) computer controller means connected with the computer and selectively operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said video display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is supported.

37. The combination in accord with claim 27 wherein said visually displayable message bearing signals include a first signal with a visually displayable list of items that are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area and a second signal with a visually displayable graphics display depicting the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, said list has portions which are separately displayable on said video display device, said first signal also includes visually displayable indicia which are associated and visually displayable with the respective items on said list and which are indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, and said computer has a memory;
said message relay unit also includes (d) a control circuit operating under the control of said computer for controlling the operation of said video display device, said control circuit being controllable by said computer, when a list portion is being displayed on said device, to generate an item denoting indicia on said display device which denotes an item on the list portion being visually displayed thereon, (e) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to change the portion of the list of items being visually displayed on said video display device, (f) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper to move said item denoting indicia to a selected item on a list portion being visually displayed on said video display device, and (g) computer controller means connected with the computer and operable by a shopper, when the item denoting indicia denotes an item on a visually displayed list portion, to record the denoted item in said memory of said computer;
said control circuit being controlled by said computer, when said graphics display of said marketing area is being displayed on said video display device, to generate indicia that is indicative of the location of the shopping cart in said marketing area, and said message relay unit also includes (h) controller means connected with the computer and selectively operable by a shopper, when said graphics display is visually displayed on said visual display device, to limit the visual display of the depicted marketing area to an area proximate to the shopping cart on which the unit is supported.

38. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for transporting items that have been selected for purchase comprising (a) maintaining a computer controlled video display device on and moveable with said shopping cart, (b) generating a list of items which are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area on said video display device, and (c) generating indicia on said video display device which are associated with respective items on said list and indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area.

39. A method in accord with claim 38 wherein said list of items comprises a plurality of separately viewable pages that contain respective portions of said list of items, and the generating of said list of items on said video display device comprises the separate generating of the respective portions of the list on the video display device.

40. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for transporting items that have been selected for purchase comprising (a) maintaining a computer controlled video display device on and moveable with said shopping cart, (b) generating a list of items which are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area on said video display device, (c) generating indicia on said video display device which are associated with respective items on said list and indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, and (d) generating a graphics display on said video display device which depicts the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities in the marketing area.

41. A method in accord with claim 40 wherein the generating of said indicia on said video display device transpires while said graphics display is being generated thereon.

42. A method in accord with claim 40 wherein the generating of said indicia on said video display device transpires while said list of items is being generated thereon.

43. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for transporting items that have been selected for purchase comprising (a) maintaining a computer controlled video display device on and moveable with the shopping cart, (b) generating a list of items on said video display device which are available for purchase and on display in the marketing area, (c) generating a first set of indicia on said video display device while said list of items is being generated thereon, the indicia of said first set being associated with the respective items on said list and indicative of the locations thereof in the marketing area, (d) generating a graphics display on said video display device which depicts the floor plan and layout of the merchandising display facilities in the marketing area, (e) generating a second set of indicia on said video display device while said graphics display is being generated thereon, the indicia of said second set being associated with respective items on said list and so generated on the video display device with respect to the merchandising display facilities depicted thereon as to indicate the locations in the marketing area of the items associated therewith.

44. A method in accord with claim 43 further comprising (f) generating an indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display of said marketing area thereon and at such a position with respect to the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities depicted thereby as to thereon indicate the relative location of the shopping cart in said marketing area.

45. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for transporting items that have been selected for purchase comprising (a) maintaining a computer controlled video display device on and moveable with the shopping cart, (b) generating a graphics display on said video display device which depicts the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities in said marketing area, (c) generating an indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display of said marketing area thereon and at such a position with respect to the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to thereby indicate the relative location of the shopping cart in said marketing area.

46. A method in accord with claim 45 further comprising:
(d) generating indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display thereon, such indicia being associated with respective items that are available for purchase and on display in said marketing area and being so generated on said video display device with respect to the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to indicate the relative locations in the marketing area of the items associated therewith.

47. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for transporting items that have been selected for purchase comprising (a) maintaining a computer controlled video display device on and moveable with the shopping cart, (b) generating a graphics display on said video display device which depicts the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities in a portion of said marketing area, and (c) generating indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display thereon, said indicia being associated with respective items that are available for purchase and on display in said portion and being so generated on said video display device with respect to the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to indicate the relative location of the items associated therewith in said portion.

48. A method in accord with claim 47 further comprising (d) generating indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display of said portion and at such a position on said video display device with respect to the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to thereby indicate the relative location of the shopping cart in said portion.

49. A method in accord with claim 47 further comprising (d) generating indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display of said portion thereon and at such a position on said video display device with respect to the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to thereby indicate the relative location of the shopping cart in said portion, and (e) generating a list of items on said video display device which are on display and available for purchase in the marketing area.

50. A method in accord with claim 47 further comprising:
(d) generating indicia on said video display device while generating said graphics display of said portion thereon and at such a position on said video display device with respect to the floor plan and layout of the merchandise display facilities depicted thereon as to thereby indicate the relative location of the shopping cart in said portion, (e) generating a list of items on said video display device which are on display and available for purchase in the marketing area, and (f) generating a set of indicia on said video display device while said list of items is being generated thereon, the indicia of said set being associated with respective items on said list and indicative of the relative locations thereof in said marketing area.

51. A method of delivering an advertising message to a shopper within a marketing area when the shopper is provide a shopping cart for carrying items which have been selected for purchase comprising (a) supporting a message relay unit on the shopping cart and moving the unit about the marketing area therewith, said unit having a video display device, (b) generating and passing a signal bearing an advertising message with a video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase in the marketing area to the marketing area, (c) receiving the signal within the marketing area and delivering the advertising message to the video display device for transmission of the video picture of the item as a visual display thereon, and (d) controlling the operation of said video display device with a computer.

52. A method of delivering an advertising message to a shopper within a predetermined zone in a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for carrying items which have been selected for purchase comprising (a) supporting a message relay unit on the shopping cart and moving the unit about the marketing area therewith, said unit having a video display device, (b) passing a signal bearing an advertising message with a video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase in the zone into said zone, (c) detecting the signal within said zone and delivering the advertising message to the video display device for transmission of the video picture of the item as a visual display thereon, and (d) controlling the operation of said video display device with a computer.

53. A method in accord with claim 52 further comprising (e) generating the signal bearing the advertising message at a location remote from said zone.

54. A method in accord with claim 52 further comprising (e) generating the signal bearing the advertising message at a location remote from said zone and as a light signal bearing said advertising message, and (f) transforming the detected light signal to an electronic signal before delivering the advertising message to the video display device.

55. A method in accord with claim 52 wherein the method further comprises (e) generating the signal bearing the advertising message that is passed into said zone at a location remote from said zone and as a light signal bearing said advertising message, (f) transforming the detected light signal to an electronic signal before delivering the advertising message to the video display device, and (g) storing the advertising message bearing signal during the time interval between its transformation to said electronic signal and the delivery of the advertising message to said video display device.

56. The combination of:
a shopping cart for carrying items selected for purchase in a marketing area, a message relay unit supported by and moveable about the marketing area with said shopping cart, and means for generating and delivering message bearing signals to the message relay unit that include visually displayable message bearing signals with video pictures of items that are selectable for purchase in the marketing area, said means including a computer for controlling the generation of said message bearing signals, said message relay unit including (a) a message transmission system for transmitting messages that are borne by message bearing signals received by the unit, and (b) a signal receiver system for receiving signals delivered to the unit.

57. The combination in accord with claim 56 wherein the message bearing signals of the generating and delivering means include audio message bearing signals, and said message transmission system includes (1) an audio transmitter for transmitting an audio message borne by audio message bearing signals received by the unit.

58. The combination in accord with claim 56 wherein the message bearing signals of the generating and delivering means include audio message bearing signals, and said message transmission system includes (1) an audio transmitter for the sound transmission of an audio message borne by audio message bearing signals received by the unit, and (2) a video display device for visually displaying the video pictures of items purchasable in the marketing area and borne by visually displayable message bearing signals received by the unit.

59. The combination in accord with claim 56 wherein the message bearing signals of the generating and delivering means includes audio message bearing signals, and said message transmission system includes (1) an audio transmitter for the sound transmission of an audio messages borne by audio message bearing signals received by the unit, and said unit includes (c) storage means connected with the message transmission means for storing audio message signals received by said receiver system.

60. The combination in accord with claim 56 wherein the message bearing signals of the generating and delivering means include audio message bearing signals, said message transmission system includes (1) an audio transmitter for the sound transmission of audio messages borne by audio message bearing signals received by the unit, and said unit also includes (c) a computer operating under the control of the signals generation controlling computer of said means for controlling the operation of the message transmission system, and (d) storage means operating under the control of the transmission system controlling computer and connected with the message transmission means for storing audio message signals received by said receiver system.

61. The combination of:
a shopping cart for carrying items selected for purchase in a marketing area having a nestable basket and a handle located generally above said basket, and a message relay unit that is mounted on said handle, and means for generating and delivering message bearing signals to the message relay unit that include visually displayable video pictures of items that are selectable for purchase in the marketing area, said means including a first computer for controlling the generation of said message bearing signals;
said message relay unit including (a) a message transmission system for transmitting messages that are borne by message bearing signals received by the unit, (b) a second computer connected with the transmission system and operating under the control of the first computer for controlling the operation of the transmission system and (c) a signal receiver system connected with the second computer for receiving signals delivered to the unit.

62. A method of delivering a product advertising message with a picture of the product to a shopper within a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for carrying items which have been selected for purchase comprising (a) supporting a message relay unit on the shopping cart for movement about the marketing area therewith, said unit having a message transmission system, (b) passing a signal bearing the advertising message into the marketing area, (c) receiving the signal within the marketing area and delivering the advertising message to said transmission system for the transmission of the advertising message thereby, and (d) controlling the operation of said transmission system with a computer.

63. A method of delivering an audio advertising message to a shopper within a a predetermined zone in a marketing area when the shopper is provided a shopping cart for carrying items which have been selected for purchase comprising (a) supporting a message relay unit on the shopping cart for movement about the marketing area therewith, said unit having an audio transmission system, (b) passing a signal bearing the audio advertising message into said zone, (c) detecting the signal within said zone and delivering the advertising message to the audio transmission system for the sound transmission of the audio message thereby, and (d) controlling the operation of said audio transmission system with a computer.

64. The method in accord with claim 63 further comprising (e) generating the signal bearing the audio advertising message at a location remote from said zone.

65. The method in accord with claim 63 further comprising (e) generating the signal bearing the audio advertising message at a location remote from said zone and as a light signal, and (f) transforming the detected light signal to an electronic signal before delivering the advertising message to said audio transmission system.

66. The method in accord with claim 63 further comprising (e) generating the signal bearing the audio advertising message that is passed into said zone at a location remote from said zone and as a light signal, (f) transforming the detected light signal to an electronic signal before delivering the audio advertising message to said audio transmission system, and (g) storing the signal bearing the audio advertising message during the time interval between its transformation to said electronic signal and the delivery of the advertising message to said audio transmission system.

67. A method of advertising purchasable items in a marketing area having a plurality of zones which are traversable by a shopper and located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shopper comprising (a) providing a shopper entering the marketing area with a video display device that has a viewing screen, said device being provided for use by, and movement with, the shopper about the marketing area, and (b) as the shopper traverses each zone with said video display device, displaying a video picture of an item on the viewing screen that is selectable for purchase by, and displayed to, a shopper located in such zone.

68. A method of advertising purchasable items in accord with claim 67 further comprising (c) recovering the provided video display device from the shopper as the shopper leaves the marketing area.

69. A method of advertising purchasable items in accord with claim 67 further comprising (c) providing the shopper with a shopping cart for carrying items which have been selected for purchase, and (d) supporting the provided video display device on said shopping cart.

70. A method of advertising purchasable items in accord with claim 67 further comprising (c) controlling the operation of said video display device with a computer.

71. A method of advertising purchasable items in accord with claim 67 further comprising (c) passing signals to said video display device which bear video pictures of respective items that are selectable for purchase and on display in said marketing area, and (d) controlling the passing of such signals to said video display device and the display of said video pictures on the viewing screen thereof with a computer.

72. A method of advertising purchasable items in a marketing area having a plurality of zones which are traversable by a shopper and located adjacent to respective displays of items that are selectable for purchase by the shopper comprising (a) generating message bearing signals at a location remote from said zones, each of said message bearing signals bearing a video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase by a shopper located in a respective one of said zones, (b) passing the generated message bearing signals into the marketing area, (c) providing a shopper entering the marketing area with a message transmission system, said message transmission system being provided for use by, and movement with, the shopper about the marketing area and including a signal receiver system for receiving said message bearing signals, and a video display device with a viewing screen for displaying the video pictures of the message bearing signals received by the receiver system, (d) receiving the generated message bearing signals in the marketing area with said signal receiver system, and (e) as the shopper traverses each zone with said message transmission system, delivering a message bearing signal to the video display device which has been received by the signal receiver system and which provides a video picture, for transmission on the viewing screen, of an item that is then selectable for purchase by, and displayed to, the shopper in the zone.

73. A method of advertising purchasable product items in accord with claim 72 wherein said message bearing signal delivered to said video display device during the traverse of the zone by the shopper is received by the receiver system while the provided transmission system is located in the zone being traversed by the shopper.

74. A method of guiding a shopper about 2 marketing area comprising (a) providing a video display device with a viewing screen to the shopper upon entering the marketing area, said device being provided for use by, and movement about the marketing area with, the shopper, (b) generating a list of items on said screen which are selectable for purchase by the shopper and on display in the marketing area, and (c) generating indicia on said screen which are associated with the respective items on said list and indicative of the respective locations thereof in the marketing area.

75. A method of guiding a shopper in accord with claim 74 further comprising (d) controlling the video display device with a computer having a memory, and (e) recording data in said memory which is indicative of items selected for purchase by the shopper from the list.

76. A method of guiding a shopper in accord with claim 74 further comprising (d) controlling the video display device with a computer having a memory, (e) providing the shopper with means operable to indicate an item selected from said list, and (f) in response to the operation of the provided means, recording data in said memory which is indicative of the item selected from said list.

77. A method of guiding a shopper in accord with claim 74 further comprising (d) providing the shopper with means operable to indicate an item selected from said list, and (e) in response to the operation of the provided means, recording data in a memory device which is indicative of the item selected from said list.

78. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area comprising (a) providing the shopper, upon entry to the marketing area, with a system that is moveable by the shopper about the marketing area and includes a computer controlled video display device with a viewing screen, and means operable by the shopper to indicate an item contemplated for purchase by the shopper, (b) in response to the operation of the operable means by the shopper, recording data which is indicative of the item contemplated for purchase by the shopper in a data base file of a memory device, (c) generating a graphics display on said screen which depicts at least a portion of the floor plan and merchandising displays in said marketing area, and (d) generating indicia on said screen which is associated with the item contemplated for purchase by the shopper and so oriented on said graphics display as to indicate the location of the item in the marketing area.

79. A method of guiding a shopper in accord with claim 78 further comprising (e) causing the computer to address the data base file of said memory device before generating the indicia on said screen.

80. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area which is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use in carrying items that have been selected for purchase by the shoppers and which has a plurality of zones that are traversable by the shoppers and located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shoppers comprising (a) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on and moveable about the marketing area with the respective shopping carts, (b) means located apart from said units for generating video picture bearing signals that involve one or more transient images of items which are selectable for purchase and on display in the marketing area, each of said message relay units having a video display device with a viewing screen for displaying the video pictures that are borne by said signals, and each of said message relay units being responsive during movements through the respective zones to a signal generated by said generating means for displaying a video picture of a purchasable item that is selectable by, and displayed to, a shopper in the zone.

81. A method of delivering an advertising message to a shopper located in a predetermined one of a plurality of zones in a marketing area wherein said zones are traversable by the shopper and located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shopper and wherein the shopper is provided a shopping cart for carrying items that are selected for purchase in the marketing area comprising (a) supporting a message relay unit on the shopping cart provided the shopper, said unit having a video display device with a viewing screen, (b) passing a signal into the marketing area which bears an advertising message with a video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase in said one zone, (c) detecting the signal within the marketing area, (d) delivering the advertising message of the detected signal to the video display device for transmission of the video picture of the item associated with the signal as a visual display on the viewing screen thereof when said provided shopping cart is located in said one zone, and (e) controlling the operation of said video display device with a computer.

82. A method in accord with claim 81 wherein said signal is detected within said one zone.

83. A method in accord with claim 81 wherein said signal is only passed into said one zone of the marketing area, and said signal is only detectable within said one zone.

84. A method of guiding a shopper about a marketing area having items that are selectable for purchase by the shopper comprising (a) providing the shopper with a system that is moveable about the marketing area by the shopper and includes a video display device with a viewing screen, (b) displaying indicia on said viewing screen which are associated with respective items selectable for purchase in the marketing area, (c) controlling the operation of the video display device with a computer having a memory, and (d) recording data in the memory of the computer which is indicative of an item sociated with indicia displayed on said viewing screen and contemplated for purchase by the shopper.

85. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area which is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use by the shoppers in carrying items selected for purchase therein, said system comprising (a) light emitting means defining a plurality of zones which are traversable in the marketing area by the shopping carts and located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shoppers therein, (b) a plurality of video display devices that are supported on and moveable with the respective shopping carts about the marketing area, each of said devices having a viewing screen for displaying visually displayable messages that are associated with items displayed to shoppers located in the respective zones, (c) computer means operatively connected to the video display devices for controlling the display of said visually displayable messages in accord with the zone being traversed by the shopping cart supporting each device and such that the visually displayable message displayed relates to an item selectable for purchase in the zone being traversed.

86. A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area which is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use by the shoppers in carrying items selected for purchase therein, said system comprising (a) light emitting means defining a plurality of zones in the marketing area which are traversable by the shopping carts and located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shoppers therein, (b) a plurality of video display devices that are supported on and moveable with the respective shopping carts about the marketing area, each of said devices having a viewing screen for displaying visually displayable messages, and (c) a plurality of computers which are supported on and moveable with the respective shopping carts about the marketing area, each of said computers being operatively connected to the video display device that is supported on the shopping cart serving to support the computer, and each of said computers having light responsive means which is associated therewith and responsive, as the computer supporting shopping cart traverses a zone, to a light signal emitted by said light emitting means, for initiating the display on the screen of the device connected with the computer of a visually displayable message that is associated with an item selectable for purchase by a shopper located in the zone.

87, A communication system for communicating with shoppers in a marketing area which is provided with a plurality of shopping carts for use by the shoppers in carrying items selected for purchase therein, said system comprising (a) light emitting means defining a plurality of zones which are traversable in the marketing area by the shopping carts and which are located adjacent to respective displays of items selectable for purchase by the shoppers therein, (b) a plurality of message relay units that are supported on the respective shopping carts for movement about the marketing area therewith, and (c) means located apart from said units for generating message bearing signals which are receivable by said units and include video picture signals that involve one or more transient images of respective items that are selectable for purchase by the shoppers in the marketing area, each of said message relay units having a message transmission system for transmitting messages borne by said message bearing signals which includes a video display device with a screen for displaying the video pictures associated with said video picture signals, and a computer controlling said message transmission system, and said computer being programmed to control said message transmission system during the traversal of one of said zones by its supporting cart so as to display a video picture of a predetermined one of said items on the screen of the video display device supported by the shopping cart, said one of said items being an item on display to shoppers located in said one of said zones.

88. The combination of:
a marketing area for the display of items that are purchasable by a shopper, light signals emitting means defining a plurality of zones in the marketing area, a shopping cart for carrying items selected by the shopper for purchase in the marketing area, a message relay unit supported by and moveable with said shopping cart, and means for generating and transmitting visually displayable message bearing signals to the message relay unit, said message bearing signals including video picture signals with video pictures of purchasable items that are displayed to shoppers located in the respective zones in the marketing area, said message relay unit including (a) a message transmission system having a video display device with a viewing screen for transmitting said video pictures of the purchasable items that are displayed to shoppers in the respective zones, (b) a receiver system for receiving the light signals emitted by said light signals emitting means and for receiving said video picture signals, and (c) a computer connected with the receiver system and video display device, said computer being responsive to the receipt by said receiver system of light signals emitted by said emitting means for controlling the display on said screen of video pictures associated with said video picture signals, each of said light signals being associated with a respective one of said zones and only being receivable by said receiver system in and when said shopping cart is located in said one of said zones.

89. The combination of:
a marketing area for the display of items that are purchasable by a shopper, a shopping cart for carrying items selected by the shopper for purchase in the marketing area, light emitting means defining a shopping zone that is traversable by said shopping cart in the marketing area, a message relay unit supported by and moveable with said shopping cart, and means for generating and delivering a visually displayable message bearing signal to the message relay unit, said message bearing signal including a video picture of an item that is selectable for purchase in said zone, said message relay unit including (a) a message transmission system having a video display device with a viewing screen for transmitting said video picture, (b) a receiver system for receiving a light signal emitted by the zone defining light emitting means, and (c) a computer connected with the receiver system and video display device, said computer being responsive as said shopping cart is traversing said zone to receipt of said light signal by said receiver system for controlling the display of said video picture on said screen.