Abstract: A guidance system for guiding a user to selected targets located within a defined area, such as a warehouse, museum, parking garage, etc., includes a portable unit to be carried by each user and having a memory for storing target information identifying a selected target within the defined area, and a transmitter for transmitting signals identifying the selected target within the defined area. The system further includes at least one changeable guidance sign at a predetermined location within the defined area for receiving signals transmitted by a portable unit and for displaying stored guidance information of the location of a target corresponding to a signal transmitted from the portable unit, and/or a plurality of target devices at the target location for receiving target signals transmitting by a portable unit and for indicating that a received target signal identifies the respective target.

Abstract: A product monitoring system for monitoring a variety of products grouped according to their identities on shelves, includes a central computer storing the identification of each group of products on the shelves; a plurality of electronic shelf labels, each located adjacent to a shelf for a group of products, communicating with the central computer, storing the identification of the respective group of products, displaying information relating to the respective group of products, and reading out the identification of the respective group of products; a plurality of portable units each to be carried by a user of the system; and a record memory for each portable unit. Each portable unit includes a read-in device capable of establishing a short-range communication link with the read-out device of each electronic shelf label for reading in the product identification and for recording same in the record memory for the respective portable unit.

Abstract: A data processor system for promoting sales of products includes price storage devices for storing basic price information; criteria storage devices for storing predetermined criteria to be used in determining sales promotion prices; sensors for sensing the predetermined criteria; a data processor for receiving data from the above, and for automatically determining sales promotion prices of the products in accordance with the received data; and electronic displays controlled by the data processor for displaying the sales promotion prices. Also described is an interactive changeable display particularly useful in the sales promotion system, but also useful for other applications, such as for providing routing instructions to a plurality of destinations.

Abstract: A system and method for granting a customer visiting a store with personally associated prices for selected items is provided. The customer receives a portable customer unit which communicates with a check-in unit for establishing personal prices for selected items. In one preferred embodiment the personal prices are then downloaded into the portable customer unit, and in an alternative embodiment the identity of the portable customer unit and the respective reduced price is then downloaded into the shelf labels whose price is reduced. During shopping, the customer unit transmits coded signals to the electronic shelf labels. Electronic shelf labels respective to items whose code is included in the items for which a personal price is effective respond with an eye-catching signal to attract the customer's attention.