METHOD FOR DISPLAYING THE WEIGHING RESULT OF A SCALE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for displaying the weighing result of a scale, in particular a shop scale, which comprises an identification, on a mobile display device. In said method, the mobile display device establishes a secure wireless communication link to the scale and displays the identification of the scale once the link has been successfully established.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

18. A method for displaying a weighing result of a scale on a mobile display device, the scale having an identifier, in which method the mobile display device establishes a secure, wireless communication connection with the scale and displays the identifier of the scale after successfully establishing the connection.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the scale is a store scale.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising the step of: making a check of whether the mobile display device corresponds to a device model approved for a display of the weighing results satisfying predefined demands.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein, if the mobile display device corresponds to an approved device model, it is made possible that a weighing result of the connected scale is displayed on the mobile display device.

22. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein, if the mobile display device does not correspond to an approved device model, a check is made with reference to the hardware parameters of the mobile display device read out from the mobile display device as to whether a display of the weighing results satisfying the predefined demands is possible on the mobile display device.

23. The method in accordance with claim 22, further comprising the step of: determining a zoom factor on the basis of the hardware parameters, with which zoom factor a display of the weighing results is possible which satisfies the predefined demands.

24. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein, if the mobile display device does not correspond to an approved device model, a reference image is displayed on the mobile display device and a zoom factor is determined on the basis of a comparison of the reference image with a real measure, with which zoom factor a display of the weighing results is possible which satisfies the predefined demands.

25. The method in accordance with claim 22, wherein, if a display satisfying the predefined demands is possible, it is made possible that a weighing result of the connected scale is displayed on the mobile display device.

26. The method in accordance with claim 25, wherein display parameters determined with reference to hardware parameters and/or with reference to a zoom factor are used.

27. The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the wireless communication connection is one of a wireless network connection and a WLAN connection using one of a secure network protocol and HTTPS.

28. The method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising the step of: displaying at least one of the identifier of the scale and the weighing result of the scale via a web application on the mobile display device.

29. The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the web application in one of a web browser of the mobile display device and a web browser of the mobile display device using a plug-in.

30. The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein, with a plurality of scales with which the mobile display device has set up a secure, wireless communication connection, the identifiers of all scales are displayed on the mobile display device.

31. The method in accordance with claim 30, wherein an identification corresponding to or uniquely associated with the identifier of the scale to be selected is received by the mobile display device for the selection of a scale by means of a means separate from the secure, wireless communication connection.

32. The method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the identification corresponding to or uniquely associated with the identifier of the scale to be selected is received by the mobile display device by means of image processing or data transmission over a short distance.

33. The method in accordance with claim 31, further comprising the step of: comparing the transmitted identification with the displayed identifiers.

34. The method in accordance with claim 30, wherein after the selection of the scale, it is only made possible for the selected scale to display a weighing result on the mobile display device.

35. The method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the selection of the scale is changeable.

36. The method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising the step of: displaying the weighing result as a barcode on the mobile display device.

37. A computer program with program code means to execute the method in accordance with claim 1 when the program is executed on a mobile display device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 a combination of a scale and a mobile display device which are wirelessly connected to one another;

[0027] FIG. 2 a mobile display device which displays the identifier of a scale to be connected and an associated weighing result; and

[0028] FIG. 3 a flowchart for illustrating the method in accordance with the invention.

[0029] A store scale 11 is shown in FIG. 1 which is installed in a self-service area of a supermarket. The scale 11 is a scale which is subject to statutory calibration or is respectively approved for legal metrological operation, i.e. a scale which is tested for its adherence to statutory calibration provisions under calibration law. The scale 11 does not have its own display apparatus to display a weighing result, whether with or without price calculation, on the scale 11. The scale 11, however, has a unique ID which is affixed to the scale 11 and with reference to which the scale 11 is uniquely identifiable. The ID of the scale 11 is electronically stored in a memory of the scale 11 and is additionally affixed visible to the user to the outside of the scale 11.

[0030] A wirelessly connected display device 15 is used for displaying a weighing result of the scale 11 and the scale 11 is connected to it via a secure, bidirectional connection 13, in particular a WLAN connection. The scale 11 includes a web server on which a web application is stored which can be executed in a web browser of the mobile display device 15 of a customer such as a tablet using a plug-in and which allows the display of a weighing result on the display device 15 in accordance with steps S1-S6 explained below in connection with FIG. 3. The plug-in is in particular a plug-in which is approved for the display of the weighing result of the scale 11 by the manufacturer of the scale 11.

[0031] As can be seen from FIG. 3, an encrypted communication connection 13 is first established between the mobile display device 15 and the scale 11 in accordance with step S1. After a successful establishing of the connection, the ID of the scale 11, in the present case XYZ123, is electronically transmitted via the connection 13 to the mobile device 15 and is displayed there in accordance with step S2. The customer can then determine without doubt which scale his mobile display device 15 is connected to by a comparison of the ID shown on his mobile display device 15 with the ID outwardly affixed to the scale 11.

[0032] A check is subsequently made in accordance with step S3 whether the mobile display device 15 corresponds to a device model known to the manufacturer of the scale 11 and released or qualified by it for the display of a weighing result. With such a device model, the manufacturer of the scale 11 has already verified that a display corresponding to the statutory calibration provisions is possible on the device model. If this is the case, in accordance with step S4, the legal metrological operation between the scale 11 and the mobile display device 15 is released and a weighing result of the scale 11 can be displayed together with the ID of the connected scale 11 on the mobile device 15 (cf. FIG. 2) and can optionally additionally be transmitted to a cash register system by the scale 11. The weighing result can additionally also be displayed as a barcode on the mobile display device 15 and the barcode can then be read directly from the mobile display device 15 at a cash register system.

[0033] If, in contrast, the device model is neither known at scale 11 manufacturer's nor has been released or approved by the manufacturer for operation with the scale 11, the hardware parameters of the mobile display device 15 are read in accordance with step S5 and a check is made with reference to the hardware parameters whether a display of the weighing results satisfying the statutory calibration regulations is possible on the mobile display device 15. If this is the case, the legal metrological calibration operation is made possible as is shown in step S4. If, in contrast, this is not the case, a legal metrological operation of the mobile display device 15 with the scale 11 is suppressed in accordance with step S6. Weighing results recorded by the scale 11 can then not be displayed on the mobile display device 15.

[0034] If a plurality of scales are installed in a self-service area, the identifiers of all scales located in communication range for a secure, wireless communication connection can be displayed on the mobile display device 15. The customer then selects which one of the scales should carry out a legal metrological operation. Whether a legal metrological operation can actually take place between the selected scale and the mobile display device is determined using the above-explained decisions S3 and S5. The selection of the scale can take place, for example, in that a barcode is affixed to all of the scales, said barcodes corresponding to the respective ID of the respective scale or including it and the scale to be selected being selected by scanning the barcode and automatically comparing the scanned identification of the scale with the IDs obtained through the secure, wireless communication connection. The choice made can generally also be changed in accordance with the explained method.

[0035] It is in particular made possible by the present invention to show the weighing result of a store scale in accordance with legal metrological provisions on the mobile devices taken along by the customers themselves.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0036] 11 scale

[0037] 13 communication connection

[0038] 15 mobile display device

[0039] S1-S6 step