Scanning communicator

A bar code and electronic label system comprising:

• at least one bar code;
• a machine readable electronic label;
• and
• a scanning communicator comprising;
• at least one optical transceiver;
• and
• circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to scan said bar code while in a bar code scanning mode and communicate with said machine readable electronic label while in a machine readable electronic label communications mode, said circuitry also being operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

A self-scanning system comprising:

• at least one item;
• at least one bar code associated with said item;
• at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said item;
• and
• a scanning communicator comprising:
• at least one optical transceiver;
• and
• circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to scan said bar code while in a bar code scanning made and communicate with said machine readable electronic label while in a machine readable electronic label communications mode, said circuitry also being operative to cause at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code,
• wherein said scanning communicator is operative to autonomously switch between either of said modes without the intervention of a user.

A customer loyalty system comprising:

• at least one item;
• at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said item;
• and
• a mobile unit operative to communicate with said at least one machine readable electronic label, said mobile unit comprising a loyal customer identification;
• a scanning communicator comprising:
• at least one optical transceiver;
• and
• circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to communicate with said mobile unit and receive said loyal customer identification from said mobile unit, said circuitry also being operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses representative of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code.

A shelf restocking system comprising:

• at least one shelf;
• at least one machine readable electronic label associated with said shelf comprising:
• at least one optical transceiver;
• and
• circuitry operative to cause said at least one optical transceiver to intermittently transmit light pulses thereby emulating a reflected light pattern of a predetermined bar code to a machine reader in generally the same pattern received by a bar code reader when reading a conventional bar code;
• and
• a computer in communicate with said at least one machine readable electronic label and operative to configure said at least one machine readable electronic label with said predetermined bar code.