System and method for interrogating and updating electronic shelf labels

• US 20070159298A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Zegelin, Chris, Le, Vinh-Phuong
• Application Number:
  US11/324,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20070159298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.910
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L

Abstract

The present invention describes a system for interrogating or updating electronic shelf tags in a store or warehouse without the need for a complicated or expensive infrastructure. In the system, a single portable RFID device is carried by a worker to perform tasks such as organizing goods on the shelves of a store or a warehouse. As the worker traverses the aisles he may use the portable RFID device to scan each RFID tag as it comes within range. Through a wireless connection to a central controller on which pricing information is stored, the portable RFID device is able to verify that the information located in each RFID tag is correct. If the information is not correct, it can be updated with the correct information from the central controller. Alternatively, the RFID device may be self-contained and have all the correct pricing information stored on an internal memory.

Claims

1. A system for interrogating and updating electronic shelf labels comprising:

a plurality of products, wherein each product is equipped with an electronic shelf label and wherein each electronic shelf label stores information relating to said product;

at lease one portable RFID device capable of scanning and updating said electronic shelf labels;

a central controller which stores information about each of said products;

a wireless area network which allows for bi-directional communication between said portable RFID device and said central controller;

wherein said information stored in said central controller is compared to said information stored in said electronic shelf labels as each electronic shelf label is scanned with said portable RFID device; and

wherein said portable RFID device updates the information stored in said electronic shelf label with the information from said central controller if the compared values are different.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said products are located in a stored and wherein said portable RFID device is carried by a store employee.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said electronic shelf labels located in said store is scanned as said worker traverses the aisles of the store.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic shelf labels are UHF RFID tags.

5. A system for interrogating and updating electronic shelf labels comprising:

a plurality of products, wherein each product is equipped with an electronic shelf label and wherein each electronic shelf label stores information about said product;

a portable RFID device capable of scanning and updating said electronic shelf labels;

a database stored on said portable RFID device which contains the correct information for each of said electronic shelf labels;

wherein said information stored in said database is compared to said information stored in said electronic shelf labels as each electronic shelf label is scanned with said portable RFID device; and

wherein said portable RFID device updates the information stored in said electronic shelf label with the information from database if the compared values are different.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said products are located in a stored and wherein said portable RFID device is carried by a store employee and wherein each of said electronic shelf labels located in said store is scanned as said worker traverses the aisles of the store.

7. A method for interrogating and updating electronic shelf labels comprising the steps of:

equipping a store employee with a portable RFID decide capable of scanning all of the electronic shelf labels located in said store, wherein each electronic shelf label is affixed to a product and stores information about said product;

scanning at least one electronic shelf label within the range of said portable RFID device;

comparing the information from said at least one scanned electronic shelf label to information contained in a master product database, and

updating the information located in said electronic shelf label with the information from said master product database if the compared values are different.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said master product database is located on said portable RFID device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said master database is located on a central controller and wherein said portable RFID device and said central controller are in bi-directional communication utilizing a wireless area network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic shelf labels are UHF RFID tags.