ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL SYSTEM

• US 20100253472A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ishida Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ishida Company Limited
• Inventors: Mizukawa, Shigemitsu, Hashiguchi, Nobuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.910
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique relating to an electronic shelf label system that is capable of suppressing malfunction of an electronic shelf label caused by the increase of internal resistance of a battery. In order to achieve this object, in an electronic shelf label system of the present invention, an electronic shelf label 5 includes a battery 56 for supplying power of this electronic shelf label 5, a to-be-charged part 572 to be charged by power supplied from the battery 56, a light emission part 52 for sending data to a distribution device by using power accumulated in the to-be-charged part 572, and a boost circuit 571 and a control circuit 570 for controlling power supplied from the battery 56 to the to-be-charged part 572. In the electronic shelf label 5, on receipt of change notification data from the distribution device, a charge operation mode of this electronic shelf label 5 is changed from a normal charge mode to a long-term charge mode in which the to-be-charged part 572 is charged in a period of time longer than that in the normal charge mode. Power supplied from the battery 56 to the to-be-charged part 572 is lower in the long-term charge mode than in the normal charge mode.

Claims

1. An electronic shelf label system comprising:

a plurality of electronic shelf labels arranged in corresponding relation to products, and displaying product data relating to corresponding products; and

an information distribution part for making communication with said plurality of electronic shelf labels to distribute said product data to each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels on which said product data should be displayed,

each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels including;

a battery for supplying power of this electronic shelf label;

a to-be-charged part to be charged by power supplied from said battery;

a transmission part for sending data to said information distribution part by using power accumulated in said to-be-charged part; and

a charge control part for controlling power supplied from said battery to said to-be-charged part,

in each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels, on receipt of certain data from said information distribution part, a charge operation mode of this electronic shelf label being changed from a first mode in which said to-be-charged part is charged in a first period of time to a second mode in which said to-be-charged part is charged in a second period of time longer than said first period of time, power supplied from said battery to said to-be-charged part being lower in said second mode than in said first mode.

2. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein said charge control part includes a boost circuit for boosting the voltage of said battery and supplying the voltage to said to-be-charged part, and power is supplied from said battery through said boost circuit to said to-be-charged part.

3. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein said information distribution part determines whether or not said information distribution part should send said certain data to said electronic shelf label based on the location of this electronic shelf label.

4. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein said information distribution part determines whether or not said information distribution part should send said certain data to said electronic shelf label based on the number of communications with this electronic shelf label.

5. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein said information distribution part determines whether or not said information distribution part should send said certain data to said electronic shelf label based on the operating period of this electronic shelf label from a certain point in time.

6. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels further includes a mode setting switch, and each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels switches said charge operation mode in response to the condition of said mode setting switch.

7. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels further includes a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of this electronic shelf label, and each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels switches said charge operation mode in response to a result of sensing at said temperature sensor.

8. The electronic shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels further includes a voltage sensing part for sensing the voltage of said battery, and each of said plurality of electronic shelf labels switches said charge operation mode in response to a result of sensing at said voltage sensing part.