ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL

• US 20110123198A1
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pricer AB
• Original Assignee: Pricer AB
• Inventors: Nilsson, Björn, Andersson, Lars
• Application Number:
  US13/022,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20110123198A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic shelf label arranged to be wirelessly connected to an electronic labelling system, said label comprising a wireless communication interface adapted to receive information to be shown on a display, an internal controller controlling the communication interface, the controller being arranged to determine each time an information frame is received, whether or not the information frame is intended for the shelf label, said electronic shelf label being characterized in that the controller comprises an interface for communicating with a processor, which can assume a sleep mode in which no power is consumed, or an active mode in which the processor controls the reception of information from the system to the label, and the controller is arranged to transmit a wakeup signal to the processor if it determines that the processor should assume the active mode.

Claims

1. An electronic shelf label arranged to be wirelessly connected to an electronic labeling system, said label comprising:

a wireless communication interface to receive information to be shown on a display,

an internal controller to control the communication interface, the controller being arranged to determine each time an information frame is received, whether or not the information frame is intended for the shelf label,

wherein the controller comprises an interface infra-red connection to communicate with a processor, which can assume a sleep mode in which no power is consumed or an active mode in which the processor controls the reception of information from the system to the label, and

wherein the controller is arranged to transmit a wakeup signal to the processor if the controller determines that the processor should assume the active mode.

2. The electronic shelf label according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to transmit a wakeup signal to the processor if the controller determines that the processor should assume the active mode as a result of an information frame intended for the label being received.

3. The electronic shelf label according to claim 1, wherein the internal controller is arranged to assume a sleep mode most of the time, poll the communication interface at certain time intervals and activate itself upon receipt of a message intended for the label.

4. The electronic shelf label according to claim 1, wherein the display is bistable.

5. An electronic shelf label arranged to be wirelessly connected to an electronic labeling system, said label comprising:

a wireless communication interface to receive information to be shown on a display;

a display with a display driver;

a processor to control the display driver;

an internal controller to control the communication interface, the controller being arranged to determine each time an information frame is received, whether or not the information frame is intended for the shelf label,

wherein the controller comprises an interface infra-red connection to communicate with a processor, which can assume a sleep mode in which no power is consumed or an active mode in which the processor controls the reception of information from the system to the label, and

wherein the controller is arranged to transmit a wakeup signal to the processor if the controller determines that the processor should assume the active mode.

6. The electronic shelf label according to claim 5, wherein the processor controls a DC/DC converter arranged to convert the voltage supplied by a power source to a sufficiently high voltage to power the display drive and update the display.

7. The electronic shelf label according to claim 6, wherein the controller is arranged to transmit a wakeup signal to the processor if the controller determines that the processor should assume the active mode as a result of an information frame intended for the label being received.

8. The electronic shelf label according to claim 7, wherein the internal controller is arranged to assume a sleep mode most of the time, poll the communication interface at certain time intervals and activate itself upon receipt of a message intended for the label.

9. The electronic shelf label according to claim 8, wherein the display is bistable.

10. The electronic self label according to claim 7, wherein the wireless communication interface is to receive a new authorization code matching an authorization code in the label to replace an old authorization code.