Article-information display system using electronically controlled tags

• US 6,249,263 B1
• Filed: 05/15/1996
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Display Edge Technology, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kayser, Kenneth W., Frederick, W. Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/647,664
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1, 345/2, 345/30, 345/43, 345/55, 340/825.35, 340/825.49, 364/400, 364/401, 364/405, 248/68.1, 174/72, 174/135, 404/02, 404/55, 404/88, 404/52, 404/47, 405/41, 405/42
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels

Abstract

A product information display system has electronic display tags for displaying pricing and product information for products in stores or warehouses. The electronic display tags are electromagnetically coupled to a conductor. A control circuit is used to generate an information signal which contains a tag address and related data. A modulator circuit modulates an a-c. power signal with the information signal and applies it to the conductor for transmission to the display tags. Each of the display tags is equipped with a coil that is electromagnetically coupled to the conductor for picking up the signals carried by the conductor. A demodulator is used to demodulate the signal picked up by the coil to obtain the original information signal. Each of the display tags is provided with a manually operated switch for initializing the tags with initial addresses transmitted by the conductor. A microprocessor in the electronic tag then compares the address contained in subsequent information signals with the address stored in the tag'"'"'s memory. If the addresses match, the microprocessor further processes the information signal for visual display or verification functions.

Claims

1. A product information display system comprising:

a plurality of electronic display tags located along at least one product shelf structure;

an electrical power supply for supplying power at a relatively low voltage level for a multiplicity of display tags;

a controller circuit for providing information signals at a relative low voltage level for a multiplicity of the display tags;

at least one electrical conductor which is formed by a structure other than the product shelf structure comprising a relatively low voltage type of conductor passing in close proximity to a multiplicity of the electronic display tags, said conductor carrying power and information in the form of electrical signals past the display tags; and

a pick-up coil in each display tag and electromagnetically coupled directly to said conductor for having corresponding electrical power and information signals induced therein.

2. An article information display system comprising:

at least one article display area formed by a product supporting structure;

a conductor forming a primary winding, said primary winding extending along a portion of said display area, said primary winding formed by a structure which is separate from the product supporting structure;

a power supply for generating an a-c signal;

a controller circuit for generating a data signal;

a modulator circuit, coupled to said power supply and to said controller circuit for modulating said data signal into said a-c signal;

said conductor operatively connected to said modulator circuit and carrying a modulated, electrical data and power signal; and

at least one electronic display tag mounted in or near said display area in proximity to said conductor, said display tag including;

a display;

a pick-up coil forming at least one secondary winding positioned in close proximity to said primary winding sufficient to form a transformer between said primary winding and said secondary winding, said transformer acting to induce in said pick-up coil a corresponding modulated signal;

a demodulator circuit, coupled to said pick-up coil, for demodulating data from said corresponding modulated signal;

a processing circuit, coupled to said demodulator circuit to receive said demodulated data and coupled to said display to drive said display, said processing circuit driving said display according to said demodulated data; and

a rectifier circuit, coupled to said pick-up coil, for deriving a power signal from said corresponding modulated signal, said rectifier circuit being coupled to said processing circuit and to said display for supplying said processing circuit and said display with said power signal.

3. An article information display system comprising:

at least one article display shelf;

a conductor wire having a portion forming at least one primary winding, said primary winding extending along a portion of said display shelf;

a power supply for generating an a-c signal;

a controller circuit for generating a data signal;

a modulator circuit, coupled to said power supply, to said controller circuit and to said conductor wire, for modulating said data signal into said a-c signal producing a single modulated signal, and for supplying said single modulated signal to said conductor wire; and

at least one electronic display tag mounted to said display shelf, said display tag including;

a display;

only a single pick-up coil forming at least one secondary winding positioned in close proximity to said primary winding sufficient to form a transformer between said primary winding and said secondary winding, said transformer acting to transfer said single modulated signal from said conductor wire to said single pick-up coil;

a demodulator circuit, coupled to said single pick-up coil, for demodulating said data signal from said single modulated signal;

a processing circuit, coupled to said demodulator circuit to receive said data signal and coupled to said display to drive said display, said processing circuit driving said display according to said data signal; and

a rectifier circuit, coupled to said single pick-up coil, for deriving a power signal from said single modulated signal, said rectifier circuit being coupled to said processing circuit and to said display for supplying said processing circuit and said display with said power signal;

wherein said single modulated signal is the only signal transmitted along said conductor wire to said electronic display tag.

4. A product information display system comprising:

at least one shelf and at least one electronic display tag mounted on a portion of said shelf;

at least one electrical conductor separate from the shelf extending along a portion of said shelf in close proximity to said electronic display tag;

a controller for supplying said display tag with power and data from a single source via said conductor, said area controller including a data signal source for supplying data signals for a multiplicity of the display tags, and a transmitter circuit for supplying said conductor with an electrical power and data signal and;

a pick-up coil in said display tag electromagnetically coupled to said conductor for having a corresponding electrical power and data signal induced therein;

said display tag including circuitry for receiving and displaying display data, means for powering said circuitry with power derived by said pick-up coil from said conductor, and means for supplying said circuitry with display data derived by said pick-up coil from said conductor; and

a display circuit within said display tag for generating a display in response to output signals from said circuitry.

5. A product information display system comprising:

an interconnected shelf assembly including at least a first shelf and a second shelf spaced from said first shelf, and at least a first electronic display tag mounted on a portion of said first shelf and a second electronic display tag mounted on a portion of said second shelf;

at least a first electrical conductor extending along a portion of said first shelf but structurally distinct from said first shelf and forming a first primary winding in close proximity to said first electronic display tag and a second electrical conductor extending along a portion of said second shelf but structurally distinct from said second shelf and forming a second primary winding in close proximity to said second electronic display tag;

a controller for supplying said first and second display tags with power and data from a single source via said first and second conductors, said controller including a data signal source for supplying data signals and a modulator for modulating said data signals with an a-c power signal to generate a modulated data and power signal;

said first and second conductors operatively connected to said modulator circuit and each carrying a respective modulated, electrical data and power signal; and

a first pick-up coil in said first display tag forming at least a first secondary winding positioned in close proximity to said first primary winding to form a first transformer between said first primary winding and said first secondary winding, said first transformer acting to induce in said first pick-up coil a corresponding modulated data and power signal, and a second pick-up coil in said second display tag forming at least a second secondary winding positioned in close proximity to said second primary winding to form a second transformer between said second primary winding and said second secondary winding, said second transformer acting to induce in said second pick-up coil a corresponding modulated data and power signal;

each of said first and second display tags including a respective processing circuit and a respective display circuit for generating a display in response to information in said modulated signals.

6. A product information display system associated with a product display or storage establishment having multiple product display or storage areas, comprising:

a plurality of electronic display tags mounted adjacent said product display or storage areas;

a controller circuit for providing information signals for a multiplicity of the electronic display tags;

an electrical power supply connected to said controller circuit for supplying a power signal thereto for a multiplicity of the electronic display tags;

a modulator connected to said controller circuit for receiving the power signal and the information signals and for modulating the power signal with the information signals into an information/power signal;

at least one electrical conductor connected to said modulator, said conductor extending along a portion of each storage area in close proximity to a multiplicity of the electronic display tags for supplying the information/power signal to those electronic display tags, said conductor extending in a manner which forms two parallel segments;

a pick-up coil in each electronic display tag inductively coupled to said conductor for receiving the information/power signal, said pick-up coil including at least two spaced apart portions each of which is positioned in close proximity to and extends substantially parallel to a respective one of the parallel segments of the conductor;

a demodulator in each electronic display tag for demodulating the information/power signal into information signals;

a power supply circuit in each display tag for providing a power signal derived from the information/power signal; and

a display circuit in each electronic display tag for generating a display in response to the information signals derived from the demodulator, said display circuit powered by the power signal from the power supply circuit.

7. A product information display system comprising:

at least one electronic display tag associated with a shelf;

an electrical power supply for supplying power for the electronic display tag;

a controller circuit for providing information signals;

a modulator connected to the controller circuit and the power supply for producing combined power and information signals;

at least one electrical conductor operatively coupled to the modulator, and passing in close proximity to the electronic display tag, said conductor carrying combined, electrical power and information signals, said conductor structurally distinct from said shelf;

a pick-up coil in the electronic display tag and electromagnetically coupled to said conductor for having corresponding combined power and information signals induced therein;

said conductor and said pick-up coil forming a transformer in which the primary winding is said conductor and the secondary winding is said pick-up coil; and

a display circuit within the electronic display tag for generating a display in response to combined power and information signals induced in said pick-up coil.

8. The product information display system of claim 7 wherein the at least one electronic display tag comprises a plurality of electronic display tags, each electronic display tag having a respective pick-up coil, and wherein said conductor forms a single continuous primary winding for multiple secondary windings formed by multiple pickup coils in the electronic display tags.

9. A product information display system associated with a product display or storage establishment having at least one product display or storage structure, comprising:

a plurality of electronic display tags mounted adjacent said product display or storage structure;

a controller circuit for providing information signals for a multiplicity of the electronic display tags;

an electrical power supply connected to said controller circuit for supplying a-c power for a multiplicity of the electronic display tags;

a modulator connected to said power supply and controller circuit for receiving the power signal and the information signals for modulating the power signal with the information signals into an information/power signal;

at least one electrical conductor operatively connected to said modulator, said conductor extending along and passing in close proximity to a selected group of said electronic display tags and carrying an electrical information/power signal to those electronic display tags, said conductor being separate from said product display or storage structure;

each display tag including a pick-up coil which forms a part of a resonant circuit, and an electronically controllable switch in parallel with said resonant circuit for modulating the impedance of said resonant circuit and thereby modulating said signal in said conductor to produce an embedded data signal in said conductor at a frequency which is a sub-harmonic of said signal in said conductor; and

a display circuit in each electronic display tag.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for supplying the display circuit with power derived by the electromagnetic coupler from said conductor, and with information derived by the electromagnetic coupler from said conductor, said display circuit generating a display in response to the information.

11. A product information display system comprising:

a plurality of area controllers distributed throughout a product display or storage establishment having multiple product shelves having front edges;

a computer for supplying product information to the plurality of area controllers;

at least one wire loop operatively connected to each area controller and separate from the product shelves but extending along the front edges of the shelves;

a multiplicity of electronic display tags mounted on the front edges of said shelves and electromagnetically coupled to said wire loop along a non-magnetic path;

each of said area controllers comprising;

a data controller for communicating with said computer;

a microprocessor for processing information received from said computer;

a modulator for modulating an a-c power signal with information signals;

wherein said wire loop carries an electrical current comprising a modulated, electrical information and power signal which acts to induce a corresponding modulated signal in said tags; and

each tag having a demodulator for demodulating signals induced therein.

12. The product information display system of claim 11 wherein each of said display tags is electromagnetically coupled to said wire loop by a pick-up coil located on the tag and coupled to said loop.

13. The product information display system of claim 11 which includes a rail on the front edge of each shelf, said display tags are attached to the front side of said rail, and segments of said wire loop are attached to the rear side of said rail.

14. The product information display system of claim 11 wherein each of said display tags includes a pick-up coil for electromagnetically coupling the tag to said wire loop, and each tag also includes a resonant circuit that includes said pick-up coil.

15. The product information display system of claim 11 which includes checkout stations equipped with scanners for identifying products being purchased from scanable codes on the products, and a controller supplied with the same prices included in the product information supplied to said area controllers for assigning prices to the products identified by said scanners.

16. The product information display system of claim 11 wherein each area controller includes an electrical power supply for supplying a-c power for a multiplicity of the display tags.

17. The product information display system of claim 11 which includes means for supplying said a-c power continuously to said multiplicity of display tags.

18. The product information display system of claim 11 wherein segments of said wire loop extend along the front edge of each shelf, and each shelf includes a tag rail extending along the front edge of the shelf, said rail forming a continuous channel extending along the front edge of each shelf so that said display tags can be mounted at any desired location along the front edge of any shelf.

19. The product information display system of claim 12 wherein said area controllers are located near the respective shelves serviced by the wire loops connected to the respective area controllers.

20. The product information display system of claim 12 wherein each of said area controllers has multiple wire loops connected thereto, and includes control means responsive to product information received by the area controller for selecting the wire loop coupled to the display tag for that particular product.

21. A product information display system comprising:

a plurality of area controllers distributed throughout a product display or storage establishment having multiple product shelves having front edges;

a computer for supplying product information to the plurality of area controllers;

at least one wire loop operatively connected to each area controller and extending along the front edges of each shelf;

a multiplicity of electronic display tags mounted on the front edges of said shelves and electromagnetically coupled to said wire loop along a non-magnetic path;

each of said area controllers comprising;

a data controller for communicating with said computer;

a microprocessor for processing information received from said computer;

a modulator for modulating an a-c power signal with information signals and applying the signal to said wire loop;

each tag having a demodulator for demodulating signals induced therein; and

wherein each shelf has two spaced parallel segments of said wire loop extending along the front edge of the shelf, and each of said display tags includes a pick-up coil with at least two spaced apart portions each of which is in close proximity to a respective one of said parallel segments of the wire loop.