Electronic shelf label

• US 7,152,040 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hawthorne, Eric Scott, Belvin, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): JASMIN, LYNDA C
• Application Number:
  US10/445,516
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 705/20
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/208 Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays

Abstract

An electronic shelf label includes a transceiver configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless data tags associated with a plurality of retail products. The transceiver is further configured to communicate with a retail server system. A display displays information related to the plurality of retail products. A controller sends data to the retail server system related to the plurality of wireless data tags.

Claims

1. An electronic shelf label positioned on a first retail product support structure, comprising:

a transceiver positioned on the first retail product support structure and configured to communicate with at least one wireless data tag moved by a customer proximate the first retail product support structure, each of the at least one wireless data tag being coupled to a corresponding retail product associated with a different retail product support structure such that the corresponding retail product is also moved by the customer proximate the first retail product support structure, the transceiver further configured to communicate with a retail server system;

a display configured to display information related to retail products; and

a controller configured to send data to the retail server system through the transceiver as a function of data received through the transceiver from the at least one wireless data tag, the controller further configured to control the display of information on the display as a function of the retail products moved by the customer proximate the first retail product support structure and corresponding to the at least one wireless data tag.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transceiver comprises a first transceiver configured to communicate with the plurality of wireless data tags and a second transceiver configured to communicate with the retail server system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory having an address location configured to store an address.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory having a display data location configured to store display data for output on the display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a printable area configured to display static information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is configured to dynamically display data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is configured to display alpha numeric symbols.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is configured to display graphical images.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 including an antenna coupled to the transceiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the antenna is configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the antenna is configured for inductive coupling.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the antenna is configured for capacitive coupling.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 including a user input coupled to the controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller changes the display data provided to the display as a function of the user input.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communications are in accordance with a frequency modulated (FM) signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the signal has a frequency of between about 85 MHz and 108 MHz.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communications are in accordance with an error correction encoding technique.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 including a memory configured to carry program instructions and the controller operates in accordance with the program instructions.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the program instructions stored in the memory are dynamically changed in response to a received signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 including a battery configured to store power received through an antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 including an audio output coupled to the controller.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 including a user input coupled the controller and wherein the controller actuates the audio output in response to the user input.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is configuration to display data in accordance with a mark-up language.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the mark-up language comprises HTML.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the mark-up language comprise XML.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display data is indicative of a price of at least one retail product.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller determines an inventory of retail products carried on the retail product support structure.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the display information is related to the inventory.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the controller sends data to the retail server system related to the inventory.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 including an antenna coupled to the transceiver configured to generate an antenna pattern relative to the first retail product support structure.

31. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna pattern is configured to overlap with an adjacent antenna pattern from an adjacent electronic shelf label.

32. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transceiver provides power to the wireless data tags.

33. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the display of information on the display such that the information indicates a relationship between the retail products moved by the customer proximate the first retail product support structure and retail products positioned on the first retail product support structure.

34. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the display of information on the display such that the information offers an unadvertised special to the customer.

35. An electronic shelf label, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless data tags associated with a plurality of retail products carried on a retail product support structure, the transceiver further configured to communicate with a retail server system;

an antenna, coupled to the transceiver, configured to generate an antenna pattern relative to the retail product support structure, wherein the antenna pattern is configured to overlap with an adjacent antenna pattern from an adjacent electronic shelf label;

a display configured to display information related to the plurality of retail products; and

a controller configured to send data, related to wireless data tags within a directional pattern, to the retail server system through the transceiver circuitry as a function of data received through the transceiver from at least one of the plurality of wireless data tags, the controller further configured to control the display of information on the display.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of a retail product carried on the retail product support structure based on the antenna pattern.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of the retail product carried on the retail product support structure based upon the wireless data tag associated with the retail product being positioned within the overlap between the antenna pattern and the adjacent antenna pattern.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of misplaced goods based on the antenna pattern.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of expired goods based on the antenna pattern.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to determine areas which require restocking based on the antenna pattern.