US 11,875,083 B2
Electronic shelf label system with energy supply for long-term operation of consumers of a shelf label
Andreas Rössl, Graz (AT)
Assigned to SES-IMAGOTAG GmbH, Fernitz-Mellach (AT)
Appl. No. 17/786,587
Filed by SES-Imagotag GmbH, Fernitz-Mellach (AT)
PCT Filed Dec. 23, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/086991
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/129932, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0012967 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 3/147 (2006.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01)
CPC G06F 3/147 (2013.01) [H02J 50/10 (2016.02); G09G 2330/021 (2013.01); G09G 2380/04 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating an electronic shelf label system (1), including the steps of providing:
one or more shelf labels (201-211) fastened to shelf edge strips (3),
the one or more shelf labels (201-211) being designed such that they can be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, and
wherein the shelf edge strip (3) comprises a supply device (401-403) for contactlessly supplying energy to the one or more shelf labels (201-211) fastened thereon, and a rechargeable long-term energy storage device (13H), and
the shelf edge strip (3) comprises at least one conductor loop (L) that is a constituent of the supply device (401-403) of the shelf edge strip (3) and wherein the conductor loop (L) is used for emitting a signal, which can be generated by the supply device (401-403), for the purpose of the suppling of energy to the one or more shelf labels (201-211) positioned on the shelf edge strip (3), in a manner corresponding to the conductor loop (L);
the supply device (401-403) generating the signal via the conductor loop (L) and transmitting electrical energy to at least one or more shelf labels (201-211) positioned corresponding to the conductor loop (L), the respective shelf labels (201-211) storing the electrical energy in the rechargeable long-term energy storage device (13H) for use during its operation outside of the time period when the signal is present;
wherein at least one of the one or more shelf labels (201-211) of the system (1) comprises at least one data collecting electric consumer (13A-13E), which causes electrical power consumption outside of the time period where the signal is present, and
wherein, each of the one or more shelf labels (201-211), which comprises such a data collecting consumer, provides the power consumed by the data collecting consumer when operated outside of the time period where the signal is present, with the aid of the electrical energy stored in the long-term energy storage device (13H),
wherein in addition to energy supply, the supply device (401-403) sets up communication with one or more selected of the one or more shelf labels (201-211) with the aid of the signal, and, during the time period when the signal is present, each of the one or more shelf labels (201-211) analyzes the signal and checks whether it is selected for communication with the supply device (401-403), wherein each of the one or more shelf labels (201-211) first establishes its electrical supply with the aid of the signal when the signal occurs, and subsequently analyzes the signal and checks whether it is selected for communication with the supply device (401-403),
wherein, further according to the method, the respective data collecting consumer (13A-13E) generates and stores data (D) during its activity consuming electrical power stored in the long-term energy storage device (13H), and transmits these data (D) during the time period where the signal is present, from the one or more shelf labels (201-211) to the supply device (401-403) during communication with the supply device (401-403).