EP4081893A1

EP4081893A1 - Electronic shelf labelling system comprising an energy supply for long-term operation by consumers of a shelf label

Info

Publication number: EP4081893A1
Application number: EP19832968.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas RÖßL
Original assignee: SES Imagotag GmbH
Current assignee: Vusiongroup GmbH
Priority date: 2019-12-23
Filing date: 2019-12-23
Publication date: 2022-11-02
Also published as: WO2021129932A1; CN114787763A; US20230012967A1; US11875083B2

Abstract

A method for operating an electronic shelf labelling system (1), the system having shelf labels (203) secured on shelf edge strips (3), wherein: the shelf labels can be contactlessly supplied with energy, the shelf edge strips have a supply device (21) for contactlessly supplying energy to the shelf labels secured on same, and the shelf edge strip has at least one conductor loop (L), the conductor loop being a component of the supply device of the shelf edge strip, and the conductor loop is used to emit a signal, which can be produced by the supply device, for the purpose of the aforementioned supply of energy to shelf labels positioned correspondingly relative to the conductor loop on the shelf edge strip; and, according to the method, the aforementioned signal is produced by means of the supply device and is emitted via the conductor loop, and the shelf label positioned correspondingly relative to said conductor loop stores electrical energy, which is transferred from the supply device to the shelf label by means of the signal, in a rechargeable long-term energy storage device and uses it for operation outside of the period of the presence of the signal.

Description

title

Electronic shelf label system with energy supply for long-term operation of consumers of a shelf label

description

Technical field

The invention relates to an electronic shelf label system with power supply via a shelf rail for long-term operation of consumers of a shelf label.

Background.

An electronic shelf label system for displaying information with the help of electronic shelf label displays, hereinafter referred to as ESL system for short, where ESL stands for "Electronic Shelf Label", with power supply via a shelf rail is known, for example, from the international patent application WO 2017/153481 A1. In this known ESL system, a shelf rail to which the ESLs are attached is equipped with electrical conductor tracks which are connected to a power supply unit for the electrical supply of the ESLs to electrically connect the ESLs to the power supply unit.

However, the known energy supply is relatively expensive because a large number, in particular isolated, mechanical components must be provided in each ESL and in each shelf rail. These mechanical components are subject to natural wear and tear. In addition, improper handling can contaminate or even damage the mechanical components. This can lead to malfunctions during operation. The mechanical components are also associated with considerable additional expenditure in terms of manufacture and maintenance, which is necessary to avoid the problems mentioned during operation. In the known system there is also the restriction that the ESLs cannot be positioned or moved along the shelf rail as required. The invention has the object of providing an improved ESL system in which the above-mentioned problems are overcome.

Summary of the invention

This object is achieved by a method for operating an electronic shelf label system, the system having shelf labels attached to shelf rails, the shelf labels being designed to be able to be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, and the shelf rail having a supply device for contactless energy supply to those attached to it Have shelf labels and the shelf rail has at least one conductor loop, wherein the conductor loop is part of the supply device of the shelf rail and the conductor loop is used to output a signal that can be generated by the supply device for the purpose of said energy supply of shelf labels positioned on the shelf rail corresponding to the conductor loop, wherein according to the method with the aid of the supply device, said signal is generated and emitted via the conductor loop and the respective shelf label positioned corresponding to the conductor loop is electrical e Energy that is transmitted from the supply device to the shelf label with the aid of the signal is stored in a rechargeable long-term energy storage device and used for its operation outside a period of time in which the signal is present.

The object is also achieved by an electronic shelf label system, which has shelf rails and attached shelf labels, wherein the shelf labels are designed to be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, and wherein each shelf rail has a supply device for contactless energy supply of the shelf labels attached to it and each of the shelf rails has at least one conductor loop, wherein the conductor loop is a component of the supply device of the shelf rail and the conductor loop is used to output a signal that can be generated by the supply device for the purpose of said energy supply of shelf labels positioned corresponding to the conductor loop on the shelf rail, the Shelf labels have a rechargeable long-term energy store and the shelf labels for storing the energy transmitted to them with the aid of the signal from the supply device in the long-term Energy storage and are designed to use the energy stored in the long-term energy storage for their operation outside of the time span of the presence of the signal.

With the measures according to the invention, as a departure from known measures, there is a complete waiver of contact or line-bound energy supply of the shelf labels on a shelf rail. This has the advantage that the shelf label is supplied with energy completely free of mechanical contacts and the associated problems. The system can thus be manufactured more cost-effectively and, because of the mechanical components that are avoided, in particular that require maintenance, can be operated de facto maintenance-free with regard to these mechanical components.

Furthermore, the aspect of energy efficiency in the system is given due attention. Whenever the signal is emitted by the supply device, this signal is used on the shelf labels positioned along the relevant conductor loop to charge the long-term energy storage device. This measure ensures that the power required to generate and output the signal, which must be provided with the aid of the supply device, in particular its battery, is also used optimally outside the supply device. It should be noted here that such an electronic shelf label system can have a large number of shelf rails. For example, up to 100,000 such shelf rails can be installed in larger supermarkets. Since each of these shelf rails is equipped with a, in particular battery-operated, supply device, this means that 100,000 such supply devices must be primarily supplied with electrical power or energy. If the power output using the signal were not converted as completely as possible into energy storage on the side of the shelf label receiving the signal, the amount of energy required for outputting the signal from the supply device would, figuratively speaking, "fizzle out" through the emission of the signal, i.e. it would be wasted be.

The energy required for outputting the signal can be provided on the one hand by a battery that is built into the supply device, in particular a rechargeable battery. Unused radiation losses caused by the emitted signal lead to a shortened one in this design Battery life and increased maintenance costs or, in the case of rechargeable batteries, more frequent charging cycles, which in turn shortens the life of the batteries.

However, the aspect of waste of energy is also to be taken into account in a training in which the supply device is supplied with the aid of a power supply unit, which in turn is connected to a conventional power grid. In this case, too, without systematic intermediate storage or buffering of the energy transmitted with the signal on the shelf label side, converted to the large number of supply devices, a considerable discrepancy between the energy fed into the system and that actually in the system for electronic Processing of used energy. As mentioned, a considerable part of this discrepancy could be assigned to a useless emission of the signals.

The same applies mutatis mutandis to the supply of the supply device by means of "Power over WiFi".

With the storage of the energy transmitted with the aid of the signal in the rechargeable long-term energy store of the shelf labels, however, there is also another significant advantage. This measure allows the shelf label not only to be active within the time period in which the signal is present, but also to be in operation outside of the time period in which the signal is present, completely detached from the energy supply currently taking place by the signal. This in turn forms the basis of the most varied of new forms of design and possible uses of the shelf labels, which are no longer restricted or tied to the signal, which usually occurs as rarely as possible for reasons of energy saving, which will be discussed in detail below.

According to the preferred embodiment, the long-term energy storage device can be implemented by a so-called “supercapacitor”, or “ultracapacitor” for short. Of course, rechargeable batteries or accumulators can also be used. The advantage of the supercapacitors mentioned, however, lies in the following A supercapacitor, also known as an ultracapacitor, is a high-performance capacitor with a capacitance value that is much higher than that of other capacitors, but has lower voltage limits and bridges the gap between electrolytic capacitors and rechargeable batteries. It typically stores 10 to 100 times more energy per unit volume or mass than electrolytic capacitors, can accept and release charges much faster than batteries, and tolerate many more charge and discharge cycles than rechargeable batteries. In the present application scenario, the signal from the above-mentioned considerations of energy saving can occur as rarely as possible and then also be present for as short a period of time as possible. With the help of the supercapacitors, however, this relatively short occurrence of the signal can also be used optimally for rapid and, above all, sufficient energy storage for later operation outside the time span in which the signal is present.

Regardless of the fact that small designs are used when integrating a supercapacitor into a shelf label, it should be mentioned here as an example that at the time of registration, supercapacitors and ultracapacitors, for example, from a large number of companies, such as AVX, Cellergy, Elna, Ioxus, Maxwell , Nichicon, Panasonic, PowerStor are commercially available.

It should also be mentioned at this point that "battery operation" of the supply device is also possible with the aid of a supercapacitor installed there.

Further, particularly advantageous configurations and developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description. Features of one claim category can be further developed in accordance with the features of the other claim category so that the effects and advantages listed in connection with one claim category are also available for the other claim categories.

In order to make optimal use of the signal, according to a further aspect, the supply device can use the signal to establish communication with the one or more selected shelf labels in addition to supplying energy to one or more shelf labels attached to the shelf rail, and each shelf label checks when the signal is present evaluating the signal to determine whether it has been selected for communication with the supply facility. In addition to a holistic energy supply for everyone on the shelf rail along the Conductor loop attached shelf labels a selective response or a selective communication structure with a single shelf label or a group of shelf labels that are arranged along a conductor loop.

It is advantageous if, when the signal occurs, each shelf label first establishes its electrical supply with the aid of the signal and then checks whether it has been selected for communication with the supply device. This ensures that the energy stored in the long-term energy store is used specifically only when the control label is operated outside of the time span in which the signal is present. At the same time, the energy provided with the help of the signal is used to directly supply the shelf label for communication purposes.

In order to optimize the energy yield when storing the energy that can be transmitted with the aid of the signal, it is advantageous if each shelf label that determines that it has not been selected for communication with the supply facility reduces its activities to the signal during the to use the entire remaining time span of the presence of the signal for storing electrical energy until the long-term energy storage device is charged as completely as possible. For this purpose, the electronics of the shelf label can be designed in such a way that parts of the electronics, in particular also those e.g. digital components, which are used for communication purposes and which are not immediately necessary for storing energy during the entire remaining period of time when the signal is present, switched off, de-energized or at least switched to a state with extremely low energy consumption.

The electronics of the shelf labels can also be designed in such a way that the process of energy storage when the signal is present is independent of whether the respective shelf label is to participate in communication with the supply device or not.

Such an electronic shelf label can provide a wide variety of functionalities or, with the help of its electronics or assemblies, fulfill a wide variety of functions. The shelf label can be used, for example, to record environmental parameters, such as temperature or humidity, or as an input element for receiving an input interaction from a user (e.g. recording a fingerprint or pressing a key) or as a display medium for presenting a Information for the user, namely as a shelf label display, configured or designed accordingly. Sensors can also be present, with the help of which the distance to objects on the shelf or in front of the shelf can be determined, such as so-called "flight-of-time" sensors. A camera can also be included, with the aid of which digital images of products or whose EAN code can be generated, which can subsequently be used to register products or to establish a logical link between a product and the relevant shelf label or by moving their hands in front of the shelf. It can also be used to identify people, such as the identity check and the resulting activation of authorizations for service personnel. Building on this, the real label can, for example, display information or provide opportunities for interaction, only for the service staff or in particular e are intended for a specific category (goods conciliator, manager, etc.) of service personnel.

Accordingly, at least one shelf label of the system can have at least one electrical consumer (sensor, camera, input element, etc.) which causes an electrical power consumption outside the time span of the presence of the signal, wherein according to the method each shelf label that has such a consumer that Covers power consumption of the consumer outside the period of the presence of the signal with the help of the electrical energy stored in the long-term energy store.

The consumer or consumers are therefore additional components that are provided in addition to those components of the shelf label that are necessary for contactless energy and communication supply and possibly for displaying information when the shelf label is configured as a shelf label display. However, a display unit required for this can also be configured as a consumer and therefore supplied with the aid of the long-term energy store.

While the signal is present, the electrical supply of the loads can also take place with the aid of the energy stored in the long-term energy store. It is particularly advantageous if the respective consumer processes data during his activity causing the electrical power consumption outside of the time span of the presence of the signal, which was previously transferred from the supply device to said shelf label during communication between the supply device and the shelf label containing the consumer were transferred and saved there. This situation arises, for example, when biometric data, which correspond to service personnel, for example, have previously been transferred from the supply facility to the real label and then at a later point in time when the signal is no longer present to identify a person (e.g. by the service staff) can be used with the help of the camera. The image contents of a display unit of the shelf label can thus also be changed at any point in time outside of the time span in which the signal is present, using the image data previously received from the supply device.

Furthermore, it has proven to be advantageous that the respective consumer generates and stores data during his activity causing the electrical power consumption outside the time span of the presence of the signal and then, i.e. within the time span of the presence of the signal, from the shelf label during communication be transferred with the supply facility to the supply facility. This scenario occurs, for example, when outside the presence of the signal with the help of a consumer, such as a temperature sensor, temperature curves are recorded or, for example, a flight-of-time sensor recognizes the change or removal or addition of objects on the shelf or, for example, a user input is recorded with the aid of an input element, etc. In all these cases, the consumer in question generates data that are communicated to the supply device for further processing at a later point in time when the signal is present. For this purpose, the respective consumer has a memory unit which, when the signal is present, can be accessed via a data bus from the electronics of the shelf label provided for communication with the supply device. It would also be possible to provide a central storage unit (for example EEPROM) in which the data are stored centrally by the respective consumers and from there can also be accessed centrally with the aid of the electronics provided for communication mentioned.

The shelf label is also designed in such a way that it can be attached to the shelf rail in question. It thus has fastening elements which are designed to be essentially complementary to those of the shelf rail in order to enter into a non-positive connection with the shelf rail. The implementation is preferably rail-like, so that the shelf label can optionally be positioned along the shelf rail, if necessary also optionally freely displaceable along the shelf rail. Positioned there, the shelf label is supplied with energy in the contactless manner described in detail below.

The shelf label can have a proprietary interface for energy transmission that can only be used for this purpose. However, the shelf label preferably has a standardized energy transmission interface, which can be designed, for example, in accordance with the RFID standard (RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification and a relevant standard is e.g. ISO / IEC 18000 etc.). However, the shelf label particularly preferably has a first NFC interface for its contactless energy supply with the aid of a (radio) signal (NFC signal). This has the advantage that this NFC interface can be used not only for local energy transmission on the shelf or on the shelf rail, but also directly there for bidirectional contactless communication. This in particular avoids problems in radio communication caused by other radio systems in a shop or sales room, because these are usually located far away from the shelves where the shelf label is installed and therefore have little or no influence on the local energy transmission and communication between the have communication partners positioned close to one another directly on the shelf rail. NFC stands for Near Field Communication and the applicable standards are e.g. ISO / IEC 13157, -16353, -22536, -28361 etc.

The shelf label, when configured as a shelf label display, can have an energy-saving display unit such as an LCD display. In particular, however, the technology used is based on electronic ink or electronic paper technology. Such a display unit thus has a reflective screen in technical jargon also called electronic paper display, abbreviated EPD, and is with the help of "electronic paper", "E-paper" for short, also called "e-paper" or "e-ink" in English. These terms essentially stand for the principle of an electrophoretic display in which, for example, positively charged, white particles and negatively charged, black particles in By briefly applying a voltage to electrodes between which the medium of particles and polymer is arranged, either the black particles are placed in front of the white particles in the viewing direction, or vice versa. This arrangement then remains for a relatively long time without any further energy supply Time (eg a few weeks). If the display is segmented accordingly, letters, numbers or images can be implemented with a relatively high resolution to display said information. However, such a reflective screen can also be used with the help of other technologies, such as those under the Term "electrowetting" or "MEMS" are known. The screen can n, for example, as mentioned, be designed for black-and-white reproduction, for gray-scale reproduction, for black-and-white-red or also black-and-white-yellow reproduction. Future developments that enable full-color or multi-color reproduction should also be included. Such a screen is generally a reflective, i.e. passive, non-self-illuminating screen in which the - relatively static - information reproduction is based on the fact that light (ambient light) generated by an external (artificial or natural) light source radiates onto the screen and is reflected from there to the viewer.

With the aid of the first NFC interface, the display unit is supplied on the one hand with energy and on the other hand with data that can represent commands for controlling the display unit or also image content. During the energy supply via the NFC interface, said data can also be transmitted via this NFC interface, which data is processed by the display unit in such a way that the image content of your screen changes. After the change in the image content has been completed, the display unit can also output corresponding status information via the NFC interface, which represents the successful change in the image content. After the change in the image content has been completed, possibly also after the status information has been output, the energy supply can be terminated by the signal via the first NFC interface after which the content of the screen remains unchanged until the next desired change.

The first NFC interface also has the aforementioned electronics, specifically in the present case a microcontroller unit that can exchange data with the consumers via the data bus.

In addition to the NFC interface and its digital level, a central micro-controller unit can also be provided in the shelf label, which coordinates (controls) the processes and functionalities in the shelf label, but in particular also controls the energy management in the shelf label.

The use of the technologies mentioned above all allows the shelf label to be implemented, in particular designed as a shelf label display, without its own battery or accumulator, both of which are relatively expensive and require maintenance or replacement over time.

If necessary, a first capacitor, namely a so-called smoothing capacitor, which is usually provided in power supply devices (here in this specific case a so-called contactless power transmission unit), is used in the shelf label for short-term, temporary smoothing or stabilization of the internal supply voltage.

The shelf label can also have one or more second capacitors, namely so-called backup capacitors, which are usually provided distributed in the electronics in order to locally support the supply voltage in their vicinity.

The shelf label is designed in such a way that its electronics for communication, possibly also for updating the screen content, are only active using the first NFC interface when it is supplied with the signal with the help of the external electronic supply device.

If the signal fails, the smoothing capacitor and the backup capacitors allow only an extremely short, longer-term operation of the first NFC interface up to the breakdown of the supply voltage established by the NFC interface itself. From this point in time, only the electrical energy stored in the long-term energy storage device is available for the consumers of the shelf label Can be operated for several hours until the long-term energy storage device has to be recharged with the help of the signal (e.g. NFC signal).

The housing of the shelf label can be completely and permanently encapsulated because it is no longer necessary to replace a battery or accumulator, so that it can only be opened for recycling purposes (e.g. with special tools).

The NFC functionality, such as standardized NFC communication with standardized energy supply during NFC communication, can be implemented with the help of a commercially available NFC module (e.g. to implement an NFC tag). Together with the discussed display capability, it is possible to implement a shelf label that is reduced to a few, absolutely required electronic components and therefore also an extremely inexpensive shelf label with regard to these two functionalities.

Updates of the screen of the energy-saving display unit and the status report are not done directly by the shelf label display in a communication with an access point, as is the case with known systems, but are handled by the intermediate supply device, which acts as a relay station is in contact with the access point via a suitable (and essentially freely selectable) communication method, which will be discussed in detail below.

If functions that go beyond the pure display capability are required, the shelf label is equipped with the required consumers ex works, e.g. modular. The supply device then acts not only as a relay station for the communication with these consumers while the signal is present, but also as a relay station for the power supply of the shelf labels positioned corresponding to their conductor loop, in order to ensure the delayed operation of the consumers of the shelf labels, possibly also the To enable display unit, for example, to change the image content outside of the time window of the occurrence of the signal (eg NFC signal).

As mentioned, the supply device has at least one conductor loop formed on the shelf rail and one electrically conductively connected to the at least one conductor loop, in particular to its two line ends, hereinafter referred to as loop connections, electronic supply unit on. The supply unit is designed to transfer the energy for the electrical supply of a shelf label, which is mounted on the shelf rail corresponding to the conductor loop, to the shelf label in a contactless manner with the aid of the conductor loop. "Contactless" means here that this is done by generating and emitting the mentioned signal (eg NFC signal), ie by sending the signal or with the help of an inductive coupling between two adjacent conductor loops or coils.

In order to receive the signal, the shelf label also has a conductor loop consisting of a single loop or turn or a plurality of turns, that is to say a coil. This coil is part of the first NFC interface on the shelf label.

Furthermore, "corresponding to" means that the shelf label is positioned adjacent to the area spanned by the conductor loop of the shelf rail and is located there essentially within or adjacent to a zone delimited by the conductor loop of the shelf rail If the shelf label is inserted into the shelf rail, the conductor loop or coil built into the shelf label is automatically in the one for the transmission of the shelf rail, for example visible, formed or covered by a protective strip of material or a wall of the shelf rail Signal between the two adjacent conductor loops or coils that can be used. When the shelf label is inserted into the shelf rail, the areas spanned by the two conductor loops or coils (on the one hand belonging to the shelf rail and on the other hand belonging to the shelf label) are preferably par allele oriented to each other and localized at a defined distance of less than a millimeter to a few millimeters. In order to ensure the signal transmission to the shelf label and the communication between the supply device and the shelf label, ie not to impair or hinder it, the shelf rail itself is made of a suitable material, preferably plastic, for example by injection molding. It can have an electrically conductive, preferably metallic, particularly preferably flat, shielding on its rear side, that is to say that side facing the shelf and thus facing away from the shelf labels attached to it, which allows a to generate a defined background, which allows the tuning of an antenna oscillating circuit necessary for signal transmission in the supply device to this defined background. An undefined background can in fact lead to the antenna resonant circuit being detuned to such an extent that communication can even become impossible and / or the energy transmission is inefficient. The defined background created by the shield contributes to efficient energy transmission as well as reliable communication.

Furthermore, the at least one conductor loop can optionally be integrated into the shelf rail or attached to it. Integration in the shelf rail is advantageous if the shelf rail is made of plastic, for example, as mentioned, and the conductor loop is integrated there during injection molding, for example, i.e. during the production of the shelf rail. The conductor loop can, however, also be attached to the surface of the shelf rail, e.g. by gluing it on. In particular, when many conductor loops, which are arranged next to one another, are required and accordingly many supply lines have to be taken into account, it has proven to be advantageous if the conductor loop (s) is (are) formed on a printed circuit board. This circuit board can then be integrated into the shelf rail as a separate component or attached to it. The shelf rail can also be designed in such a way that the circuit board is exchangeable so that it is easy to respond to a wide variety of requirement profiles in shelf planning with a wide variety of conductor loop configurations, which can be implemented, for example, on a single circuit board or on different circuit boards. Particularly preferably, however, the shelf rail itself has a conductor loop receptacle. This can be designed in such a way that it is located, for example, on the front of the shelf rail, i.e. where the rear of the shelf label is positioned as close as possible to the shelf rail when it is attached to the shelf rail. The conductor loop receptacle can, however, also run on the rear of the shelf rail, corresponding to that area of the shelf rail where the shelf label can be attached, which can result in better accessibility of the conductor loop for maintenance purposes or also ensures unsurpassable protection against damage.

Ultimately, the conductor loop there is also hidden from the view of the customers of a supermarket. Structurally, the conductor loop recording can, for example be realized by a gap-shaped recess in, for example, the plastic material of the shelf rail, in which recess the conductor loop is inserted. In this way, the shape of the conductor loop and its exact position can also be defined as precisely as possible without further measures (such as the previously mentioned circuit board and its positioning). The conductor loop positioned on the rear can also be connected in an electrically conductive manner at practically any point with electronics of the supply device without having to consider the position of the shelf labels positioned on the front of the shelf rail. The recess can also have a snap or fixing mechanism which fixes the conductor loop in its desired position. The depression can also be designed in such a way that it can accommodate a plurality of turns of the conductor loop, wherein these can be arranged next to one another and / or one above the other in the depression.

Also, when integrating a conductor loop holder directly into the shelf rail (i.e. in its material) when planning or manufacturing the conductor loop, one is not bound by the limits of the manufacturing process for circuit boards and can therefore also create conductor loops with a length that is the same as for circuit boards of the current approx. one meter by far.

A conductor loop that extends along an entire shelf rail, which can be several meters long, can therefore also be implemented.

The circumference of the conductor loop of the shelf rail can extend, for example, along the entire length of the shelf rail and the entire height of the shelf rail. Preferably, however, the area spanned by the conductor loop will be somewhat smaller than the area of its front side defined by the physical dimensions of the shelf rail. The at least one guide loop is preferably located within the channel of the shelf rail, which is formed on the back of that wall of the shelf rail on which the shelf label, inserted into the shelf rail, rests with its rear or rear wall. Said channel is integrated in this wall. In order to implement the conductor loop of the shelf rail, a single circumferential conductor track or a coil-like, multiple circumferential conductor track, that is to say a conductor track having a plurality of turns, can be provided. This conductor loop has a loop connection at each of its two ends, to which the supply device is connected. The shelf rail can be equipped with a single conductor loop which extends, for example, essentially along the entire length of the shelf rail. This means that several shelf labels can be supplied with a single signal at the same time. However, it can also be advantageous if a plurality of conductor loops are formed along the longitudinal extension of the shelf rail, each of which is coupled to the supply unit (as mentioned, only in this case with individual loop connections), and the supply unit for looping. selective output of the signal, so is designed for selective energy transfer with the aid of each of the conductor loops. This enables a single shelf label or a group of shelf labels to be optionally supplied with energy with a single supply device, the shelf labels being arranged corresponding to the respective conductor loop of the shelf rail. Depending on the implementation, for example 2 or 3 or up to 15 or even significantly more conductor loops can be implemented along the shelf rail. These conductor loops are positioned next to one another along the longitudinal extension of the shelf rail and their respective two loop connections are routed along the shelf rail to the supply device, where they are electrically conductively connected. The longitudinal extent of the zone on the shelf rail covered by the respective conductor loop can be identical for all conductor loops. Thus, many closely spaced zones can be defined along the shelf rail, the respective longitudinal extension of which is based on the longitudinal extension of the shelf label used on the shelf rail, the longitudinal extension usually being a few cm, such as 8-12 cm. This enables the individual (selective) energy supply for each shelf label as well as the individual (selective) communication with each individual shelf label at (almost) any position along the shelf rail. This is advantageous when the shelf label is to be positioned as flexibly as possible and nevertheless an energy supply or communication with each shelf label that is as individual as possible is to be possible. However, larger zones can also be provided, in which there can then be several shelf labels, which are then supplied with energy together with the conductor loop concerned and either collectively supplied with data or carry out individual communication with the relevant supply device for as long the signal is present. This configuration can be used when the exact position of the respective shelf label is irrelevant. Such a case is given if, for example, several identical products are placed on a shelf over a longer section or the entire length of the shelf and the same information about these products is always presented by several shelf label displays placed at greater distances from one another along the longitudinal extension of the shelf rail . However, mixed configurations of relatively short zones and, in relation thereto, also relatively long zones can also be present along a shelf rail.

The conductor loops of the shelf rail can all be used together, i.e. at the same time, for energy transmission from the supply device. However, this means a corresponding design or training for the electronics of the supply device. It has therefore proven to be particularly advantageous if the supply unit is designed to multiplex the energy transmission via the conductor loops. Only a single conductor loop that is electronically selected is used for energy transmission.

As already discussed in an analogous manner in connection with the shelf label, the supply device can be designed differently with regard to its interface suitable for energy transmission. However, the supply unit is preferably designed as a second NFC interface for contactless energy supply of the shelf label (s), the at least one conductor loop of the shelf rail being a component of the NFC interface intended for contactless energy transmission (as well as contactless communication). The second NFC interface can be implemented with a commercially available NFC circuit (e.g. NFC reader circuit) that is connected to the conductor loop.

In general, it can be stated here that the conductor loop thus implements an inductance that is used as a component of an antenna or also for inductive coupling with the corresponding inductance or conductor loop on the shelf label side.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if exactly one electronic supply device is used per shelf rail. This allows a focused energy supply only for this to realize a shelf rail, i.e. the entirety of the shelf labels attached to it.

In this context, it has also proven to be particularly advantageous if the electronic supply device is integrated into the shelf rail or attached to it. A shelf rail with an individual electronic power supply can thus be implemented. The supply device can, for example, also be formed directly on the circuit board. Furthermore, the supply device can be connected to it as a module or mechanically coupled to the shelf rail as a module, e.g. inserted laterally into a receiving space or area provided for this purpose and positioned there in an electrically conductive manner with the conductor loop of the shelf rail. As a result, the shelf rail as a whole, including its supply device, can be tolerated and put back into operation at another location without any problems.

The energy supply of the supply device can be implemented in different ways. For example, the supply device can take place via an Ethernet cable that connects the supply device to other communication devices (e.g. a router), with the supply voltage for the supply device also being provided via this Ethernet cable.

However, a separate supply station (e.g. a power supply unit) can also be provided for supplying energy to the electronic supply devices. This supply station preferably supplies a group of electronic supply devices, particularly preferably for an entire shelf, in particular for a group of shelves. This allows the modular structure of a supply infrastructure for a single shelf or for geographically or thematically sorted groups of shelves or even just reducing the number of supply stations to a necessary minimum.

However, the electronic supply device is particularly preferably designed to be able to be supplied with energy in a radio-based manner, and the supply station is in turn designed as a radio energy source for, in particular, directed, radio-based energy supply to the electronic supply device. With the help of the radio energy source, there is a contactless, targeted energy transfer to the supply device. To receive the energy-transmitting radio signal, the supply Establish a pension recipient. This enables a completely cable-free supply infrastructure of, on the one hand, the shelf labels attached to the shelf rail and, on the other hand, also the supply device provided for supplying the shelf labels. In fact, the installer of the system saves himself the cabling between the actual energy source and the respective shelf. This circumstance enables an essentially optional positioning of the shelves in the shop as well as the optional and simple positioning of the shelf rails on various shelves as well as their exchange between the shelves. This type of energy transfer, as well as the underlying technology, is known under the term "Power over Wi Fi". Radio energy sources equipped with this technology can be installed on the ceiling of a business premises, for example, and supply them selectively within a radius of up to a maximum of 10 meters there the respective rack rails assigned and localized in this area supply facilities with the help of powerful, so focused radio signals executed to them.

As already mentioned, the electronic supply device is preferably also designed for contactless communication with one or more shelf labels using the technology that is also used to transmit energy to the shelf label. The aforementioned NFC technology is preferably used again. This allows the best possible utilization of the available electronic components for both contactless energy transmission and contactless communication over relatively short distances, as is the case with shelf labels attached to the shelf rail.

The supply device can now be designed in such a way that, when the energy supply from the radio energy source is present, it also generates and emits the signal in order to also locate the shelf labels corresponding to its conductor loop of the shelf rail exactly within the time span of the energy supply from the radio energy source to provide energy in a contactless manner. However, in order to enable the shelf labels to be supplied with energy outside of the time span within which the energy supply from the radio energy source is present, it is advantageous if the supply device has a supply energy store. This can be a rechargeable battery or an accumulator or a be mentioned supercapacitor. This supply energy store is coupled to charging electronics of the supply device, the charging electronics being able to be a component of the supply receiver or being connected to the supply receiver separately therefrom. The charging electronics, which can be implemented as a commercially available module, are designed in such a way that they are used to charge the supply energy store when the radio signal is received from the radio energy source, and the supply voltage that is then available is also output if necessary.

With the help of the supply energy store of the supply device, the operation of the electronics of the supply device itself and, on the other hand, the energy supply of the shelf labels on the shelf rail on the one hand can now be detached (i.e. delayed) from the temporal occurrence of the radio activity of the radio energy source the supply facility is installed. In this way, for example, an operating scenario can be implemented in which, for example, during the night hours with the help of the radio energy source, the supply energy storage devices of the various supply devices are charged in order to keep the shelf labels with the help of the signal with energy when needed during the day to supply. If necessary, supply devices can be specifically supplied with energy during the day, on the one hand to recharge their own supply energy storage device and / or to supply them with energy from the respective supply device from shelf labels with the aid of the signal. This can be of interest if, due to increased activity in one or more shelf labels, the autonomous energy supply of the supply device is not ensured during the day until the next nightly charge.

In addition to the second NFC interface, which is provided for the energy supply of the shelf labels and communication with the shelf labels, the supply device has a further interface which is intended for communication with an access point. This further interface can be designed for radio communication. A time slot communication method, in particular a proprietary time slot communication method, can preferably be used for radio communication with the access point. According to this proprietary time slot communication method, a communication station (here the access point) communicates with a number of supply facilities using a time slot communication method in which a number of time slots per time slot cycle are available for communication in a continuously repeating sequence and each time slot through a unique time slot symbol is identified in a unique way and can thus be distinguished from other time slots solely by the time slot symbol. According to the method, the access point sends a synchronization data signal having the time slot symbol at the beginning of the respective time slot for the currently present time slot. The supply devices are designed to switch from a sleep state to an active state at a wake-up time and to receive the synchronization data signal in the active state, and if the received time slot symbol is a time slot intended for the respective supply device indicates, for defining a new wake-up time corresponding to the next occurrence of the time slot determined for this supply device in a time slot cycle following the currently present time slot cycle.

This is accompanied by the advantage that synchronism between the access point and a supply device is recognized, maintained and guaranteed during the operation of the system in the simplest possible yet extremely robust manner. This also improves the energy efficiency of the totality of the supply facilities, which are logically assigned to a single access point, because the check for synchronism takes place immediately at the beginning of the time slot.

It is now completely sufficient for every supply device that takes part in the communication with the relevant access point to know about the time slot symbol which indicates the time slot intended for it. Each of the supply facilities is thus individually based on the occurrence of a time slot symbol relevant to it, identifies the time slot symbol relevant to it and defines its next wake-up time in order to remain synchronized with the timing of the time slot communication method specified by the communication station, this timing at is known to the supply facilities. It is completely sufficient that the time slot symbol uniquely identifies the respective time slot, for example with a individual time slot identifier for each time slot. Further information encoded in the synchronization data signal, as often occurs with other methods, is unnecessary here in order to operate a supply device synchronously with the access point to which it is assigned in terms of radio technology. The supply device in question establishes its synchronism with the access point solely by recognizing the time slot symbol that occurs at the time it expects or in an expected time window and indicates the time slot intended for it.

After the supply device has established its synchronism as discussed above, it is basically sufficient if it changes back to the sleep state, because the next wake-up time is automatically known from the time grid of the time slot communication method known to it. The definition of the new wake-up time can therefore be limited to restarting a time control stage (eg a timer) of the supply device with the timing parameters already used previously for changing from the sleep state to the active state. The supply device can then switch back to the sleep state and remain there until the time control again wakes up and changes from the sleep state to the active state at the new wake-up time in the next time slot cycle. However, the supply device does not necessarily have to remain in the sleep state for the rest of the time slot intended for it, but can also process further tasks in an active state during the time slot or also during the time slot cycle. The previously discussed time control then works in the background independently of the other, further activities of the supply facility. The new wake-up time can be defined by determining an absolute or relative time, for example relative to the time the synchronization data signal occurs or relative to the time at which the sleep state is resumed after the active state, or also relatively at the time at which the end of the synchronization data signal occurs. The definition of the new wake-up time can, however, also be understood to mean that the duration of the sleep state following the active state in which the time slot symbol was received, or the sum of the duration of sleep State and active state or the sum of the duration of several such state sequences determines the new wake-up time.

Since each supply device operates its own time control stage and exemplary spreads of the behavior of the respective electronic components cannot be ruled out, the definition of the new wake-up time can also include a compensation of a drift in its time base that is individually present for each supply device. For this purpose, for example, a time difference between the expected occurrence of the synchronization data signal with the time slot symbol, which indicates the time slot intended for the respective supply device, and the actual occurrence can be measured in the supply device, and at the time control stage to correct its timing must be taken into account. However, the compensation is only used when synchronism has been established.

If, however, another time slot symbol was received instead of the expected time slot symbol, there is no synchronism and the supply device must perform a new synchronization. For this purpose, such an asynchronous supply device does not change periodically, as would be the case in the synchronous state, but, for example, once at any point in time from its sleep state to its active state and remains in this active state the willingness to receive. If nothing has been received within a certain period of time, such as a time slot duration, it changes back to the sleep state and repeats the attempt to receive at another point in time. As soon as a synchronization data signal is received, the time slot symbol is evaluated, i.e. checked. The time slot symbol received in this case indicates with the highest probability a time slot not intended for the relevant supply device, which is determined autonomously by the supply device. The supply device knows the system of occurrence of the time slot symbols and, after evaluating the received time slot symbol, can independently decide whether it can still count on the time slot intended for it in the present time slot cycle (first case) or only in the following time slot cycle (second case). In the first case, the supply device is for defining a new wake-up time corresponding to the next occurrence of the time slot intended for it in the currently present one Time slot cycle formed. By evaluating the received time slot symbol and knowing the system of the occurrence of the time slot symbols, the supply device determines that the time slot intended for it will still occur in the currently present time slot cycle. For the second case, the supply device is designed to define a new wake-up time corresponding to the next occurrence of the time slot intended for it in the time slot cycle following the currently present time slot cycle. By evaluating the received time slot symbol and knowing the system of occurrence of the time slot symbols, the supply device determines that the time slot intended for it will no longer occur in the currently available time slot cycle because it already occurred in the past in this time slot cycle. As discussed in the introduction to the synchronous state, said time control is also used for this type of definition of the new wake-up time, the time control now being operated with the timing parameter with which the desired entry into the synchronous state is achieved. The timing parameter to be selected results for the supply device from the inherent knowledge of the time slot communication method used. The timing parameter is thus determined by the electronics of the supply device, which have knowledge of the parameters of the time slot communication method.

These parameters can be queried or transmitted to the access point by the supply device when they are registered with the respective access point, or they can already be programmed into the supply device in advance. In both cases it is useful if the supply device has a memory stage for storing the parameters of the time slot communication method and the supply device is designed to access and take into account these parameters for the purpose of defining the new wake-up time. The parameters can represent all the details of the timing of the time slot communication method, such as parameters relating to the timing of communication between the access point and the supply device, parameters relating to predefined times or time segments, but also parameters relating to the basic structure of the time slot communication method, such as number of Time slots, the duration of a time slot, the duration of the time slot cycle or, as parameters, the explicitly specified time slot symbols for identifying the individual time slots or algorithms for calculating the time slot symbols. With the aid of these parameters, an asynchronous supply device can autonomously, i.e. automatically clarify for itself, without external assistance, whether the time slot intended for it can still be expected within the currently available time slot cycle or whether the time slot intended for it is to be expected on the basis of the time slot symbol just received already belongs to the past in the present time slot cycle and consequently the next time slot intended for it will only occur in the next time slot cycle. The affected supply device calculates the new wake-up time in the active state, changes to the sleep state and changes to the active state at the calculated wake-up time, receives the time slot symbol of the time slot intended for it and is then back in the synchronous state. If no further activities are expected from it in the present time slot, it immediately switches to the sleep state and then only switches to the active state again in the next time slot cycle in order to receive the synchronization data signal in the time slot intended for it.

For communication with the access point, such a supply device essentially has a radio communication stage, also called a transceiver, and a logic stage interacting therewith which provides the logical function of the supply device. The transceiver is an electronic system that is designed to both receive and transmit and in which the functionality required for modulating a carrier signal as well as demodulating received signals is designed. The transceiver can be implemented by active and passive electronic components or assemblies, with the help of which analog signals can be converted into digital signals and vice versa.

The logic stage can, for example, be implemented entirely by hardware or have a microprocessor and memory modules or a microcontroller with integrated memory modules, so that software stored in the memory modules can be processed. The supply device can receive a radio signal from the access point with the aid of its transceiver, process received data contained in the radio signal with the aid of the logic stage and if necessary, generate response data with the aid of the logic stage and send them back to the access point as a radio signal via the transceiver.

As already discussed, such a supply device has the supply energy store for its own energy supply as well as for supplying energy to the shelf labels. In order to work as energy-efficiently as possible, the supply device has different operating states. This includes said active state with a relatively high energy consumption.

The active state is, for example, when sending or receiving data when communicating with the access point or when supplying power to the shelf labels with the aid of the signal and, subsequently, also when sending and / or receiving data when communicating with the shelf labels when measuring the battery voltage, the voltage that can be generated with the aid of the supply energy store is present. In the sleep state, on the other hand, there is a relatively low energy consumption. Preferably, as many electronic components as possible are disconnected or shaded from the power supply by the supply energy store, or at least operated in a mode with the lowest possible energy requirement (e.g. as slowly as possible). The active state is predominantly for detecting the synchronism with the access point and in the time slot intended for the supply device for communication with the access point. In the active state, the supply device is, for example, ready to receive in order to receive commands and possibly also received data from the access point and to process them with the aid of its logic stage. In the active state, send data can also be generated with the aid of the logic stage and communicated to the communication station. Outside the time slot intended for the supply device, the supply device is operated predominantly in the energy-saving sleep state. In the sleep state, the logic stage or the timing stage only carries out those activities that are necessary for the timing to wake up in time, so that the supply device goes to the next time slot intended for it to receive the synchronization data signal and / or to communicate the access point is ready.

As an example, it should also be mentioned here that in the proprietary time slot communication method, for example, m time slots, for example 255 time slots, are used within n seconds, for example 15 seconds. The n Seconds form a time slot cycle. In this time slot communication method, m time slots are available within a time slot cycle for communication with the supply facilities. Each of the supply devices is assigned to one of the time slots, with several supply devices also being able to be assigned to a specific time slot.

In order to work as energy-efficiently as possible, i.e. to minimize the self-consumption of energy by each supply device, the basic operating strategy for each supply device is to keep the synchronous supply device in the sleep state for as long as possible and only then, if absolutely necessary, such as on the one hand for the purpose of data transmission with the access point and on the other hand for the purpose of sending the signal to the shelf labels in order to transmit energy there and, if necessary, also to communicate with them, for as short a period of time as possible in the active state operate. This, together with the previously discussed as complete as possible energy storage for the shelf labels, i.e. as soon as the signal is available, so that as little energy as possible is lost through unused radiation of the signal, leads to an all-encompassing energy efficiency of the system, especially its contactless components (supply devices and shelf labels) .

In principle, however, a communication protocol based on the standards or specifications ZigBee, Bluetooth or WiFi etc. can also be used for radio communication with the access point, but this leads to less energy-efficient operation of the system.

The supply devices thus implement a contactless "gateway" or a relay station for the entirety of the shelf labels mounted on the relevant shelf rail, both for energy transmission and for communication transmission between the shelf labels and the respective access point to which the supply device is assigned in terms of radio technology .

The access point serves as a higher-level interface between the shelf labels of an IT infrastructure that controls the shelf labels, such as a server with a corresponding software application, a cloud solution and the like. In such a radio-based system, a group of shelf labels from the respective supply device is one such group Access point assigned by radio (logically) so that communication with this group of shelf labels only takes place via this access point. In a business premises of a supermarket, for example, several such access points can be installed, with each access point serving for communication with supply facilities that are logically (radio-technically) assigned to it. The access point can communicate with the shelf labels grouped on the shelf rail of the respective supply facility via the supply facilities that are located in a geographical (radio-technically accessible) area around it.

In addition to this functionality, the access point can also have the supply station, which is designed for the directional, radio-based energy supply of the electronic supply device.

In summary, the supply device for the relevant shelf rail implements a combined energy supply and communication supply device for the shelf labels attached to the relevant shelf rail. The supply device is thus configured or designed for local contactless energy transmission as well as local contactless communication with shelf labels attached to the shelf rail.

Such a supply device can also be referred to as a shelf rail control device or shelf rail controller because it controls all activities of the shelf labels mounted on the shelf rail in question, which, depending on the configuration of the shelf labels, affects both the display behavior, the communication behavior and the respective energy supply includes the operation of the other consumers of the shelf labels.

It has also proven to be particularly advantageous if the electronic supply device is designed to receive and forward a unique identifier of the shelf label involved in the communication for the purpose of determining the position of the shelf label in question.

If several shelf labels are arranged within a conductor loop of the shelf rail or if several shelf labels are simultaneously supplied with energy via a single conductor loop, precautions must be taken to ensure that the respective identifier is received. For this purpose, the shelf labels can for example be programmed in such a way that they display their identification at randomly selected times within a time window Submit (single or multiple) to ensure individual reception at the care facility. An anti-collision method known from RFID technology, for example, can also be used with this contactless transmission in order to ensure individual reception at the supply facility.

The forwarding of the unique identifier takes place preferably to a data processing device, such as the server of the business premises, which carries out or coordinates the communication with the individual electronic shelf labels.

The server can also store the logical link between products that are displayed on the respective shelf and the shelf label displays positioned there and thus ensure that the respective shelf label display presents the information that belongs to the product in question.

The server is also informed about the position or extension of the respective conductor loop on the shelf rail and is also informed by the supply device together with the identifier about which conductor loop was used to obtain the identifier from the shelf label. It can also be used to create three-dimensional digital maps of the positions of the entirety of the shelf labels in a business premises. This applies both to the shelf labels configured to display information and, in an analogous manner, to the other functionalities of the shelf label mentioned that are possible by the various consumers.

The electronics of the various devices in the system, as well as their interfaces, etc., can be implemented in a discrete and integrated manner with the aid of a wide variety of passive and active electronic components. A microprocessor with appropriate peripheral components or a microcontroller is preferably used, whereupon software for providing the various functionalities is processed. So-called ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) can also be used. In detail, the various structural or functional groups, in particular the consumers on the shelf label, can have the mentioned, individual integrated circuits (microcontroller, microprocessor, ASIC, etc.) in addition to passive components. These and further aspects of the invention emerge from the figures discussed below.

Brief description of the figure

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures using exemplary embodiments, to which the invention is not restricted, however. The same components are provided with identical reference symbols in the various figures. It show in a schematic way:

1 shows an electronic shelf label system according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a shelf rail with a supply

Facility;

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a shelf label display;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shelf rail with a supply

Facility;

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the view according to FIG. 4 along the line

Section A-A;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the view according to FIG. 4 along the line

Cut surface B-B;

7 shows a view of the shelf rail with only partially inserted

Supply facility;

8 shows a view similar to FIG. 7 with contacting elements of the supply device;

9 details of a long-term energy storage unit of the shelf label.

Description of the exemplary embodiments

In FIG. 1, a shelf label system 1 is shown which comprises a number of electronic shelf labels 201-211 which are attached to three - "intelligent" - shelf rails 3. Each shelf rail 3 has an electronic supply device 401-403, which is inserted into it at the side A data processing device is also shown, which is implemented with the aid of a server 5 which is connected by cable to an access point 6, which has two antennas 7, for example.

The supply devices 401-403 shown are in radio contact with the access point 6 via first radio signals F1. With that you can From the server 5, for example, change the image content of shelf labels 201-211 designed as shelf label displays, if necessary also query associated status information from the shelf labels 201-211 and transmit it to the server 5, or also activities of additional consumers (which will be explained below with reference to FIG are discussed) of the shelf labels 201-211 control or use. The extremely energy-saving proprietary time slot communication method discussed in the general description is used for this communication.

Each of the shelf rails 3 is mounted on an individual shelf 8 at its front edge. The three illustrated shelves 8 all belong to a shelf 9, which is only indicated very schematically. Various products can be placed on the shelf 8, but these are not shown in the present case for reasons of clarity.

The supply devices 401-403 are each shown schematically on the right edge of the shelf rails 3, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. You can therefore also be in other positions along the shelf rail 3 or on its left edge. In the present case, the supply devices 401-403 are integrated into the shelf rails 3, that is to say, for example, installed or inserted in a shaft (not shown here, but see FIG. 5).

Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a single conductor loop L integrated into the shelf rail 3, which is connected with its two loop connections C to the supply device 401-403 installed there. The shelf rails 3 carry the shelf labels 201-211.

The shelf rail 3, like the shelf labels 201-211, is designed in such a way that the shelf labels 201-211 can be inserted from the front into the shelf rail 3 and thereby lock with it via a snap mechanism in such a way that they can only be removed from the shelf rail 3 with considerable effort can be removed. At the same time, the mechanism mentioned allows the shelf labels 201-211 to be displaced along the shelf rail 3 with only a small expenditure of force in relation thereto and consequently to be easily placed in any position. A snap mechanism of the type described is known, for example, from WO2017 / 153481A1, FIG. However, the mechanism can also be designed differently, which will be discussed in detail below. A block diagram of the shelf labels 201-211 is discussed below with reference to FIG. Since in the present case it is assumed that all shelf labels 201-211 are of identical design, only a single shelf label 201 is referred to below.

The block diagram shows a first NFC interface 11 with its coil 12A, which is connected to an interface circuit 11A. The coil 12A, together with an interface capacitor 12B, forms an antenna resonant circuit 12C, with the aid of which a signal from an NFC-enabled device can be received. In the present case, these are the supply devices 401-403, which are designed to be NFC-capable. If the coil 12A is brought correspondingly close (a few tenths of a millimeter to approx. 4 millimeters) to the conductor loop L, which is the case with the shelf labels 201 attached to the shelf rail 3, the signal transmitted with the help of the guide loop L can be transmitted with the aid of the antenna resonant circuit 12C received and used in the shelf label 201 for energy supply as well as for bidirectional communication with the relevant supply device 401-403.

For this purpose, the shelf label 201 has a so-called contactless power transmission unit 11B which is connected to the antenna resonant circuit 12C and which has a rectifier unit 11C on the input side and a voltage regulator unit HD on the output side. In this way, when the signal is present, a first supply voltage VCCI is generated with respect to a first reference potential GND1, which, for example, has a value of approximately 2.2 volts and is provided for operating the NFC functionality of the shelf label 201.

The first NFC interface 11 also has a communication unit 11E, with the aid of which communication can be carried out in accordance with the NFC specification or protocol. It has a load modulation unit 11F connected to the antenna resonant circuit 12C for load modulation of the received signal as a function of transmission data signals TX. Another component is a protection unit 11G which is also connected to the antenna resonant circuit 12C and which protects against an undesirably high input power and is designed as a signal limiter. Furthermore, a clock generator unit HH connected to the antenna resonant circuit 12C is provided, which generates a system clock on the basis of the received signal CLK generated, which is used within the communication unit 11E.

Another component is an ASK demodulation unit 111 (ASK stands for "amplitude-shift keying"), which generates received data signals RX from small fluctuations in the amplitude of the signal rectified with the aid of the rectifier unit 11C J is provided, which is clocked with the system clock CLK and processes incoming data signals RX and converts them into data D and generates outgoing data signals TX from data D.

The block diagram also shows a display unit 13A, which is divided into an electronic paper display controller 14 and an electronic paper display screen 15 that can be controlled therewith. With the aid of the controller 14, the received data are interpreted, if necessary the image contents of the screen 15 are changed accordingly, or status information in the form of data D is transmitted via the first NFC interface 11 to the respective supply device 401-403.

In the present case, the shelf label 201 has additional consumers in addition to the display unit 13A, namely an input unit 13B, a flight-of-time sensor unit 13C, a temperature sensor unit 13D and a camera unit 13E . Each of these units can have its own integrated controller circuit (IC) by analogy with the display unit 13A.

Another consumer is a central micro-controller unit 13 which controls the data traffic of the data D and the functionalities of the shelf label 201 centrally. The data processing or control takes place in accordance with a program code which is stored in the micro-controller unit 13 and is processed with its central processing unit (CPU).

All of these loads 13, 13A-13E are intended or can be intended to be operated in a manner detached in time from the existence of the signal with the aid of which, as discussed, the first supply voltage VCCI is generated.

For this purpose, the shelf label 201 has a long-term energy storage unit 13F, which is divided into a long-term energy storage in the form of a supercapacitor 13H and a charging stage 13G, which is designed to charge the supercapacitor 13H, with Presence of the signal with the aid of the charging stage 13G electrical energy for the operation of the consumer 13, 13A-13E is stored in the supercapacitor 13H outside a period of the presence of the signal. The charging stage 13G is connected on the input side to the first supply voltage VCCI opposite the first reference potential GND1, that is to say connected to the output of the contactless power transmission unit 11B. On the output side, it provides a second supply voltage VCC2 with respect to a second reference potential GND2, the first and the second reference potential GND1 and GND2 being identical, that is to say corresponding circuit points are connected to one another.

The two supply voltages VCCI and VCC2 can differ with regard to their value or be the same, which ultimately depends on the specifications of the loads 13, 13A-13E to be supplied.

As soon as the second supply voltage VCC2 is sufficiently high, the loads 13, 13A-13E start to work and are functionally available.

However, it has proven to be particularly advantageous in this context that the long-term energy storage unit 13F is designed to be controllable with the aid of the central micro-controller unit 13. For example, the energy level of the stored energy (eg categorized into three value ranges, such as good, medium, low) can be transferred to the micro-controller unit 13 with the help of an energy status (signal) ES and, depending on this, the Voltage supply for different consumers 13A-13E can be selectively controlled with the aid of an output release control signal OE sent by microcontroller unit 13 to long-term energy storage unit 13F, which has been discussed in detail in connection with FIG.

Even if it was assumed in the present discussion that the shelf labels 201-211 all have the same design, that is to say all have the consumers 13, 13A-13E shown in FIG. 2, it should be made clear at this point that this does not have to be the case. For example, only a few shelf labels, for example 201, 203, 204, 206, 207, 209 and 211, can be implemented exclusively as shelf label displays per shelf rail. Other shelf labels such as 202, 205, 208 and 210 could not have a display unit 13A at all, but instead have a camera unit 13E and a flight-of-time sensor unit 13C each and ultimately the last one that fell in love Shelf label 209 have only one temperature sensor unit 13D. In principle, however, any combination of consumers 13A-13E per shelf label 201-211 can be provided here. This can be implemented through a selective hardware design of the respective consumers 13A-13E in the respective shelf label. This can also be implemented in such a way that some or all types of consumers 13A-13E are implemented and can be activated with the help of control commands, i.e. can be activated in software (e.g. by the central micro-controller unit 13) and / or through special designs of the housing of the respective shelf labels are available or not available.

In the following, a block diagram of one of the shelf rails 3 according to FIG. 1 is discussed with reference to FIG. The shelf label 403 is shown here as a representative, since all supply devices 401-403 are of identical design.

The shelf rail 3 carries the conductor loop L which is attached directly to it and which has been integrated into it. Corresponding to the position of the conductor loop L - in the present case - the shelf label displays 207-211 positioned there are also indicated. In contrast to FIG. 1, the electrical connection of the loop connections C to an electronic circuit 18A of a second NFC interface 18 of the supply device 403 is also shown. This second NFC interface 18 also has similar components to the first NFC interface 11A The fundamental difference here is that it is designed to generate and output the signal, that is to say has a transmission unit (not shown in detail). The second NFC interface 18 also has its own NFC controller (not shown). The second NFC interface 18 is designed with the aid of the signal it emits for the contactless transmission of electrical energy to the shelf label displays 207-211 and for bidirectional communication of data with the shelf label displays 207-211 activated by said energy transmission.

The supply device 403 also has an access point communication interface 19 which is designed for radio-based communication with the access point 6 shown in FIG. 1 via the first radio signals F1. For this purpose, the access point communication interface 19 has electronics designed for this purpose (not shown in detail) and a Antenna configuration 19A, which can also include several antennas.

The supply device 403 has a control unit 20 to control the internal processes as well as the energy supply of the shelf labels 207-211 and the communication with the shelf labels 207-211, as well as the communication with the access point 6. The control unit 20 is implemented with the aid of a micro-controller which is connected to the second NFC interface 18 and the access point communication interface 19 via a bidirectional data bus.

As can be seen in the synopsis of FIG. 1, the individual supply devices 401-403 are supplied with electrical energy with the aid of a supply transmitter 21 (also referred to as a radio energy source), which is designed to operate with the aid of a focused or directed (second) radio signal F2 with a certain transmission power, such as 5 W, to transmit electrical energy to a receiver (that is, one of the supply devices 401-403). Such a supply transmitter 21 also has a large number of antennas 22 (six are shown here), with the aid of which the direction of the energy transmission (ultimately the propagation of the second radio signal F2) can be set relatively precisely, so that the energy-transmitting second radio signal F2 is precise the respective supply device 401-403 arrives. This energy transfer is known under the term “Power over WiFi”. At this point it should also be mentioned that the supply transmitter 21 can also be built into the access point 6.

In order to be able to use this type of energy transmission, the supply device 403 shown in FIG. 3 has a supply receiver 23 which is suitable for receiving the second radio signals F2 and which, with its antenna configuration 24 (which can have several antennas) and electronics (not in the Detail shown) is equipped. The supply receiver 23 is designed to receive the second radio signal F2 and to store the energy transmitted with it in an internal, rechargeable, electrical supply energy store 25 (e.g. rechargeable battery, accumulator or "super capacitor") and thus a third supply voltage VCC3 in relation to a third reference potential GND3, with this third internally provided Supply voltage VCC3 is operated for each of the supply devices 401-403.

During operation, the supply filing 403 can, for example, use its control unit 20 to query or monitor the charge status of the internal supply energy store 25. As soon as the state of charge falls below a certain level, the control unit 20 can request a (new) charge with the aid of the first radio signal F1. In the proprietary time slot communication method mentioned, this can be done, for example, as part of a status query by the access point 6. The result of this status query is received by the access point 6 and, depending on the implementation, can be forwarded directly to the supply transmitter 21 or passed on to the supply transmitter 21 with the involvement of the server 5. Since the exact geographical position (the three-dimensional coordinates) of each of the supply devices 401-403 as well as their unique identifier is known in the system 1 (e.g. the server 5), the supply transmitter 21 can direct the second radio signal F2 precisely towards the position of the respective das Send out charging requesting supply device 401-403. The second radio signal F2 is received there and the energy transmitted with its help is used to charge the internal supply energy store 25 there. This can in particular also happen when the rest of the electronics of the supply device 403 are in the sleep state.

The "intelligent" shelf rails 3 described here are thus designed with the aid of the supply devices 401-403 built into them for contactless communication with the shelf label displays 201-211 installed on them and an access point 6 assigned to them by radio designed for contactless energy supply in the sense of energy storage in the supply devices 401-403 built into them for their own operation as well as for the energy supply of the respective shelf label display 201-211, while the respective first NFC interface 11 is active with the aid of the signal Furthermore, the shelf labels 201-211 are designed for the autonomous power supply of their individual consumers 13, 13A, 13B-13E even during a period of time during which the signal from the respective supply device 401-403 is not present or does not exist. When the system is in operation, the access point 6 can, for example, communicate image update data to the shelf label display 201 with the aid of the proprietary time slot communication method. The relevant supply device 401 changes from the sleep state to the active state when it wakes up, recognizes its synchronism with the access point 6 and, as a result, that it is addressed by the access point 6 to receive image update data . Subsequently, in the time slot provided for the supply device 401 (or a series of such time slots), these image update data are transmitted to the supply device 401 and are at least temporarily stored. The electronic components of the supply device 401 required for communication with the access point 6 are then put back into the sleep state.

The supply device 401 can receive the image update data in real time (that is, synchronous to the communication with the access point 6) or with a time delay for receiving the image update data (that is, asynchronous to the communication with the access point 6) forward to the relevant shelf label display 201. To do this, it activates its second NFC interface 18, generates and emits the signal via its conductor loop L, which activates the shelf labels 201-203 installed on the top shelf rail 3, establishes a communication link to the shelf label display 201 and transmits the image update Data to the shelf label display 201, where the received image update data is transferred to the display unit 13A and processed there to change the image content. During this entire process, all of the shelf labels 201-203 installed on the top shelf rail use the signal to charge their long-term energy stores 13H. As soon as a completion message is received from the shelf label display 201 at the supply device 401, this stops the delivery of the signal and all shelf labels 201-203 installed on the top shelf rail 3 deactivate at least their first NFC interface 11 with the loss of energy transmission Consumers 13, 13A-13E of the respective shelf labels 201-203 are not affected by this deactivation and are continued through the provision of energy with the aid of the long-term energy storage device 13H.

In the following, the mechanical structure of the shelf rail 3, which also contributes to the energy-efficient operation of the system, is discussed. FIG. 4 shows a shelf rail 3 with one of the shelf labels 201-211, which is designed as a shelf label display 2 and which is attached to it. FIG. 4 also shows a supply device 401-403 inserted laterally into the shelf rail 3, here abbreviated with the reference numeral 4. The shelf rail 3 has, for example, a length of approximately 3 meters, a height of approximately 4.5 cm and a thickness of 1.2 cm.

FIG. 5 shows a section through the shelf rail 3. According to the section AA shown in FIG. 4, this section runs transversely (normal to the front of the shelf rail 3) through the shelf rail 3. Furthermore, in contrast to FIG a shelf 8 is visible, to which the shelf rail 3 is fastened with the aid of a top-hat rail 26 made of metal. The top-hat rail 26 forms a conductivity structure for generating defined damping ratios for the contactless transfer of energy from the supply device 4 to the shelf label display 2 as well as for the contactless communication between the supply device 4 and the shelf label display 2. With the help of the defined damping ratios, on the one hand optimize the energy transfer and, on the other hand, also carry out the communication in a reliable manner, because the antenna resonant circuit of the supply device 4 is matched to these defined damping conditions. The top-hat rail 26 can be connected to the shelf 8 by gluing, riveting, clamping, plugging or screwing, etc., but this is not discussed in detail in the figures.

The shelf rail 3 has a first fastening structure for fastening the shelf label display 2. The first fastening structure has a wall 29 running between a head region 27 and a foot region 28 of the shelf rail 3. Analogous to the head and foot area 27, 28, the wall 29 also runs along the entire shelf rail 3 and forms a shelf label plane on the front of the wall oriented towards the shelf label display 2, on which the shelf label display 2 rests essentially flush with its rear wall. In addition to the wall, the first fastening structure has a first fastening groove 30 formed on the head region 27 and extending along the head region 27 and a second fastening groove 31 formed on the foot region 28 and extending along the foot region 28. The fastening grooves 30 and 31 are such designed that the shelf label 2 with its fastening elements 32 and 33 can be inserted locking into them, so that the rear wall of the shelf label 2 is positioned adjacent to the shelf label plane. The fastening elements 32 and 33 are positioned and configured accordingly, and the housing of the shelf label 2 is dimensioned or shaped.

The shelf rail 3 also has a second fastening structure for fastening the conductor loop L. The second fastening structure also has the wall 29, two tubes 34 being formed on the rear side of the wall. The two tubes 34 are aligned parallel to one another and run localized at a defined distance of approx. 1 cm from one another approximately along the entire length of the shelf rail 3. Their two central axes define a conductor loop plane which, at a defined first distance of approx. 5 millimeters parallel to the shelf label level. The wall 29 here has a thickness of approx. 2 millimeters and the tubes 34 are at least partially set into the wall 29, which allows a small distance between the conductor loop level and the shelf label level without the load capacity of the wall 29 being unnecessary would suffer.

The shelf rail 3 also has a third fastening structure for fastening the top-hat rail 26. The third fastening structure has two substructures which are formed on the one hand on the head side in a hanging device 35 for hanging the shelf rail 3 and on the other hand in a snap lip 36 for snapping in on the foot side.

The third fastening structure also has a first spacer element 37 positioned at the head area 27 and a second spacer element 38 positioned at the foot area 28. The two spacer elements 37 and 38 are used to fix and maintain a defined second distance between the top hat rail 26 and the conductor loop plane, with the planar structure of the top hat rail 26 being oriented essentially parallel to the conductor loop plane. The two spacer elements 37 and 38 are oriented essentially at an angle of 90 ° away from the rear side of the wall and extend from the wall 29 to the top-hat rail 26, where they touch the top-hat rail 26 and ensure the desired position. In the present case, the top-hat rail 26 is positioned at the second distance of approximately 7 millimeters from the conductor loop plane. The top hat rail 26 itself has a thickness of approximately 1 millimeter. Their height is about 2.5 cm, what on the head side and on the foot side, then in each case about 5 millimeters long hat brim-like edges that are offset by about 3 mm extend, with which the interaction with the plastic body of the shelf rail 3 takes place. The length of the top-hat rail 26 corresponds approximately to the length of the shelf rail 3.

Furthermore, the outer extent of the coil 12A formed on the rear wall of the shelf label display 2 is entered in FIG. 5 by the dimensions 39. It is clearly visible here that the coil 12A rests flat on the shelf label plane and is arranged there corresponding to and even overlapping with the spatial extent of the conductor loop L measured in the direction of the height of the shelf rail 2.

The shelf rail 3 also has a fourth fastening structure which is used to fasten the supply device 4 to the supply device 4 at an end region (left or right end) of the shelf rail 3 between the wall 29 of the shelf rails 3 and the with the help of Third fastening structure to slide in and fix the top hat rail 26, so that the conductor loop connections C of the conductor loop L available there are in contact with the supply device 4. For this purpose, the fourth fastening structure has a first insertion channel 40 formed on the rear side of the wall below the first spacer element 37 and open towards the foot area 28 and a second insertion channel 41 formed on the rear side of the wall above the snap lip 36 and open towards the head area 27 on. The supply device 4 with its fastening rails 42, which are visible in FIG. 6, can be inserted into the two insertion channels 40 and 41. In addition, the fourth fastening structure has a round openings 43 located at the head-side end of the wall 29 and at the foot-side end of the wall 29, into which fastening screws 44 (see, for example, FIG. 6 but also 9 and 10) from the side of the shelf rail 3 for The supply device 4 can be screwed to the shelf rail 3.

FIG. 6 shows a section through the shelf rail 3 according to the sectional area BB shown in FIG. 4, which is oriented transversely (aligned normal to the front side of the shelf rail 3) through the shelf rail 3 and to the right of the sectional area AA at that point of the shelf rail 3 runs, on which contact elements 45 of the supply device 4 are formed. For the sake of clarity, the large number of Reference symbols that do not directly relate to the fastening of the supply device 4 are hidden in FIG.

Furthermore, two contact surfaces 46 are provided in the present case, each of the contact surfaces 46 being soldered to one of the loop connections C. When the supply device 4 is completely pushed into the shelf rail 3, i.e. when it is positioned in the desired position, the contact surfaces 46 are contacted with the contact elements 45 designed as spring contacts, so that a connection with the conductor loop L is established and this is part of the second NFC interface 18 can be used. In contrast to this embodiment, however, if the contact elements 45 are positioned closer to one another, the contact surfaces 46 can be dispensed with and the wire forming the conductor loop L can be contacted directly at the end regions of the wire provided as conductor loop connections C.

It should also be mentioned that at the other end of the shelf rail 3, more precisely at the other end of the tubes 34, the wire of the conductor loop L runs in one piece from one tube 34 to the other tube 34.

Finally, FIGS. 7 and 8 will be discussed, FIG. 7 showing the supply device 4 only slightly pulled out of the shelf rail 3 and FIG. 8 also showing the contacting elements 45 in a slightly different representation. Here, too, the majority of the reference symbols have been omitted in order not to overload the representations.

In FIG. 9, the long-term energy storage unit 13F, hereinafter referred to as unit 13F for short, is discussed in more detail in a further developed embodiment. As can already be seen from FIG. 2, the unit 13F is fed by the power transmission unit 11B, which generates the first supply voltage VCCI on the output side when the (NFC) signal is present at the coil 12A. The first supply voltage VCCI can fluctuate depending on the quality of the NFC signal.

On the input side, the unit 13F has a first voltage regulator stage (voltage regulator) 100 which provides a regulated DC voltage with a defined value for the subsequent charging and current limiter stage (charger and current limiter) 101. Stage 101 effects a load limitation and ensures that the charging current is limited so that the NFC signal is not overloaded and does not collapse. This can be important so that other shelf labels that are installed on the same shelf rail 3 can also be supplied and communication with them can also be carried out. It also ensures that the supercapacitor 13H is charged correctly (according to its specification).

The unit 13F also has a cold start stage 102, which is designed to control a first electronic switching stage 103. The cold start stage 102 ensures that the electronics connected downstream of the first switching stage 103 are only supplied from the supercapacitor 13H when its charge has reached a minimum level, so that continuous operation of the downstream electronics is possible without having to Load with the downstream electronics, the voltage at the supercapacitor 13H would drop so much that the downstream electronics would stop operating again. Once the minimum required charge level has been reached, the cold start stage 102 uses the first switching stage 103 to switch a second voltage regulator stage 104 to the supercapacitor 13H, from which, for example, a maximum voltage of 2.2 volts can be tapped. With the help of the second voltage regulator stage 104, a higher (multiplied) supply voltage VCC2_1 of approx. 3 volts is generated, which is necessary for the operation of the central micro-controller unit 13 and is output to the central micro-controller unit 13, whereupon it starts operating. In this state, the micro-controller unit 13 can already exchange data D with the digital control unit 11 J and thus also decode and, if necessary, also execute commands that are received via the first NFC interface 11, or receive or transmit data D .

Furthermore, the unit 13F has an energy threshold value detection stage 105 which is designed to subdivide the energy stored in the supercapacitor 13H into three categories, for example, and this information, for example, as the energy status ES (for example in the form of "good", "medium") or "bad") to the micro-controller unit 13 to communicate.

Depending on the current energy status ES, the micro-controller unit 13 then decides which of the loads 13A-13E may be supplied with their respective supply voltage VCC2_1 or VCC2_2, whereby it is also taken into account whether the respective loads 13A-13E are at all (meaningful) supply are, for example, from the received data D or commands. The micro-controller unit 13 thus decides which loads 13A-13E are allowed to draw current from the supercapacitor 13H. For example, the supply voltage VCC2_1 for the display unit 13A is only released when the energy status is "good". Only then can the image content of the screen 15 be changed and then the electrical supply to the display unit 13A is set to the To keep energy consumption from the supercapacitor 13H as low as possible.

To implement the connection and disconnection of the individual supply voltage VCC2_1 or VCC2_2 to the individual loads 13A-13E, the unit 13F has an output control stage (output control) 106 which, with the aid of an output enable control signal OE, the microcontroller Unit 13 is controlled. It converts the output enable control signal OE into a switching signal for two further switching stages 107 and 108.

With the help of the second switching stage 107, for example, the supply voltage VCC2_1 provided for the microcontroller unit 13 can also be fed to the consumers 13A-13B, whereas for the consumers 13C-13E the supply voltage VCC2_2 with a value different from the supply voltage VCC2_1 (from eg 5 volts), which is generated with the aid of a third voltage regulator stage 109, can be switched on with the aid of the third switching stage 109.

This procedure can of course also be used individually with regard to each consumer 13A-13E if a corresponding number of switching stages and possibly also a corresponding number of voltage regulators are provided according to the number of consumers.

Finally, it is pointed out once again that the figures described in detail above are only exemplary embodiments which can be modified in the most varied of ways by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude the possibility that the relevant features can also be present several times.

Claims

Expectations

1. Method for operating an electronic shelf label system (1),

- The system (1) having shelf labels (201-211) attached to shelf rails (3), the shelf labels (201-211) being designed so that they can be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, and the shelf rail (3) has a supply device (401) -403) for the contactless energy supply of the shelf labels (201-211) attached to it and the shelf rail (3) has at least one conductor loop (L), the conductor loop (L) being part of the supply device (401-403) of the shelf rail (3) and the conductor loop (L) is used to output a signal that can be generated by the supply device (401-403) for the purpose of said energy supply of shelf labels (201-211) positioned corresponding to the conductor loop (L) on the shelf rail (3) ,

- wherein according to the method with the aid of the supply device (401-403) said signal is generated and emitted via the conductor loop (L) and the respective shelf label (201-211) positioned corresponding to the conductor loop (L) is supplied with electrical energy With the aid of the signal from the supply device (401-403) to the shelf label (201-211) is transmitted, stored in a rechargeable long-term energy storage device (13H) and used for its operation outside a period of time when the signal is present.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the supply device (401-403) uses the signal in addition to the energy supply to establish communication with one or more selected shelf labels (201-211) and each shelf label (201-211) when the signal is present while evaluating the signal, checks whether it has been selected for communication with the supply device (401-403).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each shelf label (201-211) when the signal occurs initially its electrical supply established with the aid of the signal and then the test is carried out to determine whether it has been selected for communication with the supply device (401-403).

4. The method according to any one of claims 2-3, wherein each shelf label (201-211) that determines that it is not selected for communication with the utility device (401-403) reduces its activities to the signal during to use the entire remaining time span of the presence of the signal for storing electrical energy until the long-term energy store (13H) is as fully charged as possible.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

- wherein at least one shelf label (201-211) of the system (1) has at least one electrical consumer (13A-13E) which causes electrical power consumption outside the time span of the presence of the signal,

- wherein, according to the method, each shelf label (201-211) having such a consumer covers the power consumption of the consumer outside the period of the presence of the signal with the aid of the electrical energy stored in the long-term energy store (13H).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the respective consumer (13A-13E) during its activity causing the electrical power consumption outside of the period of the presence of the signal processes data (D) that was previously recorded during a communication of the supply device (401-403) with the shelf label (201-211) having the consumer (13A-13E) were transferred from the supply device (401-403) to said shelf label (201-211) and stored there.

7. The method according to any one of claims 5 - 6, wherein the respective consumer (13A-13E) generates and stores data (D) during its activity causing the electrical power consumption outside the time period in which the signal is present and this data (D) thereafter, that is within the period of the presence of the signal from which Shelf label (201-211) are transmitted to the supply device (401-403) during communication with the supply device (401-403).

8. Electronic shelf label system (1), the

- Has shelf rails (3) and attached shelf labels (201-211), wherein the shelf labels (201-211) are designed to be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, and wherein each shelf rail (3) has a supply device (401-403) for has contactless energy supply of the shelf labels (201-211) attached to it and each of the shelf rails (3) has at least one conductor loop (L), the conductor loop (L) being part of the supply device (401-403) of the shelf rail (3) and the conductor loop (L) is used to output a signal that can be generated by the supply device (401-403) for the purpose of said energy supply of shelf labels (201-211) positioned corresponding to the conductor loop (L) on the shelf rail (3), the Shelf labels (201-211) have a rechargeable long-term energy store (13H), and the shelf labels (201-211) for storing the with the aid of the signal from the supply device (401-403 ) the energy transferred to them in the long-term energy store (13H) as well as for using the energy stored in the long-term energy store (13H) for their operation outside of the time period in which the signal is present are designed.

9. System (1) according to claim 8, wherein the supply devices (401-403) are designed to set up communication with one or more shelf labels (201-211) in addition to outputting the signal for the purpose of supplying energy with the aid of the signal, and each shelf label (201-211) is designed to check the signal when the signal is present to determine whether the respective shelf label (201-211) is selected for communication with the supply device (401-403).

10. System (1) according to claim 9, wherein each shelf label (201-211) is designed as a result of the recognition that it is not selected for communication with the supply device (401-403), to reduce the activity of its electronics to using the signal for storing electrical energy during the entire remaining period of time that the signal is present, until the long-term Energy storage device (13H) is as fully charged as possible

11. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims 8-10, wherein at least one shelf label (201-211) of the system (1) has at least one electrical consumer (13A-13E), which outside the period of the presence of the signal has an electrical Caused power consumption, and the shelf label (201-211), which has such a consumer, covers the power consumption of the consumer (201-211) outside the period of the presence of the signal with the aid of the electrical energy stored in the long-term energy store (13H).

12. System (1) according to claim 11, wherein the shelf label (201-211) has an electronics which is designed such that for the consumer (13A-13E) stored data (D) are available that during a communication with the Supply device (401-403) were communicated from the supply device (401-403) to the shelf label (201-211) containing the consumer (13A-13E), and the consumer (13A-13E) is designed to to process this data (D) outside the period of the presence of the signal.

13. System (1) according to one of claims 11 -12, wherein the consumer (13A-13E) is designed to generate and store data (D) outside the time span of the presence of the signal and wherein the shelf label (201-211 ) has electronics which are designed in such a way that the data (D) stored by the consumer (13A-13E) are available to them during the period in which the signal is present and that these data (D) during communication with the supply Device (401-403) can be transferred to the supply device (401-403).

14. System (1) according to one of claims 8-13, wherein each shelf label (201-211) has a first NFC interface (11) and wherein each Supply device (401-403) has a second NFC interface (18) for said energy supply of the shelf label (201-211) and communication between the supply device (401-403) and the shelf label (201-211) and the conductor loop (L) is part of the second NFC interface (18).

15. System (1) according to any one of claims 8-14, wherein the

Supply devices (401-403) are designed to be supplied with energy in a contactless manner and to store the energy transmitted to them in a contactless manner in a chargeable supply energy store (25) and to use the energy stored there for their own operation such as can also be used for the contactless energy supply of the shelf labels (201-211).