KR20160051579A - Electronic information label system - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a technology related to an electronic information label (EIL), a technology of displaying one group image with a plurality of EIL tags. According to an aspect, EIL tags are arranged adjacent to one another. The adjacently arranged EIL tags respectively represent an image so as to define one image in the aggregate. Each EIL tag checks an adjacent EIL tag and reports that to an EIL management server.

Description

Electronic information label system

An electronic information labeling technique for displaying information on an electronic display is disclosed.

The paper label attached to the shelf of the store is troublesome to replace if the price changes. An electronic information label (EIL) is known that replaces paper labels and displays information about products that are attached to a store shelf and displayed within a store. Among known electronic information label systems, electronic information labels communicate with a management server via a gateway to manage the information displayed. The display image of the electronic information label is updated as a whole. For reference, the technology related to the electronic information label is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0051076.

A technical solution for solving the limitation of information that can be displayed due to the display size of the electronic information label device is disclosed.

According to one aspect, the electronic information labeling devices (EIL tags) are arranged adjacently. Each adjacent EIL tag displays an image and displays one image as a whole. To this end, each EIL tag checks whether there is an adjacent EIL tag and reports it to the electronic information label management server.

According to another aspect, the EIL tag includes a communication unit for recognizing whether the EIL tag is adjacent to one side and a separate communication unit for determining whether the EIL tag is adjacent to the other side. One communication unit can operate as a master communication unit, and the other communication unit can operate as a slave communication unit.

According to another aspect, adjacent arrayed EIL tags display images out of timing with respect to each other.

According to an aspect, an electronic information label management server (EIL server) receives tag arrangement information from EIL tags. The EIL server grasps the number and arrangement order of the adjacent EIL tags through the tag array information. The EIL server transmits the corresponding image among the group image information belonging to the same group to each EIL tag according to the number of the identified tags and the arrangement order information.

According to another aspect, the image information differs depending on the number of adjacent arranged EIL tags.

According to another aspect, the EIL server recognizes that the EIL tags are adjacent arranged EIL tags assigned to the same product.

According to another aspect, the EIL server controls the adjacently arranged EIL tags to display images at different timings.

The disclosed electronic information labeling system allows each of a plurality of adjacent arranged EIL tags to display only one image to display one image as a whole.

1 shows the overall configuration of an electronic information labeling system according to an embodiment.
Fig. 2 shows an example of the arrangement of EIL tags.
3 shows an example of an EIL tag.
FIG. 4 shows an example of display of adjacently arranged EIL tags.
FIG. 5 shows an example of display error of adjacent arranged EIL tags.
6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an EIL tag according to an embodiment.
7 shows a communication configuration with a neighbor tag provided in an EIL tag according to an embodiment.
FIG. 8 illustrates an EIL tag group according to an embodiment.
9 is a block diagram illustrating an EIL server configuration according to an embodiment.
10 illustrates the procedures of EIL tags and EIL servers according to an embodiment.

The foregoing and further aspects are embodied through the embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the components of each embodiment are capable of various combinations within an embodiment as long as no other mention or mutual contradiction exists.

1 shows a configuration of an overall system according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the overall system comprises a customer management system 10 and an EIL system 20, which is an electronic information label system. The customer management system may be a well-known POS (point of sale) system. The EIL system 20 includes EIL tags 100 serving as an electronic information label device, an EIL server 200 serving as a central server, and gateways 200 relaying communications between them. The EIL tags 100 are installed in every store, for example, on rails provided in the shop, and communicate with the EIL server 200 through the gateway 200. 1, the EIL server 200 and the gateway 200 are connected by wire, and the EIL tags 100 of the group belonging to the gateway 200 and the gateway 200 are connected to each other by a short- For example, according to a protocol defined on the PHY / MAC layer according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.

The EIL tag 100 may be a 7-segment tag capable of displaying numbers or characters in seven strokes, or a graphic tag capable of displaying various information such as a product name, a barcode, a logo, and an advertisement in addition to a commodity price. The EIL tag 100 receives image information from the EIL server 200 through the gateway 200 and displays the image information. When the communication with the outside is not required, the EIL tag 100 switches to a sleep state to save power. Of course, even in the sleep state, the image information is displayed using the minimum power. The EIL server 200 manages the EIL tag information allocated for each product displayed in the store by using the database 310. The technique of assigning EIL tags to goods is well known. The EIL server 200 transmits image information to the EIL tags 100, and transmits corresponding image information for each allocation item. This makes it easy to display and update information about the products displayed in the store in the store.

In addition, the EIL system 20 according to an aspect causes each EIL tag 100 to display image information, so that a plurality of EIL tags 100 display one image information. The image information that can be displayed on one screen on the display size of the EIL tag 100 may be restricted, so that one group image information is displayed with the plurality of EIL tags 100. In order for the image information displayed on the plurality of EIL tags 100 to be felt as a single group image information, the EIL tags 100 must be arranged adjacent to each other. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the EIL tags 100 are arranged adjacent to one another. In one embodiment, the EIL tags 100 are arranged in physical contact to increase the continuity of the image information. In order to maximize the continuity of the image information, a zero bezel technique may be applied to both sides of the EIL tag 100, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an example of display of adjacently arranged EIL tags. 4 illustrates that only two EIL tags are arranged adjacent to each other. In the case of displaying image information by using two EIL tags in one product, as shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to emphasize and display a larger letter with a greater visibility on a larger screen than when using one EIL tag. Although only two EIL tags are illustrated in FIG. 4, it is also possible to display image information for one product using three or more EIL tags.

FIG. 5 shows an example of display error of adjacent arranged EIL tags. Since the EIL tags 100 receive and display image information from the EIL server 100, the EIL server 200 needs to know the arrangement order of the EIL tags 100, but can correctly check and transmit corresponding image information for each EIL tag 100 have. However, if the EIL server 200 does not know the arrangement order correctly, the display position of the two pieces of image information may change as shown in FIG.

6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an EIL tag according to an embodiment. The server communication unit 110 is configured to communicate with the EIL server 200. Since the server communication unit 110 communicates with the server communication unit 110 through the gateway 200, the server communication unit 110 communicates with the gateway 200 according to a defined wireless protocol. The tag communication unit 120 is configured to communicate with at least one EIL tag 100 adjacent thereto. The tag communication unit 120 communicates with the adjacent tag through a wired communication method or a wireless communication method. The wired communication method may be serial communication such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter Integrated Circuit), and the wireless communication method may be infrared communication. The display unit 130 may be an electronic paper display, and the electronic paper display may be a segment type or a graphical type. The display unit 130 displays the image information provided from the EIL server 200. The tag storage unit 140 may be a nonvolatile memory and stores image information received from the EIL server 200. [

The control unit 150 is a control unit for controlling the entire EIL tag, and may be a combination of hardware and software. The control unit 150 recognizes whether an adjacent tag exists through the tag communication unit 120 according to an aspect. That is, the control unit 150 recognizes that a neighboring tag exists when a signal is transmitted through the tag communication unit 120 to receive a response or receive a signal. The control unit 150 receives the unique information of the adjacent tag from the recognized adjacent tag, generates tag array information including the unique information of the adjacent tag and the tag unique information of the tag, and transmits the tag array information to the EIL server 200 through the server communication unit 110. [ I.e., reports.

The tag communication unit 120 according to an aspect includes a first communication unit 121 and a second communication unit 122. The first communication unit 121 communicates with a tag adjacent to one side of the EIL tag 100 and the second communication unit 122 communicates with a tag adjacent to the other side of the EIL tag 100. [ The first communication unit 121 and the second communication unit 122 may be a serial communication interface such as SPI or I2C or a communication interface using infrared rays as described above. The control unit 150 may set the mode of the first communication unit 121 and the mode of the second communication unit 122. For example, the first communication unit 121 may be set to the master mode and the second communication unit 122 may be set to the slave Mode.

The first communication unit 121 and the second communication unit 122 are illustrated in Fig. The first communication unit 121 is a master communication unit set in a master mode, and the second communication unit 122 is a slave communication unit set in a slave mode. As shown in Fig. 7, the master side can be set to the right side, and the slave side can be set to the left side. Or vice versa. Fig. 7 is for the wired communication method in mind, and a communication path can be set and communicated only when EIL tags are connected. The control unit 150 transmits the signal to the adjacent tag through the first communication unit 121 and receives the unique information of the adjacent tag in response thereto. Upon receiving the signal from the adjacent tag through the second communication unit 122, the control unit 150 transmits the tag-specific information to the adjacent tag. In addition, the control unit 150 may receive the unique information of the adjacent tag from the adjacent tag adjacent to the slave side.

FIG. 8 illustrates an EIL tag group according to an embodiment. Each of the illustrated tags (Tag 1, Tag 2, Tag 3, Tag 4, and Tag 5) recognizes the adjacent tag and generates tag array information including its own unique information and unique information of the adjacent tag, and transmits the tag array information to the EIL server . In one embodiment, each tag generates tag array information including its own unique information and unique information of the tag adjacent to the master side. In another embodiment, each tag generates tag array information including unique information of the tag neighboring to the slave side and neighboring direction information of the adjacent tag, in addition to the own information and the unique information of the tag adjacent to the master side.

For ease of understanding, this will be described with reference to Fig. In one embodiment, 'Tag 3' transmits a signal to 'Tag 4' adjacent to the master side, receives unique information of 'Tag 4' in response thereto, and transmits a signal from 'Tag 2' adjacent to the slave side Upon receipt, it transmits its own unique information as 'Tag 2' in response to it. The 'tag 3' generates tag array information including its own unique information and unique information of 'tag 4' and reports it to the EIL server 200. Similarly to the 'tag 3', 'tag 1', 'tag 2' and 'tag 4' also generate tag array information and report it to the EIL server 200. In case of 'tag 5' There is no need to report tag array information because it does not exist. Accordingly, the EIL server 200 can grasp the number and arrangement order of tags arranged adjacent to each other through the tag array information reported from the 'tag 1', 'tag 2', 'tag 3', and 'tag 4' . The tag array information may further include the direction information of the adjacent tag. However, since the number of the adjacent tags included in the tag array information is one and the direction (position) of the adjacent tag is predetermined, It is not necessary to add the direction information of < / RTI >

In another embodiment, 'tag 3' transmits a signal to 'tag 4' adjacent to the master side, receives unique information of 'tag 4' in response thereto, and transmits a signal from 'tag 2' adjacent to the slave side Upon receipt, it transmits its own unique information as 'Tag 2' in response to it. Also, 'tag 3' also receives unique information of 'tag 2'. 'Tag 3' generates tag array information including unique information of 'Tag 4' and unique information of 'Tag 2', and reports it to the EIL server 200. In this case, Therefore, information that can identify the direction of the adjacent tag is also needed. Therefore, the tag arrangement information also includes the direction information of the adjacent tag. The direction information of the adjacent tag may be the same information as the left / right side or the slave side / master side. Similarly to the 'tag 3', 'tag 1', 'tag 2', 'tag 4', and 'tag 5' also generate tag array information and report it to the EIL server 200. In the case of the 'tag 5', since the tag adjacent to the master side does not exist, the tag array information generated in the 'tag 5' includes the unique information of the 'tag 5' and the unique information 'tag 4' Information only. The EIL server 200 can grasp the number and arrangement order of tags arranged adjacent to each other through the tag array information reported from the 'tag 1', 'tag 2', 'tag 3', and 'tag 4'.

Comparing the above two embodiments, the first embodiment reports only unique information of the tags adjacent to the master side among the adjacent tags, while the second embodiment reports the unique information of all adjacent tags, . In the first embodiment, since the unique information of the adjacent tag sent by the tags is not overlapped, it is entirely reliable. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, since the unique information of the adjacent tags sent from the tags arranged adjacent to each other are overlapped, it is possible to verify and compare the same, which is advantageous in comparison with the first embodiment.

In another embodiment, the tags may be arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement as well as a one-dimensional arrangement as shown in FIG. In this case, the EIL tag 100 may further include a third communication unit and a fourth communication unit in addition to the first communication unit 121 and the second communication unit 122. The third communication unit may be a master communication unit for communicating with a tag adjacent to the upper side of the EIL tag 100 and the fourth communication unit may be a slave communication unit for communicating with a tag adjacent to the lower side of the EIL tag 100. [ The roles of the third communication unit and the fourth communication unit are the same as those of the first communication unit 121 and the second communication unit 122.

Meanwhile, unlike the case where the communication is possible only when the tags are in contact as shown in FIG. 8, in the case of non-contact such as infrared communication, it may be necessary to additionally determine whether or not the communication is possible. Of course, if the tags are very close to each other even if the tags are not physically contacted with each other due to a very short communication radius, each of the tags may display an image to display one image as a whole. However, Further, wireless communication may be performed between the tags only in the case of actual contact. To this end, each EIL tag 100 may further include a mechanical touch sensing means, for example a switch pressed by physical pressure.

According to another aspect, the EIL tag group can perform an animation function in which images are sequentially changed. That is, according to the arrangement order of the tag groups, an image is sequentially displayed from the first tag to sequentially change the animation effect. Referring to FIG. 8, image information is sequentially displayed from the 'tag 1' to the 'tag 5' so that image switching is performed.

The control unit 150 of the EIL tags 100 displays the image information stored in the tag storage unit 140 on the display unit 130 according to the scheduling of the EIL server 200. [ To ensure image transition timing, the clock time of the tags can be synchronized. If the clock time synchronization is not correct, the image switching order is reversed or the time difference is not constant, and the effect is reduced. Therefore, the EIL tags 100 belonging to the tag group synchronize the clock time, for example, can be synchronized with the clock time of the master tag. Here, the master tag means a tag located at the front of the adjacent arranged tags, and can be designated from the EIL server 200. In FIG. 8, 'tag 1' is a master tag. The master tag 'tag 1' transmits its master clock information to 'tag 2'. For example, when 'tag 1' transmits its own unique information to 'tag 2', master clock information may be transmitted together . The 'tag 2' synchronizes the clock time according to the master clock information received from the 'tag 1', and transfers the master clock information to the 'tag 3'. 'Tag 2' can also transmit master clock information when transmitting its own unique information to 'tag 3', but if master information has already been transmitted, master clock information is transmitted to 'tag 3' irrespective of this. In this way, 'tag 1' through 'tag 5' all have clock times synchronized.

In yet another embodiment, an EIL tag group achieves an animation function without using a scheduling function. When a tag of the EIL tag group, for example, 'tag 1' receives an instruction to start the animation function from the EIL server 200, the control unit 150 of the 'tag 1' transmits the image information stored in the tag storage unit 140 And displays the image for the animation function with 'tag 2' through the first communication unit 121 after displaying it on the display unit 130. At this time, the command to the 'tag 2' may not be performed immediately after displaying the image information in the 'tag 1', but may be performed after a predetermined time has elapsed. The 'tag 2' receiving the command through the second communication unit 122 also displays the image information of itself and then commands the display of the image by 'tag 3'. In this way, sequential image conversion is performed from 'tag 1' to 'tag 5'.

9 is a block diagram illustrating an EIL server configuration according to an embodiment. 9, the EIL server 200 includes an arrangement information receiving unit 310, a tag arrangement grasping unit 320, and an image providing unit 330, and further includes an image display timing control unit 340 . These configurations may indicate a functional group or group of instructions of the instructions of the computer program and one or more hardware controlled according to the group. The server storage unit 350 is a database for data management, and stores tag allocation information for each product. In addition, the server storage unit 350 stores tag group information. The tag group information includes information on the number of adjacent arranged tags and the order of arrangement. The server storage unit 350 may be configured in the EIL server 200 or may be a separate database server.

The arrangement information receiving unit 310 receives the tag arrangement information from the EIL tags 100 through the gateway 200. In one embodiment, the EIL server 200 requests tag array information only for the EIL tag 100 to which the goods are assigned. In another embodiment, the EIL tag 100 transmits the tag arrangement information to the EIL server 200 irrespective of the request of the EIL server 200, and transmits the tag arrangement information regardless of whether the product is allocated or not. The tag array determination unit 320 parses the tag array information received from the EIL tags 100 to determine the number and arrangement order of tags arranged adjacent to each other, generates tag group information, and stores the tag group information in the server storage unit 350 ). In one embodiment, the tag array determination unit 320 determines that tags are arranged adjacent to the tags assigned to the same product. Or tag group information can be generated and managed for tags that are not allocated to adjacent tags.

The image providing unit 330 manages the group image information mapped to each tag group, and provides image information corresponding to the EIL tags 100 belonging to the tag group. The group image information is composed of a plurality of pieces of image information, and each piece of image information is managed by being mapped to different EIL tags 100. The group image information may be different according to the number of tags belonging to the tag group. That is, the group image information such as promotions having a size corresponding to the group size may be different. In other words, group image information of various sizes may exist for one product, and the image providing unit 330 maps and manages the group image information corresponding to the tag group information. As another example, the image data providing unit 330 may map and manage group image information such as an advertisement for a tag group that has not been assigned a product.

The image display timing control unit 340 is a structure for causing the tag group to perform an animation function. In one embodiment, the image display timing control unit 340 instructs display of image information by tags belonging to the same tag group, and instructs display of image information at different timings. That is, the image information display time is scheduled for each tag, and the image information is displayed on each tag at a time according to the scheduling. For this purpose, it is desirable that the clock timing synchronization of the tags is ensured, and the image display timing control unit 340 can command the clock time synchronization to the master tag. In another embodiment, the image display timing control unit 340 commands the start of an animation function for displaying sequential image information in one tag in the same tag group, for example, a master tag.

10 illustrates the procedures of EIL tags and EIL servers according to an embodiment. Each of the EIL tags 100 recognizes whether there is an adjacent tag (S110). The EIL tag 100 recognizing the adjacent tag generates tag array information (S120), and reports the generated tag array information to the EIL server 200 (S130). The EIL server 200 receives the tag arrangement information from the EIL tags 100 in step S310, and determines the number and arrangement order of the adjacent arrangement tags on the basis of the tag arrangement information in step S320. Thus, the tag group information is generated. The EIL server 200 transmits corresponding image information for each EIL tag 100 belonging to the same tag group (S330). The EIL tags 100 receive image information corresponding thereto (S140) and display the received image information (S150).

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. It will be possible. Accordingly, the true scope of protection should be determined only by the appended claims.

100: EIL tag 110: server communication section
120: tag communication unit 121: first communication unit
122: second communication unit 130: display unit
140: tag storage unit 150: control unit
200: Gateway 300: EIL server
310: arrangement information reception unit 320: tag arrangement identification unit
330: Image providing unit 340: Image display timing control unit
350: server storage unit

Claims (12)

A server communication unit for communicating with a central server;
A tag communication unit for communicating with a tag which is an adjacent electronic information label device;
A display unit for displaying image information received from a central server; And
And a controller for recognizing at least one tag through the tag communication unit and reporting the tag arrangement information including the unique information of the recognized tag and the unique information of the recognized tag and the adjacent direction information of the recognized tag to the central server,
Wherein the image information received from the central server in the presence of a contiguous tag is part of the full image information.
The tag communicating apparatus according to claim 1,
A first communication unit for communicating with a tag adjacent to one side; And
A second communication unit for communicating with a tag adjacent to the other side;
And the electronic information label device.
3. The method of claim 2,
The first communication unit is a master communication unit that transmits a signal to a tag adjacent to one side and receives unique information of the tag in response to the signal.
The method of claim 3,
And the second communication unit is a slave communication unit that transmits its own unique information in response to a signal received from a tag adjacent to the other communication unit.
5. The method of claim 4,
And the second communication unit receives the unique information of the adjacent tag from the tag adjacent to the other side.
5. The method of claim 4,
And the control unit synchronizes the clock with the adjacent tags through the first communication unit and the second communication unit.
5. The method of claim 4,
When receiving an animation function start command for sequentially switching images of tags from a central server or receiving an image switching command from a tag adjacent to one side through a first communication unit, the controller displays the image information, The electronic information labeling device instructing to switch the image to an electronic information labeling device.
An arrangement information receiver for receiving unique information of a tag from each tag, unique information of another tag adjacent to the tag, and tag array information including adjacent direction information;
A tag array grasping unit for grasping the number and arrangement order of adjacent arranged tags through the tag array information; And
An image providing unit for providing corresponding image information of the group image information to each tag belonging to the same tag group according to the information detected by the tag array determining unit;
The electronic information label management server comprising:
9. The method of claim 8,
The group image information is different according to the number of tags arranged adjacent to each other.
10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the control unit recognizes that tags are arranged adjacent to the tags assigned to the same article.
11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
An image display timing control unit for instructing display of image information by adjacent arranged tags, and for instructing display of image information at different timings;
The electronic information label management server further comprising:
11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
An image display timing control unit for instructing to start displaying image information with any one of tags arranged adjacent to each other and displaying image information sequentially from the tag;
The electronic information label management server further comprising:

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