Abstract:
An electronic shelf label system may include at least one power supply generating electrical energy using a solar cell and storing the generated electrical energy therein, and at least one electronic shelf label tag driven by power supplied by the at least one power supply, receiving product information from an electronic shelf label gateway, and displaying the product information.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority and benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2014-0050312 filed on Apr. 25, 2014 and 10-2015-0028970 filed on Mar. 2, 2015, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an electronic shelf label tag and an electronic shelf label system. 
         [0003]    An electronic shelf label (ESL) system may include electronic shelf label gateways (for example, gateways) and a plurality of electronic shelf label tags (for example, electronic tags) connected to the electronic shelf label gateways by a wireless network. 
         [0004]    Here, the electronic shelf label tags necessarily consume a predetermined amount of current in order to ensure maintenance of communications with the electronic shelf label gateways, or the like. To this end, the electronic shelf label tags may use coin batteries as power sources, and such coin batteries need to be replaced after being used for a predetermined period (for example, over a period of several years). 
         [0005]    Research into and development of an electronic shelf label tag that does not include a battery have been conducted in view of a reduction in operating costs, environmental-friendliness, and increases in electronic shelf label tag lifespans. 
         [0006]    For example, a method of using solar cells as the power sources of electronic shelf label tags has been suggested. However, it is somewhat difficult to mass-produce electronic shelf label tags using solar cells as power sources, due to the relatively high cost of solar cells in addition to the fact that a size of the solar cell that may be installed in the electronic shelf label tag is limited due to the limited size of electronic shelf label tags, such that there are limitations in the ability of such solar panels to supply sufficient amounts of power for executing communications, or the like. 
         [0007]    An information display system, an information display apparatus, and an electronic shelf label are disclosed in the following Related Art Document (Patent Document 1). 
       RELATED ART DOCUMENT 
       [0000]    
       
         (Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-045430 (published on Mar. 10, 2011) 
       
     
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    An aspect of the present disclosure may provide an electronic shelf label tag able to be efficiently implemented without using a battery. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic shelf label system may include at least one power supply and at least one electronic shelf label tag. 
         [0011]    The at least one power supply may generate electrical energy using a solar cell and store the generated electrical energy, and may include the solar cell converting solar energy into the electrical energy, a capacitor storing the electrical energy generated by the solar cell, and a direct current (DC) to DC converter converting the electrical energy stored in the capacitor into a form usable in the at least one electronic shelf label tag and providing the converted electrical energy. 
         [0012]    The at least one electronic shelf label tag may be driven by power supplied by the at least one power supply, receive product information from an electronic shelf label gateway, and display the product information. 
         [0013]    The at least one electronic shelf label tag may include a circuit unit performing communications with the electronic shelf label gateway and processing the product information received from the electronic shelf label gateway, and a display unit displaying the product information depending on a control of the circuit unit. 
         [0014]    The at least one electronic shelf label tag may be installed on a rail of a shelf for displaying products, and the rail may have power lines installed thereon in order for the at least one power supply to supply the power to the at least one electronic shelf label tag. 
         [0015]    The at least one power supply and the at least one electronic shelf label tag may include antennas for wireless charging, respectively, and the at least one power supply may wirelessly supply the power to the at least one electronic shelf label tag. 
         [0016]    According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic shelf label tag may include a circuit unit, and a display unit. 
         [0017]    The circuit unit may perform communications with an electronic shelf label gateway and may process product information received from the electronic shelf label gateway. 
         [0018]    The display unit may display the product information depending on a control of the circuit unit. 
         [0019]    The electronic shelf label tag may be driven by power supplied by an external power supply. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic shelf label system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an electronic shelf label tag according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a power supply included in the electronic shelf label system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an example in which the electronic shelf label tag and the power supply are installed on a rail of a shelf according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an implementation of a rear surface of the electronic shelf label tag illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a system in which a circuit unit of the electronic shelf label tag and the power supply are implemented to be integrated with each other according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating an example in which the system illustrated in  FIG. 6  is installed on the rail of the shelf; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an implementation of a rear surface of a display panel illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a view illustrating an implementation of connection between the display panel illustrated in  FIG. 7  and communications lines of the shelf. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0031]    The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
         [0032]    In the drawings, the shapes and dimensions of elements may be exaggerated for clarity, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout to designate the same or like elements. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic shelf label system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the electronic shelf label system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include an electronic shelf label server  100  (for example, an ESL server), a plurality of electronic shelf label gateways (for example, gateways)  200 , and a plurality of electronic shelf label tags (for example, electronic tags)  300 , and may further include a plurality of power supplies  400  supplying power to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  and rails  500  on which the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  are installed. 
         [0035]    The electronic shelf label server  100  may transmit product information including price information, and the like, to the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200  through a wired communications network (for example, Ethernet). 
         [0036]    For example, in a case in which electronic shelf label tags  300  that need to update product information among the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  are present, the electronic shelf label server  100  may transmit updated product information to the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200 . 
         [0037]    Each of the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200  may perform wireless communications with the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300 . 
         [0038]    For example, each of the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200  may transmit the product information received from the electronic shelf label server  100  to corresponding electronic shelf label tags  300 . 
         [0039]    Each of the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may receive the product information from at least one of the plurality electronic shelf label gateways  200  and display the received product information. 
         [0040]    For example, each of the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may be in a sleep mode and be then periodically waken up to perform communications with at least one of the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200 . Through this, each of the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may receive and display the updated product information from at least one of the plurality electronic shelf label gateways  200  in a case in which the product information needs to be updated. 
         [0041]    Each of the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may be installed on the rails  500  positioned on front ends of shelves provided in a store in order to display product information on products, and the like, displayed in the store. For example, dozens of (for example, twenty or thirty) electronic shelf label tags  300  may be installed in each rail  500  provided in each shelf. 
         [0042]    Each of the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may receive required power from the power supplies  400  through power lines, or the like, provided in the rails  500  described above without including a separate battery, in order to perform the operation as described above. 
         [0043]    Each of the plurality of power supplies  400  may be installed in the shelf for displaying the products, provided in the store, and may supply the power required for operating the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  installed on the corresponding shelf to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300 . 
         [0044]    The plurality of power supplies  400  may be installed in each shelf provided in the store or at least one power supply  400  may be installed in one or more shelf. In addition, a position on which the plurality of power supplies  400  is installed is not necessarily limited to the shelf. 
         [0045]    The rails  500  may be installed on the front ends of the shelves provided in the store. The power lines through which the power supplies  400  are to supply the power to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  installed on the rails  500  or communications lines for data communications may be installed in the rails  500 . 
         [0046]    Next, an electronic shelf label tag  300  and a power supply  400  according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 9 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an electronic shelf label tag according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electronic shelf label tag  300  according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may mainly include a circuit unit  310  and a display unit  320 . 
         [0049]    The circuit unit  310 , which is to perform data processing and communications for an operation of the electronic shelf label tag  300 , may include a communications modem  311  and a processor  312 . The circuit unit  310  may be implemented by, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, or the like. 
         [0050]    The communications modem  311 , which is to perform communications with the plurality of electronic shelf label gateways  200 , may be implemented by, for example, a radio frequency (RF) modem for wireless communications, or the like. 
         [0051]    The processor  312  may process the product information received through the communications modem  311  and control the display unit  320  to display the processed product information. The processor  312  may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or the like. 
         [0052]    Meanwhile, the display unit  320 , which is to display the product information received through the circuit unit  310 , may include a driver  321  and a display panel  322 . 
         [0053]    The driver  321  may serve to drive the display panel  322  to display the product information, and may be implemented by, for example, a display integrated chip (IC) including a memory such as a display random access memory (RAM), a register, or the like. 
         [0054]    The display panel  322 , a region in which the display information is displayed, may be implemented by, for example, an electrophoretic display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or the like. 
         [0055]    In addition, the circuit unit  310  and the display unit  320  described above may be implemented to be coupled to or separated from each other by an interface pin, or the like, in terms of hardware, and may transmit and receive data through inter-integrated circuit (I2C) communications, serial peripheral interface (SPI) communications, or the like. 
         [0056]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a power supply included in the electronic shelf label system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the power supply  400  included in the electronic shelf label system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a solar cell  410 , a capacitor  320 , and a direct current (DC) to DC converter  430 . 
         [0058]    The solar cell  410  may be a device converting solar energy into electrical energy, and since a structure and a principle of the solar cell  410  have been well-known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description therefor will be omitted. 
         [0059]    Since the solar cell  410  is provided in the power supply  400  separately separated from the electronic shelf label tags  300 , it may be selected depending on a capacity required for driving the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  without having a limitation in a size thereof. 
         [0060]    The capacitor  320 , which is connected to the solar cell  410  to store electrical energy generated by the solar cell  410  therein, may be implemented by a super-capacitor having a high capacitance, such as an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC), or the like. 
         [0061]    The DC to DC converter  430  may convert power stored in the capacitor  320  so that the power may be used in the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  and provide the converted power. 
         [0062]    The power supplies  400  having the above-mentioned configuration may be installed in the shelves provided in the store, respectively, and may supply the power required for operating the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  installed on the corresponding shelves to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300 . 
         [0063]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an example in which the electronic shelf label tag and the power supply are installed on a rail of a shelf according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0064]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the power supply  400  may be installed on one end of the shelf provided in the store, and the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may be installed on the rail of the shelf. In addition, the power lines may be configured by, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB), or the like, on the rail. 
         [0065]    The power supply  400  and the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  installed on the shelf may be connected to each other through the power lines on the rail, and the power supply  400  may supply the power required for driving the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  through the power lines. 
         [0066]    Although a case in which the power supply  400  supplies the power to the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  through the power lines on the rail has been described in the above-mentioned exemplary embodiment, a scheme of supplying the power is not limited thereto. 
         [0067]    For example, the power supply  400  and the plurality of electronic shelf label tags  300  may also include antennas for wireless charging and wirelessly supply the power, respectively. 
         [0068]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an implementation of a rear surface of the electronic shelf label tag illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0069]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the electronic shelf label tag  300  may include power terminals  301  formed on the rear surface thereof to thereby be implemented to contact the power lines on the rail. 
         [0070]    In addition, the power terminals  301  may be formed on various positions such as an upper surface, a lower surface, a side surface, and the like, of the electronic shelf label tag  300  depending on a form in which the electronic shelf label tag  300  is installed on the rail as well as on the rear surface of the electronic shelf label tag  300 . 
         [0071]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a system in which a circuit unit of the electronic shelf label tag and the power supply are implemented to be integrated with each other according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0072]    According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the circuit unit  310  may be implemented to be separately separated from the display unit  320  in the electronic shelf label tag  300  illustrated in  FIG. 2  and be integrated with the power supply  400  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0073]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a display terminal  320 ′ may correspond to the display unit  320  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0074]    In addition, a control apparatus  600 , which is implemented by integrating the circuit unit  310  illustrated in  FIG. 2  and the power supply  400  illustrated in  FIG. 3  with each other, may include a circuit unit  310 ′ and a power supplying unit  400 ′ each corresponding to the circuit unit  310  (See  FIG. 2 ) and the power supply  400  (See  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0075]    In a case in which the system is implemented as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , respective display terminals  320 ′ may be connected to the control apparatus  600  through the communications lines on the rail, and may display the product information depending on a control of the control apparatus  600 . 
         [0076]    In this case, the display terminal  320 ′ does not need to perform RF communications with the electronic shelf label gateway in order to receive the product information, such that power for driving may be decreased as compared with the electronic shelf label tag  300  described with reference to  FIG. 2  and a separate circuit unit does not need to be provided, whereby a device cost may be decreased. 
         [0077]    In addition, since the control apparatus  600  performs wireless communications instead of a plurality of display terminals  320 ′, a wireless transmission bandwidth may be more efficiently used. 
         [0078]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating an example in which the system illustrated in  FIG. 6  is installed on the rail of the shelf. 
         [0079]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the control apparatus  600  may be installed on one end of the shelf provided in the store, and the plurality of display terminals  320 ′ may be installed on the rail of the shelf. In addition, the power lines and the communications lines may be configured by, for example, a PCB, or the like, on the rail. 
         [0080]    The control apparatus  600  and the plurality of display terminals  320 ′ installed on the shelf may be connected to each other through the power lines and the communications lines on the rail, and the control apparatus  600  may supply the power to the plurality of display terminals  320 ′ through the power lines and the communications lines. 
         [0081]    In addition, in a case in which the product information displayed on the display terminals  320 ′ connected to the control apparatus  600  needs to be updated, the control apparatus  600  may receive updated product information from the electronic shelf label gateway and transmit the updated product information to the corresponding display terminals  320 ′ through the communications lines. In this case, a controller area network (CAN), an RS-485 protocol, or the like, may be used in order to transmit the product information. 
         [0082]    In addition, in a case in which the product information displayed on the display terminals  320 ′ does not need to be updated, the power supplying unit  400 ′ may control a DC to DC converter provided therein to cut off the power provided to the display terminals  320 ′. Therefore, the power generated by the power supplying unit  400 ′ may be more efficiently used. 
         [0083]      FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an implementation of a rear surface of a display panel illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0084]    As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the display panel  320 ′ may include power and communications terminals  321 ′ formed on the rear surface thereof to thereby be implemented to contact the power lines and the communications lines on the rail. However, a position of the power and communications terminals  320 ′ is not necessarily limited to the rear surface of the display panel  320 ′. 
         [0085]      FIG. 9  is a view illustrating an implementation of connection between the display panel illustrated in  FIG. 7  and communications lines of the shelf. 
         [0086]    Terminals in the display panel  320 ′ configured as illustrated in  FIG. 8  may contact power lines and communications lines configured on the rail, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , to perform communications and power supplying between the display panel  320 ′ and the control apparatus. 
         [0087]    As set forth above, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic shelf label tag that does not have a battery is implemented, whereby a limitation in a use period of the electronic shelf label tag depending on a battery capacity may be solved, and an electronic shelf label system that is more efficient may be provided. 
         [0088]    While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations could be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.