Patent Publication Number: US-2013229260-A1

Title: Electronic tag system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an electronic tag system, especially relating to an electronic tag system having electronic tags capable of updating image data. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Electronic tags are devices configured to show the price or information of products. Electronic tags are usually configured to the shelf and near the corresponding products in a shop or in a grocery store. Compared with traditional tags, when updating displayed information of electronic tags, human power is not required, and the electronic tags do not need to be replaced with another device. 
     However, when updating the displayed information of electronic tags in a hyper market, a clerk must use a hand-held machine and go near those electronic tags to provide updated information individually. Thus, it is not convenient using relevant updating methods to update electronic tags. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic tag system. The electronic tag system includes a point of sale host, a client host, a first coordinator, a first router and a first electronic tag group. The point of sale host is configured for transmitting textual data. The client host is configured for providing corresponding image data according to the textual data received from the point of sale host. The first coordinator is configured for transmitting the image data received from the client host. The first router is configured for transmitting the image data received from the first coordinator. The first electronic tag group includes a plurality of first electronic tags for displaying images respectively according to the image data received from the first router. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic tag for communicating with a client host through a router and a coordinator. The electronic tag includes a network transmission unit, a counter, a display and a control unit . The network transmission unit is configured for exchanging data with the router. The counter is configured for providing a trigger signal in a predetermined time. The display is configured for displaying an image. The control unit is electrically coupled to the display, the network transmission unit and the counter, for transmitting a request signal to the client host sequentially through the network transmission unit, the router and the coordinator, and updating the image displayed by the display according to received image data. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of updating an electronic tag. The method includes a point of sale host transmitting textual data to a client host, the client host converting the textual data received from the point of sale host into image data, the client host transmitting the image data converted by the client host to an electronic tag group sequentially through a coordinator and a router, and a plurality of electronic tags of the electronic tag group displaying images according to the image data received from the router. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the electronic tag system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of the electronic tag system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows the electronic tag in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system in  FIG. 2  updating data of the electronic tag according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system in  FIG. 2  updating data of the electronic tag according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a third embodiment of the electronic tag system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system in  FIG. 6  updating data of the electronic tag according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system in  FIG. 6  updating data of the electronic tag according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some phrases are referring to specific elements in the present specification and claims, please notice that the manufacturer might use different terms to refer to the same elements. However, the definition between elements is based on their functions instead of their names. Further, in the present specification and claims, the term “comprising” is open type and should not be viewed as the term “consisted of.” Besides, the term “electrically coupled” may be referring to either directly connecting or indirectly connecting between elements. Thus, if it is described in the below contents of the present invention that a first device is electrically coupled to a second device, the first device may be directly connected to the second device, or indirectly connected to the second device through other devices or means. 
     The embodiments and figures are provided as follows in order to illustrate the present invention in detail, but please notice that the claimed scope of the present invention is not limited by the provided embodiments and figures. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows a first embodiment of an electronic tag system  100  of the present invention. The electronic tag system  100  includes a point of sale host  20 , a client host  30  and a plurality of electronic tags  70 . 
     When the electronic tag system  100  is operated to update each electronic tag  70 , the internet or a local area network is applied to the client host  30  to update and/or transmit information to each electronic tag  70  in broadcasting way, and then each electronic tag  70  selects corresponding updated information among the updated information received from the client host  30 . The point of sale host  20  can also control the client host  30  through the internet or a local area network. 
     Although through applying the aforementioned broadcasting method, the information of each electronic tag  70  maybe successfully updated, thus users can remotely update the name/price of each electronic tag  70  without additional hand held devices or walking near the electronic tags  70  or merchandise. However, because the whole updated information has to be sequentially transmitted to each electronic tag  70 , the data transmission amount may be too large and the total transmission time may be too long. Besides, when using the aforementioned broadcasting method, the electronic tags  70  have to keep in an awakened state, increasing power dissipation. Further, because the power of the electronic tags  70  maybe supplied by built-in mercury batteries, frequently replacing the built-in mercury batteries due to keeping the built-in mercury batteries in the awakened state will waste more resources and do more harm to the environment. 
       FIG. 2  shows as a second embodiment of an electronic tag system  200  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the electronic tag system  200  comprise a point of sale host  220 , a client host  230 , coordinators  250  and  252 , routers  260 ,  262  and  264 , and electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290 . The point of sale host  220  is configured to transmit textual data to the client host  230  such that the client host  230  provides image data corresponding to the received textual data. The coordinators  250  and  252  are configured to receive and then transmit the image data transmitted by the client host  230 . The routers  260 ,  262  and  264  are configured to transmit the image data received from the coordinator  250 . For example, when configuring the electronic tag system  200  in a shopping mall having multiple floors, the coordinator  250  and the routers  260  and  262  may be configured on the first floor, and the coordinator  252  and the router  264  may be configured on the second floor. Thus, it can be avoided that one of the coordinators  250  and  252  loses connection with the client host  230  because the coordinators  250  and  252  are interfering with each other because they are too close to each other. 
     For example, the point of sale host  220  maybe a database system configured in the company of hypermarkets or convenience stores by its business owner. The prices of merchandise or any other information required by electronic tags may be all stored in the database system to ensure safety and to be easily managed, and the point of sale host  220  can communicate with the client host  230  through the internet or a local area network. The client host  230  may be a server set in a branch of a hypermarket or a convenience store by the business owner, and the client host  230  can communicate with the point of sale host  220 , the coordinators at a same sales point and/or the coordinators belonging to the client host  230 . Besides, the communication between the coordinators  250 ,  252 , the routers  260 ,  262 ,  264  and the electronic tags can also utilize the internet or a local area network. The aforementioned internet or local area network maybe a wired network or a wireless network such as, inter alia, a Zigbee communication protocol, Wifi (wireless fidelity) communication protocol, LTE communication protocol, ether network or Wimax communication protocol. 
     Besides, the textual data may be prices, names or related information of merchandise recorded in texts such as characters or numbers. However, the textual data may have to be transformed into images or icons for the electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290  to display. 
     Please refer to the  FIG. 2  again. The electronic tag group  270  comprises electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , the electronic tag group  280  comprises electronic tags  282 ,  284  and  286 , and the electronic tag group  290  comprises electronic tags  292 ,  294  and  296 . For example, the client host  230  may be a client host in a convenience store, the electronic tag group  270  may be an electronic tag for frozen foods, the electronic tag group  280  maybe an electronic tag for stationary, and electronic tag group  290  may be an electronic tag for drinks. The above sort is just a demonstration, not a limitation. 
     The electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290  are configured to respectively receive image data respectively from the routers  260 ,  262  and  264  in order to display images. The image data are images generated according to the textual data and are displayed by electronic tags. The point of sale host  220  comprises a database  222  for storing and providing data. 
     Though each of the electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290  only includes three electronic tags in  FIG. 2 , the embodiment of the present invention does not limit the number of the electronic tags in an electronic tag group. Similarly, the numbers of the client host  230 , coordinators  250  and  252 , routers  260 ,  262  and  264  may be determined according to actual needs and are not limited by the illustration in  FIG. 2 . 
     Each electronic tag in the electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290  includes an internet transmission unit, a counter, a display and a control unit. Please refer to  FIG. 3  that shows the electronic tag  272  in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the electronic tag  270  includes an internet transmission unit  310 , a counter  320 , a display  330  and a control unit  340 . The internet transmission unit  310  is configured to switch data with the router  260  and for exchanging data with the router. The counter  320  is configured to provide trigger signal at preset time to wake up the electronic tag  272  from a sleeping status to an operating status . The display  330  is configured to display images. The control unit  340  is electrically connected to the display  330 , the internet transmission unit  310  and the counter  320  for transmitting a request signal to the client host  230  sequentially through the network transmission unit  310 , the router  260  and the coordinator  250 , and updating the image displayed by the display  330  according to the received image data. The control unit  340  is configured to control the electronic tag  270  to receive image data from the client host  230  sequentially through the coordinators  250 ,  260  and the internet transmission unit  310 , and then to update the images displayed by the display  330  according to the received image data. Moreover, the control unit  340  also configure to transmit a request signal to the client host sequentially through the network transmission unit, the router and the coordinator. 
     The display  330  may be a reflection type display, a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, an electrophoresis display (EPD)or an electronic paper configured to display images. The counters  320  in each of the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  can provide a trigger signal substantially at the same time to wake up the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  from a sleeping status to an operating status substantially at the same time so that the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  are capable of synchronously receiving the corresponding updating data received from the router  260 . 
     When the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  are receiving the corresponding updating data from the router  260 , an individual identification code of the electronic tag  272  will be compared with an identification code of the updating data to insure that the electronic tag  272  is updated according to the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272 , not according to image data belonging to the electronic tag  274  or  276 . Similarly, each of the electronic tags  274  and  276  also has an individual identification code to be compared with the identification code of the updating data to insure that the electronic tags  274  and  276  are updated according to image data respectively belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , not according to the image data belonging to other electronic tags. On the other hand, when the router  262  receives the updating data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  from the coordinator  250 , the router  262  will not transmit those updating data to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , and will directly delete those updating data, because the updating data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  should be transmitted by the router  260 , not the router  262 . 
     The electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  in the electronic tag group  270  can be synchronously updated after receiving the image data, the electronic tags  282 ,  284  and  286  in the electronic tag group  280  can be synchronously updated after receiving the image data, and the electronic tags  292 ,  294  and  296  in the electronic tag group  290  can be synchronously updated after receiving the image data. However, the electronic tags in the electronic groups  270 ,  280  and  290  can respectively update the images displayed by the respective display  330 , and do not need to wait for other electronic tags in the same electronic group. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system  200  in  FIG. 2  updating data of the electronic tag  272  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The descriptions are as follows. 
     Step  402 : transmit textual data from the point of sale host  220  to the client host  230 ; 
     Step  404 : convert the textual data received from the point of sale host  220  into image data with the client host  230 ; 
     Step  406 : control the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to enter into an operating status from a sleeping status at a preset time; 
     Step  408 : transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to the electronic tag group  270  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  with the client host  230 ; 
     Step  410 : display images according to the image data received from the router  260  with the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  of the electronic tag group  270 . 
     Step  412 : control the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to enter into the sleeping status from the operating status. 
     Step  406  is performed before Step  408 , so that the client host  230  can transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to the electronic tag group  270  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260 . Step  412  can be immediately performed after performing Step  410  to reduce the power consumption of the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 . Besides, the router  260  only needs to update the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , the router  262  only needs to update the electronic tags  282 ,  284  and  286 , the router  264  only needs to update the electronic tags  292 ,  294  and  296 , the coordinator  250  only needs to update the routers  260  and  262 , and the coordinator  252  only need to update the router  264 . 
     Therefore, when the electronic tag group  270  is the only one electronic tag group needing to be updated, the client host  230  merely needs to transmit image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260 , thus the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  will receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , respectively, and will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . Further, since the electronic tag  272  will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 , the electronic tag  272  only has to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , and does not need to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . That is, the router  264  is configured for blocking the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274 ,  276 ,  282 ,  284  and  286  from being transmitted to the electronic tags  292 ,  294  and  296 . 
     In relevant methods, the client host  30  transmits all of the updating information to each of the electronic tags  70  in a broadcasting way, and then each of the electronic tag  70  selects the updating information belonging to the electronic tag  70  from all of the updating information received from the client host  30  and deletes the updating information belonging to other electronic tags  70 . Thus, comparing with relevant methods, the first embodiment of the present invention can greatly reduce required time and amount of deleting the updating data of the electronic tag  272 , and further reduce the power consumption through the electronic tag  272  entering into a sleeping status. 
     The electronic tags  272 ,  274 ,  276 ,  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296  can decide when to enter into the sleeping status and when to entering into the operating status. For example, if a convenience store updates the prices/names of the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  but does not update the prices/names of the electronic tags  282 ,  284  and  286 , the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  are set to enter into the operating status at 5:00 to 6:00 AM and to enter into the sleeping status at other time, and the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296  are set to enter into the operating status from the sleeping status only when requiring to be updated, thus reducing the power consumption of the electronic tag groups  270 ,  280  and  290 . 
     However, the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  may be set to enter into the sleeping status at the time right after the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  and before 6:00 PM, and to enter into the operating status again at 5:00 AM of the next day to further reduce the power consumption. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  that is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system  200  in  FIG. 2  updating data of the electronic tag  272  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The descriptions are as follows. 
     Step  502 : transmit textual data to the client host  230  with the point of sale host  220 ; 
     Step  504 : convert the textual data received from the point of sale host  220  into image data with the client host  230 ; 
     Step  506 : control the electronic tag  272  to enter into an operating status from a sleeping status at a preset time; 
     Step  508 : send a request signal to the client host  230  through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  with the electronic tag  272 ; 
     Step  510 : transmits the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272  to the electronic tag  272  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  according to the request signal with the client host  230 ; 
     Step  512 : display images according to the image data received from the router  260  with the electronic tag  272 . 
     Step  514 : control the electronic tag  272  to enter into the sleeping status from the operating status. 
     The difference between the second embodiment in  FIG. 5  and the first embodiment in  FIG. 4  is that in the second embodiment, the request signal of a single electronic tag  272  is considered, so that the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272  may be sent to the electronic tag  272  singly. The request signal is configured to inform the client host  230  that the electronic tag  272  has entered into the operating status from the sleeping status and is about to update the displayed image. Thus, the client host  230  sends the updating image data after receiving the request. Therefore, when the electronic tag  272  is the only electronic tag in the electronic tag group  270  that needs to be updated, the client host  230  merely needs to transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272  to the electronic tag  272  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  without transmitting the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , thus the electronic tag  272  will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 . Further, since the electronic tag  272  will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , the electronic tag  272  does not need to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274 ,  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . 
     Comparing with the first embodiment, the second embodiment further reduces the time required to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , and reduces the time of receiving the updating data to make the electronic tag  272  enter into the sleeping status earlier to further reduce power consumption. Besides, if the electronic tags  274  and  276  are in the operating status while the electronic tag  272  is receiving the updating data, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will also receive the updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . After that, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will delete the received updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . On the contrary, if the electronic tags  274  and  276  are in the sleeping status, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will not receive the updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . In Step  514 , the electronic tag  272  can enter into the sleeping status from the operating status right after being updated to reduce the power consumption. 
     In Steps  402  to  412  and Steps  502  to Steps  214 , the textual data, image data or request signal is often transmitted/received wirelessly, however, the textual data, image data or request signal may also be transmitted/received wiredly. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 , which shows a third embodiment of an electronic tag system  600  of the present invention. The difference between the electronic tag systems  200  and  600  is that the client host  630  of the electronic tag system  600  comprises a front desk management system  632  and an electronic shelf label central control host  634 . The front desk management system  632  is configured for receiving the textual data from the point of sale host  220 . The electronic shelf label central control host  634  is configured for providing image data according to the textual data received from the front desk management system  632 . Besides, the front desk management system  632  can communicate with the electronic shelf label central control host  634  through a local area network or the internet. The front desk management system  632  may also directly connect to the electronic shelf label central control host  634  with a transmission line. Moreover, the front desk management system  632  may be a cash register set in a point of sale or the branches of the point of sale, and the electronic shelf label central control host  634  may be a host set in the point of sale or the branches of the point of sale for controlling the electronic tags of the point of sale or the branches of the point of sale. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7  that is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system  600  in  FIG. 6  updating data of the electronic tag  272  according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The descriptions are as follows. 
     Step  702 : transmit textual data to the front desk management system  632  with the point of sale host  220 ; 
     Step  704 : transmits the textual data to the electronic shelf label central control host  634  with the front desk management system  632 ; 
     Step  706 : convert the textual data received from the front desk management system  632  into image data with the electronic shelf label central control host  634 ; 
     Step  708 : control the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to enter into an operating status from a sleeping status at a preset time; 
     Step  710 : transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  247  and  276  to the electronic tag group  270  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  with the electronic shelf label central control host  634 ; 
     Step  712 : display images according to the image data received from the router  260  with the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  of the electronic tag group  270 . 
     Step  714 : control the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to enter into the sleeping status from the operating status. 
     Step  708  is performed before Step  710 , so that electronic shelf label central control host  634  can transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to the electronic tag group  270  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260 . Step  714  maybe immediately performed after performing Step  712  to reduce the power consumption of the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 . Besides, the router  260  only needs to update the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , the router  262  only needs to update the electronic tags  282 ,  284  and  286 , the router  264  only needs to update the electronic tags  292 ,  294  and  296 , the coordinator  250  only needs to update the routers  260  and  262 , and the coordinator  252  only needs to update the router  264 . Therefore, when the electronic tag group  270  is the only electronic tag group needing to be updated, the client host  230  merely needs to transmit image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260 , thus the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276  will receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  272 ,  274  and  276 , respectively, and will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . Further, since the electronic tag  272  will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 , the electronic tag  272  only has to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , and does not need to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  292 ,  294  and  296 . Thus, comparing with relevant methods, the third embodiment of the present invention can greatly reduce required time and amount of deleting the updating data of the electronic tag  272 , and further reduce the power consumption in Step  714  through the electronic tag  272  entering into a sleeping status immediately after being updated. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8  that is a flowchart showing the electronic tag system  600  in  FIG. 6  updating data of the electronic tag  272  according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The descriptions are as follows. 
     Step  802 : transmit textual data to front desk management system  632  with the point of sale host  220 ; 
     Step  804 : transmit the textual data to the electronic shelf label central control host  634  with the front desk management system  632 ; 
     Step  806 : convert the textual data received from the front desk management system  632  into image data with the electronic shelf label central control host  634 ; 
     Step  808 : control the electronic tag  272  to enter into an operating status from a sleeping status at a preset time; 
     Step  810 : send a request signal to the electronic shelf label central control host  634  through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  with the electronic tag  272 ; 
     Step  812 : transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272  to the electronic tag group  270  sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  with the electronic shelf label central control host  634 ; 
     Step  814 : display images according to the image data received from the router  260  with the electronic tag  272 . 
     Step  816 : control the electronic tag  272  to enter into the sleeping status from the operating status. 
     In the above Steps, when the electronic tag  272  is the only electronic tag in the electronic tag group  270  that needs to be updated, the electronic shelf label central control host  634  merely needs to transmit the image data belonging to the electronic tag  272  to the electronic tag sequentially through the coordinator  250  and the router  260  without transmitting the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , thus the electronic tag  272  will not receive the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 . Thus comparing with the first embodiment, the fourth embodiment further reduces the time required to delete the image data belonging to the electronic tags  274  and  276 , and reduces the time of receiving the updating data to make the electronic tag  272  enter into the sleeping status earlier to further reduce power consumption. Besides, if the electronic tags  274  and  276  are in the operating status while the electronic tag  272  is receiving the updating data, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will also receive the updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . After that, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will delete the received the updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . On the contrary, if the electronic tags  274  and  276  are in the sleeping status, the electronic tags  274  and  276  will not receive the updating data belonging to the electronic tag  272 . In Step  816 , the electronic tag  272  can enter into the sleeping status from the operating status right after being updated to reduce the power consumption. 
     In Steps  702  to  714  and Steps  802  to Steps  816 , the textual data, image data or request signal is often transmitted/received wirelessly, however, the textual data, image data or request signal may also be transmitted/received wiredly. 
     According to the devices and methods of the embodiments of the present invention, users can remotely update the prices/names electronic tags without additional hand-held device or walking to approach the electronic tags or merchandise. Besides, in the electronic tag systems  200  and  600 , when only a part of electronic tag groups or electronic tags need to be updated, those electronic tag groups or electronic tags may be individually updated instead of sequentially updating every electronic tag group or electronic tags in a broadcasting way, thus greatly reducing the time and the transmission amount of updating. Moreover, through configuring the counter  320  inside the electronic tag, the timing of the electronic tag entering into the sleeping status and operating status may be controlled, thus further reducing the power consumption of the electronic tag. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.