Method for placing a piece of playback content within the display area of a screen of a video shelving rail

1 . A method of placing a playback content within the display area of a screen of a video shelving rail,

wherein, with the help of a camera, a digital image of

the screen and/or

a product-presentation area extending along the screen

is captured, and

wherein an image-processing device is used to automatically detect a placement indicator and its position in the digital image, wherein the placement indicator indicates or delimits the space of a product to be presented along the screen, and

wherein the image-processing device generates placement data based on the detected position of the placement indicator, wherein the placement data defines the space for the playback content to be played within the display area, and

wherein the video shelving rail displays the playback content in accordance with the placement data within the display area of the screen,

wherein the placement data are used only on condition for the placement of the playback content that:

the spatial change in the placement due to the placement data compared to the current placement exceeds a predefined fixed threshold value or a threshold value that changes dynamically over time

and/or

the time span until the placement data is taken into account exceeds a temporal threshold value.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the automatic detection of the placement indicator is carried out using computerized image content and/or pattern recognition.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an optical signal is detected as the placement indicator.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the optical signal is formed by a temporally and/or spatially varying signal.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the optical signal is emitted by the screen.

6 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the optical signal is emitted by a shelf divider located in the product-presentation area.

7 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the optical signal is a light signal in a spectral range not visible to humans.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement indicator is identified as the product or a group of products located in the product-presentation area.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement data is transferred from the image-processing device to a higher-level control device, wherein the control device controls the placement of the playback content in accordance with the placement data within the display area of the screen of the video shelving rail.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the placement data describe or represent a placement in the display area in at least one of the following ways, namely:

a single coordinate to define a position in the display area along a direction,

a pair of coordinates to define the position of a point in the display area,

a route within the display area,

an area within the display area,

a portion of the display area.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the control device controls the placement of the playback content in accordance with the placement data within the display area of the screen of the video shelving rail individually for a plurality of such video shelving rails.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the placement data describe or represent a placement in the display area in at least one of the following ways, namely:

a single coordinate to define a position in the display area along a direction,

a pair of coordinates to define the position of a point in the display area,

a route within the display area,

an area within the display area,

a portion of the display area corresponding to the product-presentation area located along the screen.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement data is delivered from the image-processing device directly to the video shelving rail from which the digital image was captured, wherein the video shelving rail controls the placement of the playback content in accordance with the placement data within the display area of the screen of the video shelving rail.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement data are used only on condition for the placement of the playback content that:

the spatial change in the placement due to the placement data compared to the current placement exceeds the predefined fixed threshold value or the threshold value that changes dynamically over time

and/or

the time span until the placement data is taken into account exceeds the temporal threshold value, wherein the temporal threshold value is defined by a customer's typical time spent in front of the video shelving rail.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the camera and the image-processing device are integrated into one device, and the placement data are transmitted by radio directly to the video shelving rail and/or are delivered to a higher-level control device, wherein the higher-level control device controls a plurality of the video shelving rails with individual playback content.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the image-processing device is integrated into the camera, and wherein the higher-level control device controls an entirety of the video shelving rails on business premises with individual playback content.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method using one camera is used for a plurality of playback content intended for playback using one screen.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method using one camera is applied to a plurality of playback content intended for playback with a plurality of screens.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method using one camera is applied to a plurality of playback content intended for playback with a plurality of screens installed on shelving rails arranged side by side or on top of each other.

20 . A method of placing a playback content within the display area of a screen of a video shelving rail,

wherein an optical signal is transmitted at a position visible to a camera,

wherein, with the help of the camera:

a digital image of the optical signal and the screen is captured, and/or

a digital image of the optical signal and a product-presentation area extending along the screen is captured, and

wherein an image-processing device is used to automatically detect the optical signal and its position in the digital image, wherein the optical signal indicates or delimits the space of a product to be presented along the screen, and

wherein the image-processing device generates placement data based on the detected position of the optical signal, wherein the placement data defines the space for the playback content to be played within the display area,

wherein the video shelving rail displays the playback content in accordance with the placement data within the display area of the screen.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the optical signal is a light signal in a spectral range not visible to humans.