Method For Locating Electronic Shelf Labels In A Retail Area
The invention relates to a method for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) distributed in a retail area, each provided with a label identifier specific thereto, a plurality of radio frequency tags ( 4 ) being configured to transmit radio signals (S 1 ), wherein: a mobile terminal ( 3 ) receives (S 2 ) radio signals transmitted by a plurality of radio frequency tags ( 4 ) and determines data from the signals; at a time of acquisition, the mobile terminal ( 3 ) acquires the identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 ); the mobile terminal ( 3 ) transmits, to a central computer server ( 6 ), the label identifier and the data from the signals received at the time of acquisition, the central computer server ( 6 ) determines the association data between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and a position determined from the data from the radio signals received at the time of acquisition.
1 . A method for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) in a sales area, said sales area having a plurality of electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) distributed in said sales area, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being associated with an item, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being provided with a label identifier specific thereto, said sales area comprising a plurality of radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ) configured to transmit radio signals (S 1 ),
the expected arrangement of the electronic tags in the sales area being described by a planogram configured to comprise association data between each of a plurality of label identifiers and an expected position within gondolas of the sales area,
said method comprising the following steps:
a portable terminal ( 3 ) provided with a radiofrequency location module receives (S 2 ) radio signals transmitted by a plurality of radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ) and determines (S 4 ) data derived from the radio signals by means of said radiofrequency location module;
at an acquisition time, the portable terminal ( 3 ) acquires (S 3 ) the identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 );
the portable terminal ( 3 ) transmits (S 5 ) to a central computer server ( 6 ) the label identifier and the data derived from the signals received at the acquisition time,
the central computer server ( 6 ) determines (S 6 ) association data between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and one position of said electronic shelf label ( 1 ) determined from the data derived from the radio signals received at the acquisition time, the position thus determined being specific to said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the portable terminal ( 3 ) also acquires an identifier of an item ( 10 ) associated with the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) and transmits said item identifier to the central computer server ( 6 ) as well as the label identifier and the data derived from the radio signals received at the acquisition time, and the central computer server ( 6 ) determines association data between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ), the position of the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) and the item associated with said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determined position for the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) is determined, among predefined spots, as the nearest spot to the portable terminal ( 3 ).
4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the determined position for the shelf tag is defined as the combination of a reference of the gondola ( 2 ), a number of a shelf ( 22 ) and a distance along a rail ( 21 ).
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each electronic tag shelf ( 1 ) is provided with a radiofrequency peripheral device and the portable terminal ( 3 ) acquires the identifier of the electronic tag shelf ( 1 ) by establishing a radiofrequency communication with said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the radiofrequency peripheral device comprises an antenna and an NFC-type (Near Field Communication) electronic chip.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each electronic shelf label ( 1 ) is provided with an element for visually representing the label identifier, and the portable terminal ( 3 ) comprises an optical reader adapted to read said visual representation element and acquire the label identifier.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the radiofrequency location module determines the location of the portable terminal ( 3 ) from the radio signals transmitted by the radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ) by measuring the propagation time of the respective signals of said radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ), and the data derived from the radiofrequency signals are position data.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the location data are position coordinates.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data derived from the radiofrequency signals are reception time measurements of said signals, and the location of the portable terminal ( 3 ) is determined by the central computer server ( 6 ) from said time measurements.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sales area includes a plurality of gondolas ( 2 ) carrying the electronic shelf labels ( 1 ), said gondolas defining aisles ( 5 ) therebetween, and radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ) are arranged in the extension of aisles ( 5 ) of the sales area.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein for each of a plurality of aisles ( 5 ), a radiofrequency beacon ( 4 ) is arranged on each side of the extension of the aisle ( 5 ).
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the radiofrequency beacons ( 4 ) emit pulses over a frequency band greater than 500 MHz according to the Ultra wideband technique.
14 . A method for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) in a sales area, said sales area having a plurality of electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) distributed in said sales area, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being associated with an item, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being provided with a label identifier specific thereto, said sales area comprising a plurality of luminaires ( 4 ) configured to transmit light signals (S 1 ),
the expected arrangement of the electronic tags in the sales area being described by a planogram configured to comprise association data between each of a plurality of label identifiers and an expected position within gondolas of the sales area,
said method comprising the following steps:
a portable terminal ( 3 ) equipped with a positioning module receives (S 2 ) light signals transmitted by several luminaires ( 4 ) and determines (S 4 ) data derived from the light signals by means of said positioning module;
at an acquisition time, the portable terminal ( 3 ) acquires (S 3 ) the identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 );
the portable terminal ( 3 ) transmits (S 5 ) to a central computer server ( 6 ) the label identifier and the data derived from the signals received at the acquisition time,
the central computer server ( 6 ) determines (S 6 ) the association data in the planogram between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and one position of said electronic shelf label ( 1 ) determined from the data derived from the light signals received at the acquisition time, the position thus determined being specific to said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
15 . A system for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) in a sales area, said sales area having a plurality of electronic shelf labels distributed in said sales area, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being associated with an item ( 10 ), each of said electronic shelf labels being provided with a label identifier specific thereto,
said system comprising:
a central computer server ( 6 ), comprising a planogram configured to comprise association data between each of a plurality of label identifiers and an expected position within gondolas of the sales area,
a plurality of radiofrequency beacons configured to transmit radio signals,
a portable terminal ( 3 ) provided with a radiofrequency location module configured to receive the radio signals and determine data derived from the radio signals by means of said radiofrequency location module, the portable terminal ( 3 ) being further adapted to acquire, at an acquisition time, an identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 ),
and to transmit to the central computer server the label identifier ( 6 ) and the data derived from the signals received at the acquisition time,
the central computer server ( 6 ) being configured to determine association data in the planogram between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and one position of said electronic shelf label ( 1 ) determined from the data derived from the radio signals received at the acquisition time, the position thus determined being specific to said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the central computer server ( 6 ) is configured to determine a position of the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) corresponding to the combination of a gondola reference ( 2 ), a number of a shelf ( 22 ) and a distance along a rail ( 21 ).
17 . A system for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) in a sales area, said sales area having a plurality of electronic shelf labels distributed in said sales area, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being associated with an item ( 10 ), each of said electronic shelf labels being provided with a label identifier specific thereto,
said system comprising:
a central computer server ( 6 ), comprising a planogram configured to comprise association data between each of a plurality of label identifiers and an expected position within gondolas of the sales area,
a plurality of radiofrequency beacons configured to transmit radio signals,
a portable terminal ( 3 ) provided with a radiofrequency location module configured to receive the radio signals and determine data derived from the radio signals by means of said radiofrequency location module, the portable terminal ( 3 ) being further adapted to acquire, at an acquisition time, an identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 ),
and to transmit to the central computer server the label identifier ( 6 ) and the data derived from the signals received at the acquisition time,
the central computer server ( 6 ) being configured to determine association data in the planogram between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and one position of said electronic shelf label ( 1 ) determined from the data derived from the radio signals received at the acquisition time, the position thus determined being specific to said electronic shelf label ( 1 ),
said system being configured to implement the method according to claim 1 .
18 . A system for locating electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) in a sales area, said sales area having a plurality of electronic shelf labels distributed in said sales area, each of said electronic shelf labels ( 1 ) being associated with an item ( 10 ), each of said electronic shelf labels being provided with a label identifier specific thereto,
said system comprising:
a central computer server ( 6 ), comprising a planogram configured to comprise association data between each of a plurality of label identifiers and an expected position within gondolas of the sales area,
a plurality of luminaires configured to transmit light signals,
a portable terminal ( 3 ) equipped with a positioning module configured to receive the light signals and determine data derived from the light signals by means of said positioning module, the portable terminal ( 3 ) being furthermore adapted to acquire, at an acquisition time, an identifier of an electronic shelf label ( 1 ) from said electronic shelf label ( 1 ),
and to transmit to the central computer server the label identifier ( 6 ) and the data derived from the signals received at the acquisition time,
the central computer server ( 6 ) being configured to determine association data in the planogram between the electronic shelf label ( 1 ) identified by the label identifier and one position of said electronic shelf label ( 1 ) determined from the data derived from the light signals received at the acquisition time, the position thus determined being specific to said electronic shelf label ( 1 ).
19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein the luminaires comprise light-emitting diodes, and the light signals carry VLC (Visible Light Communications) codes.