Systems and methods for providing smart electronic labels and tags

1. A method for operating an Electronic Smart Tag (“EST”), comprising:

operating the EST in a first operational state in which first item related information is output from an electronic output device of the EST that is powered by an energy storage device storing energy harvested from an external energy source;

detecting when a charge level of the energy storage device reaches or falls below a first threshold level; and

transitioning an operational state of the EST from the first operational state to a second operational state in which a message is output from EST requesting that a mobile device be placed in proximity to the EST for purposes of obtaining at least a first portion of the first item related information, in response to the detection that the charge level of the energy storage device has reached or fallen below the first threshold level.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising communicating at least the first portion of the first item related information from the EST to the mobile device when placed in proximity thereto.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first item related information comprises at least one of an item description, item nutritional information, a promotional message, an item regular price, an item sale price, a currency symbol, and a source of the item.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

placing the EST in a third operational mode in which a display is turned off or inactive;

detecting when a person comes in proximity with the EST;

in response to the detection that the person is in proximity with the EST, transitioning the operational mode of the EST from the third operational mode to a fourth operational mode in which the display is turned on or active.

5. An Electronic Smart Tag (“EST”), comprising:

an energy storage device storing energy harvested from an external energy source;

an output device configured to output first item related information when the EST is in a first operational state; and

a processor configured to

detect when a charge level of the energy storage device reaches or falls below a first threshold level, and

transition an operational state of the EST from the first operational state to a second operational state in which a message is output from the EST requesting that a mobile device be placed in proximity to the EST for purposes of obtaining at least a first portion of the first item related information, in response to the detection that the charge level of the energy storage device has reached or fallen below the first threshold level.

6. The EST according to claim 5 , further comprising a communication enabled device configured to communicate at least the first portion of the first item related information from the EST to the mobile device when placed in proximity thereto.

7. The EST according to claim 5 , wherein the first item related information comprises at least one of an item description, item nutritional information, a promotional message, an item regular price, an item sale price, a currency symbol, and a source of the item.

8. The EST according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

place the EST in a third operational mode in which a display is turned off or inactive;

detect when a person comes in proximity with the EST based on sensor data;

transition the operational mode of the EST from the third operational mode to a fourth operational mode in which the display is turned on or active, in response to the detection that the person is in proximity with the EST.