Device control method, store energy saving control method, and store

Abstract

The application discloses a device control method, the device can switch between low power consumption mode and normal working mode, the device control method comprises the following steps: obtaining the environment parameter of the device; determining whether the device is in low peak period according to the environment parameter; and setting the device to low power consumption mode when it is determined that the device is in low peak period. The application can dynamically control the device according to the actual situation of the store business, prolong the service life of the device and save electricity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of intelligent control, and in particular to a device control method, a store energy-saving control method, and a store. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the social economy, convenience stores are constantly increasing, leading to the deployment of more and more self-service POS machines, cashier POS machines, ordering screens, menu screens, and other equipment. Many stores operate 24 hours a day to meet customer demand. This directly results in longer online usage time for equipment (especially screens and data writing modules), increased maintenance frequency and time, shortened equipment lifespan, and significant energy waste. Taking the 3288 dual-screen POS machine as an example, this device includes an eMMC (16G, 13G available), power supply, display screen, and touchscreen. The theoretical lifespan of the display screen is 30,000 hours. Under normal usage conditions (8:00-22:00 daily), its theoretical normal working lifespan is 5.8 years. When the store operates 24 hours a day, the display screen's reference usage environment is 24 hours / day, and its theoretical reference working lifespan is 3.4 years, 41% shorter than the normal working lifespan. Similarly, the normal working lifespan and reference working lifespan of the eMMC, power supply, and touchscreen can be calculated. Therefore, the normal working life of the 3288 dual-screen POS machine is 5 years (based on the power supply with the shortest normal working life). When the store operates 24 hours a day, the reference working life of the entire machine is 3.4 years (based on the display screen with the shortest reference working life). The equipment has therefore suffered significant wear and tear in its lifespan, and the maintenance and replacement of store equipment has put certain pressure on the company's time and financial costs.

[0003] In order to extend the service life of equipment, save energy, shorten maintenance time, and reduce the economic budget of enterprises, the applicant of this invention proposes a control method for store equipment.

[0004] The content of the background section is merely the technology known to the inventor and does not necessarily represent the prior art in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of at least one deficiency of the prior art, the present invention provides a device control method, wherein the device can switch between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode, the device control method comprising:

[0006] Obtain the environmental parameters of the device;

[0007] Based on the environmental parameters, determine whether the device is in an off-peak period; and

[0008] When it is determined that the device is in an off-peak period, the device is set to a low-power mode.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, wherein the environmental parameter includes time, and determining whether the device is in an off-peak period includes: determining that the device is in an off-peak period when the time is within a preset time range.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the environmental parameters include the number of customers in the environment where the device is located, and determining whether the device is in a low-peak period includes: determining that the device is in a low-peak period when the number of customers is less than a preset value.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the environmental parameters include the number of customers around the device, and determining whether the device is in an off-peak period includes determining that the device is in an off-peak period when there are no customers around the device.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the environmental parameters include time, the number of customers in the environment where the device is located, and the number of customers around the device, wherein determining whether the device is in an off-peak period includes determining that the device is in an off-peak period when at least two of the following conditions are met:

[0013] The time is within a preset time range;

[0014] The number of customers in the environment where the device is located is less than a preset value;

[0015] There were no customers around the equipment.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the step of obtaining environmental parameters of the device includes: determining the number of customers in the environment where the device is located and / or the number of customers around the device by image recognition.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the control method further includes: when the device is in a low-power mode, setting the device to a normal operating mode upon detecting one or more of the following conditions:

[0018] The time is outside the preset time range;

[0019] The number of customers in the environment where the device is located is greater than the preset value;

[0020] There are customers around the equipment;

[0021] Activation command received;

[0022] Touchscreen input signal received;

[0023] The QR code input signal has been received.

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, the device includes one or more of a self-service POS machine, a manual POS machine, an ordering screen, and a menu screen.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, the low-power mode includes one or more of the following: device shutdown, device screen off, device screen brightness reduced, and device sleep mode.

[0026] The present invention also relates to a store energy-saving control method, wherein the store includes multiple devices, the devices being able to switch between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode, the method comprising:

[0027] Obtain environmental parameters;

[0028] Based on the environmental parameters, determine whether it is in a low-peak period; and

[0029] When it is determined that it is an off-peak period, at least one of the multiple devices is set to low power mode.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the environmental parameters include time and / or the number of customers in the store, wherein determining whether it is an off-peak period includes: determining that it is an off-peak period when the time is within a preset time range and / or when the number of customers is less than a preset value.

[0031] According to one aspect of the invention, the control method further includes: when one of the devices is in a low-power mode, setting the device to a normal operating mode upon detecting one or more of the following:

[0032] The time is outside the preset time range;

[0033] The number of customers in the store exceeded the preset value;

[0034] There are customers around the equipment;

[0035] Activation command received;

[0036] Touchscreen input signal received;

[0037] The QR code input signal has been received.

[0038] The present invention also relates to a store, comprising:

[0039] Multiple devices, which can switch between low-power mode and normal operation mode;

[0040] A controller that communicates with the plurality of devices and can execute the methods described above.

[0041] According to one aspect of the invention, it further includes an image recognition module for identifying the number of customers and / or the area where the customers are located, and transmitting the recognition result to the controller.

[0042] According to one aspect of the invention, it also includes a greeter that senses and alerts customers entering and exiting the building, and notifies the controller of customer entry and exit events.

[0043] According to one aspect of the present invention, it further includes a device lifespan management system, which maintains the usage time and maintenance / replacement records of the plurality of devices, the device lifespan management system communicating with the controller, and the controller being configured to preferentially set the device to a low-power mode when the usage time and / or maintenance / replacement record of one of the devices meets preset conditions.

[0044] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions executable by a processor, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method described above.

[0045] Through the embodiments of the present invention, the use of equipment can be scheduled during off-peak hours, extending the service life of store equipment and saving energy. Attached Figure Description

[0046] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure. In the drawings:

[0047] Figure 1 A flowchart of a device control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0048] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a store is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 A flowchart of a store equipment control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0050] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a device lifespan management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0051] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0052] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joint" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or connections that allow for communication; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0055] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this disclosure. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, various specific examples of processes and materials are provided in this disclosure, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0056] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0057] Figure 1 A flowchart of a device control method 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. This control method can be used for devices within a store, including but not limited to self-service POS machines, manual POS machines, ordering screens, and menu screens. According to the control method, the device can switch between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode. The store is used in a broad sense, including both shops that sell goods and shops that provide services, such as gyms, clubs, clubhouses, cafes, and restaurants. A detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] In step S101: Obtain the environmental parameters of the device.

[0059] The environmental parameters mentioned include, for example, one or more of the following: time, the number of customers in the environment where the device is located (i.e., the number of customers in the store), and the number of customers around the device. The current time can be obtained as an environmental parameter from the software or hardware system of the device itself, or it can be obtained from outside the device.

[0060] According to one aspect of the present invention, when it is necessary to obtain the number of customers in the environment where the device is located and / or the number of customers around the device, image recognition can be used. For example, images or videos can be captured inside the store or around the device, and head counting can be performed using image recognition methods to determine the number of customers in the environment where the device is located and / or the number of customers around the device.

[0061] Alternatively, sensors and / or counters can be installed at the store entrances and exits to sense the entry and exit of people, and count the number of people entering and leaving, thereby monitoring the number of customers in the store.

[0062] In addition, there are usually staff members in the store. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when it is necessary to obtain the number of customers, it is preferable to remove the number of store staff to calculate the number of customers more accurately. The number of store staff can be a preset value, or it can be dynamically identified, for example, by identifying the number of store staff in an image or video through their clothing, badges, electronic badges, etc., and deducting them from the total number of people to obtain a more accurate number of customers.

[0063] In step S102: Based on the environmental parameters, determine whether the device is in a low-peak period.

[0064] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the time falls within a preset time range, the device is determined to be in an off-peak period. Different time ranges can be set for different types of stores and devices. For example, for convenience stores, the peak period is from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and the off-peak period is from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. For gyms, the peak periods are from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with the remaining time being off-peak. Therefore, different time ranges can be set for different types of stores and devices to determine whether the device is in an off-peak period.

[0065] In the above embodiment where time is used to determine whether a device is in an off-peak period, during peak hours, there may still be significant periods where the device remains unused, resulting in wasted equipment lifespan and energy. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device is determined to be in an off-peak period when the number of customers in the store where the device is located is compared to a preset value, and when the number of customers is less than the preset value. In this way, for example, for convenience stores, even during the period from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, if the number of customers in the store is low, the device is determined to be in an off-peak period. Preferably, the preset value is 1.

[0066] When a store includes multiple devices, customers may concentrate around different devices, some of which may be idle. Therefore, the above embodiments still have room for improvement. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of customers around the device is obtained, and when there are no customers around the device, it is determined that the device is in an off-peak period. This method can dynamically and more accurately determine whether the device is in an off-peak period.

[0067] The above embodiments determine whether a device is in an off-peak period based on three conditions. However, the invention is not limited to this; the three conditions can be used in combination. According to one embodiment of the invention, the device is determined to be in an off-peak period when at least two of the above three conditions are met.

[0068] In step S103: When it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period, the device is set to a low-power mode.

[0069] When it is determined in step S102 that the device is in an off-peak period, the device can be switched to a low-power mode to extend its lifespan and save energy. In this invention, the device can switch between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode. The low-power mode includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: device shutdown, device screen off, device screen brightness reduced, and device sleep mode. The device can be woken up from a low-power mode and switched back to the normal operating mode. The device screen brightness can be adjusted according to specific usage needs; it can be set to a fixed value or a range. For example, when the device is in an off-peak period, the device screen brightness can be adjusted to 20% of normal.

[0070] If the image recognition determines that only a store employee is in the environment where the device is located, the controller will set the device to low power mode; if the image recognition determines the area where the customer is located, the controller will set the devices near the customer's area to normal working mode and set the devices in other areas to low power mode.

[0071] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device control method 100 further includes switching the device to a normal operating mode when the device is in a low-power mode and a certain trigger event is detected. For example, the device is switched to a normal operating mode when one or more of the following conditions are detected:

[0072] (1) The time is outside the preset time range. For example, if the current time is outside the preset off-peak time range, the device can be automatically switched back to normal working mode.

[0073] (2) The number of customers in the environment where the equipment is located exceeds the preset value. For example, by performing image recognition on images or videos of various locations in the store, or by counting the number of people entering and leaving the store, the number of customers in the store can be monitored. When the number of customers exceeds the preset value, the equipment will automatically switch back to normal working mode.

[0074] (3) Customers are around the equipment. When a customer is detected within a certain range around the equipment, such as within 1 meter, the equipment will automatically switch back to normal working mode.

[0075] (4) Receive activation command. The activation command can come from the customer, the device itself, or the upstream controller.

[0076] (5) Receive touch screen input signal. For example, for a food ordering device with a touch screen, when user input is detected, the device needs to be woken up and switched to normal working mode, and the brightness of the touch screen is switched to 100% brightness display, for example.

[0077] (6) Received a barcode input signal. Some self-checkout devices usually have a barcode scanner. When the device is running in low power mode, the barcode scanner can run continuously. When the customer places the QR code of the product in front of the barcode scanner, the barcode scanner scans and recognizes the QR code. At this time, the device can be switched to normal working mode.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above six triggering events can be used individually or in combination, and all of these are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0079] This invention also relates to an energy-saving control method for a store, comprising multiple devices that can switch between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode. The method includes: acquiring environmental parameters; determining whether a peak period is in effect based on the environmental parameters; and when a peak period is determined to be in effect, setting at least one of the multiple devices to a low-power mode. The environmental parameters include time and / or the number of customers in the store. Determining whether a peak period is in effect includes: determining a peak period when the time is within a preset time range and / or when the number of customers is less than a preset value.

[0080] The energy-saving control method for the store can be applied to each piece of equipment in the store, such as... Figure 1 The device control method 100 shown and described allows for more precise individual control of each device. For example, when one device is in a low-power mode, it can be switched to normal operating mode upon detecting a certain trigger event. The specific trigger conditions are the same as above and will not be repeated here.

[0081] This invention also relates to a store, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a store is shown below, with a detailed description following with reference to the attached diagram.

[0082] The store 200 includes multiple devices 202 and a controller 201. Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates devices 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, and 202-4, with device 202 being, for example, the one referenced above. Figure 1 The described devices are distributed throughout various areas of the store and can switch between low-power mode and normal operating mode. The controller 201 communicates with the multiple devices 202 via a communication network, issues commands to the devices 202, and sets and switches the operating modes of the devices 202.

[0083] The controller 201 includes a personal computer, a server, a combinational logic controller, a microprogrammed controller, a CPU, a microcontroller, a PLC controller, etc. The controller receives / sends electrical signals from / to various devices, detects and determines the operating mode of the devices, and sends and executes instructions to switch the operating mode of the devices after determining whether they are in off-peak periods. Furthermore, the controller can be configured specifically for a single store, used only to control the equipment within that store; or it can be shared by multiple stores, used to control the equipment within multiple stores—both are within the scope of this invention.

[0084] Figure 2 The communication network shown can be a wired communication network, such as the controller connecting to each device 202 via communication cables; or a wireless communication network, including but not limited to wireless communication methods such as WIFI, Bluetooth, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, EDGE, and GPRS. Wireless communication methods offer greater flexibility and are easier to deploy.

[0085] The controller 201 communicates with multiple devices 202 via a communication network, and executes commands for each device. Figure 1 The equipment control method 100 shown, or the store energy-saving control method described herein, is applied to the store.

[0086] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the store 200 further includes an image recognition module, which includes an image acquisition unit and a processing unit. The image acquisition unit is configured to capture images or videos of the store interior, or images or videos of the surroundings of one or more devices. The processing unit is coupled to the image acquisition unit and configured to identify the number of customers and / or the area where the customers are located based on the received images or videos, and transmit the identification results to the controller, for example, as environmental parameters of the device.

[0087] According to one aspect of the invention, store 200 further includes a greeter. The greeter can be installed above the store entrance, for example, it can be a light-sensitive sensor or an infrared-sensitive sensor. The greeter senses and prompts customers entering and exiting, and notifies the controller of customer entry and exit events. The controller calculates and judges this data, and then issues instructions to the device based on the judgment result. According to one embodiment of the invention, the greeter can sense customer entry and exit events, and the controller can calculate the current number of customers in the store based on the customer entry and exit events, which can then be used as one of the device environmental parameters in the above-described device control method 100.

[0088] Figure 3A flowchart of a control method 300 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. This control method 300 can be used to control a single device in a store, or it can be used to control multiple devices in a store. The control method 300 can be executed by the device itself, or it can be executed by… Figure 2 The controller 201 shown performs the operation. The following is a detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The steps include:

[0089] In step S301: Read device configuration information. After the start of this store device control operation, the controller reads the device configuration information, including but not limited to the device type, options, database, environment information, plug-ins, etc.

[0090] In step S302: The system detects that the greeter has triggered an entry / exit event. The greeter is, for example, the greeter in store 200, which is usually installed above the store entrance or in other locations where customers can be detected to enter or exit. The greeter senses the entry / exit of customers and issues a prompt, transmitting the customer entry / exit event to the controller.

[0091] In step S303: Determine whether the device is in an off-peak period based on the time. The time can optionally be one of the environmental parameters described in the device control method 100. This time can be obtained from the device's own software or hardware system, or from an external source. When the time is within a preset time range, it is determined that the device is in an off-peak period, and the process proceeds to step S304 for the next determination. When the time is not within the preset time range, the device is not in an off-peak period, and the process proceeds to step S308.

[0092] In step S304: Start the image recognition service. After determining that the device is in a low-peak period based on the time in step S303, it is still impossible to know the situation of customers in the store. In order to further obtain the number of customers in the environment where the device is located and / or the number and distribution of customers around the device, images or videos in the store and around the device are collected, summarized and judged to identify and calculate the environment where the device is located and the number of customers around the device.

[0093] In step S305: Determine whether there are customers in the store based on image recognition. As described in device control method 100, the number of people in the store is counted, judged, and calculated through image or video acquisition, and the number of customers is transmitted to the controller.

[0094] In step S306: Determine whether there is a customer on the device side based on image recognition. Similarly, as described in step S305, perform personnel image recognition within a range of, for example, 1 meter around the device. If a store employee is identified around the device, perform corresponding calculations to remove the number of store employees and transmit the judgment result to the controller.

[0095] In step S307: Set the device to low power mode. When the device was originally in normal operating mode, after receiving the judgment result of step S305 (determining that there are no customers in the store) or S306 (determining that there are no customers around the device), the controller sends a sleep command to the device to switch the device to low power mode; when the device was originally in low power mode, the device's operating mode remains unchanged.

[0096] In step S308: Set the device to normal operating mode. If the device was originally in normal operating mode, maintain the device's operating mode unchanged; if the device was originally in low power mode, after receiving the judgment result of step S303 (determining that the device is not in a low-peak period) or S306 (determining that there are customers around the device), the controller issues an activation command to the device to switch the device to normal operating mode.

[0097] After the equipment maintains or switches its operating mode, it continues to run, and the current store equipment control operation ends. When a new trigger event occurs or the trigger event changes, the equipment, controllers, greeters, etc. in the store will re-identify, calculate, and judge, dynamically adjusting the operating mode of the equipment to ensure that the equipment in the store operates under optimal conditions.

[0098] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the store 200 also includes an equipment lifespan management system. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a device lifespan management system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. A detailed description is given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0099] As shown in the figure, the aforementioned store 200 also includes an equipment lifespan management system 400, which maintains and manages multiple devices. This lifespan management system includes synchronized equipment information, lifespan warnings, equipment maintenance records, and equipment environment records. Synchronized equipment information includes the store to which the device is bound, the time the device entered the store, the device's online duration, and the device's lifespan configuration. Lifespan warnings include extending the device's lifespan through hardware replacement or reducing power consumption, as well as device replacement. Equipment maintenance records include equipment maintenance information, maintenance progress, maintenance results, and updated lifespan information. Equipment environment records mainly include information such as the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the device is located.

[0100] The equipment lifespan management system 400 optionally communicates with the controller 201 in the aforementioned store 200. The controller 201 analyzes and determines whether to issue a lifespan warning based on the synchronized equipment information, equipment maintenance records, and equipment environment records. For example, when the lifespan is 100%, it is a Level 1 warning, and the response is to replace the equipment. This replacement can be the entire equipment or a specific component, which can be hardware or software, depending on the specific usage. When the lifespan is 80%, it is a Level 2 warning, and the response is to inspect the equipment. When the lifespan is 50%, it is a Level 3 warning, and the response is to maintain the equipment. Optionally, when one or more devices in the store meet the preset conditions for a lifespan warning, the device is preferentially set to a low-power mode or its hardware is replaced to extend its lifespan.

[0101] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions executable by a processor, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the methods 100 and 300 and the energy-saving control method for the store as described above.

[0102] The advantages of the embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to:

[0103] Dynamically control the equipment to extend its service life;

[0104] Save electricity and conserve energy;

[0105] Manage devices based on their usage information, prioritize setting devices that meet preset conditions to low-power mode, optimize device allocation, and improve device utilization.

[0106] Reduce the company's budget and save the company time.

[0107] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0108] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A device control method, the device being switchable between a low-power mode and a normal mode, the device control method comprising: acquiring an environmental parameter of the device, including: determining a number of customers in an environment where the device is located and / or a number of customers around the device through image recognition; when the number of customers needs to be acquired, removing a number of store staff to determine the number of customers; the number of store staff being a preset value or being dynamically identified, including: identifying the number of store staff in an image or video through the clothing, identification, electronic badge worn by the store staff; determining whether the device is in a low-peak period according to the environmental parameter; when it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period, setting the device to a low-power mode; and the device control method further comprising: identifying a customer area, setting devices near the customer area to a normal mode, and setting devices in other areas to a low-power mode; performing a life warning on the device, and setting the device to a low-power mode when a use time and / or a maintenance and replacement record of the device meet a preset condition; the store including a device service life management system, the device control method further comprising: maintaining and managing a plurality of devices through the device service life management system, including synchronizing device information, performing a life warning, recording device maintenance, and recording device environment, the device service life management system being in communication with a controller, the controller analyzing and determining whether to perform a life warning on the device by comprehensively synchronizing the device information, the device maintenance record, and the device environment record, when the service life is 100%, it is a first warning, the countermeasure is to replace the device, the entire device or a part of the device including hardware or software can be replaced according to the specific situation; when the service life is 80%, it is a second warning, the countermeasure is to overhaul the device; when the service life is 50%, it is a third warning, the countermeasure is to maintain the device, the maintenance method including: setting the device to a low-power mode or replacing the hardware of the device to prolong the service life of the device when one or more devices in the store meet the preset condition of the life warning.

2. The device control method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter comprises time, the determining whether the device is in an off-peak period comprising: when the time is within a preset time range, it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period.

3. The device control method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter comprises a number of customers in an environment in which the device is located, and the determining whether the device is in an off-peak period comprises: when the number of customers is less than a preset value, it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period.

4. The device control method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter comprises a number of customers around the device, the determining whether the device is in an off-peak period comprising: when there is no customer around the device, it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period.

5. The device control method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameters include time, a number of customers in an environment in which the device is located, and a number of customers around the device, and the determining whether the device is in an off-peak period includes: when at least two of the following conditions are met, it is determined that the device is in a low-peak period: the time is within a preset time range; the number of customers in the environment where the device is located is less than a preset value; there is no customer around the device.

6. The device control method according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising: when the device is in a low-power mode, the device is set to a normal mode when one or more of the following conditions are detected: the time is outside a preset time range; the number of customers in the environment where the device is located is more than a preset value; there is a customer around the device; an activation instruction is received; a touch screen input signal is received; a code scanning input signal is received.

7. The device control method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the device comprises one or more of a self-service POS machine, a manual POS machine, an order screen, and a menu screen.

8. The device control method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the low-power mode comprises one or more of device shutdown, device screen off, device screen brightness reduction, and device hibernation.

9. A store energy-saving control method, wherein the store comprises a plurality of devices, the devices are switchable between a low-power mode and a normal mode, the store energy-saving control method comprises: obtaining an environmental parameter, including: determining a customer number in an environment where the device is located and / or a customer number around the device through image recognition; when the customer number needs to be obtained, removing a number of store staff to determine the customer number; the number of store staff is a preset value or is dynamically identified, including: identifying the number of store staff in an image or video through the clothing, identification, and electronic badge of the store staff; determining whether to be in a low-peak period according to the environmental parameter; when it is determined that the low-peak period is reached, setting at least one of the plurality of devices to the low-power mode; the store energy-saving control method further comprises: identifying a customer area, setting devices near the customer area to the normal mode, and setting devices in other areas to the low-power mode; and performing a life warning on the device, and setting the device to the low-power mode when a use time and / or a maintenance and replacement record of the device meet a preset condition; the store comprises a device service life management system, and the store energy-saving control method further comprises: maintaining and managing a plurality of devices through the device service life management system, including synchronizing device information, performing a life warning, recording device maintenance, and recording device environment, the device service life management system communicates with a controller, the controller analyzes and determines whether to perform a life warning on the device by comprehensively synchronizing the device information, the device maintenance record, and the device environment record, when the service life is 100%, it is a first warning, the countermeasure is to replace the device, the entire device or a part of the device including hardware or software can be replaced according to the specific situation; when the service life is 80%, it is a second warning, the countermeasure is to repair the device; when the service life is 50%, it is a third warning, the countermeasure is to maintain the device, and the maintenance method includes: setting the device to the low-power mode or replacing the hardware of the device to prolong the service life of the device when one or more devices in the store meet the preset condition of the life warning. when the time is within a preset time range, and / or when the customer number is less than a preset value, it is determined that the low-peak period is reached.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the environmental parameters include time and / or a number of customers in the store, and wherein the determining whether a low-peak period is present includes: when one of the devices is in the low-power mode, the device is set to the normal mode when one or more of the following conditions is detected:

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising: the time is outside the preset time range; the customer number in the store is greater than a preset value; there are customers around the device; an activation instruction is received; a touch screen input signal is received; a code scanning input signal is received. ​ 12.A store comprising: a plurality of devices, the devices being switchable between a low-power mode and a normal operating mode; a controller in communication with the plurality of devices and configured to perform the device control method of any one of claims 1-8 or the store energy saving control method of any one of claims 9-11; an image recognition module configured to identify a number of customers and / or a customer area and to communicate the identification result to the controller. 13.The store of claim 12, further comprising a doorbell configured to sense and prompt a customer entering or exiting the store and to communicate the customer entering or exiting event to the controller. 14.The store of claim 12, further comprising a device life management system configured to maintain a usage time and a repair / replacement record of the plurality of devices, the device life management system being in communication with the controller, the controller being configured to preferentially set a device to the low-power mode when the usage time and / or the repair / replacement record of the device meets a predetermined condition. 15.A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions executable by a processor, the computer program instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to perform the device control method of any one of claims 1-8 or the store energy saving control method of any one of claims 9-11.

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