ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL SYSTEM WITH CONTACTLESS SHELF LABEL POWER AND / OR DATA SUPPLY

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic shelf label system with power supply for electronic shelf labels via a shelf rail. Background.

[0002] An electronic shelf label system for displaying information using electronic shelf label displays (ESL system for short), where ESL stands for "Electronic Shelf Label," with power supply via a shelf rail, is known, for example, from international patent application WO 2017 / 153481 A1. In this known ESL system, a shelf rail to which the ESLs are attached is equipped with electrical conductors connected to a power supply unit for the electrical supply of the ESLs. The ESLs have spring-loaded contacts on their backs, which are used to contact the conductors and electrically connect the ESLs to the power supply unit.

[0003] However, the known power supply is relatively expensive because a large number of mechanical components, especially isolated ones, are required in each ESL and in each shelf rail. These mechanical components are subject to natural wear and tear. Furthermore, the mechanical components can become contaminated or even damaged if handled improperly. This can lead to malfunctions during operation. The mechanical components also involve considerable additional manufacturing and maintenance costs, which are necessary to avoid the aforementioned operational problems. The known system also has the limitation that the ESLs cannot be freely positioned or moved along the shelf rail.

[0004] Furthermore, US 2001 / 0048057 A1 discloses a bracket for coupling a shelf rail to a shelf edge, the bracket comprising a central body part and a plate, the plate being received between an upper and a lower flange, which extend respectively above and below the central body part, such that when the plate is moved towards the body part, it presses the upper flange and the lower flange into an upper and lower groove, respectively, in order to connect the bracket to the shelf edge.

[0005] Furthermore, US 2015 / 0310775 A1 discloses an electronic shelf label system comprising at least one power supply that generates electrical energy using a solar cell and stores the generated electrical energy, and at least one electronic shelf label that is powered by the energy supplied by the at least one power supply, receives product information from an electronic shelf label gateway, and displays the product information.

[0006] The invention has for its object to provide an improved ESL system in which the above-mentioned problems are overcome. Summary of the invention

[0007] This object is achieved by a shelf rail for an electronic shelf label system, wherein the shelf rail has a first fastening structure for fastening at least one electronic shelf label that can be supplied with energy in a contactless manner, in particular an electronic shelf label display, wherein the first fastening structure has a wall running between a head region and a foot region of the shelf rail with a wall front side and a wall rear side, which serves with its wall front side to define a shelf label plane for the positioning of the at least one shelf label along the wall, and wherein the shelf rail has at least one, in particular tubular or channel-shaped, second fastening structure for fastening at least one conductor loop in a conductor loop plane,wherein the conductor loop plane is aligned parallel to the shelf label plane and extends at a defined first distance from the shelf label plane, and wherein the shelf rail has a third fastening structure for fastening a, in particular planar, conductivity structure at a defined second distance from the conductor loop plane, characterized in that the second fastening structure is formed on the rear side of the wall, and in that the third fastening structure is designed such that the conductivity structure can be accommodated at a height that covers at least the entire conductor loop, in particular at a height that corresponds approximately to the height of the wall measured between the head region and the foot region of the shelf rail.

[0008] The object is further achieved by an electronic shelf label system which has at least one shelf rail according to the invention and which has at least one electronic shelf label which is fastened to the shelf label plane by means of the first fastening structure and which has a first electronic circuit connected to a coupling coil for its contactless power supply, and which has at least one conductor loop which is fastened in the conductor loop plane by means of the second fastening structure, and which has a supply device inserted into the shelf rail which is electrically connected to said at least one conductor loop via its conductor loop terminals, wherein the supply device has a second electronic circuit for generating an alternating field for the purpose of establishing an inductive coupling between the conductor loop and the coupling coil of the shelf label,and which has a conductive structure attached by means of the third attachment structure, wherein the second electronic circuit is electronically tuned to the ambient conditions defined by the conductive structure.,

[0009] The measures according to the invention have the advantage that the shelf label's power supply is completely free of mechanical contacts and the associated problems. This allows the system to be manufactured more cost-effectively and, due to the elimination of mechanical components, which are particularly prone to maintenance, to virtually maintenance-free operation.

[0010] The shelf rail according to the invention is an essential element because it ensures the necessary precision for positioning the shelf labels relative to the conductor loop for a contactless electrical supply to the shelf label. It does so by defining the shelf label plane and the conductor loop plane, as well as the orientation of the planes relative to each other, and by precisely specifying the initial distance between them. These parameter ranges were identified by the applicant as important for ensuring a contactless power supply to the shelf label and, subsequently, for implementing contactless communication with the contactlessly powered shelf label.

[0011] Furthermore, the applicant has determined that the environment surrounding the shelf rail has a significant influence on the quality of the contactless power supply and also on the quality of contactless communication. This influence can be summarized under the term "metallic load," which, in a shelf label application, occurs, for example, from metal cans or other metallic objects positioned on a shelf to whose front edge the shelf rail is attached. However, the shelf itself can also contribute to this metallic load, which can vary from shelf to shelf within a store.

[0012] It should be noted that for contactless power supply, an antenna configuration is used on the second electronic circuit of the supply device, which comprises at least the conductor loop and a matching network connected to it. The conductor loop, together with the matching network, forms an antenna resonant circuit of the supply device. Connected to the matching network, the second electronic circuit also comprises additional electronic components necessary to implement contactless power transmission. These additional components can be analog and / or digital. For example, in an implementation based on an RFID or NFC reader, they can comprise an EMC filter (EMC stands for "electromagnetic compatibility") and an RFID or NFC reader IC. An alternating magnetic field is used for inductive coupling with the shelf label.

[0013] The inductive coupling of the supply device's conductor loop with the shelf label's coupling coil results in a change in the quality of the resonant circuit, which influences, among other things, the energy transmission range and the data transmission bandwidth. If environmental effects, such as the metallic load discussed above, can be neglected, the matching network of the supply device's second electronic circuit, which is tuned to the influence of the shelf label's first electronic circuit, can create essentially idealized conditions, allowing energy transmission and data transmission to be carried out without any problems.

[0014] However, since in reality, unpredictable, even locally varying, metallic loads can occur in the premises of a supermarket, which are not only static but also subject to temporal dynamics (adding or removing metallic objects from the shelves or changing the shelf layout itself), this can lead to a lasting disruption of the power supply to individual shelf labels or entire groups of shelf labels and, as a result, to temporary disruptions in data transmission or even a complete breakdown of data transmission with the affected shelf labels. Individually tuning the oscillating circuit to the respective situation would entail considerable additional effort in the second electronic circuit as well as in the planning and operational implementation during ongoing operation of the shelf label system.From a technical perspective, metal and ground surfaces near the conductor loop cause loading and detuning of the antenna configuration. When the antenna configuration is coupled to a metal surface, eddy currents are induced in the metal, and the metal acts like a short circuit on the magnetic field.

[0015] However, the shelf rail according to the invention also offers a solution to the problem of the unforeseeable metallic load because it has a third fastening structure with the aid of which a conductive structure - as a planned and thus foreseeable metallic load - can be fastened essentially to the rear side of the shelf rail or the shelf rail can be fastened to the conductive structure if the conductive structure was previously fastened to, for example, a shelf.

[0016] In the simplest case, the conductive structure can be a metal plate, which can be flat, but in particular it can be implemented as a mounting rail made of metal, as is common in the electronics industry. The use of a DIN rail, which is a mounting rail with a hat-like profile, is particularly advantageous. Its angled or hat-brimmed edges, which create the hat-like profile, are particularly suitable for the mechanical connection to the shelf rail. A circuit board with a large-area metallic coating, ideally covering the entire circuit board, is also possible. A metallic-coated plastic plate or a plate made of composite material can also be used. In the simplest case, an aluminum foil, for example, can be used as the metallic coating, but other metals are also possible. Furthermore, the conductive structure does not have to be formed over the entire surface.Strip, grid or net-like formations can also be provided, which can then be formed or integrated in the coating or in the entire supporting structure of the conductivity structure.

[0017] In contrast to the unpredictable metallic load that can be expected, for example, in a supermarket, the conductive structure now results in a predetermined, defined load on the resonant circuit, which is essentially identical for all installed shelf rails. The matching network can then be easily adjusted to ensure reliable operation through power supply and, subsequently, data transmission. The necessary adjustment of the resonant circuit can be performed during circuit design or at the factory, making subsequent interventions and modifications to the adjustment unnecessary.

[0018] With the help of the conductivity structure held at a defined second distance from the conductor loop level, a damping for the resonant circuit is deliberately accepted, but with the advantage that the shelf rail is essentially shielded from its environment and its contactless operation can take place independently or essentially decoupled from the background of the metallic load prevailing in, for example, a supermarket.

[0019] Furthermore, a specific specification of the material of the conductive portions of the conductive structure, or more generally of the conductive properties, is not necessary in detail, because it is generally sufficient for the conductive structure to exhibit such conductivity that its effect on the resonant circuit dominates compared to other metallic loads in the vicinity of the shelf rail, allowing the resonant circuit to be tuned to the dominant damping or load. This creates a defined space that is separated from the environment and its now negligibly small variable damping (e.g., from metallic goods) by a constant, defined damping (caused by the conductive structure). Thus, the background caused by other metallic loads can be neglected.

[0020] In summary, the measures according to the invention ensure that the operation of contactless shelf labels on the shelf rail is possible in the first place. For this purpose, defined geometric and transmission-technical framework conditions are created, and only this combination ensures reliable operation.

[0021] Further, particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description. Features of one claim category can be further developed according to the features of the other claim category, so that the effects and advantages cited in connection with one claim category also apply to the other claim categories.

[0022] For example, the wall can be constructed over a full surface. However, it can also be perforated, such as striped or mesh-shaped perforations, or even have round holes or other shaped wall openings, etc., to save wall material, for example.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the fastening of the conductive structure, the third fastening structure can be designed such that the conductive structure can be accommodated at a height that covers at least the entire conductive loop, in particular at a height that approximately corresponds to the height of the wall measured between the head region and the foot region of the shelf rail. This enables essentially full-surface shielding of all transmission-relevant components, such as the conductive loop itself and also the components formed on the shelf label attached to the shelf rail.

[0024] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the third fastening structure has two substructures between which the conductive structure can be accommodated, with the first substructure running along the head region of the shelf rail and the second substructure running along the foot region of the shelf rail. This allows the use of a conductive structure that essentially covers a large part of the rear side of the shelf rail and a force-fit connection between the conductive structure at its upper and lower edges, i.e., at its outer edges, with the shelf label.

[0025] A further aspect concerns the manner of connection between the shelf label and the shelf rail. The third fastening structure can be configured along the length of the shelf rail in such a way that the conductive structure can be inserted laterally into the shelf rail or the conductive structure can be snapped into the third fastening structure at its outer edges. In the second case, either the conductive structure itself or the shelf rail must be plastically deformable to a corresponding extent to enable snapping.

[0026] It has proven particularly advantageous if the third fastening structure is designed to accommodate a plate-shaped conductive structure, in particular one with stepped edges. This can be the aforementioned support rail or top-hat rail, whereby the third fastening structure must, of course, have the appropriate design for (permanent) frictional engagement with the stepped edges of the top-hat rail.

[0027] In order to achieve large-area shielding against an unknown metallic load behind the shelf rail, it has proven advantageous if the third fastening structure for receiving the conductive structure is designed along the entire conductor loop, particularly preferably along the entire shelf rail. A conductive structure that essentially covers a large part of the height of the rear of the shelf rail and also a large part of the length of the shelf rail, particularly where the conductive loop extends, forms optimal shielding against an unknown metallic load. If a DIN rail is used as the conductive structure, it can be advantageous in terms of shielding if the stepped edges of the DIN rail are oriented towards the conductor loop, in particular if they enclose the conductor loop towards the head area and the foot area, which further improves shielding.

[0028] An electronic shelf label used on a shelf rail can provide a wide variety of functionalities or fulfill a variety of functions. The shelf label can be configured or designed accordingly, for example, to record environmental parameters, such as temperature or humidity, or as an input element for receiving user input interaction (e.g., capturing a fingerprint or keystroke), or as a display medium for presenting information to the user, namely as a shelf label display. In each case, the shelf label is designed such that it can be attached to the shelf rail in question and is supplied with power there in the manner described in detail below.

[0029] The shelf label can have a proprietary interface for power transmission that can be used exclusively for this purpose. Preferably, however, the shelf label has a standardized power transmission interface, which can be designed, for example, according to the RFID standard (RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, and a suitable standard is ISO / IEC 18000, etc.). Particularly preferably, however, the shelf label has an NFC interface for its contactless power supply. This has the advantage that this NFC interface can be used not only for local power transmission at the shelf or shelf rail, but also directly there for bidirectional contactless communication.This avoids radio communication problems caused by other radio systems in a store, as these are typically located far away from the shelves where the shelf label is installed and therefore have little to no impact on local power transmission or communication between the closely positioned communication partners directly on the shelf rail. NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and the applicable standards include ISO / IEC 13157, 16353, 22536, 28361, etc.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first electronic circuit, together with its coupling coil, implements a first NFC interface of the shelf label, and the second electronic circuit, with the connected conductor loop, implements a second NFC interface of the supply device. Here, the supply device has the functionality of an NFC reader, and the shelf label has the functionality of an NFC-enabled transponder.

[0031] The shelf label, when configured as a shelf label display, can feature an energy-saving display unit, such as an LCD. However, the technology used is primarily based on electronic ink or electronic paper technology. Such a display unit features a reflective screen, known in technical jargon as an electronic paper display (EPD), and is implemented using "electronic paper," or "e-paper" or "e-ink" for short. These terms essentially refer to the principle of an electrophoretic display, in which, for example, positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles are contained in a transparent, viscous polymer. By briefly applying a voltage to electrodes between which the medium of particles and polymer is arranged, either the black particles are placed in front of the white particles, or vice versa, in the viewing direction.This arrangement then remains in place for a relatively long time (e.g., several weeks) without any additional power supply. If the display is segmented accordingly, letters, numbers, or images can be realized with relatively high resolution to display the information in question. However, such a reflective screen can also be realized using other technologies, such as "electrowetting" or "MEMS." The screen can, as mentioned above, be configured for black-and-white, grayscale, black-white-red, or even black-white-yellow display. Future developments enabling full-color or multi-color display are also to be included.Such a screen is generally a reflective, i.e. passive, non-self-illuminating screen in which the - relatively static - information reproduction is based on the fact that light generated by an external (artificial or natural) light source shines onto the screen and is reflected from there to the viewer.

[0032] The display unit is supplied with power via the first NFC interface and with data, which can represent commands for controlling the display unit or image content, via the first NFC interface. While the power is being supplied, the data can also be transmitted via the NFC interface and processed by the display unit to change the image content on its screen. Once the change to the image content has been completed, the display unit can also transmit corresponding status information via the NFC interface, which represents the successful change to the image content. Once the change to the image content has been completed, and if necessary also after the status information has been transmitted, the power supply via the NFC interface can be terminated, after which the image content on the screen remains unchanged until the next desired change.

[0033] The use of these technologies allows, above all, the implementation of shelf labels, especially those designed as shelf label displays, without their own power supply, such as a battery or accumulator, both of which are relatively expensive. A conventional shelf label must also be designed in such a way that the energy storage devices are replaceable for maintenance or replacement of the battery or accumulator. If necessary, the shelf label may only contain one or more capacitors for short-term, temporary smoothing or stabilization of the internal supply voltage.The shelf label is designed in such a way that its electronics for communication, updating the screen content, receiving user interaction, or detecting environmental parameters, in particular its electronic control system, are only active when powered by the external electronic supply device. The housing can be completely and permanently encapsulated because the energy storage device no longer requires replacement, meaning it can only be opened for recycling purposes (e.g., with special tools).

[0034] This makes it possible to create a shelf label that is reduced to a few, absolutely necessary electronic components and is therefore extremely inexpensive. This extremely reduced shelf label only needs to have basic functionality, such as standardized NFC communication with a standardized power supply during NFC communication, which can be implemented using a commercially available NFC module. Updates to the screen of the energy-saving display unit and the associated status report are not handled directly by the shelf label display in communication with an access point, as is the case with known systems, but rather by the intermediate power supply device, which in turn is in contact with the access point via a suitable (and essentially freely selectable) communication method, which will be discussed in more detail below.The same applies analogously to the other mentioned possible functionalities of the shelf label.

[0035] The supply unit is designed to transmit the energy for the electrical supply of a shelf label, which is mounted on the shelf rail corresponding to the conductor loop, to the shelf label in a contactless manner using the conductor loop. "Contactless" here means that this occurs using an inductive coupling between two adjacent conductor loops or coils. Thus, the shelf label can also have a conductor loop consisting of a single loop or a plurality of turns, i.e., a coil (referred to as a coupling coil, as mentioned above). Furthermore, "corresponding to" means that the shelf label is positioned adjacent to the area spanned by the conductor loop and is located there essentially within a zone delimited by the conductor loop. The conductor loop itself can be in the plane of the shelf rail, e.g.be visible, formed or covered or covered by a protective strip of material (here referred to as a wall).

[0036] In order to ensure reliable fastening of the shelf label to the shelf rail, it is advantageous that the first fastening structure of the shelf rail, in addition to the wall, has a first fastening groove formed on the head region and extending along the head region and a second fastening groove formed on the foot region and extending along the foot region. The fastening grooves are designed such that a shelf label with its fastening elements can be inserted into them in a locking manner and a rear wall of the shelf label can be positioned adjacent to the shelf label plane. The two fastening grooves preferably run parallel to one another. The shelf label can have rails or strips as fastening elements on its housing corresponding to the position or mutual spacing of the fastening grooves, which can be inserted into the fastening grooves or snapped into place therein, for example.This means that the shelf label can be positioned anywhere along the shelf rail and even moved if necessary.

[0037] Preferably, the design or dimensioning as well as the positioning of the fastening elements is selected so that when the shelf label is inserted into the shelf rail, the back of the shelf label lies flat on the shelf label level or is positioned only a few tenths of a millimeter away from it.

[0038] It is advantageous if the shelf label has a printed circuit board, which essentially forms its back, on which the coupling coil is formed. This allows the coupling coil to be positioned as close as possible to the conductor loop at a defined distance from the conductor loop. This creates optimized, defined, and, above all, reproducible geometric conditions that promote reliable contactless operation.

[0039] In this design of the shelf label, it is advantageous to protect the circuit board or the coupling coil located there if at least one outwardly oriented side of the circuit board is coated with a varnish or a thin sticker, preferably designed to protect against electrostatic discharge.

[0040] When the shelf label is inserted into the shelf rail, the conductor loop or coupling coil built into the shelf label is automatically located in the zone usable for inductive coupling between the two adjacent conductor loops or coils. When the shelf label is inserted into the shelf rail, the surfaces spanned by the two conductor loops or coils (one belonging to the shelf rail and the other belonging to the shelf label) are preferably oriented parallel to each other, because the shelf label plane and the conductor loop plane are also oriented parallel to each other, and are located at a distance of less than one millimeter to a few millimeters. To avoid impeding inductive coupling, the shelf rail itself is made of a suitable material, preferably plastic.

[0041] The circumference of the conductor loop of the shelf rail can, for example, extend along the entire length of the shelf rail and the entire height of the shelf rail. Preferably, however, the area spanned by the conductor loop is somewhat smaller than the area of ​​its front side defined by the physical dimensions of the shelf rail. Preferably, the at least one conductor loop is integrated into the wall of the shelf rail with the aid of the second fastening structure in such a way that, when the shelf label is inserted, it runs correspondingly (adjacent) to the rear wall of the shelf label, in particular adjacent to the position of the coupling coil of the shelf label. To implement the conductor loop, a single circumferential conductor track or a coil-like conductor track with multiple circumferential turns, i.e. a conductor track having several turns, can be provided. The conductor loop has a loop connection at each of its two ends.The two loop terminals are intended for contacting the supply device and are therefore accessible for this purpose.

[0042] In the configurations described, the conductor loop can also be realized by a wire.

[0043] The second fastening structure preferably has two tubes, each having an open end and adjacent to one another at a third distance, in particular of approximately 1 cm, running in the longitudinal direction of the shelf rail. The tubes are designed such that a wire forming the conductor loop can be inserted into them, so that the wire connects the two tubes at one end of the shelf rail and conductor loop connections of the conductor loop are accessible for contacting them at the other end of the shelf rail. The two tubes can be designed such that they grip the wire essentially in a form-fitting manner such that it is held relatively precisely in its desired position and can nevertheless be inserted and removed easily. In this design, the conductor loop can consist of at least three essentially rectilinear sections.

[0044] Preferably, the tubes have a diameter of slightly less than 1 mm and the wire diameter is adjusted accordingly so that the wire can be easily inserted into the tubes.

[0045] The shelf rail can be equipped with a single conductor loop. However, it can also be advantageous if a plurality of conductor loops are formed along the longitudinal extent of the shelf rail, each of which is individually coupled to the supply unit (as mentioned), and the supply unit is designed for selective energy transmission using each of the conductor loops. This enables the selective supply of energy for a single shelf label or a group of shelf labels. Depending on the implementation, for example, 2 or 3 or up to 15 or even significantly more conductor loops can be realized along the shelf rail. These conductor loops are positioned next to one another along the longitudinal extent of the shelf rail, and their two loop connections are guided along the shelf rail to the supply device, where they are electrically connected to it.The longitudinal extent of the zone on the shelf rail covered by the respective conductor loop can be identical for all conductor loops. This allows for the definition of many closely spaced zones along the shelf rail, each of which is oriented toward the length of the shelf label used on the shelf rail. The length is typically a few centimeters, such as 8-12 cm. This enables individual (selective) inductive coupling with each individual shelf label at (almost) any position along the shelf rail. This is advantageous when the positioning of the shelf label should be as flexible as possible, while still allowing for the most individual inductive coupling possible with each shelf label.However, larger zones can also be provided in which several shelf labels can be located, which can then form an inductive coupling with the affected conductor loop. This configuration can be used when the exact position of the respective shelf label is not important. This is the case, for example, when several identical products are placed on a shelf over a longer section or the entire length of the shelf and the same information about these products is always presented by several shelf label displays placed at greater distances from one another along the length of the shelf rail. However, mixed configurations of relatively short zones and, in comparison, relatively long zones can also be present along a shelf rail.

[0046] The conductor loops can all be used together, i.e., simultaneously, to transmit power from the power supply unit. However, this requires a correspondingly complex design for the power supply unit's electronics. Therefore, it has proven particularly advantageous for the power supply unit to be designed to multiplex the power transmission across the conductor loops. In this case, only a single, electronically selected conductor loop is used for power transmission.

[0047] As already discussed in a similar way in connection with the shelf label, the supply device can be designed differently with regard to its interface suitable for energy transmission. However, the supply unit is preferably designed as a second NFC interface for contactless energy supply to a shelf label, wherein the at least one conductor loop is a component of the NFC interface intended for contactless energy transmission (as well as for contactless communication).

[0048] In general, it can be stated that the conductor loop thus realizes an inductance, which is used for inductive coupling with the corresponding inductance on the side of the shelf label.

[0049] Furthermore, the at least one conductor loop can be integrated into the shelf rail or fastened to it with the aid of the second fastening structure. Integration into the shelf rail is advantageous if the shelf rail is made of plastic, for example, and the conductor loop is already integrated there during injection molding, i.e. during production of the shelf rail. However, the conductor loop can also be fastened to the surface of the wall of the shelf rail, e.g. by gluing. In particular, when many conductor loops arranged next to one another are required and accordingly many supply lines have to be taken into account, it has proven advantageous if the conductor loop(s) is (are) formed on a printed circuit board. This printed circuit board can then be integrated into the shelf rail as a separate component or fastened to it.The shelf rail can also be designed so that the circuit board is replaceable, making it easy to respond to a wide variety of requirements in shelf planning with a wide variety of conductor loop configurations, which can be implemented, for example, on a single circuit board or on different circuit boards. The shelf rail itself can also have a conductor loop holder. This can be designed so that it is located, for example, on the front of the shelf rail, i.e., where the back of the shelf label is positioned as close as possible to the shelf rail when attached to the shelf rail.However, the conductor loop holder can also run on the back of the shelf rail, in particular on the back of the shelf rail wall, corresponding to the area of ​​the shelf rail where the shelf label can be attached. This can provide better accessibility to the conductor loop for maintenance purposes or ensure unsurpassable protection against damage. Ultimately, the conductor loop is also hidden from the view of supermarket customers there. Structurally, the conductor loop holder can be realized, for example, by a slit-shaped or channel-shaped recess or, as mentioned, a tubular formation in the plastic material of the shelf rail, into which recess the conductor loop is inserted. This also allows the shape of the conductor loop as well as its exact position to be defined as precisely as possible without further measures (such as the previously mentioned circuit board and its positioning).The conductor loop positioned at the rear can also be electrically connected to the electronics of the supply device at virtually any point, without having to consider the position of the shelf labels positioned at the front of the shelf rail. The recess can also have a snap-in or locking mechanism that secures the conductor loop in its desired position. The recess can also be designed to accommodate multiple turns of the conductor loop, which can be arranged side by side and / or one above the other in the recess.

[0050] Furthermore, by integrating a conductor loop holder directly into the shelf rail (i.e., into its material), one is not limited by the limitations of the PCB manufacturing process during planning and production of the conductor loop, allowing conductor loops with a length that far exceeds the current approximate one meter for PCBs. This makes it entirely possible to create a conductor loop that extends along an entire shelf rail, which can be several meters long.

[0051] It has proven particularly advantageous to use a single electronic power supply unit per shelf rail. This allows for a focused power supply for just that one shelf rail.

[0052] In this context, it has also proven particularly advantageous if the electronic power supply unit is integrated into the shelf rail or attached to it. This allows for a shelf rail with a customized electronic power supply. The power supply unit can be integrated directly onto the circuit board, connected to it as a module, or mechanically coupled to the shelf rail as a module and electrically connected to the conductor loop of the shelf rail. This allows the shelf rail as a whole, including its power supply unit, to be transported and easily recommissioned at another location.

[0053] It has proven particularly advantageous if the shelf rail has a fourth fastening structure which serves to fasten a supply device for the contactless energy supply of the at least one shelf label using the at least one conductor loop, wherein the fourth fastening structure is designed between the second and the third fastening structure in such a way that the supply device can be inserted at a (lateral, i.e. left or right) end region of the shelf rail between the wall of the shelf rail and the conductivity structure which can be fastened with the aid of the third fastening structure, so that conductor loop connections of the conductor loop available there can be contacted with the supply device. The conductor loop connections provided for contacting or additional contacting elements provided, such asSurfaces should be oriented at an angle, particularly 90°, to the parts of the conductor loop that run straight along the shelf rail. This can help secure the conductor loop in its intended position, particularly the conductor loop connections.

[0054] In order to enable reliable contacting of the conductor loop connections within the shelf rail, i.e. in an environment protected by the shelf rail, it is advantageous if the electronic supply device has contacting elements, in particular spring-loaded contact pins, for establishing an electrically conductive connection with the conductor loop connections, and the contacting elements are positioned such that they contact the conductor loop connections when the conductor loop and the supply device are in their desired positions in the shelf rail.

[0055] On the one hand, this enables simple assembly of the shelf rail with the associated power supply unit. The laterally positioned power supply unit, with its housing, can also close off the side of the shelf rail and, if necessary, can be connected to other electronic devices there via a cable, without the need for additional openings in the shelf rail for a cable to pass through. Positioning the power supply unit at the edge of the shelf rail has also proven advantageous if the power supply unit is to be accessible via radio. For example, the power supply unit can be positioned so that it protrudes from the shelf rail by a few millimeters up to approximately one cm, so that the part protruding from the shelf rail is no longer shielded by the conductive structure and can therefore be used unhindered with a radio module integrated there.

[0056] The power supply of the supply device can be implemented in different ways. For example, the power supply can be provided via an Ethernet cable that connects the supply device to other communication devices, with this Ethernet cable also providing the supply voltage. However, a separate supply station (e.g. a power supply unit) can also be provided to supply power to the electronic supply devices. This supply station preferably supplies a group of electronic supply devices, particularly preferably for an entire shelf, in particular for a group of shelves. This allows the modular construction of a supply infrastructure for a single shelf or for geographically or thematically sorted groups of shelves, or even just the reduction of the number of supply stations to a necessary minimum.

[0057] However, the electronic supply device is particularly preferably designed to be supplied with energy in a radio-based manner, and the supply station is in turn designed as a radio energy source for the, in particular directed, radio-based energy supply of the electronic supply device. With the help of the supply station, a contactless, targeted energy transfer to the supply device takes place. This enables an essentially cable-free supply infrastructure for, on the one hand, the shelf labels attached to the shelf rail and, on the other hand, the supply device intended for supplying the shelf labels. In effect, the system installer saves the wiring between the actual energy source and the respective shelf.This allows for essentially random positioning of shelves within the store, as well as the random and easy positioning of shelf rails on various shelves, as well as their exchange between shelves. This type of energy transmission, as well as the underlying technology, is known under the term "Power over WiFi." Wireless energy sources equipped with this technology can be installed, for example, on the ceiling of a store and selectively supply the supply devices assigned to the respective shelf rails and located within a radius of up to 10 meters using powerful, focused radio signals directed at them.

[0058] Furthermore, the electronic supply device can also be designed for contactless communication with the shelf label, utilizing the same technology used to transfer energy to the shelf label. Preferably, the aforementioned NFC technology is used here again. This allows for the optimal utilization of available electronic components for both contactless energy transfer and contactless communication over relatively short distances, as is the case with shelf labels attached to the shelf rail.

[0059] In addition to the NFC interface, which is provided for communication with the shelf labels, the supply device has a further interface intended for communication with an access point. This further interface can be configured for radio communication. For radio communication with the access point, a time slot communication method, in particular a proprietary time slot communication method as known from WO2015 / 124197, pages 2 to 4, the specific disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, can be used. However, a communication protocol based on the standards or specifications ZigBee, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi, etc., can also be used for radio communication. The second interface can also be configured for wired communication, so that communication can take place via an Ethernet cable.As mentioned, the required supply voltage can also be supplied via the Ethernet cable, which is known in technical circles as "Power over Ethernet", abbreviated to "PoE".

[0060] From a communications perspective, the supply equipment thus creates a "gateway" for all the shelf labels mounted on the relevant shelf rail.

[0061] The access point serves as a higher-level interface between the shelf labels of an IT infrastructure controlling the shelf labels, such as servers with corresponding software applications and the like. Typically, in a radio-based system, a group of shelf labels is radio-technically (logically) assigned to such an access point, so that communication with this group of shelf labels occurs only via this access point. In a store, such as a supermarket, several such access points can be installed, with each access point being designed to communicate with its logically assigned shelf labels located within a geographical (radio-accessible) area around it.

[0062] In addition to this functionality, the access point can also have the supply station, which is designed for the directed, radio-based power supply of the electronic supply device.

[0063] In summary, the supply device for the respective shelf rail implements a combined power and communication supply device for the shelf labels attached to the respective shelf rail. The supply device is thus configured or designed for local contactless power transmission as well as local contactless communication with the shelf labels attached to the shelf rail. Such a supply device can also be referred to as a shelf rail control device or shelf rail controller because it controls all activities of the shelf labels mounted on the respective shelf rail, which includes the display behavior, the communication behavior, and the respective power supply.The conductivity structure with its damping properties generates an environment that is reproducible for all shelf rails, so that a uniform tuning of the (antenna) resonant circuit of the supply device is sufficient to carry out contactless energy supply and, consequently, contactless communication at a wide variety of positions in a business premises and under the wide variety of conditions prevailing there.

[0064] It has also proven particularly advantageous if the electronic supply device is designed to receive and forward a unique identifier of the shelf label involved in the communication in order to determine the position of the shelf label in question.

[0065] If multiple shelf labels are arranged within a conductor loop of the shelf rail, or if multiple shelf labels are supplied with power simultaneously via a single conductor loop, precautions must be taken to ensure the reception of the respective identifier. For this purpose, the shelf labels can, for example, be programmed to transmit their identifier at randomly selected times within a time window (single or multiple times) to ensure individual reception at the supply device. Likewise, an anti-collision procedure known from RFID technology, for example, can be used for this contactless transmission to ensure individual reception at the supply device.

[0066] The unique identifier is preferably forwarded to a data processing device, such as a server in the store, which carries out communication with the individual electronic shelf labels.

[0067] The server can also store the logical association between products displayed on the respective shelf and the shelf label displays positioned there, thus ensuring that the respective shelf label display presents the information corresponding to the product in question.

[0068] The server is also informed of the position or extent of the respective conductor loop on the shelf rail and, along with the identifier, is also informed by the supply device about which conductor loop was used to obtain the identifier from the shelf label. This also allows three-dimensional digital maps of the positions of all shelf labels in a store to be created. This applies to both the shelf labels configured to display information and, in a similar way, to the other possible shelf label functionalities mentioned above.

[0069] The application thus also discloses an "intelligent" shelf rail to which at least one electronic shelf label can be attached and which has: at least one conductor loop formed on the shelf rail, and a supply device which is designed for the contactless supply of energy to the at least one shelf label, wherein the conductor loop is a component of the supply device and serves for the contactless supply of energy to a shelf label which is mounted on the shelf rail corresponding to the conductor loop.

[0070] Preferably, the design of the supply device for energy supply can be realized with the aid of an NFC interface, as already discussed, wherein the conductor loop is a component of the NFC interface.

[0071] The electronics of the system's various devices, including their interfaces, etc., can be implemented using a wide variety of passive and active electronic components, both discretely and integratedly. A microprocessor with appropriate peripheral components or a microcontroller is preferably used, with software running to provide the various functionalities. So-called ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) can also be used.

[0072] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the figures discussed below. Short character description

[0073] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures using exemplary embodiments, to which, however, the invention is not limited. In the various figures, identical components are provided with identical reference numerals. They show schematically: Fig. 1 shows an electronic shelf label system according to the invention according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a shelf label display; Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a shelf rail with a supply device; Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the shelf label system; Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the shelf rail; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the shelf rail with a supply device; Fig. 7 shows a cross-section of the view according to the Figure 6 along the section AA; Fig. 8 a cross-section of the view according to the Figure 6along the section BB; Fig. 9 a view of the shelf rail with only partially inserted supply device; Fig. 10 the Figure 9 similar view with contacting elements of the supply device. Description of the embodiments

[0074] In the Figure 1A shelf label system 1 is shown, comprising a number of identically designed electronic shelf labels implemented as shelf label displays 2, which are attached to three inventive—"intelligent"—shelf rails 3. Each shelf rail 3 has an electronic supply device 4 inserted laterally into it. Also shown is a data processing device implemented with the aid of a server 5, which is connected via cable to an access point 6, which, for example, has two antennas 7. The illustrated supply devices 4 are in radio contact with the access point 6 via first radio signals F1. This allows the server 5 to change the image content of the shelf label displays 2 and, if necessary, to query associated status information from the shelf label displays 2 and transmit it to the server 5.Each of the shelf rails 3 is mounted on an individual shelf 8 at its front edge. The three shelves 8 shown all belong to a shelf 9 that is only indicated very schematically. Various products can be stored on the shelf 8, although these are not shown in this case.

[0075] For the electrical supply of the supply devices 4, a separate power supply unit 10 assigned to the shelf 9 serves as a supply station. This power supply unit converts an input-side AC mains voltage (e.g., 230 V) to a DC voltage suitable for the supply devices 4 as the first supply voltage VCC1 (e.g., 12 V) relative to a first reference potential GND1. This first supply voltage VCC1 is supplied to the supply devices 4 via their supply terminals N1 and N2 using a cable K.

[0076] The supply devices 4 are shown schematically on the right edge of the shelf rails 3, but this is not necessarily the case. They can therefore also be located at other positions along the shelf rail 3. In this case, the supply devices 4 are integrated into the shelf rails 3, for example, in a shaft (not shown here, but see Fig. 7 ) installed or used.

[0077] Furthermore, the Figure 1 Each shelf rail 3 has a single conductor loop L integrated into it, which is connected by its two loop connectors C to the supply device 4 installed there. The shelf rails 3 carry the shelf label displays 2.

[0078] The shelf rail 3, like the shelf label display 2, is designed such that the shelf label display 2 can be inserted into the shelf rail 3 from the front and is locked to it via a snap mechanism such that it can only be removed from the shelf rail 3 with considerable force. At the same time, the aforementioned mechanism allows the shelf label display 2 to be moved along the shelf rail 3 with relatively little force and thus easily placed in any desired position. A snap mechanism of the type described is known, for example, from WO2017 / 153481A1. Figure 2 , known. However, the mechanism can also be designed differently, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0079] The following is a block diagram of the shelf label display 2 based on the Figure 2 discussed.

[0080] The block diagram shows a first NFC interface 11 with its coupling coil 12. With the help of the coupling coil 12, an inductive coupling with another NFC-enabled device, in this case the supply device 4, specifically with the conductor loop L formed there, can be established if the coupling coil 12 is brought sufficiently close (a few tenths of a millimeter to approximately 4 millimeters) to the conductor loop L, which is the case with the shelf label display 2 attached to one of the shelf rails 3. During the inductive coupling, a second supply voltage VCC2 (relative to a local second reference potential GND2) is generated with the help of the NFC interface 11 for the operation of the entire shelf label display 2, which activates the electronics or first electronic circuit 11A of the shelf label display 2, so that contactless bidirectional communication of data D via its first NFC interface 11 is also possible.Part of this electronics 11A is also an NFC controller, which provides the entire NFC functionality, but is not shown in detail here, but is integrated in the first NFC interface 11.

[0081] The block diagram also shows a display unit 13 connected to the first NFC interface 11, which is divided into an electronic paper display controller 14 and an electronic paper display screen 15 that can be controlled by the controller. With the help of the controller 14, the received data is interpreted, the image content of the screen 15 is modified accordingly if necessary, or status information in the form of data D is transmitted to the supply device 4 via the first NFC interface 11.

[0082] The following is based on the Figure 3 a block diagram of the shelf rail 3 according to the Figure 1 , in particular the supply facility 4, were discussed.

[0083] As mentioned, the (first) supply voltage VCC1 required for operation is supplied via the supply terminals N1 and N2. In case no external power supply 10 (see Figure 1 ) is used, but the AC mains voltage is supplied directly, the supply device 4 can also have its own internal power supply 16, which in the present case is indicated by a broken line.

[0084] Here, the shelf rail 3 carries the conductor loops L attached directly to it.

[0085] Corresponding to the position of the conductor loop L are also the shelf label displays 2 positioned there, in this case five pieces according to the lowest shelf rail of the Figure 1 , shown in a hint. In contrast to the Figure 1The electrical connection of the loop terminals C to the supply device 4, specifically to an electronic supply unit implemented as a (second) NFC interface 18 with a second electronic circuit 18A, is also shown. This second NFC interface 18 also has its own NFC controller (not shown). The second NFC interface 18, when inductively coupled to the first NFC interface 11 of the shelf label display 2, is designed for the contactless transmission of electrical energy to the shelf label display 2 and for the bidirectional communication of data with the shelf label display 2 activated by the energy supply.

[0086] The supply device 4 further comprises an access point communication interface 19, which is used for radio-based communication with the Figure 1The access point 6 shown is designed as an access point. For this purpose, the access point communication interface 19 has a dedicated electronics unit (not shown in detail) and an antenna configuration 19A, which may also include multiple antennas. To control the internal processes, as well as the power supply to the shelf label display 2 and the communication with the shelf label display 2, as well as the communication with the access point 6, the supply device 4 has a control unit 20. The control unit 20 is implemented using a microcontroller, which is connected to the second NFC interface 18 and the access point communication interface 19 via a bidirectional data bus.

[0087] In the Figure 4 A further embodiment of the system 1 is shown. In contrast to the system shown in Figure 1The power supply unit 10 is missing from the system 1 shown here. In the present case, the individual supply devices 4 are supplied with electrical energy using a supply transmitter 21 (also referred to as a radio energy source) as a supply station, which is designed to transmit electrical energy to a receiver (i.e., one of the supply devices 4) using a focused or directed (second) radio signal F2 with a specific transmission power, such as 5 W. Such a supply transmitter 21 also has a plurality of antennas 22 (six are shown here), with the aid of which the direction of the energy transmission (ultimately the propagation of the second radio signal F2) can be adjusted relatively precisely, so that the energy-transmitting second radio signal F2 arrives precisely at the respective supply device 4. This energy transmission is known under the term "Power over WiFi."

[0088] In order to use this type of energy transfer, the system shown in the embodiment of the Figure 5 The supply device 4 used has a supply receiver 23 suitable for receiving the second radio signal F2, which is equipped with its antenna configuration 24 (which can have several antennas) and electronics (not shown in detail) which is designed to receive the second radio signal F2 and to store the energy transmitted thereby in an internal electrical energy store 25 (rechargeable battery, accumulator) and thus to generate the second supply voltage VCC2 with respect to a second reference potential GND2.

[0089] During operation, the supply device 4 can, for example, query or monitor the charge level of the energy storage device 25 with the aid of its control unit 20. As soon as the charge level drops below a certain level, the control unit 20 can request a (re)charge using the first radio signal F1. This request is received by the access point 6 and, depending on the implementation, can be forwarded directly to the supply transmitter 21 or, with the involvement of the server 5, to the supply transmitter 21. Since the exact geographical position (the three-dimensional coordinates) of each of the supply devices 4 and their unique identifier are known in system 1 (e.g., the server 5), the supply transmitter 21 can transmit the second radio signal F2 precisely directed towards the position of the respective supply device 4 requesting charging.There, the second radio signal F2 is received and the energy transmitted with its help is used to charge the internal energy storage device 25 there.

[0090] The shelf rail 3 described here is therefore designed for contactless communication with the shelf label displays 2 installed on it and an access point 6 assigned to it by radio technology, and for contactless energy provision in the sense of energy storage for its own operation as well as for the energy supply of the respective shelf label display 2, while the said shelf label display 2 is in a communication state and / or in an update state of its screen 15 or, more generally, its electronics are active.

[0091] At this point it should also be mentioned that the supply transmitter 21 can also be installed in the access point 6.

[0092] The Figure 6shows a shelf rail 3 with the shelf label display 2 attached to it and the supply device 4 inserted laterally into the shelf rail 3. This shelf rail 3 has, for example, a length of approximately 3 meters, a height of approximately 4.5 cm and a thickness of 1.2 cm.

[0093] The Figure 7 shows a section through the shelf rail 3. According to the Figure 6 This section runs transversely (normal to the front of the shelf rail 3) through the shelf rail 3. Furthermore, in contrast to the Figure 6Also visible is a front portion of a shelf 8, to which the shelf rail 3 is attached by means of a metal top-hat rail 26. The top-hat rail 26 forms a conductive structure for generating defined damping ratios for the contactless energy transfer from the supply device 4 to the shelf label display 2, as well as for the contactless communication between the supply device 4 and the shelf label display 2. The top-hat rail 26 can be connected to the shelf 8 by gluing, riveting, clamping, plugging, or screwing, etc., although this is not further described in the figures.

[0094] The shelf rail 3 has a first fastening structure for fastening the shelf label display 2. The first fastening structure has a wall 29 running between a head region 27 and a foot region 28 of the shelf rail 3. Analogous to the head and foot regions 27, 28, the wall 29 also runs along the entire shelf rail 3 and forms a shelf label plane on its front wall oriented towards the shelf label display 2, against which the shelf label display 2 rests essentially flush with its rear wall. In addition to the wall, the first fastening structure has a first fastening groove 30 formed on the head region 27 and extending along the head region 27, and a second fastening groove 31 formed on the foot region 28 and extending along the foot region 28.The fastening grooves 30 and 31 are designed such that the shelf label 2, with its fastening elements 32 and 33, can be inserted into them in a locking manner, so that the rear wall of the shelf label 2 is positioned adjacent to the shelf label plane. The fastening elements 32 and 33 are positioned and designed accordingly, and the housing of the shelf label 2 is dimensioned and shaped accordingly.

[0095] The shelf rail 3 further comprises a second fastening structure for fastening the conductor loop L. The wall 29 also comprises the second fastening structure, with two tubes 34 formed on the rear side of the wall. The two tubes 34 are aligned parallel to one another and run at a defined distance of approximately 1 cm from one another, located approximately along the entire length of the shelf rail 2. Their two central axes define a conductor loop plane that runs parallel to the shelf label plane at a defined first distance of approximately 2.5 millimeters. The wall 29 here has a thickness of approximately 2 millimeters, and the tubes 34 are at least partially offset into the wall 29, which allows a small distance between the conductor loop plane and the shelf label plane without unnecessarily compromising the load-bearing capacity of the wall 29.

[0096] The shelf rail 3 further comprises a third fastening structure for fastening the top-hat rail 26. The third fastening structure comprises two substructures, which are formed, on the one hand, in a hanging device 35 for suspending the shelf rail 3 and, on the other hand, in a snap-in lip 36 for snapping into place on the foot side.

[0097] The third fastening structure further comprises a first spacer element 37 positioned at the head region 27 and a second spacer element 38 positioned at the foot region 28. The two spacer elements 37 and 38 serve to fix and maintain a defined second distance of the top-hat rail 26 from the conductor loop plane, whereby a substantially parallel orientation of the planar structure of the top-hat rail 26 to the conductor loop plane is also realized here. The two spacer elements 37 and 38 are oriented substantially at an angle of 90° away from the rear of the wall and extend from the wall 29 toward the top-hat rail 26, where they touch the top-hat rail 26 and ensure the desired position. In the present case, the top-hat rail 26 is positioned at the second distance of approximately 7 millimeters from the conductor loop plane. The top-hat rail 26 itself has a thickness of approximately 1 millimeter.Its height is approximately 2.5 cm, with approximately 5 millimeter-long, hat-brimmed edges extending at the top and bottom, each approximately 3 mm apart, which interact with the plastic body of shelf rail 3. The length of the top-hat rail 26 corresponds approximately to the length of shelf rail 3.

[0098] Furthermore, in the Figure 7 The outer dimension of the coupling coil 12 formed on the rear wall of the shelf label display 2 is entered by dimension 39. Here, it is clearly visible that the coupling coil lies flat against the shelf label plane and is arranged there corresponding to and even overlapping with the spatial dimension of the conductor loop L measured in the direction of the height of the shelf rail 2.

[0099] The shelf rail 3 further comprises a fourth fastening structure, which serves to fasten the supply device in order to insert and fix the supply device at one end region (left or right end) of the shelf rail 3 between the wall 29 of the shelf rail 3 and the top-hat rail 26 fastened with the aid of the third fastening structure, so that the conductor loop connections C of the conductor loop L available there are contacted with the supply device 4. The fourth fastening structure has for this purpose a first insertion channel 40 formed on the rear side of the wall below the first spacer element 37 and open towards the foot region 28, and a second insertion channel 41 formed on the rear side of the wall above the snap lip 36 and open towards the head region 27. The supply device 4 can be inserted into the two insertion channels 40 and 41 with its fastening rails 42, which are in the Figure 8are visible. In addition, the fourth fastening structure has a round opening 43 located at the head end of the wall 29 and one at the foot end of the wall 29, into which fastening screws 44 (see e.g. Figure 6 but also 9 and 10) for screwing the supply device 4 to the shelf rail 3.

[0100] The Figure 8 shows a section through the shelf rail 3 according to the Figure 6 drawn section surface BB, which is oriented transversely (normally aligned to the front of the shelf rail 3) through the shelf rail 3 and runs to the right of the section surface AA at that point on the shelf rail 3 at which contact elements 45 of the supply device 4 are formed. For the purpose of improved clarity, the large number of reference numerals that do not directly relate to the fastening of the supply device 4 have been Figure 7 hidden.

[0101] Furthermore, in the present case, two contact surfaces 46 are provided, each of the contact surfaces 46 being soldered to one of the loop connections C. When the supply device 4 is fully inserted into the shelf rail 3, i.e. when it is positioned in the desired position, the contact surfaces 46 are contacted by the contact elements 45 designed as spring contacts, so that a connection to the conductor loop L is established and this connection can be used as a component of the second NFC interface 18. In contrast to this embodiment, however, if the contact elements 45 are positioned closer together, the contact surfaces 46 can be omitted and the wire forming the conductor loop L can be contacted directly at the end regions of the wire provided as conductor loop connections C.

[0102] It should also be mentioned that at the other end of the shelf rail, more precisely at the other end of the tubes 34, the wire of the conductor loop L runs in one piece from one tube 34 to the other tube.

[0103] Finally, we would like to point out the Figures 9 and 10 received, whereby the Figure 9 in a representation which shows the supply device 4 which is only slightly pulled out of the shelf rail 3 and the Figure 10 In a slightly modified representation, the contact elements 45 are also shown. Here, too, the majority of reference symbols have been omitted to avoid overloading the illustrations.

[0104] Finally, it should be noted once again that the figures described in detail above are merely exemplary embodiments that can be modified in a variety of ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it should also be noted that the use of the indefinite articles "a" or "an" does not exclude the possibility that the relevant features may be present multiple times.

Claims

1. A shelf rail (3) for an electronic shelf tag system (1), - wherein the shelf rail (3) comprises a first fastening structure for fastening at least one electronic shelf tag (2), which can be supplied with energy in a contact-free manner, in particular an electronic shelf tag display, wherein the first fastening structure comprises a wall (29) running between a head region (27) and a foot region (28) of the shelf rail (3) with a wall front side and a wall rear side, which, with its wall front side, serves the purpose of defining a shelf tag plane for positioning the at least one shelf tag (2) along the wall (29), and - wherein the shelf rail (3) comprises at least one second fastening structure, in particular formed in a tubular or channel-shaped manner, for fastening at least one conductor loop (L) in a conductor loop plane, wherein the conductor loop plane is aligned parallel to the shelf tag plane and runs at the defined first distance from the shelf tag plane, and - wherein the shelf rail (3) comprises a third fastening structure for fastening a conductivity structure (26), in particular formed in a planar manner, at a defined second distance from the conductor loop plane, characterized in that the second fastening structure is formed on the wall rear side, and that the third fastening structure is formed in such a way that the conductivity structure (26) can be received with a height, which covers at least the entire conductor loop (L), in particular with a height, which corresponds approximately to the height of the wall (29), measured between the head region (27) and the foot region (28) of the shelf rail (3).

2. The shelf rail (3) according to claim 1, wherein the third fastening structure comprises two partial structures, between which the conductivity structure (26) can be received, wherein the first partial structure runs along the head region (27) of the shelf rail (3) and the second partial structure runs along the foot region (28) of the shelf rail (3).

3. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third fastening structure along the length of the shelf rail (3) is formed in such a way that - the conductivity structure (26) can be laterally inserted into the shelf rail (3) or - the conductivity structure (26) can, on its outer edges, be snapped into the third fastening structure.

4. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third fastening structure is formed to receive a plate-shaped conductivity structure (26), in particular comprising offset edges.

5. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third fastening structure is formed to receive the conductivity structure (26) along the entire conductor loop (L), particularly preferably along the entire shelf rail (3).

6. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first fastening structure comprises, in addition to the wall (29), a first fastening groove (30) formed on the head region (27) and extending along the head region (27) and a second fastening groove (31) formed on the foot region (28) and extending along the foot region (28), and the fastening grooves (30, 31) are formed in such a way that a shelf tag (2) can be inserted with its fastening elements into said fastening grooves so as to lock them and a rear wall of the shelf tag (2) can be positioned so as to abut against the shelf tag plane.

7. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second fastening structure comprises two tubes (34), which run adjacently to one another at a third distance and in the longitudinal direction of the shelf rail (3), each with an open end, which are formed in such a way that a wire, which realizes the conductor loop (L), can be inserted therein, so that the wire connects the two tubes (34) on an end region of the shelf rail (3) and conductor loop connections (C) of the conductor loop (L) are accessible for the contacting thereof on the other end region of the shelf rail (3).

8. The shelf rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, which comprises a fourth fastening structure, which serves the purpose of fastening a supply means (4) for the contact-free energy supply of the at least one shelf tag (2) by utilizing the at least one conductor loop (L), wherein the fourth fastening structure between the second and the third fastening structure is formed in such a way that, on an end region of the shelf rail (3), the supply means (4) can be inserted between the wall (29) of the shelf rail (3) and the conductivity structure (26), which can be fastened with the help of the third fastening structure, so that conductor loop connections (C) of the conductor loop (L), which are available there, can be contacted with the supply means (4).

9. An electronic shelf tag system (1), which comprises at least one shelf rail (3) according to one of claims 1 to 8 and which - comprises at least one electronic shelf tag (2), which is fastened to the shelf tag plane with the help of the first fastenings structure and which comprises a first electronic circuit (11A) connected to a coupling coil (12) for its contact-free energy supply, and which - comprises at least one conductor loop (L), which is fastened in the conductor loop plane with the help of the second fastening structure, and which - comprises a supply means (4) inserted into the shelf rail (3), which is electrically conductively connected to said at least one conductor loop (L) via the conductor loop connections (C) thereof, wherein the supply means (4) comprises a second electronic circuit (18A) for generating an alternating field for the purpose of establishing an inductive coupling between the conductor loop (L) and the coupling coil (12) of the shelf tag (3), and which - comprises a conductivity structure (26), which is fastened with the help of the third fastening structure, wherein the second electronic circuit (18A) is electronically adapted to the ambient conditions defined by the conductivity structure (26).

10. The system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the first electronic circuit (11A), together with its coupling coil (12), realizes a first NFC interface (11) of the shelf tag (2) and wherein the second electronic circuit (18A), with the conductor loop (L) connected thereto, realizes a second NFC interface (18) of the supply means.

11. The system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 10, wherein the electronic supply means (4) comprises contacting elements, in particular spring-loaded contact pins (45), for establishing an electrically conductive connection with the conductor loop connections (C), and the contacting elements are positioned in such a way that they contact the conductor loop connections (C) when the conductor loop (L) and the supply means (4) are in their target positions in the shelf rail (3).

12. The system (1) according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, wherein the shelf tag (2) comprises a printed circuit board essentially forming its rear side, on which the coupling coil (12) is formed.

13. The system (1) according to claim 12, wherein at least one side, which is oriented outwards, of the printed circuit board is covered with a varnish or a thin sticker, preferably formed so as to protect against electrostatic discharge.