Device movement system for moving an electronic device in a business area

Abstract

Device movement system for moving a device in a business area, in particular in a sales area of a retailer, wherein the device movement system has: a carrying apparatus which is designed to carry the electronic device such that it is suspended in a cable-based and / or rail-based manner, and a drive apparatus which is designed to move the suspended device in an electrically driven manner.

Description

[0001] title

[0002] Device movement system for moving an electronic device in a business area.

[0003] Description

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The invention relates to a movement system for moving an electronic device in a business area.

[0006] background

[0007] Operating a business area, such as a supermarket's sales premises, involves a multitude of tasks. For example, inventory levels on the store's shelves must be regularly checked and the accuracy of product and / or price displays must be verified.

[0008] In order to be able to implement these tasks efficiently within the framework of automation, which is also becoming established in the retail sector, EP 3 020 658 A1, for example, discloses a driverless transport vehicle with sensors for scanning goods on shelves as a device movement device.

[0009] However, this driverless transport vehicle has proven disadvantageous in day-to-day operations because it requires a path in front of the relevant shelf and, as it moves, occupies customer movement space. This makes operation during regular business hours extremely problematic due to the significant risk of collision with customers. Furthermore, the acquisition, maintenance, and operation have proven costly. Due to the very limited operating time, i.e., preferably outside of normal business hours, and the long time required to scan all shelves due to the limited travel speed, this solution has proven extremely inefficient. The invention therefore sets out to provide a system that eliminates the aforementioned problems.

[0010] Summary of the invention

[0011] This object is achieved by a device movement system according to claim 1. The subject matter of the invention is therefore a device movement system for moving a device in a business area, in particular in a sales area of ​​a retailer, wherein the device movement system comprises: a carrying device designed for the cable-based and / or rail-based suspended carrying of the device, and a drive device designed for the electrically driven movement of the suspended device.

[0012] This object is further achieved by a system for operating a business area according to claim 20. The subject matter of the invention is therefore also a system for operating a business area, which comprises: at least one device movement system according to the invention according to one of the preceding claims, at least one device movable with the aid of the device movement system, with the aid of which detection data can be provided which represent the detected environment of the device, and a data processing device which is designed to create a realogram by incorporating the detection data.

[0013] The measures according to the invention result in the device being able to float, i.e. be moved through the business area free from contact with the ground. It is carried with the aid of the carrying device, either by rope or rail, without the device itself touching the ground. At the same time, the drive device ensures that, in addition to the supporting effect of the carrying device, the device is moved in order to change its position within the business area and to use the device wherever it is needed. This means that the floor of the business area remains free from use by the device. This forms the basis for dual, and in particular simultaneous, use of the business area by a person and the device, because both can move within the business area at the same time, i.e. the person on the floor of the business area and the device floating above the ground, i.e. without requiring the floor for its movement.

[0014] Further, particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0015] In the context of this invention, the business area refers to the spatial environment and, in particular, the premises in which business activities are conducted. In particular, the business area can be the sales area or salesroom of a retailer's store or a warehouse. The business area is therefore, in particular, an area in which goods intended for sale are placed or presented.

[0016] The business area therefore has at least one presentation device, such as a shelf, a basket, a display case, etc., for presenting at least one item of goods. The presentation device occupies a space that is not available for movement by people in the business area. In addition to the presentation device, a movement space is usually provided that is reserved for people, such as customers or staff, to move around. In terms of its length, this movement space extends at least to the area running along the presentation device. Typically, however, it is not limited to this but comprises all areas in a business area that are intended for the movement of people. In terms of its width, the movement space is at least large enough for at least one person to move around there, preferably at least two people to be able to move past each other unhindered.If the movement space is limited by presentation equipment, the distance between the presentation equipment can also be selected with regard to its width. With regard to its height, the movement space can at least be dimensioned such that the maximum expected crown height of an adult person when walking upright is exceeded. The maximum expected height of an outstretched hand of such an adult person can also be used as a measurement. To be on the safe side, the height given by the tallest person known to date can also be used as a basis. Against this background, it has proven particularly advantageous if the carrying device is configured in such a way that the device is carried outside the presentation equipment and outside the movement space.

[0017] This measure allows the presentation equipment and the movement area to be protected from the movement of the device. This can be understood in both a vertical and horizontal context. This measure thus ensures the potential-free coexistence of the device with the person and the presentation equipment in the business area. This is achieved by appropriately designing the cable-based and / or rail-based support device, and if necessary also the drive device, so that the presentation equipment and the movement area are protected from the movement of the device.

[0018] It is particularly advantageous if the carrying device is configured such that the device is carried above the presentation device and / or above the movement area. This allows different configurations of the carrying device, possibly including the configuration of the drive device, to be tailored to different application scenarios of the device movement system.

[0019] In a high-bay warehouse, for example, it is usually not necessary for the device to be carried and moved above the high-bay racks. There, it is usually sufficient for the device to be moved between the high-bay racks along a rack aisle, so that, as a minimum requirement, the movement space there is unobstructed by the device's movement. It is therefore sufficient for the device to be carried above the movement space.

[0020] For example, in a retailer's sales room where the shelves are roughly as high as, or slightly higher than, the number of adults standing between the shelves in the aisles, it may be advantageous to hold the device at least at the height of the shelves, i.e. above the range of movement of people, so that the device's functions can only be used in a particular aisle or in relation to the shelves flanking the aisle. In this case, however, it would also be possible to carry the device above the shelves, i.e. above the range of movement and also above the shelves, because its function can be used better from there or in a wider area, e.g. across aisles.

[0021] In all of the previously discussed application cases, the minimum requirement is that the device is carried above the space for movement because it is intended to be moved above the space for movement. An exception to this would be if the device does not have to be moved above the space for movement because, for example, it is moved over product counters, display cases, or shopping baskets. In this special case, it would generally be sufficient for the device to be carried only above the presentation device, i.e. any adjacent space for movement is not taken into account with regard to the vertical arrangement of the device. In such cases, a safety distance above the respective presentation device can also be included to take into account the fact that a person should be able to reach in or bend over it.

[0022] However, the preceding discussion of the application scenarios does not preclude the possibility that the carrying device and / or the drive device is designed to at least temporarily lower the device from above the movement space into the movement space and then lift it upwards out of the movement space. The time or period of lowering and lifting can be determined with the aid of sensors that monitor the space below or around the device in such a way that no collision potential arises during this sequence of movements, because this sequence of movements is only performed when no person is present beneath the device in the movement space or is in the vicinity of the location or location where the sequence of movements is performed.With this measure, namely device-based observation of whether there is a collision potential with a person, the structure of the movement space becomes literally "time-dependent" because the otherwise static movement space is broken up for the duration of the exchange in the sub-area to be reserved for the immersion of the device.

[0023] It has proven particularly advantageous if the drive device - analogous to the device - is also carried above the presentation device and / or above the movement area. This ensures that the overall configuration of the carrying device and drive device leaves the floor of the business area clear. Particularly preferably, the carrying device can carry not only the device, but also the drive device. Thus, the drive device is also carried free from floor contact with the aid of the carrying device. Very particularly preferably, the drive device is carried suspended together with the device with the aid of the carrying device, and possibly even moved suspended with the device.

[0024] With regard to the connection of the device to the carrying device, it can be provided that the carrying device carries the device directly or an adapter is provided which enables the device, in particular different devices, to be mounted on the carrying device. Direct carrying, such as direct cable guidance or direct rail guidance of the device, can be advantageous if only one device or a group of devices, in particular with different functions, is to be carried at the same time and possibly also used operationally simultaneously. On the other hand, an adapter can be advantageous if, for example, different devices, which are intended to provide different functions in the business area, have to be carried and used at different times. It has proven particularly advantageous if the adapter is designed as a universal adapter for a predefined group of devices.This ensures that each of these devices can be easily mounted optionally.

[0025] In the simplest case, the carrying device can be set up directly on the floor, such as the floor of the business area, or provided with its own support elements. However, it has proven particularly advantageous if the carrying device uses another object for its own setup or fastening. In this context, it has proven particularly advantageous if the carrying device is designed for fastening to at least one building element of the business area that is different from the floor of the business area and / or to at least one presentation device. This has the effect that the floor of the business area remains a valuable area for setting up the presentation device and for the movement of people, and is therefore not affected by the setup, fastening or attachment of the carrying device.

[0026] For example, the support device itself can be suspended from the ceiling of the sales area's building structure or attached to a supporting pillar of the building structure. This ensures a secure hold on the building structure. This mounting of the support device is particularly advantageous if the support device is intended to hold the device above the display device or if the device is intended to be moved significantly above the display device.

[0027] The carrying device can, however, also be attached directly to the presentation device. For example, it can be attached above the elements of the presentation device intended for presenting the goods. Even in this configuration, holding the device above the presentation device, in particular above the movement area, is easily achieved because the carrying device itself can have a structure (supports, pillars, etc.) that rises upwards from the presentation device, so that the desired distance between the device and the presentation device, in particular the movement area, can be adjusted. Attaching it to the presentation device has the effect that the carrying device can be used together with the presentation device in the business area, thus always providing a spatial connection between the carrying device and the presentation device in question.Even if the carrying device is attached across several presentation devices, its spatial reference to this group of presentation devices is retained.

[0028] The attachment options for the carrying device discussed in the two preceding paragraphs can be implemented as single-point attachments. However, the attachment of the carrying device is preferably distributed across multiple attachment points or attachment zones or areas.

[0029] According to a first embodiment, the cable-based carrying device can be configured similarly to a cable car. In this embodiment, the carrying device has at least one carrying cable to which the electronic device is directly or indirectly connected—as discussed in connection with the adapter.

[0030] In this first embodiment, it can be provided that the drive device is designed to interact with the suspension cable for the purpose of moving the device, so that the movement of the suspension cable caused by the drive device also causes the movement of the device which is immovably coupled to the suspension cable. In this embodiment, the suspension cable also functions as a traction cable, with the help of which the movement is carried out. In this case, the drive device can unwind the traction cable by applying a tensile force, for example from a suspension cable storage reel, and when the tensile force is removed, the suspension cable is wound back onto the suspension cable storage reel, for example by a spring force or a counterweight. In this way, a back and forth movement of the device can be achieved together with the corresponding back and forth movement of the suspension cable.Alternatively, the drive device can be designed in two parts, with the cable held at both ends to move back and forth. In this two-part configuration, two drive pulleys can be provided, for example, between which the support cable is moved back and forth. This can be achieved, for example, by winding it onto one drive pulley while simultaneously unwinding it from the other drive pulley. The device can be moved back and forth between the two drive pulleys in accordance with the movement of the support cable.

[0031] If the rope wraps around the drive pulley, it's called a winch. Alternatively, there can be sufficient friction between the support rope and the respective drive pulley—especially tailored to the weight of the device—so that the rope is only wrapped around and not wound up, causing the device to move. This allows for more compact pulleys, allowing the rope to hang down from the pulley, for example, or be collected in a container or on an additional pulley.

[0032] In this first design, the device's movement follows the path of the supporting cable, although one or more pulleys may also be present, as is sometimes the case with ski lifts, where the direction or path of the supporting cable is changed using these pulleys. In this first design, the device is preferably positioned suspended below the single cable, which ensures a permanently stable alignment of the device in space.

[0033] In this first embodiment, however, it can also be provided that the carrying device - in addition to the support cable - has at least one traction cable. This allows the functions to be distributed among the various cable types. This allows, for example, a relatively massive and resilient support cable to be used without this support cable having to be moved, and a light and therefore thin traction cable can be used as the traction cable to be moved. This has proven advantageous in conjunction with the storage roller provided for unwinding or winding the traction cable, because this can also be relatively small, thus saving space and being inexpensive, and also visually unobtrusive.

[0034] In contrast to the solution based only on the supporting cable, the drive device is designed to interact with the traction cable in order to move the device.

[0035] In this configuration, the support cable can be secured or clamped at its ends, or it can be held sufficiently taut via pulleys to allow the device to move along the support cable. The device is moved by the movement of the traction cable, with the traction cable engaging or attached to the device or the adapter. If the support cable is slightly inclined from the horizontal along the section intended for device movement, it is sufficient for the traction cable to pull the device "uphill" using a sufficiently high tensile force. The "downhill" movement can occur by utilizing gravity with a correspondingly reduced tensile force or if the tensile force is eliminated.

[0036] In this configuration, which comprises the support cable and the traction cable, the device or the adapter carrying the device can be moved along the support cable, e.g., sliding on the support cable. Preferably, the device or the adapter is carried on the support cable by a cable coupling device. The cable coupling device can comprise a roller running on the support cable, which is accommodated in a fastening body, such as a cage, from which the device or the adapter hangs substantially below the support cable, e.g., connected to a connecting structure running laterally from the support cable, such as a rod or plate or the like. In order to prevent swaying along the support cable, two or more rollers or several cages can also be arranged one behind the other.

[0037] Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the rope-based carrying device can also have several carrying ropes and / or traction ropes, in particular running essentially parallel to one another.

[0038] In connection with the rope-based carrying device, it can also be advantageously provided that the electrical supply (power supply and / or communications supply) of the drive device and / or the device can be provided using one of the aforementioned ropes. For example, the rope that moves with the drive device can have electrical conductors connected to the drive device and / or the device. The electrical conductors can also be combined in a cable that is integrated into the respective rope, spirally wrapped around it, or routed separately from the rope.

[0039] It should also be noted that the device or carrying device can be coupled to the respective rope, for example, by means of an eyelet and / or a rope clamping device and / or a pulley, etc.

[0040] It should also be noted that the rope-based training method can also involve more than two ropes. For example, three ropes can be permanently connected to the electronic device, and a plane can be spanned between three bearing points equipped with winches, which the electronic device can navigate by operating the winches accordingly. This measure thus lifts the area accessible to the electronic device from a line (one-dimensional) to a plane (two-dimensional). Therefore, at least three traction ropes are preferably provided.

[0041] Additional cables can also be provided, for example, four, which provides greater stability. It is particularly advantageous to provide at least four tension cables, as this allows for compensation for the flexibility of the cables. From a mechanically idealized perspective, three cable forces, which would clearly define the position of the electronic device in a plane, are supplemented by at least a fourth tension force, which overdetermines the system and thus, on the one hand, compensates for play, for example, in the bearing points, and enables a defined positioning of the electronic device, while, on the other hand, increasing the system's reliability.

[0042] More cables can also be provided to enable further movements of the electronic device. For example, a first set of cables can be provided to introduce tensile forces in the vicinity of a first point of application of the electronic device, and a second set of cables can be provided to introduce tensile forces in the vicinity of a second point of application of the electronic device. This allows the connecting line between the first point of application and the second point of application to be shifted, causing the electronic device to execute corresponding tilting movements. This allows targeted pitching or pitching movements, as well as rolling or swaying movements, to be executed with the electronic device. As mentioned, the electronic device can, for example, have a sensor whose detection range can thus be aligned.

[0043] According to a second embodiment, the rail-based support device can be configured similarly to a suspended track. In this embodiment, the support device has at least one rail, with which the device is supported directly or indirectly, as discussed in connection with the adapter. The use of a rail is preferred over the cable-based support device because it enables more variable rail placement, thus allowing a simpler path design for the device than would be the case with one or more cables. Changes of direction along the course of the rail do not require additional elements, such as the deflection pulleys and their attachment, nor maintenance during operation, which would be necessary with the cable, but are simply enabled by the curved course of the rail.This allows not only changes in direction in the plane to be realized, but also a three-dimensional course of the rail and consequently a three-dimensional movement of the device along the course of the rail.

[0044] Similar to the cable-based carrying device, the device or the adapter carrying the device can be moved along the rail, e.g., sliding on the rail along its upper side. Preferably, the device or the adapter is carried on the rail by a rail coupling device. The rail coupling device can have a roller running along the upper side of the rail, which roller is accommodated in a roller fastening body, such as a cage, which engages around the rail on both sides, at least in regions from above, in order to ensure movement along the rail. Here, too, the connecting structure connected to the device or the adapter can be provided which allows the device or the adapter to hang substantially below the rail or to the side of it. To prevent swinging along the rail, two or more rollers or several cages can be arranged one behind the other along the rail.

[0045] The rail can, for example, be designed as a support, for example as an I-beam or double-T-beam, with a flange, so that the electronic device is guided by the support, in particular by the flange. Preferably, however, the rail is designed as a hollow profile rail which has a slot along its longitudinal extent, wherein the slot is provided for the movement of the device along the longitudinal extent. With such a rail, the rail no longer has to be grasped on both sides from above to ensure longitudinal movement. Instead, the safe longitudinal guidance, which above all prevents the risk of falling, is provided by the slot in the rail itself, into which a suitable guide element (rod or plate or the like) of the rail coupling device is inserted. With this rail, too, the rolling movement of the roller(s) can take place on the upper side of the rail.Optionally, the space in the hollow profile rail can also be used to insert the roller(s), e.g. from an open side of the hollow profile and let them run along the lower inner wall of the hollow profile.

[0046] However, it has proven particularly advantageous if the slot is formed on a downward-facing side of the hollow profile rail. This ensures that the slot is virtually immune to soiling, even under rough everyday conditions. If soiling does occur, it can be easily cleaned using gravity, i.e. without the need for disassembly and cumbersome handling during cleaning. In this rail configuration, the rail-coupling device is designed such that the device or adapter is held suspended below the underside of the rail without the need to pass sideways along the rail. The roller(s) as well as the cage are housed within the hollow profile of the rail. The connecting structure serves both to guide the device or adapter along the slot and to connect the roller or cage to the device or adapter.

[0047] Similar to the cable-based carrying device, the drive device can cause the movement of the device with the aid of a traction cable that is attached to the device, the adapter, the connecting structure, or the cage. The drive device can also be permanently connected to at least one of the aforementioned elements and interact with a cable that runs along the hollow profile rail. The cable thus remains stationary relative to the hollow profile rail, whereas the drive device moves along the cable, e.g., via a roller system that guides the cable and of which at least one roller is friction-driven.

[0048] However, it has proven particularly advantageous if the hollow profile rail is provided for supporting the device on the inside and the drive device is designed to interact with the inside of the hollow profile rail. To achieve this, the downwardly open inner wall of the hollow profile rail is used to support and roll the roller, which roller supports the device directly or indirectly. Analogous to the roller, the drive device is also accommodated inside the hollow space, for example as a component of the cage or the connecting structure, and can therefore move along with the aforementioned elements. Another of the inner walls can be intended or designed to interact with the drive device. For example, this inner wall intended for the drive device can have a toothed rack into which a toothed wheel of the drive device engages, with the aid of which the movement of the device is effected.However, the inner wall intended for the drive device can also be the same one used for the roller supporting the device. For example, the drive device can comprise a drive roller or drive roller or the like, which, driven by a motor, rotates and moves the device through its interaction with the inner wall of the hollow-profile rail. Preferably, however, the roller supporting the device itself is used as the drive roller as a component of the drive device and is motor-driven to move the device.

[0049] The drive device preferably has an electric motor, with the aid of which the movement of the device relative to the rail can be carried out. To operate the electric motor, a power supply is required, which can be implemented, for example, with the aid of a battery carried with the drive device, which can be replaceable and / or rechargeable. However, the hollow profile rail preferably has an electrical conductor structure on its inside along its longitudinal extent for supplying power to the drive device and / or the device. For this purpose, for example, at least two separate conductors can be used, which are insulated towards the rail but are uninsulated, i.e. bare, on their side oriented away from the inner wall of the rail for contacting.In order to contact this conductor structure, the drive device has at least two (sliding) contacts, which are essentially in permanent contact with the conductor structure and are dragged along the conductor structure during the movement along the rail.

[0050] This conductor structure can, in principle, be provided on any of the inner walls of the hollow-profile rail. The (sliding) contacts can be pressed against the conductor structure by the drive device using spring elements. However, the inner wall intended for the supporting role, i.e., the inner wall of the underside of the hollow-profile rail, is preferably used for this purpose. This configuration has the advantage that the (sliding) contacts are pressed onto the conductor structure by gravity.

[0051] However, the conductor structure not only provides the drive device with continuous electrical power along the rail, but also ensures a continuous electrical supply to the device along the rail. For this purpose, the same (sliding) contacts are used that are also used to supply the drive device, and the device is also supplied with electricity via a cable and / or plug connection. However, in addition to the two lines provided for the power supply, the conductor structure can also have at least one or more lines provided for signal and / or data transmission in order to control the drive device and / or the device via a wired connection, or to receive signals or data from the drive device or the device. For this purpose, a corresponding number of (sliding) contacts must be provided.Alternatively, data transmission to and from the drive device or device can also be done radio-based.

[0052] Instead of (sliding) contacts, role-based contacts can also be used.

[0053] Most preferably, the hollow profile rail can be a double hollow profile rail, in which the first hollow profile rail is provided for the suspended support of the movable device and the second hollow profile rail is designed to support, and optionally also to supply electricity to, another object, in particular a stationary lighting device.

[0054] In particular, both hollow profiles are designed with longitudinal slots that open downwards. They each have a slot along their longitudinal extension, which is formed on the downward-facing wall of the hollow profile. This contributes to the device being freely movable along one (first) hollow profile rail, while also allowing the other object to be positioned at any point on the other (second) hollow profile rail. If other requirements need to be met, the second hollow profile can also be designed completely differently from the first.

[0055] Similar to or identical in structure to the first hollow profile rail, which carries the device and has the (first) conductor structure to supply it, the second hollow profile rail can also have a further (second) electrical conductor structure in order to supply the other object with electrical power and / or signal or data supply. A pure power supply for the business would be sufficient if the other object was, for example, the aforementioned light source. However, the other object can also provide further functions (e.g. recording physical parameters such as temperature, humidity, etc., or the remote-controlled emission of lighting effects, etc.) which are necessary at its respective position for the operation of the business area, whereby control of the object's electronics and / or communication with signals or data is necessary. In this case, the signal- or data-carrying device canThe object's data supply must be provided via an appropriately designed electrical conductor structure in the second hollow profile rail.

[0056] However, the second hollow profile can also be used to support a second device, which is fundamentally different from the first device, or is similar or identical to the first device, and which can move along the second hollow profile in a similar manner to the first device. This means that the device movement system also uses the double hollow profile rail as a support device, and a separate drive device is provided for each of the two devices. Ultimately, the two devices must be designed so that they can move past each other without any problems.

[0057] By means of a suitable configuration or attachment of the supporting structure(s) (cable or rail), and if necessary also of the driving structure(s), it can be ensured that the presentation device(s) and the movement space are protected from the movement of the device.

[0058] According to a further aspect, the device movement system comprises an electronic controller for controlling the movement of the device. This controller can be implemented in the device itself or be implemented separately.

[0059] The first variant, in which the device itself is equipped with electronic scattering, can be advantageous if the device receives movement instructions via a radio connection, which it then processes autonomously with the help of electronic scattering. This variant therefore provides a device that can initiate its own movement using the electronic control. This means that no external coordination is necessary as to whether the device should remain stationary, execute a movement, or change its current movement state depending on the function or task currently being performed. The device can make this decision itself with the help of its electronics and implement it autonomously with the help of the electronic control, which naturally requires implementation effort on the device side.

[0060] The second variant, in which the electronic control is designed separately from the device, allows for a variety of further designs of the device movement system. For example, the electronic control can be designed as a component of the drive device, whereby the drive device can be moved along with the device or located decoupled from the movement of the device. The electronic control can also be designed separately from the drive device, whereby in this design, a bundling of the drive devices to be controlled with the aid of the electronic control is possible. Thus, several drive devices can be controlled with a single electronic control. This contributes to a more cost-efficient implementation of the system.

[0061] In all of the aforementioned variants, the electronic control system is designed to interact with the drive device via signaling to control the movement of the device. This can be done wirelessly or via a cable, so that the control signals or control data emitted by the electronic control system are available to the drive device that implements the control signals.

[0062] The drive device itself can, in turn, comprise electronics and an electronic motor, possibly a gear coupled thereto, and at least one (gear) wheel, a roller, a roll, etc. driven thereby. Its electronics are thus designed for radio- or cable-based reception and processing of the control signals or control data and for the resulting control of the motor, with the aid of which the control signals or control data are converted into a movement.

[0063] It has proven particularly advantageous if the electronic controller is designed to receive position representation signals and / or data provided by the drive device or by the device and which can be used to specify or limit the position of the device, for controlling the movement of the device. Position representation signals and / or data provided by the drive device can, for example, be generated in such a way that the rotation of the motor, more precisely its drive shaft, or the rotation of at least one (gear) wheel, roller, or roll driven thereby, is electronically recorded and the position within the range of movement is deduced from this. If a stepper motor is used, the number of steps performed, ultimately the number of pulses used to convert into steps, can also be used for the aforementioned purpose.

[0064] Position representation signals and / or data provided by the device can, for example, be generated in such a way that the device detects its surroundings in an optoelectronic manner (i.e. by means of a camera and / or lidar sensor, etc.) and either evaluates the data obtained in this way with regard to position information, such as the flashing of an LED on a shelf or the visually perceivable content of an electrical display device or the objects located in the business area, etc., or passes it on to the electronic control system for this purpose.

[0065] Position representation signals and / or data provided by the device can also be generated by the device by receiving radio signals originating from various stationary radio sources. These signals are evaluated with respect to at least one signal parameter (signal strength, in particular the Received Signal Strength Indicator, or RSSI for short). The result of this evaluation can be transmitted to the electronic control system. If the transmission power of the stationary radio sources is known, the position of the receiver can at least be narrowed down. In this context, the known triangulation method can also be used.

[0066] The position information determined in one way or another can be used by the electronic control system to autonomously implement a movement, for example to move the device from an actual position to a target position. The target position can be defined, for example, by a position indication received externally or can be given by a predefined movement sequence that is known to the electronic control system (e.g. stored there). A combination of these two aspects of the target position can also be provided. In principle, the electronic control system can therefore carry out its controlling function according to the predefined movement sequence. However, this can be interrupted by external ad hoc intervention in this predefined movement sequence, which arises, for example, due to a need for a specific positioning of the device.Such a need can arise when processing data in a higher-level control system or data processing device. After the ad hoc intervention has been completed, the electronic scattering system can again control the device's movement according to the predefined motion sequence.

[0067] The electronic device or drive mechanism can also receive plan-path data, representing a route plan, via the radio stage, which it then implements. However, the electronic device or drive mechanism can also have a microphone and move to a position or follow a route in response to a voice command.

[0068] As already indicated above, the device movement system can be used to move a device that provides various functions. It has proven particularly advantageous if the device movement system comprises the device, wherein the device has at least one of the following functions, namely:

[0069] - a contactless charging function, for which a charging stage of the device is provided which is designed for the contactless transmission of energy, in particular laser-based;

[0070] - a digital image capture function, whereby a scene in the detection range of the camera device can be captured by means of a digital camera device of the device;

[0071] - a distance detection function, in particular a laser-based one, wherein a distance to one or more other objects can be detected with the aid of a distance sensor, in particular a LIDAR sensor (Light Detection and Ranging sensor), of the device;

[0072] - a motion detection function, whereby the movement of an object in the detection range of the motion sensor can be detected with the help of a motion sensor of the device;

[0073] - a temperature detection function, whereby a temperature or temperature distribution in the detection range of the temperature sensor can be detected with the aid of a temperature sensor of the device, in particular a thermal imaging camera;

[0074] - a humidity detection function, wherein the humidity of the air in the vicinity of the sensor can be detected with the aid of a humidity sensor of the device, in particular a humidity sensor.

[0075] The charging stage can be used to charge the device's electrical energy storage device using radio signals. For this purpose, a radio station equipped with "Power over WiFi" functionality can be provided, for example, and thus configured to transmit radio signals. The device also has such functionality, but for receiving the radio signals so that the energy can be transferred to the device. A rechargeable battery is provided in the device to store the transferred energy. Since the device is portable, it can move to a charging position where it is positioned as close as possible to the charging station. This increases the reliability of the charging process and, due to the optimized short distance, also results in efficient energy transfer.If the distance between the charging station and the device is a few centimeters or less than one centimeter, inductive coupling, such as that used in the context of RFID or NFC, can even be used for charging. However, both the device and the charging station must have a corresponding coupling coil configuration. This allows the device to operate without a direct power supply, using the measures discussed in connection with the rail.

[0076] However, the charging stage can also be used to wirelessly charge an electrical energy storage device of another electronic device from the device. Here, too, the fact that the device can be moved is advantageous. For example, directed radio signals emitted by the device can be used to selectively charge devices along the path of movement, or to charge devices in groups that are as close as possible to the device.

[0077] However, the charging stage can also be configured for light-based charging. Similar to radio-based charging, in this case, the device can be supplied with energy from a charging station, or the device can supply energy to another device, and this transmitted energy can be stored at the receiver using a rechargeable battery. Technologically, this function can be based on technology from WI-CHARGE (see also http: / / www.wi-charge.com), where the source that emits the energy uses a laser, and the sink that receives the energy uses a photovoltaic cell configuration.In contrast to a stationary implementation of the WI-Charge functionality, an implementation designed as a mobile device offers the advantage that a large number of other electronic devices can be supplied with energy along the device's path - especially if the device is electrically powered via a wired connection, meaning there is no supply bottleneck itself. The laser or laser unit can be configured so that the laser beam is emitted with a constant orientation or can change its emission direction. This can be achieved using a variable lens configuration, so that the laser can be available as a source of energy for an extended period as the device moves past. However, the laser can also be used so that its impact on the photovoltaic cell configuration starts operation or triggers a function in the other electronic device (sink).This allows actions to be started selectively or only those other electronic devices that are positioned at a reasonable distance for cooperation with the device to carry out an action.

[0078] With regard to the image capture function using the digital camera device, it should be noted that this can be configured to capture a still image or a video recording. The orientation of the camera or its capture area can be fixed, for example, if it is defined in advance which part of the business area along the device's path of movement is to be captured using the camera. However, it has proven particularly advantageous if the camera's capture area itself is variably adjustable, such as pivoting and / or providing different zoom settings, so that parts of the business area can be selectively captured along the device's path of movement depending on the respective camera setting.

[0079] Regarding the distance detection function, it should be noted that this can be implemented using a sound or ultrasonic sensor, for example. However, a LIDAR sensor is preferred, which can be used either alone to measure spatial areas or objects present there, as well as their spatial configuration. The data obtained using the LIDAR sensor can also be processed together with that from the camera to generate a true-to-life digital image of the sales area.

[0080] In addition to the measures mentioned above, a motion sensor can also be provided—either independently or in combination with the respective measure—which can be used to detect moving objects, such as people or shopping carts, and is optimized for this purpose. Together with the LIDAR sensor, the spatial configuration of these objects can also be determined.

[0081] Known sensor systems can also be used in this context. For example, the device can feature or be implemented with a "Zebra SmartSense" from Zebra Technologies. The "Zebra SmartSense" is a sensor system that uses video and radio identification in the decimeter wave range to detect the environment in the store. This sensor system can be used to detect and interpret the position and movements of goods, employees, and potential customers in the store.

[0082] Alternatively, the "ZEBRA SMARTLENS" sensor system from Zebra Technologies can be used, which is also designed for goods monitoring.

[0083] The detection device may further comprise a sensor system from "SICK AG", such as the 3D LiDAR sensors "MRS1000P" and / or the 3D time-of-flight camera sensor system "safeVisionary2".

[0084] In addition to the measures mentioned, a temperature sensor can also be provided - independently of or in combination with the respective measure - which is used to measure the temperature along the device's path of movement. In the simplest case, the temperature sensor can measure the temperature at the level of the device. However, the temperature sensor, in particular its temperature-sensitive element, can also be lowered from the device, e.g., "roped down," in order to measure the temperature at a distance from the device in the area below. Preferably, however, a thermal imaging camera is used, with which the surface temperature of objects in the detection area can be recorded and visually visualized. This allows the temperatures of perishable products to be determined in the business sector and subsequently statements can be made about their shelf life or measures can be derived to extend or optimize shelf life.

[0085] In addition to the measures mentioned above, a humidity sensor can also be provided—either independently or in combination with the respective measure. Similar to the temperature sensor, this location-variable humidity sensor can also be used to measure humidity, especially air humidity, in the business area and to optimize the shelf life and consistency of food.

[0086] Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the device can also have an acoustic signal output device that can be used to emit an acoustically perceptible signal. This can be implemented using, but is not limited to, a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) loudspeaker, a piezo loudspeaker, or a conventional loudspeaker. This can be used to emit location-specific acoustic signals or even to transmit voice messages or advertising messages.

[0087] Analogously, the device can also include an acoustic signal input device that can be used to receive acoustically perceptible signals. This can be implemented using a conventional microphone, a MEMS microphone, a piezo microphone, etc., but is not limited to this list. This can be used to receive location-specific acoustic signals, such as speech or noise, and to submit them for further analysis or processing.

[0088] With regard to the image capture function, it has proven particularly advantageous if a rotary-pan-head camera, hereinafter referred to as a camera for short, is used as the digital camera device, which preferably combines a large number, if necessary all, of the previously mentioned functions and measures. The camera is equipped with a combined rotary-pan head, which, among other things, carries the camera system for digital image capture. The rotary-pan head is divided into a rotary part and a pivoting part. The rotary part can be rotated 360° (bidirectionally) relative to a base parallel to the plane of the base. At its end facing away from the base, the rotary part carries the pivoting part in a fork-like structure, whereby the pivoting part can be pivoted 180° (bidirectionally) relative to the base. This rotary-pan movement can be controlled by an electric motor driven by the camera's electronics.This allows the functions mentioned to be variably focused on the spatial sector to which the swivel head is directed.

[0089] The pivoting part preferably has a triple lens system, hereinafter referred to as the lens system for short, which comprises three 12-megapixel optics with different focal lengths of 120 mm, 78 mm, and 45 mm, and provides a 4x zoom. This lens system can be used selectively or collectively with its different detection parameters to optoelectronically detect a portion of the business area.

[0090] Furthermore, the pivoting part features a GDPR-compliant motion sensor adjacent to the triple lens system. With the help of the motion sensor, the camera can autonomously (software-controlled) distinguish between static and moving objects in the detection area, making it easier to differentiate between objects and people in the detection area.

[0091] For optically perceptible signaling, an RGB LED (red-green-blue light-emitting diode) is provided on the swivel part.

[0092] The triple lens system, the motion sensor and the RGB LED are aligned in a plane along a flattened area of ​​the otherwise essentially cylindrical pivoting part in order to be jointly aligned towards an object or a spatial sector according to the rotation-swivel movement.

[0093] The camera's electronics are designed to be extremely energy-efficient and, in addition to other active and passive electronic components, also include a microcontroller for controlling and providing the various functionalities. Power can be supplied using the previously discussed electrical conductor structure. Alternatively, or optionally, an integrated battery, particularly a rechargeable battery, or a replaceable battery can be provided to power the camera. A USB-C port can be provided as a charging port for the rechargeable battery or for connecting an external battery. A POE port (Power over Ethernet port) can also be provided, which is used for connection to a wired local network as well as for supplying power via this network. The USB-C port and the POE port can, for example,It can be used when the device remains in a parked position, i.e., is not moved along its path of travel. Optionally, the camera can be equipped with an LTE cellular module (not shown) for cellular communication. An IoT module (not shown) can also be included to enable sensor-related connection features. Alternatively or additionally, a WiFi or WLAN module can be provided.

[0094] This camera is ideal for either large-scale and / or focused updates of a section of a business area captured by it. It is ideal for flexible monitoring of your surroundings because it can be directed, even autonomously, to any area in its surroundings. This can be adjusted as required thanks to its pan / tilt motion capability and flexible optics. This allows it to be extremely flexibly directed at different parts of the business area that require up-to-date digital images, for example, because this part of the business area has been autonomously detected using the motion sensor, and the events there need to be recorded.

[0095] Their position in the business area is not fixed, such as hanging from the ceiling in a fixed location, but variable with the help of the drive device.

[0096] The image data provided by the camera, possibly together with the results of any preprocessing or analysis performed in the camera, can be transmitted via an access point to a data processing device and used there to create or update the digital image of the business area for the part of the business area captured by the camera. However, the camera can also be used to implement other applications, which are discussed here.

[0097] The camera can, for example, be programmed in software to use its pan-and-rotate head to digitally capture the part of the sales area that can be captured during the pan-and-rotate movement and to search for or analyze events that require increased attention or that are to be transmitted to the data processing device for external evaluation or analysis.

[0098] These events can include, for example, a light signal from an LED of an electronic display device, abbreviated to ESL (from the English "Electronic Shelf Label"), i.e. a constant or modulated light emission using the LED. If, for example, the ESL sends out the ESL's identification code using the modulated light signal, this identification code can be evaluated using the camera's software and made available for further data processing in the camera or at the data processing device. The light signal is detected using the lens system, which, when the light signal occurs in the camera's detection range, is aligned towards the relevant ESL using the pan / tilt head. The camera can also be programmed to create at least two images (still image or video) with two different focal lengths using its triple-stepped lens system. This allows, for example,The positioning of the affected ESL in the digital image of the business area can be carried out as precisely as possible, because this optical capture of the scene in question, carried out with a low zoom factor, allows sufficient coverage of the surrounding area around the affected ESL. At the same time, the greatest possible level of detail can be ensured for the digital visualization of the affected part of the business area because a high zoom factor allows for a correspondingly deep zoom into the affected part of the business area.

[0099] The light signal can have a variety of meanings. The ESL can use it to communicate its identity and / or status, such as a service requirement due to, for example, a low battery charge or other technical or logistical circumstances. The ESL can also use it to draw attention to itself in order to be more easily located by a customer or the retailer's staff. However, the camera can also be equipped with a radio system that enables the reception and evaluation of so-called beacon radio signals. This camera's radio system can, for example, also be designed to detect the approach, in particular the angle of approach (referred to in technical jargon as the "angle of arrival"), and the distance, in particular the angle of departure (referred to in technical jargon as the "angle of departure"), of a radio beacon (a beacon transmitter). Such a radio beacon can, for example,It can be implemented as part of a personal digital assistant (PDA). Staff moving around the business area can carry this PDA with them for a variety of purposes and use it for the work they need to do. However, the radio beacon can also be integrated into a special shopping cart or forklift, etc., that is used or carried by the staff.

[0100] Equipped with a PDA, staff, who in this case act as store pickers, can, for example, carry a customer's shopping list and collect the items on the shopping list. The camera, which detects the store picker and can follow him freely so that his position in the store can be determined using the imaged surroundings, the determined position of the device along his path of movement, and / or the panning and rotating movement of the camera, can also be used to support the store picker in his search for the items on the shopping list. For example, LEDs can be made to flash those ESLs that belong to items on the shopping list and are close to the store picker's position.The camera can also be used to record the work progress and interactively keep the items to be searched for in the shopping list up to date. Based on the position determined for the store picker in the store, the order of the items to be searched for can also be changed, i.e., adapted to the location. For these purposes, the data provided by the camera, and possibly also position data from the drive device, are sent to a data processing unit, where they are analyzed and further processed to generate the necessary control data for the ESLs or the PDA, and to transmit this data wirelessly, for example, to the ESLs or the PDS.

[0101] The camera can also be used to track customers or even goods. Ultimately, a single camera can, for example, move along one or more aisles of shelves to fully capture all the ESLs installed there and their positions. Furthermore, the goods placed corresponding to the ESLs can also be captured, forming the basis for generating at least a static realogram. A drive mechanism allows the camera to move in at least part of the camera's business area. This movement can be relatively fast because the movement area for people is omitted, allowing a dynamic realogram to be created for this part of the business area that is at least reasonably up-to-date.If this concept is scaled up, i.e., a corresponding number of moving cameras are deployed throughout the store, it can even be used to create a complete dynamic realogram. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that a realogram is a digitized image of the store, representing its actual appearance, including all of its furnishings and the merchandise displayed there.

[0102] In an ESL system that, for example, includes a shelf rail controller responsible for controlling, and possibly also supplying, ESLs installed on its shelf rail, the camera can be used to identify the shelf rail controller, for example, because its LED flashes, thus signaling its identification data. Subsequently, the ESLs assigned to it can be identified on their shelf rail, and the correctness of the ESL positions in relation to the products or goods assigned to them, or vice versa, can be verified. This process is not limited to just one shelf rail, but can cover all shelf rails, even on different levels of the shelf.

[0103] This also allows for deliberately induced changes in product placement to be captured, allowing these new positionings to be recorded, and ultimately mapped in the realogram. The device, which can be moved using the device motion system, generally provides capture data that represents the captured environment of the device in a stationary state as well as along its trajectory in a moving state. This capture data can originate from the camera device, the LIDAR sensor, the motion sensor, etc.

[0104] As already mentioned at the beginning, the data processing device is designed to incorporate the acquired data to create a realogram.

[0105] The data processing device can be a local computer or server belonging to the business area operator, a data center assigned to the business area operator that is accessible via the Internet, or a cloud-based software solution hosted in a data center (a server farm) and available to the business area operator via the Internet. Software is processed on the data processing device. The acquisition data from the mobile device, possibly together with further or supplementary acquisition data from stationary camera devices, is fed to the software in digital form. The software processes the acquisition data, for example,with the aid of software measures known from the field of computer vision, whereby, as a result of the processing, a virtual space is created as a digital image of the business space, which is made accessible to a human-perceivable visualization with the aid of a visualization device, in particular a screen or a device referred to in English as a virtual reality headset.

[0106] The term computer vision is referred to in German as "Computer Sehen" (Computer Seeing) and is also known as a synonym under the English term "Machine Vision." The field of computer vision was sufficiently well known at the time of application. The software measures used there allow images captured by cameras to be processed and analyzed in a variety of ways in order to understand their content or to extract geometric information in order to create the virtual space as a "digital twin" of the real sales area. In order to ensure the most efficient availability of the recorded data, the data processing device is designed to control the device movement system for the purpose of moving the device. This allows the data processing device, for example,to interrupt automatically running predefined movement sequences and to define specific movements in order to create the digital image as comprehensively as possible and, if necessary, to initiate ad hoc movements if this has been automatically recognized as necessary on the basis of the available recording data.

[0107] Furthermore, it has proven particularly advantageous if the data processing device is configured to establish a relationship between a product and an electronic display device using the acquisition data provided by the device. This allows a process known in technical jargon as "binding" to be fully automated, whereby the association between a product and the entering ESL is established and stored in a digital data structure. Based on the binding, the data processing device transmits the relevant information for the product in question to the respective ESL via radio or wired transmission, ensuring that the correct information (product and / or price information) is displayed at the respective location of the product.

[0108] This data structure can also be embedded in the realogram or be accessible to the software creating the realogram in order to ensure a real-time representation of the ESL adjacent to the product in the visualization of the digital image with a display of the respective information actually readable on the ESL.

[0109] It should also be mentioned that the shape of the electronic device can also include a protruding structure (a structure protruding from the main body of the device) or even structures that can be moved relative to the body of the electronic device. For example, the electronic device can have a sensor arm that moves a sensor relative to the body of the electronic device. This allows, for example, a sensor's detection range to be changed, in particular, to be aligned outside the device's path of movement.

[0110] In summary, it can be stated that the movement of the device can be largely independent of the "topography or topology" of the business area. This allows the movement to be designed completely unaffected by the sales area designated for the presentation and sale of goods, especially the sales room above it. Furthermore, the capabilities of the technical system can be optimally combined with the skills of the personnel, i.e., the people or employees, because the electronic device can be moved without endangering people. Thus, synergies between humans and machines can be utilized.

[0111] Finally, it should be generally mentioned that the electronic devices discussed (ESLs, smartphones, tablet computers, video shelf rails, etc.) naturally contain electronics. The electronics can be discrete or integrated, or even a combination of both. Microcomputers, microcontrollers, and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) can also be used, possibly in combination with analog or digital electronic peripheral components. Many of the device functionalities mentioned are implemented – possibly in conjunction with hardware components – with the help of software running on an electronic processor. Devices designed for radio communication usually have an antenna configuration for transmitting and receiving radio signals as part of a transceiver module.The electronic devices can also have an internal electrical power supply, which can be implemented, for example, with a replaceable or rechargeable battery. The devices can also be powered wired, either via an external power supply or via "Power over LAN."

[0112] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the figures discussed below.

[0113] Short character description

[0114] The invention will be 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 a first exemplary embodiment of a cable car-like

[0115] device movement system;

[0116] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the cable car-like device-

[0117] movement system;

[0118] Fig. 3A-3B a third embodiment of the cable car-like device movement system;

[0119] Fig. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the cable car-like device-

[0120] Movement system comprising a rope deflection device;

[0121] Fig. 5 a fifth example of the cable car-like device-

[0122] movement system;

[0123] Fig. 6 a sixth embodiment of the cable car-like

[0124] Device movement system comprising a bearing positioning device; Fig. 7 shows an application example of the cable car-like device

[0125] Movement system with a recording device for recording a business area;

[0126] Fig. 8 shows another embodiment of a rail-based

[0127] device movement system;

[0128] Fig. 9 an interaction of a rail of the device-

[0129] Movement system according to Figure 8 with a drive device in a side view;

[0130] Fig. 10 the interaction of the rail of the device-

[0131] Movement system according to Figure 8 with the drive device in a plan view;

[0132] Fig. 11 a pan-and-tilt head camera as the device movable by means of the device movement system;

[0133] Fig. 12 shows a section of a business area along a rack aisle with the device movement system installed above the rack aisle;

[0134] Fig. 13 shows a communication infrastructure of the business unit in the form of a block diagram;

[0135] Fig. 14 the pan-and-tilt head camera with a contactless charging function and its application.

[0136] Description of the exemplary embodiments Figure 1 shows a device movement system 1, hereinafter referred to as the cable car system 1 for short, for moving an electronic device 2 through a business area (see Fig. 7). The vertical direction is indicated by a corresponding arrow g. The electronic device 2 is firmly connected to a cable 3, which is stretched between two bearing points 4A and 4B and rotates around these bearing points 4A and 4B. In this exemplary embodiment, the first bearing point 4A has an electric motor 40A that drives a roller 41A, and the second bearing point 4B has a non-motorized, rotatably mounted roller 41B. The cable 3 is guided as a belt around the rollers 41A and 41B. In this exemplary embodiment, the cable 3 performs the function of both a supporting cable and a traction cable. It is therefore designed as a haulage cable.By controlling motor 40A to rotate in one direction or the other, electronic device 2 can be moved back and forth between bearing points 4A and 4B. Motor 40A is controlled for this purpose by a position control stage, referred to in the general description as an "electronic controller for motion control" (not shown, but see Figure 7).

[0137] A support device of the device movement system 1 thus comprises at least the cable 3 (support cable) together with the rollers 41A and 41B and a mechanical connection to the device 2. At the same time, these elements, together with the motor 40A, form a drive device of the device movement system 1.

[0138] The electronic device 2 has a digital camera 5, which is moved through the business area by means of the cable car 1 from one storage location 4A to another storage location 4B. The digital camera is intended to digitally optoelectronically (visually) record the environment, as illustrated by way of example in Figure 7, and to interpret the recorded environment or to provide the digital representation of the recorded environment using data, whereby it should be noted that this function is applicable to all embodiments shown here. As discussed in Figure 7, the electronic device also has a radio stage for communicating with a base station, which will be discussed further below. Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the cable car system 1. In contrast to Figure 1, not just a single cable 3 designed as a haulage cable is provided.Specifically, a first cable 3A is provided, which performs the function of a traction cable and, like the cable 3 of Figure 1, is guided between the first roller 41A driven by the electric motor 40A and a second non-motorized roller 41B. In the present case, the rollers 41A and 41B, together with the motor 40A, form the drive device.

[0139] Furthermore, a second cable 3B is provided, which serves purely as a support cable. The support cable is tensioned between a third bearing point 4C and a fourth bearing point 4D, wherein the third bearing point 4C has an (optional) tensioning device 42 for tensioning the cable. The electronic device has a roller 20 that rolls on the second cable 3B. Thus, in the present case, the support device comprises at least the tensioning device 42, the second cable 3B and the roller 20, and the mechanical connection to the device 2.

[0140] Figures 3A and 3B show a further embodiment of the cable car system 1, wherein Figure 3A shows a side view of the cable car system 1 and Figure 3B shows a top view of the cable car system 1. In this embodiment, the electronic device 2 for autonomous driving is designed on two cables 3C and 3D designed as pure support cables. Each cable 3C or 3D is fastened to a left bearing point 4C and a right bearing point 4D, wherein the left bearing point 4C each has a tensioning device 42. The cables 3C and 3D are connected to an electrical energy source or voltage source 43, which applies electrical voltage to the two cables 3C and 3D, so that a supply voltage VCC is provided for the first cable 3C relative to a reference potential GND on the second cable 3D. The two cables 3C and 3D are designed as steel cables and are thus electrically conductive.At the bearing points 4C and 4D, the ropes are electrically insulated from the environment so that no short circuit occurs between the ropes 3C and 3D.

[0141] The electronic device 2 has two rollers 20A and 20B, which are designed to roll electrically conductively on the cables 3C and 3D in order to tap the electrical supply for the device 2 there. The electronic device 2 has a rechargeable battery (not visible in the view) for temporarily storing the electrical energy transmitted via the cables 3C and 3D. The rollers 20A and 20B are driven by an electric motor 21 of the electronic device 2, which is positioned between the two rollers. The electronic device 2 has a drive control unit that has the position control stage and enables the electronic device to move autonomously along the cables 3C and 3D.

[0142] A carrying device therefore comprises at least the two cables 3C and 3D, the two pulleys 20A and 20B, and a mechanical connection to the device 2. In the present case, the drive device comprises at least the pulleys 20A and 20B and the motor 21.

[0143] Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the cable car system 1. As in Figure 1, a revolving cable 3 is provided as a haulage cable between a first bearing point 4A and the second bearing point 4B. However, the electronic device 2 is not suspended directly from the cable 3 here, but rather a cable guide changing device, which is designed here as a cable deflection device 6. A further cable 3E is attached to the cable deflection device 6 and is guided around a pulley 20. The cable 3E is further guided around a pulley 60 of the cable deflection device 6. There, the cable 3E is deflected and guided to a bearing point 4E, where it can be wound up or unwound on a winch 41E driven by a motor 40E. The motors 40A and 40E of the corresponding bearing points 4A and 4B, respectively, can be controlled separately by the position control stage. This allows the bearing point 20 of the electronic device and thus the cable guide to be specifically manipulated.This allows for targeted positioning or guidance of the electronic device 2 within the (vertical) plane spanned between the first bearing point 4A and the second bearing point 4B, as well as the vertical direction, which runs parallel to the arrow g of the plumb line. Thus, the electronic device 2 can be lowered, for example, into a shelf aisle in order to detect the shelves from their immediate surroundings using the detection device 5 (e.g., the camera). It should be noted that the cable deflection device 6 shown in this exemplary embodiment can also be combined with the other exemplary embodiments demonstrated previously and below.

[0144] A carrying device therefore comprises at least the cable 3 (supporting cable) together with the pulleys 41A and 41B and a mechanical connection to the device 2, and the elements 6, 20, 60, 3E, and 30E. The drive device in the present case comprises at least the elements 41A, 41B, 6, 20, 60, 3E, and 30E mentioned in this approach.

[0145] Figure 5 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the cable car system 1, wherein a support device 7 is attached to and held by three cables 3F, 3G, and 3H. The cables each lead to a bearing point 4F, 4G, or 4H, each of which has a winch 41F, 41G, or 41H, where the cables 3F, 3G, or 3H are wound up or unwound as needed. The winches 41F, 41G, or 41H are each driven by an electric motor 40F, 40G, or 40H, respectively. The motors 40F, 40G, and 40F are controlled by the position control stage. Each motor 40F, 40G and 40F is mounted on a pivot plate 44, which is rotatably mounted about a bolt 45 arranged parallel to the vertical direction g, so that the pivot plate 44 aligns the winch 41F, 41G and 41H in the direction of the rope according to the pulling force by the rope.

[0146] The electronic device 2 could be directly attached to the support device 7 so that it can be moved through the room by winding or unwinding the winches 41F, 41G, and 41H. In order to allow the electronic device to penetrate deep into narrow shelf aisles, the cable car system 1 in the exemplary embodiment presented here still has the cable deflection device 6, which is attached to the support device 7 and from which the electronic device hangs, supported by a roller 20, as demonstrated in Figure 4. Here, too, the cable 3E is guided over a roller 60 of the cable deflection device to a bearing point 4E, which has a winch 41E driven by an electric motor 40E. In Figure 5, the electric motor 40E is also mounted on a pivot plate 44 for this purpose, so that the winch 41E can orient itself according to the tensile force of the cable 3E.Thus, the support device 7 can be moved largely within one plane, whereby "largely within one plane" here means that, for technical reasons, there is a slight lowering of the support device 7 due to gravity, but apart from that, the support device 7 is movable within one plane. At the same time, the electronic device 2 can be lowered in order to capture the surroundings using the detection device 5 (e.g., the camera). Thus, virtually any location in the business area can be accessed by the electronic device 2 without fear of collisions between the cables 3F, 3G, 3H and tall objects such as shelves. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the cable car system 1 can be controlled such that the support device 7 is lowered or raised, which is advantageous, for example, when installations such as smoke detectors are present in the ceiling area and can be avoided in this way.

[0147] In the present case (similar to the embodiment according to Figure 4) there is also a multi-element overlap between the support device and the drive device, because the different elements contribute to both functions.

[0148] To precisely maneuver the electronic device 2, the motors 40E, 40F, 40G, and 40H each have a position detection stage, designed here as a cable pull sensor. The position detection stage detects the unwound length of each cable 3E, 3F, 3G, or 3H, so that, based on the known structure and the known positions of the bearing points 4E, 4F, 4G, and 4H, the position of the electronic device can be easily determined using the geometric relationships. Furthermore, the position control stage is designed to determine an optimal path from this information and a desired target position. Furthermore, the data detected by the detection device 5 can be used for this purpose.For example, the detection device 5 can be used to detect when an unexpected obstacle gets in the way of the planned path, whereupon the position control stage can stop the onward travel or determine a new path depending on the design and / or setting and / or type of obstacle. It should be noted at this point that, even if not explicitly discussed, the position detection stage is preferably also used in the other exemplary embodiments because this enables precise control of the electronic device 2. Figure 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the cable car system 1 in plan view, wherein the electronic device 2 is suspended from two cables 3 designed as haulage cables. The cables 3 run parallel to one another between two bearing points 41 and 43, where they are each wound on winches 411 and 413 respectively. The two winches 411 and 413 of a bearing point 41 and 43 are each driven together by an electric motor 401 and 402.403. The two parallel cables 3 provide the electronic device 3 with additional stability, significantly reducing any rocking that occurs as a result of movement. The bearing points 41 and 43 are each attached to a cable guide change device designed as a bearing positioning device 8. Each bearing positioning device 8 has four wheels 81 driven by two electric motors 80. The wheels 81 roll on rails 82 installed in the ceiling area of ​​the business area. Thus, the electronic device 2 can be moved as desired within the area spanned between the rails 82, as well as the area below. This embodiment reveals a combination of a cable- and rail-based support device.

[0149] In the present case (similar to the embodiment according to Figure 4) there is also a multi-element overlap between the support device and the drive device because the different elements contribute to both functions.

[0150] Figure 7 demonstrates the detection of the environment by means of the electronic device 2 using an application example. In this example, the electronic device 2 is suspended from the cable 3, which is stretched as a hoist cable between a left bearing point 4K and a right bearing point 4L, wherein each bearing point 4K or 4L has a winch 41K or 41L driven by an electric motor 40K or 40L.

[0151] By winding or unwinding the cable 3, the electronic device can be moved back and forth between the bearing points 4K and 4L, as well as lowered or raised. Each motor 40K or 40L has a position detection stage, designed as a cable pull sensor. Each motor 40K and 40L is connected via a bus system 91 to a position control stage 90 of a control device 9. In this application example, the distance LI between the left bearing point 4K and the right bearing point 4L is known. The rope length L2 from the left bearing point 4K, or its winch 41K, to the electronic device 2, as well as the rope length L3 from the right bearing point 4L, or its winch 41L, to the electronic device 2 are recorded by the position detection stage and transmitted via the bus system 91 to the position control stage 90, whereby they are thus also known to the position control stage 90.In this example, the position control stage 90 is designed to determine the position of the electronic device 2 using geometric relationships. The position of the electronic device 2 is described in this example by the lowering y in the vertical direction g and the distance x of the electronic device 2 in the horizontal direction, i.e., from the left bearing point 4K to the right bearing point 4L, each starting from the winch 41K of the left bearing point 4K. Thus, the following system of equations can be set up using the Pythagorean theorem:

[0152] (x / K 2+y / K 2 = L2' K 2); ((Ll-x)' 2+y' 2 = L3 / K 2)

[0153] The control device 9 or its position control stage 90 is thus designed to determine the position of the electronic device 2 by solving the corresponding system of equations. Of course, more precise mathematical methods can also be used here, for example, taking into account locally reduced flexibility of the cable 3 in the vicinity of the electronic device 2 or changes in the length of the cable 3 due to elasticity.

[0154] The control device 9 also receives planned path data via the bus system 91 from a path input stage 93, in which a path to be followed is specified. Such a path can be created, for example, by an employee and saved as a one-time task or as a routine task to be performed repeatedly and autonomously.

[0155] The position control stage 90, which thus always knows where the electronic device 2 is currently located, controls the electronic device 2 along the specified path according to the plan path data.

[0156] Furthermore, the control device 9 has a first control device radio stage 92a for radio-based communication with the electronic device 2. For this purpose, the electronic device 2 has a corresponding first radio stage (not shown) which is designed to communicate with the control device 9 in a radio-based manner. Furthermore, the control device 9 has a second control device radio stage 92b for communicating with electronic devices in the business area, such as the ESLs 102. The control device 9 further has a third control device radio stage 92c for communicating with further electronic devices, in particular with mobile phones of the employees of the business area via Wi-Fi.

[0157] The electronic device 2, while it travels or is moved through the business area, possibly also while temporarily positioned stationary, records the surroundings with the camera of the recording device 5, wherein according to this embodiment a shelf 10 located in a recording area 50 of the camera is recorded.

[0158] The shelf 10 has three shelf levels 101, with three electronic product and / or price display devices 102 mounted on each shelf level 101. The electronic product and / or price display devices 102 display product and / or price information relating to products 103 located above them. Such product and / or price display devices 102 are also known in technical jargon as Electronic Shelf Labels, or ESLs 102 for short. In addition to their screens, which are preferably designed using energy-saving electrophoresis and serve to display essentially static information, the ESLs 102 also each have an LED 105 to provide dynamic signaling. Each ESL 2 has a radio stage to enable communication with an access point (e.g., the second control device radio stage 92b) of an ESL communication network.

[0159] Using device 2, it is possible to automatically determine in the captured digital image whether LEDs are active, which can indicate a need for action at the respective ESL. Personnel can then be automatically dispatched there.

[0160] With the help of device 2, it is possible to further determine, in the respective captured digital image of the shelf in front of which device 2 is currently located, whether the ESLs 102 or the products are correctly positioned relative to one another and in terms of their absolute position. It is also possible to determine whether any action by store personnel is required for the shelf in question, such as the need to reposition or restock goods.

[0161] Since, as discussed, the position of device 2 in space is always known, the captured digital images can be used to establish a connection between a product and the previously located ESL, and the position of the product as well as the ESL in space can be determined, which can be used to create a realogram. For this purpose, the position information describing the respective position of the device can be computer-linked to the captured digital images, and the digital images linked to the position data can be evaluated using the computer vision measures discussed in the general description. If camera 5 or device 2 is equipped with a sufficiently powerful computer and sufficiently powerful software, pre-processing (e.g., computer-assisted pattern recognition or image analysis) can also be carried out there.using artificial intelligence, before the raw data of the captured images, possibly with the results of pre-processing, are transferred to a higher-level data processing device (not shown in detail here), where the large overall image is created in digital form in the form of a realogram.

[0162] It should also be mentioned here that the device movement system 1 shown in Figure 7 allows movement of the device 2 transversely to the shelf(s), particularly with a sufficiently long cable, even spanning multiple shelves. To cover the entire business area, several such device movement systems 1 can be installed side by side, each spaced apart at a distance suitable for large-scale, continuous coverage of the business area with the help of adjacent and individually movable devices 2. Layered movement planes running in different directions can also be provided to enable or facilitate large-scale, continuous coverage of the business area.Furthermore, it should be noted that in the application scenario according to Figure 7, all of the other previously mentioned embodiments of the device movement system can also be used, either purely for training purposes or in a mixed training configuration. Figure 8 shows a rail-based carrying device 110 which, in its simplest embodiment, has only one hollow profile rail 111, which is provided for suspended support of the device 2 in a hanging position below. However, a double hollow profile rail 112 can also be provided, wherein one of the hollow profile rails is provided for suspended support of the device 2 in a hanging position below and the other hollow profile rail is provided for supporting other equipment required for the business area, such as a lighting device or a fire alarm, etc.The double hollow profile rail 112 can be formed as a single piece or assembled from two single hollow profile rails. The two hollow profiles of the double hollow profile rails 112 are essentially identical, so that hereinafter only the right hollow profile rail 111 will be referred to as the rail 111. The two hollow profiles do not have to be directly adjacent to one another, but can also be positioned at a distance from one another. The shape of the cross-section of the hollow profile (viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal extension) is preferably square or rectangular. However, other shapes are not excluded.

[0163] The rail 111 has a slot 113 on its underside running along its longitudinal direction, which serves to guide the device 2 along the rail 111, as discussed below. The slot 113 is delimited by two bottom wall parts 113A and 113B. For the purpose of assigning the following views, Figure 8 has a Cartesian coordinate system, with the height of the rail 111 running along the Z direction, the width of the rail 111 running along the X direction, and the longitudinal extent extending along the Y direction.

[0164] In Figure 9, a right side wall 114 is cut free, so that the view of the interior of the rail 111, a left side wall 115 and an upper ceiling wall 116 and a drive device 117 arranged within the rail 111 is clear.

[0165] Essentially, only a drive wheel 119 is visible from the drive device 117. This drive wheel is held or mounted in a housing (or cage) 118 and driven there by an electric motor. This drive wheel is dimensioned such that it can roll slightly submerged inside the rail 111 along the slot 113. The drive wheel 119 is mounted along a drive wheel axis 119A, shown as a cross. A guide plate 120 is attached to the housing 118, centrally aligned with the position of the slot 113. This guide plate 120 projects to the left and right sides of the drive wheel 119 from the interior of the rail 111 through the slot 113 into the exterior of the rail 111 and is oriented substantially parallel to the YZ plane. During the movement of the device 2, the guide plate 120 guides the device 2 and the entire drive device 117 along the slot 113.

[0166] Outside the rail 111, specifically in the lower part of the guide plate 120, holes can be provided for attaching the device 2 or an adapter for receiving the device 2. However, as in the present case, a circular adapter plate 121 is preferably provided, which is attached to the guide plate 120 (e.g., via the aforementioned holes) and extends parallel to the XY plane. However, the plate 120 and the adapter plate 121 can also be manufactured as a single piece, for example, using injection molding technology.

[0167] An electric motor 121 is provided in the housing 118 or on the housing 118, as centrally as possible to the drive wheel axis 119A, including a coupling, such as a gear or belt, to the drive wheel 119. However, the motor 121 can also be integrated into the drive wheel 119 in order to be housed in the most space-saving and balanced manner possible.

[0168] The housing 118 can also accommodate drive electronics 122, which are provided for the local control of the motor 121 as a component of the drive device 117. For reasons of clarity, the electrical connections to the motor 121 are not shown. For the electrical supply, the rail 111 can have electrically conductive strips 123 (or surfaces 123) on both sides, which are insulated from the rail 111 but not insulated from the interior of the hollow profile, i.e., are freely accessible and electrically conductive. For reasons of clarity, the strips 123 are provided here on the inside of the left side wall 115 and the right side wall 114. However, they can also be provided on any other desired inside side. The strips 123 are electrically connected by means of preferably spring-mounted sliding contacts 124A and 12B, for which rolling contacts can also be provided.The sliding contacts 124A and 124B are connected to the drive electronics.

[0169] 122 (not shown). For the purpose of supplying electrical power to the drive device 117, the two strips 123 are connected to an electrical supply device (shown here), such as a power supply or a battery, so that a supply voltage VCC is available via one strip 123 relative to a reference potential GND that can be tapped via the other strip 123.

[0170] Fig. 10 shows a plan view of the rail 111, wherein in this view the upper ceiling wall 116 is cut out so that the view from above onto the interior of the rail 111 is clear.

[0171] The rail 111 can be made of metal, preferably aluminum. The rail can also be made of plastic.

[0172] In order to ensure radio communication with the electronics of the drive device 117, it may be advantageous, particularly in the case of the metallic design, for an antenna (not shown) to be led from the interior of the rail 111 (e.g. along the guide plate 120 or integrated therein) to the outside of the rails 111.

[0173] In order to ensure a continuous electrical supply for the electrically operated components carried on the rail via the belts

[0174] 123, at least two electrical supply lines can also be led from the interior of the rail 111 (as mentioned - e.g., along the guide plate 120 or integrated therein) to the outside of the rail 111. This allows components of the drive device 117 positioned outside the rail 111 to be supplied with electricity. This also allows the device 2 to be supplied with electricity. For this purpose, the adapter plate 121 can also have connections or contacts (not shown) that are contacted with corresponding electrical connecting elements of the device 2 as soon as the device 2 is fastened to the adapter plate 121.

[0175] Figure 11 shows, as a specific example of the device 2 that can be moved by the device movement system 1, a pan-and-rotate head camera, hereinafter referred to as camera 2, which is equipped with a combined pan-and-rotate head 201, which, among other things, carries the camera system for digital image capture. The pan-and-rotate head 201 is divided into a rotating part 202 and a pivoting part 203. The rotating part 202 is rotatable relative to a base 204 parallel to the plane of the base 204 by 360° according to a first arrow 205 (bidirectionally). The rotating part 202 carries the pivoting part 203 in a fork-like recess at its end facing away from the base 204. The pivoting part 203 can be pivoted (bidirectionally) by 180° relative to the base 204 according to a second arrow 206. This rotation-pivoting movement can be controlled by an electric motor driven by the electronics of the camera 2.

[0176] The pivoting part 203 has a triple lens system 207, hereinafter referred to as lens system 207 for short, which has three 12-megapixel optics with different focal lengths of 120 mm, 78 mm, and 45 mm and provides a 4x zoom. This lens system 207 can be used selectively or collectively with regard to its different detection parameters to optoelectronically detect a portion of the business area.

[0177] Furthermore, the pivoting part 203 has a GDPR-compliant motion sensor 208 adjacent to the triple lens system 207. With the help of the motion sensor 208, the camera 2 can autonomously (software-controlled) distinguish between static objects and moving objects in the detection area, which facilitates the differentiation between objects and people in the detection area.

[0178] For optically perceptible signaling, an RGB LED 209 (red-green-blue light-emitting diode) is provided on the pivoting part 203.

[0179] The triple lens system 207, the motion sensor 208 and the RGB LED 209 are aligned with each other in a plane along a flattened area of ​​the otherwise substantially cylindrical pivoting part 203 in order to be jointly aligned according to the rotary-pivoting movement towards an object or towards a spatial sector of the business area.

[0180] The electronics (not shown in detail) of camera 2 can be designed for extreme energy efficiency and, in addition to other active and passive electronic components, also include a microcontroller for controlling and providing the various functionalities. Optionally, camera 2 can be equipped with an LTE cellular module (not shown) for cellular communication. An IoT module (not shown) can also be included to enable sensor-related connection features and, in the future, real-time communication.

[0181] To enable attachment of the camera 2 to the adapter plate 121, it has an installation or fastening adapter system 210 adapted to the adapter plate 121 on the side of the base 204 facing away from the rotary-swivel head 201. The adapter system 210 can therefore, on the one hand, have mechanical structures, such as holes, bolts, or threaded rods, etc., for mechanical attachment. The adapter system 210 also has electrical contacts for the power supply, possibly also for the communication supply, insofar as this is necessary for the device 2.

[0182] Fig. 12 shows a section of a retail area, specifically a shelf aisle flanked on the left and right by shelves 500, of which only the front elements, namely the shelf rails 501 of the shelf compartments, are visible. A person 502 is moving in the shelf aisle, pushing a shopping cart 503. The area intended for person 502, between the shelves 500 and above the floor 504 of the retail area, is defined as the movement space, as discussed in the general description. The space reserved for the shelves is defined as the presentation area, as discussed in the general description. The device movement system 1 is installed at a sufficient distance above the presentation area and the movement space, along an installation plane 505, which, as usual, runs parallel to the floor 504.The view of the viewer of the business area section therefore extends from a position slightly below the installation level 505 into the depth of the shelf aisle, which leads to the perspective representation shown.

[0183] Of the device movement system 1, only the rail 111, which extends essentially parallel to the shelves 500 along the installation plane 505 into the depth of the room, and the drive device 117 partially accommodated in the rail 111 are visible. Below the rail 111, the circular adapter plate 121 is shown, to which the device 2 is mounted, only indicated by the reference numeral or the corresponding arrow. The aforementioned elements of the device movement system 1 are shown disproportionately large in this figure to better visualize and distinguish them.

[0184] With the help of the device movement system 1, the device 2 can be moved along the shelf aisle, in particular outside (namely above) the movement space. If the camera discussed in Figure 11 is used as the device 2, the camera is attached to the adapter plate 121, as shown in Figure 11, hanging downwards, and can thus essentially capture the entire space around it below the installation level 505, which includes both moving objects, such as people and shopping carts, as well as stationary objects, such as the shelves 500, the goods presented in the shelf compartments, or ESLs 506 (ELS stands for Electronic Shelf Label, as already discussed), which are attached to the shelf rails 501. For reasons of clarity, only a single ESL 506 is labeled on the right and left sides of the shelf aisle.The contents of the ESLs 506's screens 507 and the illumination or flashing of a light-emitting diode 508 can also be detected.

[0185] Next, a large-scale installation of the device movement system 1 in a retailer's business area 600, such as a supermarket, is discussed with the aid of Figure 13. In this context, the basic components of a system for operating the business area are also discussed.

[0186] The business area 600 is the area in which goods are presented using display equipment and customers can move around. The display equipment here includes shelves 500, a display case 601, which has a glass cover 602 on the customer side, and a market stall 603 selling fruit and vegetables. Also shown are checkout counters 604, where goods are paid for before customers leave the supermarket to the left. Customers can move around the supermarket with or without a shopping cart next to or between shelves 500, next to or around market stall 603, and in front of the glass cover 602 of display case 601 and between checkout counters 604. The area behind display case 601 (to its right) is reserved only for employees who can otherwise move around the entire annual report.An office area 605, in which a server 606 with its usual operating elements 607 is located, is reserved for employees only.

[0187] On the server 606, which is used as the central data processing device, operating software is processed with the help of which stocks of goods are managed, their positions and quantities in the business area, as well as in a storage area not shown. In particular, the operating software provides a planogram which digitally represents the target state of goods distribution in the business area. Furthermore, the software also provides a realogram which represents the actual situation of goods distribution in the business area as well as other information, such as customer activities, customer positions or customer flows or their density, etc., in real time. The input for creating this realogram is detection data which originates from three devices 2 moving in the business area 600.

[0188] The first device 2 is formed by a rotary-swivel head camera 608, referred to as first camera 608 for short, with at least one digital image capture function, which is used to capture images of the area of ​​the checkout counters and their surroundings.

[0189] The second device 2 is formed by a pan-and-tilt head camera 609, referred to as the second camera 609 for short, with at least one digital image capture function and / or a motion detection function, which, on the one hand, captures the movement area visible by the device 2 and, on the other hand, captures the shelves 500 adjacent to the device 2, the goods presented there (or the out-of-stock items), and / or the ESLs 506 attached to the shelves or the front flanks of the shelf bases (not shown here for reasons of clarity - see Fig. 12, however). Here, the capture is again primarily visual. However, it can be focused on moving objects or fundamentally influenced by detected movements.

[0190] If the ESLs 506 or other electronic devices positioned in the area of ​​the second device 2 have a charging functionality for their battery that is compatible with the laser-based charging technology discussed in the general description, then the second device 2 can also have a contactless, laser-based charging function, wherein the laser beam can be precisely aligned using the rotary pivot head.

[0191] The third device 610 is formed by a pan-and-tilt head camera 610, referred to as the third camera 610 for short, with at least one digital image capture function and / or a temperature capture function (e.g., implemented as a thermal imaging camera). Here, too, the movement area visible by the device 2 is captured, and in particular, the stock of goods in the display case 601 and the market stall 603 is captured. At the same time, the thermal imaging camera can be used to capture the temperature and temperature distribution, and subsequently, temperature trends over time can be determined. This temperature-related capture data is particularly important when areas with perishable goods are captured.

[0192] The three devices 2 are equipped with a device radio module (not explicitly shown, but indicated by a device antenna configuration 611), with the aid of which they can be controlled by the server 606 via a first radio network established by a group of first access points 612, on the one hand, in order to control, for example, the orientation of the rotary-swivel head 201 or to control or influence the function available in the respective device 2, and on the other hand, to be able to transmit the detection data generated with the aid of the respective device 2 according to its function(s) to the server 606. The connection of the first group of access points 612 to the server 606 is realized here by means of a wired local network (first LAN 613).

[0193] Furthermore, a group of second access points 614 is installed in the business area 600, which are also connected to the server 606 via a second LAN 615. This group of second access points 614 establishes a second wireless network and serves to wirelessly supply the ESLs 506 so that they can be supplied with product and / or price information for display on their screens or receive control information for controlling their LEDs 508, or the respective status of the ESLs 506, such as the processing status or their battery charge status, can be retrieved.

[0194] The two wireless networks are advantageously operated in different frequency bands. Access points 614 and 612, as well as the LAN lines 613 and 615, are installed in a first, upper installation level, which runs above shelves 500.

[0195] In a second installation level, above the shelves 500 and below the first installation level, three device movement systems 1 are mounted.

[0196] The first device movement system 1 has a straight hollow profile rail 111 that runs across the entire checkout area, particularly across the checkout counters. The rail 111 carries the first camera 608.

[0197] The second device movement system 1 has a hollow profile rail 111 that changes direction several times along its longitudinal extension, following the shelf aisles in a meandering manner (in the sense of curving back and forth), and is composed of several segments (not shown) along its longitudinal extension. The rail 111 carries the second camera 609.

[0198] The third device—movement system 1—also has a predominantly straight hollow-profile rail 111, which changes direction only once and is also segmented into multiple parts. It runs above the display case 601 and above the market stall 603. The rail 111 carries the third camera 610.

[0199] Each of the cameras 608-610 is positioned below the adapter plate 121, analogous to the discussions in Fig. 12, and from there captures the spatial sector below the rail 111. Each of the cameras 608-610 is freely movable along the rail 111 using the measures discussed in connection with Figs. 8 to 10. To supply electricity to the respective drive device 117, each of the rails 111, or more precisely, its conductive strips 123, is connected at its end to an electrical power supply 616. This power supply 617 is, in turn, connected to the supermarket's power grid.

[0200] If, in addition to the power supply, further functionality is to be integrated, such as one that controls the drive device 117, in which case an electronic control would be provided with the aid of which, for example, control signals or data communication with the drive device 117 could be transmitted via the conductive strips 123 or additional conductive strips, a radio communication module can also be provided here. This radio communication module is indicated by its antenna configuration 617. The radio communication module can use the first radio network to enable communication with the server 606, so that the drive device 117 can be controlled wirelessly. In this case, the drive device 117 does not require its own radio module and does not have to use the device radio module (represented by the device antenna configuration 611).

[0201] In the present case, the drive device 117 has a radio module (not shown). This radio module can have its own antenna configuration or use the device antenna configuration 611 to communicate with the server 606 via the first radio network, for example, to communicate the position data from the respective drive device 117, which determines this independently, to the server 606 or to receive positioning or travel data from there, with the aid of which the movement of the respective device 2 is defined. The drive device 117 converts the received positioning or travel data into the movement of the device 2, thus controlling the motor 121 accordingly so that the device 2 moves along the rail 111.

[0202] With this system, the cameras 608 - 610 can be freely moved independently of one another along the rails 111, their rotary-swivel heads 201 can be oriented as desired, and the available function(s) can be used in relation to their environment, server-controlled or, if necessary, (semi-)autonomously locally by the respective device 2.

[0203] The acquired data are communicated wirelessly from the cameras 608 - 610 to the server 606 using the first radio network and are used there to create the realogram.

[0204] The acquisition data can be used, in particular for newly added products and the ESL 506 locally (and therefore logically) assigned to them, to establish a link between the ESL 506 and the relevant product, in order to subsequently supply the ESL 506 with the correct product and / or price information. The product and the correspondingly positioned ESL 506 are thus identified in the digital images. The ESL 506's identification code is displayed on the screen and extracted from the digital image, thus establishing the logical connection between the product and the ESL 506 and storing it in a database on the server 606 for future use.If it is detected in the digital image that products are missing where ESLs 506 containing product and / or price information are already positioned, the restocking of the affected product can be triggered automatically or, if the product is no longer available, a message indicating this can be sent to the affected ESL 506 and displayed there. If there are no plans to replenish the relevant inventory, the affected ESL 505 can also be instructed to display its identification code again in order to be available for a new binding to another product. Its previous binding is marked as canceled or deleted in the database.

[0205] In contrast to known measures, the function provided by the device 2 can now be performed with a single, floating device 2. The length of the movement path is irrelevant because the support device only needs to be adapted to it, i.e., it must be designed with the appropriate length. As can be seen in Figure 13, the movement path can also include curved track elements or curves, whereby the support device and the drive device must be coordinated with one another in such a way that cornering is possible. Sufficient play must therefore be ensured between the two interacting parts of the support device and the drive device so that cornering proceeds smoothly and unhindered. The drive device can also be flexible or articulated to enable cornering.This means that the function provided by the single device 2 can also be used along several shelves 500 or other presentation devices that can be located along different movement spaces and / or have different orientations to each other.

[0206] However, since the recording does not have to be limited to the ESLs and the goods or products, the recorded data can also be used to generate a digital twin of the actual events in the business area 600, which can then be visualized using a screen or a virtual reality headset. However, the timeliness of the digital twin is limited at a certain point in time to the respective recording range of the respective camera 608 to 610.

[0207] If a LIDAR sensor is also used in cameras 608 to 610, the entire business area can in principle be measured automatically and thus precise position or distance information can be embedded in the digital twin or the realogram.

[0208] In the following, a further application example is discussed with the help of Figure 14, whereby the focus here is on the contactless charging function of the device 2 based on laser technology.

[0209] Figure 14 shows an example of a shelf 700 of a shelf 500 (not shown), on the front of which an electronic shelf rail 701 is installed that spans the entire length of the shelf 700. Several such shelf rails 701 can be installed on the shelf 500, one above the other or next to each other. Only two ESLs 506 are attached to the shelf rail 701 for demonstration purposes. The mechanics, the electronics and the function of this shelf rail 701 and the matching ESLs 506 are discussed in the two patent applications published with the international file numbers PCT / EP2021 / 055914 and PCT / EP2021 / 055916. In contrast to the technical measures discussed there, however, the shelf rail 701 has an upper limit or edge oriented diagonally upwards.The deck wall 702 has one or more photovoltaic cells 703 (referred to as PV element 703 for short), and its electronics are equipped with a charging circuit that stores the power generated by the PV element in the rechargeable battery of the shelf rail 701 for the electrical supply of the shelf rail 701. The advantageous orientation of the deck wall 702 upwards, i.e., in the direction of incidence of light, and the available surface of the deck wall 702 are thus utilized as extensively as possible for photovoltaic-based power generation.

[0210] Also visible in Figure 14, on the left above the shelf 500, is the device 2, which is suspended by the device movement system 1 and movable along the shelf 500. The rotary-pivoting head 201 is rotated toward the shelf rail 701, and the pivoting part 203, which has a laser source 704, is aligned with the shelf rail 701. The laser source is activated, and its laser beam 705, which is emitted by the laser source essentially in the same direction as the pivoting part 203, strikes the PV element 703, thereby generating current to power the rechargeable battery of the shelf rail 701.Since the server 606 can communicate via the second radio network with a shelf rail controller installed in the shelf rail 701, it is also informed about which shelf rail 701 has which battery charge status and can thus have the device 2, in whose range of movement the affected shelf rail 701 is located, move to this shelf rail 701, have the rotary-swivel head aligned with the relevant shelf rail 701 and then activate the laser beam to charge the battery of the shelf rail 701.

[0211] Alternatively, the device 2 can also have the digital image capture function, whereby the alignment of the rotary-swivel head 201 from a position close to the shelf rail 701 can be carried out with image capture support.

[0212] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the shelf rail controller activates an LED when its battery needs charging, e.g., to signal a specific code. This LED can be detected autonomously using the image capture function of device 2, even when driving past the position of shelf rail 701 without any reason. Device 2 can then instruct drive device 117 to stop for a charging cycle. The laser is activated and, with the aid of the digital image capture function, can be autonomously aligned to the relevant shelf rail 701 by the electronics of device 2. After the charging cycle is completed, which occurs when a timer expires or is determined by communication with the shelf rail controller, the laser is deactivated and device 2 continues its journey.In the present case, apart from the optional communication, no interaction between device 2 and server 606 is necessary to implement the charging function. This alternative can be used advantageously, particularly when the large-area PV element shown in Figure 14 is not used, but rather a small-area one that requires precise focusing.

[0213] Alternatively, the interaction of the charging function and the image capture function can also be configured so that the device 2 continues to move even during the charging process, i.e., does not stop at all. According to this alternative, the laser can be activated with the aid of the rotary-swivel head 201 as it approaches the position of the shelf rail 701, i.e., as it approaches, and can be aligned with the relevant shelf rail 701 with the aid of the image capture function. The device 2 can, but does not have to, stop in front of the shelf rail 701, but can drive past it, possibly at a reduced speed. Even during the moving phase of driving past, the alignment of the laser to the relevant shelf rail 701 is fixed with the aid of the image capture function, i.e., the alignment of the rotary-swivel head 201 is automatically guided.When moving away, i.e., when moving away from the affected shelf rail 701, the laser is only deactivated and the automatic alignment of the rotary-swivel head 201 focused on the affected shelf rail 701 is terminated when the energy transfer becomes inefficient, e.g., because the laser's angle of incidence becomes too shallow or because the distance becomes too great. This alternative results in a combined optimized movement sequence for the device 2 with simultaneously optimized charging efficiency. This alternative can be used advantageously, particularly when the large-area PV element shown in Figure 14 is not used, but rather a small-area one, in order to keep the irradiation time as long as possible.

[0214] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the laser is held fixedly aligned with a shelf rail 701 while the device 2 moves past the shelf rail 701, i.e., the rotary-swivel head 201 is aligned with the shelf rail 701 at the beginning of the movement past the shelf rail 701 and then the alignment is no longer changed while the device moves past the shelf rail 701. In this way, the entire length of the shelf rail 701 can be used for the charging process during the movement past the device in the most energy-efficient manner possible, because the device does not consume any power due to the constant change in alignment of the rotary-swivel head. The irradiation duration can be influenced by the flexibility of the device 2 and can be optimally adapted to the charge status of the battery.

[0215] In summary, it can be stated that with relatively little mechanical effort, which also entails relatively low maintenance effort, the use of device 2 with its sophisticated range of functions allows a wide variety of business activities to be carried out over a wide area, which previously required an extremely large number of stationary and specialized individual devices. Finally, it is pointed out once again that the figures described in detail above are only exemplary embodiments that can be modified in a variety of ways by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite articles "a" or "an" does not exclude the possibility that the features in question may be present multiple times.

Claims

Claims 1. Device movement system (1) for moving a device (2) in a business area (600), in particular in a sales area of ​​a retailer, - wherein the device movement system (1) comprises: a carrying device designed for the cable-based and / or rail-based suspended carrying of the electronic device (2), and a drive device designed for the electrically driven movement of the suspended device.

2. Device movement system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the carrying device is configured such that the device (2) is carried outside a presentation device and outside a movement space, wherein the presentation device serves to present at least one product and the movement space is provided next to the presentation device, wherein the movement space is predominantly reserved for the movement of people.

3. Device movement system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the carrying device is configured such that the device (2) is carried above the presentation device and / or above the movement space.

4. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrying device carries the device (2) directly or an adapter (121) is provided which enables the mounting of the device (2), in particular of different devices (2), on the carrying device.

5. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrying device is designed for attachment to at least one building element of the business area (600) that is different from the floor of the business area (600) and / or to at least one presentation device.

6. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrying device designed for rope-based carrying has at least one carrying rope.

7. Device moving device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the drive device is designed to cooperate with the support cable for moving the device (2).

8. Device movement system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the carrying device has at least one traction cable.

9. Device moving device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the drive device is designed to cooperate with the traction cable for moving the device.

10. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 - 5, wherein the support device (110) designed for rail-based support has at least one rail.

11. Device movement system (1) according to claim 10, wherein the rail is designed as a hollow profile rail (111) having a slot (113) along its longitudinal extent, wherein the slot (113) is provided for the movement of the device (2) along the longitudinal extent.

12. Device movement system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the slot (113) is formed on a downwardly oriented side of the hollow profile rail (111).

13. Device movement system (1) according to claim 12, wherein the hollow profile rail (111) is provided for supporting the device (2) on the inside and the drive device (117) is designed to cooperate with the inside (113A, 113B) of the hollow profile rail (111).

14. Device movement system (1) according to claim 13, wherein the hollow profile rail (111) has on its inner side an electrical conductor structure (123) for supplying power to the drive device (117) and / or the device (2).

15. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 14, wherein the hollow profile rail is a double hollow profile rail (112), in which the first hollow profile rail (111) is provided for floating support of the movable device (2) and the second hollow profile rail is designed to support, optionally also to supply electricity to, another object, in particular a stationary lighting means.

16. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has an electronic control for controlling the movement of the device (2).

17. Device movement system (1) according to claim 16, wherein the electronic control is designed for signaling interaction with the drive device (117) for the purpose of controlling the movement of the device (2).

18. Device movement system (1) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the electronic controller is configured to receive position representation signals and / or data provided by the drive device (117) or by the device (2) and usable for indicating or limiting the position of the device (2) to control the movement of the device (2).

19. Device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which comprises the device (2), wherein the device (2) has at least one of the following functions, namely: - a contactless charging function, for which a charging stage of the device (2) is provided which is designed for the contactless transmission of energy, in particular laser-based; - a digital image capture function, wherein a scene in the capture range << to be defined as variable >> of the camera device can be captured with the aid of a digital camera device of the device (2); - a distance detection function, in particular a laser-based one, wherein a distance to one or more other objects can be detected with the aid of a distance sensor, in particular with the aid of a LIDAR sensor (“Light Detection and Ranging Sensor”), of the device (2); - a motion detection function, wherein a movement of an object in the detection range of the motion sensor can be detected with the aid of a motion sensor of the device (2); - a temperature detection function, wherein a temperature or temperature distribution in the detection range of the temperature sensor can be detected with the aid of a temperature sensor of the device (2), in particular a thermal imaging camera; - a humidity detection function, wherein the humidity of the air in the vicinity of the sensor can be detected with the aid of a humidity sensor of the device (2), in particular a humidity sensor.

20. A system for operating a business unit (600), the system comprising: - at least one device movement system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, - at least one device (2) which can be moved by means of the device movement system (1), with the aid of which detection data can be provided which represent the detected environment of the device (2), - a data processing device (606) which is designed to create a realogram by incorporating the acquisition data.

21. System according to claim 19, wherein the data processing device (606) is designed to control the device movement system (1) for the purpose of moving the device (2).

22. System according to one of claims 19 to 20, wherein the data processing device (606) for establishing a relationship between a product and an electronic display device (506) using the detection data provided by the device (2).

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