Electronic display device with a motion sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic, battery-operated display device which has a motion sensor, in particular an acceleration sensor, which is designed to ascertain a state of movement of the display device, and a radio signal emission stage which is designed to emit a position-determining radio signal suitable for determining the position of the display device, characterised in that the display device is designed such that the emission of the position-determining radio signal starts as a consequence of the ascertained state of movement.

Description

[0001] title

[0002] Electronic display device with a motion sensor

[0003] Description

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The invention relates to an electronic display device with a motion sensor

[0006] background

[0007] An electronic, battery-operated display device is known, for example, from WO2020193705 A1. This display device is supplied with display data by means of a system. The display device uses an acceleration sensor, whereby GPS data from another device, in particular from a motor vehicle in which the display device is located, is only retrieved for further processing when movement of the display device has been detected. This measure does have an energy-saving effect. However, the measure of obtaining GPS data has proven disadvantageous in several respects. On the one hand, it requires the existence of the additional device, its trouble-free operation, and a functioning connection to it in order to be able to obtain the GPS data at all.Furthermore, it requires the ability to receive GPS signals from satellites in order to obtain any meaningful GPS data. If one of these requirements is not met, the desired energy-saving effect can be reduced or even overcompensated for, for example, by a longer wait for the GPS data to be made available, which may not be available due to the aforementioned requirements after the movement has been detected. Furthermore, the dependence on the receivability of the GPS signals means that the functionality of the display device and of a data processing device controlling the display device cannot be continuously guaranteed. The invention therefore sets itself the task of providing an improved display device and an improved system so that the aforementioned problems are avoided.

[0008] Summary of the invention

[0009] This object is achieved by a display device according to claim 1. The subject matter of the invention is therefore an electronic battery-operated display device which comprises: a motion sensor, in particular an acceleration sensor, which is designed to detect a state of motion of the display device, and a radio signal emission stage which is designed to emit a position detection radio signal suitable for determining the position of the display device, characterized in that the display device is designed such that the emission of the position detection radio signal starts as a result of the detected state of motion.

[0010] This object is further achieved by a system according to claim 10. The invention therefore relates to a system comprising: at least one electronic battery-operated display device according to the invention, and at least one localization device which is designed to receive and use the position determination radio signal emitted by the display device for radio-based determination of the position of the display device in relation to its own position and to output position data representing this position of the display device, and a data processing device which is designed to determine the location of the display device with knowledge of the position of the localization device and using the position data of the localization device.

[0011] The measures according to the invention have the advantage that a position determination can be carried out with the greatest possible energy saving, because the display device only starts transmitting the position determination radio signal when this is actually necessary due to a detected movement of the display device.

[0012] The display device according to the invention is not dependent on the acquisition of external (GPS) data, which can represent more or less useful positioning information depending on the receptivity of a GPS satellite signal. Furthermore, the energy-consuming processing of this data, regardless of the validation of this data, is also dispensed with. Rather, the functionality of the display device is limited to the motion sensor monitoring whether a motion state has occurred—in contrast to a rest state, which occurs when the display device remains motionless. Here, the detected motion state as such establishes the validity of the position-determining radio signal emitted by the display device.

[0013] The movement state is generally understood, in accordance with common usage, to mean a translation or rotation, or even a combination of translation and rotation. Only the transition from the rest state to the movement state triggers the transmission of the position-determining radio signal intended for position determination, so that the position determination and, subsequently, the tracking of the movement path of the display device by means of the localization device or the data processing device is reliably enabled and also started at the relevant time.

[0014] The energy consumption of the display device is therefore limited to the on-demand transmission of the position detection radio signal. The need for transmission arises whenever the display device is set in motion. From then on, it changes its position. This therefore represents the most efficient moment to initiate the transmission of the position detection radio signal. It may be irrelevant whether the position was known before the initial movement or not, because the current position is recorded anyway, possibly for the first time, when the movement state occurs. Furthermore, the overarching process of position detection, and possibly also the tracking of the movement path, is only initiated by the on-demand transmission of the position detection radio signal. This means that the resources required for this are used only on an ad hoc basis and are therefore used in the most resource- and energy-efficient way for the entire system.Further, particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0015] In retail stores, such as supermarkets, such electronic display devices can be attached to shelves or their shelf rails, or directly to the products or their packaging. In such an application scenario, the electronic display devices are usually referred to as electronic shelf labels, or ESLs for short. They are primarily used to display product and / or price information. A mounting structure on which the ESLs and the product are located can be designed as a shelf or a shelf level. Mounting to a presentation table is also possible. Such ESLs can also be designed as a display sign for placement on a table. Such a display device can also be designed as a tag for attachment to clothing.The fastening structure can also be designed as a connecting link between the electronic display device and the product. Such a fastening structure can also be implemented, for example, as a tacking thread, a pin, or something similar. If larger packaging units of products are labeled using an ESL, the ESL can also be attached to the structure supporting the packaging units, such as a pallet, etc., or to the packaging that encloses the numerous products packaged with it.

[0016] In industrial applications, particularly in production facilities or in warehousing and the logistics sector, such display devices can also be attached to transport vehicles or to the objects transported in them, such as tools, transport crates, or packaging containers. In this application scenario, the electronic display devices serve a variety of purposes, such as visualizing information relating to the transport vehicle, the object being transported, the production process, or logistical information, etc. In this application scenario, the display devices can be attached using removable fasteners to allow the display devices to be easily attached to the moving objects and, if necessary, to be removed.to be able to remove them from the objects at the destination in order to reuse them or, after use, to reattach them to the transported objects, provided they are not consumables, before these objects continue their journey.

[0017] For the purpose of visualizing information, each display device has a screen, which is usually implemented as an electrophoretic screen to enable the most energy-efficient operation possible with battery-operated display devices that use a battery as an energy storage device. However, other types of screens, such as LCD screens, OLED screens, or similar devices, can also be used. Electrical power can also be supplied via radio signals, known in technical jargon as "Power over WiFi," with the energy transmitted in this way being stored in an electrical energy storage device, such as a rechargeable battery in the display device. The power supply can also be based—if not entirely, then at least in a supporting capacity—on a photovoltaic panel, which supplies the energy storage device of the electronic display device with power.

[0018] In a radio-based system for operating display devices, there are also a multitude of access points that form a radio network for the communication supply of the display devices, in order to send addressed data to the display devices or retrieve (addressed) data from the display devices. Typically, a group of display devices is each assigned to an access point and can be addressed via this access point. The assignment works by selecting a suitable radio channel in the ISM radio band (ISM stands for "Industrial, Scientific and Medical") used by the respective access point and registering the respective display device with the access point responsible for it. The display device remembers the channel and the identity of the access point, and the access point remembers the identity of the display device.The registered display device can then subsequently establish wireless communication with the predefined access point. If the connection with the predefined access point is lost, the display device can search for another wirelessly available access point, scanning the available channels (or channels known to the display device or pre-programmed channels). Upon detection of an access point or its wireless signal (e.g., based on the SSID - SSID stands for "Service Set Identifier"), it can re-register with this access point.

[0019] Access points positioned close to one another, distributed throughout the premises of a retailer, warehouse, or production facility in such a way that they can detect all the display devices located there, preferentially use radio channels in the ISM band that do not overlap as much as possible in order to avoid mutual interference.

[0020] For wireless communication between the display devices and their respective access points, a substantially standardized wireless communication protocol, such as ZigBee® or Bluetooth®, can be used. A proprietary wireless communication protocol, such as the one disclosed in WO 2015 / 124197 A1, can also be used.

[0021] The access points, in turn, are typically connected via cable to a central control device, namely the data processing device. The data processing device can, for example, be formed by a local server on which a software application (such as management software) is executed to manage and control the electronic display devices. A cloud-based data processing device can also be used for this purpose, which provides the aforementioned functionality for managing and controlling the display devices. With the aid of the access points, the data processing device supplies the individual display devices with the information assigned to them, which is visualized using the respective screen. If necessary, it can also query the operating status or other status data of the display devices and respond to it.

[0022] The localization device can also determine – depending on its implementation – a distance from and a direction toward the display device transmitting the position-determining radio signal. A position indication (specifically, the indication of the relative position of the display device with respect to the localization device) represented by the position data can be in the form of a vector or in the form of two or three coordinates of a rectangular (Cartesian) coordinate system. This can represent an indication in a plane or in space. The same applies to the data processing device, which further processes the position data of the localization device.

[0023] Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the data processing device stores a digital map or, in other words, a digital representation of that movement area, or has access to such a digitally stored representation. Thus, by knowing the position of the localization device in this movement area, the moving display device can be located using its position data and, consequently, the location- and / or area-dependent functionality outlined in the course of this discussion of the invention can be provided.

[0024] If a general (beacon) radio signal is used as the position-determining radio signal, a combination of at least three localization devices with the aid of a generally known triangulation method can be used to limit or determine the position of the display device. Preferably, however, each of the localization devices used is designed to independently determine the relative position. The underlying design of the localization device can have a plurality of receiving antennas. Electronics of the localization device processes the individual reception of the position-determining radio signal with each of the antennas in such a way that propagation time differences and / or phase differences between the individual antennas are evaluated together with the respective measured received signal strength in order to determine the distance to the display device and the direction towards it.Typically, the measured received signal strength is specified using the "Received Signal Strength Indicator," which is standard in modern receiving electronics. To enable the most energy-efficient and, above all, meaningful position detection of the display device—ultimately of the object attached to it or moving with it—it has proven advantageous for the display device to be designed such that the radio signal transmission stage transmits the position detection radio signal while the movement state is present. This allows tracking of the position as well as the position change—i.e., the movement—of the display device in synchronization with the transmission of the position detection radio signal. The transmission of the position detection radio signal can be continuous or quasi-continuous.Transmission can also occur not continuously, but in time-limited sequences that repeat with pauses in between. This further contributes to energy savings in the display device. If a transmission sequence followed by a transmission pause is adapted to the expected speed of the display device, this has little or no impact on tracking the movement of the display device.

[0025] To avoid unnecessary energy waste, it has also proven advantageous for the display device to be designed such that the transmission of the position determination radio signal is inhibited when the device is not moving. This ensures that the display device does not consume the energy required for position determination when stationary, because the last easting determination while moving indicates the current position in the idle state with sufficient accuracy. It can also be provided that, for example, transmission continues for a short period of time (approximately 0.5 to 1 second) in the idle state in order to validate the last position detected while moving or to maintain the position detected at the beginning of the idle state as the current position.

[0026] The radio signal transmission stage can be designed, for example, as a WLAN (WiFi)-capable radio stage, enabling position determination with the help of multiple WI_AN (WiFi) access points, which serve as localization devices, e.g., through triangulation. However, the radio signal transmission stage is preferably implemented as a Bluetooth beacon, particularly a Bluetooth Low Energy beacon. This offers advantages both in terms of energy consumption and in terms of position determination precision. Both measures are also ideally suited for indoor positioning of the display device. However, the simplest possible implementation of the Bluetooth-based technology is worth emphasizing, as various providers of ready-to-use solutions have established themselves on the market.

[0027] In conjunction with Bluetooth, the use of Bluetooth beacons from QUUPPA has proven particularly advantageous because they provide a high-precision Bluetooth beacon-based real-time system for tracking objects. Unlike triangulation performed using Wi-Fi access points, the Bluetooth-based solution uses localization devices (from QUUPPA) specifically designed for position detection and movement tracking. Unlike Wi-Fi-based triangulation, high-precision position detection and movement tracking can be achieved with a single localization device from QUUPPA because it has the necessary antenna configuration and electronics.As discussed, this allows for determining propagation time and / or phase differences when receiving the position-determining radio signal, and from this, the direction in which the display device is located relative to the localization device can be determined. Subsequently, by evaluating the signal strength and / or signal quality, the distance between the display device and the localization device can be determined. If large-scale position detection or movement tracking is required, several such localization devices are installed in a distributed manner to ensure full-area reception of the position-determining radio signal for the affected area.

[0028] Regardless of the technology used, the localization devices provide the position data to the data processing device, where, knowing the position(s) of the localization device(s), the display device is located using the position data, because the position data generally represents the relative position of the display device with respect to the respective localization device. In the case of WLAN (WiFi)-based localization devices, this information includes information about the signal strength and / or signal quality, which is then used for triangulation. It is sufficient for the data processing device to know the position of the respective localization device.In the case of the QUUPPA-based or similar localization device, this involves information on the direction and distance relative to the respective localization device, whereby the position of the respective localization device as well as its orientation in the data processing device are known for further location of the display device.

[0029] A further component of the position data is a first unique identifier, which uniquely identifies the radio signal emitting stage emitting the position-determining radio signal. This first identifier is transmitted as part of the position-determining radio signal. A relationship between the respective radio signal emitting stage and the display device into which it is integrated is stored in the data processing device or is accessible to the device from an external database. There, a related data pair can be stored in a data structure, which contains, on the one hand, the first identifier of the radio signal emitting stage and, on the other hand, a second unique identifier of the display device. However, it can also be provided that only the first identifier of the radio signal emitting stage is used to uniquely identify the display device.

[0030] According to a further aspect, it can be provided that the radio signal output stage can be controlled into an energy-saving mode in which at least for the radio signal output stage there is no readiness for the output of the position determination radio signal, and

[0031] - wherein the display device, in particular the radio signal output stage itself and / or the motion sensor, is designed to control the radio signal output stage into energy-saving mode outside of a time period in which the motion state exists. This further contributes to the energy-saving operation of the display device. This control into energy-saving mode can be implemented in such a way that a clock signal required for data and / or signal processing is missing, for example a system clock of the display device is no longer forwarded to the radio signal output stage or a clock signal generated in the radio signal output stage is not generated because, for example, a clock generator provided for this purpose is stopped. Likewise, this control into energy-saving mode can be implemented in such a way that the power supply for the radio signal output stage is switched off.

[0032] If the motion sensor is directly coupled to the radio signal delivery stage or even designed as a component thereof, the measures mentioned can also be implemented directly in the radio signal delivery stage.

[0033] Energy-saving mode can be exited as soon as the transmission of the position detection radio signal is required because movement has been detected. Depending on the chosen implementation, the clock signal can be made available again or the supply voltage for the radio signal transmission stage can be reactivated. This can be triggered, for example, by an interrupt signal or a general enable signal provided by the motion sensor as soon as movement is detected.

[0034] The display device may comprise a screen module for visualizing information and a radio communication module for receiving visualization data representing the information.

[0035] The radio communication module can be configured for radio communication according to one of the radio communication protocols already mentioned. For example, the radio communication module and the radio signal stage can be separate from one another. In this configuration, the radio output stage can be implemented as a separate module, or even interchangeable if necessary. In this configuration, the motion sensor can be implemented as a component of the radio signal stage module and interact with it within the module. However, if the motion sensor is a component of the display device into which the radio signal output stage module is inserted, at least one signal connection (e.g., as a separate cable or plug connection) must exist between the motion sensor and the radio signal output stage module in order to control them according to the detected motion state or idle state.

[0036] It has therefore proven particularly advantageous if the radio communication module has the radio signal emission stage.

[0037] In general, different technologies can be used for visualization-related wireless communication with the display device, on the one hand, and for transmitting the position-determining wireless signal, on the other. For example, a proprietary communication protocol, a standardized ZigBee, or even a Wi-Fi communication protocol can be used for visualization-related wireless communication, whereas a Bluetooth Low Energy-based Bluetooth beacon is used for position determination.

[0038] Furthermore, it can be provided that the radio communication module has a sleep state without readiness for radio communication and an active state with readiness for radio communication, wherein the radio communication module can alternately assume the sleep state and the active state in order to be available for radio communication as planned (according to the communication protocol to be used) and to save as much energy as possible in between.

[0039] Against this background, it can also be provided that a detected movement state during the active state results in the radio signal transmission stage being activated. In this configuration, the use of non-competing radio behavior can be helpful so that the respective radio signals can be transmitted without interference from one another. For this purpose, different radio channels with sufficient separation or different radio frequency bands can be used simultaneously, or the respective radio signals can be transmitted one after the other in a chronological sequence.

[0040] Furthermore, it can also be provided that a detected movement state results in the radio signal transmission stage being activated even during sleep. This allows for rapid localization even during rapid movement, without the movement being missed during sleep. To implement this system, the display device can be designed such that, during sleep, a detected movement state immediately results in the activation of the radio signal transmission stage with the transmission of the position-determining radio signal.

[0041] According to a further aspect, the radio communication module can be designed according to a Bluetooth standard. This measure has proven particularly advantageous because it allows both the visualization-related radio communication and the transmission of the position-determining radio signal to be carried out using a single technology, in particular a standardized technology. Bluetooth technology is particularly suitable for this purpose because the "Bluetooth Core Specification Version 5.4" also specifies a standardized use of Bluetooth technology in the technical field of radio-based display devices, specifically referring to the "Periodic Advertising with Response (PAwR)" functionality and its use for "Electronic Shelf Labels."

[0042] Preferably, the display device can be implemented in such a way that the entire visualization-related radio-radio communication and the location-determination-related radio-radio communication is implemented using Bluetooth technology.

[0043] However, the complete implementation of Bluetooth technology also offers another advantage. The localization device can be configured not only to receive the position-determining radio signal, but can also be used for Bluetooth-compliant radio communication with the display device to handle the visualization-related radio communication. For this purpose, the localization device is essentially equipped, in addition to its localization functionality, with the functionality of an access point configured for radio communication with the display device. Consequently, an additional, parallel communication infrastructure with access points used solely for visualization-related radio communication is unnecessary. This allows for a significantly more cost-effective communication infrastructure.This more cost-effective communications infrastructure—because it only needs to be provided once—is also easier to operate, as it eliminates the need to ensure that competing radio systems in different communications infrastructures do not interfere with each other's radio signals. Rather, this is directly accounted for (by software and / or hardware) in the combined functionality of the localization device. As soon as the data processing device detects movement of the display device, information corresponding to the movement or intended for playback during the movement, represented by visualization data, can be transmitted to the display device via radio communication with the help of the data processing device, in order to trigger the corresponding visualization there. However, the motion sensor can also be used for this purpose.In addition to the measures already discussed, the motion sensor can also be used for display-related functionality to ensure synchronization between the present and detected movement and the displayed information. Accordingly, the screen module can be configured to access pre-stored visualization data, particularly in the screen module, as a result of the detected movement state and to adapt the visualized information according to this pre-stored visualization data. This pre-stored visualization data was also previously transmitted from the data processing device to the display device or is permanently pre-stored there.

[0044] Furthermore, it should be noted that a plurality of pieces of information can be stored in advance in the display device, which are provided for visualization selectively, i.e., depending on the movement states of the display device or the determined positions of the display device. In this case, the visualization data received by the data processing device or the localization device have the character of selection data or represent a pointer (in English, a "pointer") for selecting the currently appropriate information for display.

[0045] These measures can be used, for example, in an autonomous vehicle to display information regarding the direction of travel, the turning direction, the destination, the transported objects, etc. The situation is similar with the object to which the display device is attached, whereby information, for example, regarding the destination or the recipient, is displayed during movement. Only upon arrival at the destination are further information concerning the object or its use, etc., displayed. Regarding the motion sensor, it should be noted that the motion sensor is implemented by at least one of the following sensors:

[0046] - Acceleration sensor: The acceleration sensor, which electronically records the accelerations acting on it, is ideal for determining whether the display device is moving or at rest, because it can record, specifically analyze, and differentiate between phases of acceleration and deceleration.

[0047] - Vibration sensor: With the help of the vibration sensor, which electronically detects vibrations acting on it, states of movement can be easily distinguished from the rest state, because the rest state is usually without vibrations, whereas vibrations occur during movement.

[0048] - Tilt sensor: The tilt sensor, which electronically detects the tilting of an object to which it is attached, can be used to detect starting, stopping or a substantially abrupt change of direction, from which the underlying state of movement or, otherwise, the state of rest can be deduced.

[0049] - Gyroscope: The gyroscope, which electronically detects changes in direction, is also suitable for determining whether a state of movement is present.

[0050] - geomagnetic sensor: This sensor is also known as a magnetometer. It can also be used to determine a state of motion based on the detected change in the location-specific magnetic field along the movement path, or to determine the state of rest if the magnetic field does not change at all or only slightly.

[0051] According to a further aspect, the data processing device is designed to supply the display device with visualization data or a group of the visualization data before the determination of the location of the display device begins as a result of a movement state detected in the display device.

[0052] This measure ensures that the display device is supplied with visualization data, which is then applied at the onset of its movement, and possibly also subsequently during its movement, either autonomously determined by the display device itself or remotely controlled by the data processing device. Thus, the information represented thereby (images or text) can be displayed on the display device's screen. In terms of timing, the display device can be supplied, for example, in a rest or parked position, or whenever a movement cycle is completed.

[0053] According to a first aspect of the data processing device, the data processing device can be configured to generate the visualization data and to output the visualization data to the display device depending on the determined location of the display device. This enables dynamic provision of the information appropriate to the respective location of the display device. Thus, the display device can be supplied with the relevant information to be displayed de facto in real time. For example, when driving along a production line, only the production bay for which the transported consumables are intended can be displayed indicating that the worker employed there is permitted to remove them. In contrast, all other production bays display an indication indicating that the workers employed there are not permitted to remove the consumables.

[0054] According to a second aspect of the data processing device, the data processing device can be designed to distinguish between at least a first spatial area and a second spatial area, and

[0055] - to deliver the visualisation data when the presence of the display device is detected in the first spatial area, and

[0056] - Upon detecting the presence of the display device in the second spatial area, controlling the display device in such a way that the information visualized using a screen module of the display device is changed. This enables information to be displayed using the screen of the display device depending on the location. For example, a first piece of information can be displayed when the display device is located in a first production hall or a first section of the production hall; when the display device is located in a second production hall or a second section of the production hall, a second piece of information, different from the first piece of information, can be displayed.

[0057] In terms of processing technology, this can be implemented in such a way that, upon detection of a movement state in the first spatial area, first visualization data is transmitted to the display device and then displayed until the display device changes the spatial area. After that, second visualization data is transmitted to the display device and displayed until the data processing device commands a further change in the information to be displayed. In this case, the display device is designed to display the previously received information.

[0058] In terms of processing technology, this can also be implemented in such a way that two different visualization data - i.e. two different pieces of information - are initially transmitted from the data processing device to the display device and stored there for later optional use. Depending on the spatial area in which the movement state is now detected, the data processing device transmits selection data to the display device at least once for the respective spatial area, with the aid of which selection data the display device selects the visualization data applicable to the spatial area in which it is currently moving and displays the information thereof. In this case, the display device is designed to store at least two data sets of the visualization data and further to select the respective data set (e.g.addressed or indexed access to the memory in which the data records are stored), which is indicated by the selection data, after which the selected visualization data is further processed in the usual way, i.e. its information content is displayed.

[0059] For example, when entering a first production section, the following information can be displayed: "Please let me pass. Do not remove anything. The consumables are intended for production section two." As soon as the display device enters a second production section, the display can be changed to show, for example: "I am stopping at the correct position. Please remove consumables as soon as I have stopped." According to a third aspect of the data processing device, the data processing device can be designed to inform the display device, based on two successively determined different locations of the display device, that visualization data other than that currently used on a screen module of the display device are to be used.This can be done by transmitting new visualization data, by transmitting the selection data, with the help of which a selection can be made between different previously stored visualization data, as discussed above, or by a delete command which causes the information currently displayed to be deleted.

[0060] Adapted to the respective implementation, which may also be combined, the display device is designed as discussed in the previous paragraphs, if necessary additionally designed to recognize and process the deletion command.

[0061] This functionality is used, for example, when, based on the two detected locations, it can be foreseen that the display device will leave an area in which the position can be detected by the localization device. This can occur, for example, when the display device is delivered to a customer together with a product or is handed over to a logistics company for transport. If this is detected, for example because the movement path is extrapolated or the movement moves to or is located at the edge of the area covered by the localization device, the display device can be prepared to leave the detection area, whereby, for example, sensitive information that is currently being displayed (with the e.g.internal knowledge of a production process) is exchanged for information that is harmless to third parties who could become aware of the information displayed, or the screen content is completely deleted.

[0062] The battery supply for the display device can either be provided by the display device's own battery, which is integrated into the display device or is designed to be replaceable or rechargeable. However, the battery supply can also be implemented such that the display device is connected to an associated battery located outside the display device. This external battery can either be reserved exclusively for operating the display device or, in addition to supplying power to other electronic components or devices located external to the display device, can also supply power to the display device. This can be advantageous because the display device is attached to a movable object, such as an autonomous electrically battery-operated vehicle (transport trolley, forklift truck, etc.), and can be supplied by the battery already present there.The connection to this battery can be made via cable and / or plug or contactless via inductive coupling, because only a relatively low power needs to be transmitted.

[0063] It should also be noted that the acceleration sensor can be configured to provide single-axis or multi-axis detection results. Further processing of the detection result can thus be based on a scalar, such as the magnitude of a vector in the case of multi-axis detection results, or by taking into account the direction of the detected acceleration. Considering the direction of the acceleration may reveal patterns that can be considered when deciding whether to change the visualized information.

[0064] Finally, it should be generally mentioned that the electronic devices discussed (ESLs, access points, servers, etc.) or their stages or modules naturally contain electronics. The electronics can be discrete or implemented using integrated electronics, or even a combination of both. Microcomputers, microcontrollers, and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), possibly in combination with analog electronics or digital electronic peripheral components, can also be used. Many of the device functionalities mentioned are implemented—possibly in conjunction with hardware components—using software running on an electronics processor. Devices designed for radio communication typically have an antenna configuration, possibly also a matching network, etc., as part of a transceiver module for transmitting and receiving radio signals, and can be controlled with digital signals or emit digital signals.In addition to ESLs, electronic devices can also have an internal 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."

[0065] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the figures discussed below.

[0066] Short character description

[0067] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures using exemplary embodiments, to which, however, the invention is not limited. In the various figures, identical components are provided with identical reference numerals. They show schematically:

[0068] Fig. 1 shows a system according to the invention with display devices according to the invention in an exemplary application of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of the display device according to a first embodiment.

[0069] Description of the embodiments

[0070] Figure 1 shows a system 1 for controlling electronic display devices 16-20, hereinafter referred to as system 1, which is installed in a manufacturing company. The company maintains two production halls, 2 and 3. Within the company, a self-propelled, electrically powered truck 4 transports containers 5-9 containing consumables, each of which is destined for one of five production bays 10-14 where the respective consumables are processed. In the present example, the first container 5 is destined for the first production bay 10, the second container 6 for the second production bay 11, the third container 7 for the third production bay 12, the fourth container 8 for the fourth production bay 13, and the fifth container 9 for the fifth production bay 14.The containers 5-9 are deposited in a suitable arrangement and position on the truck 4 by means of a fully automated loading device 15. Each of the containers 5-9 is equipped with an electronic display device 16-20 mounted on its exterior, which serves to visually provide information, in particular concerning the contents of the container 5-9 and / or the respective production berth 10-14 for which the respective container 5-9 is intended.

[0071] The truck 4 can move electronically controlled along a path 29. It initially remains in a loading zone ZI between the waymarks A and B, then moves to the first production zone Z2 between the waymarks C and D, from where the first container 5 is removed. It then moves to the second production zone Z3 between the waymarks E and F, from where the second container 6 is removed. It then leaves the first production hall 2, drives through a yard into the second production hall 3, where the third container 7 is removed within a third production zone Z4 between the waymarks G and H. From there it heads to the fourth production zone Z5 between the waymarks I and J, where the fourth container 8 is removed. It then drives to the fifth production zone Z6 between the waymarks K and L, where the fifth container 9 is removed.Truck 4 then leaves the second production hall 3 to return empty to the first production hall 2 to be reloaded there.

[0072] System 1 comprises a data processing device, hereinafter referred to as server 21. Server 2 can be operated decentrally from production halls 2 and 3 and is connected to six access points 23-28 via a wired LAN 22 (LAN stands for Local Area Network). For reasons of clarity, a detailed representation of the network structure, including routers, gateways, etc., has been omitted. LAN 22 and access points 23-28 form the communication infrastructure for ultimately communicating wirelessly with the electronic display devices 16-20, thus supplying them with visualization data VD representing the information to be visually displayed.In the present case, the first access point 23 provides radio coverage for the loading zone ZI, the second access point 24 provides radio coverage for the first production zone Z2, the third access point 25 provides radio coverage for the second production zone Z3, the fourth access point 26 provides radio coverage for the third production zone Z4, the fifth access point 27 provides radio coverage for the fourth production zone Z5 and the sixth access point 28 provides radio coverage for the fifth production zone Z6.

[0073] The information to be visualized in the respective zones ZI to Z6 can be designed as follows.

[0074] ZI - all displays: "Loading process is running automatically - please do not remove anything manually."

[0075] Z2 - first indicator 16: "Please remove this container manually."; all other indicators 17 - 20: "Do not touch - leave the container!".

[0076] Z3 to Z6: analogous to the system discussed for Z2, whereby the respective container intended for the production berth in question is provided with a request to remove it and for all other containers - with the exception of the last zone Z6, where only the container 9 to be removed is present - it is pointed out that the other containers are not to be touched.

[0077] In the route sections between zones ZI-Z6, particularly while the truck is moving, warning information such as "Please do not touch anything, the containers are currently being transported" can be displayed using all available display devices 16-20. To implement this systematic information provision, system 1 has six localization devices 30-35, which are assigned to the respective zone ZI-Z6 in a manner analogous to the discussions regarding the access points 23-28. The localization devices 30-35 are designed to receive a Bluetooth-compliant radio signal, hereinafter referred to as a position-determining radio signal, and based on this, to determine the relative position of the radio transmitter transmitting the position-determining radio signal in relation to their own position. In the present case, the localization devices 30-.35 is implemented with so-called "LOCATORS" from "Quuppa Oy", Keilaranta 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland, web address: quuppa.com, abbreviated as QUUPPA. An example here is the LOCATO type "Q17 Locator", which features a Bluetooth-compatible radio system. As a result, each localization device 30 - 35 delivers position data, which indicate the respectively determined relative position of the respective display device 16 - 20, to the server 21 via the LAN 22, to which the localization devices 30 - 35 are also connected.

[0078] The server 21 knows the position (and possibly also the orientation) of the localization devices 30-35 within the production halls 2 and 3 and can therefore determine the absolute position of the respective radio transmitter in the respective production hall 2 or 3. The server 21 also knows the various zones ZI-Z6 and can therefore also determine exactly in which zone ZI-Z6 the respective radio transmitter is currently located or whether it is on the path between the zones ZI-Z6 as soon as it transmits the position-determining radio signal.

[0079] The following is a block diagram of the display devices 16-20 with the aid of Figure 2, with reference only to the display device 16 being representative of all. The display device 16 has a battery 36 for the electrical supply of its electronics with an operating voltage VCC relative to a reference potential GND. The display device 16 further has a screen module 37, which is designed to display the respective information most recently received from the server 21. A radio communication module 38 is provided associated with the screen module 37, which is designed for radio communication with the access points in order to receive the respective visualization data VD from the server 21 and, if necessary, to transmit status messages to the server 21. The screen module 37 and the radio communication module 38 can be designed as a single unit and are therefore shown directly adjacent to one another.

[0080] In the present case, both the display device 16 and the access points 23 to 28 are designed according to the "Bluetooth Core Specification Version 5.4" and, in particular, implement the chapter "1.2.4 Electronic Shelf Labels and PAwR" in order to apply the technology specified therein to the mobile electronic display devices used here in a dynamic, location-variable manner - in the sense of being in motion.

[0081] Analogous to conventional "electronic shelf labels", the screen module 37 uses an energy-saving electrophoretic screen (not shown in detail), so that power consumption essentially only occurs when its content changes.

[0082] As the radio transmitter, the display device 16 has a TAG from QUUPPA as a radio signal output stage 39. Reference is made, for example, to the TAG type "Ql Module," which can be integrated into the display device 16 as a "Printed Circuit Broad Module" and powered by the battery 36. This module uses Bluetooth as a technological platform for transmitting the position-determining radio signal.

[0083] The display device 16 further comprises a motion sensor 40, which is used to detect a movement state of the display device. Advantageously, the position-determining radio signal is only transmitted when the movement state occurs or during the period during which a movement state exists. This allows the server 21 to start determining the position precisely as soon as the display device 16 begins to move and to perform the process only as long as the display device 16 is moving.This saves energy on the side of the display devices 16 - 20, because the transmission of the position determination radio signal is only initiated on an event-related basis, which significantly reduces the energy consumption from the battery of the display devices 16 - 20, and on the other hand, resources on the side of the server 21, which no longer has to continuously determine the positions, but only has to carry out the position determination on an event-related basis in order to be able to check, based on the determined position, whether anything in the information displayed by the respective display device 16 - 20 needs to be changed.

[0084] In the present case, an acceleration sensor built into the TAG type "Ql Module" is used as the motion sensor 40. The radio signal output stage 39 and the motion sensor 40 can therefore be designed as a single unit and are therefore shown directly adjacent to each other.

[0085] The radio signal delivery stage 39 thus interacts, essentially independently of the screen module 37 and the radio communication module 38, with at least one of the localization devices 30-35 on an ad hoc basis. This localization device 30-35 subsequently interacts with the server 21. After determining the position for the respective display device 16-20, the server 21 sends visualization data via an access point 23-28 only to those display device(s) 16-20 for which this is necessary depending on the position. The application of this method, in particular the resulting dynamic and location-dependent information reproduction using the display devices 16-20, is briefly discussed below.

[0086] According to the embodiment of Figure 1, the information "Loading process is running automatically - please do not remove anything manually." is transmitted to all display devices 16 - 20 only once in the loading zone ZI. Only when the truck 4 starts moving does the displayed information for all display devices 16 - 20 change to "Please do not touch anything, the containers are currently being transported." and then remains unchanged until the truck 4 stops within the first production zone Z2. As soon as the truck 4 stops, the displayed information for the first display device 16 changes to "Please remove this container manually." and all other display devices 17 - 20 change to "Do not touch - leave the container!". As soon as the truck starts moving again, the displayed information for the remaining display devices 17 - 20 changes to "Please do not touch anything, the containers are currently being transported."As soon as truck 4 is stationary in the third production zone Z3, the information displayed on the second display device 17 is changed to "Please remove this container manually." and for all other display devices 18-20, the information displayed is changed to "Do not touch - leave the container!" Truck 4 then moves off, and the information displayed on all remaining display devices 18-20 is changed to "Please do not touch anything, the containers are currently being transported." As the truck approaches the exit of the first production hall 2 toward the yard, the information displayed can be changed if necessary. This is not necessary in this case because the truck is only moving within the company's premises.After entering the second production hall 3, the movement state and location-related adaptation of the information displayed is continued in the previously discussed manner in the zones Z4 to Z6 as well as in the intermediate sections of the route until the truck 4 returns empty to the loading zone ZI, where the discussed process is restarted.

[0087] Finally, with reference to Figure 2, it should be mentioned that according to another embodiment, the radio communication stage 38 can also include the radio signal transmission stage 39 (together with the acceleration sensor 40). This is particularly advantageous when both radio functionalities are subject to the same technological specification (standard), for example, when they are implemented in a Bluetooth-compliant manner.

[0088] Finally, it should be noted once again that the figures described in detail above are merely exemplary embodiments that can be modified in a variety of ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it should also be noted that the use of the indefinite articles "a" or "an" does not exclude the possibility that the relevant features may be present multiple times.

Claims

Claims 1. Electronic, battery-operated display device (16 - 20) comprising - a motion sensor (40), in particular an acceleration sensor, which is designed to detect a movement state of the display device (16 - 20), and - a radio signal emission stage (39) which is designed to emit a position detection radio signal suitable for the position detection of the display device, characterized in that the display device (16 - 20) is designed such that the emission of the position detection radio signal starts as a result of the detected movement state.

2. Display device (16 - 20) according to claim 1, wherein the display device (16 - 20) is designed such that the radio signal emitting stage (39) emits the position determination radio signal while the movement state is present.

3. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the display device (16 - 20) is designed such that the emission of the position determination radio signal is prevented in the absence of a movement state.

4. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radio signal output stage (39) is implemented as a Bluetooth beacon, in particular as a Bluetooth low energy beacon.

5. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the radio signal output stage (39) can be controlled into an energy-saving mode in which at least the radio signal output stage (39) is not ready to emit the position-determining radio signal, and - wherein the display device (16 - 20), in particular the radio signal The emission stage (39) itself and / or the motion sensor is designed to control the radio signal emission stage into energy-saving mode outside of a period in which the motion state exists.

6. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a screen module (37) for visualizing information and a radio communication module (39) for receiving visualization data representing the information, wherein the radio communication module (38) comprises the radio signal output stage (39).

7. Display device (16 - 20) according to claim 6, wherein the radio communication module (38) is designed according to a Bluetooth standard.

8. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims 6 - 7, wherein the screen module (37) is designed to access, as a result of the detected movement state, visualization data stored in advance, in particular in the screen module (37), and to adapt the visualized information according to this previously stored visualization data.

9. Display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the motion sensor (40) is implemented by at least one of the group of sensors listed below, namely: - acceleration sensor, - Vibration sensor, - Tilt sensor, - Gyroscope, - geomagnetic sensor.

10. System (1) comprising: - at least one electronic battery-operated display device (16 - 20) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, and - at least one localization device (30 - 35) for receiving and is designed to use the position-determining radio signal emitted by the display device (16 - 20) for radio-based determination of the position of the display device (16 - 20) in relation to its own position and to output position data representing this position of the display device (16 - 20), and - a data processing device (21) which is designed to determine the location of the display device (16 - 20) with knowledge of the position of the localization device (30 - 35) and using the position data of the localization device (30 - 35).

11. System (1) according to claim 10, wherein the data processing device (21) is designed to supply the display device (16 - 20) with visualization data or a group of the visualization data before the determination of the location of the display device (16 - 20) as a result of a signal stored in the display device (16 - 20) begins.

12. System (1) according to claim 10, wherein the data processing device (21) is designed to generate the visualization data and to output the visualization data for the display device (16 - 20) depending on the determined location of the display device (16 - 20).

13. System (1) according to claim 10, wherein the data processing device (21) is designed to distinguish between at least a first spatial area and a second spatial area, and - to output the visualization data when the presence of the display device (16 - 20) is detected in the first spatial area, and - when the presence of the display device (16 - 20) in the second spatial area is detected, to control the display device (16 - 20) in such a way that the information visualized with the aid of a screen module of the display device (16 - 20) is changed.

14. System (1) according to claim 10, wherein the Data processing device (21) is designed to inform the display device (16 - 20) based on two successively determined different locations of the display device (16 - 20) that visualization data other than those currently used in a screen module of the display device are to be used.

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