Price tag communication method based on synchronization network, price tag system, and computer device

Abstract

To execute a service corresponding to a server command time over a large number of electronic price tags approximately at the same time by previously transmitting an on-time service command to a large number of electronic price tags and periodically performing a circulating calibration of a local system time for each electronic price tag.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a price tag communication method based on a synchronization network, a price tag system, and computer equipment. The method includes: a step of generating a first on-time task to be performed by a timer when an electronic price tag has received an on-time service command; a step of determining an on-time duration of the first on-time task on the basis of a time difference between a current local system time at which the on-time service command was received and a command execution system time, and activating the first on-time task; and a step of performing a circulating calibration of the current on-time duration for the first on-time task on the basis of base station system times periodically received by the electronic price tag to obtain a calibrated current on-time duration.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wireless communication, and in particular to a price tag communication method, a price tag system and a computer device based on a synchronous network. [Background technology]

[0002] As the application of electronic price tag systems in various fields becomes more and more widespread, the requirements for service speed become more and more high, for example, store managers are expected to quickly execute a certain command at a specified time on a large number of price tags in a store. In conventional electronic price tag systems, the time length for delivering a service command to a large number of price tags in a store at a specified time varies depending on the number of price tags, and the time length for delivering a service command to a large number of price tags may require tens of minutes or even several hours, and the time length for price tags to execute the service command one after another also requires a longer time. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] As can be seen from this, in the conventional electronic price tag communication method, the time it takes for a service command to be sequentially distributed to a large number of price tags is long, which causes the problem of a long response time for a large number of price tags to a service command, and makes it impossible to meet customer needs for quickly executing service at a specified time for a large number of price tags.

[0004] In response to the shortcomings of the prior art, the price tag communication method, price tag system and computer equipment based on a synchronous network of the present invention solve the problem of the long response time of a large number of EPLs to service commands in the prior art, and by sending scheduled service commands in advance to a large number of EPLs and periodically cyclically calibrating the local system time of the EPLs, the server can perform corresponding services almost simultaneously on a large number of EPLs at a specified time, thereby meeting the customer's needs for quickly performing services on a large number of EPLs at a specified time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a price tag communication method based on a synchronous network, the method includes the steps of: when an EPL receives a scheduled service command previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronous network, generating a first scheduled task by a timer, the scheduled service command including at least one EPL ID identifier, a service command type, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time; and determining a scheduled time of the first scheduled task based on a time difference between a current local system time when the EPL receives the scheduled service command and the command execution system time. the step of determining a length of time for the first scheduled task and initiating the first scheduled task; when periodically receiving a synchronization signal including a base station system time transmitted from a base station, the electronic price tag cyclically calibrates the current local system time at the time of receiving the synchronization signal and the current scheduled time length in the first scheduled task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current scheduled time length; and when the current time length of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled time length, the electronic price tag executes the scheduled service command based on the type of service command and the setting parameters.

[0006] In addition, before the electronic price tag receives a scheduled service command transmitted in advance from a server via a base station in the synchronous network, the method further includes a step of establishing a first synchronization period and a second synchronization period by the server, each second synchronization period including N (a positive integer greater than or equal to 1) first synchronization periods, and a step of the server allocating transmission and reception time slots in the first synchronization period to each base station based on a base station topology structure in the synchronous network, and transmitting the transmission and reception time slots to the corresponding base station by a control command.

[0007] In addition, the base station topology structure in the synchronous network includes one master base station, a secondary base station of a first hierarchical level directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station of an i+1th hierarchical level directly connected to the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical level, where i is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station.

[0008] Furthermore, when the synchronization network is initially created, the method further includes the steps of: transmitting a synchronization signal including the server's initial system time to a master base station in the synchronization network by the server, causing the master base station to start operating based on the server's initial system time; transmitting a synchronization signal including the master base station system time by the master base station in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, causing electronic price tags and secondary base stations in the first hierarchical layer communicating with the master base station to start operating based on the master base station system time; and transmitting a synchronization signal including the local system time of the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, causing the electronic price tags and secondary base stations in the i+1-th hierarchical layer communicating with the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer to start operating based on the local system time of the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer.

[0009] Furthermore, after the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer transmits a synchronization signal including a local system time of the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of a first synchronization period, the method further includes the master base station periodically transmitting a system time request to a server to obtain a current system time of the server; and the master base station calibrates the local system time of the master base station based on the current system time of the server, and then transmits a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the master base station in a transmission time slot of a first first synchronization period in each second synchronization period to provide the electronic price tag communicating with the master base station and the secondary base station in the first hierarchical layer with the calibrated local system time. and calibrating the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the secondary base station of the first hierarchical layer based on the local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer, and the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer transmitting a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, thereby causing the electronic price tag and the secondary base station of the i+1th hierarchical layer communicating with the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer to calibrate the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the secondary base station of the i+1th hierarchical layer based on the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer, respectively.

[0010] Also, the method further includes a step of the master base station transmitting a synchronization signal that does not include a local system time of the master base station in a transmission time slot of a first synchronization period other than the first in each second synchronization period.

[0011] In addition, the base station system time includes a calibrated local system time of a master base station or a calibrated local system time of a secondary base station of an i-th layer.

[0012] Furthermore, after the step of the electronic price tag executing the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters if the scheduled service command further includes a service execution time length, the method further includes a step of the electronic price tag generating a second scheduled task by a timer and determining the service execution time length as the scheduled time length of the second scheduled task, and a step of the electronic price tag executing the latest historical service command prior to the scheduled service command if the current timed length of the second scheduled task is equal to the service execution time.

[0013] The method also includes a step of, when the electronic price tag receives at least two scheduled service commands previously transmitted from a server via a base station in the synchronous network, determining whether the service command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are the same; and, if the service command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are not the same, or if the command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are the same but there is no overlap in the command execution system times, generating corresponding scheduled tasks for the different scheduled service commands by the electronic price tag.

[0014] In addition, the method further includes a step of generating a corresponding scheduled task after the electronic price tag processes the two target scheduled service instructions merging them together when there are two target scheduled service instructions among the at least two scheduled service instructions that have the same service instruction type and have a valid overlap in the instruction execution system time.

[0015] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a price tag system, the price tag system including: a server; a plurality of base stations; and some electronic price tags; the server is for transmitting a scheduled service command before a command execution system time, the scheduled service command including at least one ID identifier of the electronic price tag, a type of service command, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time; the base station is for transmitting the received scheduled service command to the electronic price tag; receiving a synchronization signal with a base station system time transmitted from a higher-level base station, calibrating a local system time, and periodically transmitting the calibrated local system time to a lower-level secondary base station or / and the electronic price tag as a base station system time of a current base station. the electronic price tag is adapted to generate a first scheduled task by a timer when receiving the scheduled service command, determine a scheduled time length of the first scheduled task based on a time difference between a current local system time when the scheduled service command is received and the command execution system time, and launch the first scheduled task, cyclically calibrate the current local system time when a synchronization signal is received and the current scheduled time length in the first scheduled task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current scheduled time length, and if the current clocked time length of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled time length, execute the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters.

[0016] In addition, a synchronous network is formed between the server, the multiple base stations, and some of the electronic price tags, and the base station topology structure in the synchronous network includes one master base station, a secondary base station of a first hierarchical level directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station of an i+1th hierarchical level directly connected to the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical level, where i is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station.

[0017] According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer device, the computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the computer device including, when the processor executes the computer program, a step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer when an EPL receives a scheduled service command previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronization network, the scheduled service command including at least one EPL ID identifier, a service command type, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time, and a step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer when an EPL receives the scheduled service command, the first scheduled task including at least one EPL ID identifier, a service command type, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time, the ... step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer when the EPL receives the scheduled service command, the step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer when the EPL receives the scheduled service command, the step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer, The method includes the steps of: determining a fixed time length of a first fixed time task based on a time difference from the command execution system time, and starting the first fixed time task; when a synchronization signal including a base station system time transmitted from a base station is periodically received, the electronic price tag cyclically calibrates the current local system time at the time of receiving the synchronization signal and the current fixed time length in the first fixed time task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current fixed time length; and when the current clocked time length of the first fixed time task is equal to the calibrated current fixed time length, the electronic price tag executes the fixed time service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters. Effect of the Invention

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] When the electronic price tag of the present invention receives a scheduled service command sent from the server in advance, it determines the scheduled time length of the scheduled task based on the execution system time in the scheduled service command, and also cyclically calibrates the scheduled time length based on the periodically received base station system time, thereby obtaining an accurate scheduled time length; finally, when the current measured time length of the scheduled task is equal to the current scheduled time length, it determines that the system time for command execution has been reached, and executes the corresponding service command. Therefore, by sending scheduled service commands to a large number of electronic price tags in advance and cyclically calibrating the local system time of the electronic price tags, the present invention can make corresponding services for a large number of electronic price tags be executed almost simultaneously at the time specified by the server, and the timing error between different price tags is only at the ms level, reaching an accurate scheduled service execution effect at the ms level that is undetectable by the human eye, which greatly reduces the response time length to service commands for a large number of price tags in a store, and meets the customer's needs for quickly executing services for a large number of price tags at the specified time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 2 is a schematic flowchart of a price tag communication method based on a synchronization network according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a price tag system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station topology according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of system time calibration in a synchronization network according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 4 is a timing chart showing a base station transmitting a target synchronization signal according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application are described below clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and obviously, the described embodiments are not all the embodiments but only some of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive work based on the embodiments of the present application belong to the scope of the present application.

[0022] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a price tag communication method based on a synchronous network, specifically including the following embodiments: Figure 1 shows a schematic flowchart of a price tag communication method based on a synchronous network according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the price tag communication method based on a synchronous network is applied to a price tag system, and when the price tag system includes a server, a base station and an electronic price tag, specifically including the following steps: in step S101, when the electronic price tag receives a scheduled service command previously sent from the server via the base station in the synchronous network, generate a first scheduled task by a timer;

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the price tag system of each store in this embodiment includes a server, a plurality of base stations, and some electronic price tags, and the server transmits a synchronization signal to the electronic price tags via the base stations.

[0024] In this embodiment, the base station in the synchronous network has a base station topology structure as shown in Fig. 3, including one master base station, a secondary base station in a first layer directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station in an i+1th layer directly connected to a secondary base station in an i-th layer, where i is a positive integer equal to or greater than 1, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station, and AP1 in Fig. 3 indicates base station 1, AP2 indicates base station 2, ..., AP11 indicates base station 11. The base station topology structure may be generated in such a way that the server controls all base stations in the store to transmit ranging signals sequentially, and obtains ranging results between each base station and other base stations according to the strength of feedback signals received by each base station and transmitted from other base stations, and the server further generates a base station topology structure according to the ranging results between all base stations.

[0025] In this embodiment, a fixed-time service command setting interface is provided in the server, and the fixed-time service command setting interface specifically sets the type of command, the system time at which the fixed-time command is executed, and a list of a large number of price tags to execute the command, that is, the fixed-time service command includes at least one EPL ID identifier, the type of service command, the setting parameters, and the command execution system time, and the server transmits the fixed-time service command in advance via a base station of a synchronous network, so that all EPLs related to the fixed-time service command can receive the fixed-time service command. In addition, when the EPL in this embodiment receives the fixed-time service command, it generates a first fixed-time task for the timer in the EPL, and the fixed-time service command is sent to the EPL by the server in advance, and does not need to be executed immediately by the EPL, but is executed at the command execution system time specified in the fixed-time service command, so that the EPL timely executes the command at the specified system time, by using the first fixed-time task by the timer to alert the EPL.

[0026] As can be seen from this, the server in this embodiment does not need to distribute a command that the system time for command execution has been reached, but distributes the data or parameters required to attempt to execute the command in advance to a large number of specified price tags within one protection period prior to the command execution time, and causes the large number of electronic price tags to locally store the scheduled service command and execute it when the specified time is reached.

[0027] In step S102, a fixed time length of a first fixed task is determined based on a time difference between a current local system time when the electronic price tag receives a fixed service command and a system time for executing the command, and the first fixed task is started.

[0028] In an embodiment, the fixed time length of the first fixed task is a time difference between a current local system time when the EPL receives the fixed service command and a system time of executing the command in the fixed service command. After determining the fixed time length of the first fixed task, the first fixed task can be started.

[0029] In step S103, when a synchronization signal including a base station system time transmitted from a base station is periodically received, the electronic price tag cyclically calibrates the current local system time at the time of receiving the synchronization signal and the current fixed time length in the first fixed time task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current fixed time length.

[0030] In addition, in order to maintain system synchronization of the synchronization network, the server periodically transmits a synchronization signal to each secondary base station and each electronic price tag via the master base station, and causes each secondary base station and electronic price tag to calibrate based on parameters such as the base station system time, frequency, and transmission time slot in the synchronization signal. In this embodiment, the synchronization signal including the base station system time is the target synchronization signal, and the synchronization signal not including the base station system time is the normal synchronization signal.

[0031] In this embodiment, after starting the first scheduled task, when the EPL receives a target synchronization signal including a base station system time, the EPL calibrates the current local system time at the time of receiving the target synchronization signal according to the base station system time, so as to make the current local system time coincide with the local system time of the base station that transmits the target synchronization signal, and the EPL further calibrates the current scheduled time length in the first scheduled task according to the calibrated current local system time to obtain a calibrated current scheduled time length, where the period of the scheduled time length of the first scheduled task may be cyclically calibrated multiple times, and the current scheduled time length calibrated each time is taken as the current scheduled time length in the first scheduled task when calibrated next time. The base station system time includes the calibrated local system time of the master base station or the calibrated local system time of the i-th hierarchical secondary base station.

[0032] It can be seen from this that in this embodiment, the server system time acquired by each base station is not acquired from the server respectively, but utilizes the synchronous network between base stations, and the system time is extended hierarchically from the master base station to the secondary base station of the first layer and then to the secondary base station of the second layer according to the synchronization signal to all base stations in the store, the system times of all base stations are all identical, and the local system time is constantly calibrated through synchronization, and the wireless transmission error between base stations is only at the μs level, which is much smaller than the wired network transmission delay. At the same time, the price tag periodically acquires the system time sent from the base station in synchronization with the base station, periodically calibrates the local system time and local clock, and calibrates the local timer, and the timing error between different price tags is only at the ms level, which can achieve the effect of implementing precise on-time service at the ms level that cannot be distinguished by the human eye.

[0033] In step S104, the EPL executes the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters if the current timed duration of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled duration.

[0034] In this embodiment, the calibrated current scheduled time length is a certain time length threshold in the first scheduled task, and the current clocking time length is a time length that starts counting up from zero after the first scheduled task is launched and gradually accumulates. Therefore, when the current clocking time length of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled time length, that is, when the current local system time of the electronic price tag is equal to the instruction execution system time executed in the scheduled service command, the electronic price tag will execute the scheduled service command, and the types of the service commands include, but are not limited to, page switching commands, blinking commands and update commands, and the setting parameters include, but are not limited to, the page number of page switching, blinking state, blinking color and update content.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0036] When the electronic price tag in this embodiment receives a scheduled service command sent from the server in advance, it determines the scheduled time length of the scheduled task based on the execution system time in the scheduled service command, and also cyclically calibrates the scheduled time length based on the periodically received base station system time, thereby obtaining an accurate scheduled time length; finally, when the current measured time length of the scheduled task is equal to the current scheduled time length, it determines that the system time for executing the command has been reached, and executes the corresponding service command. Therefore, by sending scheduled service commands to a large number of electronic price tags in advance and cyclically calibrating the local system time of the electronic price tags, the embodiment can make the services corresponding to a large number of electronic price tags be executed almost simultaneously at the time specified by the server, and the timing error between different price tags is only at the ms level, reaching the effect of executing accurate scheduled services at the ms level that is undetectable by the human eye, which greatly reduces the response time length to service commands of a large number of price tags in a store, and meets the customer's needs for quickly executing services for a large number of price tags at the specified time.

[0037] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of system time calibration in a synchronous network according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, the system time calibration in the synchronous network specifically includes the following steps: Step S201: a server establishes a first synchronization period and a second synchronization period, each of which includes N first synchronization periods; Step S202: the server allocates transmission and reception time slots in the first synchronization period to each base station according to the base station topology structure in the synchronous network, and transmits the transmission and reception time slots to the corresponding base station by a control command; Step S203: the master base station periodically transmits a system time request to the server and obtains the current system time of the server; and Step S204: the master base station calibrates the local system time of the master base station according to the current system time of the server, and then transmits the local system time of the calibrated master base station to the transmission time slot of the first first synchronization period in each second synchronization period. the step S204 of transmitting a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the master base station to the electronic price tag and the secondary base station of the first hierarchical layer communicating with the master base station, respectively calibrating the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the secondary base station of the first hierarchical layer based on the calibrated local system time of the master base station; and the step S205 of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer transmitting a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, respectively calibrating the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the secondary base station of the i+1-th hierarchical layer communicating with the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer based on the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer.

[0038] In this embodiment, when the synchronization network is first created, the method further includes the steps of: transmitting a synchronization signal including the server's initial system time to a master base station in the synchronization network by the server, to cause the master base station to start operating based on the server's initial system time; transmitting a synchronization signal including the master base station system time by the master base station in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, to cause the electronic price tag and the secondary base station in the first hierarchical layer communicating with the master base station to start operating based on the master base station system time; and transmitting a synchronization signal including the local system time of the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, to cause the electronic price tag and the secondary base station in the i+1-th hierarchical layer communicating with the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer to start operating based on the local system time of the secondary base station in the i-th hierarchical layer, respectively.

[0039] In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, this embodiment includes a first synchronization period T1 and a second synchronization period T2, and each second synchronization period includes N first synchronization periods. In each first synchronization period, the server allocates transmission and reception time slots to each base station according to the base station topology structure. As shown in FIG. 5, in the first synchronization period, base station 1 transmits first, then base station 2, and so on up to base station M by analogy. The specific allocation principle of the transmission and reception time slots may be that the master base station transmits first, then the secondary base station of the first layer, the secondary base station of the second layer, and up to the secondary base station of the last layer, and the principle may be that adjacent base stations have adjacent time slots.

[0040] In this embodiment, the synchronization signal in the first T1 period of each T2 period carries the base station system time, and the synchronization signal in the other T1 periods of the T2 period does not carry the base station system time, which corresponds to all base stations and EPLs in the synchronous network calibrating their time according to the T2 period. Note that the base station system time in the synchronization signal sent by each base station is different, and each base station calibrates its local system time according to the base station system time in the received synchronization signal to obtain the current calibrated local system time, and then the base station does not transmit the synchronization signal to other base stations or EPLs immediately after calibrating its local system time, but transmits the synchronization signal in the first T1 period of each T2 period and at the time of the transmission time slot of the current base station, so there is a delay time difference between the time when the local system time is calibrated according to the received base station system time and the time when the current base station transmits the synchronization signal, and then the base station system time transmitted by the current base station should be the current calibrated local system time + the delay time difference.

[0041] In addition, when the synchronous network first communicates, all electronic price tags and all base stations do not have local system time, and the master base station starts operation using the initial system time of the received server as local system time, transmits a synchronization signal carrying the master base station system time to the electronic price tags and the first hierarchical secondary base stations, and causes the electronic price tags and the first hierarchical secondary base stations communicating with the master base station to start operation based on the master base station system time, and the master base station system time is the local system time at the time the master base station transmits the synchronization signal, and by analogy, the other secondary base stations and electronic price tags also start operation based on the local system time transmitted from the higher-level secondary base station.

[0042] In addition, after the synchronization network communicates normally, all electronic price tags and all base stations have their own local system time, so the local system time needs to be calibrated with the base station system time in the received target synchronization signal. The principle of this calibration is to compare the two times, and if they are the same, it is not updated; if they are different, the base station system time in the synchronization signal is used as the local system time.

[0043] Compared with the prior art, this embodiment has the following beneficial effects.

[0044] In the conventional electronic price tag system communication method, the system time obtained by multiple base stations in the same store from a background server respectively is difficult to meet the ms-level error requirement between base stations, and the price tags of the price tag system can only obtain the system time through the base station, and there is also an accumulated error in the local time measurement of the price tag, so the system time error measured between price tags is actually larger than the error between base stations, and the price tags of the entire store are unified and cannot meet the requirement of accurate punctual service with a system time accurate to the millisecond level error. Meanwhile, the base station system time in the present application is not obtained respectively from a background server, but utilizes a synchronous network between base stations, and the system time is extended hierarchically from the master base station to the secondary base station of the first layer and then to the secondary base station of the second layer according to the synchronization signal to all base stations in the store, the system times of all base stations are all synchronized, and the local system time is constantly calibrated through synchronization, and the wireless transmission error between base stations is only at the us level, which is much smaller than the wired network transmission delay. At the same time, the price tag periodically obtains the system time sent from the base station synchronously with the base station, periodically calibrates the local system time and local timing, and calibrates the timer of the scheduled service delivered from the background system, and the timing error between different price tags is only at the ms level, which can reach the effect of executing precise scheduled services at the ms level that cannot be distinguished by the human eye.

[0045] In another embodiment of the present invention, after the step of the electronic price tag executing the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters if the scheduled service command further includes a service execution time length, the method further includes a step of the electronic price tag generating a second scheduled task by a timer and determining the service execution time length as the scheduled time length of the second scheduled task, and a step of the electronic price tag executing the latest historical service command prior to the scheduled service command if the current timed length of the second scheduled task is equal to the service execution time length.

[0046] In addition, if the execution contents or update contents of the fixed-time service command are only temporarily executed, the execution time length is made clear when the fixed-time service command is distributed, and after the execution time length is reached, the display contents of the electronic price tag return to the original screen display contents. For example, if a store manager wants a large number of specified price tags to update their screen display contents, such as a promotional event, at a specified time, it is necessary to quickly change the promotional information such as the product price displayed on the price tag at the start time of the event. The store manager can first transmit the update contents to the price tag via the base station via the background server to store them in advance, and can carry the system time and display retention time for which the screen display needs to be updated according to the update contents in the fixed-time command. When the clocked time of the price tag reaches the specified system time, the price tag updates the screen display with the update contents stored in advance based on the command, and the large number of price tags can quickly complete the update task. The price tag continues to clock based on the display retention time, and after the display retention time times out, the price tag controls the screen display contents to be changed to the original screen display contents, and the promotional event ends.

[0047] In another embodiment of the present invention, when an electronic price tag receives at least two scheduled service commands previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronous network, it determines whether the service command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are the same, and if the service command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are not the same, or if the command types of the at least two scheduled service commands are the same but there is no overlap in the command execution system times, the electronic price tag generates corresponding scheduled tasks for the different scheduled service commands.

[0048] In addition, the store manager can set one or more fixed-time service commands at once through the background server, which may be for the same or different price tags, and the service command types may be the same or different. The background server sends the fixed-time command to the price tag, and the price tag caches one or more fixed-time service commands, calculates the timeout time for each command, and starts multiple timers simultaneously. When a timer reaches the timeout time, it triggers the execution of the corresponding command.

[0049] For example, a store manager plans to take inventory at a certain system time, and then to organize products that are close to their expiration date after taking the inventory. The back-end server can set two fixed-time service commands, and the back-end server distributes a fixed-time page switching service to price tags that need to take inventory, specifies the system time and retention time for displaying the inventory page in the fixed-time page switching service, and then distributes a fixed-time blinking service to price tags that need to organize products that are close to their expiration date, specifies the blinking time as the time after the inventory is taken, and specifies parameters such as the blinking color, the blinking duration, and the blinking frequency. The price tag stores the two fixed-time service commands received, and sets the timeout times for the two tasks and starts two timers based on the difference between the local time and the specified system time. When the fixed-time page switching service time arrives, the price tag switches the screen display to the specified inventory page according to the display page in the command, continues timing based on the display retention time, and after the timeout, controls the price tag to change the screen display content to the original screen display content. Then, when the second scheduled blinking service time of the price tag arrives, the price tag starts blinking according to the blinking parameters in the command, alerting the store clerk to handle the products bound to the blinking price tag that are close to their expiration date, the price tag continues timing based on the blinking time length, and after a timeout, the price tag is controlled to turn off, and all tasks are completed.

[0050] In another embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes a step of generating a corresponding scheduled task after the electronic price tag processes the two target scheduled service instructions merging them when there are two target scheduled service instructions among the at least two scheduled service instructions that have the same service instruction type and have a valid overlap in the instruction execution system time.

[0051] In this embodiment, the valid overlap includes that the two target scheduled service commands are both valid during the same time period, and the electronic price tag's merging and processing of the two target scheduled service commands includes that when the scheduled service command with the later validity time is executed, the scheduled service command with the earlier validity time becomes invalid.

[0052] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a price tag system, the price tag system including a server, a plurality of base stations, and some electronic price tags, the server is for transmitting a scheduled service command before a command execution system time, the scheduled service command including at least one ID identifier of the electronic price tag, a type of service command, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time, the base station is for transmitting the received scheduled service command to the electronic price tag, receiving a synchronization signal with the base station system time transmitted from a higher base station to calibrate a local system time, and periodically transmitting the calibrated local system time to a lower secondary base station or / and the electronic price tag as the base station system time of the current base station, the electronic price tag is configured to: The method is to generate a first fixed-time task using a timer, determine a fixed-time length of the first fixed-time task based on the time difference between the current local system time when a fixed-time service command is received and the command execution system time, start the first fixed-time task, cyclically calibrate the current local system time when a synchronization signal is received and the current fixed-time length in the first fixed-time task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current fixed-time length, and if the current clocked time length of the first fixed-time task is equal to the calibrated current fixed-time length, execute the fixed-time service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters.

[0053] In addition, a synchronous network is formed between the server, the multiple base stations, and some of the electronic price tags, and the base station topology structure in the synchronous network includes one master base station, a secondary base station of a first hierarchical level directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station of an i+1th hierarchical level directly connected to the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical level, where i is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station.

[0054] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer device, the computer device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the computer device including, when the processor executes the computer program, a step of generating a first scheduled task by a timer when an EPL receives a scheduled service command previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronization network, the scheduled service command including at least one EPL ID identifier, a type of service command, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time; and a current local system time when the EPL receives the scheduled service command. and the instruction execution system time, determining a fixed time length of a first fixed time task based on a time difference between the determined time length and the instruction execution system time, and starting the first fixed time task; when a synchronization signal including a base station system time transmitted from a base station is periodically received, the electronic price tag cyclically calibrates the current local system time at the time of receiving the synchronization signal and the current fixed time length in the first fixed time task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current fixed time length; and when the current clocked time length of the first fixed time task is equal to the calibrated current fixed time length, the electronic price tag executes the fixed time service command based on the type of service command and the setting parameters.

[0055] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the implementation of all or part of the flow of the method of the above embodiment can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware by a computer program, and the program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when the program is executed, the flow of each of the above embodiment of the method can be included. Herein, any memory, storage, database, or other medium mentioned in each implementation provided by the present application can include a non-volatile memory and / or a volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can include a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory can include a random access memory (RAM) or an external cache memory. Illustratively, RAM comes in a variety of forms, such as, but not limited to, Static RAM (SRAM), Dynamic RAM (DRAM), Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), Enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchronous Link DRAM (SLDRAM), Memory Bus (Rambus) Direct RAM (RDRAM), Direct Memory Bus Dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and Memory Bus Dynamic RAM (RDRAM).

[0056] It should be noted that in this specification, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply that such an actual relationship or order exists between these entities or operations. And the terms "comprise", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article or device that includes a set of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed or includes elements inherent in such process, method, article or device. In the absence of more limitations, an element limited by the phrase "comprises a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device that includes the element.

Claims

1. generating a first scheduled task by a timer when the EPL receives a scheduled service command previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronous network, the scheduled service command including at least one EPL ID identifier, a service command type, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time; determining a fixed time length of a first fixed task based on a time difference between a current local system time when the electronic price label receives a fixed service command and a system time for executing the command, and starting the first fixed task; when the electronic price tag periodically receives a synchronization signal including a base station system time transmitted from a base station, cyclically calibrating a current local system time at the time of receiving the synchronization signal and a current fixed-time length in the first fixed-time task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current fixed-time length; and executing the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the configuration parameters when the current timed duration of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled duration. A price tag communication method based on a synchronous network, comprising:

2. Before the EPL receives a scheduled service command transmitted in advance from the server via a base station in the synchronous network, establishing, by the server, first and second synchronization periods, each second synchronization period including N first synchronization periods, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; and allocating, by the server, a transmission / reception time slot in the first synchronization period to each base station based on a base station topology structure in a synchronous network, and sending the transmission / reception time slot to a corresponding base station by a control command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

3. The base station topology structure in the synchronous network includes one master base station, a secondary base station of a first layer directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station of an i+1th layer directly connected to a secondary base station of an i-th layer, where i is a positive integer of 1 or more, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station. The method of claim 2, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

4. When the synchronization network is first created, sending a synchronization signal including an initial system time of the server to a master base station in the synchronization network by the server, so that the master base station starts to operate based on the initial system time of the server; a step of transmitting a synchronization signal including a master base station system time in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period by the master base station, and causing an electronic price tag and a first hierarchical secondary base station communicating with the master base station to start operation based on the master base station system time; and transmitting a synchronization signal including the local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th layer by the secondary base station of the i-th layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, so as to cause the electronic price tag communicating with the secondary base station of the i-th layer and the secondary base station of the (i+1)-th layer to start operation based on the local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th layer. The method of claim 3, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

5. After the secondary base station of the i-th layer transmits a synchronization signal including a local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th layer in a transmission time slot of a first synchronization period, the master base station periodically sends a system time request to a server to obtain a current system time of the server; After the master base station calibrates the local system time of the master base station based on the current system time of the server, the master base station transmits a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the master base station in a transmission time slot of the first first synchronization period in each second synchronization period, so that the electronic price tag and the first hierarchical secondary base station communicating with the master base station respectively calibrate the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the first hierarchical secondary base station based on the calibrated local system time of the master base station; and a step of causing the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer to transmit a synchronization signal including the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer in a transmission time slot of the first synchronization period, so that the electronic price tag and the secondary base station of the i+1-th hierarchical layer communicating with the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer respectively calibrate the local system time of the electronic price tag and the local system time of the secondary base station of the i+1-th hierarchical layer based on the calibrated local system time of the secondary base station of the i-th hierarchical layer. The method of claim 4, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

6. The method further includes a step of transmitting a synchronization signal that does not include a local system time of the master base station in a transmission time slot of a first synchronization period other than the first in each second synchronization period. The method of claim 5, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

7. The base station system time includes a calibrated local system time of a master base station or a calibrated local system time of a secondary base station of an i-th hierarchical layer. The method of claim 2, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

8. If the scheduled service command further includes a service execution time length, after the step of the electronic price tag executing the scheduled service command based on the type of the service command and the setting parameters, A step of generating a second fixed-time task by a timer in the electronic price label and determining the service execution time length to be the fixed-time length of the second fixed-time task; and if the current time length of the second scheduled task is equal to the service execution time length, the EPL executes a most recent historical service command prior to the scheduled service command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

9. When the EPL receives at least two scheduled service instructions previously transmitted from a server via a base station in a synchronous network, determining whether the at least two scheduled service instructions have the same service instruction type; If the at least two scheduled service instructions have different service instruction types, or if the at least two scheduled service instructions have the same instruction type but have no overlap in instruction execution system time, the electronic price tag generates corresponding scheduled tasks for the different scheduled service instructions. A method for price tag communication based on a synchronous network according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The method further includes a step of generating a corresponding scheduled task after the electronic price tag processes the two target scheduled service instructions after fusing the two target scheduled service instructions when there are two target scheduled service instructions in the at least two scheduled service instructions that have the same service instruction type and have a valid overlap in the instruction execution system time. The method of claim 9, wherein the price tag communication method is based on a synchronous network.

11. The present invention includes a server, a plurality of base stations, and some electronic price tags, The server is for transmitting a scheduled service command before a command execution system time, the scheduled service command including at least one ID identifier of the EPL, a type of the service command, a setting parameter, and a command execution system time; the base station transmits the received scheduled service command to an electronic price tag, receives a synchronization signal with a base station system time transmitted from a higher-level base station to calibrate a local system time, and periodically transmits the calibrated local system time to a lower-level secondary base station and / or an electronic price tag as a base station system time of a current base station; The electronic price tag is for generating a first scheduled task by a timer when receiving the scheduled service command, determining a scheduled time length of the first scheduled task based on a time difference between a current local system time when the scheduled service command is received and the command execution system time, and starting the first scheduled task, cyclically calibrating the current local system time when a synchronization signal is received and the current scheduled time length in the first scheduled task based on the base station system time to obtain a calibrated current scheduled time length, and executing the scheduled service command based on a type of the service command and the setting parameters when the current measured time length of the first scheduled task is equal to the calibrated current scheduled time length. A price tag system characterized by:

12. A synchronization network is formed among the server, the base stations, and some of the electronic price tags, and a base station topology structure in the synchronization network includes one master base station, a secondary base station of a first layer directly connected to the master base station, and a secondary base station of an i+1th layer directly connected to a secondary base station of an i-th layer, where i is a positive integer of 1 or more, and each base station is connected to only one upper base station.

12. The price tag system of claim 11.

13. A computing device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the method of claim 1 are implemented.

1. A computer device comprising:

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