Control system for electronic shelf label

Abstract

To reduce an occurrence frequency of a human-induced mistake in work for associating a commodity 21 displayed on a shelf 20 with an electronic shelf label 22.SOLUTION: A control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to one embodiment includes: a camera 2 that captures images of a commodity 21, a shelf 20 and an electronic shelf label 22; a control device 10 that controls the electronic shelf label 22 and the camera 2; and an accumulation unit 11 that accumulates display information for regulating a state of specified commodities displayed at specified positions of the shelf 20. The control device 10 determines whether or not a commodity actually displayed at a specified position matches with a specified commodity on the basis of a captured image by the camera 2 and the display information. When they are matched with each other, the control device associates the electronic shelf label arranged at the specified position with the specified commodity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control system for electronic shelf labels. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electronic shelf labels have been known that can display shelf label images anywhere on the shelf by expanding the display surface to cover the entire shelf. With such electronic shelf labels, users use PDA terminals to link products displayed on the shelf with the electronic shelf labels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-123339 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional electronic shelf labels require users to manually link products displayed on shelves with electronic shelf labels, which can lead to human error.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a control system for electronic shelf labels that can reduce the frequency of human error when linking products displayed on shelves to electronic shelf labels. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A control system for electronic shelf labels according to one embodiment is a control system for electronic shelf labels used in conjunction with electronic shelf labels placed for each product displayed on a shelf, and includes a camera that photographs the products, the shelves, and the electronic shelf labels, a control device that controls the electronic shelf labels and the camera, and a storage unit that accumulates display information that defines the state in which a designated product is displayed at a designated position on the shelf. The control device determines, based on the image captured by the camera and the display information, whether the product actually displayed at the designated position matches the designated product, and if the two match, links the electronic shelf label placed at the designated position to the designated product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a control system for electronic shelf labels that can reduce the frequency of human error in the task of linking products displayed on shelves with electronic shelf labels. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic shelf label 22 used in the electronic shelf label control system 1 according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are designated by identical or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional ratios and the like may differ from those of the actual parts. Therefore, specific dimensions and the like should be determined with reference to the following description. Furthermore, parts in the drawings may have different dimensional relationships and ratios. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0010] (First embodiment) A control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of the control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic shelf label 22 used in the control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to this embodiment.

[0011] The control system 1 for electronic shelf labels according to this embodiment is a system used together with electronic shelf labels 22 arranged for each product 21 displayed on a shelf 20, as shown in FIG.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the control system 1 for electronic shelf labels includes a camera 2, a control device 10, and a storage unit 11.

[0013] Camera 2 photographs products 21 displayed on shelves 20, shelves 20, and electronic shelf labels 22 attached to rails of shelves 20. Camera 2 generates a photographed image as a result of photographing. When generating a photographed image, camera 2 stores information about the photographing position in the header information.

[0014] When the camera 2 is fixed to a specific location, it holds information about the fixed shooting position in advance and stores the information about the shooting position in the header information of the captured image. Here, the information about the shooting position may be any information that allows the control device 10 to identify the shooting position, and may be, for example, information made up of two values, latitude and longitude, or information made up of coordinate values ​​of X and Y coordinates set when the store in which the electronic shelf labels 22 are installed is viewed from above.

[0015] Here, the camera 2 may be fixed at a predetermined position, or may be mounted on a mobile robot.

[0016] 2, the electronic price tag 22 has a display unit 22A and a frame 22B that display product information, product prices, etc. The electronic price tag 22 obtains information to be displayed on the display unit 22A from a server 20 installed in the store via a wireless network.

[0017] The storage unit 11 stores the display information. The storage unit 11 may acquire the display information from the server 20.

[0018] The display information is information that defines the state in which designated products are displayed in designated positions on the shelves 20 (i.e., the layout of the shelves 20). Specifically, the display information includes position information and product information. The position information is information that indicates the position on which shelf 20 and on which level, and the product information is information for identifying the products 21.

[0019] The control device 10 controls the electronic shelf label 20 and the camera 2. Specifically, the control device 10 determines whether or not the product 21 actually displayed at the designated position matches the designated product based on the image captured by the camera 2 and the display information, and if they match, associates the electronic shelf label placed at the designated position with the designated product.

[0020] 1, when the display information specifies a state in which a designated product 21X is displayed at a designated position X on a shelf 20, and when the product 21 actually displayed at the designated position X in the image captured by the camera 2 is the designated product 21X, the control device 10 associates the designated product 21X with the electronic shelf label 22X placed at the designated position X. The storage unit 11 stores the associated designated product 21X and electronic shelf label 22X.

[0021] Specifically, the control device 10 acquires information about the shooting location where the captured image was taken from the header information in the captured image generated by the camera 2. Then, the control device 10 identifies the designated location X based on the acquired location information. When identifying the designated location X, the control device 10 compares the information about the shooting location with the information about the location included in the display information. As a result of the comparison, the control device 10 identifies the shelf 20 corresponding to the shooting location.

[0022] After identifying the shelf 20, the control device 10 uses image recognition (for example, object recognition, OCR, etc.) to analyze the captured image generated by the camera 2 and identify the product 21 shown in the captured image.

[0023] The control device 10 records and manages feature quantities related to products 21 handled in the store as a database. The control device 10 compares the feature quantities obtained by image recognition with the feature quantities recorded and managed in the database to identify the product that most closely matches. The control device 10 then determines whether this identified product 21 matches the product 21 actually displayed at the specified position X.

[0024] In addition, the control device 10 may determine whether the product 21 actually displayed at the designated position X in the image captured by the camera 2 matches the designated product 21X based on the two-dimensional code or barcode attached to the package of the product 21.

[0025] In addition, when the product 21 is displayed on the shelf 20 in a case such as a cardboard box, the control device 10 may determine whether the product 21 actually displayed at the specified position X in the image captured by the camera 2 matches the specified product 21X based on the two-dimensional code or barcode attached to the case.

[0026] Furthermore, the control device 10 may identify the electronic shelf label 22 based on the two-dimensional code or barcode 22C displayed on the display unit 22A of the electronic shelf label 22 or the frame 22B of the electronic shelf label 22, and determine the identified electronic shelf label 22X as the electronic shelf label 22X to be linked to the specified product 22X. With this configuration, the electronic shelf label 22 can be accurately identified.

[0027] The electronic shelf label 22 can display a two-dimensional code or a barcode 22C on the display unit 22A in response to an instruction from the server 20. In the example of FIG. 2, the barcode 22C is displayed on the frame 22B of the electronic shelf label 22.

[0028] The control device 10 may issue a predetermined notification when the product 21 actually displayed at the designated position X does not match the designated product 21X.

[0029] According to this configuration, the user who receives the predetermined notification can manually adjust the arrangement of the products 21.

[0030] The control device 10 may identify a portion of the display information that corresponds to the position information based on the position information associated with the image captured by the camera 2, and may determine whether the product 21 actually displayed at the specified position X matches the specified product 21X based on the identified portion of the display information and the captured image.

[0031] Here, the position information associated with the image captured by the camera 2 can be specified by the position where the camera 2 is fixed or the position of the mobile robot on which the camera 2 is mounted.

[0032] According to this configuration, information about the shooting position can be stored in the header information of the image captured by the camera 2, and the correspondence between the captured image and the information about the shooting position can be easily managed.

[0033] In the above embodiment, the camera 2 stores information about the image capture position, but the electronic shelf label 22 may store information about the image capture position. In this case, when the camera 2 captures an image of the electronic shelf label 22, the electronic shelf label 22 displays information about the image capture position on the display unit 22A. Specifically, the electronic shelf label 22 can display information about the image capture position as a two-dimensional code or a barcode 22C on the display unit 22A. An electronic shelf label 22 that is not linked to a specific product 21 can also display information about the image capture position as a default.

[0034] In such a case, the header information of the captured image generated by the camera 2 does not need to include information regarding the shooting location, and for example, when the control device 10 performs image recognition of the captured image, it may identify information regarding the shooting location in conjunction with identifying the product 21.

[0035] According to this embodiment, the task of linking products 21 displayed on shelves 20 with electronic shelf labels 22 can be automated.

[0036] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the above-described embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is intended to be illustrative and explanatory and does not have any limiting meaning on the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1...Control system for electronic shelf labels 2. Camera 10...Control device 11...Storage section 20…Shelf 21...Product 22…Electronic shelf label 22A…Display section 22B...frame 22C...2D code or barcode 100...Server

Claims

1. A control system (1) for electronic shelf labels used with electronic shelf labels arranged for each product displayed on a shelf, a camera (2) that photographs the products, the shelves, and the electronic shelf labels; a control device (10) for controlling the electronic shelf label and the camera; a storage unit (11) for storing display information that defines a state in which designated products are displayed at designated positions on a shelf; The control device determines whether the product actually displayed at the designated location matches the designated product based on the image captured by the camera and the display information, and if the two match, links the electronic shelf tag placed at the designated location to the designated product.This is a control system for electronic shelf labels.

2. 2. The control system for electronic shelf labels according to claim 1, wherein the control device identifies the electronic shelf label based on a two-dimensional code or a barcode displayed on a display unit of the electronic shelf label or on a frame of the electronic shelf label, and determines the identified electronic shelf label as the electronic shelf label to be linked to the designated product.

3. 2. The control system for electronic shelf labels according to claim 1, wherein the control device issues a predetermined notification when the product actually displayed at the specified position does not match the specified product.

4. 2. The control system for electronic shelf labels according to claim 1, wherein the control device identifies a portion of the display information that corresponds to the position information based on the position information associated with the captured image, and determines whether the product actually displayed at the specified position matches the specified product based on the identified portion of display information and the captured image.

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