Serial electronic label

Abstract

To provide a serial electronic label achieving a special display effect by utilizing allocation of screen refresh times of energy-saving displays and also having an effect of reducing a human cost of the electronic label.SOLUTION: A serial electronic label comprises a plurality of energy-saving displays arranged in a row and a controller. Each energy-saving display has a screen refresh time when a display screen thereof is updated. The controller is electrically connected to the energy-saving displays and is used to sequentially update the display screens of the energy-saving displays by employing a one-to-many control method. The screen refresh times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in the sequence partially overlap.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to electronic labels, and in particular to serial electronic labels. [Background technology]

[0002] The development trend of electronic labels (e.g., electronic shelf labels (ESL)) is influenced by many factors, such as environmental protection, energy saving, labor saving, smart retail, etc. For electronic labels, electronic paper is preferred due to its advantages of power saving and low carbon emissions. Compared with traditional paper labels, electronic labels have the characteristic of being instantly replaceable and can be updated in real time by the system, which reduces the human error rate and further saves the labor costs of label replacement.

[0003] However, when using e-paper as an e-label, especially one with three or more colors, the color particles of the e-paper must be moved to the required position when updating or switching the display, requiring multiple flashes to display the correct image, which can take more than 10 seconds to complete. During this time, the e-label has no display effect, which can be inconvenient to use. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention provides a serial electronic label that utilizes the allocation of screen update time of an energy-saving display to achieve special display effects and also has the effect of reducing the labor costs of the electronic label. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One embodiment of the present invention provides a serial electronic label including a plurality of energy-saving displays arranged in a row and a controller. Each energy-saving display has a screen update time when updating its display screen. The controller is electrically connected to the energy-saving displays and is used to control the energy-saving displays to update their display screens in sequence using a one-to-many control method. The screen update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in the sequence partially overlap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the serial electronic label of the embodiment of the present invention, the energy-saving displays update their display screens in sequence, and the display update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in the sequence overlap partially. Therefore, the serial electronic label of the embodiment of the present invention can utilize the allocation of the display update times of the energy-saving displays to create special display effects, such as a marquee-like effect, while also achieving the effect of reducing the labor costs of the electronic label. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural diagram of a serial electronic label according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a screen update sequence for the serial electronic label of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is another sequence diagram for updating the screen of the serial electronic label of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a serial electronic label according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a screen update of the serial electronic label of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the serial electronic label 100 of this embodiment includes a plurality of energy-saving displays 110 arranged in a row (for example, energy-saving displays 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, and 119 in FIG. 1) and a controller 120. Although FIG. 1 illustrates nine energy-saving displays 110 as an example, the present invention does not limit the number of energy-saving displays. In other embodiments, the serial electronic label 100 may include other numbers of energy-saving displays 110. In this embodiment, each energy-saving display 110 is an electrophoretic display. However, in other embodiments, each energy-saving display 110 may be a reflective liquid crystal display or a cholesteric liquid crystal display. In this embodiment, the energy-saving display 110 (i.e., electrophoretic display) is an electronic paper display. Each energy-saving display 110 has a screen update time when updating its display screen. Electrophoretic displays require some time to redistribute the electrophoretic particles in the display medium layer during screen updating. Therefore, in one embodiment, the screen update time T1 of each energy-saving display 110 is 10 to 20 seconds, as shown in Figure 2. During the screen update time, the display screen of the energy-saving display 110 may become blurry or flicker.

[0009] The controller 120 is electrically connected to the energy-saving displays 110 and controls the energy-saving displays 110 to update their display screens in sequence using a one-to-many control scheme, whereby the screen update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays 110 in this sequence overlap, with the overlapping time length TP being as shown in FIG.

[0010] In FIG. 2, the broken line in the column "111" represents the time series of the state of the energy-saving display 111. The broken line in the column "112" represents the time series of the state of the energy-saving display 112. The meanings of "113" to "119" can be inferred from this. When the broken line is at the height of the update state in the figure, it represents that the energy-saving display 110 (the first broken line in the case of the energy-saving display 111) is in the process of updating the screen, and when the broken line is at the height of the display state in the figure, it represents that the energy-saving display 110 (the first broken line in the case of the energy-saving display 111) is stably displaying a static display screen.

[0011] 2 , the order in the above-mentioned "updating the display screens of the energy-saving displays 110 in sequence" is the same as the arrangement order of the energy-saving displays 110 from one end to the other, which is the order from energy-saving display 111 to energy-saving display 119 in FIG. 2 . Therefore, energy-saving display 111 and energy-saving display 112 are two adjacent energy-saving displays 110 in this order, and energy-saving display 112 and energy-saving display 113 are two adjacent energy-saving displays 110 in this order. The screen update times of energy-saving display 111 and energy-saving display 112 partially overlap, and this overlapping time length TP is as shown in FIG. 2 . In one embodiment, the overlapping time length TP of the screen update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays 110 in this order is X% of the length T1 of the screen update time of each energy-saving display, where 5≦X<100.

[0012] In the serial electronic label 100 of this embodiment, the energy-saving displays 110 update their display screens in sequence, and the display update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays 110 in this sequence overlap partially. Therefore, the serial electronic label 100 of this embodiment can use the allocation of the display update times of the energy-saving displays to create special display effects, such as a marquee-like effect, which can be used for advertising purposes and also reduce the labor costs of electronic labels.

[0013] In this embodiment, the serial electronic label 100 further includes a battery pack 130 electrically connected to the controller 120 and the energy-saving displays 110, and a single battery pack powers the energy-saving displays 110. In this way, the cost is not too high and the situation where the energy-saving displays 110 each have their own battery and have different power capacities can be avoided.

[0014] In this embodiment, the serial electronic label 100 may further include an external power supply unit 140 that is electrically connected to the battery pack 130 to charge the battery pack. In one embodiment, the external power supply unit 140 is, for example, a solar energy power supply module. However, in other embodiments, the serial electronic label 100 may not include the external power supply unit 140, and the external power supply unit may be selectively disposed.

[0015] 1, updating the display screens of the energy-saving displays 110 in sequence according to the above-described order means updating the entire screen including all colors of the energy-saving displays 110. For example, the screens displayed by the energy-saving displays 114, 115, and 116 are transition screens in a screen update state, and may be flickering or blurry. However, in one embodiment, updating the display screens of the energy-saving displays 110 in sequence according to the above-described order may include updating a single color in the display screen or updating a partial area in the display screen.

[0016] 3 is another screen update sequence diagram of the serial electronic label of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the order of "updating the display screens of the energy-saving displays 110 in order" described above is the same as the arrangement order of the energy-saving displays 110 from one end to the other. In FIG. 3, the order of "updating the display screens of the energy-saving displays 110 in order" described above is different from the arrangement order of the energy-saving displays 110 from one end to the other and may be any other order. In FIG. 3, the order in which the energy-saving displays 110 perform screen updates is energy-saving displays 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 112, 114, 116, and 118. That is, the screens of the energy-saving displays 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 112, 114, 116, and 118 may be updated in order. FIG. 3 is just one example, and in other embodiments, any other order may be used to achieve different display or advertising effects.

[0017] In one embodiment, controller 120 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a programmable controller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or other similar device, or a combination of these devices, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, in one embodiment, each function of controller 120 may be implemented as multiple codes. These codes may be stored in a single memory, and executed by controller 120. Alternatively, in one embodiment, each function of controller 120 may be implemented as one or more circuits. The present invention is not limited to whether each function of controller 120 is implemented using software or hardware.

[0018] Referring again to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the serial electronic label 100 may further include a mounting base 150, and the energy-saving display 110 is disposed on the mounting base 150 and arranged from one end of the mounting base 150 to the other end of the mounting base 150.

[0019] To summarize, in the serial electronic label of the embodiment of the present invention, the energy-saving displays update their display screens in sequence, and the display update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in this sequence overlap partially. Therefore, the serial electronic label of the embodiment of the present invention can utilize the allocation of the display update times of the energy-saving displays to achieve special display effects, such as a marquee-like effect, while also achieving the effect of reducing the labor costs of the electronic label. [Industrial Applicability]

[0020] The serial electronic label of the present invention is applicable to the field of energy-saving displays. [Explanation of symbols]

[0021] 100: Serial electronic label 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119: Energy-saving displays 120: Controller 130: Battery pack 140: External power supply unit 150:Placement table T1: Screen update time TP: Length of overlap

Claims

1. a plurality of energy-saving displays arranged in a line, each of the plurality of energy-saving displays having a screen update time when updating a display screen; a controller electrically connected to the plurality of energy-saving displays and adapted to update the display screens of the plurality of energy-saving displays in sequence by adopting a one-to-many control manner; Including, the screen update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in the sequence overlap; Serial electronic label.

2. The order is the same as the arrangement order of the plurality of energy-saving displays from one end to the other end.

2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

3. the plurality of energy-efficient displays are electrophoretic displays; 2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

4. the plurality of energy-saving displays are reflective liquid crystal displays or cholesteric liquid crystal displays; 2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

5. the screen update time of each of the plurality of energy-saving displays is between 10 seconds and 20 seconds; 2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

6. the length of overlap of the screen update times of any two adjacent energy-saving displays in the sequence is X% of the length of the screen update time of each of the plurality of energy-saving displays, where 5≦X<100; 2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

7. further including a battery pack; the battery pack is electrically connected to the controller and the plurality of energy-saving displays, and the single battery pack powers the plurality of energy-saving displays; 2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

8. further comprising an external power supply unit electrically connected to the battery pack; 8. The serial electronic label according to claim 7.

9. The external power supply unit is a solar energy power supply module; 9. The serial electronic label according to claim 8.

10. updating the display screens of the plurality of energy-saving displays in sequence in the order includes updating a single color on the display screen or updating a partial area on the display screen.

2. The serial electronic label of claim 1.

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