LCD shelf label, LCD shelf label system and communication method
By dynamically allocating IP addresses through narrowband communication, the method reduces the need for broadband IP addresses and stations, addressing the high demand and management complexity in LCD shelf label systems, thereby lowering costs and simplifying network management.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025540260
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-04-04
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-25
AI Technical Summary
The high demand for broadband IP addresses in dynamic LCD shelf label systems increases equipment costs and complicates network management in large retail stores.
A communication method that dynamically allocates limited IP addresses using a narrowband communication module, allowing LCD shelf labels to establish temporary broadband communication paths for information updates and then release the IP addresses back to the pool, reducing the need for broadband IP addresses and base stations.
This approach reduces the demand for broadband IP addresses and base stations, lowering equipment costs and simplifying network management while maintaining normal communication functionality.
Smart Images

Figure 2025542556000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority from a Chinese patent application with application number 2023103630702 filed on April 4, 2023, and the entire contents disclosed in the above patent application are incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of wireless communication, and in particular to an LCD shelf label, an LCD shelf label system and a communication method. [Background technology]
[0003] Dynamic LCD (electronic) shelf labels are an important part of traditional retailers' digitalization efforts. The IoT network systems for dynamic LCD shelf labels installed in stores traditionally interact with the background cloud via the store's public broadband wireless network system. Broadband systems have the characteristics of high bandwidth, low latency, and large data transmission, making them suitable for dynamic LCD shelf labels to download and play multimedia data files in real time.
[0004] However, each LCD shelf label terminal device requires a single broadband IP address to be provided by the store. As the size of a store increases, each medium- to large-sized store typically needs to deploy hundreds of dynamic LCD shelf labels in its new retail digitalization efforts, requiring the store to provide more broadband IP addresses for use by the LCD shelf labels. To provide sufficient broadband IP addresses for the IoT network system of the deployed dynamic LCD shelf labels, the store must change its original public broadband network and add more wireless APs (access points). This not only increases the equipment costs for the store's new retail digitalization efforts, but also makes daily management of the wireless network more difficult. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In response to the deficiencies of the prior art, the LCD shelf label, LCD shelf label system, and communication method provided by this application solve the problem of the large demand for broadband IP addresses by LCD shelf label systems in the prior art. By dynamically allocating limited IP addresses, this application reduces the large demand for broadband IP addresses by stores without affecting the normal communication of LCD shelf labels, and also reduces the demand for broadband base stations, not only reducing store equipment costs but also facilitating the daily management of wireless networks.
[0006] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method for an LCD shelf label system applied to an LCD shelf label system including an LCD shelf label having a narrowband communication module and a broadband communication module, a narrowband base station, a broadband base station, and a server, the method including: when the server receives a non-numeric information update command including an ID identifier and a non-numeric information download address of a first target LCD shelf label, selecting one target IP address from an IP management pool; the server transmitting the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address to the narrowband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station based on the ID identifier in the non-numeric information update command, so that the broadband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the first target LCD shelf label downloads non-numeric update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address; and when the download of the non-numeric update information is completed, the server releasing the target IP address to the IP management pool.
[0007] The method may further include, upon receiving the numeric information update command, transmitting numeric update information in the numeric information update command to a second target LCD shelf label via a narrowband base station based on an ID identifier in the numeric information update command, and causing the second target LCD shelf label to update itself based on the numeric update information.
[0008] Releasing the target IP address to the IP management pool by the server when the download of the non-digital update information is completed includes the server receiving a broadband network off command transmitted from the LCD shelf label via the broadband base station when the download of the non-digital update information is completed, and the server accommodating the target IP address in an IP pool awaiting release, and the server transferring the target IP address from the IP pool awaiting release to an available IP pool when the server receives an IP release heartbeat transmitted from the LCD shelf label via a narrowband base station, and the IP management pool may include an IP pool awaiting release and an available IP pool.
[0009] The server's selection of one target IP address from the IP management pool may include, if an idle IP address exists in the available IP pool, the server obtaining one IP address from the available IP pool as the target IP address, and, if an idle IP address does not exist in the available IP pool, the server obtaining, from the release pending IP pool, an IP address that has been held in the release pending IP pool for the longest time as the target IP address.
[0010] The method may further include, when the server receives the non-numeric information update command, the server establishing a narrowband communication path with the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station before selecting one target IP address from an IP management pool; the server receiving a normal heartbeat reported from the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path and performing product registration on the LCD shelf label based on the normal heartbeat; and the server issuing network configuration information to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, causing the LCD shelf label to perform broadband network configuration based on the network configuration information.
[0011] According to a second aspect, the present application provides an LCD shelf label including a narrowband communication module, a message gateway, a broadband communication module, and a controller, wherein the narrowband communication module receives a target IP address, a non-numeric information download address, and numeric information transmitted by a server via a narrowband base station, the message gateway is respectively connected to the narrowband communication module, the broadband communication module, and the controller, and turns on the broadband communication module based on the target IP address, and further performs data conversion on the numeric information and the non-numeric information download address before transmitting them to the controller, the broadband communication module establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the controller obtains non-numeric update information from the server based on the non-numeric information download address.
[0012] The communication device may further include a transparent transmission module connected to the narrowband communication module and the message gateway, respectively, for transparently transmitting data between the message gateway and the narrowband communication module based on a UART short-range wireless communication protocol.
[0013] The narrowband communication module may include an ESL module or a Zigbee module.
[0014] The broadband communication module may include a WIFI module.
[0015] According to a third aspect, the present application provides an LCD shelf label system including an LCD shelf label, a narrowband base station, a broadband base station, and a server, wherein the server establishes a narrowband communication path with a narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station, and upon receiving a non-numeric information update command, selects one target IP address from an IP management pool and transmits the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address in the non-numeric information update command to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, the LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, downloads non-numeric update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address, and releases the target IP address, and the server stores the target IP address in the IP management pool.
[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:
[0017] The LCD shelf label of the present application establishes a narrowband communication path for continuous communication with a server via a narrowband base station. When the server receives a non-digit information update command, it selects a target IP address from an IP management pool and transmits the target IP address to the specified LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path. The LCD shelf label then establishes a temporary broadband communication path with the server and downloads the non-digit update information from the server via the broadband communication path. After the download is complete, it turns off the broadband communication path and releases the target IP address to the IP management pool so that the server can allocate the target IP address to another shelf label. Therefore, the present application dynamically allocates limited IP addresses, reducing the large demand for broadband IP addresses by stores without affecting the normal communication of the LCD shelf labels, and also reducing the demand for broadband base stations, which not only reduces store equipment costs but also facilitates daily management of wireless networks.
[0018] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method for an LCD shelf label provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an LCD shelf label system provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] 1 is a logical block diagram of an LCD shelf label system provided by an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic flowchart of another LCD shelf label communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In order to clarify the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Of course, the described embodiments are not all the embodiments but only some of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments that a person skilled in the art can obtain without creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0021] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method for an LCD shelf label, and specifically includes the following embodiments:
[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of an LCD shelf label communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application, which is applied to an LCD shelf label system as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the LCD shelf label system includes an LCD shelf label having a narrowband communication module and a wideband communication module, a narrowband base station, a wideband base station, and a server, and the LCD shelf label communication method specifically includes the following steps:
[0023] In step S101, when the server receives a non-digit information update command, it selects one target IP address from the IP management pool.
[0024] In addition, the information update command in this embodiment includes a numeric information update command and a non-numeric information update command, and the numeric information update command indicates that only numeric information, such as product price or product inventory, is to be updated, and the non-numeric information update command is, for example, product pictures, advertising videos, etc., except for the update command that indicates that only numeric information is to be updated.
[0025] The server may receive the non-numeric information update command by operating software on the server or by a mobile terminal connected to the server. In one embodiment, the mobile terminal sends an update command to the server, and the server determines whether the update command contains only numeric changes. If not, the update command is a non-numeric information update command, and if only numeric changes are contained, the update command is a numeric information update command. In another embodiment, the mobile terminal directly sends the non-numeric information update command or the numeric information update command to the server.
[0026] Here, the non-numeric information update command includes the ID identifier of the first target LCD shelf label and the non-numeric information download address, and the ID identifier of the first target LCD shelf label is a MAC address or serial number, etc., that indicates the individual information of the first target LCD shelf label.
[0027] In this embodiment, when the server receives a non-numeric information update command, selecting one target IP address from the IP management pool may include, for example, if there is an idle IP address in the available IP pool, the server obtaining one IP address from the available IP pool as the target IP address, and if there is no idle IP address in the available IP pool, the server obtaining an IP address from the release-awaiting IP pool that has been accommodated in the release-awaiting IP pool for the longest time as the target IP address.
[0028] The IP management pool according to this embodiment includes a release-awaiting IP pool and an available IP pool, and the available IP pool stores idle and available IP addresses, while the release-awaiting IP pool stores release-awaiting IP addresses. The IP address allocation policy according to this embodiment includes a fixed IP allocation method and a dynamic IP allocation method.
[0029] In the fixed IP allocation method, a finite number of static IP addresses are stored in the IP management pool, for example, 10 static IPs such as 192.168.10.0, 192.168.10.1, and 192.168.10.2. If the number N of IP addresses currently allowed by the store is less than 10, the maximum number of IP addresses activated in parallel each time is N-1. If N is greater than 10, the maximum number of IP addresses activated in parallel each time is 10. When the server needs to allocate an IP, it first selects one from the available IP pool. If there is no available IP in the available IP pool, it selects one IP from the waiting IP pool that has been in the pool for the longest time.
[0030] In the dynamic IP allocation method, a finite number of dynamic IPs are stored in the IP management pool. In other words, IP addresses are randomly assigned, and the number of wireless connections is managed by a server. If the number of wireless connections currently allowed for a store, N, is less than 10, the maximum number of wireless connections that can be activated in parallel each time is N-1. If N is greater than 10, the maximum number of wireless connections that can be activated in parallel each time is 10. The server maintains an available IP counter. If the available IP counter is greater than 0, one wireless connection can be safely activated without exceeding the number of wireless network connections allowed for the store.
[0031] In step S102, the server sends the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address to the narrowband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station based on the ID identifier in the non-numeric information update command, so that the broadband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the first target LCD shelf label downloads the non-numeric update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address.
[0032] In addition, the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label in this embodiment communicates with the narrowband base station via a narrowband proprietary protocol and establishes a narrowband communication channel with the server. Therefore, the server sends the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address in the non-numeric information update command to the first target LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication channel based on the ID identifier in the non-numeric information update command. The first target LCD shelf label performs IP allocation based on the target IP address, and then establishes a broadband communication channel with the server via the broadband communication base station. Thereafter, the first target LCD shelf label downloads the non-numeric update information from the server based on the non-numeric information download address. In other words, the server transmits the non-numeric update information to the first target LCD shelf label via the broadband communication channel, and the first target LCD shelf label updates its information based on the non-numeric update information.
[0033] In step S103, when the download of the non-digit update information is completed, the server releases the target IP address to the IP management pool.
[0034] In this embodiment, when the download of the non-digit update information is completed, the server releasing the target IP address to the IP management pool may include, for example, the server receiving a broadband network off command sent from the LCD shelf label via the broadband base station when the download of the non-digit update information is completed, and the server accommodating the target IP address in the IP pool waiting for release, and the server transferring the target IP address from the IP pool waiting for release to the available IP pool when the server receives an IP release heartbeat sent from the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station.
[0035] In the fixed IP allocation method, when the server receives resource download completion information or IP usage timeout information from the LCD shelf label via the broadband communication path, it closes the broadband session of the IP and places the IP in the IP pool waiting for release. After that, when the server detects information about successful release of the IP in the heartbeat packet via the narrowband communication path, it transfers the IP from the IP pool waiting for release to the available IP pool.
[0036] In the dynamic IP allocation method, when the server receives information from the broadband communication path indicating that the resource download of the LCD shelf label has ended or information indicating that the wireless connection usage of the LCD shelf label has timed out, the server closes the broadband session of the LCD shelf label and adds 1 to the available IP counter.
[0037] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:
[0038] The LCD shelf label in this application establishes a narrowband communication path for persistent communication with the server via a narrowband base station. When the server receives a non-digit information update command, it selects a target IP address from the IP management pool and sends the target IP address to the specified LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path. The LCD shelf label then establishes a temporary broadband communication path with the server and downloads the non-digit update information from the server via the broadband communication path. After the download is complete, the broadband communication path is turned off and the target IP address is released to the IP management pool so that the server can allocate the target IP address to another shelf label. Therefore, the application dynamically allocates limited IP addresses, reducing the store's large demand for broadband IP addresses without affecting the normal communication of the LCD shelf labels, and also reducing the demand for broadband base stations, which not only reduces store equipment costs but also facilitates daily management of the wireless network.
[0039] In another embodiment of the present application, when the server receives the numeric information update command, the method further includes: the server transmitting the numeric update information in the numeric information update command to the second target LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station based on the ID identifier in the numeric information update command, and causing the second target LCD shelf label to be updated based on the numeric update information.
[0040] If the update command received by the server is a numeric information update command, the server transmits the new numeric information in the numeric information update command directly to a predetermined second target LCD shelf label via a narrowband communication path based on the ID identifier in the numeric information update command, causing the specified LCD shelf label to render the new numeric information. Therefore, when only numeric information is updated, the server can transmit data via a narrowband communication path, reducing the frequency of IP address allocation. The ID identifier in the numeric information update command is the ID identifier of the predetermined second target LCD shelf label. In this embodiment, the first target LCD shelf label and the second target LCD shelf label may be the same LCD shelf label or different LCD shelf labels.
[0041] In another embodiment of the present application, when the server receives the non-digit information update command, before selecting one target IP address from the IP management pool, the method further includes: the server establishing a narrowband communication path with the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station; the server receiving a normal heartbeat reported from the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, and performing product registration on the LCD shelf label based on the normal heartbeat; and the server issuing network configuration information to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, so that the LCD shelf label performs broadband network configuration based on the network configuration information.
[0042] The narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label joins the narrowband network via a proprietary protocol to establish a narrowband communication path, and the LCD shelf label reports a normal heartbeat to the server via the narrowband communication path to complete product registration for the store's LCD shelf label. The server issues network configuration information including broadband base station information to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, so that the LCD shelf label performs broadband network configuration based on the network configuration information. The network configuration information includes, but is not limited to, the store ID, store code, wireless SSID (Service Set Identifier), wireless password, heartbeat interval, NTP (Network Time Protocol) server address, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) server address, store gateway IP, store DNS (Domain Name System) server IP, HTTP task interface, HTTP task response interface, and HTTP wireless network release interface.
[0043] According to a second aspect, the present application provides an LCD shelf label, which, as shown in Figure 3, includes a narrowband communication module, a message gateway, a broadband communication module, and a controller. The narrowband communication module receives a target IP address, a non-numeric information download address, and numeric information transmitted by a server via a narrowband base station. The message gateway is connected to the narrowband communication module, the broadband communication module, and the controller, respectively, and turns on the broadband communication module based on the target IP address, and further performs data conversion on the non-numeric information download address and numeric information before transmitting them to the controller. The broadband communication module establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the controller obtains non-numeric update information from the server based on the non-numeric information download address.
[0044] The narrowband communication module includes an ESL (Electronic Shelf Label) module. The broadband communication module includes a Wi-Fi module. The message gateway in the LCD shelf label interacts with the ESL module using a short-range wireless communication protocol based on UART (Universal Asynchronous Transmitter / Receiver), and the message gateway further interacts with the controller using the MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol. The specific functions of the message gateway include (1) turning the broadband communication module on and off, (2) analyzing message data transmitted via narrowband ESL transmission and public broadband HTTP transmission, converting the data into MQTT message format, and transmitting it to the controller, (3) analyzing the controller's MQTT normal heartbeat, converting it into a narrowband ESL channel heartbeat, and transmitting it to the ESL module, and (4) generating an IP release heartbeat and transmitting it to the ESL module when the broadband communication module is turned off.
[0045] The LCD shelf label of this embodiment further includes a transparent transmission module that receives data from the dedicated narrowband communication channel, detects the data on the LCD shelf label, and transparently transmits the data to the message gateway via a short-range communication protocol based on UART, and further receives heartbeat data from the message gateway and transmits it to the cloud server via the narrowband communication channel.
[0046] In this embodiment, the narrowband communication module further includes a Zigbee (registered trademark) module, and uses a broadband base station integrated with a customized Zigbee (registered trademark) gateway module to manage the broadband IP addresses used by the terminals through the Zigbee (registered trademark) network, and the customized broadband base station needs to be added to the broadband network of the user store.
[0047] According to a third aspect, the present application provides an LCD shelf label system, the system including an LCD shelf label according to the above embodiment, a narrowband base station, a broadband base station, and a server, wherein the server establishes a narrowband communication path with the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station, and upon receiving a non-numeric information update command, selects a target IP address from an IP management pool and transmits the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address in the non-numeric information update command to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, the LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, downloads the non-numeric information update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address, and releases the target IP address, and the server stores the target IP address in the IP management pool.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the specific communication steps of the LCD shelf label system provided in this embodiment include the following steps:
[0049] (1) The LCD shelf label with the embedded ESL module joins the narrowband network via a proprietary protocol, completes the ESL networking of the narrowband network, and establishes a narrowband communication path.
[0050] (2) The LCD shelf tag with the embedded ESL module reports a normal heartbeat to the cloud server via a narrowband communication channel to complete product registration on the store's LCD shelf tag.
[0051] (3) The cloud server issues network configuration information, including public wireless AP information (SSID and password), to the LCD shelf tag via a narrowband communication channel.
[0052] (4) A user terminal (e.g., an assistant APP on a mobile phone) connects to the cloud server and associates one product and an advertising video with one LCD shelf label.
[0053] (5) The cloud server creates one session, assigns one target IP address to this LCD shelf label, and issues a control command including the target IP address to the LCD shelf label via a narrowband communication channel.
[0054] (6) The LCD shelf label turns on the wireless network and connects to the public broadband wireless AP, sets a target IP address, and establishes a broadband communication path.
[0055] (7) The LCD shelf label downloads tasks and resources based on the HTTP protocol via a broadband communication channel.
[0056] (8) After the LCD shelf label finishes downloading the tasks and resources, it notifies the cloud server that the terminal device will turn off the network via a broadband communication channel based on the HTTP protocol.
[0057] (9) The cloud server closes the current session and places the target IP address in the IP pool waiting to be released.
[0058] (10) The LCD shelf label turns off the wireless network and reports an IP release heartbeat via a narrowband communication channel.
[0059] (11) After receiving the IP release heartbeat of the LCD shelf label, the cloud server transfers the target IP address to the available IP pool.
[0060] (12) The product information associated with the LCD shelf label is divided into numeric information and non-numeric information, and the first issuance of the product information is performed over a public broadband network.
[0061] (13) When the cloud server updates only the numeric information (e.g., product price), it issues the new numeric information to the LCD shelf tag via a dedicated narrowband communication channel, and the LCD shelf tag renders the numbers.
[0062] For example, if the system configuration IP address allocation method is IP dynamic acquisition (DHCP) for the LCD shelf label and the target IP address is 255.255.255.255, the LCD shelf label will detect that the target IP address is 255.255.255.255, connect to the public broadband wireless AP, use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) mode, and have the DHCP server dynamically allocate an IP address to the LCD shelf label.
[0063] In this embodiment, the dynamic LCD shelf label joins the proprietary narrowband system via the ESL module, and the background cloud server dynamically assigns a broadband target IP address to the LCD shelf label via narrowband. It then issues a broadband wireless configuration and control command to the ESL module via narrowband, which transparently transmits it to the LCD shelf label via its UART port. After receiving the command, the LCD shelf label turns on its wireless network, interacts with the background cloud via HTTP via the public broadband system, and downloads a multimedia file. After the download is complete, it turns off the wireless network and notifies the background cloud server via the proprietary narrowband system uplink to release the broadband target IP address assigned to the LCD shelf label. The digitalization and informatization of the new retail store can smoothly access the client store's public broadband network and fully utilize the proprietary narrowband network deployed for the client store's early digitalization. The client does not need to install new public broadband network equipment for the new retail digitalization, thereby saving on deployment costs and energy consumption costs.
[0064] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, all or part of the flow of the method in the above embodiments can be realized by instructing relevant hardware with a computer program. The program may be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when the program is executed, it may include the flow of each of the above method embodiments. Herein, any reference to memory, storage, database, or other medium mentioned in each embodiment provided by this application may include non-volatile memory and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. Illustratively, RAM comes in various 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).
[0065] 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 and do not necessarily require or imply the existence of any actual relationship or order between those entities or operations. Furthermore, 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 other elements not expressly listed or that are inherent in such process, method, article, or device. Absent more limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device that includes the element.
Claims
1. A communication method for an LCD shelf label system that is applied to an LCD shelf label system including an LCD shelf label having a narrowband communication module and a wideband communication module, a narrowband base station, a wideband base station, and a server, comprising: When the server receives a non-numeric information update command including an ID identifier and a non-numeric information download address of a first target LCD shelf label, selecting one target IP address from an IP management pool; the server transmits the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address to the narrowband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station based on the ID identifier in the non-numeric information update command, so that the broadband communication module of the first target LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the first target LCD shelf label downloads non-numeric update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address; and when the download of the non-digital update information is completed, the server releases the target IP address to the IP management pool.
2. 2. The communication method for an LCD shelf label system according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: upon receiving the numeric information update command, the server transmits numeric update information in the numeric information update command to a second target LCD shelf label via a narrowband base station based on an ID identifier in the numeric information update command, and causing the second target LCD shelf label to update itself based on the numeric update information.
3. When the download of the non-digital update information is completed, the server releases the target IP address to the IP management pool. When the download of the non-digit update information is completed, the server receives a broadband network off command transmitted from the LCD shelf label via the broadband base station; The server places the target IP address in a release pending IP pool; When the server receives an IP release heartbeat transmitted from the LCD shelf label via a narrowband base station, the server transfers the target IP address from the release-awaiting IP pool to an available IP pool; 2. The communication method for an LCD shelf label system according to claim 1, wherein the IP management pool includes a release-waiting IP pool and an available IP pool.
4. The server selecting one target IP address from an IP management pool includes: If there is an idle IP address in the available IP pool, the server obtains an IP address from the available IP pool as the target IP address; 4. The communication method for an LCD shelf label system according to claim 3, further comprising: if there is no idle IP address in the available IP pool, the server obtains, from the release-awaiting IP pool, an IP address that has been in the release-awaiting IP pool for the longest time as the target IP address.
5. When the server receives a non-numeric information update command, before selecting one target IP address from the IP management pool, the server establishes a narrowband communication path with the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station; the server receives a normal heartbeat reported from the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, and performs product registration on the LCD shelf label based on the normal heartbeat; 2. The communication method for an LCD shelf label system according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: the server issuing network configuration information to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path, whereby the LCD shelf label performs broadband network configuration based on the network configuration information.
6. a narrowband communication module, a message gateway, a wideband communication module, and a controller; The narrowband communication module receives a target IP address, a non-digital information download address, and digital information transmitted by a server via a narrowband base station; The message gateway is respectively connected to the narrowband communication module, the broadband communication module, and the controller, and turns on the broadband communication module according to the target IP address, and further performs data conversion between the numeric information and the non-numeric information download address, and then sends them to the controller; The broadband communication module establishes a broadband communication path with a server via a broadband base station based on the target IP address, and the controller obtains non-numeric update information from the server based on the non-numeric information download address.
7. 7. The LCD shelf label of claim 6, further comprising a transparent transmission module connected to the narrowband communication module and the message gateway, respectively, for transparently transmitting data between the message gateway and the narrowband communication module based on a UART short-range wireless communication protocol.
8. 8. The LCD shelf label according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the narrowband communication module includes an ESL module or a Zigbee module.
9. 8. The LCD shelf label according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the broadband communication module includes a WIFI module.
10. A system including the LCD shelf label according to any one of claims 6 to 9, a narrowband base station, a wideband base station, and a server, the server establishes a narrowband communication path with the narrowband communication module of the LCD shelf label via the narrowband base station, and upon receiving a non-numeric information update command, selects one target IP address from an IP management pool, and further transmits the target IP address and the non-numeric information download address in the non-numeric information update command to the LCD shelf label via the narrowband communication path; The LCD shelf label system is characterized in that the LCD shelf label establishes a broadband communication path with the server via the broadband base station based on the target IP address, and further downloads non-numeric update information from the server via the broadband communication path based on the non-numeric information download address, releasing the target IP address, and the server stores the target IP address in the IP management pool.
Citation Information
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