Electronic Shelf Label NFC Intermediary for Smartphone Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic shelf label systems do not allow customers to use NFC communications for purchasing merchandise items regardless of whether their smartphone has an NFC chip, limiting compatibility and usability.
Innovation Solution
An electronic shelf label system that includes an NFC card apparatus with an ID, electronic tags with NFC chips, and a management apparatus that compares pre-registered IDs with IDs in purchasing reservation information, enabling NFC communications for purchasing reservations and payments, regardless of the presence of an NFC chip in the user's terminal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If NFC chip is mounted in electronic tag for NFC communications, then purchasing reservation capability is improved, but compatibility with smartphones without NFC chip deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic tag acts as an intermediary device that receives NFC signals from NFC-equipped smartphones and relays the purchasing reservation information to the server. This mediator approach enables smartphones without NFC chips to still access the purchasing reservation service through alternative communication methods via the electronic tag infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to support multiple communication methods and user scenarios within a single unified platform. The electronic tag system can handle both NFC-based direct communication and alternative relay-based communication, making the purchasing reservation service universally accessible regardless of smartphone NFC capability.
2Productivity
If electronic tag system is implemented for automatic price updates, then productivity of price information management is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: the server for centralized price information management, the gateway for communication protocol translation and data routing, and the electronic tags for local display and NFC interaction. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while reducing the complexity burden on any single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway serves as an intermediary layer between the server and electronic tags, handling communication protocols, data formatting, and device management. This mediator absorbs much of the system complexity, allowing the server to focus on price management and the electronic tags to focus on display and local NFC communication.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic shelf label system may include: a near field communications (NFC) card apparatus including an NFC chip having an identification (ID) and performing purchasing reservation through NFC communications; a plurality of electronic tags each including an NFC chip and wirelessly transmitting purchasing reservation information including the identification (ID) of the NFC card apparatus and product information when the purchasing reservation from the NFC card apparatus through the NFC communications is present; and a management apparatus providing the product information to each of the plurality of electronic tags, receiving the purchasing reservation information from the electronic tag, and managing the purchasing reservation information for each identification (ID) included in the purchasing reservation information.