Glyph-Based Protocol for Electronic Shelf Label Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protocols for updating electronic shelf labels and other media displaying devices in large stores face inefficiencies, particularly in managing data for thousands of labels, leading to processing delays and increased energy consumption, especially when using graphic display technologies and high-resolution screens.
Innovation Solution
A data transmission protocol that generates individual glyphs for each character or symbol, creates a display script with reference and position data, and transmits these to the devices, allowing each glyph to be sent only once across multiple labels, reducing the computational load and energy consumption by leveraging asymmetrical communication schemes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing protocols are used to update electronic shelf labels in large stores, then all labels can be updated, but processing time becomes excessively long and computational load becomes unmanageable when managing hundreds of stores with tens of thousands of labels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission process into two distinct phases: first transmitting a compact display script containing only positional and reference information, then transmitting the actual glyph data separately. This segmentation allows the system to process and begin displaying information quickly using the script, while the heavier glyph data follows afterward, thus reducing the critical processing time for label updates across thousands of devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The display script is prepared and transmitted in advance before the actual glyph data. The script contains all necessary positional and reference information that enables the electronic shelf labels to prepare their display structures beforehand. This preliminary action allows the system to minimize the time labels remain outdated, as they can begin rendering using placeholder or cached glyphs while awaiting the actual glyph transmission.
2Productivity
If advanced compression techniques are used to meet throughput expectations for graphic display technology, then data transmission efficiency improves, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data transmission into two separate messages: a compact display script and separate glyph data transmissions. This segmentation inherently compresses the initial transmission by eliminating redundant glyph data from every label update, achieving high throughput without requiring complex compression algorithms in the electronic shelf label devices. The script's compact structure provides natural compression while keeping device complexity low.
3Quantity of substance
If raw data is sent directly to media displaying devices to reduce data volume, then transmission efficiency improves, but each device requires complex processing units and memory which increases cost and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments information into a compact display script (transmitted to all devices) and separate glyph data (transmitted selectively). The script contains only essential positional and reference information, minimizing the data volume each device must process. This segmentation allows devices to use simple processing logic to interpret the script while receiving glyph data only when needed, thereby reducing both data transmission volume and device complexity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The display script acts as an intermediary between the central server and the electronic shelf labels. Rather than sending raw glyph data directly to each device, the script provides a compact intermediate representation that guides the devices on how to reconstruct the display using minimal processing. This intermediary structure reduces the computational burden on individual devices while maintaining transmission efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing product information to at least one media displaying device located in at least one store and having an output and a data reception unit, each store having at least one data emitting device, comprising the steps of: generating, at a central back-office server connected to the store data emitting unit, an individual glyph corresponding to each different character or symbol of the product information; generating at least a display script comprising reference and position data of the glyphs in the product information; transmitting the display script and the individual glyphs to the store data emitting device; transmitting the display script to the media displaying device; broadcasting the individual glyphs; selecting and loading in the media displaying device individual glyphs corresponding to the reference data comprised in the display script; and displaying the selected and loaded individual glyphs at the output means of the media displaying device according to the position data comprised in the display script.