Electronic Shelf Label Routing for Precise In-Store Product Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customers face challenges in efficiently navigating a store to locate desired products due to limitations in accurately determining product locations on densely displayed shelves and the need for a recommended shopping path to minimize time spent shopping.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize electronic shelf labels with LEDs to provide a recommended route based on location information, controlled by a computing device and server, to guide customers to products efficiently, turning on LEDs to highlight the shortest path to products and allowing multiple product selection with ascending or descending order display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If customers use location information signs to find products, then they can ascertain approximate product locations, but they cannot immediately determine exact product locations due to dense product display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses LED indicators on electronic shelf labels that change color or illuminate to indicate product locations. When a customer selects a product using the shopping assistance terminal, the corresponding electronic shelf label displays a visual signal (LED illumination) to precisely indicate the exact location of the desired product on the shelf, enabling customers to quickly and accurately locate products even among densely displayed items.
2Productivity
If customers navigate through multiple store areas to purchase various products, then they can find desired products, but shopping time increases without optimized routing
Solution Approach 1:
The shopping assistance terminal allows customers to pre-select multiple products they wish to purchase before entering the store or at the beginning of their shopping trip. The system then calculates an optimized shopping route that sequences product locations to minimize travel time, enabling customers to efficiently collect all desired products in a single optimized path through the store.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback to customers through the shopping assistance terminal, displaying the optimized shopping route and guiding customers through the store. As customers move through the store and collect products, the system updates their location and continues to guide them to the next product on their shopping list, ensuring they follow the most efficient path.
3Loss of information
If electronic shelf labels display product information on densely packed shelves, then product information is accessible, but customers have difficulty locating specific products among similar items
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic shelf labels incorporate LED indicators that provide visual signals to customers. When a customer searches for a specific product, the terminal communicates with the corresponding electronic shelf label, which then illuminates or changes color to clearly indicate the precise location of the desired product among densely displayed similar items, making it easy to detect and locate.
Solution Approach 2:
The shopping assistance terminal acts as an intermediary between the customer and the electronic shelf labels. The terminal receives customer input for desired products, processes the location information, and communicates with the appropriate electronic shelf labels to activate visual indicators, thereby mediating the interaction and enabling precise product location detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables customers to intuitively and efficiently locate products by guiding them through a recommended route with illuminated LEDs, reducing shopping time and enhancing navigation accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
electronic shelf labels with LEDs to provide a recommended route
Data Source
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AI summary
One embodiment provides a recommended route provision method carried out by an application executed by at least one processor of a computing device, the recommended route provision method comprising the steps of: receiving a user input for selecting a product; acquiring data related to the location of a user terminal; acquiring data related to the location of an electronic shelf label to which the selected product is assigned; and, on the basis of the data related to the location of the user terminal and the data related to the location of the electronic shelf label, providing a recommended route associated with the location of the electronic shelf label to which the selected product is assigned.