Opticon ESL Server User manual

ESL User Manual
Electronic Shelf Labeling System
ESL
All information subject to change without notice.
©2012 copyright Opticon. All rights reserved.
This manual may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or converted to any written, electronic or
machine readable form without prior written consent of Opticon.
User Manual

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ESL User Manual
All information subject to change without notice.
Document History
Model Number:
ESL DEMO KIT
Specification Number:
Edition:
0.2.1
Original Spec Number:
Date:
2012
Copyright 2011 Opticon. All rights reserved.
This manual may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or converted to any electronic or
machine readable form without prior written consent of Opticon.
Limited Warranty and Disclaimers
PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING OR USING THE
PRODUCT.
Serial Number
A serial number appears on all Opticon products. This official registration number is directly related to the device purchased.
Do not remove the serial number from your Opticon device. Removing the serial number voids the warranty.
Warranty
Unless otherwise agreed in a written contract, all Opticon products are warranted against defects in materials and
workmanship for two years after purchase. Opticon will repair or, at its option, replace products that are defective in materials
or workmanship with proper use during the warranty period. Opticon is not liable for damages caused by modifications made
by a customer. In such cases, standard repair charges will apply. If a product is returned under warranty and no defect is
found, standard repair charges will apply. Opticon assumes no liability for any direct, indirect, consequential or incidental
damages arising out of use or inability to use both the hardware and software, even if Opticon has been informed about the
possibility of such damages.
Packaging
The packing materials are recyclable. We recommend that you save all packing material to use should you need to transport
your scanner or send it for service. Damage caused by improper packaging during shipment is not covered by the warranty.
Trademarks
Trademarks used are the property of their respective owners.
Opticon Inc. and Opticon Sensors Europe B.V. are wholly owned subsidiaries of OPTOELECTRONICS Co., Ltd., 12-17,
Tsukagoshi 4-chome, Warabi-shi, Saitama, Japan 335-0002. TEL [phone]; FAX [phone]
SUPPORT
USA
Europe
Phone: [phone]
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.opticonusa.com
Web: www.opticon.com

ESL User Manual
Table of Contents
1. Features and Specifications ................................................................................................5!
1.1 Abstract...............................................................................................................................................5!
1.2 Physical Features ...............................................................................................................................5!
1.2.1 Dimensions and Weight ...............................................................................................................5!
1.3 Environmental Specifications..............................................................................................................5!
1.3.1 Operating Temperature and Humidity (EE200)............................................................................ 5!
1.3.2 Storage Temperature and Humidity (EE200)...............................................................................5!
1.4 Interface Specifications....................................................................................................................... 6!
1.5 Hardware Specifications .....................................................................................................................6!
1.6 Electrical Specifications ......................................................................................................................6!
1.6.1 Electrical Characteristics..............................................................................................................6!
1.6.2 Main Battery: ................................................................................................................................7!
1.7 Serial Number .....................................................................................................................................8!
EBS-10.................................................................................................................................................. 8!
EE200 ...................................................................................................................................................8!
1.8 Safety..................................................................................................................................................8!
Shock ....................................................................................................................................................8!
Temperature Conditions........................................................................................................................8!
Foreign Materials ..................................................................................................................................8!
Other .....................................................................................................................................................8!
2. Solution Overview .................................................................................................................9!
3. Getting started.....................................................................................................................10!
3.1 Setting up the Hardware and Software .............................................................................................10!
3.1.1 Installing Elements of the ESL Kit Software...............................................................................10!
3.1.2 Installing the base station........................................................................................................... 11!
3.1.3 Installing the ESLs .....................................................................................................................11!
3.1.4 Installing the Optional Barcode Terminal ...................................................................................12!
3.2 Linking a Back Office System to the ESL Server.............................................................................. 12!
3.3 Resetting the ESL System ................................................................................................................12!
3.3 Designing the ESL image layout.......................................................................................................13!
4. Back Office...........................................................................................................................14!
4.1 Database format ...............................................................................................................................14!
5. ESL Server Application ......................................................................................................16!
5.1 Handling of incoming CSV files from the Back Office .......................................................................16!
5.2 Handling of modified ESL-product links (linked.csv).........................................................................17!
5.3 Detecting New/changed ESL image and Configuration Files ...........................................................18!
5.4 Configuring ESLs ..............................................................................................................................19!
5.4.1 Associate interval .......................................................................................................................20!
5.4.2 Poll Info Ratio.............................................................................................................................20!
5.4.3 Poll Interval ................................................................................................................................20!
5.4.4 Poll timeout ................................................................................................................................21!
5.4.5 Scan channels............................................................................................................................21!
5.5 ESL status information......................................................................................................................21!
5.6 Configuring of base stations .............................................................................................................21!
5.6.1 Configuring the RF Channel.......................................................................................................22!
5.6.2 Changing the Name of a Base Station.......................................................................................23!
5.6.3 Configuring the Ethernet Settings ..............................................................................................23!
5.7 Setup of the ESL server application..................................................................................................26!
5.7.1 Base stations..............................................................................................................................26!

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ESL User Manual
5.7.2 Input Folder ................................................................................................................................27!
5.7.3 Output ........................................................................................................................................27!
5.7.4 Delete Links ...............................................................................................................................27!
5.7.5 Delete Database ........................................................................................................................27!
5.7.6 Processed Folder .......................................................................................................................27!
5.7.7 CSV parser.................................................................................................................................27!
5.7.8 Image generator.........................................................................................................................28!
5.7.9 Image Layout .............................................................................................................................28!
5.7.10 Info Template ...........................................................................................................................28!
5.7.11 Optional Barcode terminal........................................................................................................28!
5.7.12 Log Files................................................................................................................................... 29!
5.7.13 Apply ........................................................................................................................................29!
5.7.14 Reset........................................................................................................................................29!
5.7.13 Cancel ...................................................................................................................................... 29!
6. Middleware Applications ....................................................................................................30!
6.1 CSV Parser .......................................................................................................................................30!
6.2 Image Generator............................................................................................................................... 31!
7. Application for the Optional Barcode Terminal ...............................................................32!
7.1 Setting up the Optional Barcode Terminal........................................................................................32!
7.2 Loading the Database Files on the Optional Barcode Terminal ....................................................... 32!
7.3 Creating Links between ESLs and Products/Locations, Using the Optional Barcode Terminal .......33!
7.4 Deleting Existing Links......................................................................................................................34!
7.5 Verifying existing links ......................................................................................................................34!
7.6 Sending the Modified Link Database to the PC ................................................................................34!
7.7 Settings menu ...................................................................................................................................34!
7.8 Version..............................................................................................................................................34!
8. Version history ....................................................................................................................35!
9. Appendices ..........................................................................................................................36!
Appendix A: Editing the ESL Template Files ..........................................................................................36!
A.1 Editing the Information Template..................................................................................................36!
A.2 Editing the Image Layout Template ..............................................................................................37!
A.3 Adding or Editing Text ..................................................................................................................39!
A.4 Adding Rectangles........................................................................................................................40!
A.5 Adding Lines ................................................................................................................................. 40!
A.5 Adding Images..............................................................................................................................41!
A.6 Adding Barcodes ..........................................................................................................................41!
A.7 Barcode Types..............................................................................................................................42!
A.8 Format Trouble Shooting .............................................................................................................. 43!
Appendix B: Example Barcodes ............................................................................................................. 44!
Appendix C: Example ESL Layout Illustration ........................................................................................ 45!

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ESL User Manual
1. Features and Specifications
1.1 Abstract
This manual describes how to set-up the e-Paper Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) System and
includes pre-loaded software for demonstration and pilot project purposes.
Contents
The ESL demo kit consists of the following components:
•Ethernet ESL base station (EBS-10)
•Six 2-inch e-paper ESLs (EE200) including 6x2 CR2450 batteries
•UTP cable
•6.0V 2A Power supply
•PC Installation Software + examples
•Manual
•(Optional barcode terminal)
1.2 Physical Features
1.2.1 Dimensions and Weight
Item
Dimensions
Weight
Standard shelf tag:
(w x h x d): 70 x 33 x
14mm; 2.76 x 1.30 x .55in
2.5g (.09oz)
Base station:
(w x h x d): 129 x 28 x
102 mm; 5 x 1 x 4in
125g (4.4oz),
excluding antenna
1.3 Environmental Specifications
1.3.1 Operating Temperature and Humidity (EE200)
Temperature: 0 to 50° C
Humidity: 0-85%
1.3.2 Storage Temperature and Humidity (EE200)
Temperature: -20 to 60° C
Humidity: 0-85%

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ESL User Manual
1.4 Interface Specifications
The radio interface of both the base stations and ESLs have the following specifications:
•2.4gHz IEEE 802.15.4 compatible
•Transmission speeds: up to 250 kbps
1.5 Hardware Specifications
Items
Specifications
Remarks
CPU
Type
CC2530-F128 (EE200)
CC2530-F256 (EBS-10)
Internal ROM
256 KB (EBS-10)
128 KB (EE200)
Internal RAM
8 KB
Clock frequency
32 MHz
Display
(EE200)
Active area
W 45 x H 22 mm
Number of dots
W 200 x H 96
Model
EG020AS183
Gray scale level
1 bit
Black and white
Contrast ratio
10:1
Pixel pitch
111 dpi
Connector
(EBS-10)
Ethernet
10/100 Mbit
Radio
Frequency
2.4gHz
Protocol
IEEE 802.15.4
1.6 Electrical Specifications
1.6.1 Electrical Characteristics
EE200:
Parameter
Typical
Unit
Remarks
Operating voltage
2.8–3.2
V
2 x CR2450 Lithium battery
Operating current
7-33
mA
During RF and image refresh only
Sleep current
1
uA
EE200 in sleep state >99,9%
EBS-10:
Parameter
Typical
Unit
Remarks
Operating voltage
6.0
V
Power adapter
Operating current
<200
mA

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ESL User Manual
1.6.2 Main Battery:
•The main batteries in the EE200 are 2 CR2450 Li-Mn batteries:
•Nominal capacity: 2x600 mAh
•Nominal voltage: 3V.
•Low voltage: Less than 2.8 V
•Operating time: >7 years (default settings; 4 refreshes/day; 15-25° C)
The operating time of the batteries is based on a realistic estimation of any of the following
factors that influence the battery life:
Factor
Default s values and
estimated averages
Correlation *
(higher is better)
Influence
Polling for data &
reporting settings
Interval: 20 seconds
Retransmissions: 10%
Report ratio: 1 to 39
Yes
No
Yes
61%
Display updates
4 per day
Temperature: 15-25° C
No
No
20%
Out of range /
base station OFF %
Not connected: 2%
Number of channels: 5
No
No
4%
Sleep time
99,9%
Yes
9%
Battery'self+discharge
1'%'/'year'
No
6%
* The correlation shows whether increasing the listed value increases or decreases the
power consumption.
For example:
•Increasing the poll interval lowers the power consumption
•Turning off the base stations increases the power consumption
•A lower operating temperature increases the power consumption
•More display updates per day increases the power consumption

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ESL User Manual
1.7 Serial Number
EBS-10
The serial number can be found on the back of the Base station. The EBS-10 is currently
only available as Engineering Sample, which can be recognized by the serial number
starting with “ES.”
EE200
The serial number of the ESLs is based on the 16 hexadecimal digits MAC-address of the
RF-module. However, the first 6 digits of the MAC address (00124B) have been replaced by
the letter “A.”
The default barcode that is shown on the display of the ESL is identical to the bar code on
the back of the ESL.
1.8 Safety
Handle this product carefully. Do not deliberately subject it to any of the following.
Shock
Do not throw or drop the devices.
Temperature Conditions
Do not use the devices at temperatures outside the specified range.
Do not pour boiling water on the devices.
Do not throw the devices into the fire.
Do not forcibly bend the cable at low temperatures.
Foreign Materials
Do not immerse the devices in liquids.
Do not subject the devices to chemicals.
Other
Do not plug/unplug the connectors before disconnecting the power.
Do not disassemble this product.
The device may be damaged by power surges

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ESL User Manual
IEEE 802.15.4
Barcode terminal (OPH1004/
H13/OPL9728)
+Receives product and link
databases from server
application
+Creates/modifies links between
ESLs and products
+Sends link database back to
server application.
ESL server application
+Detects incoming CSV files (from the back
office) and processes them by calling
DbConv.exe
+Detects any new/changed ESL-product links
(from the barcode terminal) and processes
them by calling DbConv.exe
+Detects and processes new/changed ESL
images and product XML-files (from
DbConv.exe)
+Sends image data to ESLs (via base stations)
+Configures ESLs and base stations
+Shows status / settings of all ESLs and base
stations
+Logs all events and executed tasks
+Installs software updates on base stations and
ESLs
Middleware applications
CSV parser:
+Parse product modifications
into a combined CSV
database containing all
product info.
+Generate truncated article
database (CSV format) for
the barcode terminal.
Image Generator:
+Generate ESL images and
XML-files for the server
application from the link- and
product-database.
Base stations
+Forwards ESL status &
settings information to PC
+Sends images / commands
from server application to
ESLs
+Handles software updates
for ESLs
ESLs
+Show images
+Provide status reports
+Poll for data
+Search base stations
Back office
- Places product modifications
as CSV file into shared folder.
2. Solution Overview
The current solution operates by running the provided ESL server application that monitors an
incoming folder in which any mutations in the product database are being placed by the back
office system of the user. Any detected changes will be automatically processed and sent to the
ESLs and displayed.
A global overview of the current solution is shown below. The following chapters will describe the
different parts of this system in more detail and how to get started.
Rename file event
Cradle
(RS232 / OseComm)
Ethernet

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ESL User Manual
3. Getting started
3.1 Setting up the Hardware and Software
This kit contains the following pieces of hardware and software that will have to be installed in
order to get an ESL demonstration or pilot up and running:
•ESL kit installer includes:
•The ESL server application
•Middleware applications
•Example database files and image templates
•Firmware for the barcode terminal, base station and ESLs
•Appload (optional)
•USB drivers for the barcode terminal cradle (optional)
•XTAdminXXL (optional)
•User manual
•1 EBS10 Base station
•6V Power supply
•Ethernet cable
•Six EE200 2-inch e-paper ESLs (batteries included)
Note: If you want to be able to quickly link ESLs to products, you will also need an OPH1004, H13
or OPL9728 barcode terminal kit that includes:
•A communication cradle
•An RS232 and/or USB cable.
•A 6V Power supply
To install and run the software you will also need a PC running Windows 7 or Windows XP (with
server pack 3) as server.
3.1.1 Installing Elements of the ESL Kit Software
Make sure you have administrative rights before installing the software. Run the SDK installer by
starting the setup.exe file.
If your PC doesnʼt have .NET Framework 3.5 (or higher) installed, the installer will automatically
install it on your system, since the ESL Server application requires it to run.
Select the components that you wish to install. If you havenʼt installed Appload or the Opticon
USB drivers on your PC before, make sure you install those components as well.
The XTAdminXXL tool is a 3rd party tool from AK-NORD that allows you to discover your base
stations on an Ethernet network and configure the Ethernet settings of base stations. (See
section 5.6).