Abstract: A device is provided for mounting shelf labels on supermarket shelving with a C-channel. Metal shelving is shaped to define a slot extending below the shelf between the flat shelf and the front curved surface, the lower edge of which is shaped to form a return. A metal clip fits into the slot to form a second return opposite the first return. A rail with a bracket and slide engage the first and second returns for mounting shelf labels. Plastic shelf rails for mounting wireless electronic shelf labels are also provided. The lower groove of the rail is shaped to engage latches at the bottom of the electronic shelf label which can only be removed by using a special tool. Also provided is a shelf rail made by co-extruding flexible and rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials. The plastic shelf rails have a notch on the back to accommodate metal shelf brackets. To prevent the electronic shelf labels from sliding, they are held firmly in place by a gripping pad.

Abstract: An electronic price display system uses an RF communications channel between a central computer and a multiplicity of electronic price display labels. Each label is powered by a voltaic cell ("battery") such as a lithium cell. The receiver-on time, which in other RF-linked systems contributes heavily to the overall battery drain, here does not contribute appreciably to battery drain because a passive RF transceiver is used to receive and address-decode the address portion of received packets. Upon an address match, the passive RF transceiver generates an interrupt to the controller of the display label, and the interrupt prompts the controller to go to a higher-power-drain state to process the received data. If the received command requires a response, the controller of the label generates a response which is transmitted via RF from the label back to the central computer.