Home // International Journal On Advances in Networks and Services, volume 18, numbers 1 and 2, 2025 // View article

NNEPS: A Power-efficient e-Paper Signage System with Remote Content Updates

Authors:
Takafumi Akiba
Tsubasa Yumura

Keywords: digital signage, e-Paper, power saving

Abstract:
Digital signage is widely used in various fields, such as, public transportation, commercial facilities, and outdoor advertising. Some digital signage systems adopt low-power electronic paper displays, and among them, there are systems capable of updating content via a network. However, although electronic paper consumes power only when updating the display, the control PC remains constantly powered on to receive content updates in some cases, resulting in inefficient power consumption. To address this issue, we propose the Normally-off Network Electronic Paper Signage (NNEPS), which integrates an electronic paper display with a normally-off power control mechanism. Unlike conventional network-based e-paper signage, NNEPS minimizes standby power by turning off the control PC except during update operations. In this study, we developed two prototype versions: Ver.A, which employs a commercial smart plug for simple power control, and Ver.B, which implements a custom relay-based power control system using a microcontroller. Experimental results showed that NNEPS reduces standby power consumption by approximately 33% compared to conventional network-updatable electronic paper signage. Additionally, a field experiment was conducted in a university library, demonstrating that NNEPS maintains remote content update functionality while achieving energy-efficient operation. The proposed system offers both energy efficiency and remote content update functionality, contributing to sustainable digital signage applications.

Pages: 1 to 11

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2025. Used with permission.

Publication date: June 30, 2025

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2644