Question 1

Does the HPC168 bus passenger counter device support HTTP POST to a custom URL to send count data in real time？What is the data format sent - JSON or hexadecimal string?

Accepted Answer

The HPC168's RJ45 interface uses the HTTP POST method for uploading and retrieving data. The server response must specify UTF-8 encoding and disable the Accept-Charset response header. All POST field values are hexadecimal strings of the actual data.

Please refer to HPC168 protocol document for details, which contains complete parameter introductions and practical transmission examples for your integration testing.

Question 2

Can your technical team help us set up the ESL software and AP base station remotely by AnyDesk?

Accepted Answer

Sure, our technical team is able to assist with remote setup for both ESL management software and AP base stations via AnyDesk.

We will guide your on-site operators step by step during the remote session to finish configuration efficiently.

All routine debugging and basic troubleshooting can also be completed remotely through this tool.

Question 3

Can the HPC168 bus passenger counter communicate with the customer's multimedia devices?

Accepted Answer

HPC168 bus passenger counter is a counting device, not a video‑recording device. The HPC168 passenger counter device itself performs image analysis and processing, and outputs passenger boarding and alighting data. This data can be integrated via the RS485 or HTTP protocols we provide.

Question 4

Can the software allow us to manually upload JPG/PNG poster images and assign different posters to different ESL tag screens or groups? We do not need POS/ERP integration at this stage.

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, our software supports this operation perfectly. It comes with built-in template tools enabling you to manually import JPG and PNG poster files.

You can freely allocate distinct uploaded pictures to separate individual ESL tags or customized tag groups as needed.

As you don’t require POS or ERP system linkage for now, you can skip relevant integration settings entirely and focus on independent image editing and screen layout customization for your price labels.

Question 5

Does the infrared people counter require good lighting conditions to work properly? Will dim or low‑light environments affect its counting accuracy?

Accepted Answer

The infrared people counter can work normally without ambient lighting. However, light sources such as sunlight and spotlights contain infrared components, which may interfere with counting accuracy. Turning off the lights only eliminates interference from indoor lamps, while sunlight causes particularly obvious interference.

Question 6

Does the ESL electronic shelf labeling system work directly via Bluetooth from a mobile phone, or is a gateway / base station required?

Accepted Answer

Our ESL tags cannot run independently via direct Bluetooth connection from mobile phones, and a dedicated base station gateway is mandatory for full system operation.

All electronic shelf labels rely on the base station to receive data and synchronize display content from the management software. Without the supporting gateway, standalone price tags fail to receive update commands or function normally. This dedicated gateway design also stabilizes wireless communication across the whole supermarket environment.

Question 7

Can a SIM card be inserted into the sensor of the HPC168 bus passenger counter?

Accepted Answer

The HPC168 passenger counter unit itself does not support SIM‑card functionality. It can connect to an external GPRS module via the RS485 protocol for network connectivity.

Question 8

Can we order extra backup items together with the ESL price tag sample or future order?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely you can arrange extra backup items alongside your sample order or any subsequent formal bulk purchase of ESL price tags.

Please feel free to list required backup parts when confirming your order details. We will combine these spare goods into the same shipment to save extra delivery fees and streamline your receiving process efficiently.

Question 9

Why is there a deviation between the data output by HPC015S Wi-Fi infrared counter and the actual on-site passenger flow during operation?

Accepted Answer

A certain margin of error in passenger counting data from infrared counters is inevitable. Since the device continuously accumulates statistical data, all minor errors will pile up over time. The longer the running duration, the larger the total accumulated error value, and the inaccuracy becomes especially prominent when calculating dwell number of people. Most customers primarily rely on this equipment for comparative trend analysis of passenger flow across identical periods.

If you require precise headcount statistics for people lingering within a designated area, we recommend switching to an AI people counter. AI people counter device identifies actual human figures within the target monitoring zone directly, delivering the highest counting accuracy.

Question 10

What is the max recommended ESL price tags per gateway?

Accepted Answer

There is no fixed upper limit on how many ESL labels a single gateway can manage, provided all tags fall within its effective signal coverage.

Each gateway (AP base station) delivers coverage across a circular area with a 20-meter radius. We normally suggest mounting the device on ceilings to avoid signal blockages from shelves, goods and wall structures. Proper high placement helps stabilize wireless transmission and lets the gateway connect with more in-store price tags reliably.

Question 11

What is the service life of the battery equipped with HPC015S WiFi infrared people counter?

Accepted Answer

HPC015S WiFi infrared people counter is equipped with the standard 2400mAh rechargeable battery. When the device works 12 hours per day and uploads data once every 10 minutes, the battery can theoretically last for 5 to 6 months. In addition, this device is compatible with USB power supply.

Question 12

Can we update ESL price tags screens remotely from outside the supermarket? Or must we be connected to the same local network as the base station?

Accepted Answer

You can remotely update ESL digital price tags away from the supermarket by hosting our software on a cloud server and linking all on-site base stations to the internet.

For in-store local updates instead, install our software on an on-premise PC; the PC simply needs to share the same LAN with connected base stations to finish all screen updates directly.

Question 13

Does infrared people counter require sufficient lighting to operate properly? Will dim or low-light conditions reduce its counting accuracy?

Accepted Answer

Infrared people counters can work normally without external lighting. Dim or low-light conditions will not reduce its counting accuracy.

However, sunlight, spotlights and other light sources contain infrared rays, which are likely to interfere with the device and cause counting errors. Turning off indoor lights only eliminates interference from indoor light sources, while interference from outdoor sunlight has a much more obvious impact.

Question 14

Is the USD 888 software license is a one-time payment for permanent use on one server? Are there any monthly or yearly subscription fees for your ESL management software?

Accepted Answer

Our software is charged based on single activation for one server only. Once you complete the one-off payment of USD 888 and finish server activation, you gain permanent usage rights without recurring costs.

No monthly or annual subscription charges will apply afterward. All core built-in functions stay available long-term, and you won’t receive regular billing notices for ongoing software service or license maintenance.

Question 15

How does the software for HPC008 people counting camera operate and allocate devices?

Accepted Answer

The matching management software for our HPC008 people counting camera is permanently free of charge. It supports two deployment modes: local deployment for on-site device management, or cloud server deployment to centrally control all distributed devices.

After you add devices on our software, you may set a custom name for each unit, and every device will be assigned an exclusive unique data ID automatically.

For system integration access, two options are available:

1. Direct connection with hardware devices: We will supply complete underlying communication protocols for your development.

2. Connection via our management software: Open standard API interfaces are built into the software for seamless third-party docking.

Question 16

Does the base station need to be plugged into an electrical outlet or is it powered via PoE (Power over Ethernet)?

Accepted Answer

Our base stations run on power supplied by PoE adapters instead of direct wall outlet connection.

We supply matching PoE adapters and corresponding power cables together with the base station.

This powering solution makes field wiring straightforward and convenient for supermarket installation.

Question 17

How to integrate the HPC168 bus passenger counter with your system?

Accepted Answer

Our HPC168 bus passenger counter supports two communication protocols for integration.
1. When the bus has on-board network access, you can connect via RJ45 interface using HTTP protocol (TCP connection).
2. If no network is available, the passenger counter device needs to connect a GPRS module via RS485 interface using RS485 protocol. The RS485 protocol requires the server to actively query, and the queried data is the total number. When reading, the current time is directly recorded. For example, at 10:00, a read shows 10 people entering and 10 people exiting; at 10:05, a read shows 15 people entering and 15 people exiting. This is the data for those 5 minutes: 5 people entering and 5 people exiting. The maximum total number that the device can store in RS485 mode is 999,999. Please refer to the details of our two protocols for further information.

Question 18

Is the ESL management software interface available in English?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our ESL software supports multiple preset languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, German, Spanish, Korean, Ukrainian, Russian, French, Italian, Polish, Czech, Portuguese, Hindi, Persian and Hebrew.

Custom language packs can also be developed per your specific demands if you need extra local languages.

Question 19

What operations need to be completed after powering on the HPC168 bus passenger counting system?

Accepted Answer

After power supply connection, just connect the HPC168 passener counter device to a PC and log into the device's web backend for configuration. We recommend mounting the HPC168 bus passener counter at 2.1 meters height for testing.

HPC168 bus passenger counter supports DC 12V to 24V input. Turn off your PC's Wi-Fi and set its wired IP to the 192.168.1.xxx subnet. Connect the passenger counter device to your PC via an Ethernet cable, then open the backend at http://192.168.1.253:8191 on a browser to set the parameters.

If using a router, ensure it uses the 192.168.1.x subnet; reconfigure its network segment if not. You may also skip the router and connect the passenger counter directly to your PC with a matching static IP.

Question 20

Does remote price update require static IP, port forwarding, or special router settings in the supermarket?

Accepted Answer

The base stations deployed in supermarkets work fine with regular internet access and need no custom network tweaks.

Only the server side requires a public IP address, and most clients opt for cloud servers for remote price update.

Question 21

How do I power up the HPC168 bus passenger flow counter after I receive the unit?

Accepted Answer

The terminals labeled V+ and V- on the device are the power connection ports, which support a DC input range of 12V to 24V. Simply connect the positive power wire to V+ and the negative wire to V- correctly. Once wired properly and supplied with compatible DC power, the counter will start operating right away.

Question 22

For remote management of ESL digital price tags, what are the server requirements for our own cloud server?

Accepted Answer

For self-owned cloud servers used in remote management of the ESL Server, fixed static IPv4 addressing is mandatory. A recommended network bandwidth of 100Mbps is needed, with fees calculated based on actual data consumption. In terms of hardware, equip at least 4-core CPU, 8GB RAM (16GB preferred) and 100GB disk space under CentOS7.5 or 7.6 Linux systems.

Question 23

What is EAS?

Accepted Answer

Electronic Article Surveillance is a system that protects merchandise from theft. An EAS system has three components:
1) Labels and hard tags-electronic sensors that are attached to merchandise by pins or lanyards;
2) Deactivators and detachers-used at the point of sale to electronically deactivate labels and detach reusable hard tags as items are purchased;
3) Detectors that create a surveillance zone at exits or checkout aisles.
The EAS process begins by attaching labels or hard tags to merchandise. When an item is purchased, the label is deactivated or the hard tag is removed. However, if merchandise with an active label or hard tag is carried past the detector, an alarm sounds.
Over 800,000 EAS systems are installed worldwide, primarily in the retail market. This includes Apparel, Drug, Discount, Home Centers, Hypermarkets, Food, Entertainment, and Specialty stores.

Question 24

How EAS Systems Work?

Accepted Answer

EAS systems operate from a simple principle regardless of the manufacturer or the specific type of technology used: a transmitter sends a signal at defined frequencies to a receiver. This creates a surveillance area, usually at a checkout aisle or an exit in the case of retail stores. Upon entering the area, a tag or label with special characteristics creates a disturbance, which is detected by the receiver. The exact means by which the tag or label disrupts the signal is a distinctive part of different EAS systems. For example, tags or labels may alter the signal by using a simple semi-conductor junction (the basic building block of an integrated circuit), a tuned circuit composed of an inductor and capacitor, soft magnetic strips or wires, or vibrating resonators.

By design the disturbed signal created by the tag and detected by the receiver is distinctive and not likely to be created by natural circumstances. The tag is the key element, for it must create a unique signal to avoid false alarms. The disturbance in the electronic environment caused by a tag or label creates an alarm condition that usually indicate someone is shoplifting or removing a protected item from the area.

The nature of the technology dictates how wide the exit/entrance aisle may be. Systems are available that cover from a narrow aisle up to a wide mall store opening. Similarly, the type of technology affects the ease of shielding (blocking or detuning the signal), the visibility and size of the tag, the rate of false alarms, the percentage of detection rate (pick rate), and cost.The physics of a particular EAS tag and resultant EAS technology determines which frequency range is used to create the surveillance area. EAS systems range from very low frequencies through the radio frequency range. Similarly, these different frequencies play a key role in establishing the features that affect operation.

Question 25

How Acousto-Magnetic Technology Works?

Accepted Answer

Acousto-magnetic EAS systems use a transmitter to create a surveillance area where tags and labels are detected. The transmitter sends a radio frequency signal at a frequency of 58 kHz (thousands of cycles per second), but the frequency is sent in pulses. The transmit signal energizes a tag in the surveillance zone. When the transmit signal pulse ends, the tag responds, emitting a single frequency signal like a tuning fork.

The tag signal is at about the same frequency as the transmitter signal.While the transmitter is off between pulses, the tag signal is detected by a receiver. A microcomputer checks the tag signal detected by the receiver to ensure it is at the right frequency, occurs in time synchronized to the transmitter, at the proper level, and at the correct repetition rate. If the criteria is met, an alarm occurs.

Question 26

How Electromagnetic Technology Works?

Accepted Answer

The electromagnetic EAS system creates a low frequency electromagnetic field (fundamental frequencies between 70 Hz and 1 kHz are typically used) between two pedestals at an exit or checkout aisle. The field continuously varies in strength and polarity, repeating a cycle from positive to negative and back to positive again. With each half cycle, the polarity of the magnetic field between the pedestals changes.
In response to the changing magnetic field created by the transmitter, the magnetic field domain of the tag material abruptly "switches" as the field strength varies past a particular point, whether positive or negative, during each half of the transmit cycle. This abrupt change in the magnetic state of tag material generates a momentary signal that is rich in harmonics (multiples) of the fundamental frequency. Using electronic signal processing techniques, the system identifies that the harmonics are at the right frequencies and levels, and that they occur at the proper time in relation to the transmitter signal. If the criteria are met an alarm occurs.

Question 27

How Swept-RF Works?

Accepted Answer

ALike other EAS technologies, swept-rf uses a transmitter to create a surveillance area where tags and labels are detected. The transmitter sends a signal that varies between 7.4 and 8.8 MHz (millions of cycles per second), which is why it is called swept; it sweeps over a range of frequencies.
The transmitter signal energizes the swept-rf tag or label, which is composed of a circuit containing a capacitor and an inductor or coil, both of which store electrical energy. When connected together in a loop, the components can pass energy back and forth or "resonate." The frequency at which the circuit resonates is controlled by matching the storage capacity of the coil and capacitor. The tag responds by emitting a signal that is detected by a receiver.In addition to the small tag signal, the receiver also responds to the much larger transmitter signal. By detecting a phase difference between these two signals, and other properties of the tag signal, the receiver recognizes the presence of a tag and generates an alarm.

Question 28

Can the HA169 base station work normally if we connect it to the internet through a 4G/5G router with a SIM card and Ethernet LAN output?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the HA169 base station can run smoothly when linked to the internet via a 4G or 5G SIM-based router with wired LAN output. It also works well with wired connections converted from WiFi repeaters. The core requirement remains stable network connectivity; as long as consistent internet access is secured, the base station functions as intended without extra configuration adjustments.