Data communication systems, identification tags and methods fo notifying an elapsed time period

• US 20050127174A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hoshina, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,086,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A data communication system is provided comprising: a reader/writer device; and an identification tag that is capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, wherein: the reader/writer device has a first data communication section that is capable of data communications with the identification tag; the identification tag has a second data communication section that is capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, and a display section that is capable of displaying based on data received by the second data communication section, and the display section is capable of retaining a display content for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied; and a display retaining period of the display section is variable.

Claims

1. A data communication system comprising:

a reader/writer device; and

an identification tag that is capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, wherein;

the reader/writer device has a first data communication section that is capable of data communications with the identification tag;

the identification tag has a second data communication section that is capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, and a display section that is capable of displaying based on data received by the second data communication section, and the display section is capable of retaining a display content for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied; and

a display retaining period of the display section is variable.

2. A data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the identification tag has a control section that controls the second data communication section and the display section.

3. A data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control section of the identification tag has an application time variable section that is capable of changing a time duration to apply a drive voltage to the display section based on data received from the reader/writer device by the second data communication section.

4. A data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control section of the identification tag has an application voltage variable section that is capable of changing the drive voltage to be applied to the display section based on data received from the reader/writer device by the second data communication section.

6. A data communication system according to claim 2, wherein

the first data communication section and the second data communication section are capable of contactless data communications;

the reader/writer device has an electromagnetic wave transmission section for electric power supply that transmits electromagnetic waves for electric power supply to the identification tags at the time of data communications by the first data communication section; and

the identification tag has an electric power generation section that generates electric power from the electromagnetic waves for electric power supply transmitted from the reader/writer device.

7. A data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the reader/writer device has an application time variable section that is capable of changing a time duration to apply the drive voltage to the display section.

8. A data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the reader/writer device has an application voltage variable section that is capable of changing the drive voltage to be applied to the display section.

5. A data communication system comprising:

a reader/writer device; and

a plurality of identification tags that are capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, wherein;

the reader/writer device has a first data communication section that is capable of data communications with the identification tags;

each of the identification tags has a second data communication section that is capable of data communications with the reader/writer device, and a display section that is capable of performing a display based on data received by the second data communication section, and the display section is capable of retaining a display content for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied; and

the plurality of identification tags comprise identification tags with at least two kinds of display retaining periods when a drive voltage is applied to the display section under identical conditions.

9. An identification tag comprising:

a second data communication section that is capable of data communications with a reader/writer device;

a display section that is capable of displaying based on data received by the second data communication section, and retaining a display content for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied; and

a control section that controls the second data communication section and the display section;

wherein the control section is capable of varying a display retaining period of the display section.

10. An identification tag according to claim 9, wherein the control section has an application time variable section that is capable of changing a time duration to apply the drive voltage to the display section based on data received from the reader/writer device by the second data communication section.

11. An identification tag according to claim 9, wherein the control section has an application voltage variable section that is capable of changing the drive voltage to be applied to the display section based on data received from the reader/writer device by the second data communication section.

12. An identification tag according to claim 9, wherein the second data communication section is capable of contactless data communications with the reader/writer device, and has an electric power generation section that generates electric power from electromagnetic waves for electric power supply received from the reader/writer device.

13. A method for notifying an elapsed time period, comprising:

notifying an elapsed time period based on a change in a display state of a display device that is capable of retaining a display for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied.

14. A method for notifying an elapsed time period, comprising:

attaching an identification tag to an item, the identification tag having a display section that is capable of retaining a display for a predetermined period of time in a state in which no drive voltage is applied, and notifying an expiration time of the item according to a change in a display state of the display section.