Electronic-ink based display tagging system employing a plurality of programmable electronic-ink display tags having a stacked architecture, and portable tag activation module for programming the same

• US 20080297442A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gelbman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/154,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297442A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167

Abstract

An electronic-ink based display tagging system including a plurality of programmable electronic-ink display tags, and a portable tag activation module for programming display indicia to be displayed on each electronic-ink display tag. Each electronic-ink display tag includes an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. Each electronic-ink display tag also includes an integrated circuit structure having a storage element for storing instructions, programs and data, and a programmed processor in electrical communication with the addressable display assembly and an antenna structure. A signal transmitting structure transmits signals from the antenna structure to the portable tag activation module module. A signal receiving structure receives electromagnetic signals from the portable tag activation module module, using the antenna structure. An on-board battery power structure, operably connected to the integrated circuit structure, supplies electrical power the integrated circuit structure, which is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from the portable tag activation module module by the antenna structure and the signal receiving structure. The addressable display assembly is responsive to output signals generated by the programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia. The antenna structure, integrated circuit structure, signal transmitting structure, signal receiving structure, on-board battery power structure are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of the addressable display assembly so as to form the electronic-ink based display tag having a stacked construction.

Claims

1. An electronic-ink based display tagging system, comprising:

(A) a plurality of programmable electronic-ink display tags; and

(B) a portable tag activation module for programming display indicia to be displayed on each said programmable electronic-ink display tag;

wherein each said programmable electronic-ink display tag is securable to an item, a location, or other suitable support structure, by way of a securing mechanism, and wherein said programmable electronic-ink display tag further includes;

an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material disposed between an activation layer and a transparent electrode layer located above said layer of electronic ink, for activating said layer of electronic ink at particular locations to display graphical indicia on the surface of said addressable display assembly, wherein said layer of electronic ink does not require electrical power to maintain the display of said graphical indicia;

an antenna structure for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;

an integrated circuit structure, operably connected to said antenna structure and said addressable display assembly, and supporting (i) an on-board battery power component for supplying electrical power to components in said electronic-ink based display tagging system, (ii) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (iii) a programmed processor in electrical communication with said addressable display assembly and said antenna structure, and using said programs to process said instructions and data for (a) determining the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly at any moment in time, (b) controlling and coordinating operation of said addressable display assembly, and (c) generating output signals for instructing said addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia;

a signal transmitting structure, supported on and operably connected to said antenna structure and said integrated circuit layer, for transmitting electromagnetic signals from said antenna structure, to said portable tag activation module;

a signal receiving structure, supported on and operably connected to said antenna structure and said integrated circuit layer, for receiving electromagnetic signals from said portable tag activation module, using said antenna structure;

wherein said received electromagnetic signals carry information corresponding to said programs, said instructions, said data or said graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;

an on-board battery power structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure, for supplying electrical power to said integrated circuit structure;

wherein said integrated circuit structure on is responsive to electromagnetic data signals received from said portable tag activation module, by said antenna structure and said signal receiving structure;

wherein said addressable display assembly is responsive to said output signals generated by said programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia; and

wherein said antenna structure and said integrated circuit structure and said on-board battery power structure are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of said addressable display assembly so as to form said programmable electronic-ink display tag having a stacked construction.

2. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein each said portable tag activation module receives electromagnetic data signals from said antenna structure, carrying a programmable electronic-ink display tag.

3. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said signal transmitting structure and said signal receiving structure are realized as a signal transceiving structure.

4. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said addressable display assembly further comprises a protection layer disposed over said layer of electronic ink in order to prevent said addressable display assembly from inadvertent physical trauma and/or environmental damage.

5. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said activation layer comprises an electronic activation grid layer, disposed on a support structure, to form a plurality of addressable pixel locations, wherein each said addressable pixel location is addressable by said programmed processor.

6. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 5, wherein said programmed processor controls each pixel location in said activation grid layer to form human and/or machine readable graphical indicia within said layer of electronic ink.

7. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 5, wherein said electronic ink comprises an arrangement of microcapsules disposed between said transparent electrode layer and said activation layer, and wherein each said microcapsule has disposed therein an electrophoretic composition of a fluid, and a suspension of colored or charged particles or colloidal material.

8. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said fluid comprises a dielectric or emulsion fluid.

9. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 7, wherein said microcapsules filled with electrically-charged white colored particles suspended in a black or colored dye.

10. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said graphical indicia is displayed on the surface of said addressable display assembly, in human and/or machine readable form.

11. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said portable tag activation module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna device.

12. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said receiver and said transmitter in said portable tag activation module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic signals.

13. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said portable tag activation module is configured to transmit or receive, by way of electromagnetic signal transmission, commands, instructions, software programs, and parameters or variables associated with either (i) pixel address locations of said addressable display assembly, (ii) the graphical indicia displayed on the surface of said addressable display assembly, or (iii) instructions for subsequent use by said programmable electronic-ink display tag.

14. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said transmitting antenna structure transmits electromagnetic signals from said addressable display assembly to said portable tag activation module, wherein said transmitted electromagnetic signal carries information or data associated with the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly, or the status or operating condition of said programmable electronic-ink display tag.

15. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor communicates with said storage element in order to store data associated with programs, instructions or stored pixel addresses in said storage element, and access selected data therefrom for use in determining the particular graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly.

16. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said storage element comprises a volatile or non-volatile memory element, or combinations thereof, such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM.

17. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor executes one or more preprogrammed sequences stored locally within said storage element, for determining which graphical indicia is displayed by said addressable display element, for generating output signals to activate said addressable display device to display said graphical indicia based on said executed preprogrammed sequences.

18. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor processes instructions received from said portable tag activation module module, to generate output signals to activate said addressable display device to display said graphical indicia based on processed instructions.

19. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 5, wherein the graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly is textual and/or graphic information.

20. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein said transmitted and received electromagnetic signals are radio frequency (RF) based electromagnetic signals transmitted and received between said programmable electronic-ink display tag and said portable tag activation module module.

21. The electronic-ink based display tagging system of claim 1, wherein each said programmable electronic-ink display tag is of the tag type selected from the group including:

a shelf-type programmable electronic-ink display tag, a hang-type programmable electronic-ink display tag, and an anti-theft-type programmable electronic-ink display tag used in connection with an electronic tag-based surveillance system.