Remotely-alterable radio-frequency (RF) powered electronic display label employing an electronic ink layer integrated within a stacked-layer architecture

• US 20090014528A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gelbman, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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

A remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label employing an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The display label includes an integrated circuit layer having a storage element for storing instructions, programs and data, and a programmed processor in electrical communication with the addressable display assembly and a data antenna layer. A signal transmitting layer transmits signals from the data antenna layer to a remote activator module. A signal receiving layer receives electromagnetic signals from the remote activator module, using the data antenna layer. A power antenna layer, operably connected to a power converter, supplies electrical power the integrated circuit layer, for converting received RF-power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for solely powering the programmed processor to process instructions and data to determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by the addressable display assembly and activate the addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia. The data antenna layer, power antenna layer, integrated circuit layer, signal transmitting layer, and signal receiving layer are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of the addressable display assembly so as to form the remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label having a stacked-layer construction.

Claims

1. A remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label for displaying graphical indicia, comprising:

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;

a data antenna layer for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;

an integrated circuit layer having (i) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (ii) a programmed processor in electrical communication with said addressable display assembly and said data antenna layer, and using said programs to process said instructions and data for (i) determining the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly at any moment in time, (ii) controlling and coordinating operation of said addressable display assembly, and (iii) generating output signals for instructing said addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia;

a signal transmitting layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit layer and said data antenna layer, for transmitting signals from said data antenna layer, to at least one remote activator module;

a signal receiving layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said data antenna layer, for receiving electromagnetic signals from said remote activator module, using said data antenna layer;

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;

a power antenna layer for receiving radio-frequency (RF) power signals generated by said remote activator module;

a power converter, supported on said integrated circuit layer, and operably connected to said power antenna layer, for converting said received RF-power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for powering said integrated circuit layer, including said programmed processor, to process instructions and data to determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly and activate said addressable display assembly to display said determined graphical indicia;

wherein said integrated circuit layer is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from said remote activator module by said data antenna layer and said signal receiving layer;

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 data antenna layer, said power antenna layer, said integrated circuit layer, said signal transmitting layer, and said signal receiving layer are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of said addressable display assembly so as to form said remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label having a stacked-layer construction.

2. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said remote activator receives electromagnetic signals from said data antenna layer, carrying a variety of information, including the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said electronic-ink based display label.

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

4. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, which 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 remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said activation layer comprises an electronic activation matrix 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 remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 5, wherein said programmed processor controls each pixel location in said activation matrix layer to form human and/or machine readable graphical indicia within said layer of electronic ink.

7. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said activation layer has patterns designed to provide sufficient power at selected pixel locations to form said graphical indicia.

8. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 7, wherein the said patterns include shapes selected from the group consisting of quadrilateral shape matrices, intersecting arcs, and linear and non-linear patterns.

9. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 5, wherein said electronic ink comprises an arrangement of microcapsules disposed between said transparent electrode layer and said activation matrix 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.

10. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 9, wherein said fluid comprises a dielectric or emulsion fluid.

11. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 9, wherein a potential difference produced across said activation matrix layer and said transparent electrode layer causes particles within the microcapsules of said layer of electronic ink, to migrate towards one of said electrodes, thereby changing the color of said microcapsules, and thus the pixel location, as viewed by an individual.

12. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 9, wherein said microcapsules can be filled with electrically-charged white colored particles suspended in a black or colored dye.

13. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 2, wherein said graphical indicia is displayed on the surface of said addressable display assembly, in human and/or machine readable form.

14. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein the remote transceiver module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, a data antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, and power antenna for transmitting RF-power signals.

15. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 14, wherein said receiver and said transmitter in said remote transceiver module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic signals.

16. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 21, wherein said remote transceiver 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 electronic-ink based display label.

17. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said transmitting antenna structure transmits an electromagnetic signal from said addressable display assembly to said activator module, wherein said transmitted electromagnetic signal carries information or data associated with the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly, the status or operating condition of said electronic-ink based display label, or any other information suitable for use by said activator module.

18. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor communicates with said storage element in order to store data associated with computer 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.

19. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label 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.

20. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor and said storage element co-operate to retrieve data stored in said storage element, corresponding to the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly.

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

22. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor processes instructions received by said activator module, to generate output signals to activate said addressable display label to display said graphical indicia based on processed instructions.

23. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said programmed processor controls and coordinates said addressable display label, while processing or passing along instructions received from said activator module or stored in said storage element.

24. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 13, wherein the graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly is textual and/or graphic information.

25. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, wherein said transmitted and received electromagnetic signals are radio frequency-(RF) based electromagnetic signals transmitted and received between said remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label and said remote activator module.

26. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label of claim 1, in combination with said remote activator module, to provide a remotely-controllable electronic-ink based display system.