Remotely-alterable wireless electronic dislay device employing an electronic ink layer integrated within a stacked-layer architecture, including an activation grid matrix layer and transmitting and receiving antenna layers

• US 20090014529A1
• 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 7,762,461 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 device employing an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The device 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 an antenna structure. A signal transmitting layer transmits signals from the antenna structure to the remote activator module. A signal receiving layer receives electromagnetic signals from the remote activator module, using the antenna structure. An on-board battery power layer, operably connected to the integrated circuit layer, supplies electrical power the integrated circuit layer, which is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from the remote activator module by the antenna layer and the signal receiving layer. The addressable display assembly is responsive to output signals generated by the programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia. The antenna layer, integrated circuit layer, signal transmitting layer, signal receiving layer, on-board battery power 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 device having a stacked-layer construction.

Claims

1. A remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device for displaying graphical indicia in connection with an object, said remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device comprising:

an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material disposed between an activation grid matrix 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 transmitting antenna layer for transmitting, to a remote activation module, electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to graphical indicia being displayed by said addressable display assembly;

a receiving antenna layer for receiving, from said remote activation module, electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or selected 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 transmitting and receiving antenna layers, 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 structure and said transmitting antenna layer, for transmitting electromagnetic signals from said transmitting antenna layer, to said remote activator module;

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

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

wherein said integrated circuit layer is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from said remote activator module by said receiving 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 integrated circuit layer, said on-board battery power structure, said receiving antenna layer, said transmitting antenna 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 device having a stacked-layer construction.

2. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 1, wherein each said remote activator receives electromagnetic signals from said transmitting antenna layer, carrying a variety of information, including the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said electronic-ink based display device, as well as any other information suitable to be employed by said remote activator module.

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

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

8. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 7, wherein said fluid comprises a dielectric or emulsion fluid.

9. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 5, wherein said layer of electronic ink comprises rotatable balls rotatable to expose a different colored surface area, and migratable between a forward viewing position and/or a rear non-viewing position.

10. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 7, wherein said activation grid matrix layer and said transparent electrode layer produce a potential difference across said layer of electronic ink causing particles within the microcapsules to migrate towards one of said electrodes, thereby changing the color of said microcapsules, and thus the pixel location, as viewed by an individual.

11. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 10, wherein said microcapsules can be filled with electrically-charged white colored particles suspended in a black or colored dye.

12. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 1, wherein said remote activator module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna device.

13. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 12, wherein said receiver and said transmitter in said remote activator module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic signals.

14. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 1, wherein said remote activator 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 device.

15. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 1, wherein said transmitting antenna structure transmits an electromagnetic signal to said remote 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, or the status or operating condition of said electronic-ink based display device.

16. The electronic-ink based display device 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.

17. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device 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.

18. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device 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.

19. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device 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 device to display said graphical indicia based on said executed preprogrammed sequences.

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

21. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicia displayed by said addressable display assembly is textual and/or graphic information.

22. The remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device 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 device and said remote activator module.

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