Electronic admission pass system employing a plurality of updateable electronic-ink admission passes and one or more activator modules

• US 20090020605A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• 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 7,798,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 admission pass system for installation in a controlled environment in which a plurality of persons are permitted admission. The system includes at least one activator modules installed within the controlled environment, and a plurality of updateable electronic-ink labels issued to a plurality of individuals who may be admitted within the controlled environment. The activator module sends and transmits electromagnetic signals within the environment. Each electronic-ink pass employs an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The electronic-ink pass includes an integrated circuit structure having a storage element for storing instructions, programs and data, and a programmed processor in communication with storage element. A signal transmitting structure transmits signals from the antenna structure to the activator module. A signal receiving structure receives electromagnetic signals from the activator module, using the antenna structure. An on-board battery power structure, operably connected to the integrated circuit structure, supplies electrical power to the integrated circuit structure. The electronic-ink pass displays graphical indicia, representing information related to the occurrence of events within the controlled environment, and which is updated by the remote activator module installed within the controlled environment.

Claims

1. An electronic admission pass system for indicating the occurrence of events within a controlled environment, said electronic pass system comprising:

(A) at least one remote activator module installed within the space of said controlled environment, and in communication with and receiving instructions from, a system tracking the occurrence of events in said controlled environment;

wherein said activator module transmits electromagnetic signals within said controlled environment; and

(B) a plurality of updateable electronic-ink admission passes issued to a plurality of individuals who may be admitted within said controlled environment,

wherein each said updateable electronic-ink pass includes;

(B1) 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 so activating said layer of electronic ink at particular locations to display graphical indicia on the surface of said addressable display assembly,

wherein said graphical indicia represents information related to the occurrence of events within said controlled environment, and

wherein said layer of electronic ink does not require electrical power to maintain the display of said graphical indicia;

(B2) at least one antenna structure for receiving electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;

(B3) an integrated circuit structure having (i) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (ii) a programmed processor having access to said storage element, 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;

wherein identification information is stored in said storage element, and uniquely identifies said issued updateable electronic-ink pass;

(B4) a signal receiving structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said at least one antenna structure, for receiving electromagnetic signals from said activator module;

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; and

(B5) an on-board battery power structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure, for supplying electrical power to said integrated circuit structure;

wherein said addressable display assembly is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from said activator module by said at least one antenna structure and said signal receiving structure;

wherein said integrated circuit structure is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from said remote activator 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 at least one antenna structure, said integrated circuit structure, said signal receiving 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 updateable electronic-ink pass having a stacked construction.

2. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein each said activator module receives electromagnetic signals from at least one antenna structure of at least one said updateable electronic-ink pass, carrying a variety of information, including the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said electronic-ink pass, as well as any other information suitable to be employed by said activator module.

3. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, which further comprises a signal transmitting structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure, and wherein said at least one antenna structure, further transmits electromagnetic signals from said at least one antenna structure, to at least one activator module.

4. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure receives electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly.

5. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said signal transmitting structure and said signal receiving structure are realized as a signal transceiving structure.

6. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein each said updateable electronic-ink pass 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.

7. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said activation layer comprises an activation grid, 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.

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

9. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said activation layer has patterns designed to provide sufficient power at selected pixel locations to form said graphical indicia.

10. The electronic admission pass system of claim 7, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, the said patterns include shapes selected from the group consisting of quadrilateral shape matrices, intersecting arcs, and linear and non-linear patterns.

11. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, 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 electro-phoretic composition of a fluid, such as a dielectric or emulsion fluid, and a suspension of colored or charged particles or colloidal material.

12. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said fluid comprises a dielectric fluid.

13. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, a potential difference produced across said activation 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.

14. The electronic admission pass system of claim 11, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said microcapsules can be filled with electrically-charged white colored particles suspended in a black or colored dye.

15. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said electronic ink is configured as a single color, such as black, white or clear, or as a fluorescent, iridescent, bioluminescent, incandescent, ultraviolet, infrared, or other wavelength specific radiation absorbing or emitting material.

16. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein each said activator module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna device.

17. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said programmed processor, said receiver and said transmitter in said activator module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic signals.

18. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein each said 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 updateable electronic-ink pass.

19. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, said storage element comprises a volatile or non-volatile memory element, or combinations thereof, such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM.

20. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein, within each said updateable electronic-ink pass, 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.

21. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicia displayed by the said addressable display assembly of each said updateable electronic-ink pass, is textual and/or graphic information.

22. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signals transmitted and received between said updateable electronic-ink pass and said remote activator module are radio frequency (RF) based electromagnetic signals.

23. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein said occurrence of events is the number of times said updateable electronic-ink admission pass is used for admission within said controlled environment.

24. The electronic admission pass system of claim 1, wherein aid occurrence of events is the number of times said updateable electronic-ink admission pass communicate with said activator module in said controlled environment.