Electronic menu display system employing a plurality of portable menus, each including an electronic-ink display label for displaying information updated by one or more activator modules within the restaurant

• US 20090026273A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• 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 7,748,626 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

An electronic menu display system for use in a restaurant, including a plurality of portable menus. Each portable menu includes an electronic-ink display label for displaying graphical indicia on the electronic-ink display label. One or more activation modules are located within the restaurant, for providing instructions employed in the determination of graphic indicia to be displayed on the electronic-ink display labels of said portable menus. The electronic-ink display label employs an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The electronic-ink display label 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 receiving structure receives electromagnetic signals from the activation module, using the antenna structure. The electronic-ink display label displays graphical indicia representing information relating to the restaurant and/or food and/or beverages being served therein.

Claims

1. An electronic menu display system for use in a restaurant, comprising:

(A) a plurality of portable menus, wherein each said portable menu includes an electronic-ink display label for displaying graphical indicia on said electronic-ink display label and being representative of information relating to said restaurant and/or food and/or beverages being served therein; and

(B) one or more activation modules located within said restaurant, for providing instructions employed in the determination of graphic indicia to be displayed on the electronic-ink display labels of said portable menus;

wherein said activation module transmitting electromagnetic data signals to said electronic-ink display labels;

wherein each said electronic-ink display label includes;

(1) 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;

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

(3) an integrated circuit structure 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 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; and

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

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

wherein said integrated circuit structure is responsive to electromagnetic data signals received from said activation module, by said at least one antenna structure and said signal receiving structure; and

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

2. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure also receives electromagnetic power signals transmitted by said activation module;

and wherein said electronic-ink display label further comprises a power converter, operably connected to said at least one antenna structure, for converting said received electromagnetic power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for powering said integrated circuit structure, including said programmed processor, to process instructions and data to (i) determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly and (ii) activate said addressable display assembly to display said determined graphical indicia.

3. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink display label further comprises an electrical power source for supplying electrical power to said integrated circuit structure.

4. The electronic menu display system of claim 3, wherein said electrical power source is an electrical battery structure.

5. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure, said integrated circuit structure, and said signal receiving structure are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of said addressable display assembly so as to form said electronic-ink based display label having a stacked construction.

6. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said activation module receives electromagnetic data signals from said at least one antenna structure of said electronic-ink display label, carrying information, including the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said electronic-ink display label.

7. The electronic menu display 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 data signals from said at least one antenna structure, to said activation module.

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

9. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said signal transmitting structure and said signal receiving structure are realized as a signal transceiving structure.

10. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink display label 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.

11. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein 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.

12. The electronic menu display system of claim 11, wherein 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.

13. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, 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 electro-phoretic composition of a fluid, such as a dielectric or emulsion fluid, and a suspension of colored or charged particles or colloidal material.

14. The electronic menu display system of claim 13, wherein said fluid comprises a dielectric fluid.

15. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein each said activation module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna device.

16. The electronic menu display system of claim 15, wherein said receiver and said transmitter in said activation module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic data signals.

17. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said 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 electronic-ink display label.

18. The electronic menu display 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.

19. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said storage element further stores menu identification information for uniquely identifying each said portable menu among said plurality of portable menus.

20. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink display label is integrally formed as part of said portable menu.

21. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said graphical indicia displays information associated with said restaurant, such as food type and price.

22. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink label occupies either a selected portion of said portable menu or the entire portion of said portable menu.

23. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said graphical indicia includes graphics associated with said restaurant.

24. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said activation module is mounted in said restaurant, or held by the hand of a waiter or other employee.

25. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein at least one said activation module is mounted near or by a cash register or hostess table.

26. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein several portable menus are update simultaneously by said one or more activation modules.

27. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicia displayed on each said portable menu is updated when said portable menu is located on tables, or in the hand of customers.

28. The electronic menu display system of claim 1, wherein said graphics indicia on said portable menus is updated to inform customers of one or more of the following events:

changes in item prices, when the kitchen runs out of an item or has to make a substitution;

changes in food offerings;

changes in ingredients of food offerings;

options for preparing food offerings, special of the day;

price changes; and

changes in market prices of menu items, menu identification number, restaurant name, type of meal (e.g., lunch, dinner, ala carte, etc.), item price, portion size, unit price, market price, soup or vegetable of the day, server'"'"'s name, manager'"'"'s name, color, shades, promotion logos, promotional symbols, customer name, restaurant club membership designator, and personal customized message.