Electronic-ink signage device employing thermal packaging for outdoor weather applications

• US 20100177080A1
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Essinger, Steven, Schnee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/319,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177080A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A wireless electronic-ink based display device employing thermal packaging for cold outdoor-weather applications, comprising a power source module, a processor, a RF transceiver, and a power management module mounted on the first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) structure, while an addressable electronic-ink based display module is mounted on the second side of the PCB structure, and a thermal-insulation weather-sealed packaging is provided about the addressable electronic-ink based display structure and the PCB structure. To accommodate hot outdoor weather environments, a heat-dissipative thermal radiator is mounted to the first side of the PCB, and in thermal communication with the addressable electronic-ink based display structure and the PCB structure.

Claims

1. A wireless electronic-ink based signage device employing thermally-insulating packaging for cold outdoor-weather applications, comprising:

an addressable electronic-ink based display module including a layer of bi-stable display medium disposed between a backplane driving structure and an electrically-conductive optically-clear layer, and providing a display surface on which to display graphics;

a power source module including an electro-chemical battery;

a processor for controlling operations within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving RF data packet signals;

an RF antenna structure, an impedance matching structure interfacing said RF transceiver and said RF antenna structure;

a power management module for managing the power levels within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a printed circuit board (PCB) structure having first and second sides;

said power source module, said processor, said RF transceiver, and said power management module being mounted on the first side of said PCB structure;

said addressable electronic-ink based display module being mounted on the second side of said PCB structure; and

a thermal-insulation weather-sealed packaging provided about said addressable electronic-ink based display structure and said PCB structure.

2. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, wherein said layer of bi-stable display medium comprises a layer of electronic ink.

3. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, wherein said electro-chemical battery comprises a thin film of micro energy cells.

4. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, wherein said power source module further comprise a solar cell and associated power conversion circuitry.

5. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, wherein said addressable electronic-ink based display module further comprises a solar and/or glare filter layer disposed on said electrically-conductive optically-clear layer.

6. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, which further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature about said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, and automatically generating an alarm when the sensed ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold.

7. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 6, wherein said alarm is transmitted by wireless data packet communication to a remote device on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

8. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 6, wherein sensed ambient temperature measurements are transmitted to a database connected to a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

9. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, which further comprises a position locating module for determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to the predetermined position of wireless routers on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

10. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 1, which further comprises a GPS processing module for processing GPS signals transmitted from a GPS system, and determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to said GPS system.

11. A wireless electronic-ink based display device employing heat-dissipative packaging for hot outdoor-weather applications, comprising:

an addressable electronic-ink based display module including a layer of bi-stable display medium disposed between a backplane driving structure and an electrically-conductive optically-clear layer, and providing a display surface on which to display graphics;

a power source module including an electro-chemical battery;

a processor for controlling operations within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving RF data packet signals;

an RF antenna structure, an impedance matching structure interfacing said RF transceiver and said RF antenna structure;

a power management module for managing the power levels within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a printed circuit board (PCB) structure having first and second sides;

said power source module, said processor, said RF transceiver, and said power management module being mounted on the first side of said PCB structure;

said addressable electronic-ink based display module being mounted on the second side of said PCB structure; and

a heat-dissipative thermal radiator mounted to the first side of the PCB, and in thermal communication with said addressable electronic-ink based display structure and said PCB structure.

12. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, wherein said layer of bi-stable display medium comprises a layer of electronic ink.

13. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, wherein said heat-dissipative thermal radiator is a non-RF shielding heat-dissipative thermal radiator

14. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, wherein said electro-chemical battery comprises a thin film of micro energy cells.

15. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, wherein said power source module further comprise a solar cell and associated power conversion circuitry.

16. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, wherein said addressable electronic-ink based display module further comprises a solar and/or glare filter layer disposed on said electrically-conductive optically-clear layer.

17. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, which further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature about said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, and automatically generating an alarm when the sensed ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold.

18. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 17, wherein said alarm is transmitted by wireless data packet communication to a remote device on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

19. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 17, wherein sensed ambient temperature measurements are transmitted to a database connected to a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

20. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, which further comprises a position locating module for determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to the predetermined position of wireless routers on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

21. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 11, which further comprises a GPS processing module for processing GPS signals transmitted from a GPS system, and determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to said GPS system.

23. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 21, wherein said layer of bi-stable display medium comprises a layer of electronic ink.

24. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 21, wherein said heat-dissipative thermal radiator is a non-RF shielding heat-dissipative thermal radiator.

22. A wireless electronic-ink based display device employing thermal packaging for hot and cold outdoor-weather applications, comprising:

an addressable electronic-ink based display module including a layer of bi-stable display medium disposed between a backplane driving structure and an electrically-conductive optically-clear layer, and providing a display surface on which to display graphics;

a power source module including an electro-chemical battery;

a processor for controlling operations within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving RF data packet signals;

an RF antenna structure, an impedance matching structure interfacing said RF transceiver and said RF antenna structure;

a power management module for managing the power levels within said wireless electronic-ink display device;

a printed circuit board (PCB) structure having first and second sides;

said power source module, said processor, said RF transceiver, and said power management module being mounted on the first side of said PCB structure;

said addressable electronic-ink based display module being mounted on the second side of said PCB structure;

a thermal-insulation weather-sealed packaging provided about said addressable electronic-ink based display structure and said PCB structure; and

a heat-dissipative thermal radiator mounted to the first side of the PCB, and in thermal communication with said addressable electronic-ink based display structure and said PCB structure.

25. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, wherein said electro-chemical battery comprises a thin film of micro energy cells.

26. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, wherein said power source module further comprise a solar cell and associated power conversion circuitry.

27. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, wherein said addressable electronic-ink based display module further comprises a solar and/or glare filter layer disposed on said electrically-conductive optically-clear layer.

28. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, which further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature about said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, and automatically generating an alarm when the sensed ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold.

29. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 27, wherein said alarm is transmitted by wireless data packet communication to a remote device on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

30. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 28, wherein sensed ambient temperature measurements are transmitted to a database connected to a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

31. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, which further comprises a position locating module for determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to the predetermined position of wireless routers on a wireless communication network, to which said wireless electronic-ink based signage device is connected.

32. The wireless electronic-ink based signage device of claim 22, which further comprises a GPS processing module for processing GPS signals transmitted from a GPS system, and determining the position of said wireless electronic-ink based signage device, relative to said GPS system.