METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR RFID DRIVEN BI-STABLE DISPLAY ELEMENT

• US 20130106805A1
• Filed: 11/01/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James
• Granted Patent: US 10,545,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels

Abstract

A RFID device configured to drive a display element. The RFID device may have a reader capable of sending and receiving radio frequency signals and a RFID tag in communication with the RFID reader. The RFID tag may have an antenna, a chip having a radio frequency detector, a backscatter modulator, a logic block and a multiplexer. The RFID device may also have a display in communication with the multiplexer of the chip.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system configured to drive a display element, the RFID system comprising:

an RFID reader capable of sending and receiving radio frequency signals;

an RFID tag in communication with the RFID reader, said RFID tag comprising;

an antenna;

a chip having a radio frequency detector, a backscatter modulator,

a logic block and a multiplexer; and

a display device in communication with the multiplexer of the chip.

2. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the display device further comprises a bi-stable display.

3. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further comprises a passive RFID tag.

4. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the RFID reader is one of a handheld or portable reader device.

5. The RFID system of claim 4, wherein the handheld reader device further comprises a camera or other optical device.

6. The RFID system, of claim 1, wherein the display device further comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD).

7. The RFID system of claim 1, wherein the display device displays readable information, text, numbers, bar codes or other symbols.

8. A method for driving a display element, the method comprising:

establishing communication between an external reader and an RFID tag using a standard protocol, the RFID tag having an antenna, a chip and a display device in communication with the RFID chip;

transmitting at least one drive signal and waveform from the reader to the RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag is powered by the at least one drive signal and waveform transmitted by the RFID reader;

entering a pass through mode whereby the drive signal and waveform transmitted by the reader passes through a multiplexer of the RFID chip;

transmitting a signal from the multiplexer to the display as a direct function of the drive signal and waveform transmitted by the reader; and

displaying readable information on the display according to the signal transmitted from the multiplexer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

maintaining the display after communication between the reader and the RFID tag terminates.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a second signal from the reader; and

updating the display according to the second signal.

11. A RFID apparatus configured to drive a display element, comprising:

an antenna;

a chip having a radio frequency detector, a backscatter modulator, a logic block and a multiplexer; and

a display device in communication with the multiplexer of the RFID chip.