BI-STABLE DISPLAY TAG

• US 20150116296A1
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,396,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

In some embodiments an apparatus includes a display module and a bi-stable display. The bi-stable display is operatively coupled to the display module and is configured to display a first image at a first time. The display module is configured to be operatively coupled to a wireless module and configured to be wirelessly powered by an external wireless power supply. The display module is configured to receive, at a second time after the first time and in response to a wireless interaction with a wireless device, (1) power from the external wireless power supply and (2) a signal from the wireless module indicative of a second image different from the first image. The bi-stable display is configured to display, in response to a signal indicative of an instruction from the display module, the second image at a third time after the second time.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display module; and

a bi-stable display operatively coupled to the display module, the bi-stable display configured to display a first image at a first time;

the display module configured to be operatively coupled to a near-field communications (NFC) module and configured to be wirelessly powered by an external NFC power supply,

the display module configured to receive, at a second time after the first time and in response to a near-field interaction with an NFC device, (1) power from the external NFC power supply and (2) a signal from the NFC module indicative of a second image different from the first image,

the bi-stable display configured to display, in response to a signal indicative of an instruction from the display module, the second image at a third time after the second time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply operatively coupled to a power storage,

the power supply configured to begin supplying power to the bi-stable display from the power storage when the power storage voltage crosses a first threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first coil operatively coupled to the NFC module; and

a second coil operatively coupled to the display module via a power supply.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a coil and the NFC module, wherein:

the coil is configured to receive power from the external NFC power supply,

the display module is configured to receive power from the coil via a filter and a power supply,

the NFC module is configured to receive power from the coil without passing through the filter or the power supply.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bi-stable display is a first bi-stable display, the apparatus further comprising a second bi-stable display configured to display the first image at the first time and the second image at the third time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flexible shell disposed about at least a portion of the bi-stable display, the bi-stable display operatively coupled to a central portion of the flexible shell, a flex radius of the flexible shell being less than a flex radius of the bi-stable display.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, in response to a near-field interaction with a near-field communication (NFC) device, (1) power from an NFC power supply associated with the NFC device and (2) a display signal including an instruction to display an image;

sending at least a portion of the power to a power supply via at least one power storage module, the power supply configured to selectively supply power to a bi-stable display and a display module; and

sending, to the display module and based on the display signal, an instruction configured to cause the bi-stable display to display the image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising activating the bi-stable display after a voltage level of the power storage module crosses a threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold is about 2.5 volts.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

measuring a temperature associated with the bi-stable display; and

if the temperature is above a temperature threshold, activating the bi-stable display after a voltage level of the power storage module crosses a first activation threshold;

if the temperature is below the temperature threshold, activating the bi-stable display after the voltage level of the power storage module crosses a second activation threshold higher than the first activation threshold.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending, to the NFC device, a signal indicative of a verification that the display signal was received.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to sending the at least a portion of the power to the power supply;

substantially fully charging the power supply such that the power supply is in a fully charged state; and

measuring a voltage value of the power supply in the fully charged state.

13. A method, comprising:

authorizing, by a first mobile device, a second mobile device to send, without an interaction from a user of the first mobile device, any display data defined on the second mobile device to a viewing device having a bi-stable display and via the first mobile device, the viewing device being paired with the first mobile device and not being paired with the second mobile device;

receiving, by the first mobile device from the second mobile device, display data to be displayed on the viewing device;

receiving, by the first mobile device using a lower power wireless connection from the viewing device, a signal indicative of the presence of the viewing device; and

sending, from the first mobile device to the viewing device using a higher power wireless connection, display data such that the bi-stable display displays an image representative of the display data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the lower power wireless connection is a Bluetooth low energy connection.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the higher power wireless connection is one of a Classic Bluetooth connection, a Wi-Fi connection or a Cellular connection.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising, prior to sending the image, authenticating the viewing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

authorizing the second mobile device is at a first time,

receiving the display data includes receiving the display data without receiving, at a second time after the first time, an interaction from the user of the first mobile device.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a viewing device configured to be wirelessly coupled to a first mobile device, the viewing device including a bi-stable display,

the viewing device configured to authenticate, via a lower-power wireless connection and in response to a request for an indication of a presence of the first mobile device, the first mobile device,

the viewing device configured to receive, from the first mobile device using a higher-power wireless connection, an image that was (1) captured by an image sensor of a second mobile device and (2) previously received by the first mobile device, from the second mobile device, without an interaction from a user of the first mobile device,

the viewing device configured to display the image on the bi-stable display.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising at least one of a mounting magnet, an adhesive strip, a tether or a kickstand.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a supercapacitor configured to provide power to the bi-stable display.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image further includes text.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a display module; and

a bi-stable display operatively coupled to the display module, the bi-stable display configured to display a first image at a first time;

the display module configured to be operatively coupled to a radio-frequency identification (RFID) module and configured to be wirelessly powered by an external RFID power supply,

the display module configured to receive, at a second time after the first time and in response to an RFID interaction with an RFID device, (1) power from the external RFID power supply and (2) a signal from the RFID module indicative of a second image different from the first image,

the bi-stable display configured to display, in response to a signal indicative of an instruction from the display module, the second image at a third time after the second time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a flexible shell disposed about at least a portion of the bi-stable display, the bi-stable display operatively coupled to a central portion of the flexible shell, a flex radius of the flexible shell being less than a flex radius of the bi-stable display.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a sensor module configured to monitor a condition of the bi-stable display.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the condition is a temperature,

the power supply is operatively coupled to a power storage,

if the temperature is above a temperature threshold, the display module is configured to activate the bi-stable display after a voltage level of the power storage module crosses a first activation threshold, and

if the temperature is below the temperature threshold, the display module is configured to activate the bi-stable display after the voltage level of the power storage module crosses a second activation threshold higher than the first activation threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a radio-frequency (RF)-to-direct-current (DC) converter operatively coupled to an antenna.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

an RFID chip operatively coupled to a first antenna; and

an RF harvester operatively coupled to a second antenna, the second antenna isolated from the first antenna by a distance of about one quarter wavelength.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

an RFID chip that includes a first RF-to-DC converter; and

an RF harvester that includes a second RF-to-DC converter, the second RF-to-DC converter having a higher conversion efficiency than the first RF-to-DC converter.