Apparatus for the display of embedded information

• US 7,429,965 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edged Display Management LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Technology Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Weiner, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/860,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/87, 345 7- 8, 345/9, 345/30, 345/55, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/1.3, 345/47, 345/85, 345/105, 345/204, 345/206, 345/211, 345/903, 345/107, 345/108, 345/84, 345/2.1, 345/2.3, 405/86, 405/41, 403/10, 362/103, 362/108, 362/7, 235/392, 235/462.44, 235/375, 235/380, 219/51, 385/147, 359/296, 204/547, 204/549, 313/511
• US Class Current: 345/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/02 by a carrier person or animal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays

Abstract

An apparatus for the electronic display of information, where the apparatus is a substrate incorporating a digital recording medium attached to or embedded within the substrate. The substrate further includes a flexible-substrate display located on an exposed surface of the substrate, where the display is a medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at each pixel location thereon in order to produce a substrate medium that may be modified in accordance with a user'"'"'s selection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the electronic display of information, comprising:

a substrate into which the apparatus is permanently embedded;

a digital recording medium associated therewith, where information is stored by the digital recording medium; and

an updateable, flexible substrate display located on an exposed surface of the apparatus, wherein said substrate display includes a display medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at a plurality of pixel locations thereon;

where the flexible substrate display changes state in response to a signal generated from information stored in the digital recording medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital recording medium is selected from the group consisting of

a memory stick;

a strip of bubble memory; and

a magnetic tape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes at least one electrode disposed adjacent at least one surface of the substrate display, and where the substrate display includes an updateable electrophoretic display unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate display includes an updateable gyricon display unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a portable power supply for providing power to said digital recording medium and said substrate display;

at least one user-interactive element that allows a user to selectively alter the display of information on the substrate display.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said user-interactive element includes a touch-sensitive device embedded within the substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the substrate is employed to display and update textual and graphic information in the nature of a book.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the substrate is employed to display and update textual and graphic information in the nature of a map.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the substrate is used to produce an article of clothing and is employed to display graphic information thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the graphic information is related to an advertisement and includes at least a product identifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said user-interactive element is an optical sensor suitable for retrieving information from an optical data storage medium.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said user-interactive element is an audio sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said digital recording medium and said substrate display are both flexible.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is integrated with a product package such that the display substrate may selectively illustrate information related to the product.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is employed in the nature of a wall covering having a variable display.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information stored by the digital recording medium is received through a wireless source.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is integrated into a product for which said digital recording medium has stored information.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information stored by the digital recording medium is received through a wireless source.

19. A sheet for the representation of information, comprising:

a digital recording medium associated therewith, where information is stored by the digital recording medium; and

an updateable, flexible substrate display permanently embedded within, yet viewable through, an exposed surface of the sheet, wherein said substrate display includes a display medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at a plurality of pixel locations thereon;

where the substrate display changes state in response to an electrical signal generated in response to an external signal and information stored in the digital recording medium.

20. A device for the presentation of information, comprising:

a substrate;

an updateable, flexible display permanently embedded within, yet viewable through, an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein said display includes a display medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at a plurality of pixel locations thereon;

electronic circuitry associated with said display, said circuitry providing electrical signals to drive said display, wherein said circuitry is permanently embedded within the substrate;

a power source embedded within the substrate; and

memory, connected to said circuitry, wherein information is stored in the memory and transferred to said display via said circuitry.