Adhesive backed displays

• US 7,728,811 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Comiskey, Barrett, Albert, Jonathan D., Wilcox, Russell J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Application Number:
  US10/711,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 345/107, 345/87, 345/1.1, 345/47, 345/85, 345/105, 345/108, 345/205, 345/206, 345/211, 345/903, 359/296
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4076 printing on rewritable, bistable "electronic paper" by a focused electric or magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/026 based on the rotation of particles under the influence of an external field, e.g. gyricons, twisting ball displays based on orientable dipolar particles G02F1/172; based on electrophoresis G02F1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133348 Charged particles addressed liquid crystal cells, e.g. controlled by an electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1343 Electrodes reflective electrodes G02F1/133553
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/135 Liquid crystal cells structurally associated with a photoconducting or a ferro-electric layer, the properties of which can be optically or electrically varied G02F1/133348 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/12 photoconductor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/302 characterised by the form or geometrical disposition of the individual elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0221 with use of split matrices G09G3/3644 and G09G3/3666 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2074 using sub-pixels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/462 : Insulated gate field-effect transistors [IGFETs]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 19/00 : Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic element specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, covered by group H10K10/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 : Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 : Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence

Abstract

A process for creating an electronically addressable display includes multiple printing operations, similar to a multi-color process in conventional screen printing. In some of the process steps, electrically non-active inks are printed onto areas of the receiving substrate, and in other steps, electrically active inks are printed onto different areas of the substrate. The printed display can be used in a variety of applications. This display can be used as an indicator by changing state of the display after a certain time has elapsed, or when a certain pressure, thermal, radiative, moisture, acoustic, inclination, pH, or other threshold is passed. In one embodiment, the display is incorporated into a battery indicator. A sticker display is described. The sticker is adhesive backed and may then be applied to a surface to create a functional information display unit. This invention also features a display that is both powered and controlled using radio frequencies. It describes a complete system for controlling, addressing, and powering a display. The system includes an antenna or antennae, passive charging circuitry, and active control system, a display, and an energy storage unit. There is also a separate transmitter that provides the remote power for the display. The system is meant to be used anywhere it is useful to provide intermittent updates of information such as in a store, on a highway, or in an airport. A tile-based display allowing a modular system for large area display is created using a printable display material.

Claims

1. An electrically active display comprising:

a bistable optoelectrically active display medium capable of changing its optical state upon application of an electric field thereto and having first and second surfaces on opposed sides thereof;

an optically transmissive electrode in contact with the first surface of the display medium; and

an adhesive layer disposed on the second surface of the display medium, the surface of the adhesive remote from the display medium forming an external surface of the display, so that the display can be attached to a receiving surface by the adhesive layer,

wherein the display medium comprises an electrophoretic medium comprising at least one species of particles dispersed in a fluid medium.

2. An electrically active display according to claim 1 further comprising an optically transmissive layer on the opposed side of the electrode from the display medium.

3. An electrically active display according to claim 1 wherein the electrode comprises a metal oxide.

4. An electrically active display according to claim 3 wherein the electrode comprises indium tin oxide.

5. An electrically active display according to claim 1 wherein the display medium comprises bichromal microspheres.

6. An electrically active display according to claim 1 wherein the display medium comprises an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.

7. An electrically active display according to claim 1 further comprising at least one conductive via extending from the electrode through the display medium.

8. An electrically active display according to claim 7 further comprising at least one contact pad electrically connected to the at least one via and disposed on the opposed side of the display medium from the electrode.

9. An electrically active display according to claim 1 further comprising at least one rear electrode disposed between the display medium and the adhesive layer.

10. An electrically active display according to claim 9 wherein at least the portion of the adhesive layer covering the at least one rear electrode is conductive.

11. A process for forming a display, the process comprising:

providing an electrically active display comprising a bistable optoelectrically active display medium capable of changing its optical state upon application of an electric field thereto and having first and second surfaces on opposed sides thereof an optically transmissive electrode in contact with the first surface of the display medium; and

an adhesive layer disposed on the second surface of the display medium, the surface of the adhesive remote from the display medium forming an external surface of the display;

providing a receiving surface comprising at least one electrode; and

attaching the electrically active display to the receiving surface by means of the adhesive layer,

wherein the display medium comprises an electrophoretic medium comprising at least one species of particles dispersed in a fluid medium.

12. A process according to claim 11 wherein the electrically active display further comprises at least one conductive via extending from the electrode through the display medium, and wherein, after attachment of the electrically active display to the receiving surface, the via is contacted with at least one electrode on the receiving surface for holding the electrode of the electrically active display at a specific potential.

13. A process according to claim 11 wherein the electrically active display further comprises an optically transmissive layer on the opposed side of the electrode from the display medium.

14. A process according to claim 11 wherein the display medium comprises bichromal microspheres.

15. A process according to claim 11 wherein the display medium comprises an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.