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Card-sized electronic data storage device employing an electronic-ink layer for displaying graphical indicia

  • US 7,748,627 B2
  • Filed: 06/19/2008
  • Issued: 07/06/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A card-sized electronic data storage device comprising:

  • (1) an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material disposed between an activation layer and a transparent electrode layer located above said layer of electronic ink, for activating said layer of electronic ink at particular locations to display graphical indicia on the surface of said addressable display assembly, wherein said layer of electronic ink does not require electrical power to maintain the display of said graphical indicia;

    (2) at least one antenna structure for receiving electromagnetic data signals carrying information corresponding to at least one of instructions, programs, data and graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;

    (3) an integrated circuit structure having (i) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (ii) a programmed processor using said programs to process said instructions and data for (i) determining the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly at any moment in time, (ii) controlling and coordinating operation of said addressable display assembly, and (iii) generating output signals for instructing said addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia; and

    (4) a signal receiving structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said at least one antenna structure, for receiving electromagnetic data signals from an activation module, using said at least one antenna structure;

    wherein said received electromagnetic data signals carry information corresponding to at least one of said programs, said instructions, said data and said graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;

    wherein said integrated circuit structure is responsive to electromagnetic data signals received from said activation module, by said at least one antenna structure and said signal receiving structure; and

    wherein said addressable display assembly is responsive to said output signals generated by said programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia on said addressable display assembly.

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