Electronic shipping container labeling system for labeling a plurality of shipping containers transported through a shipping system, using electronic-ink shipping labels displaying information regarding said shipping containers, and remotely updated by one or more activator modules

• US 7,766,238 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gelbman, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt; Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US12/214,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/383, 235/375, 235/492, 235/385, 340/5.91
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• 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

Abstract

An electronic shipping container labeling system for labeling a plurality of shipping containers transported through a shipping system. The system includes a plurality of electronic-ink shipping labels affixed to a plurality of shipping containers. Each electronic-ink shipping label displays graphical indicia representative of information relating to the status of the shipping container within the shipping system. One or more activation modules are provided throughout the shipping system for transmitting electromagnetic data signals to electronic-ink shipping labels and providing instructions to updateable electronic-ink shipping labels employed in the determination of graphic indicia to be displayed on electronic-ink shipping labels. Each electronic-ink shipping label employs an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The electronic-ink shipping label includes an integrated circuit structure having a storage element for storing instructions, programs and data, and a programmed processor in communication with storage element. A signal receiving structure receives electromagnetic signals from the activation module, using the antenna structure. The electronic-ink shipping label displays graphical indicia representing information relating to the shipping container and/or its contents.

Claims

1. An electronic shipping container labeling system for labeling a plurality of shipping containers transported through a shipping system, comprising:

(A) a plurality of electronic-ink shipping labels affixed to a plurality of shipping containers, wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label displays graphical indicia representative of information relating to a shipping container in said shipping system and/or the contents of said shipping container; and

(B) one or more activation modules provided across said shipping system, for transmitting electromagnetic data signals to said electronic-ink shipping labels, and carrying information corresponding to at least one of instructions, programs, data and graphical indicia to be displayed on said electronic-ink shipping labels;

wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label includes;

(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, (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 at least one said 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 or 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 relating to at least one said shipping container.

2. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure also receives electromagnetic power signals transmitted by at least one said activation module;

and wherein said electronic-ink shipping label further comprises a power converter, operably connected to said at least one antenna structure, for converting said received electromagnetic power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for powering said integrated circuit structure, including said programmed processor, to process instructions and data to (i) determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly and (ii) activate said addressable display assembly to display said determined graphical indicia.

3. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink shipping label further comprises an electrical power source for supplying electrical power to said integrated circuit structure.

4. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 3, wherein said electrical power source is an electrical battery structure.

5. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure, said integrated circuit structure, and said signal receiving structure are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of said addressable display assembly so as to form said electronic-ink based shipping label having a stacked construction.

6. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said activation module receives electromagnetic data signals from said at least one antenna structure of said electronic-ink shipping label, carrying information, including the status of the graphical indicia displayed by said electronic-ink shipping label.

7. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, which further comprises a signal transmitting structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure, and wherein said at least one antenna structure further transmits electromagnetic data signals from said at least one antenna structure, to at least one said activation module.

8. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 7, wherein said signal transmitting structure and said signal receiving structure are realized as a signal transceiving structure.

9. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna structure receives electromagnetic data signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly.

10. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said electronic-ink shipping label further comprises a protection layer disposed over said layer of electronic ink in order to prevent said addressable display assembly from inadvertent physical trauma and/or environmental damage.

11. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said activation layer comprises an activation grid, disposed on a support structure, to form a plurality of addressable pixel locations, wherein each said addressable pixel location is addressable by said programmed processor.

12. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 11, wherein said programmed processor controls each pixel location in said activation grid to form human and/or machine readable graphical indicia within said layer of electronic ink.

13. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said electronic ink comprises an arrangement of microcapsules disposed between said transparent electrode layer and said activation layer, and wherein each said microcapsule has disposed therein an electrophoretic composition of a fluid, such as a dielectric or emulsion fluid, and a suspension of colored or charged particles or colloidal material.

14. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 13, wherein said fluid comprises a dielectric fluid.

15. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein each said activation module employs a processor arranged with a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna device.

16. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 15, wherein said receiver and said transmitter in said activation module are combined into a single transceiver device for both sending and receiving electromagnetic data signals.

17. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said activation module is configured to transmit or receive, by way of electromagnetic signal transmission, commands, instructions, software programs, and parameters or variables associated with either (i) pixel address locations of said addressable display assembly, (ii) the graphical indicia displayed on the surface of said addressable display assembly, or (iii) instructions for subsequent use by said electronic-ink shipping label.

18. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said storage element comprises a volatile or non-volatile memory element, or combinations thereof, such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM.

19. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said storage element further stores identification information for uniquely identifying each said shipping container with which said storage element is associated.

20. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label is manually applied to one said shipping container.

21. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label is integrated into one said shipping container.

22. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said one or more activator modules are placed in communication with a host processing system or with a standalone processing system.

23. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label is updated each time the electronic-ink shipping label passes through an electromagnetic field generated by one said activator module.

24. The electronic shipping container labeling system of claim 1, wherein said graphical indicia displayed on each said electronic-ink shipping label represents a bar code symbol encoding the relevant information associated with the shipping container.