Display management system

• US 7,429,984 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sweeney, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/051,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 345/84, 345/85, 345/86, 345/87, 345/105, 345/106, 345/107, 345/211, 345/212, 902/26
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing personalized information are provided. Based on an identification of a customer and/or a product, the personalized information is produced and wirelessly provided to a display such as a wireless display. A wireless information reader is used to gather the identification and the personalized information and transmit power and data to the display.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a wireless display;

an electromagnetic field producing information reader, wherein the wireless display is powered by an electromagnetic field produced by the information reader, and

wherein the electromagnetic field includes a plurality of frequency fields, such that a first frequency field provides at least data to the wireless display and a second frequency field provides at least power to the wireless display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of frequencies of the electromagnetic field includes at least one of a radio frequency field, a high frequency field and an ultra high frequency field.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic field is a high frequency field and an ultra high frequency, and wherein the high frequency field provides power to the wireless display and the ultra high frequency field provides power and data to the wireless display.

4. The system of claim 2,

wherein the electromagnetic field is a radio frequency field, and

wherein the radio frequency field comprises a magnetic field which reads inductively coupled radio frequency identification (REID) tags, wherein the RFID tags receive magnetic energy from the magnetic field and modulate the magnetic field, and wherein the modulation of the magnetic field is used to identify individual RFID tags;

or

wherein the radio frequency field comprises an electric field which reads capacitively coupled RFID tags, wherein the RFID tags receive electric energy from the electric field and modulate the electric field and wherein the modulation of the electric field is used to identify individual REID tags.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the information reader comprises an electronic product code (EPC) reader,

wherein the EPC reader gathers EPC data through the electromagnetic field;

wherein the EPC reader reads radio frequency identification (REID) tags or smart cards; and

/or

wherein the EPC reader includes an antenna, which receives EPC information from REID tags or smart cards and transmits display information to the wireless display.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a processor, wherein the EPC reader is in communication with the processor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the EPC information corresponds to an RFID tag or a smart card and comprises an electronic product code stored in a microchip in the RFID tag or the smart card and the display information comprises external data gathered by the processor corresponding to the electronic product code.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the EPC reader transmits display information to the wireless display through a radio frequency field.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the information reader transmits personalized information through the electromagnetic radiation field to the wireless display;

and/or

wherein the information reader controls the wireless display.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless display comprises a low power display screen, an electrophoretic display screen and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD).

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless display comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD), and wherein the LCD comprises a cholesteric or polymer-dispersed LCD.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless display comprises a low power display, and wherein the low power display comprises an electro-chromic or electromechanical display screen.

13. The system of claim 1,

wherein display information is supplied to the wireless display through the electromagnetic field;

wherein display information is gathered by the information reader through a processor and transmitted through the electromagnetic field by the information reader in a format compatible with the wireless display;

wherein display information and power to run the wireless display are supplied to the wireless display through the electromagnetic field alone; and

/or

wherein the wireless display is not physically connected to a power supply.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a card controller, wherein information on the card controller is read by the information reader, and wherein the card controller optionally comprises a smart card, and wherein the smart card optionally comprises a RFID tag.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an output for providing audio based on information received by the information reader, and wherein the output optionally comprises a speaker in communication with the information reader;

a power coupling system, wherein the information reader is powered by the power coupling system, wherein the power coupling system optionally comprises electrodes in contact with the system, wherein the electrodes are optionally hard wired to a power source; and

/or

one or more of the following on-display functions;

sound generator, light emitter, scent emitter, sensor or mechanical motion actuator, wherein the on-display functions cooperate with the wireless display to visually or acoustically display data from the information reader or to mechanically or electronically gather data for the system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a cigarette sales promotion system, a consumer buying pattern recognition system, a game of chance system, and/or an electronic price display system.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the information reader receives wireless information identifying a customer, wherein the wireless information is optionally provided by a smart card, wherein the information reader optionally reads an electronic product code from a microchip in the smart card, optionally transmits the electronic product code through a processor to the internet or an intranet and optionally receives display information through the processor corresponding to the smart card.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the information reader receives display information identifying a product, wherein the display information is optionally provided by a RFID tag, wherein the information reader optionally reads an electronic product code from a microchip in the RFID tag, optionally transmits the electronic product code through a processor to the internet or an intranet and optionally receives information through the processor corresponding to the RFID tag.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the product is a cigarette package or carton of cigarette packages.

20. A method of displaying personalized information, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic radiation field;

reading an identification card or tag to obtain identification information using the electromagnetic radiation field;

accessing and processing personalized information corresponding to the identification information read;

transmitting the personalized information via the electromagnetic radiation field to a wireless display at a first frequency;

wirelessly powering the wireless display at a second frequency of the electromagnetic radiation field; and

displaying the personalized information on the wireless display, wherein the wireless display is powered exclusively by the electromagnetic radiation field.