Write accessibility for electronic paper

• US 8,880,890 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANE, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US12/928,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155, 713/182, 380/282, 345/84, 345/173, 345/473
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4076 printing on rewritable, bistable "electronic paper" by a focused electric or magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals

Abstract

A system and method to control the writing on electronic paper (e-paper). An e-paper device may incorporate authentication indicia as part of informational data written on e-paper material. The informational data is protected by a security methodology that is accessible to authorized entities. A reader device may be used to help make a verification determination of whether encrypted or encoded data has been altered. In some instances an output alert operably coupled to the reader device serves as a verification status indicator.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material; and

circuitry configured for outputting at least one visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to activation of at least one button.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the data indicia associated with at least one restricted portion of the at least one electronic paper material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the data indicia fixed on the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the following types of data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material;

visible, encrypted, encoded, or hidden.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of one or more of the following types of data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material;

alphanumeric symbol, geometric design, monochrome scheme, color scheme, repeated pattern, random pattern, boundary cross-over representation, legend, image, bar code, visible representation, or hidden representation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized change or deletion of the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the following types of data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material;

limitation, frequency, amount, authorization, expiration, storage constraint, document authentication, data authentication, item authentication, product authentication, packaging authentication, container authentication, item information, product information, service information, usage instruction, product ingredient, product component, service requirement, certification testing, endorsement, warranty, legal notification, government approval, destination, delivery document origination date, item origination date, product origination date, tracking, history, tracking history, modification history, access history, verification history, validation, corporate approval, or ownership.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material using one or more of the following;

code, key, checksum, hash, or digital signature.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of breaking of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of one or more of the following types of coupling links;

circuit or symbolic.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with at least one of the following types of items;

equipment, apparatus, device, packaging, container, printed material, vehicle, machine, merchandise, clothing, food, chemical, medicine, raw material, article of manufacture, component, or tool.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration involving one or more of the following types of electronic paper material;

electrophoretic or electronic ink.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration involving an electronic paper label.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for outputting at least one visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for outputting at least one of the following types of visual alerts on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration;

text, alphanumeric, symbol, audiovisual, or color.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for outputting at least one visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for outputting the at least one visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material that is detectable under one or more of the following conditions;

normal ambient light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, filtered light, time, magnetic field, or environmental.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for outputting at least one visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material comprises:

circuitry configured for outputting at least one ongoing visual alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of the coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or the data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for outputting at least one OK-type status alert on one or more portions of the at least one electronic paper material.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for monitoring the data indicia on the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for disenabling further input to the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material based at least partly on at least one criterion.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for rendering information on the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material substantially permanent based at least partly on at least one criterion.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for storing one or more records associated with at least one of usage of or access to the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for receiving at least some information for writing to at least one portion of at least one electronic paper assembly.

24. A computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory media including at least;

one or more instructions for detecting at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material; and

one or more instructions for outputting at least one visual alert on at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the at least one of a coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material.

25. A method comprising:

detecting, using one or more computer processors, at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of at least one of a coupling link of at least one electronic paper material with at least one item or data indicia associated with at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material; and

outputting at least one visual alert on the at least one portion of the at least one electronic paper material at least partly in response to detection of the at least one instance of unauthorized alteration of the at least one of a coupling link of the at least one electronic paper material with the at least one item or data indicia associated with the at least one portion of the electronic paper material.