Patent ID: 7673800
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G09F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label for displaying graphical indicia, comprising: an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink which includes 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; a data antenna layer for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to one or more of instructions, programs, data and graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly; an integrated circuit layer having (i) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (ii) a programmed processor in electrical communication with said addressable display assembly and said data antenna layer, and using said programs to process said instructions and data for determining the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly, controlling and coordinating operation of said addressable display assembly, and generating output signals for instructing said addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia; a signal transmitting layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit layer and said data antenna layer, for transmitting signals from said data antenna layer, to at least one remote activator module; a signal receiving layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said data antenna layer, for receiving electromagnetic signals from at least one said remote activator module, using said data antenna layer; wherein said received electromagnetic 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; a power antenna layer for receiving radio-frequency (RF) power signals generated by said at least one remote activator module; a power converter, supported on said integrated circuit layer, and operably connected to said power antenna layer, for converting said received RF-power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for powering said integrated circuit layer, including said programmed processor, to process instructions and data to determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly and to activate said addressable display assembly in order to display said determined graphical indicia; wherein said integrated circuit layer is responsive to the electromagnetic signals received from said at least one remote activator module by said data antenna layer and said signal receiving layer; wherein said addressable display assembly is responsive to said output signals generated by said programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia; and wherein said data antenna layer, said power antenna layer, said integrated circuit layer, said signal transmitting layer, and said signal receiving layer are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of said addressable display assembly so as to form said remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label having a stacked-layer construction.