Patent ID: 7735736
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G09F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display device for displaying graphical indicia, comprising: 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; at least one antenna layer for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic signals carrying information corresponding to at least one 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 at least one antenna layer, and 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; a signal transmitting layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit layer and said at least one antenna layer, for transmitting electromagnetic signals from said at least one antenna layer, to at least one remote activator module; a signal receiving layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said at least one antenna layer, for receiving electromagnetic signals from said at least one remote activator module, using said at least one 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; an on-board battery power layer, operably connected to said integrated circuit layer for supplying electrical power to said integrated circuit layer; wherein said integrated circuit layer is responsive to electromagnetic signals received from said at least one remote activator module by said at least one 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 at least one antenna layer, said integrated circuit layer, said signal transmitting layer, said signal receiving layer and said on-board battery power 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 device having a stacked-layer construction.