Patent ID: 7167167

Claim:
An apparatus for changing the display state of a bistable liquid crystal display of a display tag, the apparatus comprising: a) a body having a first side and a second side, the first side of said body defining a slot for receiving and locating said display tag with respect to said body; b) a plurality of contact pins located in said second side of said body and being mounted for movement into said slot in said first side of said body to contact the plurality of electrical contact pads of said display tag located in said slot, wherein said display tag comprises a front printable surface having at least one window for viewing a bistable liquid crystal display mounted on the back side of said display tag and between said front surface and said back side, and a plurality of exposed electrical contact pads on said back side of said display tag connected to a corresponding plurality of electrodes in said bistable liquid crystal display; c) drive electronics electrically connected to said contact pins for receiving display command signals from an external source and for applying electrical drive signals to said electrodes of said display when said contact pins are in contact with said electrical contact pads of said display tag; and d) operator control means for moving said contact pins into electrical contact with said electrical contact pads of said display tag and causing said drive electronics to apply said electrical drive signals to said contact pins.