Electronically updateable label and display

Abstract

The present invention provides for an electronic label associated with a transponder. The electronic label displays at least one graphical element to provide a visual indication representative of information associated with the transponder. Representable information can include a result of a communication with the transponder, a location of the transponder or an item associated with the transponder, a state of the transponder, or an item associated with the transponder, a status of the transponder or an item associated with the transponder, or any combination of information. The display of the graphical element can further indicate if a read operation has failed or has not yet taken place. The graphical element is alterable and updateable. The graphical element can indicate if the RFID tag is activate or has been deactivated allowing a consumer to readily determine the state of an RFID tag associated with a consumer item.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 499,334, filed Sep. 3, 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention is directed to electronic labels and display devices. More particularly, the present invention is directed to the tracking of changes in state, changes in location or changes in information related to an item associated with an electronic label. [0003] The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are quickly gaining popularity for use in the monitoring and tracking of an item. RFID technology allows a user to remotely store and retrieve data in connection with an item utilizing a small, unobtrusive tag. As a RFID tag operates in the radio frequency (RF) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, an electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling can occur between a RFID tag affixed to an item and a RFID tag reader. This coupling is ad...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention provides for an electronic label associated with a transponder. The electronic label displays at least one graphical element to provide a visual indication representative of information associated with the transponder. Information associated with the transponder represent able by the graphical element can include a result of a communication with the transponder, a location of the transponder, a location of an item associated with the transponder, a state of the transponder, a state of an item associated with the transponder, a status of the transponder, a status of an item associated with the transponder, or any combination of information. For example, the display of the visual graphical element can indicate a read operation occurred between the transponder and electronic label. Likewise, the display of the visual graphical element can indicate read operation has failed or has not yet taken place between the transponder and electronic label. The graphical element is alterable and updateable, such that a varying status of the transducer, transponder, or an item associated with the transducer, transponder, or electronic label can be communicated to a user in a visual graphical manner. As such, the graphical element displayed by the associated electronic label can indicate if the RFID tag is activate or has been deactivated. Hence, in light of the inherent privacy concerns with the use of RFID tags with consumer items, the present invention provides a method and a system that allows a consumer to readily determine the state of an RFID tag associated with a consumer item through the use of a visual indicator.

[0012] In one illustrative embodiment of the present invention a method for visually tracking an item is disclosed. Performance of the method provides for the location of an item to be represented by visual indicators on the electronic display of the electronic label associated with the item. The display of this visual indicator is in response to the location, or change of location of the item. Performance of the method can further monitor the item at a plurality of locations to assist in detecting the item as it arrives, departs, or moves around within a location. Further, a plurality of locations may be monitored such that the location of an item may be determined.

[0017] Moreover, upon removal of power to the entire electronic label, or a selected component of the electronic label, the display may continue to provide a visual indicator for a period of time. This time period may be a function of the material properties of those materials used in the electronic display or may be controlled by the electronic label. In one illustrate embodiment of the present invention, the electronic display may further be sized to occupy the entire region occupied by the electronic label. The electronic display can also be sized to occupy only a region of the electronic label. The electronic label, and the electronic display associated with the electronic label can further flex, thereby allowing for movement in a plurality of dimensions.

Problems solved by technology

First, following a communication with a tag, a user has no readily available indication if the communication was successful.

In an assembly line setting, for example, it is difficult to determine if each item passing a tag reader is read successfully.

Furthermore, should one become aware that at least one item was not read, it is time consuming and difficult to pinpoint which item failed to be read successfully.

Additionally, when scanning a number of tagged items that are all in close proximity to each other, it is oftentimes burdensome to determine which item tag a user is actually reading.

Utilizing such an arrangement, a user is burdened by having to look at a computer screen or paper printout in order to try and understand what is transpiring electronically.

Such a diversion is clearly inefficient and may be potentially dangerous.

The long life and continuous operation of RFID tags, coupled with the distances at which a tag may be read, has caused considerable controversy regarding privacy concerns.

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