Eastman-kodak Company

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Robert G Capurso

Stanley W Stephenson

David M Johnson

Domenic Maiola

James M Papa

Theodore K Ricks

Dwight John Petruchik

Scott C Robinson

Donald P McGinn

John I Kilburn

Gary M Spinelli

Dennis B Schulmerich

Grave marker medallion

A system and method for writing bistable media with a writehead is described. The media has two or more discrete write areas, each area defined by at least one electrical contact, and the media further has at least one alignment feature positioned with regard to one or more discrete write area. The writehead has corresponding alignment features and electrical conductors to the alignment features and electrical contacts of the media.

Indexing writehead for bistable media

A transaction card system includes a transaction card with a display tag for displaying short term information, the character display having optical states that are stable without power and viewable from one side of the display tag and an array of electrical contacts for electrically addressing the character display from the other side of the tag, a contact window through which the contacts are accessible, machine readable data on the card, and a long term information printed on the transaction card; a transaction card writer having a reader for reading the machine readable data and having means for updating the short term information displayed on the transaction card; and a central computer connected to the transaction card writer having a data base and a central processor for receiving the information read by the magnetic card reader and generating display commands for the transaction card writer.

Card with embedded bistable display having short and long term information

A transaction card system includes a transaction cared with a display tag for displaying short term information, the character display having optical states that are stable without power and viewable from one side of the display tag and an array of electrical contacts for electrically addressing the character display from the other side of the tag, a contact window through which the contacts are accessible, machine readable data on the card, and long term information printed on the transaction card; a transaction card writer having a reader for reading the machine readable data and having means for updating the short term information displayed on the transaction card; and a central computer connected to the transaction card writer having a data base and a central processor for receiving the information read by the magnetic card reader and generating display commands for the transaction card writer.

A system and method for writing bistable media is described, wherein the media has at least one through hole that interacts with at least one protrusion on a writer to align the media with the writer.

Writing device for bistable material with improved flexible material alignment features

A display, a signage system including the display, and methods of writing the display, are described, wherein the system includes at least one display, at least one writing unit, and at least one holder. Each display includes at least one bi-stable display element and at least one electrical interconnect substrate. The display can be written using the writing unit and displayed in the writing unit or in the holder.

Electronic signage

A shelf label assembly includes a support, a display, and a printable overlay, wherein the printable overlay has a window through which the display can be viewed. The display can be written or rewritten electronically, and the overlay can be printed.

Printable shelf label

Apparatus for changing the display state of a bistable liquid crystal display on a display tag having a plurality of electrical contact pads connected to a corresponding plurality of electrodes in the liquid crystal display includes a body defining a slot for receiving and locating the display tag with respect to the body; a plurality of contact pins located in the body and being mounted for movement into the slot to contact the electrical contact pads of a display tag located in the slot; drive electronics electrically connected to the contact pins for receiving display command signals from an external source and for applying electrical drive signals to the electrodes of the display when the contact pins are in contact with the electrical contact pads; and operator control means for moving the contact pins into electrical contact with the electrical contact pads and causing the drive electronics to apply the electrical drive signals to the contact pins.

Write head for a display tag having a liquid crystal display

A docking station for reading and writing an electronically writable return reminder tag located on a surface of a rental item, the rental item or the return reminder tag having locating features and the return reminder tag including an electronically writable bistable display, a machine readable code identifying the rental item, and a plurality of conductive pads located on the front side of the tag for writing to the display, includes a body defining complementary locating features for locating the rental item bearing the return reminder tag with respect to the docking station; a scanner for scanning the machine readable code on the return reminder tag; and a plurality of contact pins for contacting the conductive pads of the return reminder tag.

Docking station for writing to electronically writable display

A shelf talker for displaying short and longer term information includes a backplane including a plurality of electrical conductors; a plurality of single character display chips mounted on the backplane in electrical contact with the electrical conductors for displaying the short term information; and a graphic overlay located over the backplane bearing the longer term information and defining apertures for displaying the short term information displayed by the single character display chips.

Shelf talker having short and long term information

A method of writing an electrically writable tag using a hand-held writing device includes the steps of providing an electrically writable tag having a plurality of electrical conductors located on a display surface of the tag, and a mechanical alignment feature including a detent for locating the tag with respect to a hand-held writing device; providing a hand-held writing device having a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts for simultaneously making contact with the electrical conductors of the tag, and a complementary alignment feature with a detent for locating the hand-held writing device with respect to the tag; and locating the hand-held writing device with respect to the tag, using the alignment features, and activating the hand-held writing device to write information on the tag.

Hand-held programmer for programmable liquid crystal display

A method of making a programmable shelf tag, including the steps of supplying a display element having a single flexible transparent; mounting the display element substrate side down in a window formed in a web of adhesive backed print medium having a die cut area around the display element to form an adhesive label that includes the display element; printing static information on the label of the print medium; supplying a support for mounting the adhesive; and attaching the adhesive label to the support.

Printable shelf label having a liquid crystal display

MEMS inkjet nozzle cleaning and closing mechanism. An inkjet nozzle closing mechanism (,) having a slider (,) attached to the face of a nozzle plate (,). The nozzle plate (,) has a front face (,) and a reservoir side which abuts the ink flow. A gear (,) and rack (,) are incorporated to actuate the movement of the slider (,). The slider (,) has cutouts (,) which cause the orifices (,) to be in either an open or closed state depending upon the position of the slider (,). The horizontal motion of the slider (,) wipes away any ink residue which causes build-up which may eventually block the orifices (,).

Growing community of inventors

Bergen, NY, United States of America

Robert G Capurso