US 2,002,167,500 · Filed 2002-02-07

Smart electronic label employing electronic ink

The present invention provides for smart and dumb implementations of a standalone, remotely updateable, remotely alterable, flexible electronic label. The electronic label provides for displaying information, such as prices, bar codes, advertising messages and restocking information, in connection with a mammal, non-mammal, an item or location. The flexibility and form factor of the electronic label allow the label to fit into and conform to the shape of the molding used in retail store shelving to display merchandize and warehouse shelving. The label can be of various sizes, shapes and lengths to allow for multiple applications. The flexible, thin label includes a flexible display assembly having electronic ink disposed on a support, one or more antennas for sending or receiving signals corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or selected indicia to be displayed by said display assembly, a storage element in circuit with the antenna for storing the instructions, programs, data and indicia, and one or more processors for intelligently determining the indicia to be displayed by the display assembly, for controlling and coordinating operation of the label, and for generating output signals for instructing the display assembly to display the indicia.

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