GB2569394A

GB2569394A - Passive display module for containers

Info

Publication number: GB2569394A
Application number: GB1721191.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Mapleston David; Stuart James Rangeley Max
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-12-18
Filing date: 2017-12-18
Publication date: 2019-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2037-12-18
Also published as: GB2569394B; GB201721191D0

Abstract

A container such as travel luggage 1 that has an electronic E-paper display 3 that is powered only when the display needs to be changed by an external NFC tag reader/writer e.g. a smart phone. Data and power may be exchanged between the containers electronics and smart phone by modulated inductive coupling means 6. Alternatively power and data is transferred from an external device by capacitive means. Super-cap capacitors are used to store energy, and preferably provide sufficient energy to allow the container to programme a NFC tag. Preferably a smart phone app generates the information for the display, and preferably the container only emits radio signals when a smartphone is used next to the container. The container may contain a NFC tag reader and/or a dual frequency passive RFID tag 8; and a unique identification code allowing the luggage to be identified prior to being programmed. The luggage ID code may also be programmed into the RFID tag to aid identification of the luggage. In addition the container locking mechanisms 7 may have sensors that can be read by the external device, and an EEprom memory modified by internal sensors to record tampering of said locks.

Description

Electronic E-paper display on a suitcase or other luggage is powered by a smart phones NFC reader only. Power, graphics and data can be transferred in both directions, between the phone and the suitcase display.

Background

Suitcases and luggage which have displays showing the flight details, including the airline readable barcodes are patented and well documented. Some of these cases use electronic paper (referred to as E-paper) to display the details of the passenger, destination and priority status etc.

The advantage of using electronic paper in these displays is primarily that the display stays on even when the batteries are flat or removed. The batteries are only required for linking to the phone and changing the display text and graphics. This link is usually achieved using Bluetooth or Bluetooth BLE.

It would be far better for the airline and the passenger if the batteries in the case could be dispensed with entirely, this would reduce weight and the fear of fire or contamination in the suitcase by faulty batteries or circuitry. Also no batteries are needed the display and electronics could be permanently sealed which would improve both reliability and safety.

Also, fitted to some baggage is an RFID Gen 2 transponder tag which is powered by the energy from an external UHF reader; this tag can be read by readers in the airports baggage control, check-in and other locations. These tags can have a range of five to 15 meters. This patent also shows how a dual tag could be part of this advanced baggage system.

The inventive step:

The inventive step is driven by advances in smart phone hardware. Apple (RTM) has now introduced a NFC reader into their IPhone 7. Many people were under the impression that Apple had a reader for Apple Pay (RTM) which was not the case; Apple Pay emulated a tag, so only Samsung (RTM) phones and a few others could actually read tags. The IPhone 7 (RTM) and beyond now have RFID tag readers built into the phone. This further enhances this patents commercial appeal.

The NFC coil in the Apple (RTM) and most other smart phones can be used to power external devices using simple coil to coil induction. This inductive coupling can also be modulated with a data stream so that power and data can be sent over a distance of a few centimeter or more at the same time.

As the magnetic coupling between the phone and the case drops proportionally to the cube of the distance the coils must be close together to transfer any usable energy; so for this patent the smart phone must be placed on, or very close to, the suitcase case to allow power and data transfer.

This same method is used to charge a Mobil phone battery by an external coil driving power into the phone between two coils. This patent uses the same method in reverse; the phones batteries are used to power the display on the case.

Note that capacitors or super-capacitors in the display electronics can be used to increase the displays current requirement which may be high when the display is changing. Calculations show that this is not a problem and so the change of the display graphics will take less than one second.

Embodiment

This invention is applicable to containers of most shapes and sizes; the embodiment shown in this description is for a suitcases.

(Key to Fig 1)

Figure 1 Suitcase with E-paper display and phone placement point.

Figure 1-1 Metal or plastic case (any strong material can be used)

Figure 1 -2 Plastic or metal holder for the display and electronics.

Figure 1-3 E-paper display

Figure 1-4 Suitcase handle

Figure 1 -5 Bar code or QR code displayed on the E-Paper

Figure 1 -6 induction coil to transfer power and data to the E-paper display via Smart phone or dedicated equipment.

Figure 1-7 Suitcase locking mechanism, which may report tamper using by discharging EE-prom bits.

Figure 1 -8 Location on the side of the case for the optional Gen 2 long range passive tag. This location can alternatively take a duel frequency RFID tag.

Disclosure.

Bringing together the two technologies, e-Paper and the energy from the NFC reader in a Smart Phone can remove the requirement for batteries within the example suitcase embodiment and a myriad of other containers. The batteries can be removed from the container altogether rendering the container completely passive. Without the power from the Smart Phones NFC reader nothing can change or be read in the display electronics. The suitcase will only send out radio signals when a Smart Phone is used next to the containers reader coil, and hence, this improves flight safety.

Fig 1 shows one example embodiment

Figi -1 shows the top of the suitcase which can be any material; usually aluminum.

Fig 1-2 shows the display module containing the e-paper display and the electronics to drive this display.

Fig 1-4 is the handle of the suitcase.

Power to the E-paper display is from a mobile phone when it is placed on the top of the case at the position shown in Fig 1 -6. Under this point, inside the case, is a small coil which picks up the energy from the NFC coil in the phone. This energy is rectified and powers the E-paper driver circuit.

When powered the E-paper circuit can then update the display and communicate to the phone using modulation of any type.

First the serial number of the case can be sent to the phone where a simple app can check that the correct suitcase is being programmed; this is important for security etc.

When the App on the phone or a Pad has recognized the container it can then send all the details to the container display Fig 1 -3. The display would be changed to the new details and the barcode data Fig 1-5 updated if required.

The case can respond to tell the App that it has received the data and so the phone can then be removed from the case leaving the data visible on the non volatile E-paper display Fig 1 -3.

At any point in the journey a smart phone can be used at location Fig 1 -6 to read unsecured helpful data. Travelers with the same App would be able to notify other passengers of their bags location or staff with smart phones could send bag data to a central lost property location or even a URL which reports lost baggage to registered passengers; ReboundTag (RTM) for example.

Technical.

Tag communications mainly fall into two categories. This is because we have two worldwide standards. One for long range UHF, which Phones are not capable of reading, is the UHF Gen 2 standard on 866MH EU; this is specified by EN 302-208 in Europe and 915MHz USA specified by FCC standards. The standard proposed for this invention is the near filed specification which is currently ISO/IEC 14443. This specification is for a worldwide frequency band at 13.56MHz; which NFC enabled mobile phone use for their tag reading etc. Most contactless smart cards use this frequency.

RFID system.

Earlier we mentioned that the case identification number could be sent to the phone. This could then be used to program one of the very latest Dual frequency Gen2/14443 RFID tags. These tags contain a single chip with two transponders, one long range using the Gen 2 standard and another short range transponder, meting the ISO/IEC 14443 NFC standard.

This type of tag gives a major advantage to this patent because not only can the case identifier be read by a standard smart phone from the case, this number can be transferred to the Dual frequency tag by NFC means. This number inside the dual frequency tag can be shared inside the tag with the UHF Gen 2 tag’s data and so read at long range by a Gen 2 UHF reader.

This also solves the problem that the Gen 2 tag cannot be easily read when they are on certain faces of the case; the top especially. When programmed, using the NFC data from the phone, the Gen 2 tag can be placed in a location on the case (usually the side) where it can be easily read by airport check-in and Baggage handling equipment.

This transfer of data could be carried out at manufacture or by the end user if required.

The fact that these technologies work so well together can be easily missed as these systems spans such a wide range of disciplines.

This invention brings together these technologies to create a sealed system which can be fitted to a wide range of containers, suitcases and other luggage.

References.

a) EM Microelectronic (RTM), DUAL Frequency NFC Type 2 & EPC GEN2V2 Transponder IC. r.ttpy/www.emmicroelectronic.com/site&>'default4iles/iXioiia^,,products/datasheets/'4423-fs i .pdf

b) Rmowa (RTM), marketing data httpj7www.coolthhn^

c) Wiki Near-field communication https://emwikjpefe

d) UHF RFID EPC UHF Gen2 Air Interface Protocol https:Wyww.asj.^pjg/gpcrfid/epcgfid-uhpgjrjnt^ protocol/2-0-1

e) I-phone 7 can read HFC tags fittos://aototaas.com/bloq/a.pple-ios-1 1 suppcrts-readinq-n?c-ta«s-iphcne-7· iphone-S-core-nrc./

f) Electronic paper Wiki httpsyZen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic gaper

Claims

1. A container primarily but not exclusively for travel has a electronic E-paper display which required no batteries as it is powered only at the time the display needs to be change by a NFC ISO/IEC 14443 tag reader/writer found in most Smart Phones

2. A container as in claim 1 where data is also exchanged between the container electronics and the Smart Phone by modulated inductive coupling means.

3. A container as in claim 1 where the information is exchanged between the containers electronics and a custom Near Field RFID device.

4. A container as in all previous claims where the electronics in the container contains a NFC TAG reader.

5. A container as in all previous claims wherein the power and communication device in the container is part of the same module as the display.

6. A container as in all previous claims wherein the power and communication device in the container is in a separate compartment to the display.

7. A container as in all previous claims wherein the data exchanged between the container and the powering device contains a unique identification code pertaining to the container.

8. A container as in all previous claims wherein the container also contains a dual frequency passive RFID tag for both long range and short range RFID communication.

9. A container as in all previous claims wherein the electronics in the case uses super-cap capacitors to store energy.

10. A Display module as in claim 1 which can be retrofitted to existing containers.

10. A container as in all previous claims wherein the power storage retention is sufficient to allow the Container to programme a NFC tag.

11. A container as in all previous claims wherein the container has a display of any means which can retain its displayed information when power is completely removed.

12. A container as in all previous claims has passive transducers within the container which can be read by the external device.

13. A container as in all previous claims wherein the information sent to the Containers display is generated by a smart phone application.

14. A Display module as in claim 1 which can be retrofitted to existing containers.

15. A container as in all previous claims wherein the container locking mechanisms have sensors of any means which can be read by the external device.

16. A Container as in Claim 1 wherein the user can create personalised graphics and then transfer the said graphics to the containers display from the external device.

17. A container as in claim 1 wherein EEprom memory in or on the container is modified by internal sensors by any means.

18. A container as in claim 1 wherein the power is transferred from an external device by capacitive means.

19. A container as in claim 1 wherein the data is transferred from an external device by capacitive connection means.

Amendments to the Claims have been filed as follows:CLAIMS

1. A container primarily but not exclusively for travel has no Batteries or means of storing power, an electronic E-paper display is used which also required no continuous power; the electronics is only powered by a tag reader/writer at the time the display or data needs to be changed.

4. A container as in all previous claims wherein the data exchanged between the container and the powering device contains a unique identification code.

5. A container as in all previous claims wherein the container also contains a dual frequency passive RFID tag for both long range and short range RFID communication.

6. A container as in all previous claims wherein the container has a display of any means which can retain its displayed information when power is completely removed.

7. A container as in all previous claims has passive transducers within the container which can be read by the external device.

8. A container as in all previous claims wherein the information sent to the container's display is controlled by a smartphone application.

9.