JP2010079637A - Waiting time display card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact, thin, light-weight, and portable waiting time display card which mounts an IC chip, repeatedly rewrites and displays waiting time information which changes with time by using a rewritable electrophoretic display. <P>SOLUTION: The waiting time display card is provided with: an electrophoretic display for at least displaying or deleting information; an IC chip for performing data communication with the outside; and a memory. Waiting time information received from the outside is displayed on the electrophoretic display. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a waiting time display card capable of displaying waiting time information on an electrophoretic display device by utilizing the fact that charged particles in a microcapsule move by application of a voltage and can be rewritten without contact. .

  Traditionally, amusement facilities such as amusement parks and theme parks with large sites have many attractions and restaurants. Among these attractions and restaurants, particularly popular ones are always queued up because they wait for a waiting time for admission and are often very crowded.

  Visitors want to go around attractions, restaurants, etc. efficiently by reducing the waiting time while the staying time is limited due to the return time and closing time. In particular, when using popular attractions, visitors are strongly eager to use as long as possible without waiting. When popular attractions are scattered on a large site, there is a waiting time even if you arrive at that place, and it is very crowded, and in some cases even if you abandon the use of those attractions and restaurants is there.

  Visitors are strongly eager to keep track of the waiting time corresponding to the congestion situation in order to efficiently use attractions and the like with a limited stay time.

  Currently, information such as congestion status, that is, waiting time is displayed on a signboard installed near the entrance of an attraction or in a specific place where many visitors gather, and the attendee can often see this display. However, in this case, the visitors are forced into a very inconvenient situation in which they cannot recognize the waiting time unless they go to the place where the sign is displayed.

  Portable wireless information media and systems that can easily display information such as congestion status, that is, waiting time, have been proposed. For example, a congestion status such as an attraction or a restaurant as in Patent Document 1, that is, a waiting time confirmation system has been proposed. In this case, data from a host computer is waited using a mobile phone via a public line. However, there is a problem that visitors who do not have a mobile phone cannot use this system and that the display must always be powered because there is no memory.

  Further, a display medium as disclosed in Patent Document 2 has been proposed. In this case, too, since there is no memory property, the display must always be supplied with power, and a thin film transistor comprising a glass substrate on the back plate. However, the glass substrate and the quartz substrate are also used for the insulating substrate, which is not realistic in terms of weight, safety and cost.

The patent literature is as follows.
JP 2002-230215 A JP 2006-243825 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and can be displayed on an electrophoretic display device using an IC chip capable of acquiring waiting time information such as attractions in an amusement facility, In addition, the number of drivers is reduced by using a display device that is thin and lightweight because it has good memory characteristics, low power consumption, and does not use a glass substrate as a structural material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a waiting time display card equipped with an electrophoretic display device capable of display with reduced display.

  In order to achieve the above object in the present invention, an electrophoretic display device capable of at least displaying and erasing information, an IC chip capable of data communication with the outside, a memory, and a card including these are provided. The present invention provides a waiting time display card characterized in that waiting time information received from outside can be displayed on an electrophoretic display device.

  Further, according to claim 2, there is further provided a waiting time display card according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna and capable of non-contact type data communication with the outside via the antenna. .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the electrophoretic display device has a microcapsule display layer containing microcapsules between a pair of opposed substrates, at least one of which is transparent, and further drives the microcapsule display layer 3. A waiting time display card according to claim 1, further comprising: a power supply function for executing the program and a function of executing a program.

  According to the present invention, by using an electrophoretic display device that is equipped with an IC chip and can be rewritten any number of times, it is possible to rewrite and display waiting time information that can be changed as many times as necessary. Has a unique effect, such as not taking.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  One of display devices using electrophoresis is an electrophoretic display device using microcapsules. In the microcapsules filled with the dispersion medium, white particles and black particles positively and negatively charged are put, and each particle is pulled up to the display surface by application of an external voltage to form an image. Since the size of the microcapsules is as small as several tens of μm to several hundreds of μm, when the microcapsules are dispersed in a transparent binder material, they can be coated like ink.

  A transparent substrate, which is a transparent resin film on which a transparent electrode is formed, is coated with this ink to form a microcapsule display layer, and when bonded to a substrate on which an active matrix driving electrode circuit represented by TFT is formed, An electrophoretic display device which is a matrix display can be obtained.

  In general, a component in which a transparent resin film on which transparent electrodes are formed is coated with electronic ink is called a “front plate”, and a substrate on which a power supply function that is an electrode circuit for active matrix driving is formed is called a “back plate”. . In addition to the active matrix, a substrate such as various conductive films can be used for the back plate.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a waiting time display card 1 when the electrophoretic display device of the present invention is used.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the waiting time display card 1 of the present invention, a number display section 3 is arranged as a column for displaying an attraction name and a column for displaying a waiting time by using an electrophoretic display device 2 next to the column. Furthermore, an IC chip 4 is incorporated.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing A-A ′ for the electrophoretic display device 2 of the waiting time display card 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view on the transparent resin film 13 of the waiting time display card 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing B-B ′ of the waiting time display card 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the microcapsule 9 and the electronic ink containing the binder material 8 are applied to the surface of the transparent resin film 6 made of polyethylene terephthalate, which is a transparent substrate, having the transparent electrode layer 7. The display layer 11 is formed, and then the conductive adhesive layer 10 is formed on the microcapsule display layer 11 to obtain the front plate 12.

  Further, on the first layer of the transparent resin film 13, a conductive line 14 that connects the 7-segment numeric pattern serving as the numeric display unit 3 and the power supply unit 23 is printed by, for example, screen printing using carbon or silver paste. The conductive layer A15 is formed. Further, by etching the metal foil, the non-contact communication antenna 22 is formed in a structure that does not overlap the number display unit 3. The second layer is formed by printing a non-conductive layer 18 by a similar method, for example, using a polymer resin as a non-conductive material. Further, in the same manner, the third layer forms the pattern of the conductive layer C17 using the conductive material for the 7-segment numerical pattern to be the number display portion 3, and the non-conductive portion to be the numerical line portion 20 is formed. To do. At that time, the second conductive layer B16 fills the gap formed in the second layer, and the number portion 19 and the peripheral portion 21 pattern-printed in the third layer are connected to the first conductive line 14 Form to contact. In this way, the waiting time display card is provided with a power supply function.

  The conductive adhesive layer 10 of the front plate 12 and the third pattern surface formed by the screen printing method are bonded together. Furthermore, the attraction name, the time unit, etc. have already been printed, and the resin film 5 which is a transparent substrate devised so that the microcapsule display layer 11 which is the number display unit 3 can be visually recognized, and the transparent resin which is the transparent substrate of the front plate 12 The waiting time display card 1 of the present invention having the electrophoretic display device is obtained by bonding the film 6 together.

  When the 7-segment pattern, which is a number to be displayed, and the conduction line 14 for receiving power from the power supply unit 23 are connected to each other at a single contact point, the voltage of the number portion 19 can be applied.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the non-contact communication antenna 22 and the power supply unit 23 are formed so as not to overlap the number display unit 3.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the waiting display card 1 equipped with the electrophoretic display device of the present invention has a structure in which a non-contact IC chip 4 is sandwiched between transparent resin films 6 and 13. Yes.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic view of microcapsules included in the microcapsule display layer of the microcapsule type electrophoretic display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the microcapsule 9 included in the microcapsule display layer 11 has a capsule shell 24 made of methacrylic acid resin, urea resin, gum arabic or the like, and white particles 26 made of titanium oxide and carbon black therein. These black particles 27 are encapsulated in a state of being dispersed in a highly viscous dispersion medium 25 such as silicone oil. Titanium oxide, which is the white particle 26, has a positive charge, while carbon black, which is the black particle 27, has a negative charge.

  The electrophoretic display device using the microcapsule type electrophoresis method of the layer formed as shown in FIG. 5 operates as follows.

  As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the microcapsule display layer 11 includes a large number of microcapsules 9, and by controlling the direction of the electric field of the electrode layer, the particles in the microcapsule 9 are controlled based on the principle described above. By moving it, it can be displayed as white and black.

  In each number display portion 3, the electrode pattern is formed by dividing into seven segment electrodes constituting each number pattern and peripheral electrodes in other background portions. In the segment electrode of the number pattern, a positive voltage is applied only to the segment electrode necessary for composing the number to be displayed, and the microcapsule display layer of that portion is displayed in black, and the other segment electrode and the peripheral electrode are negative voltage. Is applied to make the microcapsule display layer in those regions display white. In addition, a negative voltage is applied only to the segment electrodes necessary to configure the number to be displayed, and the microcapsule display layer of that portion is displayed in white, and a positive voltage is applied to the other segment electrodes and peripheral electrodes to display them. The microcapsule display layer in the region can be displayed in black.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a system configuration example of a waiting time display card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The system shown in FIG. 6 includes a management device system 28 and the electrophoretic display device-mounted card 1 of the present invention. The management device system 28 includes a data transmitter 30 that transmits data to the card 1 of the present invention and a personal computer (PC) 29 in which an information program is incorporated.

  As an example, the data transmitter 30 includes a CPU that realizes a function of executing a program, a storage unit (ROM / RAM), an antenna, an antenna drive circuit, and the like.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to an embodiment of the waiting display card 1 equipped with an electrophoretic display device of the present invention.

  In the waiting time display card 1 equipped with the electrophoretic display device of the present invention, the IC chip 4, the electrophoretic display device 2 and the driver IC 31 have different structures. As an example, the IC chip 4 includes a CPU, a storage unit (ROM / RAM), a memory, an RF circuit, and the like. Since the card 1 of the present invention performs non-contact communication, non-contact communication is performed in the card. The antenna 22 is built in, and has a structure including a number display unit 3 for displaying information and a driver IC 31 for driving.

  The CPU in the data transmitter 30 controls the operation according to the program stored in the storage unit. The CPU drives the antenna driving circuit, transmits a signal from the antenna, and transmits the signal to the non-contact communication antenna 22 mounted on the electrophoretic display device mounted waiting time display card 1.

Signals are transferred to the IC chip 4 from a non-contact communication antenna 22 incorporated so that signals from the data transmitter 30 can be selectively received, and information is stored in a memory in the IC chip 4. The information stored in the memory is displayed on the number display unit 3 based on the control of the driver IC 31.

  With this system, a waiting time to be predicted for the number of attraction personnel is input in the personal computer 29 of the management apparatus system 28. Various kinds of updated information are transmitted and received through the antenna of the data transmitter 30 and displayed on the numeric display unit 3 of the waiting display card 1 equipped with the electrophoretic display device of the present invention.

  For example, a thin film battery, a thin battery, a button battery, or the like can be used as the power supply unit 23 necessary for rewriting to realize the power supply function.

  In addition, on the waiting time display card 1 equipped with the electrophoretic display device of the present invention, a portion for displaying the information update time is displayed by forming a 7-segment numeric pattern so that it can be confirmed when the information is updated. Is also possible.

  As described above, a voltage is applied from the transparent resin film 6 side and the transparent resin film 13 side, which are transparent substrates, and white and black are displayed on the microcapsule display layer, and positive or negative voltage is selectively applied to the electrodes. It is possible to apply black and white colors selectively.

  In the microcapsule display layer of the electrophoretic display device of the present invention, each particle is dispersed in a highly viscous dispersion medium. Therefore, once the electric field is applied, the position of the particle does not change even when the power is turned off. As described above, since the display image has a memory property that does not disappear, it is only necessary to apply an electric field only at the time of rewriting, and power consumption can be reduced as compared with a normal display device.

  Since the electrophoretic display device 2 of the present invention is a low power consumption type display that consumes power only at the time of switching the display as described above, a small battery can be used for the power supply unit 23. By using a resin film instead of a glass substrate as a structural material such as a transparent substrate, lightness and thinness can be provided, and space saving and flexibility can be realized.

  The microcapsule display layer of the electrophoretic display device of the present invention also has a high contrast when displaying two colors, with white display being close to the white color of paper with high reflectivity, and an extremely wide viewing angle. It can be used with no problem under direct sunlight outdoors as well as large and dark observation lighting.

  Since the card 1 of the present invention on which the electrophoretic display device 2 of the present invention is mounted has a microcapsule display layer capable of repeatedly displaying and erasing information, the card is collected when, for example, a visitor returns home. As a result, it is possible to reduce card issuance costs, eliminate waste of resources, and reduce the impossibility to the environment.

  The coating solution was applied by a predetermined coating method using, for example, ITO-coated polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide resin, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride or the like as a transparent electrode layer.

  A conductive adhesive layer is provided on the coating sheet. Specific materials for the conductive adhesive layer include silicon rubber, acrylic rubber, butyl rubber, fluorine rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and the like. The film thickness was about 25 μm, and a front plate was obtained.

  Using polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide resin, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, etc., the conductive line for power supply is non-conductive as the number line part on the second layer by screen printing. A 7-segment pattern displaying a layer and a number on the third layer were formed by carbon coating. Further, for example, polyethylene terephthalate on which an attraction name and a time unit are printed is formed.

  The polyethylene terephthalate described above and the adhesive layer portion of the front plate were bonded together.

  The waiting time information updated by the host computer is transmitted and received via the antenna of the data transmitter, and by selectively applying a voltage only to the numbers to be displayed and the conduction lines connected to the peripheral part, It was confirmed that time was displayed as a waiting time on the microcapsule display layer of the electrophoresis display device of the electrophoresis display device mounted type waiting time display card.

It is a schematic diagram of the waiting time display card 1 of the electrophoretic display device mounting type of the present invention. It is an expanded sectional view about the number display part 3 of the waiting time display card 1 of the electrophoretic display device mounting type of this invention. It is a schematic diagram on the transparent resin film 13 of the waiting time display card 1 equipped with the electrophoretic display device of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the waiting time display card 1 of the electrophoresis display apparatus mounting | wearing type of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the microcapsule 9 contained in the microcapsule display layer 11 of the electrophoretic display device 2 of the electrophoretic display device mounting type according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration example of an electrophoretic display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram explaining the system configuration | structure which concerns on one Embodiment of the waiting time display card 1 of the electrophoresis display apparatus mounting | wearing type of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wait time display card 2 ... Electrophoretic display device 3 ... Number display part 4 ... IC chip 5 ... Resin film 6 ... Transparent resin film 7 ... Transparent electrode layer 8 ... Binder material 9 ... Microcapsule 10 ... Conductive adhesive layer 11 ... Microcapsule display layer 12 ... Front plate 13 ... Transparent resin film 14 ... Conductive wire 15 ... Conductive layer A
16: Conductive layer B
17... Conductive layer C
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 ... Non-conductive layer 19 ... Number part 20 ... Number line part 21 ... Peripheral part 22 ... Non-contact communication antenna 23 ... Power supply part 24 ... Capsule shell 25 ... Dispersion medium 26 ... White particles 27 ... Black particles 28 ... Management device system 29 ... Personal computer (PC)
30 ... Data transmitter 31 ... Driver IC

Claims (3)

  An electrophoretic display device capable of displaying and erasing at least information, an IC chip capable of data communication with the outside, a memory, and a card including these, and waiting time information received from the outside is displayed on the electrophoretic display device A waiting time display card characterized by what is possible.   The waiting time display card according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna, wherein non-contact type data communication is possible with the outside via the antenna.   The electrophoretic display device has a microcapsule display layer containing a microcapsule between a pair of opposed substrates, at least one of which is transparent, and further a power supply function and program for driving the microcapsule display layer The waiting time display card according to claim 1, wherein the waiting time display card has a function of executing

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