JP2012073294A - Electronic paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an excellent electronic paper that can be used as a new display medium in place of a conventional printed sheet used in outdoor/indoor large signboards.SOLUTION: An electronic paper 201 performs color display with a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate, respectively. Each pixel includes a pixel unit 202 which is independent in electric wiring. The pixel unit 202 includes its own identification information, and wireless communication means and pixel driving means which are integrated in an IC chip 301. In each pixel unit 202, the wireless communication means receives color information transmitted from an external image information radio transmission device to the own pixel unit 202, and the pixel driving means makes color display corresponding to the color information received by the wireless communication means with an electronic paper pixel 208.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic paper which is a sheet-like image display medium capable of holding an image displayed at the time of power supply even after the power supply is stopped.

  As a recent technology, electronic paper that is thin and flexible like paper is known. This electronic paper can rewrite the image to be displayed many times, does not require power consumption during the display, and displays using reflected light like paper, so it has a wide viewing angle and is exposed to direct sunlight It has the advantage that it is easy to see and the burden on the eyes is small. In addition, digital signage, so-called digital signage, has become more realistic as a video information service from a business perspective (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1), and the use of electronic paper as a digital signage medium in public spaces has begun. (For example, see Non-Patent Document 2).

  Hereinafter, a conventional electronic paper technique will be described with reference to FIG. 1A and 1B are a top view and a side view of a conventional electronic paper. In the conventional electronic paper, the wiring 104 is extended vertically and horizontally in a grid pattern from the electronic paper driving means 102 to the wiring layer 103 (matrix wiring), and the color development of the electronic paper pixel 101 is controlled at the intersection. This is a so-called matrix wiring system.

Monthly Display, April 2009, Vol.15 No.4, “Market Trend of Digital Signage”, Yoshihiro Adachi, Paragraphs 37-47 Monthly Display, July 2010, Vol.16 No.7, "Approach from Design Psychology in Digital Signage of Electronic Paper", Haruo Hibino, paragraphs 20-24

  In order to use electronic paper as a new display medium that replaces the conventional printed sheet used in large indoor and outdoor signage, it is necessary to increase the area of electronic paper. However, in the conventional electronic paper, since the wiring area of the matrix layer 104 of the wiring layer 103 becomes longer due to the increase in the area of the electronic paper, the resistance value of the wiring 104 increases, and the electronic paper pixel 101 cannot be driven. . Further, in the conventional electronic paper, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to manufacture the electronic paper as the wiring layer 103 increases in area.

  In addition, in order to use electronic paper as a new display medium in place of a conventional print sheet used for large signboards indoors and outdoors, it is necessary to cut the shape freely as in the conventional print sheet. However, in the conventional electronic paper, since the circuit constituted by the matrix wiring 104 of the wiring layer 103 is destroyed by cutting, there is a problem that it is not possible to cut the shape freely as in the printed sheet. Will occur.

  In addition, since large signboards are directly exposed to wind and rain, electronic paper is also as durable as printed sheets in order to use electronic paper as a new display medium that replaces the traditional printed sheets used in large outdoor signboards. It is necessary to have. However, the conventional electronic paper requires a contact type electrical connector for electrical connection with the outside for power supply and image information transmission, resulting in a problem that durability is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an excellent electronic paper that can be used as a new display medium in place of a conventional print sheet used in a large signboard indoors and outdoors. Is to provide.

In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention as described in claim 1,
Electronic paper that performs color display in a plurality of pixels arranged on the same substrate,
Each of the pixels has an independent pixel unit on the electrical wiring,
Each pixel unit has its own identification information, independent wireless communication means for receiving color information corresponding to the identification information of itself, and independent pixel drive for causing a display element to perform color display corresponding to the color information Means, and
In each of the pixel units, the wireless communication unit receives the color information transmitted from the image information wireless transmission device to its own pixel unit, and the pixel driving unit receives the color received by the wireless communication unit. Causing the display element to perform color display corresponding to the information;
It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, each pixel has an independent pixel unit on the electrical wiring, and when each pixel unit receives the color information for its own pixel unit, the color information Color display corresponding to the above is performed on the display element by the pixel driving means. Therefore, the circuit that drives and controls the pixels of the electronic paper is independent for each pixel, so that the matrix wiring of the wiring layer is unnecessary, and the wiring of the matrix wiring of the wiring layer becomes longer due to the increase in area of the electronic paper. The conventional problem that the resistance value becomes high and the electronic paper pixel cannot be driven can be solved.

  In addition, according to the present invention, an electronic paper pixel and a circuit for driving and controlling the electronic paper pixel can be arranged in a grid pattern vertically and horizontally as a single pixel unit, so that a large and high resolution screen can be configured. Thus, it is possible to solve the problem that it becomes difficult to produce electronic paper as the wiring layer is increased in area.

  Further, according to the present invention, the circuit for driving and controlling the pixels of the electronic paper exists on the substrate as a pixel unit independent of the electrical wiring. Therefore, since the circuit constituted by the matrix wiring of the wiring layer is destroyed by cutting, it is possible to solve the conventional problem that it is not possible to cut the shape of the printed sheet in the same manner as the printed sheet. it can.

  According to the present invention, each pixel unit includes an independent wireless power receiving unit, receives a power signal superimposed on a color information transmission signal from the image information wireless transmission device, and obtains power obtained from the power signal. Are supplied as power for the wireless communication means, the pixel driving means, and the display element. Thus, in combination with the wireless communication means according to claim 1, power supply from the outside to each pixel unit and communication with the outside of each pixel unit are performed wirelessly and have an electrical connection with the outside. No contact type electrical connector is required for each pixel unit. Therefore, the conventional electronic paper can solve the conventional problem that a contact-type electrical connector for electrical connection with the outside is necessary for power supply and image information transmission, and durability is lowered.

(A), (b) is the top view and side view of the control circuit of a pixel of the conventional electronic paper. It is a functional block diagram showing embodiment of the electronic paper concerning this invention. (A), (b) is the top view and side view showing embodiment of the electronic paper concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the electronic paper sticking method to the large signboard showing embodiment of the electronic paper concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image information data transfer method showing embodiment of the electronic paper concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image information data transfer method showing embodiment of the electronic paper concerning this invention.

  The details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading the embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of electronic paper according to the present invention. The electronic paper on the left in FIG. 2 will be described below.

  This electronic paper 201 is composed of pixels arranged two-dimensionally as in the conventional electronic paper, but each pixel includes an independent electronic circuit and a display element 208, and the display element 208 and the electronic circuit The configured pixel units 202 are arranged two-dimensionally. The electronic circuit that constitutes the pixel unit 202 performs wireless communication with the image information wireless transmission device 212 on the right in FIG. 2 via the antenna 203, and the unique identification information 206 that differs for each pixel (each pixel unit 202) A wireless communication control unit 205 is included that transmits to the information wireless transmission device 212 and receives color information 210 that differs from pixel to pixel from the image information wireless transmission device 212. A wireless power receiving unit 204 that rectifies the power signal 211 after separating the color information transmission signal from the wireless signal received from the image information wireless transmission device 212 via the antenna 203 to generate DC power of the entire circuit. included. For the electronic circuits constituting the antenna 203, the wireless power receiving unit 204, and the wireless communication control unit 205, for example, a mechanism similar to an RFID tag compliant with ISO / IEC15693, which is an RFID standard, can be used.

  Further, an electronic paper driving unit 207 is included in the electronic circuit constituting the pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201. The electronic paper driving unit 207 generates a voltage sufficient to drive the electronic paper by boosting the DC power generated by the wireless power receiving unit 204, and based on the color information 210 received from the wireless communication control unit 205, the electronic paper The pixel (display element) 208 is driven for color development.

  The image information wireless transmission device 212 on the right in FIG. 2 will be described below.

The electronic circuit that constitutes the image information wireless transmission device 212 performs wireless communication with the wireless communication control unit 205 that constitutes the pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201 via the antenna 213, and is identified differently for each pixel (each pixel unit 202). A wireless communication control unit 214 that receives the information 206 and transmits color information 210 different for each pixel (for each pixel unit 202) to the pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201 corresponding to the received identification information 206 by a wireless signal. included. The wireless communication control unit 214 stores an image information data table 215 in which the identification information 206 of the pixel (pixel unit 202) on the electronic paper 201 and the color information 210 are associated with each other in an internal memory (not shown). The image information data table 215 is generated by a PC 501 (see FIG. 5) described later and transferred to the wireless communication control unit 214. When transmitting the color information 210 for each pixel (pixel unit 202), the wireless communication control unit 214 refers to the image information data table 215 using the identification information 206 received from the pixel unit 202 as an address pointer, and the pixel (pixel unit). 202) and color information 210 corresponding to (202) is transmitted by radio signal from the antenna 213 together with the identification information 206. A power signal 211 for supplying power to an electronic circuit constituting each pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201 is superimposed on the wireless signal. For example, a mechanism similar to an RFID reader / writer conforming to ISO / IEC15693, which is an RFID standard, can be used for the electronic circuit constituting the wireless communication control unit 214.
The color information 210 is transmitted together with the identification information 206 of the pixel unit 202 from the image information wireless transmission device 212, and when the wireless communication control means of the pixel unit 202 receives the identification information 206 of the pixel unit 202, it is received together with the identification information 206. The electronic paper driving means 207 may cause the electronic paper pixel (display element) 208 to perform color development by using the color information 210 thus obtained.

  The schematic structure of the electronic paper 201 is shown below in FIG.

  The pixel units 202 are arranged in a lattice pattern and are enclosed between a base material 300 including a transparent resin sheet 306 and a resin sheet 307. The wireless power receiving unit 204, the wireless communication control unit 205, and the electronic paper driving unit 207 are integrated on the IC chip 301. As described above, since the electronic circuit constituting the pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201 is independent on the electrical wiring for each pixel, the electronic paper can be cut even at the cutting line 305 indicated by a one-dot chain line in the drawing. The function of 201 is not impaired. Moreover, since all the electronic circuits are enclosed between the resin sheets 307 and there is no contact type electrical connector for having an electrical connection with the outside, durability against wind and rain is provided.

  Hereinafter, the procedure for attaching electronic paper to a large signboard will be described with reference to FIG.

  After attaching one or more electronic papers 201 according to the size and shape of the large signboard 401, the electronic paper 201 is appropriately cut according to the size and shape of the large signboard 401. Since the electronic paper 201 can be cut into an arbitrary size or shape, the large-sized signboard 401 having any size and shape can be configured by the electronic paper 201.

  A series of procedures from design of an image by a PC (personal computer) to rewriting of a display image by the electronic paper 201 attached to the large signboard 401 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  First, FIG. 5 will be described. On the PC 501, an image 502 having the same number of pixels as the pixels (pixel unit 202) of the electronic paper 201 attached to the large signboard 401 (see FIG. 4) is designed. An image information data table 215 in which identification information 206 (in other words, address information of each pixel of the image 502) assigned to each pixel (pixel unit 202) of the electronic paper 201 is associated with the color information 210 of each pixel is obtained from the PC 501. Transfer to the image information wireless transmission device 212. Here, it is assumed that the image information wireless transmission device 212 is a portable terminal.

  Next, FIG. 6 will be described. An operator 601 who updates the display image of the electronic paper 201 attached to the large signboard 401 uses the image information wireless transmission device 212 to move the surface of the electronic paper 201 attached to the large signboard 401 from an arbitrary place to an arbitrary direction. Trace. The image information wireless transmission device 212 transmits power to the pixel unit 202 of the electronic paper 201 traced by the image information wireless transmission device 212 by a power signal 211 that is superimposed on the transmission signal of the color information 210 and transmits the pixel unit 202. Activate the electronic circuit. Then, the identification information 206 of the pixel unit 202 transmitted from the activated electronic circuit is received. The image information wireless transmission device 212 selects the color information 210 of the pixel (pixel unit 202) corresponding to the received identification information 206 from the image information data table 215, and transmits it to the target pixel unit 202. The electronic paper driving unit 207 of the pixel unit 202 changes the color of the electronic paper pixel 208 based on the color information 210 received by the wireless communication control unit 205. Note that the pixel unit 202 after the image update operator 601 changes the color by tracing with the image information wireless transmission device 212 is denoted by reference numeral 603 in FIG. The pixel unit 202 before the change is indicated by reference numeral 604 in FIG. Further, a reference numeral 606 in FIG. 6 indicates a locus traced by the image update operator 601 by the image information wireless transmission device 212 with the pixel unit 202.

  The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make modifications and substitutions of the embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  Further, in the present specification, the embodiment of the present invention has been described with respect to an example in which the image update operator 601 performs the operation of tracing the electronic paper 201 in the image information wireless transmission device 212 in order to update an image. The gist is not limited to this. The present invention can also be implemented by using a mechanism unit that holds the image information wireless transmission device 212 and travels on the electronic paper 201 instead of the image update worker 601.

  In short, the present invention has been disclosed in the form of exemplification, and the description of the present specification should not be interpreted in a limited manner. In order to determine the gist of the present invention, the claims section described at the beginning should be considered.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Electronic paper pixel 102 ... Electronic paper drive means 103 ... Wiring layer 104 ... Wiring 201 ... Electronic paper 202 ... Pixel unit 203 ... Antenna 204 ... Wireless power receiving means 205 ... Wireless communication control means 206 ... Identification information 207 ... Electronic paper drive Means 208 ... Electronic paper pixel 210 ... Color information 211 ... Power signal 212 ... Image information wireless transmission device 213 ... Antenna 214 ... Wireless communication control means 215 ... Image information data table 300 ... Base material 301 ... IC chip 305 ... Cutting line 306 ... Transparent resin sheet 307 ... resin sheet 401 ... large sign 501 ... PC
502 ... Image 601 ... Image update operator 603 ... Pixel unit 604 after color change ... Pixel unit 606 before color change ... Trace traced by image information wireless transmission device

Claims (2)

Electronic paper that performs color display in a plurality of pixels arranged on the same substrate,
Each of the pixels has an independent pixel unit on the electrical wiring,
Each pixel unit receives its own identification information, independent wireless communication means for receiving color information corresponding to its own pixel unit, and independent pixel driving means for causing a display element to perform color display corresponding to the color information. And comprising
In each of the pixel units, the wireless communication unit receives the color information transmitted from the image information wireless transmission device to its own pixel unit, and the pixel driving unit receives the color received by the wireless communication unit. Causing the display element to perform color display corresponding to the information;
Electronic paper characterized by that.   Each of the pixel units further includes an independent wireless power receiving unit, and the wireless power receiving unit receives a power signal transmitted from the image information wireless transmission device in a superimposed manner on the transmission signal of the color information, and the power The electronic paper according to claim 1, wherein power obtained from a signal is supplied as a power source for the wireless communication unit, the pixel driving unit, and the display element.

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