JP4797303B2 - Identification code indicator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display body that displays an identification code such as a barcode for managing a product, and more particularly, to an identification code display body that can rewrite display contents.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Traditionally, for use in product management, alphabets, numbers, symbols, etc. are replaced with one-dimensional black and white patterns (actually two-dimensional with a width) or combinations of figures, etc. according to a certain algorithm, and digitally stored on a computer. An identification code such as a bar code or a carla code that can be input with is used.
[0003]
Such an identification code is generally printed on a packaging material such as cardboard or printed on a label (seal) and attached to the packaging material for use.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, once such a conventional identification code display is used, the same code cannot be reused if the contents are changed.
[0005]
For this reason, it has been proposed to use a label displaying an identification code in a case, etc., and replace it whenever the contents change, but prepare a display with the necessary identification code for each change. I had to.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided input means for inputting identification code information, display means having flexibility for displaying an identification code image based on the identification code information, and changing the identification code image after a predetermined time has elapsed. Or a timer for erasing, and the display means displays an image by giving an electric drive signal to a capsule in which charged particles of a predetermined color are enclosed, and even after the supply of the electric drive signal is cut off It is an identification code display body characterized by having non-volatility for maintaining a display state .
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the invention, a discrimination code display of claim 1, which is an identification code display body characterized by having a mounting portion to another article.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 3 is the identification code display body according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the input means receives the identification code information by a radio signal.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an identification code display body of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an identification code display body according to the present embodiment. The input unit 1 inputs information of a barcode (identification code) transmitted by infrared rays or the like, and the identification received by the input unit 1. A display control unit 2 that temporarily stores a code and outputs it as display information, and a display unit 3 that displays a bar code based on a signal from the display control unit 2 are provided. Further, a timer 4 for managing the time and a CPU 5 for controlling the display and other overall functions are provided.
[0012]
2 and 3 are explanatory views showing the appearance of the identification code display body 11. The main body 12 is made of a material such as plastic, polymer, or elastomer, and is thin and flexible. The display unit 13 has a flexible structure as will be described later, and can be bent as a whole. The surface of the main body 12 is provided with a signal input unit 14 through which optical signals such as infrared rays can be input.
[0013]
An attachment portion 15 made of an adhesive is provided on the back surface of the main body 12. This mounting portion can be changed as appropriate according to the mounting object and purpose of use, such as a magnet, hook, adhesive tape, and pin.
[0014]
The display unit 13 only needs to be bendable and thin and flexible, and a display having a sufficient contrast can be suitably used for display without a backlight. This is because electroluminescent materials, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC), polymer-stable liquid crystals, smectic liquid crystals, ferroelectric liquid crystals, display devices using a microcapsule type electrophoresis system, etc. on a thin flexible substrate. It can be realized by combining. In particular, when a display body using a microcapsule type electrophoresis system is used, an image close to that of conventional paper can be displayed.
[0015]
The display using the microcapsule type electrophoresis system will be described in detail.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the display sheet 21 used in the display unit 13.
Although the display sheet 21 uses two electrode sheets 22 and 23, the electrode sheet 22 on the display surface side uses a transparent electrode that transmits visible light. The electrode sheets 22 and 23 are connected to a display driver (not shown), and an electric field corresponding to pixel information is applied between electrodes corresponding to each pixel by the display driver. A transparent / spherical microcapsule 25 made of urea resin or gum arabic and transmitting visible light is held between the electrode sheets 22 and 23 by a polymer resin layer 24.
[0016]
Inside the microcapsule 25, white particles 26 made of titanium oxide and black particles 27 made of carbon black are enclosed. White particles 26 are positively charged, while black particles 27 are negatively charged. Therefore, when an electric field is applied to the two electrode sheets 22 and 23 and the electrode sheet 22 becomes the negative electrode and the electrode sheet 23 becomes the positive electrode, the positively charged white particles 26 are attracted to the electrode sheet 22 side, Since the particles 27 are drawn to the electrode sheet 23 side, the portion looks white to the observer 28.
[0017]
Conversely, when the electrode sheet 22 is a positive electrode and the electrode sheet 23 is a negative electrode, positively charged white particles 26 are drawn to the electrode sheet 23 side, and black particles 27 are drawn to the electrode sheet 22 side. The person 28 looks black. The display sheet 21 has a large number of such microcapsules 25. By controlling the electric field at each address of the electrode sheets 22 and 23, the character “AB” is displayed in black in FIG. Can be displayed with white and black pixels.
[0018]
Each particle has a non-volatility in which a display image such as a bar code does not disappear even when the power is turned off after the electric field is applied once, even if the power is turned off. For this reason, power for continuation of image display is unnecessary, and even when changing the image, it is only necessary to change the image by applying an electric field only to the portions of the electrode positions corresponding to different pixels. Compared with this, it is possible to greatly reduce power consumption.
[0019]
Further, in the display sheet 21, there is no problem in display even if the position of the microcapsules 25 varies slightly. Therefore, by using a material that makes the entire display sheet 21 including the electrode sheets 22 and 23 thin and flexible, it is possible to provide paper-like flexibility.
[0020]
Further, since the carbon black of the black particles 27 is the same material as the ink for performing normal printing, it is possible to perform a natural display that is very close to a printed matter on paper.
[0021]
Next, the operation of the identification code display body 11 configured as described above will be described.
When a barcode signal to be displayed by an infrared signal or the like is input to the input unit 1 (signal input unit 14), it is converted into an image signal by the display control unit 2 under the control of the CPU 5, and the display unit 3 (display unit 13). Sent to. As described above, the display unit 13 displays an image by applying an electrical drive signal to a capsule in which charged particles of a predetermined color are enclosed. Display the code.
[0022]
Once the signal is input from the input unit 1 and the bar code is displayed, the bar code is displayed due to the non-volatility of the display unit 3 (display unit 13) even when the signal is not input or the power is turned off. Remains displayed. Therefore, when no new signal is input under the control of the CPU 5, the power is turned off or only the input unit 1 is set in the standby state.
[0023]
The identification code display 11 has flexibility as a whole (it can be bent), and can be mounted on a curved surface as shown in FIG. 5 as well as a flat surface by using the mounting portion 15. is there. Therefore, the user can attach it to a desired position in the same manner as the paper label and printed barcode.
[0024]
By using the timer 4, for example, it is possible to change or delete the barcode after a certain time has elapsed. The time is set in advance or time data is input from the input unit 1 and the CPU 5 uses the timer 4 to monitor the lapse of the set time. When the set time has elapsed, the CPU 5 instructs the display control unit 2 to rewrite the barcode image. This makes it possible to prevent mistakes such as, for example, selling a product whose expiration date has passed by mistake.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the main body 12 is provided with the display unit 13, the signal input unit 14, the mounting unit 15 and the like, but by providing the signal input unit 14, the mounting unit 15 and the like in the display unit 12, Further, the size and thickness can be reduced.
[0026]
In this embodiment, a barcode is used as an identification code. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other identification codes may be displayed.
The charged particles in the microcapsule 25 are not limited to those described above, and any charged particles having the same function can be used, and colors other than white and black can be displayed.
[0027]
As described above, in the identification code display according to the present embodiment, since the electrophoretic display unit 13 has non-volatility and the display image remains as it is even after the power is turned off, only when data is rewritten. It is only necessary to turn on the power, and the power consumption is reduced.
Therefore, since it can be made light and thin, it is easy to carry and can be handled in the same manner as a paper barcode label.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
Identification code display body according to claims 1 to 3 Symbol placement is possible to change the display content, but which can be many times available. In addition, since it is flexible and bendable, it can be attached to a curved surface or the like like a conventional paper barcode.
[0029]
The identification code display body according to the first aspect of the present invention is further lightweight and can display an image equivalent to a printed paper.
[0030]
In the identification code display according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the displayed image of the identification code remains even after the supply of power is stopped, the power consumption for image display can be reduced.
[0031]
The identification code display body according to the second aspect of the present invention can be easily attached to a desired position by the attaching portion.
[0032]
Since the identification code display body according to the third aspect of the invention can further display a desired identification code by a radio signal, the display content can be easily changed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of an identification data display body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an appearance (display surface side) of an identification data display body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an appearance (back side) of an identification data display body in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an appearance of an identification data display body in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage state of an identification data display body in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a display sheet in one embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 …… Input unit 2 …… Display control unit 3 …… Display unit 4 …… Timer 5 …… CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Identification code display body 12 ... Main body 13 ... Display part 14 ... Signal input part 15 ... Mounting part 21 ... Display sheet 22 ... Electrode 23 ... Electrode 24 ... Polymer resin layer 25 ... Microcapsule 26 ... White particles 27 ... Black particles 28 ... Observer

Claims (3)

An input means for inputting identification code information; a display means having flexibility for displaying an identification code image based on the identification code information; and a timer for changing or erasing the identification code image after a lapse of a predetermined time .
The display means displays an image by giving an electric drive signal to a capsule in which charged particles of a predetermined color are sealed, and has a non-volatility that maintains a display state even after the supply of the electric drive signal is cut off. An identification code display body characterized by that. The identification code display body according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment portion to another article. 3. The identification code display body according to claim 1, wherein the input means receives identification code information by a radio signal.

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