Claims
- 1. A display system comprising:
display units secured to objects, wherein each of the display units includes an information display and a power connection for receiving power; and a power source separate from the display units and operatively configured to interface with the power connection.
- 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for holding one or more of the objects in contact with the power source.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display units are adhesively attached to respective of the objects.
- 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information displays include flexible display material.
- 5. The display system of claim 4, wherein the flexible display material includes a pair of flexible substrate layers.
- 6. The display system of claim 5, wherein the flexible substrate layers are PET layers.
- 7. The display system of claim 4, wherein the flexible display material includes a layer of electrochromic material.
- 8. The display system of claim 4, wherein the flexible display material further includes an electrolyte layer.
- 9. The display system of claim 4, wherein the flexible display material includes a color film.
- 10. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display includes means for flashing the displayed information.
- 11. A display system comprising:
a flexible display material for displaying information; and means for securing the display material to an object.
- 12. The display system of claim 11, wherein the flexible display material includes a pair of flexible substrate layers.
- 13. The display system of claim 11, wherein the flexible display material includes a layer of electrochromic material.
- 14. The display system of claim 12, wherein the flexible display material further includes an electrolyte layer.
- 15. The display system of claim 11, wherein the display includes means for flashing the displayed information.
- 16. The display system of claim 11, wherein the display includes means for displaying apparent movement of displayed images.
- 17. The display system of claim 11, further comprising user-accessible switches operatively coupled to the display material, wherein the switches are operatively configured in concert with the display material to allow the displayed information to be affected by activation of the switches.
- 18. The display system of claim 11, further comprising a display-changing device which provides signals to the display to selectively change the displayed information on the display.
- 19. The display system of claim 18, wherein the display-changing device is a wireless hand-held device.
- 20. The display system of claim 19, wherein the wireless device is operatively configured to send infrared signals, and the display is operatively coupled to a means for receiving the infrared signals.
- 21. The display system of claim 11, wherein the display is operatively coupled to a connection for receiving power from an external power source.
- 22. The display system of claim 21, wherein the connection also includes means for receiving control signals.
- 23. A sign system for providing purchase information for different goods in a commercial setting, said system comprising:
a plurality of signs each comprising an electrochromic display which displays frequently fluctuating purchase information relating to the respective goods; and a display-changing device which provides signals to the electrochromic displays to selectively change the frequently fluctuating purchase information on the electrochromic displays to correspond to the respective goods.
- 24. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electrochromic display displays information relating to the prices of the respective goods.
- 25. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electrochromic display displays information relating to the sale status of the respective goods.
- 26. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein each sign additionally comprises a static display which displays rarely-changing information relating to the respective goods.
- 27. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein each sign additionally comprises a housing on which the electrochromic display is supported.
- 28. A sign system as set forth in claim 27, wherein the housing of each sign includes a windowed slot and wherein a static display is received within this windowed slot, the static display displaying rarely-changing information relating to the respective goods.
- 29. A sign system as set forth in claim 27, wherein the static display contains information relating to an identify of the commercial setting.
- 30. A sign system as set forth in claim 27, wherein the static display contains information relating to a description of the respective goods.
- 31. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electrochromic displays are solar powered.
- 32. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electrochromic displays include a battery back-up.
- 33. A sign system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the display-changing device is a hand-held device that may be carried throughout the commercial setting to change the electrochromic displays.
- 34. A sign system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the new/updated information is manually input via the hand-held device.
- 35. A sign system as set forth in claim 34, wherein data is downloaded from a computer to the hand-held device for manual input.
- 36. A method of using a sign system to provide purchase information for different goods in a commercial setting, the method comprising:
providing one of the plurality of signs of the system for each of the different goods in the commercial setting, wherein the signs each include an electrochromic display which displays frequently fluctuating purchase information relating to the respective goods; and using a display-changing device of the system to provide signals to the electrochromic displays to selectively change the frequently fluctuating purchase information on the electrochromic displays to correspond to the respective goods.
- 37. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein the using step comprises providing information relating to prices of the respective goods.
- 38. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein the using step comprises providing information relating to the sale status of the respective goods.
- 39. A method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising providing a static display which displays the rarely-changing information relating to the respective goods.
- 40. A method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising the step of providing a static display by placing the static display in the windowed slot.
- 41. A method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the providing the static display includes providing the static display with information relating to the identity of the commercial setting.
- 42. A method as set forth in claim 41, wherein the providing the static display comprises providing the static display with information relating to a description of the respective goods.
- 43. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein the display-changing device is a hand-held device, and further comprising carrying the hand-held device throughout the commercial setting to change the electrochromic displays.
- 44. A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising manually inputting the new/updated information via the hand-held device.
- 45. A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising downloading data from a computer to the hand-held device for manual input.
- 46. A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of checking the updated sign for accuracy.
- 47. In combination, the sign system of claim 23 and a commercial setting, the plurality of signs being placed within the commercial setting adjacent the respective goods.
- 48. A combination as set forth in the claim 47, wherein the commercial setting is a grocery store, a mass merchandiser, a department store, a big box retailer, a discount department store, a specialty retailer, and/or a consumer goods manufacturer.
- 49. A sign system for providing purchase information for different goods in a commercial setting; said system comprising:
a plurality of signs each comprising a changeable display which displays frequently fluctuating purchase information relating to the respective goods; and a display-changing device which provides signals to the changeable displays to selectively change the frequently fluctuating purchase information on the displays to correspond to the respective goods.
- 50. A sign system as set forth in claim 49, wherein the changeable display is an electrically changeable display
- 51. A sign system as set forth in claim 50, wherein the electrically changeable display is an electrophoretic display, an electrofluorescent display, an electromechanical display, an electroluminescent display, a liquid crystal display, and/or a cathode ray tube display.
- 52. A sign system as set forth in claim 49, wherein the changeable display is a thermally changeable display.
- 53. A display comprising a first portion and a second portion with a boundary therebetween, wherein the portions are operatively configured for selective change of the color of the first portion relative to the color of the second portion, and wherein the portions are operatively configured such that the selective change causes a region of the first portion near the boundary to selectively change color before or after another region of the first portion.
- 54. The display of claim 53, wherein the selective change is accomplished by a thermochromic process.
- 55. The display of claim 53, wherein the selective change is accomplished by an electrochromic process.
- 56. The display of claim 53, wherein one of the portions surrounds the other of the portions.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US00/31903, filed Nov. 20, 2000, published in English as WO 01/37244, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/166,482, filed Nov. 19, 1999. All of the above are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60166482 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US00/31903 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
10152223 |
May 2002 |
US |