Electronic signage label apparatus and method

Claim 2

An electronic label system for receiving and displaying data from a central controller comprising: a display device having a display for display of display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch said display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; said display device having first input means for receiving said display data from said central controller for storage in said registers, and a second input means for receiving signals and physically interfacing with said controller and means for controlling said controller via said second input means to selectively switch said selected display data in said selected one of said registers to said display for display thereon, said means for controlling being physically unconnected with and out of physical contact with said display device.

Claim 3

The electronic label system of claim 1 wherein: said second input means includes a magnetic reed switch interfaced with said controller; and said local means for controlling includes a source of a magnetic field selectively applicable to a proximity of said magnetic reed switch to open and close said reed switch for effecting transmission of control signals for selecting said selected one of said registers.

Claim 4

The electronic label system of claim 2 wherein said source of a magnetic field is a permanent magnet.

Claim 5

The electronic label system of claim 2, wherein said source of a magnetic field is an electromagnet, and further comprising a source of data and control signals connected to energize said electromagnet, and said controller including means for responding to operation of said reed switch in response to said data signals to store data corresponding thereto in said memory.

Claim 6

The electronic label system of claim 4 wherein said source of data and control signals comprises a bar code scanner.

Claim 7

The electronic label system of claim 1 wherein said controlling means comprises a source of data and control signals, and means for capacitively coupling said data and control signals to said second input means.

Claim 8

The electronic label system of claim 1 wherein said controlling means comprises a source of data and control signals, and means for inductively coupling said data and control signals to said second input means for receiving.

Claim 9

An electronic label system for receiving and displaying data from a central controller comprising: a display device having a display for display of display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch said display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; said display device having a first input means for receiving said display data for storage in said registers end a second input means for interfacing with said controller to control selection of said selected one of said registers; and means for controlling said controller via said second receiving means to selectively switch said display data in said selected one of said registers to said display for display thereon, said means for controlling comprising a source of signals and magnetic coupling means for coupling said signals to said display device via said second receiving means.

Claim 10

An electronic label system for receiving and displaying data from a central controller comprising: a display device having a display for display of display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch said display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; said display device having a first input means for receiving said display data for storage in said registers end a second input means for interfacing with said controller to control selection of said selected one of said registers; and means for controlling said controller via said second receiving means to selectively switch said display data in said selected one of said registers to said display for display thereon, said means for controlling comprising a source of signals and magnetic coupling means for coupling said signals to said display device via said second receiving means.

Claim 11

The electronic label system of claim 8 wherein said second input means includes a magnetic reed switch connected to a port of said controller, and said magnetic coupling means includes a source of a magnetic field manually disposable to functionally couple with said reed switch.

Claim 12

The electronic label system of claim 9 wherein said source of a magnetic field is a permanent magnetic and said controller includes means for responding to operation of said reed switch for sequentially displaying display data in said registers on said display.

Claim 13

The electronic label system of claim 9 wherein said source of a magnetic field is an electromagnet, and said local means for controlling includes a source of data signals connected to energize said electromagnet, and said controller includes means for responding to operation of said reed switch for storing data corresponding to said data signals in at least one of said registers.

Claim 14

The electronic label system of claim 8 wherein said second input means includes a first coil connected to a port of,said controller, and said magnetic coupling means includes a second coil movable into the-proximity of said first coil, and a source of data signals connected to said second coil.

Claim 15

The electronic label system of claim 8 further comprising a modem connected to apply signals from said first and second input means to said controller.

Claim 16

An electronic label system for receiving and displaying data comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch said display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; said display device having an input means for receiving said display data for storage in said registers; and means for controlling said controller to selectively switch said display data stored in said selected one of said registers to said display device for display thereon, said means for controlling comprising a source of signals and capacitive coupling means for coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 17

An electronic label system for receiving and displaying data comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch said display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; said display device having an input means for receiving said display data for storage in said registers; and means for controlling said controller to selectively switch said display data stored in said selected one of said registers to said display device for display thereon, said means for controlling comprising a source of signals and capacitive coupling means for coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 18

The electronic label system of claim 14 wherein said display device includes a capacitive means for receiving signals from said capacitive coupling means for coupling said signals to a port of said controller.

Claim 19

The electronic label system of claim 14 further comprising said input means being an antenna and said display device including a modem connected to apply signals from said input means to said controller, and said capacitive coupling means applying said signals to an input of said modem via said input means.

Claim 20

The electronic label system of claim 14 wherein said capacitive coupling means comprises means for capactively coupling signals to said input means and said input means including an antenna.

Claim 21

The electronic label system of claim 17 further comprising means for applying signals capacitively coupled to said antenna to a port of said controller.

Claim 22

An electronic label system comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; means for receiving said data for storage in said register; a source of said data and control signal; and means for applying said data and control signals to said controller, said controller being responsive to said control signals to selectively store said data in said registers and sequentially switch said display data stored in selected ones of said registers to said display for display thereon, said means for applying comprising means for magnetically coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 23

An electronic label system comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display to selectively switch display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; means for receiving said data for storage in said register; a source of said data and control signal; and means for applying said data and control signals to said controller, said controller being responsive to said control signals to selectively store said data in said registers and sequentially switch said display data stored in selected ones of said registers to said display for display thereon, said means for applying comprising means for magnetically coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 24

An electronic label system comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display device to selectively switch display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; means for receiving said data for storage in said register; a source of data and control signal; and means for applying said data and control signals to said controller, said controller being responsive to said control signals to selectively store said display data In said memory and sequentially switch said display data stored in selected ones of said registers to said display device, said means for applying comprising means for capacitively coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 25

An electronic label system comprising: a display device having a display for displaying display data thereon; said display device having a controller including a memory having registers for storing said display data, said controller being connected to said display device to selectively switch display data from a selected one of said registers to said display to control the display of said display data; means for receiving said data for storage in said register; a source of data and control signal; and means for applying said data and control signals to said controller, said controller being responsive to said control signals to selectively store said display data In said memory and sequentially switch said display data stored in selected ones of said registers to said display device, said means for applying comprising means for capacitively coupling said signals to said display device.

Claim 26

The electronic label system of claim 1 wherein said means for controlling includes means for magnetically, capacitively or inductively coupling signals to said controller without physical contact therewith.

Claim 27

The electronic label system of claim 1 wherein said first input means includes a receiving circuit for accepting radiated transmissions from said central controller.

Claim 28

The electronic label system of claim 22 wherein said second input means includes means for accepting data from said means for controlling without physical contact therewith.

Claim 29

The electronic label system of claim 21 wherein said second input means includes means for accepting data from said means for controlling without physical contact therewith.