JP4622761B2 - Display recording medium access device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for performing an access process related to an image and retained data on a display recording medium that rewrites an image on a display unit and retains it without power, and that retains retained data in a memory in a readable and writable manner, In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for mounting a display recording medium in a manner different from that for accessing both the image and the retained data when accessing only the retained data.

Documents are created, edited, viewed, etc. by using electronic data of various media such as images and texts using a computer.
Such an electronic data document browsing method is generally performed by displaying an image of a document on a display screen of a computer or printing the image of a document on a sheet of paper as a printer.

In recent years, as an image browsing medium that can replace paper, it is flexible and thin like paper, and can display and hold images without power, and can be rewritten and used repeatedly. A display medium called electronic paper has been developed.
Electronic paper is a display medium having a display unit for displaying and holding an image in a non-powered state, and as a method for writing image information to the display unit, image information projected based on electronic data is held in the display unit. The method of making it known is known.

  Since electronic paper can rewrite the image displayed and held on the display unit, unlike paper, for example, in combination with a card having a wireless access memory that can read and write stored data wirelessly, the display unit and the wireless access memory It can be used as a card capable of grasping the recorded contents without going through a memory reading device by rewriting the display unit to an image showing the recorded contents of the memory.

  Such a card-type electronic paper can perform access processing to images and stored data by an access device having an image writing function to the display unit and a data access function to the wireless access memory. That is, the access device writes data to the wireless access memory and displays an image corresponding to the written content on the display unit, thereby associating the display content of the display unit with the content held in the wireless access memory.

  Since the access device rewrites the display image by projecting image information onto the display unit, the rewrite of the image requires the display unit to be placed at the projection destination of the image information. The display unit is arranged at an appropriate position by inserting the card-type electronic paper.

  According to the access device as described above, for example, when a card-type electronic paper is used as a prepaid card, the usage status recorded in the memory of a plurality of cards is read and counted by a computer, and the recorded contents of the memory are recorded. Even when only reading is desired, each card must be inserted into the card insertion slit, which is inefficient.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in an access device for a card-type electronic paper having a display unit and a wireless access memory, an access device capable of reading from the wireless access memory with a simple operation The purpose is to provide.

  The present invention relates to an access device that performs access processing related to images and stored data for an electronic paper including a display unit that can rewrite an image and retains no power, and a wireless access memory that can read and write stored data wirelessly, The present invention is implemented in various modes such as a system including the access device, a method performed by the access device, and a program executed by a computer to configure the access device.

According to the present invention, since writing of an image requires placing electronic paper at a projection destination of image information, reading and writing with respect to held data can be performed by placing the electronic paper within a range where wireless communication is possible. In the case where only the access processing is performed, the mode of mounting and mounting the electronic paper on the access device is different from the mode to be mounted when both the image and the stored data are accessed.
In other words, when reading the stored data, the electronic paper is mounted in a range where wireless communication can be performed, so it is not necessary to mount the electronic paper in a manner prescribed for image writing, and it is easily held. Can read data.

  Specifically, the access device of the present invention includes a wireless unit that wirelessly reads or writes data held in the wireless access memory of the electronic paper, an image writing unit that transfers and writes an image on the display unit of the electronic paper, And a housing of the access device provided with a transmission unit that transmits radio waves to and from wireless means for the attached electronic paper.

  Specifically, the access device of the present invention includes a wireless unit that wirelessly reads or writes data held in a wireless access memory of electronic paper, and an image writing unit that transfers and writes an image on a display unit of the electronic paper. And a mode switching means for switching between a reading mode for reading the retained data from the wireless access memory of the electronic paper and a writing mode for writing the retained data to the wireless access memory and transferring the image to the display unit. A housing of the access device in which a mode in which electronic paper is to be mounted is defined for each of the reading mode and the writing mode.

Here, a detection unit that detects a mode of the electronic paper mounted on the housing may be further provided, and the mode switching unit may switch the mode according to the detected mode.
As a result, for example, the mode is automatically determined according to the state in which the electronic paper is mounted without causing the user to specify the mode before the electronic paper is mounted, thereby reducing the operation burden on the user.

  The access device of the present invention can be used by being connected to an information processing device such as a multifunction peripheral or a personal computer having a scanner function, a copying function, a FAX function, etc. An image corresponding to the data may be created and used for writing to the display unit of the electronic paper, and the access device can have a simple configuration by causing the information processing device to process complicated functions.

In addition, the mode switching means is further provided with a parallel mode for processing the reading mode and the writing mode in parallel, and in the parallel mode, the held data is read from the electronic paper mounted in the mode of the reading mode. The holding data may be written to another electronic paper mounted in the writing mode and the image may be transferred.
Alternatively, the stored data may be read wirelessly from a plurality of electronic papers mounted in the reading mode.

  According to the present invention, the manner in which the electronic paper is attached to the access device is changed between the case where only the retained data is accessed and the case where both the image and the retained data are accessed. Thus, the user's operation burden can be reduced.

The present invention will be specifically described based on examples.
First, optical writing type electronic paper which is one of transfer writing type electronic paper (display recording medium) used in the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 11, the optical writing type electronic paper EP has a display unit 12 that displays and holds an image in a non-powered state and a processing unit 13 that manages processing of electronic data such as a URL of document data. .

  The optical writing type electronic paper EP is, for example, a flexible thin type such as a card defined in JIS standard or A4 size paper, and the processing unit 13 is provided on one piece of the display unit 12 occupying most of the area. Is provided. Since the size of the display unit 12 is arbitrary, it can be set according to the application, and in the system of the embodiment described later, the optical writing type electronic paper EP is configured as a JIS standard card size.

As will be described later, the processing unit 13 includes a writing electrode 14 for applying a voltage for driving the display unit 12, a wireless unit for wirelessly communicating with the outside, a memory for storing electronic data in a readable and writable manner, A processor that performs processing such as access, and a battery that supplies driving power to the processor and the wireless unit are provided.
The optical writable electronic paper EP can transmit and receive electronic data by wireless communication with an external wireless device (in the example described later, an access device) by a wireless unit, and can hold the electronic data in a memory.
In place of the processing unit 13 having a relatively high-grade data processing function as described above, a known RFID having a relatively simple configuration of a function for wirelessly communicating data and a function for storing data is provided. You may make it use as 13.

For example, the optical writing type electronic paper EP displays an image to be written on the liquid crystal panel 39 as shown in FIG. 11, and the optical writing type electronic paper EP is applied to the liquid crystal panel 39 while applying a voltage to the electrode 14 from an external power source. By irradiating light in an overlapping manner, the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 39 can be transferred to the display unit 12 and displayed and held. In short, the optical writing type electronic paper EP transfers the projected document image to the display unit 12 by applying a voltage to the electrode 14, and the document image is displayed in the display state even after the voltage applied to the electrode 14 is removed. It has a function to keep it.
In the case of using such optical writing type electronic paper EP, the access device described later includes means necessary for optical writing such as a voltage application unit to the electrode 14, a liquid crystal panel, and a light irradiation unit.

  As shown in FIG. 13 showing a cross-sectional structure of the display unit 12, the optical writing type electronic paper EP includes an organic photoconductive material layer (organic photoconductive layer) 30 and a liquid crystal display material layer used in a copying machine. (Microencapsulated cholesteric liquid crystal layer) 31 is combined, these layers are sandwiched between a pair of front and back transparent electrodes 32, and this laminate is sandwiched between a pair of front and back transparent substrate films 33. In this configuration, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 31 reflects white light, and the light passes through the liquid crystal layer 31 and is absorbed by the black layer 34 provided between the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 31 and the organic photoconductive layer 30. Black display monochrome image display is possible. Furthermore, since cholesteric liquid crystal has a characteristic of interference-reflecting color light according to the helical pitch, color display can be realized with a simple structure by forming the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 31 by laminating liquid crystals having different helical pitches. It is also possible.

  Then, the optical writing type electronic paper EP displays, for example, an image to be transferred to a dimming element panel (light emitting panel) 39 for image writing, as shown in FIG. When the voltage is applied to the electrode 14, the intensity of light is instantaneously converted to the reflection density, and the projection image is held. The image information held in the display unit 12 can be erased by applying an erasing voltage to the electrode 14, and the optical writing type electronic paper EP can be reused many times by repeating writing and erasing. Note that the optical writing type electronic paper EP does not perform such an erasing process, but applies the voltage to the electrode 14 and projects a new image as described above, whereby the image held in the display unit 12 is displayed. It can be overwritten, and can be reused again and again by such overwriting.

  Further, as another example of the transfer writing type electronic paper, there is a display unit 12 having a thermal transfer structure as known in the art, and an image is thermally transferred and displayed on the display unit 12 by a thermal transfer unit provided in the electronic paper printer. .

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration example of an information processing system according to an example of the present invention, which is configured by using the transfer writing type electronic paper EP as described above.
The system of this example has a configuration in which the document management server 5 and the information processing device 3 are connected via a network N, and the access device 2 is attached to each information processing device 3.
The document management server 5 has a document database that stores each document data identified by a URL, stores and manages the document data received from the information processing apparatus 3, and transmits the requested document data to the information processing apparatus 3. I do.

  In the system of this example, the URL of the storage destination of the document data stored and managed by the document management server 5 is recorded as retained data in the electronic paper EP, and the document data is managed in association with the electronic paper EP. In addition, a reduced image of the associated document data is displayed and held on the electronic paper EP so that the contents of the corresponding document can be grasped by visual inspection of the electronic paper EP.

  In the example shown as the information processing apparatus 3, a multifunction machine (MF) having a scanner function, a copying function, a FAX function, and the like and a personal computer (PC) are used. Information processing such as input / output, association between electronic paper EP and document data, creation of a writing image on electronic paper EP, and the like are performed. In this example, the access device 2 is attached to the information processing device 3, but the access device 2 and the information processing device 3 may be integrated.

  The access device 2 of this example is a device that performs an access process for holding data and a display image with respect to the electronic paper EP, a reading mode for reading the holding data of the electronic paper EP, and a writing and display image of the holding data. And a writing mode for performing transfer writing of the electronic paper EP. The electronic paper EP is housed in a housing in which a mode in which the electronic paper EP is to be attached is defined for each of the reading mode and the writing mode. Processing is performed by switching between the reading mode and the writing mode according to the mode.

  When the electronic paper EP is attached to the access device 2 in the writing mode, the access device 2 waits for write data (URL and image data) to the electronic paper EP to be transmitted from the information processing device 3. When input processing such as scan input of a paper document or designation input of associated document data is performed, the information processing apparatus 3 stores the corresponding document data in the document management server 5 and reduces the image of the reduced image based on the document data. Data is created, and the storage destination URL and image data are transmitted to the access device 2. When the access device 2 receives the URL and the image data, the access device 2 writes the URL as holding data in the electronic paper EP and transfers and writes an image based on the image data.

  When the electronic paper EP is attached to the access device 2 in the reading mode, the access device 2 reads the retained data from the electronic paper EP, acquires the URL of the document data, and transmits it to the information processing device 3. The information processing apparatus 3 requests the document management server 5 for document data corresponding to the URL, and performs output processing such as print output or screen display output for the returned document data.

FIG. 2 shows functional means included in the electronic paper EP and the access device 2 of this example.
The electronic paper EP includes a display unit 12 that can rewrite an image and retains no power, and a processing unit 13 that manages data processing. The processing unit 13 includes a wireless unit 15 that performs wireless communication with the access device 2, A memory 16 is provided for recording and holding the held data in a readable / writable manner.

The access device 2 includes a wireless unit 21 that wirelessly communicates with the electronic paper EP, an image writing unit 22 that transfers and writes an image on the display unit 12 of the electronic paper EP, and a communication interface with the information processing device 3 to which the access device 2 is connected. 23, a mode switching unit 24 for switching between the reading mode and the writing mode, a detection unit 25 for detecting the state in which the electronic paper EP is mounted, and a designation input unit 26 for accepting designation by the user of the reading mode and the writing mode. Yes.
In this example, the functional means according to the present invention of the access device 2 is configured by the computer executing the program according to the present invention, but may be configured as a dedicated circuit function.

Below, the process by these functional means is demonstrated using the Example shown in FIGS.
FIG. 3 shows an example in which the electronic paper EP is viewed in plan, and the electronic paper EP includes a display unit 12 and a wireless access memory 17 including a wireless unit 15 and a memory 16.
FIG. 4 shows an example in which the access device 2 is viewed in plan, and a mounting position 27 of the electronic paper EP in the reading mode is defined on the upper surface of the device. A dotted line 28 indicates a portion corresponding to the wireless access memory 17 when the electronic paper EP is mounted at the mounting position 27, and the wireless unit 21 is installed inside the access device 2 at a position corresponding to the dotted line 28. ing. That is, by mounting the electronic paper EP at the mounting position 27 so that the wireless access memory 17 overlaps the dotted line 28, the wireless unit 15 of the wireless access memory 17 and the wireless unit 21 of the access device 2 at the position of the dotted line 28 are connected. Wireless communication is possible.

  5 and 6 show an example of a cross-sectional view of the access device 2, and the electronic paper EP insertion slot 40, the movement and writing processing to the position defined as the writing mode of the inserted electronic paper EP. The medium transport roll 41 for discharging the electronic paper EP subjected to the above, the liquid crystal panel 42 for displaying an image to be transferred to the electronic paper EP, the light irradiation unit 45 for irradiating the liquid crystal panel 42 with light, and the wireless communication with the electronic paper EP Antenna 43 (radio section 21). The liquid crystal panel 42 and the light irradiation unit 45 constitute the image writing unit 22 shown in FIG. 2, and transfer and write of the image to the display unit 12 of the electronic paper EP is performed.

  The access device 2 is housed in a housing using a member that shields radio waves, but the periphery of the radio antenna 43 is composed of a member 44 that transmits radio waves, and the radio antenna 43 is external to the device. Wireless communication with an electronic paper EP mounted as a reading mode is possible. Further, one wireless antenna 43 performs wireless communication with an electronic paper EP mounted as a reading mode outside the apparatus and wireless communication with an electronic paper EP mounted as a writing mode inside the apparatus as will be described later. It is arranged so that it can be done.

  The access device 2 normally waits for the attachment of the electronic paper EP in the reading mode. When the electronic paper EP is attached to the attachment position 27 defined outside the device as shown in FIG. The (wireless unit 21) reads the URL from the memory 16 of the electronic paper EP, transmits it to the information processing apparatus 3 via the communication interface 23, and causes the document data corresponding to the URL to be output.

The access device 2 monitors whether or not the electronic paper EP has been inserted into the insertion slot 40 by the detection unit 25. When the access device 2 detects the insertion of the electronic paper EP, the medium transport roll 41 detects the electronic paper EP as shown in FIG. The position moves to the writing mode position, and the detection unit 25 notifies the mode switching unit 24 that the electronic paper EP is mounted in the writing mode.
Then, the mode switching unit 24 switches from the reading mode to the writing mode, and the writing of the URL storing the document data transmitted from the information processing apparatus 3 via the communication interface 23 to the memory 16 of the electronic paper EP is wirelessly performed. The liquid crystal panel 42 and the light irradiation unit 45 (image writing unit 22) write the image on the display unit 12 based on the image data transmitted from the information processing apparatus 3 by the antenna 43 (radio unit 21). Do.
In the access device 2, when the URL and image writing processing to the electronic paper EP is completed, the medium transport roll 41 ejects the electronic paper EP, the mode switching unit 24 returns from the writing mode to the reading mode, and the electronic paper EP again. Wait for wearing.

As described above, the manner in which the electronic paper EP is mounted is changed between the reading mode and the writing mode. Therefore, when only reading the data held in the electronic paper EP, the electronic paper is placed at the image writing position on the electronic paper EP. Since it is not necessary to attach the EP, it is possible to access the stored data of the electronic paper EP with a simple operation.
In addition, although the mode in which the electronic paper EP is attached for each mode is different, wireless communication can be performed with the single wireless antenna 43, so that the access device 2 can be configured at low cost.

  In this example, the retained data is read in the reading mode, but the retained data may be further written. In the writing mode, the holding data and the image are written. However, the holding data may be further read.

  The mode switching as described above is automatically performed when the detection unit 25 detects that the electronic paper EP has been inserted into the insertion slot 40. It is also possible to manually switch the mode through 26.

Further, the access device 2 may further include a parallel mode for processing the reading mode and the writing mode in parallel.
For example, when the user inputs a parallel mode by the designation input unit 26 and attaches the electronic paper EP in the writing mode, the writing to the electronic paper EP is performed even if the URL and the image data are transmitted from the information processing device 3. Wait. Then, writing is performed in response to mounting of the control electronic paper EP holding the control command for executing writing in the reading mode.
As described above, by providing the parallel mode, it is possible to perform processing by combining the electronic paper EPs mounted in the respective modes of the reading mode and the writing mode.

Alternatively, the access device 2 may be loaded with a plurality of electronic paper EPs in the reading mode, and each held data may be read wirelessly for processing.
For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the information source electronic paper EP and the print output are not operated simply by mounting the information source electronic paper EP holding the storage URL of the document data to be printed in the reading mode. The information processing apparatus 3 is caused to print out the corresponding document data in response to the mounting of the control electronic paper EP holding the control command for executing the above in the reading mode.
Further, for example, a plurality of documents may be printed by one operation using a plurality of information source electronic paper EP and control electronic paper EP.

7 to 10 show another embodiment according to the present invention.
7 and 8, in the access device 2, the liquid crystal panel 42 is disposed on the upper portion in the device so as to face the outside, and the radio antenna 43 is disposed in the upper central portion in the device.
FIG. 9 shows an example of electronic paper EP used corresponding to the access device 2, and the wireless access memory 17 is arranged at an equidistant position from the left and right of the electronic paper EP. Even if it is rotated 180 degrees, the distance from the left and right is not changed.

FIG. 10 shows a mounting mode of the electronic paper EP defined in the writing mode and the reading mode.
In the writing mode, as shown in FIG. 5A, the radio antenna 43 of the access device 2 and the radio access memory 17 of the electronic paper EP face each other, and the liquid crystal panel 42 of the access device 2 and the electronic device The electronic paper EP is mounted so as to face the display unit 12 of the paper EP.
Therefore, since the access device 2 can access both the display unit 12 and the wireless access memory 17 of the electronic paper EP, the stored data and the image can be written.

In the reading mode, as shown in FIG. 4B, only the wireless antenna 43 of the access device 2 and the wireless access memory 17 of the electronic paper EP face, and the liquid crystal panel 42 of the access device 2 and the electronic paper EP The electronic paper EP is mounted so as not to face the display unit 12, that is, in a mode in which the electronic paper EP is rotated 180 degrees horizontally around the wireless access memory 17 in the writing mode.
Accordingly, since the access device 2 can access the wireless access memory 17 of the electronic paper EP, the stored data can be read.

It is a figure showing the whole information processing system composition concerning an example of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the electronic paper which concerns on an example of this invention, and an access apparatus. It is a figure which shows the electronic paper which concerns on an example of this invention. It is a top view of the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is a top view of the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is a top view of electronic paper concerning an example of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the mounting | wearing aspect of the electronic paper to the access apparatus which concerns on an example of this invention. It is a figure explaining the usage method of optical writing type electronic paper. It is a figure explaining the principle of operation of optical writing type electronic paper. It is a figure explaining the structure of optical writing type electronic paper. It is a figure explaining the process using several sheets of electronic paper.

Explanation of symbols

EP: Electronic paper, 2: Access device,
3: Information processing device, 5: Document management server,
12: Display unit, 13: Processing unit,
15: Radio unit, 16: Memory,
17: Wireless access memory, 21: Wireless section,
22: Image writing unit, 24: Mode switching unit,
25: detection unit, 26: designation input unit,
41: Medium transport roll, 42: Liquid crystal panel,
43: Wireless antenna, 45: Light irradiation unit,

Claims (7)

In an access device that performs an access process related to an image and retained data with respect to an electronic paper that includes a display unit that can rewrite an image and retains no power, and a wireless access memory that can wirelessly read and write retained data.
Wireless means for wirelessly reading or writing data held in the wireless access memory of the electronic paper;
Image writing means for transferring and writing an image on the display section of the electronic paper;
Mode switching means for switching between a reading mode for reading the held data from the wireless access memory of the electronic paper and a writing mode for writing the holding data to the wireless access memory and transferring the image to the display unit; ,
For each of the reading mode and the writing mode, a housing of the access device in which an aspect to which the electronic paper is to be attached is defined;
Detecting means for detecting an aspect of the electronic paper attached to the housing,
The access device characterized in that the mode switching means switches between the reading mode and the writing mode in accordance with the detected mode . The access device according to claim 1 .
The mode switching means has a parallel mode for processing the reading mode and the writing mode in parallel,
In the parallel mode, reading of the holding data from the electronic paper mounted in the mode of the reading mode is performed, and writing of the holding data to another electronic paper mounted in the mode of the writing mode and image reading are performed. An access device characterized in that transcription is performed. The access device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The access unit according to claim 1, wherein the wireless unit wirelessly reads the retained data from each of the plurality of electronic papers mounted in the reading mode. In an electronic paper access system including an access device that performs an access process related to an image and retained data, with respect to the electronic paper that records and retains the retained data so as to be rewritable and rewritable and wirelessly retained,
The electronic paper is
A display unit capable of rewriting an image and maintaining no power supply;
A wireless access memory that reads or writes retained data wirelessly, and
The access device is:
Wireless means for wirelessly reading or writing data held in the wireless access memory of the electronic paper;
Image writing means for transferring and writing an image on the display section of the electronic paper;
A reading mode for reading wirelessly held data from the wireless access memory of the electronic paper, and a writing mode for writing wirelessly held data to the wireless access memory and transferring an image to the display unit of the electronic paper Mode switching means for switching between, and
For each of the reading mode and the writing mode, a housing of the access device in which an aspect to which the electronic paper is to be attached is defined;
Detecting means for detecting an aspect of the electronic paper attached to the housing,
The electronic paper access system , wherein the mode switching means switches between the reading mode and the writing mode in accordance with the detected mode . The electronic paper access system according to claim 4 .
The electronic paper access system includes an information processing device connected to the access device,
The access device further includes communication means for performing communication with the information processing device,
The information processing apparatus includes communication means for performing communication with the access apparatus;
An image creation means for creating an image according to data held by the electronic paper mounted on the access device, sending the image to the access device, and writing the image on the electronic paper;
Electronic paper access system characterized by comprising An access device that performs an access process related to an image and stored data with respect to an electronic paper that includes a display unit that can rewrite an image and retains no power, and a wireless access memory that can read and write stored data wirelessly. In the program that is configured by running
The housing of the access device includes a reading mode for reading the held data from the wireless access memory of the electronic paper, and a writing for writing the held data to the wireless access memory and transferring the image to the display unit. It stipulates the mode in which electronic paper should be attached for each mode.
A wireless function for wirelessly reading or writing data held in the wireless access memory of the electronic paper;
An image writing function for transferring and writing an image on the display unit of the electronic paper;
A detection function for detecting an aspect of electronic paper mounted on the housing;
A mode switching function for switching between the reading mode and the writing mode according to the detected mode;
An electronic paper access program characterized by being executed by a computer. The program according to claim 6 ,
The mode switching function has a parallel mode for processing the reading mode and the writing mode in parallel,
In the parallel mode, reading of the holding data from the electronic paper mounted in the mode of the reading mode is performed, and writing of the holding data to another electronic paper mounted in the mode of the writing mode and image reading are performed. An electronic paper access program characterized by causing transcription.

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