Electronic Paper Display Unit for Power-Off Device Information Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional display units in automation devices lose displayed information during power shutdowns or failures, necessitating battery backup solutions that incur additional costs and maintenance, and lack reliable power-independent information retention.
Innovation Solution
Employing electronic paper technology for the display unit that maintains a remanent image of device information even without power, using data interface connectivity to transfer and update information before and after power disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a battery buffered concept is used to maintain display information during power shutdown, then information retention is improved, but device complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply dependency from the display unit by using electronic paper technology that inherently maintains displayed information without requiring continuous power or battery backup. The display unit is taken out from the conventional LCD/OLED paradigm that requires power maintenance to the e-paper paradigm where information persistence is intrinsic to the technology itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs electronic paper display technology that is inherently disposable of battery systems. The e-paper display maintains information without any additional power supply components, effectively making the battery system obsolete and reducing device complexity while maintaining information retention capability.
2Volume of moving object
If LCD or OLED display technology is used for compact design, then device size is reduced, but information retention during power failure is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameter of the display technology from active matrix LCD/OLED that requires continuous power refresh to electronic paper technology that uses electrostatic or electrophoretic mechanisms to maintain displayed information without power. This parameter change in display technology enables both compact form factor and information retention during power failure.
3Reliability
If battery is added to maintain display during power failure, then information availability is improved, but maintenance costs and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic paper display unit serves itself by inherently maintaining displayed information without requiring external battery systems. The display technology itself provides the information retention function that would otherwise require separate battery, memory unit, and controller components, enabling the system to serve its own information persistence needs without additional maintenance burden.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable, cost-effective display of device information during power outages, simplifying commissioning and troubleshooting by providing persistent access to critical data.
Implementation Method 1
Employing electronic paper technology for the display unit that maintains a remanent image of device information even without power
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
To ensure a cost-efficient, energy-saving and reliable display of device information (DAT) a display unit (2) of an automation device (1), an automation device (1) is proposed, which comprises a display unit (2), which is set up to display device information (DAT) transferred via the data interface (3), and which is furthermore set up to maintain a currently displayed device information (DAT) as a remanent image, when the power supply of the automation device (1) is turned off and/or fails.