Toppan Printing Develops a Battery-Free Display RFID Device with a Function that Enables Text and Images to be Shown

Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. has developed an RFID device that is compliant with the ISO/IEC15693 communication standard, and can display information on an IC chip in text and images without the need for a battery. Sample shipments are scheduled to begin in spring 2013, with use envisaged for applications where text and images such as QR codes on an IC chip need to be displayed for confirmation, such as management of processes or status in factories and hospitals.

This is an RFID device that has a 2.7 inch dot-matrix electronic paper display and enables the display to be changed without the use of a battery. A battery is not required because information can be read, written and displayed using only the power supply from the reader/writer. Since electronic paper is used for the display section, information displayed remains on the screen without the need for a battery.

Due to the use of a low-power consumption circuit developed by Toppan, it has become possible to operate this device with general reader/writers even though the display is a dot-matrix type, which consumes a lot of power.

There are an increasing number of initiatives using smart cards and IC tags to enhance the efficiency of logistics management and improve customer service in the distribution and amusement industries. As an evolution of such applications, there is increasing demand for devices with display functions that allow information on the smart card or IC tag to be confirmed on the spot.

Devices with display functions have existed for some time but most of these products included a battery within the device in order to provide power to change and maintain the information displayed. This presented a challenge because maintenance was needed every time the battery was changed.

In February 2012, Toppan Printing developed a battery-free contactless smart card with a display function that featured a segment type electronic paper display. This card had similar dimensions and thickness to previous cards but had a system that could display the information in the contactless smart card using only the power supply from the reader/writer.

Toppan has now developed a new battery-free RFID product with a dot-matrix electronic paper display that can display text and images. With this new product, the original electronic paper control and antenna technologies that were created during the development of the battery-free contactless smart card with a segment-type display have been further advanced. With the addition of a newly developed low-power consumption circuit design technology for contactless power supply, it has become possible to drive the display with general reader/writers even though it is a dot-matrix type with high power consumption.

Toppan will push forward with commercialization of this product targeting applications such as process and status management at factories and hospitals and is aiming for sales of approximately 100 million JPY in fiscal 2013.