Electronic shipping container labeling system for labeling a plurality of shipping containers transported through a shipping system, using electronic-ink shipping labels displaying information regarding said shipping containers, and remotely updated by one or more activator modules

An electronic shipping container labeling system for labeling a plurality of shipping containers transported through a shipping system, comprising:

• (A) a plurality of electronic-ink shipping labels affixed to a plurality of shipping containers, wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label displays graphical indicia representative of information relating to the shipping container in said transportation system and/or the contents of said shipping container;
• and
• (B) one or more activation modules provided across said wholesale/retail distribution channels, for transmitting electromagnetic data signals to said electronic-ink shipping labels and providing instructions to said updateable electronic-ink shipping labels employed in the determination of graphic indicia to be displayed on said electronic-ink shipping labels;
• wherein each said electronic-ink shipping label includes:
• (1) an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material disposed between an activation layer and a transparent electrode layer located above said layer of electronic ink, for activating said layer of electronic ink at particular locations to display graphical indicia on the surface of said addressable display assembly, wherein said layer of electronic ink does not require electrical power to maintain the display of said graphical indicia;
• (2) at least one antenna structure for receiving electromagnetic data signals carrying information corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;
• (3) an integrated circuit structure having (i) a storage element for storing said instructions, programs and data, and (ii) a programmed processor using said programs to process said instructions and data for (i) determining the graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly at any moment in time, (ii) controlling and coordinating operation of said addressable display assembly, and (iii) generating output signals for instructing said addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia;
• and
• (4) a signal receiving structure, operably connected to said integrated circuit structure and said at least one antenna structure, for receiving electromagnetic data signals from at least one said activation module, using said at least one antenna structure;
• wherein said received electromagnetic data signals carry information corresponding to said programs, said instructions, said data or said graphical indicia to be displayed by said addressable display assembly;
• wherein said integrated circuit structure is responsive to electromagnetic data signals received from said activation module, by said at least one antenna structure and said signal receiving structure;
• and
• wherein said addressable display assembly is responsive to said output signals generated by said programmed processor, to display the determined graphical indicia relating to said shipping container.