Solar powered electronic display devices and methods

An electronic display device comprising:

• a housing;
• a display area provided within the housing to display content for a user;
• memory within the housing to hold data that is to be rendered into user-viewable content;
• an electrophotographic assembly within the housing configured to electrophotographically render user-viewable content from the data that is held in the memory, the content being renderable by the assembly at at least 300 dpi;
• a loop of material disposed proximate the electrophotographic assembly and configured to receive electrophotographically rendered content and present the content for user viewing within the display area;
• and
• a power source comprising a solar panel member disposed on the housing for converting solar power into electrical power, and one or more batteries to power the device.

An electronic display device comprising:

• a housing;
• a display area provided within the housing to display content for a user;
• memory within the housing to hold data that is to be rendered into user-viewable content;
• a loop of material within the housing and configured to display user-viewable content for a user;
• an exposure station internally of the loop of material and configured to expose selected portions of the loop of material so that the loop of material can receive and retain toner thereon to provide the user-viewable content from the data that is held in the memory;
• and
• a power source comprising a solar panel member disposed on the housing for converting solar power into electrical power, and one or more batteries to power the device.

A method of displaying images comprising:

• providing a hand-held, portable display device that is powered, at least in part, by a solar panel member, the device comprising an electrophotographic assembly configured to electrophotographically render user-viewable content, and a loop of material proximate the electrophotographic assembly to receive electrophotographically rendered content and present the content to a user for viewing;
• advancing the loop of material through the electrophotographic assembly;
• electrophotographically forming an image on the loop of material;
• and
• displaying the image for a user to view.