Abstract: A display, a signage system including the display, and methods of writing the display, are described, wherein the system includes at least one display, at least one writing unit, and at least one holder. Each display includes at least one bi-stable display element and at least one electrical interconnect substrate. The display can be written using the writing unit and displayed in the writing unit or in the holder.

Abstract: A system and method for writing bistable media is described, wherein the media has at least one through hole that interacts with at least one protrusion on a writer to align the media with the writer.

Abstract: A system and method for writing bistable media with a writehead is described. The media has two or more discrete write areas, each area defined by at least one electrical contact, and the media further has at least one alignment feature positioned with regard to one or more discrete write area. The writehead has corresponding alignment features and electrical conductors to the alignment features and electrical contacts of the media.

Abstract: A shelf label assembly includes a support, a display, and a printable overlay, wherein the printable overlay has a window through which the display can be viewed. The display can be written or rewritten electronically, and the overlay can be printed.

Abstract: A transaction card system includes a transaction cared with a display tag for displaying short term information, the character display having optical states that are stable without power and viewable from one side of the display tag and an array of electrical contacts for electrically addressing the character display from the other side of the tag, a contact window through which the contacts are accessible, machine readable data on the card, and long term information printed on the transaction card; a transaction card writer having a reader for reading the machine readable data and having means for updating the short term information displayed on the transaction card; and a central computer connected to the transaction card writer having a data base and a central processor for receiving the information read by the magnetic card reader and generating display commands for the transaction card writer.

Abstract: A shelf talker for displaying short and longer term information includes a backplane including a plurality of electrical conductors; a plurality of single character display chips mounted on the backplane in electrical contact with the electrical conductors for displaying the short term information; and a graphic overlay located over the backplane bearing the longer term information and defining apertures for displaying the short term information displayed by the single character display chips.