Card having a flexible, dynamically changeable display, a set of such cards and related system and method

Abstract

A dynamically changeable, flexible card is set forth such as a playing card or a set of playing cards. The cards have one or more flexible displays controlled by a controller to change the display(s). The controller may interface with a wireless communication device to control the displays For card games, the electronic display can be changed so that only several such cards need be used to play the game. The face value content of the display can be changed by contact or wirelessly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A card to display content comprising:
 a first flexible electronic display device defining front and back displays;   a processor unit to control at least one of said displays to display variable content; and   a power source to power said display.   
     
     
         2 . The card of  claim 1  comprising said processor unit includes a memory device, a video controller to control the content at said display and a wireless receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The card of  claim 1  including one or more of an orientation detector, motion detector or location detector. 
     
     
         4 . The card of  claim 1  comprising a playing and said processor is configured to display at said display content representing a suit and value of a playing card. 
     
     
         5 . The card of  claim 1  comprising said card is a trading card and said processor is configured to control the display to display content corresponding to a trading card. 
     
     
         6 . The card of  claim 1  comprising said first electronic display is configured to display content at a card front side and a second, flexible electronic display mated to said first electronic display to display content at a card back side. 
     
     
         7 . The card of  claim 6  comprising said processor unit is sandwiched between said first and second electronic displays. 
     
     
         8 . The card of  claim 6  comprising said card is a playing card and said first electronic display is configured to display content at said front side representing a card value and suit and said second display is configured to display content at said back side unrelated to either the suit or value of the first display. 
     
     
         9 . The card of  claim 8  comprising means for randomly assigning said suit and value to said first display. 
     
     
         10 . The card of  claim 9  comprising a random number generator to select said suit and value. 
     
     
         11 . The card of  claim 8  comprising means external to the card to communicate with said processor to cooperate with the processor to select and display a card suit and value at said front side. 
     
     
         12 . The card of  claim 11  comprising a wireless receiver to receive signals to influence said processor to select and display said value and suit. 
     
     
         13 . The card of  claim 11  comprising a data communication interface on said card to communicate data to said processor to influence said processor to select and display said value and suit. 
     
     
         14 . A set of cards where each displays different content to distinguish one card from another comprising:
 each card includes a first flexible electronic display device defining front and back displays, a processor unit to control at least one of said displays to display variable content and a power source to power said display; and   external apparatus in communication with said processor for controlling said displays to display different content for each card   
     
     
         15 . The set of cards of  claim 14  comprising said set represents at least a subset of playing cards where said processors are configured to display at each card a different suit and value. 
     
     
         16 . The set of cards of  claim 14  comprising each card includes a wireless receiver in communication with the processor unit, said external apparatus is a wireless transmitter. 
     
     
         17 . The set of cards of  claim 14  comprising each card includes said first electronic display configured to display content at a card front side and a second, flexible electronic display mated to said first electronic display to display content at a card back side. 
     
     
         18 . A system including a set of cards for playing a game hands comprising:
 each card includes a first flexible electronic display device defining front and back displays, a processor unit to control at least one of said displays to display indicia used in the play of the game to define outcomes and a power source to power said display,   apparatus external to the cards to interface with said processor units to influence the indicia to be displayed on at least the cards in play of the game for the hands of play;   a host computer configured to read the cards in play to generate a historical record.