Imaging media including interference layer for generating human-readable marking on optical media

• US 20060216456A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Anurag, Gore, Makarand P., Guo, James Z.
• Granted Patent: US 7,198,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/64.400
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/30 using chemical colour formers B41M5/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/46 characterised by the light-to-heat converting means; characterised by the heat or radiation filtering or absorbing means or layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0037 with discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24 Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the arrangement of information on the carrier G11B7/007
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2403 Layers; Shape, structure or physical properties thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24094 Indication parts or information parts for identification
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2531 comprising glass
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2533 comprising resins
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2539 biodegradable polymers, e.g. cellulose

Abstract

An optical recording medium, comprises a substrate, and an imaging medium disposed on the substrate, the imaging medium comprising: a marking layer including a thermochromic compound and an interference layer tuned to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength.

Claims

1. An optical recording medium, comprising:

a substrate, and

an imaging medium disposed on said substrate, said imaging composition comprising;

a marking layer including a thermochromic compound; and

an interference layer tuned to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength.

2. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said interference layer comprises at least two metal layers and at least one dielectric layer therebetween.

3. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said thermochromic compound comprises a leuco dye and an activator.

4. The optical recording medium of claim 1 further including on said substrate means for recording machine-readable marks using light at said predetermined wavelength.

5. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 770 and 790 nm.

6. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 630 and 680 nm.

7. The optical recording medium of claim 1, wherein said interference layer is adjacent to said substrate.

8. The optical recording medium of claim 1, wherein said marking layer is adjacent to said substrate.

9. The optical recording medium of claim 1, wherein said interference layer comprises a first metal layer disposed on said substrate, a first dielectric layer disposed on said first metal layer, a second metal layer disposed on said first dielectric layer, and a dye layer.

10. The optical recording medium of claim 9, further including a second dielectric layer disposed between said second metal layer and said dye layer.

11. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said substrate is glass.

12. The optical recording medium of claim 1 wherein said substrate is plastic.

13. The optical recording of claim 1 wherein said substrate is paper.

14. A means for providing human-readable and machine-readable marks on an optical recording medium, comprising:

first means for recording machine-readable marks on said medium in response to an optical signal having a wavelength;

second means for recording human-readable marks on said medium, said second means including thermochromic means for producing a human-detectable optical change in response to a thermal stimulus and an interference layer for converting an optical signal having said wavelength into heat.

15. The marking means of claim 14 wherein said interference layer comprises at least a spacer between first and second reflecting layers.

16. The marking means of claim 14 wherein said thermochromic compound comprises a leuco dye and an activator.

17. The marking means of claim 14 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 770 and 790 nm.

18. The marking means of claim 14 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 630 and 680 nm.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor,

a laser coupled to said processor;

a data storage medium including a substrate having a first surface that can be marked with machine-readable marks by said laser and a second surface that can be marked with human-readable marks by said laser, said second surface including an imaging medium comprising;

a marking layer including a thermochromic compound; and

an interference layer tuned to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said thermochromic compound comprises a leuco dye and an activator.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 770 and 790 nm.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein said interference layer absorbs light having a wavelength between 630 and 680 nm.