Teaching or amusement apparatus

• US 4,604,065 A
• Filed: 01/23/1985
• Issued: 08/05/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Price Stern Sloan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Price/Stern/Sloan/Publishers Incorporated
• Inventors: Riddiford, Martin P., Frazer, Stephen O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Application Number:
  US06/697,973
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 434/331, 434/335, 434/338, 434/341, 382/59, 235/468, 235/472, 235/491, 283/88, 283/93, 283/94, 283/DIG. 902
• US Class Current: 434/331
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/063 with hand-placed probe or plug

Abstract

Teaching or amusement apparatus consists of a substrate bearing printed intelligence and a detector pen or unit for use therewith. The detector pen discriminates between areas on the printed substrate by means not visible to the naked eye e.g. by a difference in magnetic properties, infrared reflective properties or capacitative properties of different parts of the printing. Depending on the type of printing and the degree of complexity of detection, a wide variety of games and teaching aids may be produced using this basic approach. A typical example is a quiz game where a question may be followed by five printed answers, only one of which is correct, that correct one being printed in a detectably different way from the others.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in amusement, manual coordination, teaching, educational evaluation and related purposes, said apparatus comprising a substrate for use in conjunction with a manually manipulatable infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device;

said substrate comprising;

a sheet of material having determined transparency and reflectivity to infra-red illumination and having opposed major planar surfaces;

printed matter in any desired organization applied to at least one of said major planar surfaces of said substrate in printings of infra-red transparent inks in selected screen densities to provide coloring on said surface of desired color, hue and intensity;

selected portions of said printed matter including at least one printing of infra-red transparent ink and an additional printing in a carbon black infra-red absorptive ink in a sufficiently small screen of dots to minimize visually observed discoloration and graying of said infra-red transparent ink, and to minimize visual detection of the presence of said carbon black ink dots, but, sufficient to cause a detectable drop in infra-red reflectance at said selected portions when said selected portions are illuminated with infra-red light; and

,

other portions of said printed matter including screens of said printing of blue, red, and yellow infra-red transparent inks in blue, red and yellow ink combinations simulating the visually observed discoloration and graying of said selected portions caused by the presence of said carbon black ink dots in said selected portions, and, to simulate dots of infra-red transparent non-carbon black ink substantially matching said dots of infra-red absorptive carbon black ink in visually observed discoloration and light absorptance characteristics, whereby;

casual visual inspection of said substrate will fail to reveal differences in the composition of the inks used in the printing of the respective selected portions and said other portions, but, scanning of said printed substrate with said infra-red emitting and reflectance measuring device will enable differentiation by said device between said selected portions and said other portions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said infra-red absorptive carbon black ink is printed in a screen of dots occupying up to 20% per unit area.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, including further portions of said substrate printed in screen of dots of more than 70% per unit area carbon black ink and having substantially total absorptance to infra-red illumination.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said selected portions comprise first selected portions, second selected portions and third selected portions, said first selected portions comprising an up to 15% per unit area screen of carbon black ink dots, said second selected portions comprising a screen of 15-70% per unit area carbon black ink dots, and said third selected portions comprising a screen in excess of 70% per unit area carbon black ink dots per units area.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said printed matter is comprised of a series of overprintings, including a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks and one printing in carbon black ink in said selected portions, and a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks in said other portions comprised exclusively of non-carbon black inks.

6. Apparatus for use in amusement, manual coordination, teaching, educational evaluation and related purposes, said appratus comprising a substrate for use in conjunction with a manually manipulatable infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device;

said substrate comprising;

a sheet of material having determined transparency and reflectivity to infra-red illumination and having opposed major planar surfaces;

printed matter in any desired organization applied to at least one of said major planar surfaces of said substrate in printings of infra-red transparent inks in selected screen densities to provide coloring on said surface of desired color, hue and intensity;

selected portions of said printed matter including at least one printing of infra-red transparent ink and an additional printing in a carbon black infra-red absorptive ink, and comprising first selected portions, second selected portions and third selected portions;

said first selected portions comprising up to 15% screen of carbon black ink dots per unit area;

said second selected portions comprising a screen of 15-70% of carbon black ink dots per unit area; and

,

said third selected portions comprising a screen in excess of 70% carbon black ink dots per unit area;

at least said second and third selected portions having an absorbancy to infra-red sufficient to cause a detectable drop in infra-red reflectance at said second and third selected portions when each of said selected portions are illuminated with infra-red light;

other portions of said printed matter including screens of said printing of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks in blue, red and yellow ink combinations simulating the visually observed discoloration and graying of said selected portions caused by the presence of said carbon black ink dots in said selected portions, and, to simulate dots of infra-red transparent non-carbon black ink substantially matching said dots of infra-red absorptive carbon black ink in visually observed discoloration and light absorptance characteristics, whereby;

casual visual inspection of said substrate will fail to reveal differences in the composition of the inks used in the printing of the respective first and second selected portions, but, scanning of said printed substrate with said infra-red emitting and reflectance measuring device will enable differentiation by said device between said first, second and third said selected portions and said other portions.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said second selected portions comprise a screen of 20-70% carbon black ink dots per unit area.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said third selected portions are printed in a screen of carbon black ink dots having substantially total absorptance to infra-red illumination.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said printed matter is comprised of a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks and one printing in carbon black ink in said selected portions, and at least three separate overprintings in said other portions comprised exclusively of combinations of blue, red and yellow non-carbon black infra-red transparent inks.

10. Apparatus for use in amusement, manual coordination, teaching, educational evaluation and related purposes, said apparatus comprising in combination, a substrate, and an infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device;

said substrate comprising;

a sheet of material having determined transparency and reflectivity to infra-red illumination and having opposed major planar surfaces;

printed matter in any desired organization applied to at least one of said major planar surfaces of said substrate in printings of infra-red transparent inks in selected screen densities to provide coloring on said surface of desired color, hue and intensity;

selected portions of said printed matter including at least one printing of infra-red transparent ink and an additional printing in a carbon black infra-red absorptive ink in a sufficiently small screen of dots to minimize visually observed discoloration and graying of said infra-red transparent ink and minimize visual detection of the presence of said carbon black ink dots, but, sufficient to cause a detectable drop in infra-red reflectance at said selected portions when said selected portions are illuminated with infra-red light; and

,

other portions of said printed matter including screens of said printing of blue, red, and yellow infra-red transparent inks in blue, red and yellow ink combinations simulating the visually observed discoloration and graying of said selected portions caused by the presence of said carbon black ink dots in said selected portions, and, to simulate dots of infra-red transparent non-carbon black ink substantially matching said dots of infra-red absorptive carbon black ink in visually observed discoloration and light absorptance characteristics, whereby;

casual visual inspection of said substrate will fail to reveal differences in the composition of the inks used in the printing of the respective selected portions and said other portions, but, scanning of said printed substrate with said infra-red emitting and reflectance measuring device will enable differentiation by said device between said selected portions and said other portions;

said infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device including;

a hand-holdable and manipulatable body;

a source of infra-red emission incorporated into said body;

means for activating said source of infra-red emission when said device is brought into proximity with said substrate;

means for directing said infra-red emission onto a selected portion of said substrate and the matter printed thereon when said means for directing said infra-red emission is brought into proximity with said substrate and said source of infra-red emission is activated; and

means for collecting and measuring the intensity of infra-red radiation reflected from said substrate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which said infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device provides differentiation between levels of infra-red reflection received by said device, and said device includes:

means for emitting a negative indication when over 80% of the emitted infra-red emission is reflected by said substrate and received by said device;

means for emitting a positive indication when between 20% and 80% of the emitted infra-red emission is reflected by said substrate and received by said device; and

means for emitting a victory signal when less than 20% of said emitted infra-red emission is reflected by said substrate and received by said device.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, including further portions of said substrate printed in screen of more than 70% carbon black ink dots and having substantially total absorptance to infra-red illumination.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said infra-red absorptive carbon black ink is printed in a screen of dots occupying up to 20% per unit area.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said selected portions comprise first selected portions, second selected portions and third selected portions, said first selected portions comprising an up to 20% screen of carbon black ink dots per unit area, said second selected portions comprising a screen of 15-70% carbon black ink dots per unit area, and said third selected portions comprising a screen in excess of 70% carbon black ink dots per unit area.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which said printed matter is comprised of a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow and infra-red transparent inks and one printing in carbon black ink in said selected portions, and at least three separate overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks in said other portions comprised exclusively of non-carbon black inks.

16. Apparatus for use in amusement, manual coordination, teaching, educational evaluation and related purposes, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a substrate and a manually manipulatable infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device;

said substrate comprising;

a sheet of material having determined transparency and reflectivity to infra-red illumination and having opposed major planar surfaces;

printed matter in any desired organization applied to at least one of said major planar surfaces of said substrate in printings of infra-red transparent inks in selected screen densities to provide coloring on said surface of desired color, hue and intensity;

selected portions of said printed matter including at least one printing of infra-red transparent ink and an additional printing in a carbon black infra-red absorptive ink, and comprising first selected portions, second selected portions and third selected portions;

said first selected portions comprising up to 15% screen of carbon black ink dots per unit area;

said second selected portions comprising a screen of 15-70% of carbon black ink dots per unit area; and

,

said third selected portions comprising a screen in excess of 70% carbon black ink dots per unit area;

at least said second and third selected portions having an absorbancy to infra-red sufficient to cause a detectable drop in infra-red reflectance at said second and third selected portions when each of said selected portions are illuminated with infra-red light;

other portions of said printed matter including screens of said printing of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks in blue, red and yellow ink combinations simulating the visually observed discoloration and graying of said selected portions caused by the presence of said carbon black ink dots in said selected portions, and, to simulate dots of infra-red transparent non-carbon black ink substantially matching said dots of infra-red absorptive carbon black ink in visually observed discoloration and light absorptance characteristics, whereby;

casual visual inspection of said substrate will fail to reveal differences in the composition of the inks used in the printing of the respective first and second selected portions, but, scanning of said printed substrate with said infra-red emitting and reflectance measuring device will enable differentiation by said device between said first, second and third said selected portions and said other portions;

said infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device including;

a hand-holdable and manipulatable body;

a source of infra-red emission incorporated into said body;

means for activating said source of infra-red emission when said device is brought into proximity with said substrate;

means for directing said infra-red emission onto a selected portion of said substrate and the matter printed thereon when said means for directing said infra-red emission is brought into proximity with said substrate and said source of infra-red emission is activated; and

means for collecting and measuring the intensity of infra-red radiation reflected from said substrate.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, in which said second portions comprises a screen of 20-70% carbon black ink dots per unit area.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16, in which said third selected portions are printed in a screen of carbon black ink dots having substantially total absorptance to infra-red illumination.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16, in which said printed matter is comprised of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra red transparent inks and one printing in carbon black ink in said selected portions, and at least three separate overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent inks in said other portions comprised exclusively of non-carbon black inks.

20. Apparatus for use in amusement, manual coordination, teaching, educational evaluation and related purposes, said apparatus comprising a substrate for use in conjunction with a manually manipulatable infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring device:

said substrate comprising;

a sheet of material having determined transparency and reflectivity to infra-red illumination and having opposed major planar surfaces;

printed matter of any desired hue, color, intensity and organization applied to said substrate in first determined areas, and printed matter of any desired hue, color, intensity and organization applied to said substrate in second determined areas separate from said first determined areas, said respective printings of printed matter including;

at least one printing within the extent of said first determined areas comprised of infra-red transparent ink having insufficient carbon black content to cause detection of absorption of infra-red light when said first determined areas are illuminated with infra-red light by said scanner and scanned by said scanner;

at least one printing within the extent of said second determined areas comprised of infra-red transparent ink together with carbon black in a sufficient minor quantity to cause detection of absorption of infra-red light above a determined threshold when said second determined areas are illuminated with infra-red light by said scanner and scanned by said scanner;

the carbon black included in said at least one printing of said second determined areas being dispersed substantially uniformly throughout the entire extent of said areas, and being present in insufficient quantity to enable visual detection of the presence of said carbon black;

the color, hue and intensity of the infra-red transparent ink included in said at least one printing of said second determined areas being selected to intentionally visually obscure and obfuscate the presence of carbon black within the printing of said second determined areas.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, in which said printings in said first and second areas include a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent non-carbon black inks.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, in which said printed matter in said second determined areas comprises at least one printing in infra-red transparent ink, and at least one printing in a screen of carbon black ink dots.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, in which said printings of said second first determined areas include a series of overprintings in combinations of blue, red and yellow infra-red transparent non-carbon black inks simulating the visually observed greying and discoloration of said second determined areas resulting from said carbon black ink dots concealed within said printings of said second areas.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said carbon black in said second determined areas is present in a 20% screen of dots per unit area.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, in which said carbon black in said second determined areas is present in first, second and third portions of said second determined areas respectively in screens of dots of up to 20%, 20-70%, and above 70% per unit area.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, in combination with an infra-red emitting and infra-red reflectance measuring scanning device including:

a hand-holdable and manipulatable body;

a source of infra-red emission incorporated into said body;

means for activating said source of infra-red emission when said device is brought into proximity with said substrate;

means for directing said infra-red emission onto a selected portion of said substrate and the matter printed thereon when said means for directing said infra-red emission is brought into proximity with said substrate and said source of infra-red emission is activated; and

means for collecting and measuring the intensity of infra-red radiation reflected from said substrate.