System for optically reading and annotating text on a data card

• US 4,656,346 A
• Filed: 04/09/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LaserCard Corp. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Drexler Technology Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Drexler, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/721,384
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/493, 369/14, 369/100, 369/275, 346/76 C, 346/135.1
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0033 with cards or other card-like flat carriers, e.g. flat sheets of optical film
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24085 Pits
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/26 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of record carriers

Abstract

A system for reading and recording information on a double-striped card has a first laser and photodetector for reading and writing data on a strip of optical contrast direct-read-after-write laser recording material disposed on one side of the card. A second laser and photodetector read prerecorded data on a strip of optical contrast optical data storage material disposed on the card. This read only strip may be disposed either on the same or opposite sides of the card from the first strip. Independently controlled servo mirrors linked with software or mechanically linked servo mirrors allow simultaneous reading or reading and writing of data on opposite sides of the card. Annotations to prerecorded text from books, journals, manuals and the like may be recorded on the read/write strip in positions corresponding to positions on the read only strip containing corresponding text.

Claims

1. A system for reading and recording information on a double sided data card comprising,

a wallet-size card having a first strip of optical contrast direct-read-after-write recording material thereon capable of recording of machine readable information thereon, said first strip adapted for recording of subsequent sequential data, and a second strip of reflective optical data storage material thereon having pre-recorded machine readable information thereon, said second strip being read only,

a writing beam means disposed in writing relation with respect to said first strip for writing sequential data thereon,

a first light detector means disposed in reading relation to said first strip for reading sequential data,

a reading beam means disposed in reading relation with respect to said second strip for shining reading light on said second strip,

a second light detector means disposed in reading relation to said second strip for reading said prerecorded information, and

means providing relative motion between the first and second beams and the card for reading and writing said information on the card.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of said subsequent sequential data are related to some of said prerecorded machine readable information.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said subsequent sequential data are annotations to some of said prerecorded machine readable information.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said first beam and said second beam are independently controllable for simultaneous reading of said subsequent sequential data and said related prerecorded machine readable information.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said second strip has prerecorded programming indicia for preventing laser writing on said second strip.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on opposite sides of said card.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on the same side of said card.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on the same side of said card and are portions of a unitary strip.

9. A method for recording annotative information on a data card comprising,

disposing a data card in writing relation to a writing light beam means and in light beam reading relation to a reading light beam means, said data card having a first strip of optical contrast direct-read-after-write laser recording material thereon capable of recording of machine-readable information thereon, and a second strip of optical contrast optical data storage material thereon having prerecorded machine-readable information thereon, said second strip being read only,

reading prerecorded textual information from said second strip with said reading light beam means, and

writing annotative information on said first strip with said writing beam means, said annotative information being written at positions on said first strip corresponding to positions on said second strip containing textual information related to said annotative information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on opposite sides of said data card.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on the same side of said data card.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said second strip has prerecorded programming indicia for preventing laser writing thereon.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said first and second strips are disposed on the same side of said data card and are portions of a unitary strip.