Optical storage identification card and read/write system

• US 4,663,518 A
• Filed: 10/31/1985
• Issued: 05/05/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yama Capital, LLC
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Faramarzpour, Faramarz, Ellis, Ernest W., McGowan, Donald A., MacKenzie, Hugh R., Borror, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/793,176
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/468, 283/7, 358/130, 346/135.1
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/286 using compounds undergoing unimolecular fragmentation to obtain colour shift, e.g. bleachable dyes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/323 Organic colour formers, e.g. leuco dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/126 by photographic or thermographic registration recording apparatus for measuring instruments G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

An identification card comprises a single media having a plurality of different heat sensitive image forming dye compounds on which are encoded a colored pictorial image of the card holder, colored text, and machine readable digital data. A laser printing method is also provided for activating the heat sensitive image forming dyes to provide the colored pictorial image of the card holder, the colored text and the machine readable digital code.

Claims

1. An identification card comprising:

a substrate;

a first color imaging compound disposed in overlying relation with respect to said substrate and comprising a first radiation sensitive dye responsive to incident radiant energy within a first select range of spectral wavelengths for effecting a visually discernible change in the spectral absorption characteristics thereof;

a second color imaging compound disposed in overlying relation with respect to said substrate and comprising a second radiation sensitive dye responsive to incident radiant energy within a second select range of spectral wavelengths different from said first select range of spectral wavelengths for effecting a visually discernible change in the spectral absorption characteristics thereof; and

a third color imaging compound disposed in overlying relation with respect to said substrate and comprising a third radiation sensitive dye responsive to incident radiant energy within a third select range of spectral wavelengths different from said first and second select ranges of spectral wavelengths for effecting a visually discernible change in the spectral absorption characteristics thereof, at least one portion of said first, second and third imaging compounds being selectively exposed to radiant energy within said first, second and/or third select ranges to provide a visually discernible and understandable colored image and a second portion of said first, second and/or third imaging compounds outside said first portion being selectively exposed to radiant energy within said first, second and/or third select ranges to provide a non-visually understandable machine readable binary code.

2. The identification card of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third imaging compounds are heat sensitive and said radiant energy within said first, second, and third select ranges of wavelengths is converted to heat upon absorption by respective ones of said first, second, and third imaging compounds.

3. The identification card of claim 2 wherein said first, second, and third imaging compounds are disposed in overlying layers substantially coextensive with respect to each other and said substrate.

4. The identification card of claim 3 wherein each of said first, second, and third imaging compounds comprises an infrared absorbing substance for converting infrared radiation into heat.

5. The identification card of claim 3 wherein said second portion of said first, second, and/or third imaging compound layers is exposed to radiant energy within a selected range of spectral wavelengths and intensity to effect the physical deformation of a select one of said first, second, or third imaging compound layers.

6. The identification card of claim 3 wherein the spectral absorption characteristics of said first, second and third imaging compound layers initially provide a colored appearance for each of said imaging compound layers and are respectively transformed by incident heat radiation to provide a substantially colorless appearance for each of said imaging compound layers.

7. The identification card of claim 6 wherein there is disposed a reflective layer between said imaging compound layers and said substrate and said second portion of said first, second, and third imaging compound layers is exposed to radiant energy within selected different ranges of spectral wavelengths to transform selected spots on said first, second, and/or third imaging compound layers from their initial colored appearance to a substantially colorless appearance.

8. The identification card of claim 3 wherein said visually discernible and understandable image on said first portion of said first, second, and third imaging compound layers comprises a pictorial representation of the card holder and colored text.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of selectively varying the focus of the laser beams so as to concentrate the radiant energy therefrom at select color imaging compounds.

9. A method for printing an identification card of the type comprising a plurality of color imaging compounds each of which responds to incident radiant energy within a different select range of spectral wavelengths by changing the spectral absorption characteristics thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning a composite laser light beam having spectral wavelengths within said different select ranges of spectral wavelengths across a first portion of the identification card while simultaneously modulating the intensity of each portion of said composite laser light beam within one of said select ranges of spectral wavelengths to selectively expose said first, second, and third imaging compounds within said first portion to provide a visually discernible colored image; and

scanning at least one laser light beam having spectral wavelengths within a select range of wavelengths across a second portion of the identification card while simultaneously modulating the intensity of said one laser light beam to selectively expose at least one of said first, second and third imaging compounds within said second portion to radiant energy to record a non-visually understandable machine readable code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each of said color imaging compounds contains an infrared absorbing substance for converting infrared radiation into heat and each of said infrared absorbing substances has a different spectral absorption characteristics within selected ranges of spectral wavelengths, said method further comprising the steps of matching the selected ranges of spectral wavelengths for said composite laser light beam to the spectral absorption characteristics of said infrared absorbing substances.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said machine readable code is recorded on said second portion of said credit card by a single laser light beam having a spectral wavelength characteristic within a select range of wavelengths matched to at least one of the selected ranges of wavelengths for one of said infrared absorbing substances, said single laser light beam being modulated at a sufficient energy level to effect a physical deformation in the color imaging compound associated with said matching infrared absorbing substance.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said machine readable code is recorded on said second portion of said credit card by a plurality of laser light beams each having a different spectral wavelength characteristic, said method further comprising the step of matching the selected wavelength characteristics for each of said laser light beams to a different one of the spectral absorption characteristics of said infrared absorbing substances so that each one of said laser light beams records said machine readable code on a different one of said color imaging compounds.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said scanning steps comprise scanning at high speed by rotating a holographic light transmitting disk across the path of the laser light beam and scanning at comparatively slower speed in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of high speed scanning by displacing the identification card relative to the laser light beam.

15. A method for printing an identification card of the type comprising a plurality of color imaging layers each of which responds to incident radiant energy within a different select range of visible wavelengths by changing the spectral absorption characteristics thereof, each imaging layer further including substantially the same infrared absorbing material for converting infrared radiation into heat, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning a laser light beam having a spectral wavelength characteristic corresponding to the spectral absorbing characteristic of the infrared absorbing material across a first portion of the identification card while simultaneously modulating the intensity and focus of the laser light beam to selectively expose different color imaging layers within the first portion to provide a visually discernible colored image; and

scanning the laser light beam across a second portion of the identification card while simultaneously modulating the intensity and focus to selectively expose at least one of said imaging layers within said second portion to radiant energy to record a non-visually understandable machine readable code.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the laser light beam is focused to address a select one of said imaging layers in the second portion of the identification card and the intensity of the laser light beam is modulated at a sufficient energy level to effect a physical deformation in the color imaging layer so addressed.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the laser light beam is selectively focused to address each one of said imaging layers in the second portion of the identification card and record thereon the machine readable code.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said scanning steps comprise scanning at high speed by rotating a holographic light transmitting disk across the path of the laser light beam and scanning at comparatively slower speed in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of high speed scanning by displacing the identification card relative to the laser light beam.

19. An identification card comprising:

a substrate; and

at least one imaging compound layer disposed in coextensive overlying relation with respect to said substrate and comprising a heat sensitive dye responsive to incident radiant energy within a select range of spectral wavelengths whereby said radiant energy converted to heat upon absorption by said color imaging compound so as to effect a visually discernible change in the spectral absorption characteristic of said color imaging compound, at least one portion of said imaging compound being selectively exposed to radiant energy within said select range of spectral wavelengths to provide a visually discernible and understandable image and a second portion of said imaging compound outside said first portion being selectively exposed to radiant energy within said select range of spectral wavelengths to provide a non-visually understandable machine readable binary code.

20. The identification card of claim 19 wherein said imaging compound comprises an infrared absorbing substance for converting infrared radiation into heat.

21. The identification card of claim 20 wherein said second portion of said imaging compound is exposed to radiant energy of sufficient intensity to effect the physical deformation of said imaging compound layer.

22. The identification card of claim 20 wherein the spectral absorption characteristics of said imaging compound layer initially provides a colored appearance and is respectively transformed by incident heat radiation to provide a substantially colorless appearance.

23. The identification card of claim 22 wherein there is disposed a reflective layer between said imaging compound layer and said substrate.

24. The identification card of claim 20 wherein said visually understandable image on said first portion of said imaging compound layer comprises a pictorial representation of the card holder and colored text.