Telephone card or the like using lenticular lens material

• US 6,073,854 A
• Filed: 05/21/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenticular Technologies LLC, LTI Limited
• Original Assignee: LTI Limited
• Inventors: Marsh, Gary W., Bravenec, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D
• Application Number:
  US09/082,579
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 235/488, 235/487, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/18 Constructional details

Abstract

A card (10) for use as a telephone authorization card or the like is comprised of a layer of a backing material (20) such as a stiff plastic material which has some pliability. A thin sheet lenticular lens material (12) has a flat surface (14) on which is printed selected interlaced images. On the other side of the lens material is formed a plurality of lenticules (16) through which the images are viewed. The flat side of the lenticular material is secured to one face (22) of the backing in a convenient manner. A cutting tool is now used to form an opening (32) in the outer face of the lenticules and a programmed microchip (30) is inserted in the opening and secured in place. On the outer face of the backing material a magnetic strip (40) containing magnetically encoded indicia is secured. The card is usable in a reader (R) which can scan the magnetic strip and read information from the microchip to allow the user to place a telephone call or conduct other transactions.

Claims

1. A card for use in telephone authorization comprising:

a sheet of a transparent lenticular lens material having a flat surface on which selected interlaced images are printed, said interlaced images comprising information in the form of words or graphical images or a combination thereof, a plurality of lenticules being formed on the other side of said sheet;

a backing material to which said flat side of said lenticular material is secured; and

,

a microchip insertable in an opening formed in said lenticules and secured in place therein, said card being scannable by a reader to access information on said microchip to allow the user to place a telephone call.

2. The card of claim 1 further including a magnetic strip mounted on said backing material on a side opposite that to which said lenticular lens material is attached, said magnetic strip containing magnetically encoded indicia also readable by said reader.

3. The card of claim 2 in which a second opening is formed in said lenticules and said magnetic strip is received in said opening.

4. The card of claim 1 which is rectangular in shape and said lenticular lens material is mounted to said backing material with said lenticules extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said card.

5. The card of claim 1 which is rectangular in shape and said lenticular lens material is mounted to said backing material with said lenticules extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said card.

6. The card of claim 1 which is rectangular in shape and said lenticular lens material is mounted to said backing material with said lenticules extending diagonally across said card.

7. The card of claim 1 wherein said sheet is 10-17 mils thick and there are between 80-140 lenticules per inch on formed on the sheet.

8. A credit card for use in conducting business transactions comprising:

a sheet of transparent lenticular lens material having a flat surface on which selected interlaced images are printed, said interlaced images comprising information in the form of words or graphical images or a combination thereof, a plurality of lenticules being formed on the other side of said sheet;

a backing material on which said flat side of said lenticular material is mounted;

a microchip insertable in an opening formed in said lenticules and secured in place therein; and

,

a magnetic strip mounted on said backing material on a side opposite that to which said lenticular lens material is mounted, said card being scannable by a reader to access information on said microchip and magnetic strip to allow a user of the card to conduct a transaction.

9. The card of claim 8 which is rectangular in shape and said lenticular lens material is mounted on said backing material with said lenticules extending at an angle to a longitudinal axis of said card.

10. The card of claim 9 wherein said lenticules extend parallel to said longitudinal axis.

11. The card of claim 9 wherein said lenticules extend perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

12. The card of claim 9 wherein said lenticules extend diagonally across said card.

13. The card of claim 8 wherein a second opening is formed in said lenticules and said magnetic strip is received in said opening so to be mounted on said card on the same side as said microchip.