Transparent/translucent financial transaction card
First Claim
1. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
- a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheet being transparent or translucent to human viewing; and
a near Infrared light filter covering one of said upper or lower surfaces of said material sheet, said filter comprising light absorbing dye filtering means for providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain transparent or translucent to visible light.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A financial transaction card is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment. The card includes a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge. The material sheet has one or more areas that are at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing. A filter associated with at least one of the areas provides sufficient opacity to light used by card sensors in the automated card processing equipment to render the card detectable.
134 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheet being transparent or translucent to human viewing; and
a near Infrared light filter covering one of said upper or lower surfaces of said material sheet, said filter comprising light absorbing dye filtering means for providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain transparent or translucent to visible light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for manufacturing a financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising the steps of:
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forming a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheet being transparent or translucent to human viewing; and
covering one of said upper or lower surfaces of said material sheet with a near Infrared filter, said filter comprising light absorbing dye filtering means for providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a sheet of material that is transparent or translucent to human viewing; and
a near Infrared light filter covering said material sheet, said filter comprising light filtering means for providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an Interruption of near infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a sheet of material that is transparent or translucent to human viewing a near Infrared light filter covering said material sheet, said filter comprising light filtering means for providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
said filtering means being applied to said material sheet as a liquid coating; and
wherein said coating is made from a vinyl resin-based coating material that includes (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 3540% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 5-10% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, and wherein said coating is further made from a thinner comprising all of the components of said coating material at the same ratios, with the exception of said vinyl resins which are not present in said thinner. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a substantially planar material sheet having first and second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheet being transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near Infrared light filter covering one or both of said first and second surfaces; and
said light filter providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing vet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coating covering one or both of said first surfaces;
printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed on one or both of said second surfaces; and
wherein said light filtering coating on one or both of said first surfaces is a light absorbing coating and said light filtering coating on one or both of said second surfaces is a light scattering coating.
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33. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coating covering one or both of said first surfaces;
printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed on each of said second surfaces; and
wherein said light filtering coating on one or both of said first surfaces is a light absorbing coating and said light filtering coatings on said second surfaces are light scattering coatings. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing vet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coating covering one or both of said first surfaces;
printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed on each of said second surfaces; and
wherein;
(1) there is a light filtering coating formed on one of said first surfaces that is made from a filtering mixture that includes an organic solvent-soluble, near Infrared absorption dye, an organic solvent-soluble blue colorant, an organic solvent-soluble red colorant, an organic solvent-soluble Ultraviolet (UV) light absorber, a BHT preservative, a light scattering ceramic sphere material, a solvent-based thinner and a vinyl resin-based coating material, said vinyl resin-based coating material including (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 35-40% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 5-10% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, and said thinner comprising all of the components of said coating material at the same ratios, with the exception of said vinyl resins which are not present in said thinner, said dye, said blue colorant, said red colorant, said UV absorber, said preservative, said ceramic sphere material, said thinner and said vinyl resin-based coating material being present in said filtering mixture at respective proportions of about 69;
7.2;
6;
30;
30;
780;
300;
4777.8 by weight;
(2) said light filtering coating formed on one of said second surfaces is made from a pearlescent ink;
(3) said light filtering coating formed on the other of said second surfaces is made from a light scattering mixture that includes an organic solvent-soluble pearlescent pigment, an organic solvent-soluble fluorescent whitening agent, a powdered silica material, and a vinyl resin-based coating material, said vinyl resin-based coating material including (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 35-40% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 510% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, said pearlescent pigment, said fluorescent whitening agent, said powdered silica material, and said vinyl resin-based coating material being present in said light scattering mixture at respective proportions of about 101;
25;
5;
869 by weight; and
(4) said card has an opacity of approximately 0.7 over a wavelength range of about 400-750 nm, approximately 1.5 at a wavelength of about 890 nm, and approximately 1.6 at a wavelength of about 950 nm.
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37. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing vet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector Pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coating covering one or both of said first surfaces, printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed one each of said first surfaces; and
wherein;
(1) there is a light filtering coating formed on each of said first surfaces that is made from a filtering mixture that includes an organic solvent-soluble, near Infrared absorption dye, an organic solvent-soluble Ultraviolet (UV) light absorber, a BHT preservative, a light scattering ceramic sphere material, a solvent-based thinner and a vinyl resin-based coating material, said vinyl resin-based coating material including (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 35-40% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 5-10% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, and said thinner comprising all of the components of said coating material at the same ratios, with the exception of said vinyl resins which are not present in said thinner, said dye, said UV absorber, said preservative, said ceramic sphere material, said thinner and said vinyl resin-based coating material being present in said filtering mixture at respective proportions of about 15;
5;
5;
130;
50;
795 by weight; and
(2) said card has an opacity of approximately 0.2 over a wavelength range of about 400-750 nm, approximately 1.4 at a wavelength of about 890 nm, and approximately 1.9 at a wavelength of about 950 nm.
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38. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coatine covering one or both of said first surfaces;
printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed one each of said first surfaces; and
wherein;
(1) there is a light filtering coating formed on each of said first surfaces that is made from a filtering mixture that includes an organic solvent-soluble, near Infrared absorption dye, an organic solvent-soluble blue colorant, an organic solvent soluble red colorant, an organic solvent-soluble Ultraviolet (UV) light absorber, a BHT preservative, a light scattering ceramic sphere material, a solvent-based thinner and a vinyl resin-based coating material, said vinyl resin-based coating material including (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 35-40% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 5-10% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, and said thinner comprising all of the components of said coating material at (he same ratios, with the exception of said vinyl resins which are not present in said thinner, said dye, said blue colorant, said red colorant, said UV absorber, said preservative, said ceramic sphere material, said thinner and said vinyl resin-based coating material being present in said filtering mixture at respective proportions of about 12;
3.75;
2.75;
5;
5;
130;
50;
791.5 by weight; and
(2) said card has an opacity of approximately 0.5 over a wavelength range of about 400-750 nm, approximately 1.1 at a wavelength of about 890 nm, and approximately 1.6 at a wavelength of about 950 nm.
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39. A financial transaction card that is transparent or translucent to human viewing vet detectable by automated card processing equipment having near Infrared source/detector pairs each having a source and a detector respectively positioned to face opposing sides of said card when said card is positioned in said equipment for detection and to detect said card by sensing an interruption of near Infrared light transmitted from said source to said detector due to the presence of said card, comprising:
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a pair of substantially planar material sheets each having opposing first surfaces and non-opposing second surfaces, said surfaces being bounded by a continuous peripheral edge;
said material sheets being at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing;
a near infrared light filtering coating covering one or both of said first surfaces;
printed graphics formed over said second surfaces;
clear protective overlay sheets formed over said printed graphics; and
said card light filtering coating providing sufficient card opacity relative to one or more near Infrared light wavelengths to render said card detectable by said source/detector pairs by blocking near Infrared light emitted by said source from reaching said detector, thereby triggering detection of said card, while still allowing said card to remain visible to transparent or translucent light;
a light filtering coating formed one each of said first surfaces; and
wherein;
(1) there Is a light filtering coating formed on each of said first surfaces that is made from a filtering mixture that includes an organic solvent-soluble, near Infrared absorption dye, a solvent-based liquid blue colorant, an organic solvent-soluble blue colorant, an organic solvent-soluble red colorant, an organic solvent-soluble Ultraviolet (UV) light absorber, a BHT preservative, a light scattering ceramic sphere material, a solvent-based thinner and a vinyl resin-based coating material, said vinyl resin-based coating material including (by weight) about 20-25% vinyl resins, about 35-40% aromatic petroleum distillates, about 5-10% cyclohexanone, about 5-10% diacetone alcohol, about 5-10% gamma butyrolactone, less than about 5% napthalene, and about 2% aliphatic petroleum distillates, and said thinner comprising all of the components of said coating material at the same ratios, with the exception of said vinyl resins which are not present in said thinner, said dye, said liquid blue colorant, said blue colorant, said red colorant, said UV absorber, said preservative, said ceramic sphere material, said thinner and said vinyl resin-based coating material being present in said filtering mixture at respective proportions of about 12;
20;
3.75;
2.75;
5;
5;
130;
50;
771.5 by weight; and
(2) said card has an opacity of approximately 0.6 over a wavelength range of about 400-750 nm, approximately 1.3 at a wavelength of about 890 nm, and approximately 1.8 at a wavelength of about 950 nm.
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Specification