Systems, compositions, and methods for full color laser engraving of ID documents
First Claim
1. A method of making a material comprising:
- selecting a first dye comprising a first material associated with a first color;
combining a second dye with the first dye to form a first particle having a first size, the second dye comprising a second material responsive to a first predetermined quantity of a first wavelength of laser radiation;
adding the first particle to a carrier material, wherein directing the predetermined first quantity of first laser radiation having the first predetermined wavelength towards a portion of the carrier material containing the first particle creates in the portion of the carrier material a visible region having the first color.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for forming a full color laser engraved image on an ID card. As described below, a special image capable layer is prepared that is addressable by one or more near infrared (NIR) lasers. Each type of particle contained within the image capable layer is associated with a particular color (e.g., cyan, magenta, or yellow) and is responsive (i.e., can selectively absorb) a particular wavelength of laser energy to form a laser engraved pixel in that respective color. In one embodiment, the particles are selected such that the wavelengths that they respond to do not overlap significantly. By providing discrete physical particles and preventing a given particle from responding to more than one laser wavelength, it can be possible to minimize so-called “cross talk” between the cyan, magenta, and yellow centers and minimize contamination and/or chemical mixing of image formers. This helps to ensure image accuracy and quality.
693 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of making a material comprising:
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selecting a first dye comprising a first material associated with a first color; combining a second dye with the first dye to form a first particle having a first size, the second dye comprising a second material responsive to a first predetermined quantity of a first wavelength of laser radiation; adding the first particle to a carrier material, wherein directing the predetermined first quantity of first laser radiation having the first predetermined wavelength towards a portion of the carrier material containing the first particle creates in the portion of the carrier material a visible region having the first color. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of making a material comprising:
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selecting a first dye comprising a first material associated with a first color; combining a second dye with the first dye to form a first particle having a first size, the second dye comprising a second material responsive to a first predetermined quantity of a first wavelength of laser radiation; adding the first particle to a carrier material, wherein directing the predetermined first quantity of first laser radiation having the first predetermined wavelength towards a portion of the carrier material containing the first particle creates in the portion of the carrier material a visible region having the first color; creating a grindable matrix comprising the first and the second dyes;
grinding the matrix to the first particle size;constructing an acrylate matrix comprising the first and the second dyes; casting the acrylate matrix onto a release web at a predetermined thickness; removing the acrylate matrix from the release web; curing the casted acrylate matrix into a brittle matrix; and providing the brittle matrix as the grindable matrix.
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17. A method of making a material comprising:
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selecting a first dye comprising a first material associated with a first color; combining a second dye with the first dye to form a first particle having a first size, the second dye comprising a second material responsive to a first predetermined quantity of a first wavelength of laser radiation; adding the first particle within a carrier material, wherein directing the predetermined first quantity of first laser radiation having the first predetermined wavelength towards a portion of the carrier material containing the first particle creates in the portion of the carrier material a visible region having the first color; selecting a third dye comprising a third material associated with a second color, the second color being substantially different than the first color; combining a fourth dye with the third dye to form a second particle having a second size, the fourth dye comprising a fourth material responsive to a second predetermined quantity of a second predetermined wavelength of laser radiation, the second predetermined wavelength being substantially different from the first predetermined wavelength; and adding the second particle within the carrier material, wherein directing the second predetermined quantity of the second predetermined wavelength of laser radiation having the second predetermined wavelength towards a portion of the carrier material containing the second particle creates in the portion of the carrier material a visible region having the second color. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of making an identification document having images of at least two different colors formed thereon by laser radiation, the method comprising:
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providing a first colored dye having a first color; combining the first colored dye with a first laser sensitive dye to form a first particle, the first laser sensitive dye being responsive to a first predetermined wavelength of laser radiation; providing a second colored dye having a second color substantially different from the first color; combining the second colored dye with a second laser sensitive dye to form a second particle, the second laser sensitive dye being responsive to a second predetermined wavelength of laser radiation; providing a carrier material including the first and the second particles therein; forming at least a portion of an identification document using the carrier material;
directing laser radiation at the first predetermined wavelength onto at least one location on the carrier material to form thereon an image having the first color; anddirecting laser radiation at the second predetermined wavelength onto at least one location on the carrier material to form thereon an image having the second color. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An identification document, comprising:
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a first information-bearing layer, the first information-bearing layer displaying information in a first color; and a particle disposed within the first information-bearing layer, the particle comprising a combination of a first dye having a first color and a second dye combined with the first dye to form a first particle, the second dye comprising a material responsive to a first predetermined wavelength of laser radiation; wherein the information is formed on the first information-bearing layer by exposing the particle to the first predetermined wavelength of laser radiation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of making a material comprising:
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selecting a first dye pair having a first color; selecting a second dye pair having a second, different color; wherein the first dye pair includes one dye combined with another dye, the another dye having at least one component that is responsive to a first wavelength of laser radiation, wherein the second dye pair includes one dye combined with another dye, the another dye having at least one component that is responsive to a second, different wavelength of laser radiation, forming a mixture including the first dye pair and the second dye pair; adding the mixture to a carrier material, wherein directing the first wavelength of laser radiation toward a first portion of the carrier material containing the first dye pair creates in the first portion a visible region having the first color, and wherein directing the second, different wavelength of laser radiation toward a second portion of the carrier material containing the second dye pair creates in the second portion a visible region having the second, different color. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An identification document comprising:
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at least one imaging layer capable of having at least one image formed therein, the at least one imaging layer comprising; a plurality of particles, each particle capable of generating a specific color and having a first portion of a first dye including a material associated with the specific color and a second portion of a second dye including a material capable of absorbing radiation energy provided in a predetermined range of wavelengths to excite the second dye sufficiently to provide localized temperatures to transform the first dye to a colored state to form a visible pixel in the specific color, wherein a first set of particles absorbs radiation energy provided in a first predetermined range of wavelengths and creates a first specific color and at least a second set of particles absorbs radiation energy provided in a second predetermined range of wavelengths different from the first predetermined range of wavelengths and creates a second specific color different from the first specific color, the first set of particles and the at least second set of particles excited simultaneously or serially with application of the first and second predetermined ranges of wavelengths.
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Specification