Information recording card, and information recording and recognition methods using the card

• US 5,471,044 A
• Filed: 02/08/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Makoto, Hotta, Yoshihiko, Amano, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL GUNYOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/194,348
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/494, 235/491, 235/380, 235/384, 235/440, 283/904, 283/85
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/083 Constructional details

Abstract

A card is composed of a reversible thermosensitive recording portion capable of recording information therein, and an irreversible recording portion capable of recording information therein. An information recording method uses the card in which an numerical information is recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion, and an information which has substantially the same contents as those of the numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion is recorded in the irreversible recording portion for preventing improper alternation of the numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion. The numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion and the information recorded in the irreversible recording portion are recognized by an optical device.

Claims

1. A card comprising:

a reversible thermosensitive recording portion capable of recording information therein and deleting recorded information therefrom reversibly, wherein the information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion is visually displayed; and

an irreversible recording portion capable of recording information therein which cannot be deleted, the information recorded in the irreversible recording portion being substantially the same contents as the information recorded in the reversible recording portion and also being visually displayed;

wherein said reversible thermosensitive recording portion is capable of assuming at least two different states with respect to the color tone and/or transparency thereof.

2. The card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said irreversible recording portion is capable of recording information by the application of heat thereto.

3. The card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reversible thermosensitive recording portion is capable of assuming a first color when heated to a first specific temperature higher than room temperature, and is capable of assuming a second color when heated to a second specific temperature higher than said first specific temperature and then cooled, and said irreversible recording portion is capable of recording information by the state thereof being changed when heated to a temperature higher than said first specific temperature.

4. The card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said irreversible recording portion is capable of recording information by a method selected from the group consisting of a method of using an impact ribbon, an electrophotographic method, an ink jet printing method, and a punching hole method.

5. The card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said irreversible recording portion comprises a plurality of irreversible recording parts.

6. The card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an information recording portion.

7. An information recording method using a card comprising a reversible thermosensitive recording portion capable of recording information therein and deleting recorded information therefrom reversibly, and an irreversible recording portion capable of recording information therein, comprising the steps of:

recording first information in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion, wherein said first information is visually displayed; and

recording second information in said irreversible recording portion, the second information having substantially the same contents as the first information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion, and the second information being visually displayed.

8. The information recording method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second information recorded in said irreversible recording portion may have errors with plus or minus 20 percent of said first information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion.

9. The information recording method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of recording the second information in said irreversible recording portion is carried out simultaneously with, immediately before, or immediately after the step of recording the first information in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion.

10. The information recording method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of recording the second information in said irreversible recording portion and the step of recording the first information in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion are thermally carried out by an identical thermal head.

11. The information recording method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the time for applying energy for recording the second information in said irreversible recording portion is different from a time for applying energy for recording the first information in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion.

12. The information recording method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said card further comprises an information memory portion with third information stored therein, and part of said third information is displayed in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion.

13. The information recording method as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least part of the third information stored in said information memory portion is renewed, the first information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion is rewritten or an additional information is added to the second information recorded in said irreversible thermosensitive recording portion, and an additional information is recorded in said irreversible recording portion.

14. The information recording method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first information is numerical information.

15. An information recognition system for a card comprising:

a reversible thermosensitive recording portion in which numerical information is recorded, wherein the numerical information recorded in the reversible recording portion is visually displayed; and

an irreversible recording portion in which an information which has substantially the same contents as the numerical information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion is recorded in said irreversible recording portion and is also visually displayed;

wherein said numerical information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion and said information recorded in said irreversible recording portion are recognized by optical means.

16. An information recognition system for a card comprising:

a reversible thermosensitive recording portion in which numerical information is recorded, wherein the numerical information recorded in the reversible recording portion is visually displayed;

an irreversible recording portion in which an information which has substantially the same contents as said numerical information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion is recorded in said irreversible recording portion, and is also visually displayed; and

an information memory portion in which information is stored;

wherein the matching of said numerical information recorded in said reversible thermosensitive recording portion, said information recorded in said irreversible recording portion, and said information stored in said information memory portion is judged by information processing means.