Abstract: An apparently conventional document such as an identification (ID) card is constructed as a laminate within which is a code or other coding indicia such as a photograph, bar code or fingerprint. concealed from human view. The document is read by a conventional electro-optic reader means placed against a face of the card, if the reader uses a beam of light in the wavelength absorbed by the material with which the coded indicia is produced, but reflected by the background against which the coded indicia is "seen" by the beam. The card is preferably a laminate of at least an upper lamina and a lower lamina, each made of a synthetic resin which has a substantially white imprintable surface conventionally printed with the identification of the owner of the card with a pigment-free, non-aqueous ink which is visible to the human eye but substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range.

Abstract: An apparently conventional playing card is invisibly coded so that it can only be read face down, by an electrooptic reading means. The card may be of non-laminated conventional card stock which has a substantially white surface conventionally printed with the identification of the suit and value of the card with inks chosen because they are visible but substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range. The face of the card is coded with indicia inklessly marked across its surface with a compound which absorbs wavelengths (outside the visible range) which wavelengths are used by the reading means to read the indicia. The indicia, invisible to the human eye, correspond to a code which uniquely identifies the card. The card may be laminated from top and base sheets and the code concealed behind the front printed face of the top sheet. The upper surface of the top sheet is imprinted with the face value of the card with the inks described.

Abstract: An apparently conventional playing card is invisibly coded so that it can only be read face down, by an electro-optic reading means. The card may be of non-laminated conventional card stock which has a substantially white surface conventionally printed with the identification of the suit and value of the card with inks chosen because they are visible but substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range. The face of the card is coded with indicia inklessly marked across its surface with a compound which absorbs wavelengths (outside the visible range) which wavelengths are used by the reading means to read the indicia. The indicia, invisible to the human eye, correspond to a code which uniquely identifies the card. The card may be laminated from top and base sheets and the code concealed behind the front printed face of the top sheet. The upper surface of the top sheet is imprinted with the face value of the card with the inks described.

Abstract: A deck of cards is coded by marking each card on its face with a bar code which is essentially invisible to the human eye, but can be read by a detector matched to the source of wavelength of the light used to irradiate each card as it is passed over the surface of a portable housing which houses the detector and the associated reading means. Appropriate hardware is also housed in the housing to process the coded information read. The software provided stores a number of predetermined "hands" which are to be dealt. It can also deal a random deal, more random than can be dealt by human shuffling of the deck. A method is provided to deal a preselected "deal" to a chosen number of players, typically four, the apparatus indicating to the human dealer to which location each card is to be dealt.