Abstract: A data logger which incorporates a laser diode and focusing optics for logging data pits in optical recording media. The focusing optics may be attached to a spring assembly and caused to oscillate by electromagnetic or mechanical means. As the optical elements oscillate, the focused beam dithers above and below the surface of the recording media. When the laser beam focal region is in the plane of the recording surface a pit or deformation is formed in the surface. Relative motion is provided between the recording surface and the laser beam spot for further writing on the recording surface.

Abstract: A protective enclosure having two hingedly connected sections. One section being a resealable pocket, in which a data card is stored. The other section being a flap which is hingedly attached along one of its edges to the pocket, thereby allowing the flap to swing out from the pocket. The flap has two surfaces on which eye-readable and machine-readable information may be stored. A photograph may also be found on a surface of the flap. The data card stored in the pocket may contain data related to the information found on the flap. This data may be digitally written on the data card by a laser. An alternative embodiment of the enclosure provides two pockets hingedly connected together.

Abstract: An optical recording medium in tape form which may either be strips of tape or reels of tape, all having preformatted continuous servo tracks from one end to the other. Preformatted servo tracks are spaced-apart lines, so as to permit data spots to be written between or on the tracks. The tracks may extend either longitudinally, parallel to the lengthwise direction of the tape or in a perpendicular direction, extending in directions transverse to the length of the tape, or in a grid-like pattern. The tape web may be joined to a web of transparent protective material over the surface of the strip. A data card may be made using a strip of such tape without regard to registration of the tape with markings on the card. Tracks may be made by directly writing with a laser on direct-read-after-write laser recording material or by photolithography or by embossing.

Abstract: A plastic card or credit card size has a strip of optical recording material thereon containing microtext. The microtext is either electronically or optically reduced from 5 to 200 times and laid out in miniature pages, arranged in an array on the strip. The strip has a metallic or metal particle layer, giving it a shiny gold or silver coloration, against which the microtext appears dark, or vice-versa.

Abstract: A data card recording system having a rotatable drum for supporting a plurality of data cards on its circumferential surface. A light source emits a beam which is modulated in response to data and directed to the cards on the rotating drum. The beam produces data spots in a plurality of parallel tracks aligned in the direction of drum rotation on a recording strip whose length is parallel to the drum axis. The focusing optics may be moved transversely to record in adjacent tracks. A data segment accessed from a data source and stored in a register of a microprocessor is recorded on a track on each card on the drum. A data control, controlling modulation rate, and a position detector unit are provided to synchronize the light beam modulation with the drum rotation rate. Drums and optical system embodiments are described for both reflectively and transmissively read data cards.

Abstract: A method of recording data on a card in which track indicia are laser recorded by a user on at least one end of a card prerecorded with tracks only. Track indicia include start and stop marks defining usable recordable areas, synchronization marks, error codes and track numbers and track termination codes. Start and stop marks may be series of lines recorded in a pattern across the tracks and in addition to demarcating usable recordable areas of the card may indicate the location of track numbers and data areas as well as the particular encoding scheme used on the card. Data blocks may be written on entire tracks or in sectors. When recording errors are detected, the data block is rewritten in a new sector or on another track using the same track number.

Abstract: A postage meter dispensing postage labels corresponding to the consumption of value sites on a debit card. A debit card is inserted into the meter where a card reader/writer cooperates with a label printer. The same optical signal which is used to decrement a value on the card is also used to actuate label printing.

Abstract: A compact auxiliary data record storing at least one quarter megabyte of data in card size and detachably adherable to a support surface. The support surface may be an eye-readable primary record, such as a sheet of X-ray film or a book. The data card may be an optical card, a semiconductor memory card or a magnetic memory card.

Abstract: A method for extending the life of information recorded on an optical storage medium, such as direct-read-after-write laser recording material. Information and an index are recorded on the medium. When the optical contrast ratio of the recording begins to deteriorate, when a specified error rate in reading data bits occurs, or after a predetermined time elapses, the information is re-recorded at another location on the medium and a new index entry is added.

Abstract: A system for recording data onto optical tape by means of a laser. The optical tape may be disposed on reels and transported along a tape path between supply and takeup hubs. A laser or laser array is used to write data on the tape in a plurality of parallel tracks as it is driven along the tape path. The tape features a flexible web backing, a reflective metallic layer deposited over the backing and an optical storage layer on top of the metallic layer with a planar crust of irregular, nonfilamentary and oblong black silver particles within the top one-half micron of the storage layer and substantially clear gelatin below the crust. The tape may have prepatterned indica, such as servo track guides or timing marks. Laser recording modifies the black silver particles of the crust to expose the reflective underlayer through the clear gelatin. The laser at low power together with a light detector may be used to read the data, an optical reflective contrast ratio of at least 1.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically reading data in a substantially planar data field having a plurality of pages arranged in series of rows and columns. Each page is spaced apart from adjacent data pages by alignment-indicating streets, which are data-free blank areas. A CCD area array is positioned and spaced apart in generally parallel relation to the data field. The CCD area array is then moved linearly so that the array is opposite a data page to be read. An initial imaging thereafter takes placed in order to recognize the streets bordering a data page. Through recognition of the streets, a processor resolves the orientation of the data page relative to the CCD area array. The processor then transmits a command signal to a control circuit for rotational adjustment of the imaging of the data page.

Abstract: A data card comprising a self-supporting, wallet size plastic card base upon which is disposed a film substrate layer, a highly reflective layer and an optical storage layer which is a selected photosensitive layer which has been exposed at an actinic wavelength and developed to be substantially opaque over a portion of its extent, except for an imagewise exposure pattern of clear and partially clear data marks revealing to varying extends reflectivity in the underlying reflective layer. Data spots may have one of four different reflectivities thereby representing a quadrinary digit 0, 1, 2 or 3 replacing two binary digits. The reflective layer is matched to the selected optical storage layer so that the reflective layer is highly reflective at a read beam wavelength in the red or near infrared and less reflective at actinic wavelengths either in the blue/green range or in the ultraviolet.

Abstract: A data card for optical information featuring a gelatin layer having a thin black crust at the top of the layer. The crust is formed by developed black irregular oblong silver particles within the top 0.5 micron of the gelatin colloid matrix. The remainder of the colloid matrix is substantially clear gelatin and a reflective metallic layer is disposed below the gelatin. The strip is laminated into a wallet-size card and may be pre-patterned during formation of the crust with control indicia or pre-recorded data. User data may be recorded by modifying the black silver particles in the crust with a laser to expose the reflective underlayer. A laser or other light source is used to read data on the medium with optical contrast between the black surface metallic layer underlying the gelatin layer which can be observed in the recorded spots.

Abstract: A read and write system for personal information cards employing a laser. Personal information is recorded on an information medium containing both visual images, such as a face image or fingerprint, and laser recorded data. The visual images are created on a piece of photographic material or eye readable laser recording material. The visual image material is adhered to a surface of a wallet-size card. A strip of laser recordable optical data storage material is also adhered to the card. After the strip is put on the card, a laser records personal information indicia on the strip in situ. The strip may be a reflective material of silver particles in a gelatin matrix, in which recording produces spots having a detectable difference in reflectivity. The card may be coated with a transparent protective laminate material. A laser reader and writer may be used in conjunction with the card and a device for moving the card relative to a laser beam for reading or writing information on the card.

Abstract: A data card recording system having a rotatable drum for supporting a plurality of data cards on its circumferential surface. A laser light source emits a beam which is modulated in response to data and directed to the cards on the rotating drum. The beam produces data spots in a plurality of parallel tracks aligned in the direction of drum rotation. The focussing optics may be moved transversely to record in adjacent tracks. A data segment accessed from a data source and stored in a register of a microprocessor is recorded on a track on each card on the drum. A data control, controlling modulation rate, and a position detector unit are provided to synchronize the light beam modulation with the drum rotation rate. Drums and optical system embodiments are described for both reflectively and transmissively read data cards.

Abstract: Data cards are formed by writing a succession of latent images on a first web of photosensitive film, developing the film and then joining the film with a web of high resolution laser optical recording tape. The webs may be joined in either back-to-back or front-to-back relationship. In the first case there is an eye readable image on one side and formatted optical recording tape on the opposite side. In the second case an eye readable image is optionally adjacent optical recording tape, but on different layers, with both readable from the same side through a transparent substrate or base. The composite web is cut transversely to its lengthwise dimension into a plurality of wallet size members. Bar code is recorded together with the latent image so that in checking cards for quality control purposes, defective cards may be correlated with particular images in order that a defective card be recreated.

Abstract: A strip of optical contrast laser recording material is disposed on the wallet-size card, and has laser written characters recorded thereon. The characters are formed by a plurality of pixels, similar in nature to the dots forming dot matrix characters, except that the pixels themselves are formed of spots. The spots are disposed in a geometric regular array and are usually written one column at a time until a complete pixel is formed. Machine readable and visually readable characters may be combined on a single data strip.

Abstract: A data card having an optical recording medium formed by an erasable layer atop a polymer layer with prerecorded indicia, all atop a card base. The polymer layer has surface contours which constitute prerecorded indicia. The erasable layer disposed over the polymer layer displays the prerecorded indicia for reading, together with information on the erasable strip. The erasable material may be magnetooptical material, amorphous-crystalline material or liquid crystal material.

Abstract: An optical data card random access information system featuring a data card with data tracks transverse to the lengthwise direction of motion of the card in a transport. An electromechanical actuator, having an arm parallel to the tracks, supports a light source for illuminating a track as well as a charge coupled device linear array detector for reading data. Light is directed onto a desired track to be read and preferably the entire track is imaged onto elements of the detector array so that an entire track may be read simultaneously. The card is supported by a carriage which advances the card in the card's lengthwise direction under control of a motor. The lengthwise motion of the card places any desired track under the actuator arm, while crosswise motion of the arm is able to place the track within the field of view of the detector.

Abstract: A medium in tape form for laser recorded optical information featuring a gelatin layer having a thin black crust at the top of the layer. The crust is formed by developed black filamentary silver particles within the top 0.5 micron of a gelatin colloid matrix. The remainder of the colloid matrix is substantially clear gelatin and a reflective metallic layer is disposed below the gelatin. The tape may be disposed on reels and may be pre-patterned during formation of the crust with indicia, such as servo track guides or timing marks. User data may be recorded by modification or by displacing the black silver particles in the crust with a laser to expose the reflective underlayer. A laser or other light source is used to read data on the medium with optical contrast between the black surface and the reflective metallic layer underlying the gelatin layer which can be observed in the recorded spots.