Abstract: An optical data storage and retrieval system using a length of optical recording material in which data in the form of microscopic spots is disposed in cells forming a regularly spaced grid. While the material is being moved in a lengthwise direction by a transport, rows of cells are being read by a linear CCD array, one row at a time. A servo system advances the material so that successive rows can be read, while a second servo adjusts the position of the material in the crosswise direction for proper alignment with the CCD array.

Abstract: An optical memory disk 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 irregular oblong 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 disk may be pre-patterned during formation of the crust with control indicia, such as servo track guides or timing marks. User data may be recorded by modification of 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.

Abstract: An audiovisual slide show is recorded by collecting a set of slides having pictures dealing with a broad topic. A strip of laser recording material is disposed on each slide. A laser writes a data pattern corresponding to spoken words on the strip. The words give a self-contained characterization of the picture on a slide. A subset of slides is selected from the set of slides so as to form a slide show. The slides have a photographic image mounted in a holder. A strip of laser recording optical data material is disposed on the border of the holder or on the film adjacent to the image. The strips can store about fifty seconds of human speech or ten times as much artificial speech, such as phoneme speech.

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 irregular 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 of 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.

Abstract: A system in which wallet-sized visually readable information relating to a person is created on material disposed on one side of a wallet-size card and machine readable information relating to the person is recorded on a laser recordable optical data storage strip disposed on the opposite side of the card. The visually readable information may be a fingerprint or face photograph created by conventional photography or with a laser. The data storage strip is disposed in the card and may be a pre-formed strip of laser recording material. Information spots recorded on the strip may be insurance, medical, banking, security or other transaction information. Both the machine readable information and the eye readable information are read simultaneously by two optical systems, one disposed on each side of the card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reading data in a data field on a data surface of a storage medium in which the data surface may be nonplanar and depthwise regions of the data field are brought one-by-one into the region of focus of a CCD area array. A set of partial images are formed which are then merged together into a composite image of the data field to be read. The storage medium is disposed on a vacuum chuck. Imaging optics, such as a single lens, zoom lens or lenticular array images regions of the data surface which are within a region of focusing onto the CCD area array. A piezoelectric device or a linear variable differential transformer serve as a Z-axis focussing element which responds to oscillator or electrical control signals to change the relative distance between the CCD area array and a reference plane of the data surface. The partial images formed are either merged in semiconductor memory by a processor or are merged automatically by the CCD area array.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium, such as a data card with a strip of optical data storage material, having peelable transparent protective layers adhered above the storage material. When a protective layer becomes too scratched to read or write through, it may be removed by peeling. More than one layer may be adhered successively above one another, and removed one by one as they become scratched. The peelable protective layers are preferably adhesive tapes made of Aclar, Mylar, polyester, or other hard-to-tear polymers with pressure sensitive adhesive. One or more of the layers, and an underlayer between substrate or card base and the storage material may be a water barrier material such as a polytrichlorofluoroethylene.

Abstract: An optical data read-only card and system using a length of optical recording material in which data in the form of microscopic spots is disposed in cells forming a regularly spaced grid. The spots contrast with the background media with a reflective contrast ratio of at least 1.5 to 1. While the material is being moved in a lengthwise direction by a transport, rows of cells are being read one row at a time by a linear CCD array capable of detecting the contrasting reflectivities between spots and background.

Abstract: An optical data reading and writing system in which a laser beam records data spots on a medium and a wide light beam is used for simultaneously reading the data spots and prerecorded information. The laser beam records spots of a uniform size which is less than about ten micrometers. The wide beam which may be emitted by an LED illuminates a substantially larger area of the medium than the laser beam. Prerecorded information, if present, may include parallel track lines, the wide beam illuminating adjacent pairs of track lines in addition to the data spots and prerecorded clock spots in data tracks between the track lines. Multiple data paths may be present between track lines, which may then be read simultaneously by a photodetector. The photodetector may have a plurality of detector elements which have apertures such that simultaneously illuminated data spots are distinguished.

Abstract: A protective envelope having an adhesive flap which lifts open to expose a data storage area of a data card, allowing data to be read while the card remains protected in the envelope. The flap may be then closed over and readhered to the card. The envelope comprises a base and a cover panel bonded at three edges to form a pocket for card storage. The cover panel is made up of a pair of fixed edge stripes bonded to respective opposed side edges of the base and a liftable flap bonded to a back edge of the base. Envelope materials are preferably a transparent, flexible plastic, but only the flap need be flexible. The flap may extend beyond and fold over a front edge of the base and adhere to an underside of the base. An alternative embodiment of the envelope provides two flaps, bonded to respective front and back edges of a base, which open from the center.

Abstract: Information is recorded in situ on a wallet-size card by disposing laser recordable material in the card, then recording indicia, in situ, on the material with a laser. At least some of the indicia are microscopic eye readable information, with the rest being machine readable information, with the eye readable information being redundant with at least some of the machine readable information. This visually read information is recorded as characters made up of matrices of nonconnected laser recorded spots. The characters may be alphanumeric characters, or the like. The characters are read with an optical magnifier. A laser beam and light detector may be used to read the digital information by scanning the card with the beam.

Abstract: A cassette having a drawer composed of a rigid support shelf and one or two data cards mounted to the shelf, and a rigid cassette case having sides defining a slot at a front end in the case for edgewise insertion of the drawer into the case. The drawer has at least one and preferably two holes at a front end therein coinciding with notches in sides of the case. A boss on either the drawer or the case is received by a groove in the other when the cassette is closed, thereby forming a detent. A second boss and groove may be provided on the opposite side. Each data card may be composed of a thin backing sheet adhered to the shelf, a strip of laser recording material disposed on the backing sheet and a transparent scratch-resistant plastic cover disposed over the strip.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium, such as a data card with a strip of optical data storage material, having a thickness approximately that of a credit card and one or more moisture barrier layers. One of the moisture barrier layers is an underlayer between substrate or card base and the storage material, while a second moisture barrier layer is one or more of the transparent laminating sheet and protective layers adhered above the storage material. The barrier layers may be any of the transparent materials, having a maximum moisture vapor transmission rate of 0.1 grams water vapor/100 inch square/mil/24 hours at 38 C and 90% relative humidity, such as polytrichlorofluoroethylene and polyvinylidene chloride. The underlayer may also be a nontransparent aluminum layer.

Abstract: An optical data card having a pair of spaced apart information strips. One strip has pre-recorded programs or data and is always a non-erasable strip. This strip may be either a reflective direct-read-after-write non-erasable type or may be a read-only optical memory (ROOM) strip. Another strip serves as a temporary, scratchpad or cache memory and is either a reflective DRAW strip of the erasable type or a DRAW non-erasable strip which is at least partially blank, with sufficient space for temporary memory needs over an extended period of time.

Abstract: A data card having an optical, high resolution erasable or non-erasable laser recording material adhering to it. The strip of laser recording material has a capacity for recording at least 250,000 data bits represented by optically contrasting spots having a dimension of less than 25 microns. The optical contrast of the spots with respect to the surrounding field is at least two to one. The strip may have a preinscribed formatting pattern for positioning, timing, programming and related functions.

Abstract: A system and method for making a data card involving prerecording information, such as reference position information or servo tracks, on a strip of high resolution, immediate read laser recording material, then adhering the strip to a card such that the strip is recordable in place. A protective transparent laminating material is bonded to the recording surface and then user information is recorded on the strip using a laser aimed at the strip through the laminating material.

Abstract: An optical data recording and information storage medium which uses an exposed and developed photosensitive medium with a transparent substrate to store prerecorded data spots. A reflective laser recording metal layer is vapor deposited on the processed photosensitive medium so as to create laser recordable areas adjacent to the prerecorded data. The entire assembly is mounted on a base which may be transparent. A laser is used to write data spots on the thin metal layer. Both the prerecorded data spots and the laser written data spots are read by observing optical contrast with respect to the surrounding field.

Abstract: A strip of optical contrast laser recording material is disposed on a wallet-size card, and has laser written micrographic characters recorded thereon. The characters are formed of a matrix of laser recorded character spots and are eye readable using twenty power magnification. The characters are recorded in situ on the card, after the strip is disposed in the card, by a laser having a beam focused on the strip. A light detector reads the reflected beam to confirm laser writing. Either raster-like or zig-zag scanning of the beam creates each character matrix. Each of the character spots may be made up of one laser spot or by a group of laser spots.

Abstract: A laser beam records a digital representation of a medical picture and medical information on an optical data storage strip. The strip is adhered to a medium containing an eye readable picture generated from the same data, such as X-ray pictures, CAT-scan pictures, ultrasonic or NMR images. The medical information may be the image itself, a description or diagnosis related to the picture.