Patents by Inventor Bruce Littleton

Bruce Littleton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Secure imaging toner and methods of forming and using the same
    Patent number: 7842445
    Abstract: A toner for printing documents that are difficult to chemically or physically forge and that are readily easy to visually verify and methods of using and forming the toner are disclosed. The toner includes a colorant for printing an image on a surface of a document, a fluorescent pigment that under normal lighting is masked by the colorant but creates a visible image on the first surface of the a substrate when irradiated by black or ultra-violet light, and a dye for forming a latent version of the image underneath a surface of a substrate. An image formed using the toner of the invention is readily verified by comparing the colorant-formed image and the dye-formed image. In addition, if a solvent is used in an attempt to alter the printed image on the substrate, the dye migrates or diffuses to indicate tampering with the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Troy Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Riley, Kevin L. Heilman, Carrie A. Gilson, Linda M. Barnum, Bruce Littleton
  • Secure imaging toner and methods of forming and using the same
    Publication number: 20070231725
    Abstract: A toner for printing documents that are difficult to chemically or physically forge and that are readily easy to visually verify and methods of using and forming the toner are disclosed. The toner includes a colorant for printing an image on a surface of a document, a fluorescent pigment that under normal lighting is masked by the colorant but creates a visible image on the first surface of the a substrate when irradiated by black or ultra-violet light, and a dye for forming a latent version of the image underneath a surface of a substrate. An image formed using the toner of the invention is readily verified by comparing the colorant-formed image and the dye-formed image. In addition, if a solvent is used in an attempt to alter the printed image on the substrate, the dye migrates or diffuses to indicate tampering with the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Troy Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Riley, Kevin Heilman, Carrie Gilson, Linda Barnum, Bruce Littleton