Abstract: A printing system and method direct a printing assembly to apply a first ink of a first color toward first areas of a machine-readable data representation on a corrugated material surface, and direct the printing assembly to apply a second ink of a second color toward second areas of the machine-readable data representation on the corrugated material surface. The second color of the second ink is different from the first color of the first ink. The first and second areas are not identical to each other. The printing assembly is directed to apply the first ink and to apply the second ink to form the machine-readable data representation for machine scanning of the machine-readable data representation while on the corrugated material surface.

Abstract: A printing system and method print different colors onto a target object to form a machine-readable data representation having a symbol contrast of at least 40%. The printing system and method direct print heads to print the different colors by printing a base layer of a first color of the different colors on the target object and printing an upper layer of a different, second color of the different colors on top of the base layer of the first color, or by printing print the machine-readable data representation as an interdigitated data representation by printing the different colors onto the target object so that none of the different colors is printed on top of another color of the different colors.

Abstract: A printing system and method print different colors onto a target object to form a machine-readable data representation having a symbol contrast of at least 40%. The printing system and method direct print heads to print the different colors by printing a base layer of a first color of the different colors on the target object and printing an upper layer of a different, second color of the different colors on top of the base layer of the first color, or by printing print the machine-readable data representation as an interdigitated data representation by printing the different colors onto the target object so that none of the different colors is printed on top of another color of the different colors.

Abstract: A printing system and method print different colors onto a target object to form a machine-readable data representation having a symbol contrast of at least 40%. The printing system and method direct print heads to print the different colors by printing a base layer of a first color of the different colors on the target object and printing an upper layer of a different, second color of the different colors on top of the base layer of the first color, or by printing print the machine-readable data representation as an interdigitated data representation by printing the different colors onto the target object so that none of the different colors is printed on top of another color of the different colors.

Abstract: A printing system and method print different colors onto a target object to form a machine-readable data representation having a symbol contrast of at least 40%. The printing system and method direct print heads to print the different colors by printing a base layer of a first color of the different colors on the target object and printing an upper layer of a different, second color of the different colors on top of the base layer of the first color, or by printing print the machine-readable data representation as an interdigitated data representation by printing the different colors onto the target object so that none of the different colors is printed on top of another color of the different colors.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for repeatably creating and severing a short circuit to protect an electronic component from ESD. A short circuit may be formed between read sensor pads of a read sensor by depositing a shorting material on a magnetic head using a Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) process. The short circuit may be unshorted using a laser scan configured to sever the shorting material. In one embodiment, a shorting station may be provided to prevent spreading of the shorting material to undesired areas of the electronic component.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for repeatably creating and severing a short circuit to protect an electronic component from ESD. A short circuit may be formed between read sensor pads of a read sensor by depositing a shorting material on a magnetic head using a Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) process. The short circuit may be unshorted using a laser scan configured to sever the shorting material. In one embodiment, a shorting station may be provided to prevent spreading of the shorting material to undesired areas of the electronic component.

Abstract: A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP1) and (AP2). The invention employs a resetting process for setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The resetting process sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: A precisely machined test nest holds a single hard disk drive slider. The test nest is fabricated to contain a micro pickup coil that is positioned to be able to detect magnetic flux from a write element of the slider. The micro pickup coil has highly repeatable and controllable positioning with respect to the write element. This technique also allows local magnetic field to be applied to the read element, and its small size allows excitation at higher frequencies than are currently achievable today. The coil is lithographically defined and integrated into the test nest and used on single slider testers. The low inductance of the coil allows it to be driven at high frequencies. Its position within the test nest ensures good heat sinking and enables large current pulses to be employed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for annotating documents. A document image is annotated in selected portions stored with annotation tabs and associated information in an annotated document file. A wizard is described for selecting portions, creating annotation tabs and linking annotation information to the document image. The information includes multimedia content and multimedia players are identified for playing the multimedia content. Systems and methods are described that provide interactive learning based on an annotated image of a document. Automatic and manual navigation of the document image and its annotations are described.

Abstract: An active filter system having a filter bed formed from at least one layer of filter media and a method of operating the active filter system to filter water or wastewater. The filter media includes a plurality of plastic particles coated with an active material. Preferably, the active material is removed from the plastic particles by directing influent (i.e., untreated water) upwardly though the filter bed for a predetermined period of time. While the influent is directed upwardly through the filter bed, air is periodically directed upwardly through the filter bed so that the washing cycle includes a plurality of combined air and influent stages and a plurality of influent only stages. The coated plastic filter media particles have a specific gravity less than the specific gravity of the influent as well as the specific gravity of the combined air and influent washing fluid so that the coated plastic filter media remains buoyant during the washing cycle.

Abstract: A printing system for printing both secure value documents and non-secure documents while ensuring that fraudulent copies of secure value documents printed by the printing system can be detected is provided. The printing system determines if the source is a secure or non-secure source. If the source of the image is a secure source, it will print the image, including any graphic security features. If the source is a non-secure source, before printing the image a filter is applied to the image data to remove any graphic security features included in the received image and/or the printing system will not add any graphic security features to the received image to ensure that the printed image will not contain any copy detection graphic security features.

Abstract: A method and system for thermal printing of secure documents. A contact thermal printing system includes: a) thermal print head having at least one heater element; and b) a thermal printer controller. The printer controller is programmed to: 1) move the print head in a predetermined pattern while the print head is in contact with a top coating of a thermal print medium; 2) overdrive the heater element during predetermined parts of the pattern to a temperature sufficient to soften or melt the top coating, thereby forming a pattern of striations in the top coating; and 3) control the heater element to print at least part of an image on the medium. The contact surface of the print head can have a specific pattern of features for forming the striations, whereby a pattern of striations formed can encode information both in the direction of the motion of the print head and transversely to the direction of motion. The pattern of striations can form a bar code.

Abstract: A printed image includes a plurality of sample gray scale regions. A method of determining authenticity of the printed image includes scanning the printed image to produce pixel data that corresponds to the printed image. A gray scale level is detected for each of a plurality of subsets of the pixel data. Each subset corresponds to a respective one of the sample gray scale regions. The detected gray scale levels are used to define an inverse transformation, which is applied to the pixel data. The inverse-transformed pixel data is processed to detect a security feature of the printed image.

Abstract: A label including a main section forming a blank label section and including a fluorescent signal section on the blank label section. The label is adapted to have an indicium subsequently printed on the blank label section by a printing device without the fluorescent signal section substantially interfering with reading of the indicium on the label.

Abstract: A printed barcode including first basic barcode information stored in a first basic mode of printed data storage, and second additional enhanced barcode information stored in a second enhanced mode of printed data storage. The second information is printed, at least partially, as a component of the first information. The first information is adapted to be read by a basic barcode reader. The second information is adapted to be read by an enhanced barcode reader and cannot be read by the basic barcode reader.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and methods for printing and verifying postage stamps on demand via a personal postage stamp printer. The indicia by which the stamp is printed includes a color bar sequence and a data field including data that corresponds to the color bar sequence. To authenticate the stamp, the data field is read and the color bar sequence data included in the data field is compared with the data generated by detecting the color bar sequence itself.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and methods for printing and verifying postage stamps on demand via a personal postage stamp printer. The indicium by which the stamp is printed includes a color stripe and a data field including authentication data that corresponds to the color stripe. To authenticate the stamp, the authentication data in the data field is read and compared with authentication data extracted from the color stripe.

Abstract: A structure is integrated into the design and manufacture of a magnetic head that allows self-generation of magnetic fields. The structure includes a conductor or conductors placed in close proximity to the read portion of a magnetic head and connected to an externally accessible connection. A high frequency signal is passed through the conductor to generate a magnetic field through the read device and simulate, for example, the head crossing magnetic domains on a magnetic memory disk.

Abstract: A structure is integrated into the design and manufacture of a magnetic head that allows self-generation of magnetic fields. The structure includes a conductor or conductors placed in close proximity to the read portion of a magnetic head and connected to an externally accessible connection. A high frequency signal is passed through the conductor to generate a magnetic field through the read device and simulate, for example, the head crossing magnetic domains on a magnetic memory disk.