Abstract: An article comprising an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern is provided by: A-1) providing a pattern of a catalytic ink on a surface of a first substrate; A-2) curing the pattern of the catalytic ink sufficient to form a cured catalytic ink pattern; A-3) electrolessly plating a metal on the cured catalytic ink pattern to form a metallic pattern on the cured catalytic ink pattern; B) applying a first darkening agent directly to a first surface of the metallic pattern to form a first darkened surface; C) transferring the metallic pattern to a second substrate so that the first darkened surface is in direct contact with the surface of the second substrate, leaving an undarkened second surface of the metallic pattern exposed to view; and D) applying a second darkening agent directly to the undarkened second surface of the metallic pattern, to form a second darkened surface of the metallic pattern.

Abstract: A transparent article has a transparent laminating film; and an electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed over a surface of the transparent laminating film. The electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern has a metallic pattern comprising a first surface facing the transparent laminating film and an opposing second surface. Such articles can be prepared using steps A) and B?), in order: A) providing a metallic pattern on a surface of a first substrate; and B?) transferring the metallic pattern to a surface of a second substrate, thereby providing an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern on the surface of the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is a transparent laminating film.

Abstract: Transparent composite articles can be prepared to have one or more electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns. Such method includes steps A), B?), and C), in order. Step A) is providing one or more electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns on a surface of a first substrate. Step B?) is transferring the one or more electrically-conductive metal-containing patterns to a surface of a second substrate thereby providing an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern on the surface of the second substrate, wherein the second substrate is a transparent laminating film. Step C) is laminating the second substrate with the transferred electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern between two panes of glass to provide the composite article that can be used in various ways, such as antennae in windshields or other transparent structures.

Abstract: A composite article has a transparent polymeric film and an electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed on a surface of the transparent polymeric film. The electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern has, in order outwardly from a surface of the transparent polymeric film: a metallic pattern having a first surface facing the transparent polymeric film and an opposing second surface; and a pattern of a catalytic ink disposed over at least a portion of the second surface of the metallic pattern. The transparent polymeric film with the electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed thereon is sandwiched between two panes of transparent rigid substrates and serves as a transparent laminating film to form the composite article.

Abstract: A transparent article is prepared with a transparent polymeric film and an electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed over a surface of the transparent polymeric film. Such pattern has, in order outwardly from a surface of the transparent polymeric film: a metallic pattern having a first surface facing the transparent polymeric film and an opposing second surface; and a pattern of a catalytic ink disposed over at least a portion of the opposing second surface. Such articles can be prepared by A-1) providing a pattern of a catalytic ink on the surface of the first substrate; A-2) curing the catalytic ink pattern sufficient to form a cured catalytic ink pattern; A-3) electrolessly plating a metal onto the cured catalytic ink pattern to form the metallic pattern on the surface of the first substrate, and B?) transferring the metallic pattern to a surface of a second substrate that is a transparent laminating film.

Abstract: An article is provided to have a transparent substrate; and an electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern disposed on a surface the transparent substrate. The electrically-conductive, metal-containing pattern has, in order outwardly from a surface of the transparent substrate: a first darkening agent; a metallic pattern; and a second darkening agent. The first darkening agent substantially conforms to a first surface of the metallic pattern, forming a first darkened surface on the metallic pattern. In addition, the second darkening agent is disposed over at least a portion of a second surface of the metallic pattern, forming a second darkened surface on the metallic pattern.

Abstract: An article has an electrically-conductive metal-containing pattern and is prepared by: A) providing a metallic pattern on a first substrate; B) applying a darkening agent to the metallic pattern to form a first darkened surface; C) transferring the metallic pattern to a second substrate, leaving an undarkened second surface of the metallic pattern exposed to view; and D) applying a second darkening agent to the undarkened second surface. The first darkened surface formed in B) can have an L* value that is reduced by at least 1 unit compared to an L* value of the metallic pattern provided in A) before application of the darkening agent. Moreover, the second darkened surface formed in D) can have an L* value that is reduced by at least 1 unit compared to an L* value of the undarkened surface of the transferred metallic pattern provided in C).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexographic printing plate for printing image patterns including one or more uniform image regions includes defining a repeating tile having a plurality of different feature shapes positioned in a pattern of pseudo-random feature locations. A plate formation pattern corresponding to the image pattern is determined wherein the repeating tile is applied in a tiled arrangement to the uniform image regions. The plate formation pattern is used to form a flexographic printing plate, wherein regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised features in positions corresponding to the feature positions in the repeating tile.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexographic printing plate for printing image patterns including one or more uniform image regions includes defining a repeating tile having a pattern of feature shapes positioned at pseudo-random feature locations. A plate formation pattern corresponding to the image pattern is determined wherein the repeating tile is applied in a tiled arrangement to the uniform image regions. The plate formation pattern is used to form a flexographic printing plate, wherein regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised features in positions corresponding to the feature positions in the repeating tile.

Abstract: A flexographic printing system prints image patterns including one or more uniform image regions on a substrate. A flexographic printing plate includes a pattern of raised features for transferring ink to the substrate in accordance with the image pattern. An anilox roller having a plurality of anilox cells is configured to transfer ink to the flexographic printing plate. Uniform image regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised feature shapes positioned in a pattern of pseudo-random feature locations. An average spacing between the raised feature shapes in the uniform image regions is less than an anilox cell size such that a plurality of the raised feature shapes receive ink from a single anilox cell of the anilox roller.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexographic printing plate for printing image patterns including one or more uniform image regions includes defining a repeating tile having a pattern of feature shapes positioned at pseudo-random feature locations. A plate formation pattern corresponding to the image pattern is determined wherein the repeating tile is applied in a tiled arrangement to the uniform image regions. The plate formation pattern is used to form a flexographic printing plate, wherein regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised features in positions corresponding to the feature positions in the repeating tile.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a transfer belt traveling along a belt path. An electrophotography engine positioned along belt path deposits a part material layer onto the transfer belt, and an image transfer assembly positioned along the belt path transfers the part material layer onto a build platform. An image sensing system positioned along the belt path between the electrophotography engine and the image transfer assembly captures an image which is analyzed to determine an in-track registration error. An in-track position of the build platform is adjusted to compensate for the in-track registration error.

Abstract: An electrical element is fabricated including an optically-detectable pattern of embedded information. An initial physical design is received for an electrical element that performs an electrical function, together with a pattern of information to be embedded in the electrical element. An encoding region is designated within the initial physical design of the electrical element. Information-encoding patterns are determined for one or more thin-film layers in the encoding region to form an optical layer structure that encodes the pattern of information. The initial physical design and the information-encoding patterns are combined into a modified physical design which is used to fabricate the electrical element. The fabricated electrical element performs the electrical function and forms an optically-detectable interference image including the embedded pattern of information when illuminated by incident light.

Abstract: An electrical element includes an optically-detectable pattern of embedded information. A plurality of thin-film layers is applied on the surface of the substrate wherein one or more of the thin-film layers is at least partially transparent. The plurality of thin-film layers overlaps in an encoding region to form an optical layer structure, wherein at least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure contributes to an electrical function of the electrical element. At least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure includes an information-encoding pattern which contributes to an optically-detectable interference image when illuminated by incident light, and wherein the optically-detectable interference image corresponds to at least a portion of the pattern of embedded information.

Abstract: A pattern of information is detected in a thin-film electrical element including a plurality of thin-film layers on a substrate, the plurality of thin-film layers overlapping in an encoding region to form an optical layer structure. At least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure includes an embedded information-encoding pattern. The thin-film electrical element is illuminated with an incident light beam from a light source thereby producing an optically-detectable interference image including the embedded pattern of information. An image capture system is used to capture an image of the optically-detectable interference image, and a data processing system is used to analyze the captured image to detect the embedded pattern of information. One or more actions are initiated in response to the detected pattern of information.

Abstract: A pattern of information is detected in a thin-film electrical element including a plurality of thin-film layers on a substrate, the plurality of thin-film layers overlapping in an encoding region to form an optical layer structure. At least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure includes an embedded information-encoding pattern. The thin-film electrical element is illuminated with an incident light beam from a light source thereby producing an optically-detectable interference image including the embedded pattern of information. An image capture system is used to capture an image of the optically-detectable interference image, and a data processing system is used to analyze the captured image to detect the embedded pattern of information. One or more actions are initiated in response to the detected pattern of information.

Abstract: An electrical element includes an optically-detectable pattern of embedded information. A plurality of thin-film layers is applied on the surface of the substrate wherein one or more of the thin-film layers is at least partially transparent. The plurality of thin-film layers overlaps in an encoding region to form an optical layer structure, wherein at least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure contributes to an electrical function of the electrical element. At least one of the thin-film layers in the optical layer structure includes an information-encoding pattern which contributes to an optically-detectable interference image when illuminated by incident light, and wherein the optically-detectable interference image corresponds to at least a portion of the pattern of embedded information.

Abstract: An electrical element is fabricated including an optically-detectable pattern of embedded information. An initial physical design is received for an electrical element that performs an electrical function, together with a pattern of information to be embedded in the electrical element. An encoding region is designated within the initial physical design of the electrical element. Information-encoding patterns are determined for one or more thin-film layers in the encoding region to form an optical layer structure that encodes the pattern of information. The initial physical design and the information-encoding patterns are combined into a modified physical design which is used to fabricate the electrical element. The fabricated electrical element performs the electrical function and forms an optically-detectable interference image including the embedded pattern of information when illuminated by incident light.

Abstract: A interactive digital advertising system including a soft-copy display including at least an information display region and a command control region, a digital image capture system positioned to capture a time sequence of images of users located in a field-of-view of the soft-copy display, and a storage memory storing a library of advertisements. A time sequence of images is analyzed to detect a plurality of users, and at least one of the users is designated to be a controlling user. The captured images are displayed in the command control region, wherein the detected users are demarked using graphical elements. The captured time sequence of images is analyzed to determine one or more demographic attributes relating to the designated controlling user, and a particular advertisement from the library of advertisements is selected and displayed in the information display region responsive to the determined demographic information.

Abstract: A method for forming a stereoscopic video of a scene from first and second input digital videos captured using respective first and second digital video cameras, wherein the first and second input digital videos include overlapping scene content and overlapping time durations. The method includes determining camera positions for each frame of the first and second input digital videos, and determining first-eye and second-eye viewpoints for each frame of the stereoscopic video. First-eye and second-eye images are formed for each frame of the stereoscopic video responsive to the corresponding video frames in the first and second input digital videos and the associated camera positions.