Patents by Inventor Kurt M. Schroeder

Kurt M. Schroeder 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).

  • Patent number: 8947744
    Abstract: A print media (200) comprises paper or other substrate, on which image content, whether text or images are printed with accompanying hidden data (220). The image content is printed with one or more normal printing process visible colorants (340), while the hidden data (220) is printed with spectral edge markers (320). The spectral edge marker materials (320) have a substantial spectral absorption just outside the human visible spectrum, and only slight visible absorption, which is masked by the visible colorants (340). Although the hidden data is nominally visually imperceptible, an image capture device (250) having a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, can then detect the hidden data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder, Majid Rabbani
  • Patent number: 8941886
    Abstract: A method for providing digital watermarking for text or images that uses spectral edge marking materials (320) printed on a print media (200) to embed hidden data (220). The spectral edge markers (320) have an absorption spectrum at the edge of the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, which provides an optical density that is generally imperceptible to humans, but which can be detected by an image capture device (250). The crosstalk of visible optical absorption provided by these materials is largely masked by the presence of visible colorant(s) (340), with only small color differences between areas with and without the spectral edge markers (320). The image capture device (250) has a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, and can be operated to detect the hidden data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder, Majid Rabbani
  • Patent number: 8867782
    Abstract: A system for detecting visibly hidden content on a print media (200) in which image content is printed with one or more normal printing process visible colorants (340), and which further includes embedded hidden data (220) printed with spectral edge markers (320). These spectral edge marker materials (320) have a substantial spectral absorption just outside the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, but only slight visible absorption which is masked by the visible colorants (340). Although the hidden data is nominally visually imperceptible, an image capture device (250) having a visible spectral response from at least one spectrally distinct color imaging channel that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, can then detect the hidden data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20130335784
    Abstract: A method for providing digital watermarking for text or images that uses spectral edge marking materials (320) printed on a print media (200) to embed hidden data (220). The spectral edge markers (320) have an absorption spectrum at the edge of the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, which provides an optical density that is generally imperceptible to humans, but which can be detected by an image capture device (250). The crosstalk of visible optical absorption provided by these materials is largely masked by the presence of visible colorant(s) (340), with only small color differences between areas with and without the spectral edge markers (320). The image capture device (250) has a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, and can be operated to detect the hidden data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder, Majid Rabbani
  • Publication number: 20130336525
    Abstract: A system for detecting visibly hidden content on a print media (200) in which image content is printed with one or more normal printing process visible colorants (340), and which further includes embedded hidden data (220) printed with spectral edge markers (320). These spectral edge marker materials (320) have a substantial spectral absorption just outside the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, but only slight visible absorption which is masked by the visible colorants (340). Although the hidden data is nominally visually imperceptible, an image capture device (250) having a visible spectral response from at least one spectrally distinct color imaging channel that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, can then detect the hidden data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20130335783
    Abstract: A print media (200) comprises paper or other substrate, on which image content, whether text or images are printed with accompanying hidden data (220). The image content is printed with one or more normal printing process visible colorants (340), while the hidden data (220) is printed with spectral edge markers (320). The spectral edge marker materials (320) have a substantial spectral absorption just outside the human visible spectrum, and only slight visible absorption, which is masked by the visible colorants (340). Although the hidden data is nominally visually imperceptible, an image capture device (250) having a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, can then detect the hidden data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Kurt M. Schroeder, Majid Rabbani
  • Patent number: 8298634
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system contains an inkjet printer loaded with a recording element comprising a support and an ink receiving layer containing: a) fusible polymeric particles; and b) a water soluble block copolymer having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide segments, the copolymer exhibiting a Draves wetting coefficient, for a 0.1 wt % solution in water at 25° C., of not more than 360 seconds. An inkjet printing method and an inkjet recording medium are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Kurt M. Schroeder, Lawrence P. DeMejo, Gregory E. Missell
  • Patent number: 8192008
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes an inkjet printer responsive to digital signals and containing an ink composition having: (a) water, (b) dispersed pigment particles, (c) a humectant, and (d) a polyurethane additive having at least a first soft segment having siloxane groups, the additive having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000 daltons and a sufficient number of acid groups to provide an acid number greater than 60. An improved combination of scratch resistance and jetability is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brust, Catherine A. Falkner, Paul D. Yacobucci, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7901748
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element with a support having thereon an image-receiving layer of inorganic particles and stabilizer particles, the stabilizer particles being free of any organic solvent and containing greater than about 80% by weight of a water-insoluble antioxidant and having a mean particle size of greater than 5 nm, the inorganic particles being greater than about 50% by weight of the ink receiving layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yongcai Wang, Kurt M. Schroeder, Lori J. Shaw-Klein, Thomas P. Nicholas, Sridhar Sadasivan, Christine M. Vargas
  • Patent number: 7828426
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system, comprising an inkjet printer and an ink composition comprising: (a) water; (b) dispersed pigment particles; (c) a humectant; and (d) a fluorinated polyurethane additive which is different from any pigment polymeric dispersant in the ink, the additive having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000 daltons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brust, Catherine A. Falkner, Paul D. Yacobucci, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20100080906
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system contains an inkjet printer loaded with a recording element comprising a support and an ink receiving layer containing: a) fusible polymeric particles; and b) a water soluble block copolymer having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide segments, the copolymer exhibiting a Draves wetting coefficient, for a 0.1 wt % solution in water at 25° C., of not more than 360 seconds. An inkjet printing method and an inkjet recording medium are also contemplated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Kurt M. Schroeder, Lawrence P. DeMejo, Gregory E. Missell
  • Publication number: 20100055323
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system, comprising an inkjet printer and an ink composition comprising: (a) water; (b) dispersed pigment particles; (c) a humectant; and (d) a fluorinated polyurethane additive which is different from any pigment polymeric dispersant in the ink, the additive having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000 daltons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brust, Catherine A. Falkner, Paul D. Yacobucci, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20100055322
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system comprises an inkjet printer responsive to digital signals and containing an ink composition comprising: (a) water, (b) dispersed pigment particles, (c) a humectant, and (d) a polyurethane additive having at least a first soft segment having siloxane groups, the additive having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000 daltons and a sufficient number of acid groups to provide an acid number greater than 60. An improved combination of scratch resistance and jetability is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas B. Brust, Catherine A. Falkner, Paul D. Yacobucci, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7264856
    Abstract: An inkjet recording element comprising, over a porous, ink-receiving layer, a fusible, porous topmost layer comprising a film-forming, hydrophobic binder and fusible, polymeric particles of a non-segmented polyurethane, or salt thereof, comprising repeat units derived from a diisocyanate and a diol component comprising a mixture of diols, said diol mixture comprising: an anionically-substituted diol selected from carboxylic acid-, sulfonic acid-, and phosphonic acid-substituted diol and an ether containing short chain aliphatic diol, wherein the polyurethane has a Tg greater than about 70° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Allan Wexler, Paul D. Yacobucci, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7198889
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic element comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion wherein fog density development is imagewise inhibited in exposed areas of the image upon thermal development, the element further comprising a developer or precursor thereof and an oxidized developer scavenging agent to accelerate development by removing oxidized developer as it is formed during the thermal development step. In one embodiment of the invention, in which a density-inhibiting agent is released during thermal development that inhibits the thermal development of unexposed silver salts in the exposed areas relative to the unexposed areas, the method comprises imagewise exposing the film with a non-solarizing amount of radiation/energy to form a latent image and thermally developing the latent image in a single development step to produce a positive image in the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Roberts, Paul B. Gilman, Donald L. Black, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7183024
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic element comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion wherein fog density development is imagewise inhibited in exposed areas of the image upon thermal development. In one embodiment of the invention, a density-inhibiting agent is released during thermal development which agent inhibits the thermal development of unexposed silver salts in the exposed areas relative to the unexposed areas. The method preferably comprises imagewise exposing the film with a non-solarizing amount of radiation/energy to form a latent image and thermally developing the latent image in a single development step to produce a positive image in the element. The present invention is also directed to a photothermographic element that can be used in the present process in which a positive image characterized by high speed and discrimination is formed when exposed and thermally heated above 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Roberts, Paul B. Gilman, Donald L. Black, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7118849
    Abstract: Photothermographic materials are coated with imaging layers and an antihalation layer between the support and thermally developable imaging layers on one or both sides of the support. Such materials can be arranged in association with one or more phosphor intensifying screens capable of providing emission at a predetermined wavelength in imaging assemblies. These imaging assemblies can be exposed to X-radiation and thereby excited to form a latent image in the photothermographic material that can eventually be used for medical diagnosis. The antihalation layers contain radiation absorbing compounds (such as a UV-radiation absorbing compounds) that absorb radiation at the predetermined wavelength (for example at 300 to 450 nm) and have limited absorption at higher wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Dickerson, Kurt M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7101659
    Abstract: A photographic element is described comprising a support bearing at least one blue light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and an ultraviolet filter layer above the light sensitive layer, wherein the ultraviolet filter layer comprises an ultraviolet absorbing dibenzoylmethane compound of formula (I) where R1 through R5 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, nitro, or hydroyxl, or further substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, acyloxy, ester, carboxyl, alkyl thio, aryl thio, alkyl amine, aryl amine, alkyl nitrile, aryl nitrile, arylsulfonyl, or 5–6 member heterocycle ring groups. The present invention describes photographic elements that include materials that deliver a preferred UV absorption spectrum that provides adequate spark protection, and minimizes UV radiation incident on the element during camera exposure so that accurate color rendition can be achieved, while maximizing photographic speed in the blue record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul L. Zengerle, Kurt M. Schroeder, Rebecca A. Ott, Efrain O. Morales
  • Patent number: 6872766
    Abstract: Ultraviolet light absorbing polymer film, coating, or molded article UV filter elements are described which comprise a polymer phase having molecularly dispersed therein a) a first ultraviolet absorbing dibenzoylmethane compound of formula (I) where R1 through R5 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, nitro, or hydroyxl, or further substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, acyloxy, ester, carboxyl, alkyl thio, aryl thio, alkyl amine, aryl amine, alkyl nitrile, aryl nitrile, arylsulfonyl, or 5-6 member heterocylce ring groups, and b) a second ultraviolet light absorbing compound which absorbs ultraviolet light at a wavelength for which the first compound is deficient at absorbing. In particular embodiments, the second ultraviolet light absorbing compound may comprise a hydroxyphenyl-s-triazine, hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole, formamidine, benzoxazinone, or benzophenone compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Timothy C. Schunk, Kurt M. Schroeder, Charles H. Appell, Daniel T. Linehan
  • Patent number: 6866384
    Abstract: An ink jet printing process, having the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element having a support having thereon in order: i) at least one porous, ink-retaining layer; and ii) a fusible, porous ink-transporting layer having a film-forming, hydrophobic binder and fusible, polymeric particles of a cellulose ester; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink compositions; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Kevin M. O'Connor, Allan Wexler, Kurt M. Schroeder