High-capacity optical image scanning memory system and card verification system

Claim 2

A high capacity memory mask comprising a mask having a pattern arranged thereon in which data is stored at a plurality of address locations at a corresponding plurality of areas having preselected first and second levels of light transmissivity corresponding to the data stored thereat, and a plurality of control areas arranged intermediate adjacent ones of said datastoring areas and each having a third light transmissivity differing from that of said data-storing areas, light responsive means, means for forming an image of said mask on said light responsive means, means for scanning said image and for producing signals at levels corresponding to the relative light transmissivities of said data and control areas, and means coupled to said signal producing means for producing a series of control signals in response to signals derived from said control areas, and means coupled to said control signal producing means and said image scanning means for directing the former to a specified one of said data-storing areas in response to said control signals.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, further comprising counting means, means for inserting an identification binary word into said counting means, means for coupling said control signal producing means to said counting means, said counting means including means for producing a read signal when the number of said control signals applied thereto reaches a predetermined relationship to said identification word, and readout means coupled to said sensing means for producing an output data signal when said read signal is received thereat.

Claim 4

A memory system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further comprising control areas having a third light affecting characteristic intermediate said first and second light affecting characteristics, means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light-sensitive surface, scanning means including means for directing a light beam over said light-sensitive surface, readout means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, counter means, means for inserting a code binary word into said counter means, means for applying clock pulses to said counter means corresponding to the position on said image being scanned by said beam, means for enabling said readout means when the counted number of said clock pulses bears a predetermined relationship to said code binary word, and means responsive to said control areas coupled to said counter means and said beam directing means for producing said clock pulses.

Claim 5

A memory system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further comprising control areas having a third light affecting characteristic intermediate said first and second light affecting characteristics, means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light-sensitive surface, scanning means including means for directing a light beam over said light-sensitive surface, readout means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, counter means, means for inserting a code binary word into said counter means, means for applying clock pulses to said counter means corresponding to the position on said image being scanned by said beam, means for enabling said readout means when the counted number of said clock pulses bears a predetermined relationship to said code binary word, and means responsive to said control areas coupled to said counter means and said beam directing means for producing said clock pulses.

Claim 6

The system of claim 3, in which said data storage device is in the form of a film having areas of first and second levels of light transmissivity corresponding to said first and second light affecting characteristics formed in a predetermined pattern thereon, said image forming means including a light source incident on one surface of said film.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4, in which said image forming means further comprises means interposed between an opposed surface of said film and said image-forming surface for focusing the image of said film on said image-forming surface.

Claim 8

A memory system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further including control areas having a third light affecting characteristic different from said first and second light affecting characteristics arranged between adjacent ones of said data areas, said memory system further comprising means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light-sensitive surface, means for scanning said light-sensitive surface, means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, and means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to said control areas for producing control signals for controlling the operation of said scanning means.

Claim 9

A memory system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further including control areas having a third light affecting characteristic different from said first and second light affecting characteristics arranged between adjacent ones of said data areas, said memory system further comprising means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light-sensitive surface, means for scanning said light-sensitive surface, means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, and means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to said control areas for producing control signals for controlling the operation of said scanning means.

Claim 10

A data verification system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further including control areas having a third light affecting characteristic different from said first and second light affecting characteristics arranged between adjacent ones of said data areas, said memory system further comprising means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light sensitive surface, means for scanning said light-sensitive surface, means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to said control areas for producing control signals for controlling the operation of said scanning means, counter means for storing an input code word for verification, means for coupling said control signals to said counter means, the latter being effective when the number of said applied control signals bears a predetermined relation to said input code word to produce an output command signal, output means coupled to said counter means and said data signal producing means and effective when the output command signal is produced by said counter means to provide a data readout signal corresponding to one of said first and second discrete levels, and means for applying said control signals to said scanning means to control the operation of the latter to cause accurate scanning of said image in response to said control signals.

Claim 11

A data verification system comprising a data storage device in which data is stored at one of first and second discrete levels at data areas defined on said device in a predetermined storage pattern, said data areas each having a preselected one of first and second light affecting characteristics corresponding respectively to one of said first and second discrete levels, said data storage device further including control areas having a third light affecting characteristic different from said first and second light affecting characteristics arranged between adjacent ones of said data areas, said memory system further comprising means for forming an optical image of said data storage device on a light sensitive surface, means for scanning said light-sensitive surface, means responsive to said scanning means for producing a series of data signals corresponding to the data stored at the scanned areas of said surface, means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to said control areas for producing control signals for controlling the operation of said scanning means, counter means for storing an input code word for verification, means for coupling said control signals to said counter means, the latter being effective when the number of said applied control signals bears a predetermined relation to said input code word to produce an output command signal, output means coupled to said counter means and said data signal producing means and effective when the output command signal is produced by said counter means to provide a data readout signal corresponding to one of said first and second discrete levels, and means for applying said control signals to said scanning means to control the operation of the latter to cause accurate scanning of said image in response to said control signals.

Claim 12

The data verification system of claim 7, in which said data signal producing means includes first threshold detecting means coupled to said light-sensitive surface for producing data signals at one of two levels when the light level at the scanned area of said light-sensitive surface corresponds to the image of the data areas of said data-storage device, said control signal producing means including second threshold detecting device coupled to said light-sensitive surface for producing a control signal in response to the scanning of the image of one of said control areas.