Patent US5087805A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5087805A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Printed and encoded mass distributable response piece and method of making the same
Assignee: PRINTCO Inc
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Filing: 1989-10-31
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Granted: 1992-02-11
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Expires: 2009-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A method of simultaneously encoding successive groups of printed paper sheets or mass distributable material wherein the sheets are provided with unperceptable and virtually invisible common code pattern by laser means which is supplied with a distinct series of coded pulse signals in synchronism with control pulses to produce a different optically-scannable coded hole pattern on each group of printed sheets.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanford Silverschotz
- 👤 George P. Hipko
- 👤 Michael Dennis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:55
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H33/00; B65H33/16; B41; B41J; B41J3/00; B42; B42C; B42C1/00; B43; B43M; B43M3/00; B43M3/04; B44; B44F; B44F1/00; B44F1/08; B44F1/10; B65B; B65B25/00; B65B25/14; B65B25/141; B65B61/00; B65B61/02; G; G01; G01N; G01N22/00; B31; B31B; B31B2150/00; B31B2160/00; B31B2160/10; B31B2170/00; B31B2170/20; B65H2301/00; B65H2301/40; B65H2301/43; B65H2301/431; B65H2301/4311; B65H2301/50; B65H2301/51; B65H2301/511; B65H2301/5111; B65H2301/515; B65H2301/5152; B65H2301/5153; B65H2301/51536; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/12; B65H2701/124; B65H2701/1242; B65H2701/12422; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
The method of simultaneously encoding a plurality of paper sheets, comprising the steps of: a) arranging a plurality of different sheets in successive groups; b) passing the successive groups beneath a laser which is capable of piercing the sheets of the group simultaneously producing on each sheet with a series of accurately spaced holes which are visually unnoticeable and in their aggregate form a code; and, c) operating the laser to place a different coded series of holes on each successive group as its passes the laser, each coded series of holes being exclusively machine-readable.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
The method of simultaneously encoding a plurality of paper sheets, comprising the steps of: a) arranging a plurality of different sheets in successive groups; b) passing the successive groups beneath a laser which is capable of piercing the sheets of the group simultaneously producing on each sheet with a series of accurately spaced holes which are visually unnoticeable and in their aggregate form a code; and, c) operating the laser to place a different coded series of holes on each successive group as its passes the laser, each coded series of holes being exclusively machine-readable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, including the step wherein: a) encoding is performed by a controlled output laser producing a coded output for each group which is correlated to the particular addressee for that group of sheets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2, wherein: a) said group moves relatively with respect to the laser during encoding.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3, wherein: a) movement of said group is synchronized with respect to the laser to permit the placing of the code at the desired location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 4, wherein: a) forming a binary code at said series of perforation locations; b) forming said binary code by selectively drilling holes at said perforation locations; and, c) said binary code being formed by the presence or absence of a hole at each of said perforation locations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 5, wherein: a) said holes are less than 15 mils in width.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6, wherein: a) moving said group of sheets along a conveyor during encoding; and, b) moving said conveyor at a rate of up to 700 feet per minute.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: a) prior to encoding of said group of sheets, applying a pre-addressed envelope wrapper corresponding to said code pattern.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
149 words
The method of simultaneously encoding successive groups of printed paper sheets, comprising: a) providing an industrial laser which emits pulsed beams of coherent light capable of simultaneously perforating all of the printed paper sheets contained in the groups; b) moving said groups of printed paper sheets along a linear path; c) correlating said pulsed beams with the linear speed of the groups of printed paper sheets by applying a series of laser beam controlled pulses to the laser to enable the laser to produce a visually unnoticeable coded hole pattern over a series of potential perforation locations through all of the paper sheets of a given group; and, d) supplying for each group of printed sheets a distinctive series of coded pulse signals to the laser which is synchronized with the laser control pulses to produce a different machine readable coded hole pattern on each group of printed sheets.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
149 words
The method of simultaneously encoding successive groups of printed paper sheets, comprising: a) providing an industrial laser which emits pulsed beams of coherent light capable of simultaneously perforating all of the printed paper sheets contained in the groups; b) moving said groups of printed paper sheets along a linear path; c) correlating said pulsed beams with the linear speed of the groups of printed paper sheets by applying a series of laser beam controlled pulses to the laser to enable the laser to produce a visually unnoticeable coded hole pattern over a series of potential perforation locations through all of the paper sheets of a given group; and, d) supplying for each group of printed sheets a distinctive series of coded pulse signals to the laser which is synchronized with the laser control pulses to produce a different machine readable coded hole pattern on each group of printed sheets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of: a) forming said paper sheets from a web of paper.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: a) printing advertising on said web.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: a) forming groups of paper sheets from the web.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: a) measuring the speed of a conveyor moving said groups of printed paper sheets along a linear path; and, b) correlating said pulsed beams of said laser with the linear speed of the groups moving along said conveyor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13, wherein: a) said linear speed of the groups of paper sheets is at least 250 feet per minute.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
102 words
The method of encoding a response piece disposed within a multiple page signature, comprising the steps of: a) inserting the response piece as an individual interior page of a multiple page signature, b) moving successive signatures past an industrial laser capable of piercing the sheets and the interior response piece with a hole having a diameter sufficiently small to be visually imperceptable, c) pulsing the laser to produce a series of holes on a response piece which form an optically machine readable code, and varying the code for each group of signatures to provide a different code for each successive coupon piece.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
102 words
The method of encoding a response piece disposed within a multiple page signature, comprising the steps of: a) inserting the response piece as an individual interior page of a multiple page signature, b) moving successive signatures past an industrial laser capable of piercing the sheets and the interior response piece with a hole having a diameter sufficiently small to be visually imperceptable, c) pulsing the laser to produce a series of holes on a response piece which form an optically machine readable code, and varying the code for each group of signatures to provide a different code for each successive coupon piece.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of encoding a response piece in a signature as set forth in claim 15, including the step of: a) applying a code to each response piece of a given signature which corresponds to the addressee or recipient of that signature.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
69 words
The method of simultaneously encoding successive groups of paper sheets, comprising the steps of: a) arranging a plurality of sheets in successive groups along a conveyer; b) inserting the successive groups into an envelope-wrapper having a distinctive addressee for each successive group of sheets; and, c) encoding the sheets of each group simultaneously through the wrapper with a coded series of perforations from a laser to identify the addressee.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
69 words
The method of simultaneously encoding successive groups of paper sheets, comprising the steps of: a) arranging a plurality of sheets in successive groups along a conveyer; b) inserting the successive groups into an envelope-wrapper having a distinctive addressee for each successive group of sheets; and, c) encoding the sheets of each group simultaneously through the wrapper with a coded series of perforations from a laser to identify the addressee.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 17, including the step of: a) selectively building each group of sheets to assembly distinct type and number of sheets for each group, which is to be sent to a given addressee which is correlated with a particular code.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 18, including the step of: a) providing a preprinted web containing a succession of preprinted sheets for the groups; and, b) separating the sheets from the web to provide the successive groups of sheets.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 18, including the step of: a) providing a series of dispensers, each containing a different set of insert sheets, above a conveyor which are individually activatable to selectively build up groups of sheets which are different from each other.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-10 | 1995-08-12 | 1996-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-10 | 1999-08-12 | 2000-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-10 | 2003-08-12 | 2004-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |