US5169155A — Coded playing cards and other standardized docume…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 133 words

A rectangular playing card from a suit in a deck of playing cards, each card being a single sheet of non-laminated card stock, said card having (a) a substantially white surface conventionally printed with the identification of the suit and value of the card with visible inks substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range, and, (b) indicia inklessly marked across said surface with a compound which absorbs wavelengths outside the visible range, said indicia corresponding to a code which uniquely identifies said card, said indicia being essentially invisible to the naked human eye, but readable by an electro-optical reading means sensitive to light outside the wavelength in the visible range from about 4000 Å to 7000 Å, whereby said inklessly coded playing card is essentially visually indistinguishable from a conventional playing card.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 133 words

A rectangular playing card from a suit in a deck of playing cards, each card being a single sheet of non-laminated card stock, said card having (a) a substantially white surface conventionally printed with the identification of the suit and value of the card with visible inks substantially transparent to wavelengths outside the visible range, and, (b) indicia inklessly marked across said surface with a compound which absorbs wavelengths outside the visible range, said indicia corresponding to a code which uniquely identifies said card, said indicia being essentially invisible to the naked human eye, but readable by an electro-optical reading means sensitive to light outside the wavelength in the visible range from about 4000 Å to 7000 Å, whereby said inklessly coded playing card is essentially visually indistinguishable from a conventional playing card.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The playing card of claim 1 wherein said inkless code is defined by contrasting textures of said indicia against said card's face.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The playing card of claim 2 wherein said inkless code is defined by contrasting absorptivity and reflectivity of disrupted fibers of said card stock compared with fibers which are not disrupted.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The playing card of claim 2 wherein said inkless code is defined by contrasting absorptivity and reflectivity of a dispersion or solution of a compound having essentially no pigmenting value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The playing card of claim 3 wherein said inkless code is textured with microscopically scuffed indicia invisible to the human eye against a background of said card's unscuffed printed face.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The playing card of claim 3 wherein said inkless code is textured with microscopic particles of powder defining said indicia which are invisible to the human eye against a background of said card's printed face.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The playing card of claim 4 wherein said solution is an organic dye which is invisible to the human eye against a background of said card's printed face.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The playing card of claim 1 wherein said indicia are in the form of a conventional bar code having spaced apart wide and narrow bars.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

The playing card of claim 8 wherein said wide and narrow bars of said bar code are peripherally continuous on at least two sides of said rectangular card, and all the bars are spaced apart from one and another.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The playing card of claim 1 wherein said indicia are repeated across said card's entire printed face.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 58 words

The playing card of claim 1 wherein said indicia are repeated along only the edges of said card leaving the printed face of the card uncoded, whereby said card is adapted to be read by said electro-optical reading means when any portion of said card is passed over said reading means in any orientation in a lateral plane.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 61 words

The playing card of claim 10 wherein said indicia are disposed in adjacent, parallel relationship in two adjacent rows, each row having the same set of 8 bars except that each contiguous set is rotated 90° from the other, whereby said card is identified as long as any set of 8 bars in either row is passed over said reading means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 215 words

A playing card comprising, an upper lamina or top layer having front and rear surfaces, said front surface of which is imprinted with the face value of the card with inks which absorb and reflect wavelengths in chosen ranges corresponding to colors characteristic of said playing card, said inks being selected to be transparent in the range of infrared or ultraviolet wavelengths chosen for absorption by concealed coding indicia; and, a lower lamina or base layer having front and rear surfaces; said inks being printed on said upper surface of card stock which reflects substantially all light in the visible spectrum, and transmits rather than reflects substantially all infrared or ultraviolet light used to read said coding indicia; and, said coding indicia disposed between said upper and lower laminae being provided with a compound which absorbs substantially all infrared or ultraviolet light transmitted through said upper lamina, said compound being deposited between said upper lamina and lower lamina before they are bonded together, whereby said coding indicia are adapted to be read by a device using light in a predetermined wavelength in the infrared or ultraviolet wavelength ranges to which said upper lamina is permeable, said predetermined wavelength being selectively absorbed by said coding indicia but reflected by the remaining area of said base layer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 215 words

A playing card comprising, an upper lamina or top layer having front and rear surfaces, said front surface of which is imprinted with the face value of the card with inks which absorb and reflect wavelengths in chosen ranges corresponding to colors characteristic of said playing card, said inks being selected to be transparent in the range of infrared or ultraviolet wavelengths chosen for absorption by concealed coding indicia; and, a lower lamina or base layer having front and rear surfaces; said inks being printed on said upper surface of card stock which reflects substantially all light in the visible spectrum, and transmits rather than reflects substantially all infrared or ultraviolet light used to read said coding indicia; and, said coding indicia disposed between said upper and lower laminae being provided with a compound which absorbs substantially all infrared or ultraviolet light transmitted through said upper lamina, said compound being deposited between said upper lamina and lower lamina before they are bonded together, whereby said coding indicia are adapted to be read by a device using light in a predetermined wavelength in the infrared or ultraviolet wavelength ranges to which said upper lamina is permeable, said predetermined wavelength being selectively absorbed by said coding indicia but reflected by the remaining area of said base layer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The playing card of claim 13 wherein said rear surface of said upper layer is coated with a coating which absorbs or scatters visible light.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The playing card of claim 13 wherein said front surface of said base layer is coated with a coating which reflects essentially all light not absorbed by said coding indicia.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The playing card of claim 14 wherein said rear surface of said upper layer is coated with said coding indicia.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The playing card of claim 16 wherein said coating is a black ink and said compound is colloidal carbon.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 18 words

The playing card of claim 17 wherein said front surface of said base layer is an aluminized surface.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 68 words

The playing card of claim 13 including an intermediate, selectively light-reflective layer imprinted with said coding indicia which absorbs in the infrared region from about 800-10 4 nm, said intermediate layer being sandwiched between said upper and lower laminae, said intermediate layer reflecting essentially all light transmitted through said upper layer, whereby said coding indicia imprinted on said intermediate layer are adapted to be read by said device.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The playing card of claim 19 wherein said rear surface of said upper layer is coated with a coating which absorbs or scatters visible light.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 64 words

The playing card of claim 13 including an intermediate selectively light-reflective layer imprinted with said coding indicia, said intermediate layer being sandwiched between said upper and lower laminae, said intermediate layer reflecting essentially all light transmitted through said upper layer and not absorbed by said coding indicia; whereby said coding indicia imprinted on said intermediate layer are adapted to be read by said device.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 84 words

The playing card of claim 13 including an intermediate selectively light-reflective layer imprinted with said coding indicia, said intermediate layer being sandwiched between said upper and lower laminae, said intermediate layer transmitting essentially all light transmitted through said upper layer and not absorbed by said coding indicia; and, said front surface of said base layer is coated with a coating which reflects essentially all light incident thereupon; whereby said coding indicia imprinted on said intermediate layer are adapted to be read by said device.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The playing card of claim 13 wherein up to 20% of said light in the visible spectrum is transmitted through said top layer.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 18 words

The playing card of claim 19 wherein said intermediate layer is coextensive with said upper and base laminae.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The playing card of claim 21 wherein said intermediate layer is coextensive with said upper and base laminae.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 12 words

The playing card of claim 24 wherein said base layer is opaque.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-12-08	1996-06-08	1996-12-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-12-08	2000-06-08	2000-12-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-12-08	2004-06-08	2004-12-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Coded playing cards and other standardized documents

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