Erasable optical wallet-size data card

Claim 2

In an optical data card of the type having a wallet-size plastic card base with opposed planar surfaces and an erasable optical recording layer disposed over at least a portion of a planar surface of the card base, the improvement comprising: a generally transparent protective layer disposed over the erasable optical recording layer, the protective layer having opposed surfaces one of which is coated with developed photographic film, the developed photographic film being in intimate contact with the erasable optical recording layer and overlying the erasable optical recording layer, the photographically formed layer containing prerecorded information created in a permanent manner therein, the prerecorded information being in an interference-free relation with erasable data in the underlying erasable optical recording layer and contrasting in observed optical intensity with unrecorded areas of the underlying erasable recording layer.

Claim 3

The optical data card of claim 1 wherein said erasable optical recording layer comprises one of magnetooptical material, liquid crystal material, film capable of amorphous to crystalline transitions, and film showing a metal-insulator transition.

Claim 4

In an optical data card of the type having a wallet-size plastic card base having opposed planar surfaces and an erasable optical recording layer disposed over at least a portion of a planar surface of the card base, the improvement comprising: a transparent protective layer having opposed surfaces, one of the surfaces of the protective layer being coated with photosensitive material, the protective layer being disposed over the erasable optical recording layer such that the photosensitive material is in intimate contact with and overlies the erasable optical recording layer whereafter said photosensitive material is exposed and developed in situ to create permanent information in the photosensitive material, the permanent information being in an inteference-free relation with erasable data in the underlying erasable recording layer and contrasting in observed optical intensity with unrecorded areas of the underlying erasable optical recording layer.

Claim 5

In an optical data card of the type having a wallet-size plastic card base having opposed planar surfaces and an erasable optical recording layer disposed over at least a portion of a planar surface of the card base, the improvement comprising: a transparent protective layer having opposed surfaces, one of the surfaces of the protective layer being coated with photosensitive material, the protective layer being disposed over the erasable optical recording layer such that the photosensitive material is in intimate contact with and overlies the erasable optical recording layer whereafter said photosensitive material is exposed and developed in situ to create permanent information in the photosensitive material, the permanent information being in an inteference-free relation with erasable data in the underlying erasable recording layer and contrasting in observed optical intensity with unrecorded areas of the underlying erasable optical recording layer.

Claim 6

The optical data card of claim 3 wherein said erasable optical recording layer comprises one of magnetooptical material, liquid crystal material, film capable of amorphous to crystalline transitions, and film showing a metal-insulator transition.

Claim 7

In an optical data card of the type having a wallet-size plastic card base, having opposed planar surfaces, and an erasable optical recording layer disposed over at least a portion of a planar surface of the card base, the improvement comprising, a generally transparent protective layer disposed over the erasable optical recording layer, the protective layer having opposed surfaces one of which has a polarizing material layer formed thereon, the polarizing material layer being in intimate contact with the erasable optical recording layer and overlying the erasable optical recording layer, the polarizing material layer being selectively etched to create permanent prerecorded information thereon, said prerecorded information being in an interference-free relation with erasable data in the underlying erasable optical recording layer and contrasting in both observed optical intensity and phase in cross-polarized light with unrecorded areas of the underlying erasable recording layer.

Claim 8

In an optical data card of the type having a wallet-size plastic card base, having opposed planar surfaces, and an erasable optical recording layer disposed over at least a portion of a planar surface of the card base, the improvement comprising, a generally transparent protective layer disposed over the erasable optical recording layer, the protective layer having opposed surfaces one of which has a polarizing material layer formed thereon, the polarizing material layer being in intimate contact with the erasable optical recording layer and overlying the erasable optical recording layer, the polarizing material layer being selectively etched to create permanent prerecorded information thereon, said prerecorded information being in an interference-free relation with erasable data in the underlying erasable optical recording layer and contrasting in both observed optical intensity and phase in cross-polarized light with unrecorded areas of the underlying erasable recording layer.

Claim 9

The optical data card of claim 5 wherein said erasable optical recording layer is selected from the group consisting of magnetooptical material, liquid crystal material, film capable of amorphous to crystalline transitions, and film capable of metal-insulator transitions.