Patent US5771071A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5771071A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for coupling multiple data sources onto a printed document
Assignee: Idemia Identity and Security USA LLC
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1998-06-23
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing a printed output image including information from a data collection system onto a single print medium is disclosed. Data collection systems and methods are disclosed for collecting data from a plurality of spatially separated sources and for providing that data as a sequence of output signals. The data collection system includes a housing a selection element, one or more image paths and an image plane. The selection element selectively and alternatively couples visual images from separate object sources along the image paths and onto the image plane. The selection element may include optical shutters for selectively occluding or transmitting the visual images and may include illumination elements for providing a controlled sequence of illumination at selected ones of the object sources. The system can assemble the printed data in a format suitable for printing as an identification card.
Inventors
- 👤 William C. Bradley
- 👤 Mark L. Mesher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:17
CPC Classifications
B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; B42D25/40; B42D25/48; B42D25/485; B42D25/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 68
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
Signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence of electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, comprising a. a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, b. an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position relative to said housing, c. at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, d. an optical conversion element positioned relative to said housing for acquiring visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals each representative of said visual images, e. selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along one of said image paths onto said image plane wherein said selection means comprises a flip-mirror disposed within one of said image paths and being pivotably mounted to said housing for pivoting said image plane into optical engagement with a first object source or a second object source, f. an optical bench sized for disposition within said housing for mounting said selection means, and g. a signal processor associated with said housing for storing said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said visual images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
Signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence of electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, comprising a. a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, b. an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position relative to said housing, c. at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, d. an optical conversion element positioned relative to said housing for acquiring visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals each representative of said visual images, e. selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along one of said image paths onto said image plane wherein said selection means comprises a flip-mirror disposed within one of said image paths and being pivotably mounted to said housing for pivoting said image plane into optical engagement with a first object source or a second object source, f. an optical bench sized for disposition within said housing for mounting said selection means, and g. a signal processor associated with said housing for storing said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said visual images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said flip-mirror is adapted for selectively occluding or transmitting said visual images.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising means for alternately moving said flip-mirror between a first position for allowing said visual image of one of said object sources to be imposed upon said image plane, and a second position for preventing said visual image from being imposed upon said image plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means for moving comprises rotation means for rotatably moving said flip-mirror between said first and second positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said rotation means comprises a link arm, a linear actuation element coupled to one end of said link arm for imparting linear motion thereto, and a crank arm coupled to an opposed end of said link arm and to a shaft coupled to said shutter for converting said linear motion of said link arm into rotatable motion which is imparted to the shaft, thereby rotatably moving said shutter between said first and second positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further including magnetic sensor means for sensing information stored on a magnetic medium and providing on said output a series of electrical signals representative of said information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said magnetic sensor means is disposed on said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said object sources comprises a bar code and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for imaging a bar code image onto said image plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said object sources is positioned in a variable location along said optical path and wherein said apparatus further comprises a focus means for focusing said variably located object source onto said image plane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said focus means has a sufficient depth of field to focus one of said object sources over a range of said variable positions onto said image plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said focus means comprises an adjustable lens.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said object sources is positioned in a variable location transverse to said optical path and wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of image paths optically coupling separate ones of said object source onto said image plane and, a steering element for transversely adjusting said optical path to optically couple one of said object sources with said image plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said steering element comprises a steering-mirror disposed within one of said image paths and rotatably mounted to said housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said selection means further includes projection means for projecting visual images along one of said optical paths.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image plane is rotatably mounted at said spatially fixed point for rotating into optical engagement with one of a plurality of optical paths.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selection means further comprises illumination elements for providing in a controlled sequence illumination to selected ones of said plurality of object sources.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein said illumination elements comprise strobe lights.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further including a monitor element in electrical circuit with said optical conversion element and having a display for displaying, in response to said electrical data signals, images representative of said visual images acquired by said optical conversion element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an interior wall having a non-reflective surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signal processor further includes a video frame storage element in electrical circuit with said optical conversion means for collecting said electrical data signals as an image frame representative of one of said object sources.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signal processor includes a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating apparatus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said controller element includes a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from a predetermined selection of said object sources.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said controller element includes a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from said object sources according to a predetermined sequence.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said signal processor assembles said collected image data into data fields assigned according to the design of a printed output image.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising sensor elements coupled to said selection means for generating a status signal representative of the operating condition of said selection means, including a signal representative of which object source is optically coupled to said image plane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said signal processor includes a controller element in electrical circuit with said sensor elements for generating a control signal that controls said selection means in response to said status signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signal processor includes a modem element for coupling to a printing device via a telecommunications channel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signal processor further comprises a keyboard element for entering data into said signal processor.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mirror has a reflective surface for reflecting incident optical images, and a non-reflective surface opposite said reflective surface.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing is compact and dimensioned to have a height of approximately 2 feet, a width of approximately 5 inches, and a depth of approximately 5 inches.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a key operated power switch for selectively providing power to the housing when actuated by a key.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing includes a front face having means forming an aperture for allowing an optical image of the object source to pass therethrough, and rear opposing face having a slot sized to receive a card having biometric data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein said aperture is disposed along a top portion of the housing, and said slot is disposed along a bottom portion of said housing.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing comprises means forming first and second chambers that are optically coupled to each other, said first chamber mounting a baffle plate for dividing said first chamber into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein said first sub-chamber mounts a first illumination element to illuminate an object and said second sub-chamber mounts a second illumination element to illuminate an object.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein said housing includes a front face having means forming an aperture for allowing an optical image of the object source to pass therethrough, and a rear opposing face having a slot sized to receive a card carrying biometric data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein said first chamber optically communicates with said slot, and wherein said first and second illumination elements illuminate different portions of the card.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
202 words
Signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence of electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, comprising a. a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, b. a first image plane supported at a first position on said housing, c. at least one image path optically coupling one of said plurality of object sources and said first image plane, d. an optical conversion element pivotably mounted to said housing for acquiring visual images from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said visual images, e. a second image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, f. multiplexing means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along one of said image paths onto said first and second image planes wherein said multiplexing means comprises a flip-mirror disposed within one of said image paths and being pivotably mounted to said housing for pivoting said image planes into optical engagement with a first object source or a second object source, and g. an optical bench mounted within said housing for mounting one of said optical conversion element and multiplexing means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
202 words
Signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence of electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, comprising a. a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, b. a first image plane supported at a first position on said housing, c. at least one image path optically coupling one of said plurality of object sources and said first image plane, d. an optical conversion element pivotably mounted to said housing for acquiring visual images from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said visual images, e. a second image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, f. multiplexing means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along one of said image paths onto said first and second image planes wherein said multiplexing means comprises a flip-mirror disposed within one of said image paths and being pivotably mounted to said housing for pivoting said image planes into optical engagement with a first object source or a second object source, and g. an optical bench mounted within said housing for mounting one of said optical conversion element and multiplexing means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 38 wherein said optical conversion element includes a gearmotor assembly adapted for pivoting said optical conversion element between a first and second position.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 38 wherein said optical conversion element includes a photometer element adapted for detecting an illumination characteristic representative of the level of illumination of an image source.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 38 further including a second image acquisition element located at a spatially fixed position coincident with said second image plane.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 38 further including selection means adapted to select between images captured by said first image acquisition element and images captured by said second image acquisition element.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for providing a printed output image including information from a plurality of sources onto a single print medium, comprising signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, including a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device, and a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, said signal processor including a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating apparatus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for providing a printed output image including information from a plurality of sources onto a single print medium, comprising signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, including a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device, and a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, said signal processor including a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating apparatus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said selection means includes optical shutters for occluding or transmitting said visual images.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said selection means further comprises illumination elements for providing in a controlled sequence illumination to selected ones of said plurality of object sources.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said signal processor further comprises a video frame storage element in electrical circuit with said optical conversion means for collecting said electrical data signals as an image frame representative of one of said object sources.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said controller element comprises a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from a predetermined selection of said object sources.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said controller element comprises a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from said object sources according to a predetermined sequence.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said signal processor comprises a modem element for coupling to said printing device via a telecommunications channel.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said signal processor further comprises a keyboard element for entering data into said signal processor.
Claim 54
Independent Claim
221 words
A system for providing a printed output image including information from a plurality of sources onto a single print medium, comprising signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, including a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, an optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternately coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device, a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, and a sensor element coupled to said selection means for generating a status signal representative of the operating condition of said selection means, including a signal representative of which object source is optically coupled to said image plane.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
221 words
A system for providing a printed output image including information from a plurality of sources onto a single print medium, comprising signal generating apparatus for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, including a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, an optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternately coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device, a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, and a sensor element coupled to said selection means for generating a status signal representative of the operating condition of said selection means, including a signal representative of which object source is optically coupled to said image plane.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said selection means comprises optical shutters for occluding or transmitting said visual images.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said selection means further comprises illumination elements for providing in a controlled sequence illumination to selected ones of said plurality of object sources.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said signal processor further comprises a video frame storage element in electrical circuit with said optical conversion means for collecting said electrical data signals as an image frame representative of one of said object sources.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said signal processor comprises a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating appartus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 55, wherein said controller element comprises a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from a predetermined selection of said object sources.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system in accordance with claim 55, wherein said controller element comprises a program memory element for storing an instruction sequence representative of a series of control signals for collecting image data from said object sources according to a predetermined sequence.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said signal processor comprises a controller element in electrical circuit with said sensor element for generating a control signal that controls said selection means in response to said status signal.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said signal processor comprises a modem element for coupling to the printing device via a telecommunications channel.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system in accordance with claim 51, wherein said signal processor further comprises a keyboard element for entering data into said signal processor.
Claim 65
Independent Claim
209 words
A system for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, said system comprising a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device for providing a printed output image including information from the object sources onto a print medium, and a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, said signal processor including a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating apparatus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 66
Independent Claim
209 words
A system for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, said system comprising a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternatively coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device for providing a printed output image including information from the object sources onto a print medium, and a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, said signal processor including a controller element in electrical circuit with said signal generating apparatus for providing control signals to said signal generating apparatus that control said selection means.
Claim 67
Independent Claim
218 words
A system for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, said system comprising a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, an optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternately coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device for providing a printed output image including information from the object sources onto a print medium, a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, and a sensor element coupled to said selection means for generating a status signal representative of the operating condition of said selection means, including a signal representative of which object source is optically coupled to said image plane.
Claim 68
Independent Claim
218 words
A system for generating at its output a sequence electrical data signals each representative of a plurality of spatially separated object sources, said system comprising a housing having said plurality of object sources disposed thereon, an image plane supported at a spatially fixed position on said housing, at least one image path optically coupling said plurality of object sources and said image plane, an optical conversion means positioned on said housing for receiving visual images of said plurality of object sources from said image plane and generating said sequence of electrical data signals, representative of said visual images, selection means for selectively and alternately coupling visual images from each of said object sources along said image path onto said image plane, a printing device for providing a printed output image including information from the object sources onto a print medium, a signal processor coupled between said signal generating apparatus output and said printing device for providing from said sequence of electrical data signals representative of said plurality of object sources a series of printing control signals to said printing device, and a sensor element coupled to said selection means for generating a status signal representative of the operating condition of said selection means, including a signal representative of which object source is optically coupled to said image plane.
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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) | 2001-06-22 | 2001-12-22 | 2002-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-22 | 2005-12-22 | 2006-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-22 | 2009-12-22 | 2010-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |