US6432518B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Erasable recording material capable of inputting additional information written thereon and information recording system and information recording method using the recording material
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-12-22
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Granted: 2002-08-13
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Expires: 2019-12-22
Abstract
Abstract An erasable recording material including a substrate, and an erasable recording layer which is formed overlying the substrate and in which image information is repeatedly recorded and erased, and optionally includes an undercoat layer formed between the substrate and the recording layer, a protective layer formed overlying the recording layer and an intermediate layer formed between the recording layer and the protective layer, wherein the erasable recording material further includes one or more markers which are used for inputting image information additionally written on the recording material. An information recording system and method are also provided in which additional information written on the erasable recording material, in which image information is previously recorded, is incorporated to the previously recorded image information.
Inventors
- 👤 Masafumi Torii
- 👤 Hiroaki Matsui
- 👤 Kyoji Tsutsui
- 👤 Hitoshi Hattori
- 👤 Toshiyuki Furuta
- 👤 Tomohiko Beppu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:42
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/36; B41M5/363; B41M5/30; B41M5/305; G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03545; G06K; G06K1/00; G06K1/12; G06K1/126; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06046; B41M5/28; B41M5/281; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 58
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
An erasable recording material comprising a substrate, an erasable recording layer which is formed overlying the substrate and in which image information is repeatedly recorded and erased, and one or more markers which are used for inputting image information additionally written on the recording material to a memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
An erasable recording material comprising a substrate, an erasable recording layer which is formed overlying the substrate and in which image information is repeatedly recorded and erased, and one or more markers which are used for inputting image information additionally written on the recording material to a memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the erasable recording layer comprises an erasable thermosensitive recording layer in which visible image information is reversibly recorded and erased upon application of heat using changes of optical properties of the erasable thermosensitive recording layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 2 , wherein the erasable thermosensitive recording layer comprises a leuco dye and a color developer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 2 , wherein the erasable thermosensitive recording layer comprises a resin and a particulate organic compound having a low molecular weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 2 , wherein the erasable thermosensitive recording layer comprises at least one of a liquid crystal having a low molecular weight and a liquid crystal having a high molecular weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers are used for recognizing the additional information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more markers comprise position information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 7 , wherein the position information comprises QR codes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 7 , the recording material including plural markers, wherein the markers comprise one or more first markers having position information and one or more second markers having no position information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more second markers are disposed around each of the one or more first markers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more markers comprise plural kinds of markers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 11 , wherein the plural kinds of markers are optically detectable by absorbing light and are different in light absorption properties.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 11 , wherein the plural kinds of markers are optically detectable by emitting fluorescent light and are different in wavelength of fluorescent light emitted therefrom when the markers are excited by light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 11 , wherein a first kind of the markers comprises a material absorbing light and a second kind of the markers comprises a material which emits fluorescent light by absorbing light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 14 , wherein the second kind of the markers is positioned above the first kind of the markers relative to the substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 11 , wherein the markers comprise a lattice marker in which vertical lines having two or more different widths and horizontal lines having two or more different widths cross at right angle, wherein both of the vertical lines and the horizontal lines are coded, and wherein the vertical lines have light absorbing properties different from those of the horizontal lines.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 16 , wherein the vertical lines and the horizontal lines are coded according to an M-series coding method.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 11 , wherein the markers comprise a lattice marker in which vertical lines having two or more different optical densities and horizontal lines having two or more different optical densities cross at right angle, wherein both of the vertical lines and the horizontal lines are coded, and wherein the vertical lines have light absorbing properties different from those of the horizontal lines.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 18 , wherein the vertical lines and the horizontal lines are coded according to an M-series coding method.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the recording material comprises a medium identification marker having identification information on the recording material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the recording material comprises a document identification marker having identification information on the image information recorded in the recording material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , the recording material including plural markers, wherein the markers comprise at least two of a marker recognizing the additional information, a marker having medium identification information of the recording material and a marker having document identification information.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers comprise at least one of a barcode, a mark, a picture and a character.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers are substantially invisible.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the recording material in which the one or more markers are present has an optical density up to twice an optical density of a portion of the recording material in which the one or more markers are not present, and wherein the optical density is measured by a reflection densitometer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers are optically detectable.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 26 , wherein the one or more markers are optically detectable by absorbing light.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 27 , wherein the light is infrared light.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
56 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 28 , wherein the one or more markers comprise an infrared absorbent including at least one of oxides, sulfides, halogenides and their complexes, and wherein said oxides, sulfides, halogenides and their complexes comprise at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nd, Yb, In, Sn and Zn.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
44 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 28 , wherein the one or more markers comprise an infrared absorbent including an acid salt, and wherein the acid salt comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Yb, In, Sn and Zn.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 26 , wherein the one or more markers are optically detectable by emitting fluorescent light.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 31 , wherein the one or more markers are optically detectable by emitting fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise an organic metal compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light and which comprises Nd as an optically active element.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
46 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise an organic metal compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light and which comprise at least one element of Nb and Yb as an optically active element.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise an oxygen-including acid salt compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light and which comprises at least one element of Nb, Yb and Er.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
62 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise a compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light, and wherein the compound comprises Fe and Er as optically active elements and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sc, Ga, Al, In, Y, Bi, Ce, Gd, Lu and La.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
61 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise a compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light, and wherein the compound comprises Yb as an optically active element and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sc, Ga, Al, In, Y, Bi, Ce, Gd, Lu and La.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
58 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 32 , wherein the one or more markers comprise a compound which emits fluorescent light when excited by absorbing infrared light and in which one or more rare earth elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, Yb and Er carry an organic compound which has absorption in an infrared region.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers are present on the side of the substrate that bears the erasable recording layer.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the one or more markers are present in the erasable recording layer.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
37 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises a protective layer formed overlying the erasable recording layer, and wherein the one or more markers are present in the protective layer.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
49 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises an intermediate layer and a protective layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed between the recording layer and the protective layer, and wherein the one or more markers are present in the intermediate layer.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
39 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises an undercoat layer formed between the recording layer and the substrate, and wherein the one or more markers are present in the undercoat layer.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
82 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises a protective layer, and optionally comprises an undercoat layer formed between the recording layer and the substrate and an intermediate layer formed between the recording layer and the protective layer, and wherein the recording material comprises plural kinds of markers both of which are formed in a layer selected from the group consisting of the undercoat layer, the recording layer, the intermediate layer and the protective layer.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
86 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises a protective layer, and optionally comprises an undercoat layer formed between the recording layer and the substrate and an intermediate layer formed between the recording layer and the protective layer, wherein the recording material comprises plural kinds of markers, and wherein the plural kinds of markers are respectively formed in different layers selected from the group consisting of the undercoat layer, the recording layer, the intermediate layer and the protective layer.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
40 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises an marker layer which includes the one or more markers and which is formed on the side of the substrate that bears the recording layer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 46 , wherein the marker layer is positioned above the recording layer.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 46 , wherein the marker layer is positioned between the recording layer and the substrate.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
18 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 39 , wherein the recording material further comprises an elastic layer.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
21 words
The erasable recording material according to claim 1 , wherein the recording material is sheet shaped, card shaped or label shaped.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
139 words
An information recording system comprising: an erasable recording material comprising a substrate, an erasable recording layer which is formed overlying the substrate and in which image information is repeatedly recorded and erased, and one or more markers which are used for inputting image information additionally written on the recording material to a memory; an inputting device by which additional information to be added is written on the recording material while detecting a position of the inputting device on the recording material and which transmits the added information; a storage device which stores memory information to be recorded in the recording layer and the added information; a controller which controls the memory information and the added information; and a receiving device which receives the added information transmitted by the inputting device and which transmits the added information to the controller.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
139 words
An information recording system comprising: an erasable recording material comprising a substrate, an erasable recording layer which is formed overlying the substrate and in which image information is repeatedly recorded and erased, and one or more markers which are used for inputting image information additionally written on the recording material to a memory; an inputting device by which additional information to be added is written on the recording material while detecting a position of the inputting device on the recording material and which transmits the added information; a storage device which stores memory information to be recorded in the recording layer and the added information; a controller which controls the memory information and the added information; and a receiving device which receives the added information transmitted by the inputting device and which transmits the added information to the controller.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
27 words
The information recording system according to claim 51 , wherein the inputting device includes a camera which detects at least one of the one or more markers.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
20 words
The information recording system according to claim 51 , wherein the inputting device includes a light source and a photoreceptor.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
46 words
The information recording system according to claim 51 , wherein the system further comprises: a printer which records and erases the image information stored in the storage device and the added information, which are sent from the receiving device or the controller, in the recording material.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
The information recording system according to claim 54 , wherein the printer records and erases at least one of the one or more markers.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
19 words
The information recording system according to claim 51 , wherein the information written by the inputting device is visible.
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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) | 2005-08-12 | 2006-02-11 | 2006-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-12 | 2010-02-11 | 2010-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-12 | 2014-02-11 | 2014-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |