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US005421619A
United States Patent [19] [li] Patent Number: 5,421,619
Dyball [45] Date of Patent: Jun. 6,1995
[54] LASER IMAGED IDENTIFICATION CARD
[75] Inventor: Christopher J. Dyball, Half Moon Bay, Calif.
[73] Assignee: Drexler Technology Corporation, Mountain View, Calif.
[21] Appl. No.: 172,878
[22] Filed: Dec. 22,1993
[51] Intel.* B42D 15/10
[52] U.S. CI 283/86; 283/77/93;
430/140
[58] Held of Search 283/85, 86, 93;
346/76 L; 235/454, 487; 358/448, 457, 462;
430/140
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
2,395,804 3/1946 De Gruchy 283/85
4,222,662 9/1980 Kniegle 283/112
4,596,409 6/1986 Holbein et al 283/75
4,680,459 7/1987 Drexler 235/487
4,687,526 8/1987 Wilfert 156/64
4,692,394 9/1987 Drexler 283/93
4,790,566 12/1988 Boissier et al 283/91
5,106,719 4/1992 Oshikoshi et al 430/203
5,157,424 10/1992 Craven et al 346/160
5,161,826 11/1992 Van Giesen et al 283/77
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
"Photo-Protected Credit Card", J. W. Kelley, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 20 No. 11 A, Apr. 1978.
Primary Examiner—Hwei Siu Payer
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Schneck & McHugh
[57] ABSTRACT
An optical data identification card for an individual containing a photograph of the authorized user and a strip of optical contrast laser recording material with a laser-written macroscopic bi-level image of the authorized user to authenticate the photograph. The bi-level image is constructed by applying a dither matrix to a digital image file corresponding to the photograph. Each dark pixel consists of an array of high-density laser recorded spots or lines.
19 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
10
