US 6,094,279 A · System and process for non-perceptibly integrating sound data into a printed image

Abstract

Both a system and process are provided that utilize infra-red dyes to integrate data in a visually non-perceptible form into a printed, color image. The system operates by first selecting the areas of greatest light absorptivities out of the image to record the data, which may be sound information. Next the system determines a target color for each point on the image, as well as the amount of cyan, magenta and yellow coloring agents that must be deposited at each point to attain the desired color. The system then determines the color component additions that the infra-red dye will add to the darker areas when it is over printed thereon. The system subtracts some of the cyan, magenta and yellow coloring agents for each point in the selected areas prior to printing the image so that the target color is attained after the infra-red dye is printed over the selected areas.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A process for integrating data in visually non-perceptible form into a reflective image formed by an array of points of different light absorptivities by means of a machine-readable agent having some perceptible amount of light absorptivity, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a target level of light absorptivity for each of said image points prior to forming said reflective image;
(b) determining an amount of printing agent that must be deposited over each image point to attain said target level of light absorptivity;
(c) selecting a group of said array of points to form an optical code;
(d) redetermining said amount of printing agent for each of said array of points by subtracting some or all of the first determined amount of printing agent for each selected point such that said target level of light absorptivity will be attained when said machine-readable agent is deposited onto each selected point;
(e) depositing a printing agent over said array of points to form said reflective image, and
(f) depositing said machine-readable agent onto a selected group of said array of points to form an optical code representative of said data that is machine readable but visually imperceptible.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and process for non-perceptibly integrating sound data into a printed image

Life of this patent

System and process for non-perceptibly integrating sound data into a printed image

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18