Capacitive method and apparatus for accessing contents of envelopes and other similarly concealed information
AssigneeTranslucent Technologies, LLC
InventorsGerrit L. Verschuur, Chauncey T. Mitchell, Jr., Corneliu C. Leordeanu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The contents of sealed envelopes are accessed by detecting and digitizing a change in capacitance produced when a pattern of dielectric or conductive ink is passed by a sensitive capacitance sensor. The capacitance changes are converted into corresponding electrical patterns for further processing.
Claims53
A method of reading information encoded on a substrate behind a cover in a pattern using an electrically conducting ink comprising the steps of:
- relatively moving the encoded substrate and cover past a capacitance sensor in a fashion that permits different portions of the pattern to be measured at points of approximately equal proximity to the capacitance sensor;
- successively measuring the different portions of the pattern as the encoded substrate is relatively moved past the capacitance sensor:
- detecting variations in capacitance associated with the pattern of the conductive ink as a function of a relative position of the capacitance sensor along the covered substrate;
- and
- matching the detected variations in capacitance to stored information about similar patterns for reading the encoded information.
A method of reading information encoded on a substrate behind a cover in a pattern using an electrically conducting ink comprising the steps of:
- relatively moving the encoded substrate and cover past a capacitance sensor in a fashion that permits different portions of the pattern to be measured at points of approximately equal proximity to the capacitance sensor;
- successively measuring the different portions of the pattern as the encoded substrate is relatively moved past the capacitance sensor;
- detecting variations in capacitance associated with the pattern of the conductive ink as a function of a relative position of the capacitance sensor along the covered substrate;
- and
- matching the detected variations in capacitance to stored information about similar patterns for reading the encoded information;
- wherein the encoded information is printed on the substrate in patterns that represent alphanumeric characters.
A method of processing a succession of envelopes having processing information encoded in their contents comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of envelopes together with their encoded contents past a capacitance sensor;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with patterns of the processing information recorded as a contrast in permittivity between the patterns and an underlying substrate;
- deciphering the patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among envelopes on the basis of the processing information obtained from their contents;
- wherein the patterns of the processing information are recorded in electrically conductive ink.
A method of processing a succession of envelopes having processing information encoded in their contents comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of envelopes together with their encoded contents past a capacitance sensor;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with patterns of the processing information recorded as a contrast in permittivity between the patterns and an underlying substrate;
- deciphering the patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among envelopes on the basis of the processing information obtained from their contents;
- wherein said step of distinguishing includes sorting the envelopes in accordance with the processing information obtained from their contents.
A method of processing a succession of envelopes having processing information encoded in their contents comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of envelopes together with their encoded contents past a capacitance sensor:
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with patterns of the processing information recorded as a contrast in permittivity between the patterns and an underlying substrate;
- deciphering the patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among envelopes on the basis of the processing information obtained from their contents;
- wherein said processing information identifies intended addressees of the envelopes.
A method of processing a succession of envelopes having processing information encoded in their contents comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of envelopes together with their encoded contents past a capacitance sensor:
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with patterns of the processing information recorded as a contrast in permittivity between the patterns and an underlying substrate;
- deciphering the patterns into recognized units of information:
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among envelopes on the basis of the processing information obtained from their contents;
- wherein said step of distinguishing includes generating a reply in accordance with the processing information obtained from the envelopes' contents.
A method of processing a succession of envelopes having processing information encoded in their contents comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of envelopes together with their encoded contents past a capacitance sensor;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with patterns of the processing information recorded as a contrast in permittivity between the patterns and an underlying substrate;
- deciphering the patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among envelopes on the basis of the processing information obtained from their contents;
- wherein said step of deciphering includes converting the patterns of processing information into equivalent alphanumeric characters.
A system for assessing and processing encoded information printed on a succession of substrates with a conductive ink in patterns representing the encoded information comprising:
- a transporter that conveys the succession of substrates printed with conductive ink in patterns representing encoded information;
- a capacitance measuring device through which said succession of substrates is transported being sensitive to variations in capacitance associated with the patterns of the conductive ink as a function of a transported position of the substrates through the capacitance measuring device;
- and
- a processor that evaluates the measured variations in capacitance for reading the encoded information.
A system for assessing and processing hidden information imprinted on a succession of covered substrates comprising:
- a transporter that conveys a succession of covered substrates imprinted with conductive ink in patterns representing encoded information visibly obscured by a cover;
- a capacitance measuring device through which said succession of covered substrates are transported being sensitive to variations in capacitance associated with the patterns of the conductive ink as a function of a transported position of the covered substrates through the capacitance measuring device;
- a processor that matches the measured variations in capacitance to stored information about similar patterns for reading the encoded information;
- and
- a sorter that distinguishes subsequent processing of the covered substrates based on the encoded information imprinted on the substrates and obscured by the cover;
- wherein said substrates include inserts printed with the conductive ink and mounted inside envelopes.
A method of accessing information encoded on a substrate in a pattern using an electrically conductive ink comprising the steps of:
- relatively moving the encoded substrate past a capacitance sensor in a fashion that permits different portions of the pattern to be measured in different relative positions between the encoded substrate and the capacitance sensor;
- successively measuring the different portions of the pattern as the encoded substrate is relatively moved past the capacitance sensor;
- detecting variations in capacitance within the pattern of the conductive ink;
- and
- evaluating the detected variations in capacitance for accessing the information encoded within the different portions of the pattern.
A method of accessing information encoded on a substrate in a pattern using an electrically conductive ink comprising the steps of:
- relatively moving the encoded substrate past a capacitance sensor in a fashion that permits different portions of the pattern to be measured in different relative positions between the encoded substrate and the capacitance sensor;
- successively measuring the different portions of the pattern as the encoded substrate is relatively moved past the capacitance sensor;
- detecting variations in capacitance within the pattern of the conductive ink;
- and
- evaluating the detected variations in capacitance for accessing the information encoded within the different portions of the pattern;
- wherein said step of relatively moving includes relatively moving a succession of encoded substrates past the capacitance sensor, at least some of which are printed with a pattern using an electrically conductive ink.
A method of processing a succession of substrates including differentially conductive patterns representing encoded information comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of substrates including the differentially conductive patterns past a capacitance sensor;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with the differentially conductive patterns apparent as contrasts in permittivity between the patterns and the substrates;
- deciphering the differentially conductive patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among the substrates on the basis of the information obtained from their differentially conductive patterns;
- wherein the differentially conductive patterns are applied using an electrically conductive ink.
A method of processing a succession of substrates including differentially conductive patterns representing encoded information comprising the steps of:
- transporting the succession of substrates including the differentially conductive patterns past a capacitance sensor;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with the differentially conductive patterns apparent as contrasts in permittivity between the patterns and the substrates;
- deciphering the differentially conductive patterns into recognized units of information;
- and
- distinguishing subsequent processing among the substrates on the basis of the information obtained from their differentially conductive patterns;
- wherein said step of deciphering includes converting the differentially conductive patterns into equivalent alphanumeric characters.
A method of accessing information encoded on a substrate in a pattern using a differentially conductive medium comprising the steps of:
- relatively moving a capacitance sensor into proximity with a substrate having an area to which a dielectric medium is applied in a pattern for encoding information;
- measuring variations in capacitance associated with the pattern of encoded information apparent as a contrast in permittivity between the dielectric medium and the substrate;
- and
- deciphering the pattern into recognized units of information;
- wherein the pattern of encoded information is a bar-code pattern and the pattern of encoded information is decipherable into alphanumeric characters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.