Drexler Technology Corporation

Joseph B Arnold

Jerome Drexler

Richard M Haddock

A method for making optical data cards wherein a preformatted recording tape having a continuous pattern of servo tracks is adhered to a web of data card base material. The data cards are then cut such that the ends of the tape coincide with ends of the card. Beginning and end marks to the servo tracks are laser written in situ on the card. A transparent protective layer may be applied over the recording strip. The continuous servo tracks may extend in a lengthwise direction to the strip as well as in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction or may extend in both directions forming a grid pattern.

Method for making an optical data card

An optical recording medium in tape form which may either be strips of tape or reels of tape, all having preformatted continuous servo tracks from one end to the other. Preformatted servo tracks are spaced-apart lines, so as to permit data spots to be written between or on the tracks. The tracks may extend either longitudinally, parallel to the lengthwise direction of the tape or in a perpendicular direction, extending in directions transverse to the length of the tape, or in a grid-like pattern. The tape web may be joined to a web of transparent protective material over the surface of the strip. A data card may be made using a strip of such tape without regard to registration of the tape with markings on the card. Tracks may be made by directly writing with a laser on direct-read-after-write laser recording material or by photolithography or by embossing.

Optical recording tape with continuous prerecorded tracks

A method of recording data on a card in which track indicia are laser recorded by a user on at least one end of a card prerecorded with tracks only. Track indicia include start and stop marks defining usable recordable areas, synchronization marks, error codes and track numbers and track termination codes. Start and stop marks may be series of lines recorded in a pattern across the tracks and in addition to demarcating usable recordable areas of the card may indicate the location of track numbers and data areas as well as the particular encoding scheme used on the card. Data blocks may be written on entire tracks or in sectors. When recording errors are detected, the data block is rewritten in a new sector or on another track using the same track number.

Optical recording method for data cards

A method and apparatus for optically reading data in a substantially planar data field having a plurality of pages arranged in series of rows and columns. Each page is spaced apart from adjacent data pages by alignment-indicating streets, which are data-free blank areas. A CCD area array is positioned and spaced apart in generally parallel relation to the data field. The CCD area array is then moved linearly so that the array is opposite a data page to be read. An initial imaging thereafter takes placed in order to recognize the streets bordering a data page. Through recognition of the streets, a processor resolves the orientation of the data page relative to the CCD area array. The processor then transmits a command signal to a control circuit for rotational adjustment of the imaging of the data page.

Method and apparatus for reading data pages on a data surface

Data cards are formed by writing a succession of latent images on a first web of photosensitive film, developing the film and then joining the film with a web of high resolution laser optical recording tape. The webs may be joined in either back-to-back or front-to-back relationship. In the first case there is an eye readable image on one side and formatted optical recording tape on the opposite side. In the second case an eye readable image is optionally adjacent optical recording tape, but on different layers, with both readable from the same side through a transparent substrate or base. The composite web is cut transversely to its lengthwise dimension into a plurality of wallet size members. Bar code is recorded together with the latent image so that in checking cards for quality control purposes, defective cards may be correlated with particular images in order that a defective card be recreated. The high resolution optical recording tape is preformatted with continuous servo tracks or data location grids without header information so that registration of the eye readable images and the laser recording tape is not necessary.

Method for forming data cards with registered images

A method and apparatus for reading data in a data field on a data surface of a storage medium in which the data surface may be nonplanar and depthwise regions of the data field are brought one-by-one into the region of focus of a CCD area array. A set of partial images are formed which are then merged together into a composite image of the data field to be read. The storage medium is disposed on a vacuum chuck. Imaging optics, such as a single lens, zoom lens or lenticular array images regions of the data surface which are within a region of focusing onto the CCD area array. A piezoelectric device or a linear variable differential transformer serve as a Z-axis focussing element which responds to oscillator or electrical control signals to change the relative distance between the CCD area array and a reference plane of the data surface. The partial images formed are either merged in semiconductor memory by a processor or are merged automatically by the CCD area array.

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Los Altos Hills, CA, United States of America

Joseph B Arnold