Record and related method for storing encoded information using overt code characteristics to identify covert code characteristics
View Patent ↗A record and related method is provided for storing encoded information comprising a storage media, first marks on the storage media having a covert code characteristic, with the first marks conveying a covertly marked code and second marks preferably having an overt code characteristic which convey a second overtly marked code useful in decoding the covertly marked code.
1. A record for marking encoded information comprising:
a marking medium;
first marks on said marking medium having a covert code characteristic, said first marks conveying a covertly marked code; said covert code characteristic including a feature of the covertly marked code that is visually undetectable by a human; and
second marks on said medium that convey an overtly marked code; said overtly marked code, when decoded, producing data for use in decoding said covertly marked code, wherein said second marks have an overt code characteristic indicating a feature of the overtly marked code that is visually detectable by a human as a state of a self-clocking glyph code.
2. A record of claim 1 , wherein said covert code characteristic is a chemical taggant.
3. A record of claim 2 , wherein said overt code characteristic is an optically visible state of a glyph.
4. A record of claim 1 , wherein said first and second marks are self-clocking glyph codes.
5. A record of claim 1 , wherein said covertly marked code, when decoded, produces authentication data.
6. A record of claim 1 , wherein said first marks are comprised of a first and a second set of marks, and only said second set of marks convey said covertly marked code.
7. A record of claim 6 , wherein said overtly marked code identifies the location of said second set of marks.
8. A record of claim 1 , wherein said second marks include at least a subset of said first marks.
9. A record of claim 1 , wherein the data produced for use in decoding said covertly marked code includes a location of the first marks on the encoded record.
10. A record of claim 1 , wherein the data produced for use in decoding said covertly marked code includes information about how the covertly marked code was encoded on the record.
11. A record of claim 1 , wherein said covertly marked code, when decoded, produces an encrypted message.
12. A record of claim 1 , wherein said first and second marks at least in part comprise the same marks, with said same marks having both a visibly undetectable covert code characteristic and a visibly detectable overt code characteristic.
13. A record of claim 1 , wherein said covert code characteristic of said first marks is visibly undetectable.
14. A record of claim 1 , wherein said covert code characteristic of said first marks does not effect the appearance of said first and second marks.
15. A record of claim 1 , further including third marks storing at least a portion of said encoded information, said third marks being distributed among said first and second marks.
16. A method for marking encoded information on a marking medium comprising the steps of:
placing first marks on said medium having a covert code characteristic, said first marks conveying a covertly marked code; said covert code characteristic including a feature of the covertly marked code that is visually undetectable by a human; and
placing second marks on said medium adapted to convey an overtly marked code; said overtly marked code, when decoded, producing data for use in decoding said covertly marked code, wherein second marks have an overt code characteristic indicating a feature of the overtly marked code that is visually detectable by a human as a state of a self-clocking glyph code.
17. A method of claim 16 , wherein said second marks include at least a subset of said first marks.
18. A method of claim 16 , wherein said covert code characteristic is a chemical taggant.
19. A record of claim 18 , wherein said overt code characteristic is an optically visible state of a glyph.
20. A method of claim 16 , wherein said first and second marks are self-clocking glyph codes.
21. A method of claim 16 , wherein said first marks are comprised of a first and a second set of marks and only said second set of marks convey said covertly marked code.
22. A method of claim 21 , wherein said overtly marked code identifies the location of said second set of marks.
23. A method of claim 16 , wherein said covertly marked code, when decoded, produces authentication data.
24. A method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second marks are applied via tri-level xerography.
25. A method of claim 16 , wherein the data produced for use in decoding said covertly marked code includes a location of the first marks on the encoded record.
26. A method of claim 16 , wherein the data produced for use in decoding said covertly marked code includes information about how the covertly marked code was encoded on the record.
27. A method of claim 16 , wherein said covertly marked code, when decoded, produces an encrypted message.
28. A method of claim 16 , wherein said covert code characteristic of said first marks is visibly undetectable.
29. A method of claim 16 , wherein said covert code characteristic of said first marks does not effect the appearance of said first and second marks.
30. A method of claim 16 , wherein said first and second marks at least in part comprise the same marks, with said same marks having both a visible undetectable covert code characteristic and a visibly detectable overt code characteristic.