Hybrid document with variable state
A hybrid document includes a document having visible markings, one or more light-controlling elements embedded in or on the document, and a controller including a circuit having a non-volatile memory. The controller is embedded in or on the document and electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements for controlling the one or more light-controlling elements. A power input connection is electrically connected to any one or all of the controller, the circuit, the memory, or the one or more light-emitting elements. The memory stores a state and the circuit causes the one or more light-controlling elements to indicate the state. A hybrid document validation machine is adapted to accept one or more of the hybrid documents, change the state of the hybrid documents, and optionally display the state on a display.
1. A hybrid document, comprising:
a document having visible markings;
one or more light-controlling elements embedded in or on the document;
a controller comprising a circuit having a memory that stores multiple values in memory locations that are ordered in a sequential order, wherein
the memory is a non-volatile read/write memory or a non-volatile write-once memory,
the controller is embedded in or on the document, and
the controller is electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements for controlling the one or more light-controlling elements; and
a power input connection electrically connected to any one or all of the controller, the circuit, the memory, or the one or more light-emitting elements,
wherein the memory stores a variable state representing the value of the document and the circuit causes the one or more light-controlling elements to indicate the variable state to a human viewer.
2. The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the document is a banknote, a bond, a stock certificate, a commercial certificate, a printed value-bearing document, or an identification document.
3. The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the document memory includes an identifier or serial number.
4. The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the state is encrypted.
5. The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid document is adapted to a hybrid document validation machine that changes the state of the hybrid document from valid to invalid or from invalid to valid.
6. The hybrid document of claim 1 , wherein the light-controlling elements are light-emitting elements, light-reflecting elements, inorganic light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, micro-electromechanical reflective elements, reflective electrophoretic elements, or reflective electrochromic display elements.
7. The hybrid document of claim 1 , comprising a power source connected to the power input connection.
8. The hybrid document of claim 7 , wherein the power source is a piezoelectric power source or a photovoltaic power source integrated into the hybrid document.
9. A hybrid document system, the system comprising:
a hybrid document comprising:
a document having visible markings,
one or more light-controlling elements embedded in or on the document,
a controller comprising a circuit having a memory that stores multiple values in memory locations that are ordered in a sequential order, wherein
the memory is a non-volatile read/write memory or a non-volatile write-once memory,
the controller is embedded in or on the document, and
the controller is electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements for controlling the one or more light-controlling elements, and
a power input connection electrically connected to any one or all of the controller, the circuit, the memory, or the one or more light-emitting elements,
wherein the memory stores a variable state representing the value of the document and the circuit causes the one or more light-controlling elements to indicate the variable state to a human viewer; and
a power source for electrical connection to the power input connection, wherein the power source is external to the hybrid document and is adapted to electrically connect, inductively couple, or magnetically couple to the hybrid document.
10. A method of using a hybrid document, comprising:
providing a hybrid document and a hybrid document validation machine, wherein the hybrid document comprises
a document having visible markings,
one or more light-controlling elements embedded in or on the document,
a controller comprising a circuit having a memory that stores multiple values in memory locations that are ordered in a sequential order, wherein
the memory is a non-volatile read/write memory or a non-volatile write-once memory,
the controller is embedded in or on the document, and
the controller is electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements for controlling the one or more light-controlling elements, and
a power input connection electrically connected to any one or all of the controller, the circuit, the memory, or the one or more light-emitting elements,
wherein the memory stores a variable state representing the value of the document and the circuit causes the one or more light-controlling elements to indicate the variable state to a human viewer, and
the hybrid document validation machine comprises, optionally, a display, and a reader/writer adapted to accept one or more hybrid documents, change the state of the hybrid document, and, optionally, display the state of the hybrid document on the display; and
operating the hybrid document validation machine to set the state of the hybrid document.
11. The method of claim 10 , comprising receiving the hybrid document in a state and operating the hybrid document validation machine to change the state of the hybrid document.
12. The method of claim 11 , comprising providing the hybrid document in a state, then transporting or storing the hybrid document, and finally operating the hybrid document validation machine to change the state of the hybrid document.