Document structure with circuit elements

Abstract

A method for forming a document includes the steps of (1) selecting a marking medium that has a pre-determined machine-readable characteristic, and (2) selecting a document substrate that is compatible with the pre-determined machine-readable characteristic of the selected marking medium. An information symbol is secured to the selected document substrate. A security layer which includes the selected marking medium is also affixed to the document substrate so that the security layer is in at least partial register with the information symbol. The method can further include the step of affixing a blocking layer to the document substrate in at least partial register with the information symbol. The blocking layer can be affixed to the document substrate so that blocking layer is intermediate the information symbol and the security layer or so that the security layer is intermediate the information symbol and the blocking layer. Inks that can be printed with conventional printing methods, such as intaglio printing, screen printing, relief printing, planographic printing, letterpress printing, and flexographic printing, are especially useful as any of the selected marking media. The ink used is chosen for a particular machine-readable characteristic such as dry-state conductance, fluorescence, optical density, reflectance, and scattering. For example, an ink which has a known, measurable conductance in a dry-state can be used to print conductive layers on the document which serve as security layers.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for forming a document, comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a marking medium having a pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    selecting a document substrate compatible with said pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    securing an information symbol to said document substrate; and    affixing a security layer including said marking medium to said document substrate in at least partial register with said information symbol.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said document substrate is substantially non-rigid.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said information symbol is intermediate said document substrate and said security layer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of affixing a blocking layer to said document substrate in at least partial register with said information symbol.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said blocking layer is intermediate said information symbol and said security layer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said security layer is intermediate said information symbol and said blocking layer.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said pre-determined machine-readable characteristic is electrical conductivity and wherein said marking medium is an ink having a dry-state sheet resistivity in a range of from about 1 KΩ/□ to about 5 KΩ/□.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said blocking layer is substantially non-conductive.  
     
     
         9 . A method for forming a document, comprising the steps of; 
 selecting a first marking medium having a first pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    selecting a second marking medium having a second pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    selecting a document substrate compatible with said first and second pre-determined machine-readable characteristics;    apportioning said document substrate into at least a first portion and a second portion;    securing a first information symbol to said document substrate within said first portion;    securing a second information symbol to said document substrate within said second portion; and    affixing a first security layer including said first marking medium to said first portion of said document substrate in at least partial register with said first information symbol.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further including the step of affixing a blocking layer to said document substrate in at least partial register with said first information symbol.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said blocking layer is intermediate said first information symbol and said security layer.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said security layer is intermediate said first information symbol and said security layer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further including the step of affixing a second security layer including said second marking medium to said second portion of said document substrate in at least partial register with said second information symbol.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said first pre-determined machine-readable characteristic is electrical conductivity and wherein said first marking medium is an ink having a dry-state sheet resistivity in a range of from about 1 KΩ/□ to about 5 KΩ/□.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said second pre-determined machine-readable characteristic is electrical conductivity and wherein said second marking medium is an ink having a dry-state sheet resistivity in a range of from about 1KΩ/□ to about 5 KΩ/□.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further including the step of securing a substantially non-conductive blocking layer to said document substrate in at least partial register with said first information symbol.  
     
     
         17 . A method for forming a lottery ticket, comprising the steps of; 
 selecting a first marking medium having a first pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    selecting a second marking medium having a second pre-determined machine-readable characteristic;    selecting a substantially non-rigid ticket substrate compatible with said first and second pre-determined machine-readable characteristics;    apportioning said ticket substrate into at least a first portion and a second portion;    printing a play symbol over said ticket substrate within said first portion;    printing a bar code over said ticket substrate within said second portion; and    affixing a first security layer including said first marking medium to said first portion of said ticket substrate in at least partial register with said play symbol, said play symbol being intermediate said ticket substrate and said first security layer, said first security layer being removable by a player from said ticket substrate.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further including the step of securing a second security layer including said second marking medium to said second portion of said ticket substrate in at least partial register with said bar code, said second security layer being intermediate said ticket substrate and said bar code.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said first pre-determined machine-readable characteristic is electrical conductivity and wherein said first marking medium is an ink having a dry-state sheet resistivity in a range of from about 1 KΩ/□ to about 2.5 KΩ/□.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said ink includes a weight percentage of conductive carbon in a range of from about 13% to about 64%.