United States Patent [19]
`Oshikoshi et al.
`
`IlllllllllllllIllllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`5,106,719
`Apr. 21, 1992
`
`Us005 106719A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`[54] METHOD OF MAKING BOOKLETS WITH
`PHOTOGRAPHS AND APPARATUS
`THEREFOR
`[75] Inventors: Yuji Oshikoshi; Yoshimi Suganuma,
`both of Tokyo; Hiroshi Hara,
`Kanagawa; Kazuo Shiota,
`Kanagawa; Nobumitsu Takehara,
`Kanagawa; Kiichiro Sakamoto,
`Kanagawa, all of Japan
`[73] Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Kanagawa,
`Japan
`[21] Appl. No.: 261,299
`[22] Filed:
`Oct. 24, 1988
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Oct, 23, 1987 [JP]
`Japan .............................. .. 62-267847
`0m. 23. 1987 [JP]
`Japan .... ..
`62-267848
`Oct. 26, 1987 [JP]
`Japan .............................. .. 62-269935
`
`[51] Int. Cl.5 ....................... .. G03C 5/54; 603C 3/00;
`GO9C 3/00
`[52] US. Cl. .................................... .. 430/203; 430/11;
`430/207; 430/237; 430/12; 430/10; 283/77;
`283/904
`[58] Field of Search ..................... .. 283/74, 75, 77, 82,
`283/9, 904, 83; 412/19, 1, 902; 430/10, 12, 203,
`237, 11, 207; 355/109; 156/87, 289
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,288,533 9/1981 Poskhus ............................ .. 430/207
`4,425,421 l/l984 Rutges et a]. ..................... .. 430/237
`Primary Examiner—-Richard L. Schilling
`Attorney. Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Mion, Zinn,
`Macpeak & Seas
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A system for providing a personal booklet, such as a
`passport, with a picture of the face and personal data of
`the bookholder to thereby provide the booklet holder’s
`identity. The system includes entering a picture of the
`face of an applicant, the picture being attached to an
`application form, as a ?gure image into an image com
`posing device, entering personal data of the applicant
`entered in the application form as a character image,
`providing a composite image of the ?gure and character
`images, printing the composite image onto a thermal
`transfer type photosensitive printing paper, transfering
`the printed composite image onto an image receiving
`layer coated on a transparent cover sheet bound in the
`booklet, and sandwiching the image receiving material
`layer between a supporting sheet bound in the booklet
`next to the transparent cover sheet and the transparent
`cover sheet.
`
`8 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`1/16
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 1 of 10
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 2 of 10
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 3 of 10
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`5,106,719
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`F I G . L
`
`ENTRY OF
`PERSONAL DATA
`
`PC
`IP
`NI
`
`TU
`
`IMAGE COMPOSING
`AND DISPLAY
`
`PRINT COMPOSITE
`IM
`
`DE LIVE R Y
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`4/16
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 4 of .10
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`5,106,719
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`FIG. 5
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 6 of 10
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 7 of 10
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`5,106,719
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`APPLICATION
`FORM
`I
`ENTRY OF
`PERSONAL DATA
`1
`TYPE OUT
`PERSONAL DATA _
`I
`INSPECTION OF
`PERSONAL DATA
`I
`PRINT PICTURE
`I
`PRINT PERSONAL
`DATA
`
`'
`
`I
`DEVELOP AND
`TRANSFER
`I
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`L LAMINATION J
`I
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`IN SPE C T ION
`
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 8 of 10
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 9 of 10
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 21, 1992
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`Sheet 10 of 10
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`FIG. 14
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`

`
`METHOD OF MAKING BOOKLETS WITH
`PHOTOGRAPHS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to a method and an
`apparatus for making personal booklets with photo
`graphs, and more particularly, to a method and appara
`tus for making personal booklets having a page with a
`composite image comprising a picture of a human ?gure
`and personal data relating to the human ?gure.
`
`5
`
`0
`
`20
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`Personal booklets such as passports have a picture of
`the face of the bookholder attached to one the pages
`thereof as well as personal data of the bookholder in
`cluding the name, nationality, date of birth sex, date of
`issue, a personal identi?cation number and so forth to
`provide the book holder’s identity. This picture is cov
`ered by a transparent cover sheet and embossed with a
`seal in order to prevent the passport from being forged
`or altered by replacing the picture.
`,
`The passports are made through a process of several
`steps including at least a step of entering the necessary
`personal data, a step of attaching a picture of the face of
`the applicant and a step of covering the attached picture
`with a transparent cover sheet. Such a process requires
`much labor and is inef?cient to deal with a large number
`of passports at a time. The conventional process of
`30
`making the passports consequently disturbs the ratio
`nale of issuing the passports.
`On the part of applicants, it has been necessary to
`prepare, in addition to a picture of the face of the appli
`cant to be attached to the passport, an extra picture of
`35
`the face of the applicant which is attached to an applica
`tion form when making an application for a passport.
`In recent years, with the growth of international
`passengers, in an attempt at relieving the confusion of
`passport control for the entry into, and departure from,
`a country, machine readable passports (MRPs). which
`are standardized across the world in order to make it
`possible to either optically or electrically, or visually,
`read personal data on machine readable passports by a
`particular machine, have been experimentally intro
`duced at airports of some countries.
`For preparing such machine readable passports, the
`process of making the machine readable passport re
`quires, in addition to the above described steps, another
`step of providing machine readable personal data on the
`passport. Due to this additional step, it becomes even
`more troublesome to prepare the machine readable
`passports, hindering the rationale of issuing passports.
`OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
`It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
`provide a personal booklet with a picture pf the face
`and personal data of the book holder to provide the
`book holder's identity which is hard to forge or alter.
`It is another object of the present invention to pro
`vide a personal booklet with a picture of the bookhol
`der‘s face and machine readable personal data of the
`book holder to thereby provide the book holder’s iden
`tity
`It is still another object of the present invention to
`provide a method of preparing a personal booklet with
`machine readable personal data of the book holder to
`provide the book holder’s identity.
`
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`It is yet another object of the present invention to
`provide an apparatus for preparing a personal booklet
`with machine readable personal data of the book holder
`to provide the book holder’s identity.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`In accordance with the present invention, the per
`sonal booklet making method and apparatus comprises
`a cassette containing therein a thermal transfer photo
`sensitive printing paper in the form of a roll; exposure
`means for exposing the thermal transfer photosensitive
`printing paper withdrawn from the cassette to a com
`posite image of a picture of the face and personal data of
`the bookholder; a container containing therein booklets,
`each booklet having blank pages and a page formed
`with an image receiving layer superimposing means for
`superimposing the image receiving layer of each book
`let picked up from the booklet container and the ex
`posed thermal transfer photosensitive printing paper to
`force out air of the superimposed image receiving layer
`and exposed photosensitive paper and a thermal print
`ing head for heating the superimposed image receiving
`layer and exposed photosensitive paper to develop and
`transfer the composite image from the thermal transfer
`photosensitive printing paper to the image receiving
`layer.
`According to a feature of the present invention, a
`picture of the face of the bookholder or applicant at
`tached to an application form and personal data of the
`applicant entered in the application fonn are optically
`printed on a thermal transfer photosensitive printing
`paper as a composite image. The thermal transfer pho
`tosensitive printing paper thus optically exposed is su
`perimposed on the image receiving layer formed on the
`transparent cover sheet bound in the booklet so as to
`transfer the composite image into the image receiving
`layer by a thermal transfer process. Thereafter, the
`transparent cover sheet with the image receiving layer
`is adhered to a supporting sheet bound in the booklet as
`one page next to the transparent cover sheet. Upon
`superimposing the thermal transfer photosensitive sheet
`and the image receiving layer on the transparent cover
`sheet, they are pressed by a pair of pressure a plying
`rollers to force out air therebetween.
`The present invention can avoid the necessities of
`directly attaching a picture of the face of the applicant
`to a booklet and directly typing personal data of the
`applicant on a page of the booklet, consequently book
`lets with pictures can be efficiently prepared automati
`cally. In the case of making booklets as passports with
`pictures of the bookholders, no extra picture is neces
`sary other than a picture attached to an application
`form. Furthermore, because it is quite easy to include
`optically readable characters in a composite image, the
`passport made by the present invention can be used as a
`machine readable passport.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The description refers to the accompanying drawings
`in which like reference characters refer to like parts
`throughout the several views, and in which
`FIG. 1 is an illustration of a machine readable pass
`port made by the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is an explanatory illustration showing the
`construction of the machine readable passport of FIG.
`1;
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`3
`FIGS. 3A to 3C are perspective, exploded illustra
`tions showing a sequence of making the machine read
`able passport of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the process of mak
`ing the machine realable passport of FIG. 1 according
`to a preferred embodiment of the present invention:
`FIG. 5 is an illustration of a system of making a ma
`chine readable passport;
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a video printer
`and an image composing apparatus in the system of
`FIG. 5;
`FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration showing a video
`printer in the system of FIG. 5;
`FIG. 8 is an explanatory illustration similar to FIG. 2
`but showing another construction of the machine read
`able passport of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the process of mak
`ing the machine readable passport of FIG. 1 according
`to another preferred embodiment of the present inven
`tlOn;
`FIG. 10 is a schematic side view ofa printing appara
`tus for optically printing a composite image;
`FIGS. 11A to 11D are explanatory illustrations
`showing exposure framing masks which are used in the
`printing apparatus of FIG, 10;
`FIG. 12 is a schematic side view ofa composite image
`printing unit ofthe printing apparatus according to still
`another embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 13 is a schematic, perspective side view of a
`composite image printing unit of the printing apparatus
`according to still another embodiment of the present
`invention; and
`FIG. 14 is a schematic, perspective side view of a
`composite image printing unit of the printing apparatus
`according to yet another embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
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`ethylene or the like. It is also preferable to mix white
`pigments such as T102, ZnO etc.. or to contain color
`pigments or dyes, in the plastics.
`The transparent cover sheet 2, which is used as the
`inside page of the front cover as is shown in FIG. 3A. is
`made of transparent plastic sheets of about 0.05 to 0.35
`mm thickness and is sized equivalent to or slightly
`smaller than the supporting sheet 3. Any one of the
`above mentioned plastic materials available as the sup
`porting sheet 3 may be used for the transparent cover
`sheet 2. As is shown in FIG. 313, into the image receiv
`ing layer 1, a picture lb of the face and personal data 10
`of the passport holder, a graphic design 1c if necessary,
`and optically readable special data 1d are transferred in
`a thermal transfer printing process. As will be described
`later, these picture, design and data In and 1d are laid
`out and are composed as a single composite image on a
`CRT screen by a computer. Then, a thermal transfer
`type photosensitive printing paper 40 is exposed to the
`CRT composed image displayed on the CRT screen to
`form a latent composite image therein in a three color
`frame sequence exposure and is, thereafter, thermally
`developed. The developed composite image is ?nally
`transferred onto the image receiving layer 1.
`The image receiving layer 1 comprises substances
`including a dye ?xer such as dye mordant agents which
`can be chemically reactive on dye released from a ther
`mally developable photosensitive layer of the thermal
`printing paper 40 (see FIG. 7). Any type of dye ?xer
`may be selected according to the properties of dye
`released from the thermally developable photosensitive
`layer, chemical compositions of the thermally develop
`able photosensitive layer, thermally transferring condi
`tions and so forth. It is preferable to use, for example,
`polymer mordant agents of a high molecular weight.
`The photosensitive thermal printing paper used in this
`embodiment may take any type of thermal transfer
`printing color paper, for example, the type of releasing
`dye which is exposed to light and transferred to the dye
`?xer containing a mordant agent by the aid of a solvent
`such as water, the type of transferring released dye to
`the dye ?xer with an organic solvent having a high
`boiling point, the type of transferring released dye to
`the dye ?xer with a hydrophilic solvent contained in the
`dye ?xer, the type of diffusing or sublimating released
`dye to transfer it to the dye ?xer, etc. These types of
`photosensitive thermal transfer printing papers are well
`known and are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
`4,500,626. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications
`Nos. 60-l33,449, 59-2l8,443, 61-238,056, and European
`Patent No. 220,746A2 and so forth.
`The adhesive layer of, for example, 0.00] to 0.2 mm
`thickness is provided over the back surface of the sup
`porting sheet 3 to which the image receiving layer 1 of
`the transparent sheet 2 is attached. It is preferred to use
`adhesive materials for the adhesive layer which do not
`photographically or chemically attack the transferred
`composite image on the image receiving layer 1 but
`cause the transparent and supporting sheets to quickly
`stick to each other without generating air bubbles there
`between. It may be permissible to apply the adhesive
`layer 4 to the image receiving layer 1 after transforming
`the composite image thereto in place of applying it to
`the supporting sheet 3. Otherwise, an adhesive sheet or
`an adhesive sheet with a peelable sheet to which adhe
`sive material is applied may be used.
`Over the adhesive layer 4 there is applied a peelable
`sheet 6 which is sized slightly larger than the supporting
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
`INVENTION
`Referring now to the drawings in more detail and
`particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a machine
`readable passport (MRP) made by an apparatus accord
`ing to a speci?c embodiment of the present invention.
`As shown, a machine readable passport 5 contains a
`plurality of pages bound as one booklet, one of the
`pages, for example a front cover page, comprises a
`transparent cover sheet 2 with an image receiving layer
`1 of about 0.01 mm thickness coated onto the back
`surface thereof, a supporting sheet 3 adhered to the
`back of the transparent sheet 2. In the image receiving
`layer 1, a composite image of personal data 10 and a
`picture lb of the face of the passport holder, a graphic
`design 1c, and special data 1d including optically read
`able characters is formed. The transparent cover sheet 2
`with the image receiving layer 1 is heat-welded to the
`supporting sheet 3 by way of a heat-melt type adhesive
`layer 4 coated onto the front surface thereof to form one
`page of the machine readable passport 5.
`The supporting sheet 3, which is used a a front cover
`of the machine readable passport 5 as is shown in FIG.
`3A, is made of, for example, paper sheets of a thickness
`between 0.l and 0.8 mm, plutic sheets, combined sheets
`of plastic sheets and papers stuck together, or paper
`sheets with one or both sides laminated with plastic
`sheets. The plastic sheet is made, not exclusively, but
`preferably, of polyethylene terephtalete, polycarbonate,
`acetylcellulose, cellulose ester, polybinilacetate polys
`tilen, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, poly
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`sheet 3 so that the periphery of the peelable sheet 6 is
`easily picked up between ?ngers and is peeled apart.
`For easily handling the passport booklet 5 during the
`preparation thereof. the peelable sheet 6 may be sized to
`be equal to or smaller than the supporting sheet 3 so far
`as it is larger than the image receiving layer 1. It is to be
`noted that, as is shown in FIG. 8, the image receiving
`layer 1 may be formed on the supporting sheet 3 and the
`adhesive layer 4 may correspondingly be formed over
`the transparent cover sheet 2.
`The process of making machine readable passports
`will be had from the following description referring to
`FIGS. 4 through 7. As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the
`machine readable passport is prepared through a pro
`cess of four steps namely a data entry step 100, an image
`composite step 110, a video image printing step 120 and
`a ?nishing step 130.
`In the data entry step 100 after attaching a bar-code
`label 16 carrying a personal identi?cation number to an
`application form 11, an operator prepares the necessary
`personal data for describing or identifying the applicant
`of a machine readable passport such as the name, the
`date of birth, nationality, sex and so forth, by entering
`them with a word processor 12 having a CRT display
`120, a bar-code reader 12b and a keyboard 12c based on
`data ?lled in or entered on the application form 11 and
`storing them in a ?oppy disk 13. The personal data is
`stored in the form of coded data along with the personal
`identifying number read out from the bar-code label 16.
`In the image composite step 110 an image of the pic
`ture 11a of the face of the applicant attached to the
`application form 11 and the applicant's personal data
`are single composite as a composed image by an image
`composer 14. For editing a composite image on a color
`monitor comprising a color CRT display 23 the opera
`tor displays the picture lb of the face of the applicant,
`the applicant 5 personal data 10 retrieved from the
`?oppy disk 13 and input through a character generator,
`the graphic design 1c and the optically readable special
`data 1d which are constructed based on the personal
`data. The image composer 14, as is shown in FIGS. 5
`and 6 comprises a picture image input device 22 such as
`a TV camera 20 or a color image scanner 2], a color
`monitor CRT display 23, a console 26 having a key
`board 24 and a bar-code reader 25, a data reader 27 for
`reading the personal data stored in the floppy disk 13
`and data of the graphic design stored in the floppy disk
`17, an image composing unit 28 comprising a mi
`crocomputer for preparing a composite image from the
`data read from the floppy disks 13 and 17, and a CRT
`controller 30 for controlling the color monitor CRT 23
`and a black-and-white CRT of the video printer 15. It is
`preferred to employ a black-and-white TV camera for
`the TV camera because it has a high resolving power.
`In the case of employing a black-and-white TV camera,
`it is necessary to provide color separating means 200
`comprising three primary color ?lters, ngmely red,
`green and blue ?lters each being insertable into the
`optical axis of the black-and-white TV camera indepen
`dently of the other two.
`The image processing unit 28 as is shown in detail in
`FIG. 6 reads out the image data of the picture 1b of the
`face of the applicant input through the picture image
`input device 22 and of the personal data of the applicant
`according to the personal identi?cation number of the
`applicant. The image data, the personal data of the
`applicant and the graphic design data are stored in
`frame memories 31 and 32 under the control of a con
`
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`troller 30 and, thereafter, are transferred to a look-up
`table (LUT) matrix circuit 33 and a look-up table (LUT)
`memory 34, respectively, for correcting gradation.
`Then those data are composed in the image composing
`circuit 35. Control circuit 36 is comprised of, for exam~
`ple, a microcomputer, and controls sequentially each
`circuit or peripheral device of the image processing unit
`28 so as to input images and characters, and then com
`pose those image and characters. Control circuit 36 also
`controls video printing by image composer 14 and
`video printer 15. Designated by numerals 37 and 38 are
`A/D and D/A converters, respectively for converting
`video signals by color.
`In the video image printing step 120, the composite
`image prepared in the image composing step 110 is
`printed on the thermal transfer type photosensitive
`printing paper 40 and, after development, is transferred
`into the image receiving layer 1 by a video printer 15 in
`a thermal transfer printing process. The video printer
`15, as is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 comprises a paper
`cassette 41 containing a roll of thermal transfer type
`photosensitive printing paper 40, the CRT 29 for dis
`playing a composite image to which the printing paper
`40 is exposed, an antechamber 42 for retaining the ex
`posed printing paper 40 in the form of a loop, a water
`applicator 43 disposed after or downstream of the ante
`chamber 42 for applying water as an activator for pro
`moting the thermal transfer process in a uniform layer
`to the exposed surface of the printing paper 40 a cutter
`44 disposed after or downstream of the water applicator
`43 for cutting off the exposed printing paper 40 to indi
`vidual print strips, a booklet container 45 in which a
`number of booklets 5 are stored in a stack with their
`image receiving layers up, a pair of pressure applying
`rollers 46 for superimposing and applying pressure be
`tween the print strip of the exposed thermal printing
`paper 40 and the image receiving layer 1 of a booklet 5
`picked up from the booklet container 45 so as to force
`out air therebetween, a thermal image printing head 47
`for applying heat to the print strip of the printing paper
`40 and the image receiving layer 1 of the booklet 5
`superimposed a container 48 into which the booklet 5
`with a composite image transferred thereto is stacked,
`and a wastepaper container 49 into which the used print
`strip of the printing paper 40 is discarded.
`The printing CRT sequentially displays a composite
`image as a black-and-white image in the form of a
`brightness pattern by color which is projected onto the
`printing paper 40 by means of a printing lens 52 during
`the opening of a shutter 51 controlled by a shutter con
`troller 50. For translating each black-and-white image
`into a corresponding monochromatic image, there are
`provided three color ?lters, namely blue, green and red
`?lters 53, 54, and 55 which are inserted into a printing
`path de?ned by the printing lens 52 independently of
`each other so as to perform a three color frame se
`quence exposure. These ?lters are controlled by a ?lter
`drive controller 56. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 6,
`?lter drive controller 56 is actuated by a signal from
`control circuit 36 during video printing, and selectively
`drives the blue, green, and red ?lters 53, 54, and 55,
`respectively, to insert one or more of them into the
`printing path. The printing CRT 29 may be replaced
`with well known image display devices such as LED
`image display devices, LC image display devices, laser
`image display devices or the like.
`The printing paper 40, after having been exposed, is
`intermittently transported into the antechamber 42.
`
`14/16
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
`
`

`
`20
`
`25
`
`35
`
`5,106,719
`7
`After passing the antechamber 42, the water applicator
`43 applies water to the exposed surface of the printing
`paper 40. If the image receiving layer 1 contains a heat
`soluble activator for promoting thermal image transfer
`such as ureas. crystallized water, micro-capsules or the
`like, the application of water by the water applicator 43
`may be omitted.
`After the application of water, the exposed printing
`paper 40 is cut into print strips by the cutter 44. Each
`print strip is laid on top of the image receiving layer 1 of
`a booklet 5 picked up from the booklet container 45.
`The pressure applying rollers 46 superimpose the print
`strip and the image receiving layer 1 of the booklet 5
`and applies pressure therebetween to distribute water
`applied by the water applicator 43 in a uniform layer
`over the exposed surface of the print strip of the print
`ing paper 40 and/or the image receiving layer 1. The
`superimposed printing strip and image receiving layer 1
`of the booklet 5 is placed between, and heated by, upper
`and lower heating plates of the thermal image printing
`head 47 so as to develop and transfer the thermal image
`to the image receiving layer 1 from the print strip of the
`printing paper 40. Because of a relatively long time
`necessary for the thennal printing step, it is preferred to
`provide a plurality of thermal printing heads 47 for
`simultaneously processing a plurality of booklets 5.
`Thereafter, the booklet 5 thus processed is put into the
`container 48 while the print strip 400 of the printing
`paper 40 is discarded in the wastepaper container 49.
`In the finishing step 130, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and
`4, the transparent cover sheet 2 bearing the image re
`ceiving layer 1 with a composite image thermally trans
`ferred thereon is superimposed over and adhered to the
`supporting sheet 3 through the adhesive layer 4 as one
`page. Finally, after inspecting the identity between the
`personal data and the picture ofthe face ofthe applicant
`and so forth, the booklet 5, as a machine readable pass
`port is delivered to the applicant.
`Since the composite image thermally printed on the
`passport includes personal data comprising optically
`readable characters which provides the identity of the
`passport holder, the passport can be used as a machine
`readable passport which is checked by an optical char
`acter reading machine.
`Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 11, there is shown an
`apparatus for making a machine readable passport ac
`cording to another preferred embodiment of the present
`invention. As shown, after having accepted an applica~
`tion form 11 (FIG. 10) with a picture of the face 11a and
`personal data of the applicant, necessary personal data
`are edited and printed out on a data sheet 65 with char
`acters, or common data, and a pattern previously
`printed thereon (see FIG. 10) by the aid of a word
`processor based on the personal data entered in the
`application form 11. After the inspection of the personal
`data printed on the data sheet 65, the photosensitive
`thermal printing paper 40 is directly expose¢f1rst to the
`picture 11a of the face of the applicant attached to the
`application form 11 and then, to the data sheet 65. The
`exposed photosensitive paper is thermally developed
`60
`and a composed image on the photosensitive paper is
`transferred onto the image receiving layer formed on
`the supporting sheet or the transparent cover sheet
`bound in the booklet. Finally, the supporting sheet and
`the transparent cover sheet are adhered to each other to
`sandwich the image receiving layer with the composed
`image therebetween. After inspecting the composite
`image in particular the coincidence between the picture
`
`8
`and the personal data. the booklet is delivered as a ma
`chine readable passport to the applicant.
`The printing apparatus for making the machine read
`able passport is shown in FIG. 10 wherein same refer
`ence characters denote same or similar elements or parts
`as in the video printer 15 shown in FIG. 7. The printing
`apparatus 60 comprises the paper cassette 41 containing
`a roll of photosensitive thermal printing paper 40, ?rst
`exposure means including a printing lens 63 for expos
`ing the photosensitive thermal printing paper 40 to the
`picture 11a of the face of the applicant attached to the
`application form 11, second exposure means including a
`printing lens 66 for exposing the data sheet 65 placed
`adjacent to the application form 11 onto the same frame
`of the photosensitive thermal printing paper 40, the
`antechamber 42 disposed after the second exposure
`means for retaining the exposed thermal printing paper
`40 in the form of a loop, the water applicator 43 dis
`posed after the antechamber 42 for applying water in a
`uniform layer to the exposed surface of the thermal
`printing paper 40 as an activator for promoting the
`thermal transfer process a cutter 44 disposed after the
`water applicator 43 for cutting the exposed thermal
`printing paper 40 into individual print strips a booklet
`container 45 in which a number of booklets 5 are stored
`in a stack with their image receiving layers up, a pair of
`pressure rollers 46 for superimposing and applying pres
`sure between the print strip of the exposed thermal
`printing paper 40 and the image receiving layer 1 of a
`booklet 5 picked up from the booklet container 45 so as
`to force out air therebetween, a thermal image printing
`head 47 for applying heat the print strip of the thermal
`printing paper 40 and the image receiving layer 1 of the
`booklet 5 superimposed a container 48 into which the
`booklet 5 with an image transferred is stacked, and a
`wastepaper container 49 into which the used print strip
`400 of the thermal printing paper 40 is discarded.
`The first exposure means 61 includes an illumination
`lamp (not shown) for illuminating the picture 11a con
`tained on the upper left portion of the application form
`11, a first printing lens 63 for projecting an image of the
`picture 110 on the application form 11 onto a frame of
`the thermal printing paper 40, and a first exposure fram
`ing mask 64 disposed close to the thermal printing paper
`40 to expose only the picture 110 on the application
`form 11 to the thermal printing paper 40.
`The second exposure means 62 includes an illumina
`tion lamp (not shown) for illuminating the data sheet 65
`adjacent to the application form 11 from the upper right
`of the data sheet 65 on which the personal data la, a
`graphic image 1c and optically readable characters id
`for providing the applicant's identification are printed, a
`second printing lens 66 for projecting an image of the
`data sheet 65 onto the same frame of the thermal print
`ing paper 40 onto which the picture 11a is exposed, and
`a second exposure framing mask 67 (see FIGS. 11B and
`11D) disposed adjacent to the first exposure framing
`mask 64 and close to the thermal printing paper 40 to
`expose an image of the data sheet 65 to the thermal
`printing paper 40.
`As is shown in FIGS. 11A and 118, the ?rst and
`second exposure framing masks 64 and 67 are formed
`with different openings 64a and 670, respectively, for
`de?ning exposure areas. Due to the provision of the
`different framing masks 64 and 67, there are printed
`images of the picture 11a and the data sheet 65 at differ
`ent positions on paper 40 but on the same frame of the
`t