GB1580768A - Device carrying concealed information - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO DEVICES CARRYING CONCEALED INFORMATION (71) I, MARTIN KARL OBERDECK, a citizen of the United States of America, of 2625 Cumberland Parkway, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30339, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to devices carrying information which is concealed until the eventual user of the device chooses to reveal that information.

Such devices have the form of "instant" lottery tickets, sales promotional articles, and educational aids where concealed information in the form of correct answers or the results of a selection are initially concealed when the user buys or is given the device but the user then reveals that concealed information to determine if the correct answer has been given, or if the user has a winning number or combination of symbols. In this way, the device may include concealed information in the form of a number or a group of numbers and letters and the user, after revealing the concealed information then compares the number or number and letters revealed with the results of a lottery or a draw which has already taken place to determine if the user and the holder of the ticket is in possession of a winning number, or group of numbers and symbols.Alternatively, the information may be in the form of three or more symbols, for example resembling those displayed upon a "fruit machine" or "one-armed bandit". In such a case, the user of the device exposes the symbols to determine if they represent one of the winning combinations of symbols.

There have been many advances which have improved the integrity of such devices recently so that, with most of the devices it is impossible to find out the nature of the concealed information without the removal of some irreversibly removeable layer which not only reveals the information but also makes it clear that the device has been tampered with. However, it is sometimes possible to determine the concealed information recorded on the device by the use of sophisticated equipment using electro-magnetic radiation the spectral distribution of which differs from daylight or conventional artificial light sources. The present invention provides a device which overcomes this disadvantage.

According to this invention, a device such as a lottery ticket or an educational aid which carries concealed information capable of being irreversibly revealed by the user of the device includes an opaque substrate, and an irreversibly removable obscuring coating overlying and obscuring the information, the device also includes a printed region adjacent the information and beneath the obscuring coating consisting of a number of irregularly shaped elements printed in at least two different intensities, the printed region providing a confusion pattern around the information and reducing the contrast between the information and the substrate to give the device a greater integrity.

Preferably the irregularly shaped elements in the printed region are printed in three different intensities in addition to parts surrounding the irregularly shaped elements which are not printed at all. The irregularly shaped elements may be all of the same colour or they may be printed in different colours. Thus the difference in the intensity of the elements may be due to a different ink being used for the different elements and the different inks used varying in their hue or saturation; or the difference in intensity may be due to a different thickness of the same ink being applied to the different elements.

Preferably the difference in intensity results from a different percentage coverage of the same ink being applied to the different ele ments.

The density and intensity of each element may vary, for example each element may be mottled or strippled instead of having a plain uniform density, but, in any event, the appearance of the intensity of adjacent elements must be substantially different. Preferably the physical appearance of each element of the printed region matches that of the information to be carried by the device.

Thus where the information printed on the device is printed by a matrix-type printer controlled by a computer, each element of the printed region is preferably formed by a pattern of small dots. Such a matrix type printer may be of the impact or non-impact type. When each element of the printed region includes a pattern of small dots and this is used in conjunction with information printed by a matrix-type printer there is a much greater confusion between the printed region and the information, whilst the information is concealed, because the physical construction of the printing forming the information and that forming the elements of the printed region are substantailly the same. Thus it is difficult to determine the boundaries between the information and the printed region when they are both covered by the obscuring coating.

The printed region may overlie or underlie the information printed on the device. As an alternative, the printed region may be applied in two ]ayers, one underlying the information so that the information is sandwiched between the printed regions. When the printed region or part of it overlies the information, it is preferably printed in a coloured transparent ink so that the information shows through.

When the, or part of the printed region underlies the information, it may be used as a registration aid when printing the information onto the device.

Preferably a transparent protective coating is applied on top of both the printed region and the information to protect the information when the user of the device removes the obscuring coating. The obscuring layer may be a wipe-off coating removable on the application of a damp wiper but preferably it is a latex based scratch off coating which is removable by the user of the device rubbing away the coating using a stylus, or for example; the edge of a coin.

A particular example of a lottery ticket in accordance with this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan of the lottery ticket showing part of the concealed information revealed; Figure 2 is a magnified detail of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is a cross-section through the portion shown in Figure 2 with the vertical direction exaggerated.

This example is a ticket for use in an "instant" lottery. The ticket includes the title of the game 1 instructions on the use of the tickets 2 and an indication of the prizes to be won 3.

On purchase, regions 4 and 5 of the ticket are completely obscured to conceal information 6 and 7 present in the regions 4 and 5 respectively. The user of the device removes the obscuring coating from the regions 4 and 5 to reveal the information 6 and 7 and determine if the ticket is a winning ticket.

The information 6 contained in the region 4 represents a card game in which, out of five cards provided, a winning combination exists if at least three of the cards are of the same designation. If the ticket includes three cards of the same designation the value of the prize won by the purchasers of the ticket depends upon the type of card, with the highest prize being awarded to cards containing three aces and lowest to cards containing three jacks.

The information 7 contained in region 5 of the ticket has the form of a number, or number and letter combination, and this number, or number and letter combination, and this number is used in a separate draw.

Since the information is obscured at the time of purchase the draw can have already taken place since, on buying the ticket, the purchaser cannot determine if this ticket carries one of the winning numbers which have already been drawn.

The ticket is formed of a card stock 8 having a covering of thin aluminium foil 9 which is in turn covered by a thin paper layer 10.

The aluminium foil layer 9 prevents the passage of light, or other electro-magnetic radiation through the ticket. A printed region 11, which will be described in more detail later is printed on the paper 10. In appearance the printed region comprises a number of irregularly shaped elements having three different intensities These are represented in Figure 1 by groups of dots but are shown more clearly in Figure 2. In practice, to the naked eye they appear to be of regions of uniform intensity.

The tickets are then printed, preferably by a non-impact type computer controlled matrix-type printer with the information 6 and 7 together with the further information 12 at the bottom of each card which gives each card a reference number and from which, by reference to the computer, the information 6 and 7 can be reconstructed.

The provision of the reference number ensures that tampering with the information 6 and 7 can be detected. The regions 4 and 5 are then covered with a transparent silicone based material 13 and finally with a latex based rub off coating 14. The latex based rub off coating 14 preferably has a greater extent than the transparent coating so that the peripheral edge of the coating 14 is in contact with the paper 10 rather than the transparent coating 13. In this example the obscuring coating 14 has a pattern 15 representing the reverse face of playing cards applied to it.

The transparent coating 13 ensures that when the user of the ticket scratches off the obscuring layer 14 the information 6 and 7 is not removed.

Figure 2 shows the printed information 6 and a portion of the printed region in greater detail and to a very much enlarged scale. The printed region consists of a number of irregularly spaced regions which provide a random pattern over the regions 4 and 5. The irregularly spaced regions are printed in three different intensities. In this case the intensity is varied by varying the ratio between the covered area and the non-covered area within each region. In the portion shown in Figure 2 there are two high intensity regions 16 and 17 three medium intensity regions 18, 19 and 20 and two light intensity regions 21 and 22 All of these regions are printed using the same ink but the pattern of small dots which the regions are printed differ so that the regions 16 and 17 have a very much higher coated to uncoated area than the regions 21 and 22.The dots in each of the regions 16 and 22 are very small and, when viewed with the naked eye each of the regions appear to be of a continuous colour in which no pattern can be detected. However, the regions 16 and 17 can be readily distinguished from the regions 18, 19 and 20 or the regions 21 and 22 since the intensity of the ink in these regions appears to vary. Since the information is printed using a matrix type printer the information 6 is also built up from a number of dots and, whilst these tend to coalesce together to form a substantially continuous marking there are still some small interstitial gaps left between the individual dots.

Figure 3 which shows a cross section through the lower right hand corner of the letter A shown in Figure 2 and illustrates how the printed region confuses the information 6 once both the printed region and the infor mation are covered by the obscuring coating 14. Preferably the printed region is printed in a different colour from the information and this enables the information to be readily distinguished from the printed region upon use of the device but, if electro-magnetic radiation having a different spectral distribu tion from normal visible light is used to try and investigate the nature of the concealed information 6 and 7 before the obscuring layer 14 is removed, the printed region and the information 6 and 7 will both show up to the same extent and this makes it impossible to distinguish the information 6 and to dif ferentiate it from the printed region 11.

Whilst there is sufficient contrast between the information 6 and 7 and the printed region 11 once the obscuring layer 14 has been removed, the difference in intensity between any radiation reflected from the printed region 11 and the information 6 and 7 after this radiation has passed through the obscuring layer 14 is indistinguishable.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A device such as a lottery ticket or an educational aid which carries concealed information capable of being irreversibly revealed by the user of the device, including an opaque substrate, and an irreversibly removable obscuring coating overlying and obscuring the information, the device also including a printed region adjacent to the information and beneath the obscuring coating consisting of a number of irregularly shaped elements printed in at least two different intensities, the printed region providing a confusion pattern around the information and reducing the contrast between the information and the substrate to give the device a greater integrity.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the irregularly shaped elements in the printed region are printed in three different intensities in addition to parts surrounding the irregularly shaped elements which are not printed at all.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the difference in the intensity of the elements is due to a different percentage coverage of the ink applied to the different elements.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each element of the printed region is formed by a pattern of small dots and in which the information printed on the device is printed by a matrixtype printer.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the printed region is printed immediately upon the substrate and so underlies the information printed on the device.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which a transparent protective coating is applied on top of both the printed region and the information, to protect the information when the user of the device removes the obscuring coating.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the obscuring coating is a latex based scratch off coating which can be removed by the user of the device rubbing away the coating.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the, or a part of the, printed region is printed over the information with a transparent coloured ink.

9. A device according to claim 1 constructed substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. peripheral edge of the coating 14 is in contact with the paper 10 rather than the transparent coating 13. In this example the obscuring coating 14 has a pattern 15 representing the reverse face of playing cards applied to it. The transparent coating 13 ensures that when the user of the ticket scratches off the obscuring layer 14 the information 6 and 7 is not removed. Figure 2 shows the printed information 6 and a portion of the printed region in greater detail and to a very much enlarged scale. The printed region consists of a number of irregularly spaced regions which provide a random pattern over the regions 4 and 5. The irregularly spaced regions are printed in three different intensities. In this case the intensity is varied by varying the ratio between the covered area and the non-covered area within each region. In the portion shown in Figure 2 there are two high intensity regions 16 and 17 three medium intensity regions 18, 19 and 20 and two light intensity regions 21 and 22 All of these regions are printed using the same ink but the pattern of small dots which the regions are printed differ so that the regions 16 and 17 have a very much higher coated to uncoated area than the regions 21 and 22.The dots in each of the regions 16 and 22 are very small and, when viewed with the naked eye each of the regions appear to be of a continuous colour in which no pattern can be detected. However, the regions 16 and 17 can be readily distinguished from the regions 18, 19 and 20 or the regions 21 and 22 since the intensity of the ink in these regions appears to vary. Since the information is printed using a matrix type printer the information 6 is also built up from a number of dots and, whilst these tend to coalesce together to form a substantially continuous marking there are still some small interstitial gaps left between the individual dots. Figure 3 which shows a cross section through the lower right hand corner of the letter A shown in Figure 2 and illustrates how the printed region confuses the information 6 once both the printed region and the infor mation are covered by the obscuring coating 14. Preferably the printed region is printed in a different colour from the information and this enables the information to be readily distinguished from the printed region upon use of the device but, if electro-magnetic radiation having a different spectral distribu tion from normal visible light is used to try and investigate the nature of the concealed information 6 and 7 before the obscuring layer 14 is removed, the printed region and the information 6 and 7 will both show up to the same extent and this makes it impossible to distinguish the information 6 and to dif ferentiate it from the printed region 11. Whilst there is sufficient contrast between the information 6 and 7 and the printed region 11 once the obscuring layer 14 has been removed, the difference in intensity between any radiation reflected from the printed region 11 and the information 6 and 7 after this radiation has passed through the obscuring layer 14 is indistinguishable. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A device such as a lottery ticket or an educational aid which carries concealed information capable of being irreversibly revealed by the user of the device, including an opaque substrate, and an irreversibly removable obscuring coating overlying and obscuring the information, the device also including a printed region adjacent to the information and beneath the obscuring coating consisting of a number of irregularly shaped elements printed in at least two different intensities, the printed region providing a confusion pattern around the information and reducing the contrast between the information and the substrate to give the device a greater integrity.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the irregularly shaped elements in the printed region are printed in three different intensities in addition to parts surrounding the irregularly shaped elements which are not printed at all.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the difference in the intensity of the elements is due to a different percentage coverage of the ink applied to the different elements.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each element of the printed region is formed by a pattern of small dots and in which the information printed on the device is printed by a matrixtype printer.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the printed region is printed immediately upon the substrate and so underlies the information printed on the device.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which a transparent protective coating is applied on top of both the printed region and the information, to protect the information when the user of the device removes the obscuring coating.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the obscuring coating is a latex based scratch off coating which can be removed by the user of the device rubbing away the coating.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the, or a part of the, printed region is printed over the information with a transparent coloured ink.

9. A device according to claim 1 constructed substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.