WO1991017542A1 - Personally carried optical data storage devices - Google Patents

Personally carried optical data storage devices Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1991017542A1
WO1991017542A1 PCT/US1991/002812 US9102812W WO9117542A1 WO 1991017542 A1 WO1991017542 A1 WO 1991017542A1 US 9102812 W US9102812 W US 9102812W WO 9117542 A1 WO9117542 A1 WO 9117542A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
data carrier
data
storage device
data storage
optical
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1991/002812
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Richard Haddock
Original Assignee
Drexler Technology Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Drexler Technology Corporation filed Critical Drexler Technology Corporation
Publication of WO1991017542A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991017542A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
    • A44C5/00—Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps
    • A44C5/0007—Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles
    • A44C5/0015—Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles providing information, e.g. bracelets with calendars
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B47/00—Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G17/00—Structural details; Housings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/04—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the shape
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B33/00—Constructional parts, details or accessories not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • G11B33/02—Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon
    • G11B33/04—Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon modified to store record carriers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to optical stor ⁇ age devices and in particular data storage devices asso ⁇ ciated with personally carried articles.
  • Data cards are an example of a convenient man ⁇ ner for compactly storing, accessing and transferring large amounts of information.
  • Data cards come in many forms and have many uses such as credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, medical cards, and other such devices.
  • the amount of data that can be stored on these cards depends in part on the method and media used for storing the data.
  • Magnetic strip data cards are in com ⁇ mon use, however the amount of data which can be stored on such strips is generally limited to the equivalent of a couple of lines of text. This amount of storage capac ⁇ ity is generally sufficient for identification purposes and perhaps to maintain a transaction account balance.
  • Smart cards i.e. cards with embedded integrated cir ⁇ cuits, provide a somewhat larger storage capacity than magnetic cards, but still generally offer only a limited amount of storage capacity.
  • smart cards have enough capacity to store the equivalent of a couple of pages of text.
  • smart cards may provide a data processing capability. Smart cards are at present rela ⁇ tively expensive and difficult to manufacture.
  • Optical data cards have also been designed.
  • This type of data card can hold significant amounts of data, equivalent to a couple of thousand pages of text and perhaps more.
  • Optical cards are relatively inexpensive to produce. Some of the difficulties associated with data cards are that they may be misplaced, lost or stolen. Moreover, these cards are susceptible to damage since they are typically carried with their recording surface or electrical contacts exposed. Magnetic and smart cards are also susceptible to damage from magnetic and electri ⁇ cal fields.
  • the optical recording medium is contained on a surface of a disk-shaped data carrier.
  • the data carrier may be integrated with such personally worn articles as wrist watches, bracelets and pendants.
  • Inte ⁇ grating the data carrier and the article may be accom ⁇ plished by using a threaded screw type fastener arrange ⁇ ment or some other means.
  • the data carrier act as a mini-diskette which is operated by rotation.
  • the data carrier itself includes a means for centering the data carrier in a disk drive.
  • a data carrier of this type could con ⁇ tain five to twenty megabytes of data. More than suffi- cient storage capacity to contain one's entire medical history, medical test results, will, insurance policies, and other important information and documents.
  • a second embodiment of the present invention comes in the form of a drum-type optical data carrier.
  • the optical media would be formed into cylinders, which could be integrated into personal items such as ballpoint pens and pencils.
  • the embodiment would include a main cylinder body which would be impact resistant and optically clear.
  • the recording media would be located coaxial to and inside the main cylinder body.
  • the data storage element of this embodiment may be sepa ⁇ rated from the writing portion, so that it may be placed in an optical reader/writer. For example, by locating the data carrier in the barrel of a pen.
  • This type of recording shape is capable of being rotated at high speed about its axis and has a storage capacity similar to or greater than the disk-shaped data carrier.
  • the optical media used in either embodiment may be of two basic types: erasable or permanent recording media. Either type may be used. There are many known materials of either type which are suitable for use in the present invention. Formatting of the recording sur ⁇ face may be accomplished during product manufacturing or by the reader/writer device itself.
  • a primary advantage of the present invention is that a convenient means is provided for carrying a vast amount of information on one's person. Indeed, the inte ⁇ grated personal articles are of a nature which persons routinely wear or carry with them. Therefore, the infor- mation stored with these articles is on or near the per ⁇ son for most of the day. Hence, the information and the person do not often become separated. It follows then that the present invention has particular application as either a primary or secondary record.
  • the present invention provides a means for protecting the data while it is being carried. Another advantage is that physical contact is not required for either reading or writing on the storage device, nor do electrical and magnetic fields affect the device. Yet another advantage is that the storage device is made readily accessible for machine reading and writing, so that the information stored on the device may be used, shared, and appended to or changed.
  • Fig. 1 is a front view of a wrist watch embodi ⁇ ment in accord with the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a rear view of the wrist watch of
  • Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the wrist watch of Fig. 2 taken along line 3-3.
  • Fig. 4 is a front view of a pendant embodiment in accord with the present invention.
  • Fig. 5 is a rear view of the pendant of Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the pendant of Fig. 5 taken along line 6-6.
  • Fig. 7 is a partial cutout plan view of a pen embodiment in accord with the present invention.
  • Fig. 8 is an enlarged end view of the pen of Fig. 7 taken along the line 8-8.
  • Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an optical data carrier having a disk-shape in accord with Figs. 1-6.
  • a wrist watch 11 having a face 13 and a wristband 15 as is conven ⁇ tional.
  • a bezel is provided to hold a protective trans- parent lens 27 above the watch face 13.
  • the data carrier 17 is on the back of the watch oppo ⁇ site the face 13.
  • the data carrier 17 is removably attached to the back of the watch 11. In this case, a threaded screw arrangement is illustrated.
  • oth ⁇ er methods for mounting the data carrier 17 to the watch 11 are also known, such as interference fit and bayonet mountings.
  • Locating holes 23 are also provided and may be used in conjunction with a tool for removing the data carrier 17 or may be used to position the data carrier in a reader/writer device.
  • a recording layer 29 contains the optically recorded data.
  • a gap is allowed for be ⁇ tween the recording layer 29 and other members of the watch.
  • the recording layer 29 may be any of the known optical recording media.
  • a pre- ferred material is derived from a silver halide emulsion and is sold under the trademark Drexon, owned by the as ⁇ signee of the present invention.
  • Drexon owned by the as ⁇ signee of the present invention.
  • a tapered circum ⁇ ferential edge 33 is provided. It is noted that the re- cording layer 29 is protected from the environment when mounted to the watch 11.
  • Figs. 4-6 illustrate that disk-shaped data car ⁇ riers may be integrated with items of jewelry, such as a pendant 41.
  • items of jewelry such as a pendant 41.
  • Other jewelry items may also be used, for example, bracelets, earrings and belt buckles.
  • the pendant 41 has a conventional front side 43 and an eyelet 45.
  • a data carrier 47 similar to the data carrier 17, is integrated with the back of the pend ⁇ ant 41.
  • the data carrier 47 is provided with fin- ger recesses 49, a bridge 51, and locating holes 53.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates the feature that more than one data carrier may be mounted to the pendant 41.
  • two data carriers 47 and 48 are shown mounted together by threads 57.
  • Data carrier 48 differs from data carrier 47 in that it has been adapted to accept a data carrier, as is shown.
  • a threaded extension 59 allows the data carrier 47 to be integrated with the data carrier 48. In this manner several data carriers can be grouped together.
  • a pen 61 has a conventional structure with a cap 63, a pocket clip 71 and a main body 65.
  • the main body 65 is comprised of two members, a writing member 67 and a bar ⁇ rel member 69. These two members 67 and 69 are combined by screw threads 85. Further, in this embodiment, the writing member 67 and the barrel member 69 may be sepa ⁇ rated by unscrewing the two members. However this is not necessary as will be explained below.
  • the barrel member 69 When separated the barrel member 69 has a bot ⁇ tom end 73 and a top end 75. A conical recess 77 is pro- vided in each end so that the barrel member 69 may be placed in a reader/writer device with proper alignment. A locating hole 79 is also provided for a proper posi ⁇ tioning of the barrel member in a reader/writer device.
  • FIG. 8 Features of the bottom end 73 are shown in detail in Fig. 8. As noted above, it is not necessary that the writing member 67 be separable from the barrel member if the reader/writer device is adapted to receive the top end of the writing member 67 with or without the cap 63.
  • the barrel member 69 is essentially made up of two coaxial cylinders, a transmissive outer cylinder 81 and an optical recording cylinder 83.
  • the outer transmissive cylinder 81 serves to protect the recording cylinder 83.
  • the outer cylinder 81 may be made of any impact resistant clear plastic.
  • the recording cylinder 83 may be made of any of the known optical recording media as previously discussed. Thus far, the data carriers have been shown in a stored condition.
  • Fig. 9 shows a disk-shaped data car ⁇ rier 91 separate from the article to which it is inte ⁇ grated when being stored.
  • the data carrier 91 When separated from the arti- cle the data carrier 91 acts as a mini-diskette which can be placed in a reader/writer device. Data storage and writing takes place on recording surface 93 which is coated with an optical recording material.
  • the diameter of the data carrier 91 typically will be within the range of 1 to 2 inches.
  • a tapered edge 97 is provided for aid ⁇ ing in centering the data carrier in a reader/writer de ⁇ vice. Screw threads are also provided as discussed with relation to Figs. 1-6. Because of the unique size and features of the data carrier, reader/writer devices would need to be adapted to make use of the features in ⁇ corporated in these data carriers.
  • the data written onto the data carrier 91 will generally be in a digital format. This does not present a problem because many documents and other information are originally produced digitally and if not are readily converted to a digital format. Conversion to a digital format may be done by either forming a bitmap for each page of a document using an optical scanner or digital camera, or using optical recognition software to convert the information into a digital record.
  • data carriers of this type can hold 5 to 20 megabytes of data.
  • the integration of such a large storage capacity with personal articles, that are commonly worn or carried by a person provides an unex- pectedly convenient and useful means for storing all of one's important information. This would then enable one to carry with them a record of such things as their will, insurance and banking information, medical records, fami ⁇ ly records and other such valuable information, and to do it at relatively low cost.

Abstract

A convenient means for carrying personal information is provided by integrating an optical data carrier (17, 47, 48, 83) with normal, everyday, personally carried (61) or worn articles (11, 41). The optical data carrier (17, 47, 83) has a recording surface which may be either disk (91) or drum-shaped (83). The data carrier is demountably attached to such articles as wrist watches (Figs. 1-3), pendants, bracelets, earrings, belt buckles (Figs. 4-6), pens, and pencils (Figs. 7-8). In the case of disk-shaped data carriers, screw threads (31, 57, 95) may be used to demountably attach the data carriers to personally carried or worn articles. When demounted from the article the optical data carrier may be inserted into a reader/writer device. In this way the information stored on the data carrier may be read, appended to or changed. The storage capacity of such devices is in the several megabyte range. Thus, large amounts of information may be conveniently and safely stored in this manner.

Description

Description
Personally Carried Optical Data Storage Devices
Technical Field
The present invention relates to optical stor¬ age devices and in particular data storage devices asso¬ ciated with personally carried articles.
Background Art
Data cards are an example of a convenient man¬ ner for compactly storing, accessing and transferring large amounts of information. Data cards come in many forms and have many uses such as credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, medical cards, and other such devices.
The amount of data that can be stored on these cards depends in part on the method and media used for storing the data. Magnetic strip data cards are in com¬ mon use, however the amount of data which can be stored on such strips is generally limited to the equivalent of a couple of lines of text. This amount of storage capac¬ ity is generally sufficient for identification purposes and perhaps to maintain a transaction account balance. Smart cards, i.e. cards with embedded integrated cir¬ cuits, provide a somewhat larger storage capacity than magnetic cards, but still generally offer only a limited amount of storage capacity. Typically smart cards have enough capacity to store the equivalent of a couple of pages of text. However, smart cards may provide a data processing capability. Smart cards are at present rela¬ tively expensive and difficult to manufacture. Optical data cards have also been designed. This type of data card can hold significant amounts of data, equivalent to a couple of thousand pages of text and perhaps more. Optical cards are relatively inexpensive to produce. Some of the difficulties associated with data cards are that they may be misplaced, lost or stolen. Moreover, these cards are susceptible to damage since they are typically carried with their recording surface or electrical contacts exposed. Magnetic and smart cards are also susceptible to damage from magnetic and electri¬ cal fields.
Another common method of carrying personal in¬ formation comes in the form of bracelets and necklaces. These have had particular application for identification and emergency medical purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,660, discloses a medical alert bracelet which bears the person's medical condition and contains a sup¬ ply of emergency medication. Data carriers of this type provide a convenient method for carrying information on one's person, such as a medical condition. However the amount of information available has been very limited and has been confined to visual displays.
The above discussed devices, while providing limited information, have proved very useful, in particu¬ lar in identification and emergency medical situations. However, there still exists an unfulfilled need for pro¬ viding a convenient and safe means for persons to carry large amounts of information. A growing concern, particularly among older persons, is the preparation, organization and safe keep¬ ing of important documents, such as wills, insurance policies, financial accounts, and the like. The need to use information contained in documents of the type listed above is generally infrequent, but ready access to such information is still important. Moreover, documents of this type are often not kept in the same storage place. Nor are some of these storage places particularly safe. For instance, many people keep these documents at home in desk drawers, cardboard boxes, closets and other places. Such storage places put the documents in danger of being misplaced, stolen or destroyed. Even when safe storage is provided, such as in a safe deposit box, access to the documents is limited and the existence of the safe depos¬ it box may be unknown to others who may need access to those documents.
It is also important to be able to change or append to the information contained in such documents, even though the need to do so is generally infrequent. Hence, convenience, organization, safety and accessibili¬ ty are important factors to consider in relation to im¬ portant personal documents as well as other types of in- formation.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to devise data storage devices which are convenient to carry on a person and which have a large storage capacity. It is another object of the present invention to provide data storage devices which protect the data while being stored.
It is yet another object of the present inven¬ tion to provide data storage devices which allow the stored data to be readily accessible to reading and re¬ cording devices for reading and appending information to the data storage device.
Summary of the Invention The above objects have been achieved by inte¬ grating an optical storage medium with normal, everyday, personally carried or worn articles. In one embodiment, the optical recording medium is contained on a surface of a disk-shaped data carrier. With this embodiment, the data carrier may be integrated with such personally worn articles as wrist watches, bracelets and pendants. Inte¬ grating the data carrier and the article may be accom¬ plished by using a threaded screw type fastener arrange¬ ment or some other means. With the disk-shaped embodiment it is intended that the data carrier act as a mini-diskette which is operated by rotation. Hence, the data carrier itself includes a means for centering the data carrier in a disk drive. This may be accomplished by providing a tapered edge to the data carrier or by placing locating holes in the data carrier. A data carrier of this type could con¬ tain five to twenty megabytes of data. More than suffi- cient storage capacity to contain one's entire medical history, medical test results, will, insurance policies, and other important information and documents.
A second embodiment of the present invention comes in the form of a drum-type optical data carrier. in this embodiment, the optical media would be formed into cylinders, which could be integrated into personal items such as ballpoint pens and pencils. The embodiment would include a main cylinder body which would be impact resistant and optically clear. The recording media would be located coaxial to and inside the main cylinder body. The data storage element of this embodiment may be sepa¬ rated from the writing portion, so that it may be placed in an optical reader/writer. For example, by locating the data carrier in the barrel of a pen. This type of recording shape is capable of being rotated at high speed about its axis and has a storage capacity similar to or greater than the disk-shaped data carrier.
The optical media used in either embodiment may be of two basic types: erasable or permanent recording media. Either type may be used. There are many known materials of either type which are suitable for use in the present invention. Formatting of the recording sur¬ face may be accomplished during product manufacturing or by the reader/writer device itself. A primary advantage of the present invention is that a convenient means is provided for carrying a vast amount of information on one's person. Indeed, the inte¬ grated personal articles are of a nature which persons routinely wear or carry with them. Therefore, the infor- mation stored with these articles is on or near the per¬ son for most of the day. Hence, the information and the person do not often become separated. It follows then that the present invention has particular application as either a primary or secondary record. Moreover, the present invention provides a means for protecting the data while it is being carried. Another advantage is that physical contact is not required for either reading or writing on the storage device, nor do electrical and magnetic fields affect the device. Yet another advantage is that the storage device is made readily accessible for machine reading and writing, so that the information stored on the device may be used, shared, and appended to or changed.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of a wrist watch embodi¬ ment in accord with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the wrist watch of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the wrist watch of Fig. 2 taken along line 3-3.
Fig. 4 is a front view of a pendant embodiment in accord with the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a rear view of the pendant of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the pendant of Fig. 5 taken along line 6-6.
Fig. 7 is a partial cutout plan view of a pen embodiment in accord with the present invention.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged end view of the pen of Fig. 7 taken along the line 8-8.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an optical data carrier having a disk-shape in accord with Figs. 1-6.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Referring to Figs. 1-3 a wrist watch 11 is shown having a face 13 and a wristband 15 as is conven¬ tional. A bezel is provided to hold a protective trans- parent lens 27 above the watch face 13. Integrated with the wrist watch 11 is a data carrier 17, as shown in Fig.. 2. The data carrier 17 is on the back of the watch oppo¬ site the face 13. The data carrier 17 is removably attached to the back of the watch 11. In this case, a threaded screw arrangement is illustrated. However, oth¬ er methods for mounting the data carrier 17 to the watch 11 are also known, such as interference fit and bayonet mountings.
To aid in removing the data carrier 17 from the back of the watch 11 finger recesses 19 and bridge 21 are provided. Locating holes 23 are also provided and may be used in conjunction with a tool for removing the data carrier 17 or may be used to position the data carrier in a reader/writer device.
Details of the data carrier 17 may be seen more clearly in Fig. 3. The data carrier is shown securely mounted to the watch body 25 by use of threads 31. A recording layer 29 contains the optically recorded data. When secured to the watch 11, a gap is allowed for be¬ tween the recording layer 29 and other members of the watch. As discussed previously, the recording layer 29 may be any of the known optical recording media. A pre- ferred material is derived from a silver halide emulsion and is sold under the trademark Drexon, owned by the as¬ signee of the present invention. To aid in centering the data carrier in a reader/writer device, a tapered circum¬ ferential edge 33 is provided. It is noted that the re- cording layer 29 is protected from the environment when mounted to the watch 11.
Figs. 4-6 illustrate that disk-shaped data car¬ riers may be integrated with items of jewelry, such as a pendant 41. Other jewelry items may also be used, for example, bracelets, earrings and belt buckles. As shown, the pendant 41 has a conventional front side 43 and an eyelet 45. However, a data carrier 47, similar to the data carrier 17, is integrated with the back of the pend¬ ant 41. Again the data carrier 47 is provided with fin- ger recesses 49, a bridge 51, and locating holes 53.
Fig. 6 illustrates the feature that more than one data carrier may be mounted to the pendant 41. Here two data carriers 47 and 48 are shown mounted together by threads 57. Data carrier 48 differs from data carrier 47 in that it has been adapted to accept a data carrier, as is shown. A threaded extension 59 allows the data carrier 47 to be integrated with the data carrier 48. In this manner several data carriers can be grouped together.
Turning now to Figs. 7-8, a second embodiment is shown, in which the data carrier has a tubular shape. This enables optical data carriers to be integrated with items such as a pen or pencil. In the example shown, a pen 61 has a conventional structure with a cap 63, a pocket clip 71 and a main body 65. The main body 65 is comprised of two members, a writing member 67 and a bar¬ rel member 69. These two members 67 and 69 are combined by screw threads 85. Further, in this embodiment, the writing member 67 and the barrel member 69 may be sepa¬ rated by unscrewing the two members. However this is not necessary as will be explained below.
When separated the barrel member 69 has a bot¬ tom end 73 and a top end 75. A conical recess 77 is pro- vided in each end so that the barrel member 69 may be placed in a reader/writer device with proper alignment. A locating hole 79 is also provided for a proper posi¬ tioning of the barrel member in a reader/writer device. Features of the bottom end 73 are shown in detail in Fig. 8. As noted above, it is not necessary that the writing member 67 be separable from the barrel member if the reader/writer device is adapted to receive the top end of the writing member 67 with or without the cap 63.
The features of the barrel member 69 are shown most clearly in a cutout section near the bottom of Fig. 7. The barrel member 69 is essentially made up of two coaxial cylinders, a transmissive outer cylinder 81 and an optical recording cylinder 83. The outer transmissive cylinder 81 serves to protect the recording cylinder 83. The outer cylinder 81 may be made of any impact resistant clear plastic. The recording cylinder 83 may be made of any of the known optical recording media as previously discussed. Thus far, the data carriers have been shown in a stored condition. Fig. 9 shows a disk-shaped data car¬ rier 91 separate from the article to which it is inte¬ grated when being stored. When separated from the arti- cle the data carrier 91 acts as a mini-diskette which can be placed in a reader/writer device. Data storage and writing takes place on recording surface 93 which is coated with an optical recording material. The diameter of the data carrier 91 typically will be within the range of 1 to 2 inches. A tapered edge 97 is provided for aid¬ ing in centering the data carrier in a reader/writer de¬ vice. Screw threads are also provided as discussed with relation to Figs. 1-6. Because of the unique size and features of the data carrier, reader/writer devices would need to be adapted to make use of the features in¬ corporated in these data carriers.
The data written onto the data carrier 91 will generally be in a digital format. This does not present a problem because many documents and other information are originally produced digitally and if not are readily converted to a digital format. Conversion to a digital format may be done by either forming a bitmap for each page of a document using an optical scanner or digital camera, or using optical recognition software to convert the information into a digital record.
As noted above, data carriers of this type can hold 5 to 20 megabytes of data. The integration of such a large storage capacity with personal articles, that are commonly worn or carried by a person, provides an unex- pectedly convenient and useful means for storing all of one's important information. This would then enable one to carry with them a record of such things as their will, insurance and banking information, medical records, fami¬ ly records and other such valuable information, and to do it at relatively low cost.

Claims

Claims
1. An optical data storage device adapted to become in¬ tegral with personally carried articles comprising, an optical data carrier having an optical re¬ cording surface, mounting means associated with the optical data carrier for demountably securing the data carrier to a personally carried article selected from the class of jewelry, horology devices and writing implements, the joinder of the data carrier to the personally carried article providing protection to the recording surface.
2. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said opti¬ cal data is machine readable.
3. The data storage device of claim 2 wherein said data carrier includes means for aiding alignment of said data carrier in a data reading device which provides rotation to said data carrier.
4. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said opti¬ cal data is updatable.
5. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said data carrier is disk-shaped.
6. The data storage device of claim 5 wherein said per¬ sonally carried article is one of a wrist watch and a pendant adapted to receive the disk-shaped data carrier.
7.' The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said data carrier is drum shaped.
8. The data storage device of claim 7 wherein said per¬ sonally carried article is one of a pen and a pencil.
9. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said means for removably securing is accomplished by one of threaded screw, bayonet and interference fit implementations.
10. An optical data storage device adapted to become integral with a personally carried article comprising: a circular optical data carrier having a gener¬ ally flat, disk-shaped recording surface made of a direct read after write (DRAW) material, the optical data being machine readable and being updatable on the recording surface, means associated with the data carrier for de¬ mountably securing the data carrier to a personally"car¬ ried article selected from the class of jewelry and ho¬ rology devices, the recording surface being protected when the data carrier is secured to the personally car¬ ried article, and centering means provided on the data carrier for aligning the data carrier in an optical disk reader.
11. The data storage device of claim 10 wherein said personally carried article is one of a watch and a pen¬ dant.
12. The data storage device of claim 11 wherein said means for demountably securing said data carrier and said personally carried article is provided by one of threaded screw, bayonet, and interference fit implementations.
13. The data storage device of claim 12 wherein said data carrier has opposite said recording surface a con¬ toured surface adapted for aiding removal of said data carrier from said personally carried article.
14. The data storage device of claim 10 wherein said circular optical data carrier further includes means for receiving another circular optical data carrier.
15. An optical data storage device adapted to become integral with a personally carried article comprising: a cylindrical optical data carrier having a tubular recording surface made of a direct read after write (DRAW) material, the optical data being machine readable and being updatable on the recording surface, the tubular recording surface being housed within and coaxial with a transparent outer cylinder, writing means in operative association with the data carrier for providing a hand-held writing instru¬ ment, and centering means provided on the data carrier for aligning the data carrier in an optical re'ader for rotation about its axis.
16. The data storage device of claim 15 wherein said writing means and data carrier are removably coupled by a threaded screw fastening arrangement.
17. The data storage device of claim 16 wherein said centering means comprises a pair of conical ends located at the ends of the tubular data carrier.
PCT/US1991/002812 1990-05-07 1991-04-24 Personally carried optical data storage devices WO1991017542A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US52120990A 1990-05-07 1990-05-07
US521,209 1990-05-07

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US5615111A (en) * 1994-05-23 1997-03-25 Solefound, Inc. Record and playback means for footwear
US5731629A (en) * 1995-03-10 1998-03-24 Data-Disk Technology, Inc. Personal memory devices carried by an individual which can be read and written to
EP0694869A3 (en) * 1994-07-28 2000-07-19 ROTRING INTERNATIONAL GMBH & Co KG Holder for data carrier
WO2002039602A2 (en) * 2000-11-11 2002-05-16 Junghans Uhren Gmbh Housing for an emergency call transmitter

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US3915294A (en) * 1973-06-08 1975-10-28 William E Crosby Personal microfilm medical record assembly
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US5615111A (en) * 1994-05-23 1997-03-25 Solefound, Inc. Record and playback means for footwear
EP0694869A3 (en) * 1994-07-28 2000-07-19 ROTRING INTERNATIONAL GMBH & Co KG Holder for data carrier
US5731629A (en) * 1995-03-10 1998-03-24 Data-Disk Technology, Inc. Personal memory devices carried by an individual which can be read and written to
WO2002039602A2 (en) * 2000-11-11 2002-05-16 Junghans Uhren Gmbh Housing for an emergency call transmitter
WO2002039602A3 (en) * 2000-11-11 2002-10-10 Junghans Uhren Gmbh Housing for an emergency call transmitter
US6987708B2 (en) 2000-11-11 2006-01-17 Junghans Uhren Gmbh Emergency call transmitter incorporated in a wristwatch

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