Method and apparatus for editing and reading invisible encoded information

摘要

An object bearing a two-dimensional visible image on an image field of a non-planar and curved object surface in at least one dimension also bears an encodement of encoded information recorded in a symbology of a material that is invisible to the eye and over a substantial portion of the image field. The invisible encodement includes curved encodement portions due to the curvature of the non-planar image field. The symbology of the encodement is adapted to be imaged as a planar symbology image by a planar imager that is sensitive to the invisible material and is disposed in use generally normal to and at a predetermined distance from a central point of the two-dimensional visible image. The recorded symbology is adjusted from point to point in the image field during recording of the invisible encodement by an encodement recording system to compensate for distortion of the symbology introduced by imaging the curved symbology portions as the planar symbology image. In an encodement reader system, the encodement is captured by the planar imager and decoded and then reproduced as aural and/or visual information. <IMAGE>