1. A method of applying a data encoding pattern to a product, the method comprising:
providing a product with a content;
modifying the reflectivity of the content at a predetermined wavelength; and
applying the pattern to the product,
the method being such that the pattern is distinguishable from the content at the predetermined wavelength.
2. A method according to claim 1 comprising applying content and to the product, the method comprising:
applying the content to a substrate.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the content and the pattern are formed from the same marking medium.
4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the reflectivity of the content is modified by applying a filter material over the content.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the filter material is applied to the substrate as a liquid.
6. A method according to claim 4 wherein the filter material is applied to the substrate as a pre-formed sheet.
7. A method according to claim 4 wherein the pattern is applied to the filter material after the filter material has been applied to the substrate.
8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the pattern is applied to the document with the filter material.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the pattern is applied to the filter material and the filter material is applied to the product with the content on it.
10. Apparatus for use in producing a document having content and data encoding pattern thereon, the apparatus comprising a printing system arranged to print the content onto a substrate and a reflectivity modifying system arranged to modify the reflectivity of the content at a predetermined wavelength, such that the pattern is distinguishable from the content at the predetermined wavelength.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the reflectivity modifying system comprises a filter material application system arranged to apply a filter material over the content to reduce the reflectivity of the content.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the reflectivity modifying system is arranged to apply the filter material as a liquid.
13. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the reflectivity modifying system is arranged to apply the filter material as a preformed sheet.
14. Apparatus according to claim 10 further arranged to apply the data encoding pattern to the document.
15. Apparatus according to claim 14 arranged to apply the pattern to the filter material.
16. A product comprising a substrate having content thereon, a data encoding pattern, and filter material between the data encoding pattern and the content, wherein the content is between the substrate and the filter material.
17. A product according to claim 16 wherein the content and the pattern are both formed from materials having substantially the same reflectivity at a predetermined wavelength, and the filter material is arranged to filter out light at that predetermined wavelength.
18. A product according to claim 17 wherein the content and the pattern are both formed of materials that have a high absorption and low reflectivity at the predetermined wavelength.
19. A product having content thereon, a data encoding pattern, and filter material between the data encoding pattern and the content, wherein the filter material overlaps with the content on at least a part of the product.
20. A method according to claim 1, whereby the pattern is applied to the product so as to overlap with the content on at least a part of the product
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-12. (canceled)
13. A method for executing at least one application to which access by a user is controlled by the provision of credentials assigned to said user, said method including:
(a) determining whether a match exists between first credentials stored in a first memory section and second credentials supplied by a user; and
(b) authorizing access to said application in response to an identified match between said first credentials stored in said first memory unit and said second credentials supplied by the user via a security device that is personal to the user and that includes a second memory section for storage of the second credentials; and
(c) performing at least some credentials management comprising:
reading said second credentials stored in said second memory section in response to presentation of a request to access said application,
selectively activating automatic generation and automatic loading into said first and second memory section of new credentials replacing previously stored versions of said first and second credentials, and
activating automatically said credentials updating each time a match of said first and second credentials has been identified.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein step (b) includes authorizing access to said application in response to identification in step (a) of a match between said first and second credentials.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said second memory section stores a first identification code of said user, said personal security device comprises an identification code validation section, said method further comprising:
applying a second identification code to said personal security device, and authorizing access to said personal security device in response to identification of a match between said first and second identification codes.
16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said credentials management includes activating said automatic generation and said automatic loading of said new credentials without communicating said new credentials to said user.
17. The method according to claim 13, wherein said credentials management includes activating said automatic generation and said automatic loading of said new credentials upon authorization of access by said access control section.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said credentials management includes:
dating and loading into at least one of said first and second memory sections the date at which said credentials are generated, and
inhibiting generation of said new credentials until a particular time has elapsed since the generation of previous versions of said credentials stored in said first and second memory sections.