Abstract:
System for issuing and developing investiture certificates and other documents for highlighting and memorializing significant and special life events, and for conferring titles or standings. A series of logically connected/hyperlinked options permit the user to customize an investiture certificate or other document issued by the system. Such investiture certificates/documents may be produced on a variety of materials, including regular or fine paper, parchment, wood, glass, plastic, leather, etc. A first level of options includes borders, text, designs, and materials, and, optionally, surface finish. Second level options are tailored to each of the first level options. The present system produces a palpable representation of legally conferred titles and standings, and may only be issued upon the authorization of a person or entity having the authority to do so.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the production of investiture certificates and other documents. In particular, the present invention relates to the production and issuance of investiture certificates and other documents for the purpose of highlighting and memorializing significant and special life events, including the adoption or birth of a child. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE KNOWN ART 
     United States patents which may relate generally to the design and production of certificates include the following. U.S. Pat. No. 1,656,928 to Wheeler discloses a process of producing superimposed embossing designs on plates and other articles of manufacture. The process consists of first embossing one design upon a base, followed by applying a coating to the embossed surface. The second design may then be embossed over the coated first design. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,077 to Wolowitz describes a way to produce an identification plate with an area bearing the customer&#39;s name, address, account number, and any other related constant or source data (for example, the amount of a sales transaction) in an arrangement in which such data are adapted to be printed directly onto a tabulating card. The tabulating card, in turn, is designed to decrease “human error” types of mistakes that tend to result from hand printing, for example, when transcribing data for accounting or other purposes. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,960 to Dilsner et al. discloses a method for enabling data to be encoded on printed record media simultaneously with the printing of uncoded information thereon and with the same equipment, such as a high speed computer printer. In addition, a means is provided for representing characters in coded form on record media without the use of special encoding equipment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,924 to Oka, et al. discloses a method of making identification cards with engraved and unengraved parts, including characters and designs and/or embossings in black-and-white and/or color. The relative surface areas of the engraved and unengraved parts reflect various factors, including depths of engraving lines and points, color thickness and luster, etc., and determine the quality and characteristics of the resulting images. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,225 to Sitzber discloses a method of making a multitude of badges, each of which bears indicia common to all, as well as indicia unique and exclusive to each individual badge. Badge blanks are first imprinted with common indicia (for example, name of a convention or sponsoring organization), and subsequently additionally processed for unique indicia (for example, the wearer&#39;s name and company or organization) by electrostatic or photocopying processes. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,777 to Holbein, et al. discloses a means of making identification cards using lasers, chemical reactions, etc. A card carrier is first treated to produce thereon blue, green and red color layers—each only a few μm in thickness. Appropriate portions of each of the color layers are then vaporized off, using a controlled laser, to create the desired image. In addition, the laser can heat the card carrier portion to create “random” or unpredictable discoloration patterns so as to greatly increase the difficulty of counterfeiting. Similarly, chemical reactions can contribute to the visual effects of the final product. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,197 to Fischer discloses an interactive word processing system that permits the user flexibility in defining document geometry and data presentation characteristics (for example, embedded quotes, columns of numeric data, margins, tabs, paragraph indentations, use of italics, boldface, underlining, etc.) associated with non-contiguous portions of the document. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,467 to Kubota et al. discloses a method applicable to printing leaflets, catalogs, etc., where all of the processes are computer aided, including design and layout, production of color-separated films, preparing press/printing plates, proofing, and printing. This method permits easy modification at any stage up to the final printing. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,123 to Davidson, et al. discloses a method and apparatus for creating and producing custom card products, including greeting, commemorative and other cards, as well as invitations, business cards, stationery, address labels, legal forms, bumper stickers, calendars, plaques, books, certificates, directional signs, etc. 
     What is needed is a modern investiture certificate issuing system to facilitate the formal and/or “official” bestowal of titles and standings to commemorate important life events, such as the birth or adoption of a child or other especially significant event. Thus, there is a need for a system to issue and certify official titles, ranks, honors and standings in investiture certificate form. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, and highlights, enhances, embellishes and memorializes the commemorative process for a special event. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, and formally bestows titles and standings to commemorate important events of one&#39;s life. 
     It is further object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, and permanently commemorating official titles, ranks, honors and standings. 
     It also is an object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, such that the titles, standings, etc., that are conferred are done so only by a person or entity with specific authority to do so, such as a son to a grandparent a daughter to an uncle, etc. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, and, due to its diverse features and capabilities, enables the user to fashion investiture certificates reflecting a large range of styles and arrangement of elements to meet virtually any functional, stylistic or artistic need, including graphics (including calligraphy and “clip art” options), reproduction of photographs and art works, production of “water marks,” embossing, gilding, engraving, etc. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an investiture certificate developing and issuing system that legalizes the confirmation of a title by citing the authority, and permits the user to choose among a range of options as to the size of the issued investiture certificate and the material on which the investiture certificate is printed or otherwise reproduced. 
     The present invention fills the need for a modern investiture certificate issuing system, in particular a system that utilizes the many features and capabilities that are readily available with current software and hardware options. As but one example, when a child is born or adopted, upon exercise by the father, the present invention issues an official investiture certificate to one or more selected parties related to the child. Such official certificates relating to the birth of a child can be viewed as palpable representations of prescriptive rights, including, for the example of the birth of a child, such titles/standings as “aunt,” “uncle,” “grandfather,” “grandmother,” “god mother,” “god father,” “brother,” “step brother” or “half brother,” “sister,” “step sister” or “half sister,” “great aunt,” “great uncle,” “great grand father,” “great grand mother,” “cousin,” etc. Such titles usually will constitute a legal standing, that, thereafter, “officially” can be used forever, and can only be created by a particular person or entity having proper authority, such as the father (including a sperm donor in an artificial insemination context), the mother, the surrogate mother, the physician who delivered the baby, the president or chairman of the board, the firm, etc. The official investiture certificates produced by the present system may further include graphic, artistic, photographic and highly stylized features (such as fancy calligraphy), as well as options as to the material on which the certificates are issued (for example, parchment, leather, fine paper, fabric, plastic, rubber, glass, etc.). The resulting documents are suitable for framing or other kinds of formal or informal display. The present invention also includes the issuing of investiture certificates relating to other life events, for example, graduation from high school, middle school, grade school, college, trade school, medical school, law school, etc., as well as achievement of certain significant benchmarks, such as tenure for a teacher or professor, promotion in the work place, achievement of a sales goal for an individual salesperson, a company, a division, a class, a school, a team, etc. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a sample certificate commemorating the birth of a child by conferring the title “AUNT.” 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a sample certificate commemorating the birth of a child by conferring the title “GOD MOTHER.” 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a sample certificate of achievement commemorating the graduation of a son from college. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a sample certificate commemorating the promotion of a worker in a company. 
     FIG. 5-A illustrates a touch screen control panel showing first and second levels of options for producing certificates. 
     FIG. 5-B illustrates a summary of logic order relative to levels of options of logically connected touch screens. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a touch screen control panel showing first and second level options for producing certificates, as well as third level options that are logically connected to second level option “Award/Title,” which is logically connected to first level option TEXT. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates touch screen control third level options that are logically connected to second level options “Single Border” and “Multiple Borders,” which, in turn, are logically connected to first level option “BORDERS.” 
     FIG. 8 illustrates touch screen control third level options that are logically connected to second level option “Name,” which, in turn, is logically connected to first level option “TEXT.” 
     FIG. 9 illustrates touch screen control third level options that are logically connected to second level options “Single Design” and “Multiple Designs,” which, in turn, are logically connected to first level option “DESIGNS.” 
     FIG. 10 illustrates touch screen control fourth level options that are logically connected to third level options “Clip Art,” “photograph,” and “Water Mark,” which, in turn, are logically connected to second level options “Single Design” and “Multiple Designs” of first level option “DESIGNS.” 
     FIG. 11 illustrates touch screen control third level options that are logically connected to second level options “Commemoration,” “Award/Title,” “Signature,” and “Others,” which are logically connected to first level option “TEXT.” In addition, these touch screen control options may function as fifth level touch screen control options by being logically connected to the third level options of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 12 illustrates touch screen control fourth level options that are logically connected to third level options “Design,” “Gilding,” “Embossing,” “Engraving,” and “Clip Art” of FIG.  7 . In addition, these touch screen options may serve as fourth level options that are logically connected to the third level options of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 illustrates touch screen control fifth (or other) level options that are logically connected, for example, to fourth level options of FIG. 12 (BORDERS), or to fourth level options of FIG. 10 (DESIGN); or fourth level options that are logically connected to third level options of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 14 illustrates a sample investiture certificate that confers the title “GRANDFATHER.” 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The scope of the present invention can be better understood by reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, parts of a possible certificate are shown, including Name or type of certificate area  100 , Commemoration text area  104 , Award/Title area  106 , Signature area  108 , single Border  110 , and remaining areas that are available for Other text or graphics  112 . Also shown is a graphics option Shadow  102 , here used with the Name  100  of the certificate. The embodiment shown is designed to bestow the Award/Title of “Aunt” to Ms. Reynes of newborn Gianna Smith. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment is shown in which newborn Gianna Smith bestows the Award/Title of “God Mother” to Ms. Radner. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment is shown in which parents Jon and Sally Smith confer a title upon their son Jon, Jr. to commemorate his graduation from college. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, an embodiment is shown in which a company honors an employee by promoting him to the position “First Vice President.” 
     Referring to FIG. 5-A, touch screen control panel  500  with nonlimiting first level features section  540 , nonlimiting second level features section  542 , and nonlimiting details section  550 , which displays third, fourth and other levels of options based on selections made from first and second level sections  540  and  542 , and from section  550  in the case of third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh level features, etc. First level features section  540  presents nonlimiting first options BORDERS  502 , TEXT  504 , DESIGNS  506 , and MATERIAL  508 . 
     The first level BORDERS option  502  is used to control the style and number of borders  110 , such as the Single Border embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . Nonlimiting second level options Single Border selection  520  and Multiple Borders selection  522  (i.e., a series of one or more internal borders nested within an outermost border) are shown within second level features section  542 . 
     Likewise, with respect to first level selection TEXT  504 , representative and nonlimiting second level options are shown for Name  524  of the certificate selection (for specifying the name or type of certificate in area  100  of FIG.  1 ), Commemoration text selection  526  (for specifying the text used for the commemoration in area  104  of FIG.  1 ), Award/Title selection  528  (for specifying the award or title to be conferred or bestowed in area  106  of FIG.  1 ), Signature selection  530  (for specifying attributes for signature area  108  of FIG.  1 ), and Other text selection  532  (to be situated in other available space  112  of FIG.  1 ). 
     In addition, with respect to first level selection DESIGNS  506 , second level options are shown for Single Design selection  534  (for a single design feature to be situated in other available space  112  of FIG.  1 ), and Multiple Design selection  536  (for a plurality of design features to be situated in other available space  112  of FIG.  1 ). 
     Furthermore, with respect to first level selection MATERIAL  508 , exemplary and nonlimiting second level options are shown as Leather  538  (where leather refers to any material made from an animal skin or an animal&#39;s outer protective shell or other skin analog), Parchment  560 , Fine Paper  562 , Regular Paper  564 , Glass  566 , and Plastic  568 . Additional options include Rubber, Stone, Metal, Wood (to include other nonlimiting plant-derived products, such as leaves and bark), Other (to include materials such as teeth, bones, etc.), and Mixed Material (to include two or more materials). 
     Referring to FIG. 5-B, the logic order is presented for options of logically connected touch screen selection panels (achieved, for example, by hyper-linking), for example, in reference to FIG. 5-A. The rank order is from highest order of level (first) to lowest order of level (second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or lower). Thus, in one embodiment, first level features BORDERS  502  and DESIGNS  506  of FIG. 5-A have two logically connected second level touch screen options, and first level features TEXT  504  and MATERIAL  508  have, respectively, five and six logically connected second level touch screen options. When a higher order level of touch screen selection is chosen by touching the screen area corresponding to that higher order level, the logically connected next-lower order level is activated (and, for example, also is highlighted to facilitate the user recognizing his options) to permit the user to select the options necessary to achieve his desired final product. The Windows® feature of computer software is an example of this kind of logical connection. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, an example is shown in which details screen section  550  is shown with representative and nonlimiting third level selections logically connected to second level Award/Title text selection  528  of FIG. 5-A. Other nonlimiting selections include such Awards/Titles as brother, half brother or step brother, sister, half sister or step sister, cousin, grand father, grand mother, great aunt, great uncle, great grand father, great grand mother, surrogate mother, vice president, chief executive officer or CEO, chief financial officer or CFO, treasurer, chief bottle washer, master chef, master mechanic, chief chef, etc. The third level selections shown in details screen section  550  of FIG. 6 appear automatically following the sequential selection of first level Text  504  and second level Award/Title  528  of FIG. 5-A. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, representative and nonlimiting third level Borders selections (for both Single and Multiple border selections) are shown with representative and nonlimiting third level selections for Design  700  (i.e., selection of the desired style and design elements), Gilding  702  (i.e., whether gold gilding is desired), Embossing  704 , Engraving  706 , Color  708 , and Clip Art  710 . With third level selections such as Embossing, Engraving and Color, fourth level selections logically connected thereto would include such representative and nonlimiting aspects as which areas of the border design are to be of which color, which areas are to be gilded, and which areas are to be engraved. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, representative and nonlimiting third level selections are shown for first—second logically connected selections TEXT  504 —Name  524 , which occupy area  100  in a certificate (FIG.  1 ). These selections would appear in the details or third level section  550  of a touch screen control panel following the sequential selection of first level TEXT  504  and second level Name  524 . Nonlimiting examples shown are Certificate  800 , Certificate Of Achievement  802 , Announcement  804 , Award  806 , and Promotion  808 . 
     Similar third level options would be available for Commemoration, Award/Title, Signature, and Other(s). 
     Referring to FIG. 9, representative and nonlimiting third level selections are shown for first level DESIGN, and would modify and/or create Single Design or Multiple Designs small areas within larger area  112  of a certificate (FIG.  1 ). Thus, representative and nonlimiting selections may be available as to Color  900 , Clip Art  902 , Water Mark  904 , and Photograph  906 . Alternatively, Color could be a selection in a fourth level selections list logically connected thereto, as could such options as “compress/expand horizontally,” and “compress/expand vertically” (for example, see FIG. 12 below). The third level selections of FIG. 9 appear automatically in detail screen section  550  following the sequential selection of first level DESIGNS  506  and second level option either Single Design  534  or Multiple Design  536  of FIG. 5-A. 
     In an alternative embodiment, following selection of second level Multiple Designs  536 , a third selection screen would appear in details section  550  of FIG. 5-A, including by way of nonlimiting example, selections such as “First Design,” “Second Design,” etc. In such an embodiment, the selections of FIG. 9 would become a fourth level of touch screen options, and additional options (such as those shown below in FIG. 12) could be logically connected to form a fifth or lower level of selection screen. Furthermore, additional levels of modifying options would apply to provide desired examples of Clip Art, Photographs, shapes of Water Marks, and Colors. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, representative and nonlimiting fourth level DESIGN  506  selections are presented for logically connected third level selections of FIG.  9 . The featured options are Animals  1000 , Plants  1002 , Flowers  1004 , Buildings  1006 , Objects  1008 , Natural Scenery  1010 , and Alpha Numeric  1012 . Other categories are also contemplated, such as stars and celestial bodies, abstract shapes, microscopic plant and animal anatomy, machines, trademarks, etc. In various alternative embodiments, such options may be shown as fifth level, sixth level, etc., touch screens. In addition, at least fifth level options would modify each of the above fourth level options so as to specify which kinds of animals, plants, etc. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, representative and nonlimiting third level TEXT  504  selections are presented for the logically connected second level selections  524 - 532  of FIG. 5-A, and include Font Face  1100 , Size  1102 , Underline  1104 , Italics  1105 , Color  900 , Shadowing  1114 , Rotate  1116 , Compress/Expand Horizontally  1106 , Compress/Expand Vertically  1108 , Embolden  1110 , Curve/Bend  1112 , Mirror Image About Horizontal Plane  1118 , and Mirror Image About Vertical Plane  1120 . Other categories are also contemplated, such as multiple coloring for an individual alpha numeric character, gilding, engraving, etc. 
     Referring to FIG. 12, representative and nonlimiting fourth level BORDERS  502  selections are presented for the logically connected second level selections  520  (Single Border) and  522  (Multiple Borders) of FIG. 5-A, which in turn are logically connected to third level options  700 - 710  of FIG.  7 . Thus, the Compress/Expand capabilities provided by selections  1200  and  1202  of FIG. 12 permit the user to stretch and compress clip art and other objects and elements to achieve desired special effects; and the other selection options similarly permit user manipulation for additional special effects. 
     Referring to FIG. 13, representative and nonlimiting touch screen control fifth (or other) level options that are logically connected, for example, to fourth level options of FIG. 12 (BORDERS), or to fourth level options of FIG. 10 (DESIGN); or fourth level options that are logically connected to third level options of FIG.  11 . Alternatively, or in addition, the touch screen control options of FIG. 13 may modify a feature labeled, for example, “Surface” or “Finish” that is logically connected (directly or indirectly via other logical connections) to MATERIALS; or the options of FIG. 13 may be logically connected (as a second level) to an additional first level option labeled, for example, “SURFACE” or “FINISH.” 
     Referring to FIG. 14, an embodiment is shown in which a mother, a father, and a grand child confer the title “Grandfather.” This embodiment illustrates additional creative elements, such as the choice of words, and type face. 
     The objectives of the present invention may be achieved by using computer software and hardware available in the marketplace, with programming or use of hyperlink producing software to create the hyperlinkages from one level of selection feature to the next. Printing, etching, gilding, embossing, and engraving (etc.) procedures may be effected by interfacing software with the capabilities described herein with machines for each desired mechanical feature by using software and hardware known in the art. 
     It is to be noted that the present invention includes a concept that is similar to the conferring of such titles as “Duke,” “Earl,” and “Knight” by a queen or king. However, in the present invention, persons, entities, and institutions other than a king or queen typically serve as the official authorizer of a title or standing. 
     Having thus described the basic concept of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing detailed disclosure is intended to be presented by way of example only, and is not limiting. Various alterations, improvements and modifications will occur and are intended to those skilled in the art but are not expressly stated herein. These modifications, alterations and improvements are intended to be suggested hereby, and within the scope of the invention. As but one example, the levels of screens presented herein may be varied such that a third level touch screen becomes a fourth, fifth or sixth level touch screen; a fifth level touch screen becomes a third level touch screen; etc. Likewise, additional and/or different first and second level options are envisioned. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the following claims, equivalents thereto, and inventions falling within the general scope of the present invention as interpreted in light of the present disclosure.