Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for placing and utilizing two or more indicia on a single transparency. In one embodiment, a method of using a transparency comprises, generating a composite image containing two or more indicia. The composite image includes a plurality of lines, wherein each line contains a portion of one of the two or more indicia. The plurality of lines are arranged so that at least some of the lines that make up each one of the two or more indicia are interposed between the lines that make up the other of the two or more indicia. The method further includes placing the lines that form the composite image on a transparency. A mask is used to selectively display one of the two or more indicia.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to transparencies used to convey indicia, more specifically, the present invention relates to a method of providing two or more indicia on a single transparency.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Transparences are used to convey images or indicia to an audience. For example, an overhead transparency is used in conjunction with an overhead projection device. An overhead projection device is designed to project images onto a screen or wall from the overhead transparency. Typically, the overhead transparency is placed horizontally below a projection lens and illuminated. This projects an enlarged image on the transparency to the screen or wall. There are several different methods of depositing or printing the indicia on the transparencies. For example, one method uses a laser-induced thermal transfer of materials. Another example uses exothermic heat-producing reactions to thermally transfer inks. The cost of producing each transparency is expensive. A method of reducing the cost is desired.  
           [0003]    For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a way to reduce the overall cost of producing transparencies.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0004]    The above-mentioned problems and other problems are addressed by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.  
           [0005]    In one embodiment, a method of using a transparency is disclosed. The method comprising, generating a composite image containing two or more indicia. The composite image includes a plurality of lines, wherein each line contains a portion of one of the two or more indicia. The plurality of lines are arranged so that at least some of the lines that make up each one of the two or more indicia are interposed between the lines that make up the other of the two or more indicia. The method further includes placing the lines that form the composite image on a transparency.  
           [0006]    In another embodiment, a mask for use in projecting a selected image from a transparency having a composite image is disclosed. The composite image comprises the selected image and at least one additional image. Moreover, lines of the selected image are interposed between lines of each of the additional images. The mask comprises a sheet of material having a plurality of slots and blocking strips. The blocking strips are positioned between the slots in an alternating fashion.  
           [0007]    In another embodiment, a computer-usable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving an instruction to print two or more indicia as a composite image. The method further includes, generating the composite image. In addition, each of the two or more indicia is separated into portions and all of the portions that comprise the two or more indicia are positioned in an alternating fashion in the composite image. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the description of the preferred embodiments and the following figures in which:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is diagram of a first image;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second image;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a diagram of the second image imposed on the first image;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is an illustration of a mask of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is an illustration of a mask of another embodiment;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an illustration of how the mask is aligned with the transparency of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is an illustration of how the mask is aligned with the transparency of another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is flow chart of a method to incorporate dual indicia on a single transparency in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0017]    In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote elements throughout the Figures and text.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents thereof.  
         [0019]    The present invention discloses a method of placing two indicia on one transparency sheet to reduce the overall cost. Referring to FIG. 1, a first image  100  or first indicia  100  is illustrated. The first image  100  represents a typical image that would be used on a first sheet of transparency. FIG. 2 illustrates a second image  200  or second indicia  200 . The second image  200  represents a typical image that would be used on a second sheet of transparency. Although, the first and second images  100  and  200  are illustrated as being shapes, it will be understood in the art that they could also be text, symbols, graphical images or any other type of indicia.  
         [0020]    Referring to FIG. 3, an illustration of a composite image  300  of the first and second images  100  and  200  on one transparency  306  is shown. As illustrated, in one embodiment, a portion of the first image  100  is printed on every other line starting with a first line  302  and a portion of the second image  200  is printed on every other line starting with the second line  304 . That is, every other line alternates between the first image  100  and the second image  200 . To convey one of the first or second images  100  or  200  to an audience, a mask  400  is used. An embodiment of a mask  400  is illustrated in FIG. 4. The mask  400 , of this embodiment, is made up of a sheet of opaque material  404  that has a plurality of slots  402  and blocking strips  403 . The slots may be referred to as viewing slots  402 . The slots  402  are spaced apart from each other such that when placed over the transparency with the composite image  300 , every other line of the transparency can be selectively aligned with an associated slot  402 . Moreover, when every other line is aligned with an associated slot  402 , the remaining lines are covered by the blocking strips  403 .  
         [0021]    When the transparency is illuminated, the mask  400  parses the composite image  300  on the transparency  306  so that only one of the images is projected. In particular, the slots  402  of the mask  400  allow one of the images  100  or  200  to be projected while the blocking strips  403  of the mask  400  cover the other of the images  100  or  200 . The distance between each blocking strip  403  is predetermined so that an individual&#39;s natural ability to filter out lines created by the blocking strips  403  while still being able to perceive the image  100  or  200  aligned with the slots  402  is exploited. When the user is done projecting one of the images  100  or  200 , he or she simply slides the mask  400  over the transparency  306  to selectively align the other image  100  or  200  with the slots  402  of the mask  400  thereby projecting the other image  100  or  200 .  
         [0022]    Although FIG. 3 illustrates the combining of two images  100  and  200  by alternating lines that are in horizontal rows, it will be understood in the art that the same result can be achieved by combing the images by alternating lines that are in vertical columns. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, one of the images  100  or  200  is printed on every other column starting with a first column and another of the images is printed on every other column starting with the second column. Accordingly, with this embodiment, an associated matching mask will have alternating vertical slots and vertical blocking strips. Moreover, it will also be understood in the art that the rows or columns are not required to be straight as long as ever other line matches up with an associated slot of the mask and the remaining lines match up with an associated blocking strip of the mask. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the lines in horizontal rows are curved and in another embodiment lines in vertical columns are curved. In still another embodiment the lines are positioned diagonally to a bottom edge  308  of the transparency  306 . As stated above, the only limitation is that the lines must be positioned so they match up with an associated mask. That is, either the mask is specifically made to match the orientation and position of the lines on the transparency or the lines on the transparency are made to match the orientation and position of the slots and blocking strips of the mask.  
         [0023]    Another embodiment of a mask  500  is illustrated in FIG. 5. The mask  550  of FIG. 5 is made of a sheet  502  of transparent material. Sheet  502  has a plurality of opaque blocking strips  504  that are selectively positioned to align with every other line of the transparency  306 . In between the opaque blocking strips  504  are transparent slots  506 . Accordingly, when the mask  500  is properly aligned with the transparency, the opaque blocking strips  504  block out every other line of the transparency  306  while the transparent slots  506  align with the lines that make up one of the first or second images  100  or  200 . In one embodiment, the sheet of transparent material is itself a transparency. In this embodiment, the user can define the mask  500  to ensure the opaque blocking strips  504  and the transparent slots  506  match up with the transparency  306  having the first and second images  100  and  200 . That is, in this embodiment, the user provided instructions on the orientation and position of the lines that make up the first and second indicia  100  and  200 . A processor then processes the instructions to determine the position of the opaque blocking strips  504  and transparent slots  506  to form a mask that matches the lines on the transparency defined by instructions. The mask  500  is then printed on a transparency by an imaging device. It is well known, in the art, that a processor in response to software or firmware instructions can perform such processes. In another embodiment, the user provides instructions regarding the orientation and position of the blocking strips  504  and slots  506  of the mask. A processor then processes the instructions to match the lines that make up the first and second images  100  and  200  on the transparency with the mask  500 . The mask transparency  500  and the composite image  300  are then printed. Again, it is well known, in the art, that a processor in response to software or firmware instructions can perform such processes.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 6, yet another embodiment of a mask  600  is shown. FIG. 6 illustrates a mask  600  that is designed to accomplish easy alignment of the transparency  306  containing the composite image  300  to display one or the other image  100  or  200 . In this embodiment, when a first end  602  of the mask  600  is aligned with a first end edge  310  of the transparency  306 , the lines containing one of the first or second images  100  or  200  are aligned with the blocking strips  403  or  504  of the mask  600  while the lines that make up the other of the first and second images  100  or  200  are aligned with the slots  402  or  506 . In addition, in this embodiment, when a second end  604  of the mask  600  is aligned with a second end edge  312  of the transparency  306 , the first or second images  100  or  200  that was in the above example aligned with the blocking strip  403  or  504  is now aligned with the slots  402  or  506  and other of the first or second images  100  or  200  is now aligned with the blocking strips  403  or  504 . Accordingly, in this embodiment, the transparency  306  can be easily slid on the mask  600  to display either the first or second images  100  or  200 .  
         [0025]    In another embodiment, a mask  700  is designed so that when a first side of the mask is positioned adjacent the transparency  306 , one of the first and second images  100  or  200  is displayed and when a second side, which is flipped end to end or rotated, of the mask is positioned adjacent the transparency  306 , the other of the first or second images  100  or  200  is displayed. This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7. In particular, in this embodiment, the lines of one of the first or second images  100  or  200  are aligned with the slots in the mask  700  while the lines of the other of first or second images  100  or  200  are aligned with the blocking strips when a first end edge  702  of the mask  700  is aligned with the first end edge  310  of the transparency. Moreover, the lines of the other of the first or second images  100  or  200  are aligned with the slots of the mask  700  and the remaining lines of the remaining first or second image  100  or  200  are aligned with the blocking strips when the first end edge  702  of the mask  700  is aligned with the second end  312  of the transparency  306 . That is, the user can selectively display the first or second image  100  or  200  by simply flipping the mask  700  over end to end or rotating the mask  700  and aligning its first end edge  702  with one of the respective first or second end edges  310  or  312  of the transparency  306 . It will be understood in the art that there are other ways to simplify the alignment of the blocking strips and slots with the transparency that are within the scope of the present invention and that the present invention is not limited to those discussed above.  
         [0026]    A process  800  of printing the first  100  and the second  200  images onto a single transparency  306  is illustrated in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the user provides an instruction to print dual images on a single transparency ( 802 ). The user provides an instruction selecting a first image to print ( 804 ). The user provides an instruction selecting a second image to print ( 806 ). The lines to be printed are formatted to match a mask ( 808 ). For example the formatting may include the choosing of vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, curved lines and the distance between the lines. The formatting parameters, i.e. shape of the lines, orientation of lines and the distance between lines, can be set by the user or preset for a specific mask. An imaging device prints the first image  100  on every other line starting with a first line  302  ( 810 ) and the second image  200  on every other line starting with a second line  304  ( 810 ).  
         [0027]    Process  800  is accomplished with the use of a program that is generally in the form of a computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor. It is well known, in the art, that a processor in response to software or firmware instructions can perform such processes as discussed above. The program for accomplishing the aforementioned can be located in an operations system of a computer, a graphics program, a word processor program, a print driver or any other location where it can be utilized to achieve dual printing on a single transparency. Examples of the computer-usable medium include imaging firmware, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), static random access memory (SRAM), electrically eraseable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), mag media, optical media, etc.  
         [0028]    Moreover, although the above described illustrations of the present invention deal with a composite image comprising two separate images, it will be understood in the art that the teachings of the present invention may also apply to the combining of more than two images to form the composite image on a transparency and that the present invention is not limited to a composite image that combines only two images. The only restriction is that the slots and blocking strips of the mask, used on the transparency to project one of the images, have to be positioned within a certain predefined distance of each other to take advantage of an individuals natural ability to filter out the blocking strips while being able to perceive one of the images being projected through the slots. Accordingly, the lines that make up the composite image have to be positioned to match the mask. That is, the lines that make up one of the images have to align with the slots of the mask while the remaining lines that make up the remaining images have to align with the blocking strips of the mask.  
         [0029]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. In particular, although, the present invention has generally been described as using only two images, it will be understood in the art, that the above-described embodiments could also be applied to more than two images without departing from the spirit of the present invention. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.