Patent ID: 7576725

Claim:
A system that includes objects that are generally optically transparent to visible light through which portions of an image are transmitted using visible light, so that as the objects are moved about, the portions of the image move with the objects, comprising: (a) a source of non-visible light for illuminating the objects; (b) an image source that produces images using visible light; (c) a sensor for producing a signal in response to non-visible light that is received from the objects; (d) a memory in which machine instructions are stored; (e) a processor coupled to the image source, the sensor, and the memory, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including: (i) responding with the sensor to a distinctive marking applied to each of the objects in the signal produced by the sensor, the marking comprising a material that substantially transmits visible light, but which affects light in a non-visible waveband from the non-visible light source, by one of: (A) reflecting the light in the non-visible waveband; and (B) absorbing the light in the non-visible waveband; (ii) identifying and detecting a location and an orientation of each object, in response to the signal produced by the sensor that receives light in the non-visible waveband from the objects; and (iii) causing the image source to transmit the portions of the image through the objects as visible light, so that each portion of the image is associated with the object through which the portion of the image is visible, so that when the objects are assembled in a correct layout, the image is clearly apparent by collectively viewing the portions of the image visible through the objects that are thus assembled, said objects representing the image in a manner similar to pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that are correctly assembled to display a picture.