Methods of Forming a Compact Disc

Abstract

A trading card optical compact disc and method of using and forming the compact disc are provided which are compatible with a disc reader having a centrally located spindle and a seating ring for supporting and rotating a compact disc positioned thereon. The trading card optical compact disc according to an embodiment of the invention preferably has at least a first plastic rectangular layer having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon. A second metallic layer if formed on at least portions of the first plastic layer, and a third protective layer is formed on at least the second layer for protecting the metallic layer. An indicia bearing fourth layer is formed on the third layer and has a generally planar upper surface for displaying indicia therefrom. An opening extends through the first, second, third, and fourth layers in a medial portion thereof. A trading card interface seat is preferably integrally formed in at least the first layer for seating the trading card onto a loading tray of a disc reader so as to interface with only portions of the seating ring and not other portions of the seating ring of the disc reader and to read digital data stored thereon from the trading card optical compact disc.

That which is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A trading card optical compact disc compatible with a disc reader which includes a centrally located spindle and a seating ring for supporting and rotating a compact disc positioned thereon, the trading card optical compact disc comprising; 
 at least a first plastic rectangular layer having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon;    a second metallic layer formed on at least portions of the first plastic layer;    a third protective layer formed on at least the second layer for protecting the metallic layer;    an indicia bearing fourth layer formed on the third layer and having a generally planar upper surface for displaying indicia therefrom;    an opening extending through the first, second, third, and fourth layers in a medial portion thereof; and    trading card interface seating means integrally formed in at least the first layer for seating the trading card onto a loading tray of a disc reader so as to interface with only portions of the seating ring and not other portions of the seating ring of the disc reader and to read digital data stored thereon from the trading card optical compact disc.    
     
     
         2 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said trading card seating means comprises at least said first plastic layer including a major elevational portion having a first predetermined height and a minor elevational portion having a second predetermined height, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data.  
     
     
         3 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the major elevational portion is formed in a medial portion of the trading card and has first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries.  
     
     
         4 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 3 , wherein each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion are centered about an axis extending through the medial opening and generally perpendicular to the linearly-extending second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and wherein a radius extending from a medial portion of said medial opening to each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion is less than 1.6 inches.  
     
     
         5 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the encoded digital data of the major portions of said first layer is formed within a circular data zone and comprises less than the entire surface area of the major elevational portion of said first layer.  
     
     
         6 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the circular data zone has a first inner circular periphery having a radius of at least 0.6 inches and a second outer circular periphery having a radius of less than 1.25 inches.  
     
     
         7 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plastic of said first layer comprises polycarbonate.  
     
     
         8 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a first non-metallic zone surrounding and extending outwardly a predetermined distance from the medial opening and a second non-metallic zone extending inwardly from the rectangular outer perimeter of the trading card optical compact disc a predetermined distance.  
     
     
         9 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first non-metallic zone includes a stacking ring surrounding the opening for stacking another optical compact disc thereon.  
     
     
         10 . A trading card optical compact disc compatible with a disc reader which includes a centrally located spindle and a seating rings for supporting and rotating a compact disc positioned thereon, the trading card optical compact disc comprising: 
 at least a first polycarbonate rectangular layer having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon, said first plastic layer including a major elevational portion having a first predetermined height and a minor elevational portion having a second predetermined height so that the major elevational portion interfacingly seats the trading card onto a loading tray of a disc reader so as to interface with only portions of the seating ring and not other portions of the seating ring of the disc reader and to read digital data stored thereon from the trading card optical compact disc, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data, the major elevational portion being formed in a medial portion of the trading card and having first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries;    a second metallic layer formed on at least portions of the first polycarbonate layer;    at least a third layer formed on at least the second layer for protecting the metallic layer and for displaying indicia therefrom; and    an opening extending through the first, second, and third layers in a medial portion thereof.    
     
     
         11 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 10 , wherein each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion are centered about an axis extending through the medial opening and generally perpendicular to the linearly-extending second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and wherein a radius extending from a medial portion of said medial opening to each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion is less than 1.6 inches.  
     
     
         12 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the encoded digital data of the major portions of said first layer is formed within a circular data zone and comprises less than the entire surface area of the major elevational portion of said first layer.  
     
     
         13 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the circular data zone has a first inner circular periphery having a radius of at least 0.6 inches and a second outer circular periphery having a radius of less than 1.25 inches.  
     
     
         14 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising a first non-metallic zone surrounding and extending outwardly a predetermined distance from the medial opening and a second non-metallic zone extending inwardly from the rectangular outer perimeter of the trading card optical compact disc a predetermined distance.  
     
     
         15 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first non-metallic zone includes a stacking ring surrounding the opening for stacking another optical compact disc thereon.  
     
     
         16 . A trading card optical compact disc comprising: 
 at least a first polycarbonate rectangular layer having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon, said first plastic layer including a major elevational portion and a minor elevational portion, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data, the major elevational portion being formed in a medial portion of the trading card and having first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries;    a second metallic layer formed on at least portions of the first polycarbonate layer;    at least a third layer formed on at least the second layer for protecting the metallic layer and for displaying indicia therefrom;    an opening extending through the first, second, and third layers in a medial portion thereof;    a first non-metallic zone surrounding and extending outwardly a predetermined distance from the medial opening; and    a second non-metallic zone extending inwardly from the rectangular outer perimeter of the trading card optical compact disc a predetermined distance.    
     
     
         17 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 16 , wherein each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion are centered about an axis extending through the medial opening and generally perpendicular to the linearly-extending second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and wherein a radius extending from a medial portion of said medial opening to each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion is less than 1.6 inches.  
     
     
         18 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the encoded digital data of the major portions of said first layer is formed within a circular data zone and comprises less than the entire surface area of the major elevational portion of said first layer.  
     
     
         19 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the circular data zone has a first inner circular periphery having a radius of at least 0.6 inches and a second outer circular periphery having a radius of less than 1.25 inches.  
     
     
         20 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the first non-metallic zone includes a stacking ring surrounding the opening for stacking another optical compact disc thereon.  
     
     
         21 . A trading card optical compact disc having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches, the trading card optical compact disc comprising: 
 at least a first plastic layer and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon, said first plastic layer including a major elevational portion having a first predetermined height and a minor elevational portion having a second predetermined height, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data, the major elevational portion being formed in a medial portion of the trading card and having first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries;    a second metallic layer formed on at least portions of the first plastic layer;    at least a third layer formed on at least the second layer for displaying indicia therefrom;    an opening extending through the first, second, and third layers in a medial portion thereof;    a first non-metallic zone surrounding and extending outwardly a predetermined distance from the medial opening; and    a second non-metallic zone extending inwardly from the rectangular outer perimeter of the trading card optical compact disc a predetermined distance.    
     
     
         22 . A trading card optical compact disc as defined in  claim 21 , wherein each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion are centered about an axis extending through the medial opening and generally perpendicular to the linearly-extending second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and wherein a radius extending from a medial portion of said medial opening to each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion is less than 1.6 inches.  
     
     
         23 . A method of using a trading card optical compact disc to communicate digitally encoded data to a user of an optical disc reader, the method comprising the step of positioning a trading card optical compact disc having an opening extending through a medial portion thereof onto a loading tray of a disc reader so that the compact disc interfacingly seats onto only portions of a seating ring and not other portions of the seating ring of the disc reader.  
     
     
         24 . A method as defined in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of rotating the trading card optical compact disc so as to read digitally encoded data therefrom.  
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a trading card optical compact disc, the method comprising the step of molding at least one plastic rectangular layer having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches and having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon, the at least one plastic layer having a major elevational portion and a minor elevational portion, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data.  
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the major elevational portion is formed in a medial portion of the trading card optical compact disc and has first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries.  
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the encoded digital data of the major portions of the plastic layer is formed within a circular data zone and comprises less than the entire surface area of the major elevational portion of the plastic layer.  
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the step of molding the plastic layer includes molding an opening extending through a medial portion of the plastic layer.  
     
     
         29 . A method as defined in  claim 28 , further comprising the step of applying a metallic layer on at least portions of the plastic layer.  
     
     
         30 . A method as defined in  claim 29 , further comprising the step of applying a third protective layer on at least the metallic layer for protecting the metallic layer.  
     
     
         31 . A method as defined in  claim 30 , further comprising the step of applying an indicia bearing layer on the third layer and having a generally planar upper surface for displaying indicia therefrom.  
     
     
         32 . A method of forming a trading card optical compact disc, the method comprising the step of: 
 positioning a compact disc having a pattern of digital data encoded thereon onto a medial portion of a surface of a trading card having a width of about 2.5 inches and a length of about 3.5 inches, the combination of the compact disc and the trading card having a major elevational portion and a minor elevational portion so that the major elevational portion interfacingly seats the combination onto a loading tray of a disc reader so as to interface with only portions of the seating ring and not other portions of the seating ring of the disc reader and to read digital data stored thereon from the trading card optical compact disc, the major elevational portion having the encoded digital data thereon and the minor elevational portion being devoid of the encoded digital data, the major elevational portion having first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending between each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly between each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries.    
     
     
         33 . A method as defined in  claim 32 , wherein the major elevational portion is formed in a medial portion of the trading card and has first and second pairs of spaced-apart outer side peripheries defining outer boundaries of the major elevational portion, each of the first pair of space-apart outer side peripheries arcuately extending from each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and each of the second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries extending generally linearly from each of the first pair of spaced-apart outer peripheries.  
     
     
         34 . A method as defined in  claim 33 , wherein the combination includes an opening formed in a medial portion thereof, wherein each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion are centered about an axis extending through the medial opening and generally perpendicular to the linearly-extending second pair of space-apart outer side peripheries, and wherein a radius extending from a medial portion of the medial opening to each of the arcuately-extending first pair of spaced-apart outer side peripheries of the major elevational portion is less than 1.6 inches.