Method of initiating action in computer system via analog-printed substrate

Abstract

A method of initiating a requested action in a computer system via a printed substrate. The substrate contains human-readable information and machine-readable coded data. The method includes the steps of: positioning a sensing device in an operative position relative to the substrate; sensing the coded data; generating indicating data in the sensing device using the sensed coded data; and sending the indicating data to the computer system. The coded data comprises a phthalocyanine salt comprising one or more sulfonate groups. A counterion of at least one sulfonate group is an ammonium cation comprising at least 20 carbon atoms.

1 . A method of initiating a requested action in a computer system via a printed substrate, the substrate containing human-readable information and machine-readable coded data, the method including the steps of:
 positioning a sensing device in an operative position relative to the substrate;   sensing at least some of the coded data;   generating indicating data in the sensing device using at least some of the sensed coded data, said indicating data enabling the computer to identify the requested action; and   sending the indicating data to the computer system,   
       wherein said coded data comprises a phthalocyanine salt comprising one or more sulfonate groups, wherein a counterion of at least one sulfonate group is an ammonium cation comprising at least 20 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said coded data is printed with a solvent-based or oil-based ink comprising the phthalocyanine salt defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is printed by an analog printing process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a printed page. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a label or packaging for a product item. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ammonium cation comprises at least one group C 6-30  alkyl group or at least one C 6-30  benzylalkyl group. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said phthalocyanine salt comprises a plurality of sulfonate groups. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said phthalocyanine salt is IR-absorbing phthalocyanine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said phthalocyanine salt is a naphthalocyanine salt. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ammonium cation is of formula: N(R m )(R n )(R s )(R t ), wherein:
 each of R m , R n , R s  and R t  is independently selected from the group consisting of: C 1-30  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl and C 5-30  arylalkyl; or   R m  and R n  are together joined to form a C 5-10  heterocycloalkyl group, with R s  and R t  being independently selected from the group consisting of: C 1-30  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl and C 5-30  arylalkyl; or   R m , R n  and R s  are together joined to form a C 5-10  heteroaryl group, with R t  being independently selected from the group consisting of: C 1-30  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl and C 5-30  arylalkyl.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of R m , R n , R s  and R t  comprises 10 or more carbon atoms. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least two of R m , R n , R s  and R t  comprise 6 or more carbon atoms. 
     
     
         13 . The phthalocyanine salt of claim  0 , wherein at least three of R m , R n , R s  and R t  comprise 6 or more carbon atoms. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of R m , R n , R s  and R t  is independently selected from C 1-30  alkyl. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said ammonium cation is of formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said phthalocyanine salt is of formula (Ia): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3  and Q 4  are the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of: a C 3-20  arylene group or a C 3-20  heteroarylene group; 
 M is (H 2 ) or a metal selected from the group consisting of: Si(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ge(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ga(A 1 ), 
 Mg, Al(A 1 ), TiO, Ti(A 1 )(A 2 ), ZrO, Zr(A 1 )(A  2 ), VO, V(A 1 )(A  2 ), Mn, Mn(A 1 ), Fe, Fe(A 1 ), Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Sn(A 1 )(A 2 ), Pb, Pb(A 1 )(A  2 ), Pd and Pt; 
 A 1  and A 2  are axial ligands, which may be the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of: —OH, halogen, —OR 3 , —OC(O)R 4  and —O(CH 2 CH 2 O) e R e  wherein e is an integer from 2 to 10 and R e  is H, C 1-8  alkyl and C(O)C 1-8  alkyl; 
 R 3  is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-20  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-20  arylalkyl and Si(R x )(R y )(R z ); 
 R 4  is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-20  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl and C 5-20  arylalkyl; 
 R x , R y  and R z  are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of: C 1-12  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-12  arylalkyl, C 1-12  alkoxy, C 5-12  aryloxy and C 5-12  arylalkoxy; and 
 Z 1   + , Z 2   + , Z 3   +  and Z 4   +  may be the same or different and are each an ammonium cation comprising at least 20 carbon atoms. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said phthalocyanine salt is of formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein
 M is Ga(A 1 ); 
 A 1  is an axial ligand selected from the group consisting of: —OH, halogen, —OR 3 , —OC(O)R 4  and —O(CH 2 CH 2 O) e R e  wherein e is an integer from 2 to 10 and R e  is H, C 1-8  alkyl or C(O)C 1-8  alkyl; 
 R 3  is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-20  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-20  arylalkyl and Si(R x )(R y )(R z ); 
 R 4  is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-20  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl or C 5-20  arylalkyl; 
 R x , R y  and R z  may be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of: C 1-12  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-12  arylalkyl, C 1-12  alkoxy, C 5-12  aryloxy and C 5-12  arylalkoxy; and 
 Z 1   + , Z 2   + , Z 3   +  and Z 4   +  may be the same or different and are each an ammonium cation comprising at least 20 carbon atoms.