Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02294755 2006-07-24
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Security document and/or value document
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The present invention relates to a security document
and/or value document with security features and with a
verification elernent for verifying a security feature.
In particular, documents of personal identification,
banknotes, securities, documents, service cards, such as
credit cards or the like, postage stamps and general
products that require authorization, can often be
manufactured by a process that is easily reproducible.
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With these products it is desirable to incorporate
features that facilitate providing evidence of their
genuineness, i.e. that show that they are originals.
These security features should preferably be fixed in an
inseparable manner to the product that is to be
authorized and/or they should have features that are
difficult to reproduce.
The background of the invention is the manufacture and
application of security features for security documents
and/or value documents.
Numerous security features are known, such as fluorescing
fibres or threads/planchettes/colours, microtypes, moire-
generating structures, holograms and similar.
Frequently, the security features implemented in products
requiring protection consist of special colours having
special spectral characteristics or magnetic properties
or temperature-dependent behaviour (thermochrome
colours). Barcode is used, in which the difference in
reflectivity of the surface is utilized, or grid
structures or film antennae utilizing the resonance
frequency in an oscillating circuit are also put to use.
Security documents are known from AU 488 652, where the
security features can be inspected by means of through-
light viewing. Arranged between plastic webs, there is an
optically varying security element, which can be viewed
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through a transparent window located in the above-lying
cover web. The disadvantage here, in particular, is that
with the naked eye the applied security features can only
be viewed through-light, and that the material properties
of the document are severely altered.
The implementation of only one transparent window on
banknotes is also known as a security feature applied in
practice (Australian banknotes).
DE 43 34 847 Al describes a value document with a window
where the base material is subsequently given a window-
like knock-out, which is then covered by a transparent
cover film, whereby the cover film in this part of the
window incorporates additional security features. The
process of manufacturing this subsequent break-out in the
base material of the value document (security), to
provide a window, and then covering this window with a
cover film that partly incorporates additional security
features, is technologically intensive and means that the
material of the value document is made thicker. The
requirement, that parts of the window must remain
transparent so that the security features can be viewed
through-light with the naked eye, limit the possibilities
offered of providing security features arranged in a
covered form. Just as with the known window threads used
on banknotes, such possibilities involve elements which,
in themselves, only serve as a security element but have
no further function. These known windows may themselves
also incorporate security features.
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The test for genuinity of the known security elements
usually requires the application of special equipment,
methods and, in particular, test equipment such as
magnifying glasses for checking microtype, lenticular
screens for checking hidden graphical elements, W lamps
for making fluorescences visible, or a through-light
method for optically recognizing the respective security
feature.
DE 36 09 090 Al describes a value document (security)
into which a security thread has been deposited, which
can be viewed visually without a technical aid. The
security thread consists of a transparent material.
Impressed into the upper surface is a screen of
cylindrical lenses. Applied directly to the opposite side
of the film of the foil there is a printed image. This
printed image is designed with consideration to the
optical characteristics of the cylindrical lenses. By
designing the printed image accordingly, it is possible
to incorporate information here that only becomes visible
from certain viewing angles.
A disadvantage here is that there is paper arranged
directly beneath the thread, so that the security feature
can only be viewed through reflection and not through
transmission. Only the thread provides the element of
security. The thread constitutes a conventional security
element.
CA 02294755 2006-07-24
The object of the present invention is to develop a generically compliant
security
document and/or value document, in which security against forgery is increased
and
the document can be inspected for genuinity more easily and without the use of
external aids.
Accordingly, the present invention broadly provides a security document, value
document, or a security system, such as a banknote, with at least one security
feature
and with at least one verification element for verifying the security feature,
wherein at
least one verification element and at least one security element to be
verified by this
verification element are integrated in the document at different positions,
whereby the
verification element and the security feature are only superimposed when
verification
takes place.
The verification element and the security element may take a variety of
different
forms. In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the verification element
and the
security element is formed by a holographic filter or a hologram. In other
embodiments, the at least one verification element is formed by at least one
window,
which may contain, as a verification means, a polarisation filter, an
interference filter, a
holographic filter or a hlologram, and the security element may be formed as a
coloured
graphic element. In further embodiments, the at least one verification element
may be
formed as at least one lens, a mask for a parallax barrier display or a
perforated zone.
By implementing on the document both security features as well as verification
means, such as detectors for verifying these security means, what is
accomplished is
that no external means for checking the genuinity of the document are
required. The
authenticity of security features on a document, for example a banknote, can
be
checked by means of one or more transparent windows on the same banknote. The
combination of security features and a verification system on one and the same
banknote increases security against forgery, because the verification means
can in
itself also be designed as a security feature. Both the viewing side and the
rear side of
the banknote can be viewed to check authenticity. By suitably folding a
banknote, or
any other document that has been manufactured in accordance with the method of
the
invention, or by stacking several banknotes on top of each other, it is
possibie to check
the security feature by bringing the security feature into interaction with
the verification
system, e.g. window.
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A verification element that has been applied to the value
document can be used to check different security elements
incorporated at different positions in the value
document.
For example, in a passport two opposing pages can be used
to verify the document. For this purpose, one of the
pages can be fitted with the verification element, e.g. a
lenticular screen film, on part or all of the page, while
the other page may have the security feature that must be
analyzed, for example a latently visible screen
structure. The genuinity of the document is checked by
suitably placing these two pages over each other.
Similarly, two banknotes, checks or two other equivalent
value documents can be checked for genuinity.
The decisive factor is the functionality of the window or
windows integrated in the document. No substantial
thickness is added to the document, because the security
feature and the detection means are located on different
parts of the document and not over each other.
The preferred embodiment of the verification element as a
detector/analyzer or also a decoder in the form of one or
several transparent windows, or also as a window with
several analyzer areas with detection elements, ensures a
multitude of different variations for testing the
genuinity of a large number of possible security
features.
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Preferably, the verification elements on/in one window or
on/in several windows or sections of a window are formed
of clear, transparent material and are preferably formed
out of one of the following groups:
1. The verification elements are formed by lenticular
lenses/cylindrical lenses/alternating images and
autostereoscopic devices, which are located on/in a
transparent film or similar; they make the optically
coded security features or the structures printed on the
document visible.
The lens screens preferably consist of equal-type
cylindrical lenses, which are arranged parallel to each
other, preferably at the same distance apart (e.g. 200
um). Preferably, the focus of such a lens screen will be
adjusted to match the optical thickness of the
transparent substrate material used.
These cylindrical lenses can be introduced into the
transparent material, e.g. PVC films, by several
different means, e.g. by paging with a suitable master,
or they can also be produced by casting the film in a
suitable form or they can be introduced into the film by
extrusion, using specially formed injection nozzles.
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2. The verification elements are formed by using Fresnel
lenses or other similar magnifying optical structures,
which facilitate the detection of very fine print or very
small graphics on the respective document.
3. The verification elements are formed by preferably
printed fine graphical structures that are applied to
both the film of a window as well as to part of the
document.
The window forms the mask for a "parallax-barrier
display".
When the corresponding surfaces (window/security feature
on the document) are placed on top of each other, so-
called moire structures are generated. Together with the
line or dot screens in the area of the security feature
on the document, the line or dot screens on the window
form such a moire structure. The moire pattern thus
formed is the characteristic security feature for the
respective value document.
When the windows are arranged in such a manner that they
are placed on top of each other when the document is
folded, exactly register-true structures will create
colour or pattern changes when the two surfaces are moved
relatively to each other.
4. The verification elements are formed with polarizing
filters.
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In the preferred embodiment, two clear windows are
arranged adjacently or a window is divided into two
analyzer areas.
The windows can be embodied as two polarizers for viewing
polarisation stereo images.
It can be accomplished, that at least one specially
formed window forms a "Polaroid-Vectograph".
Windows can be formed in such a way that a switch in
contrast from transmitting to opaque can be implemented.
Such structures can be implemented by means of half-wave
zones, which are applied to a linearly polarizing film,
for example by suitably oriented films of correct
thickness:
- The bright and dark areas of an image are linearly
polarizing areas with alternating horizontal and vertical
polarising directions.
Windows can be formed, that implement a clear switch in
colour based on the "colour shutter" principle.
5. The window is embodied as an interference
filter/colour filter (transparent diffraction structures,
multilayer systems).
1
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The transparent window is embodied as a holographic
filter that reflects a narrow spectral range, either
- analogous to holographic laser-protection goggles, or
- a compound colour appears in a different colour,
- a pure spectral colour disappears.
Such a filter is also suitable for two clear windows,
whereby the verification window may be subdivided into a
holographic part and a non-filtering adjacent part.
The windows are embodied as two colour filters for
viewing anaglyphs (stereo images) or as prisms,
preferably as gradient-index prisms (superchromatic where
possible), for a chromastereoscopic image.
Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention
will become apparent from the sub-claims.
The invention will be described further with the help of
the drawings described below; these show embodiment
examples of a banknote serving as a value document. In
these drawings:
Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a
banknote with a window and a security
feature,
Fig. 2 is the schematic representation of an
arrangement with a window having two zones
on the banknote and serving as the
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verification element,
Fig. 2a is the schematic representation of an
arrangement of one window with two zones
according to Fig. 2, for forming a
"Vectograph",
Fig. 2b is the schematic representation of an
arrangement of one window with two zones
according to Fig. 2, for forming different
patterns,
Fig. 2c is the schematic representation of an
arrangement of one window with two zones
according to Fig. 2, for forming a
chromastereoscopic image,
Fig. 2d is the schematic representation of an
arrangement of one window with two zones
according to Fig. 2, for forming "half-
wave" zones,
Fig. 3 is the schematic representation of an
arrangement of two adjacent windows with
different verification elements,
Fig. 4 is the schematic representation of the
creation of screen structures, and
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Fig. 5 is the schematic representation of a
banknote with windows in one corner.
According to the representation in Fig. 1, a value
document, e.g. a banknote 1, is embodied with one
transparent window 2, which, by means of its being
equipped with verification elements serving as a detector
or similar, is used to verify a security feature located
in zone 3 of the banknote 1. Verification of the security
feature in zone 3 of the banknote 1 is accomplished, for
example, by overlapping the two zones 2 and 3.
In the first embodiment example, the window 2 in Fig. 1
is provided with a lenticular screen that serves as a
verification element. The orientation of the lens screen
in the zone of the window 2 and the correspondingly
printed screen, which serves as a security feature in
zone 3 of the banknote 1, must be co-ordinated in such a
way that the required effects become visible when zones 2
and 3 are brought to overlap each other suitably, for
example by folding.
The printed screen structures serving as the security
feature in zone 3 can be created with any type of
printing technique that is applied in security printing,
preferably the simultaneous-offset method (Letterset),
because of the high resolution required.
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Fig. 4 shows a simple example of the creation of screen
structures in the form of the letter "D". By overlapping
the lens screen in window 2 with the line screen 4 in
zone 3, a clear image 7 of the letter "D" appears in the
eye of the beholder.
Also, printed line structures in combination with
embossments, which show so-called tilt effects (DE 23 34
702), and which are preferably created using the intaglio
process, can be made visible by suitably overlapping
zones 2 and 3 (Fig. 1) of the banknote 1, whereby zone 2
must have the lens screen to enhance the tilt effect.
The lens screens preferably consist of equal-type
cylindrical lenses, which are arranged parallel to each
other, preferably at the same distance apart (e.g. 200
pm).
These cylindrical lenses can be introduced into a
transparent material, e.g. PVC films, by several
different means, e.g. by casting a film on a belt with a
negatively formed profile or by extruding lens screens by
means of specially formed injection nozzles, e.g. wide-
slit nozzles.
The cylindrical lenses can also be produced by paging
with a suitable pattern, or by rolling out films between
rollers that have the corresponding negative profile.
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Gradient-index lenses can be made out of bleached silver
halide layers or photo-polymers.
In a second embodiment example according to Fig. 1, the
verification element in window 2 of banknote 1 is formed
through Fresnel lenses or by means of similar magnifying
optical structures that facilitate the recognition of
very small type or graphical elements in zone 3 of
document 1 when zones 2 and 3 are suitably overlapped.
Here the very minimal thickness of the Fresnel lenses
together with the good magnification of the lens, e.g. 5
to 10-fold, is a decisive advantage for integration into
the substrate materials.
According to a third embodiment example, the verification
element in window 2 of the banknote 1 in Fig. 1 is formed
by fine line structures, which are also formed on a part
of document 1 in zone 3. When the corresponding zones 2
and 3 of document 1 are overlapped, so-called moire
structures are generated. Examples of moire-generating
patterns are described in DE 28 19 640, DE 23 24 702, DE
26 03 558, DE 36 02 563.
The verification element in window 2 may consist of a
printed line screen or a printed dot screen for a visual
coding/decoding method for a banknote 1. In addition to
printing fine dots and/or lines, it is also possible to
punch zone 2(window) of the document 1 or to perforate
it, preferably bv means of laser perforation, so that
suitable overlapping of zones 2 and 3 of the banknote 1,
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e.g. by folding, will generate a moire pattern. Zone 3 of
the banknote 1 may consist of a transparent material with
printed lines/screen, an opaque material with printed
lines/screen or also a zone with a suitable perforation,
preferably a laser perforation.
In a fourth embodiment example, a polarizing filter on/in
a preferably transparent film material is integrated as a
verification element in zone 2, e.g. of a banknote 1, in
combination with a further similarly designed polarizing
filter in zone 3. The polarizing filter in zone 3 is
preferably designed vertically or parallel to the
polarizing filter in zone 2 and works as an analyzer, so
that suitable overlapping of zones 2 and 3 of the
banknote 1 and rotation of the overlapping zones 2 and 3
against each other will cause the optical transparency
(bright/dark) to alternate or change.
In a further embodiment, an additional dichroic (double
refracting), graphically structured layer is applied,
e.g. by printing, sputtering, casting and similar, so
that suitable overlapping of zones 2 and 3 of the
banknote 1 and rotation of the overlapping zones 2 and 3
against each other will cause a graphic element, e.g. a
letter, to become visible.
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A further embodiment is achieved when one of the two
polarisation filters in zones 2, 3 is replaced with a
reflecting layer, whereby additionally a dichroic,
graphically structured layer is applied to this
reflecting layer. Suitable overlapping of zones 2 and 3
of the banknote 1 and rotation of the overlapping zones 2
and 3 against each other will cause a graphic element,
e.g. a letter, to become visible.
A further embodiment provides that one of the two
polarisation filters is replaced with a reflecting layer,
whereby additionally a dichroic, graphically structured
layer is applied to this reflecting layer. This double-
refracting transparent layer can be preferably designed
as a liquid-crystal-containing film. Suitable overlapping
of zones 2 and 3 of the banknote 1, e.g. by folding, and
by rotation of the overlapping zones against each other
will cause a graphic element, e.g. a letter, to become
visible.
For many verification effects it is desirable to easily
and simply bring two different verification elements over
the security feature. This often eases the perception of
changes in the case of movement-effects or colour-
switching effects. It eases verification in cases where a
rotation of the verification element with respect to the
security feature is necessary. With a single verification
window 2, such a rotation would be very impracticable. To
solve these problems, it has been suggested that the
verification window 2 should be divided into two adjacent
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analyzer areas (Fig. 2, 2a through 2d) or that two
adjacent windows 2 (Fig. 3) should be arranged with
different verification elements.
Fig. 2c shows the embodiment of a window 2 serving as a
verification element, where at least two clear analyzer
zones 5, 6 are arranged adjacently as windows 2 serving
as verification elements on the banknote 1. The analyzer
zones 5, 6 are preferably holographic prisms, if possible
embodied as superchromatic prisms, for a so-called
chromastereoscopi,c image. Preferably the prisms are
embodied as gradient-index prisms in the form of thin
film materials.
An embodiment according to Fig. 2a provides that at least
two adjacently arranged clear analyzer zones 5, 6 in a
window 2 are embodied as a so-called "Vectograph". A
Vectograph consists of two polyvinyl-alcohol films, which
form linear polarizing filters when they are printed on
with iodine paints. The two films are arranged in such a
way that when the front side contacts the iodine paint
vertical polarization results, and when the rear side
contacts the iodine paint horizontal polarization results
(Fig. 2a, 2b). Iodine paint is used to print a selected
first pattern, for example a square 10 (Fig. 2a, 2b), on
the front side, and a selected second pattern, for
example a star 11 (Fig. 2a, 2b), on the rear side. When
the two superimposed films are viewed with a linear
analyzer (window 2, zone 5 in Fig. 2a, 2b), the first
pattern (square 10) becomes visible when the analyzer is
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oriented horizontally 5, and the second pattern (star 11)
becomes visible when the analyzer is oriented vertically
6. In the same manner is also possible to implement
colour changes.
A verification window 2 divided in this manner with
analyzer zones 5, 6 makes it unnecessary to have to
rotate the window 2; the window 2 only needs to be
shifted.
Similarly formed zones 5, 6 can be designed to implement
a changeover in contrast from transmitting to non-
transparent. Such structures can be implemented by
applying to a linear polarizing film 8 (Fig. 2d) so-
called "half-wave" zones 9 (phase plates with a phase
shift of 180 between the ordinary ray and the
extraordinary ray), for example by means of suitably
oriented film materials of the correct thickness (Fig.
2d). The polarization direction is turned by 900 in these
zones. This effect is particularly impressive with area-
filling patterns. Similarly formed build-ups serve to
implement a clearly discernible colour switchover based
on the principle referred to as "colour shutter".
In a further embodiment of the verification element(s) in
window 2 of the banknote 1, interference filters/colour
filters, generally transparent refraction structures and
multilayer systems are used.
! - '
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The interference filters/colour filters are formed in/on
the preferably transparent film material or they consist
of this material. The filters are integrated for example
on a banknote 1 in zone 2 in combination with a coloured
graphical element in zone 3. When zones 2, 3 of the
banknote 1 are suitably overlapped, a certain spectral
range in the graphic element, for example a character, is
blanked out by zone 2 or allowed to pass through, so that
a colour impression is perceived that differs from the
original colour.
Both dyed, transparent materials as well as transparent
materials with e.g. coloured vaporized/sputtered, printed
colours can be used as interference filters/colour
filters.
In a further embodiment, at least two clear analyzer
areas 5, 6 are arranged adjacently according to the
representation shown in Fig. 2 and 3. These zones 5, 6
are formed to at least two colour filters for viewing so-
called anaglyphs (stereo images), whereby the anaglyphs
are located in zone 3 of the banknote 1. When zones 5, 6
and 3 are suitably overlapped in a certain distance to
each other, a stereo-impression is created.
All windows can be embodied in any arbitrary form,
preferably in a form that is best suited to the
respective selected verification element; thus the
embodiment can also be thread-like or, as shown in Fig.
5, triangular in shape.
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The windows can be embodied at any points on the
document, thus also in a corner of the document, as shown
in Fig. 5 as an example; the requirement is only that it
must be possible to bring together the security feature
and the verification element for verifying the security
feature in such a way that they can work together, for
example by folding, twisting, superimposing one or
several documents.
Superimposition can be accomplished by direct contact or,
in some cases, with a gap between the security feature
and the verification element.
{ CA 02294755 1999-12-31
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Bundesdruckerei GmbH 3rd July, 1997
10958 Berlin (22060 DE)
DRAWING REFERENCE LIST
1 Value document/banknote
2 Zone (window/verifier)
3 Zone (safety feature)
4 Line screen
Analyzer zone
6 Analyzer zone
7 Image
8 Polarization film
9 Half-wave zone
Square
11 Star
