ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PERSONALISATION SHEET

ENSEMBLE ET PROCEDE DE PRODUCTION D'UNE FEUILLE DE PERSONNALISATION

English Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for producing a
personalisation sheet (10) for personalising sheet-type documents, such as
visas, vehicle documents, coupons and the like. Said arrangement comprises
means (22) for applying an individual sheet identifier (16) both to a
personalisation section (12) and to a control section (14) of the
personalisation sheet (10). The inventive arrangement also comprises detection
means (30) for detecting personalisation data specific to the person or the
case in question, and means (40) for applying the personalisation data to the
personalisation section (12) and the control section (14) of the
personalisation sheet (10).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un ensemble et un procédé de production d'une feuille de personnalisation (10) pour la personnalisation de documents en feuilles, tels que des visas, des papiers de véhicule, des bons d'achat et analogues. L'ensemble selon l'invention comporte des moyens (22) pour appliquer une identification individuelle (16) de feuille à la fois sur une section de personnalisation (12) et sur une section de contrôle (14) de la feuille de personnalisation (10). Cet ensemble comporte également des moyens d'enregistrement (30) pour enregistrer des données de personnalisation spécifiques à la personne ou au cas et des moyens (40) pour appliquer ces données de personnalisation sur la section de personnalisation (12) et la section de contrôle (14) de la feuille de personnalisation (10).

Claims

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Claims
1. An arrangement (20) for manufacturing a personalization sheet (10)
for personalizing sheet type documents, such as visas, vehicle documents,
subscription certificates and the like, having
a) means (22) for applying an individual sheet identifier (16) both to a
personalization section (12) and to a control section (14) of the
personalization sheet (10),
b) capture means (30) for capturing person- or case-specific
personalization data, and
c) means (40) for applying the personalization data to the
personalization section (12) and the control section (14) of the
personalization sheet (10) such that at least a pardon of the data (18,
19) applied to the two sections (12,14) is identical.
2. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that, for
capturing the individual sheet identifier of a personalization sheet (10),
second capture means (36) are provided that coact with the first capture
means (30) for capturing person or case-specific personalization data.
3. The arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the
personalization section (12) is detachable from the personalization sheet and
able to be applied, especially glued, to the sheet-type document (28).
4. The arrangement according to at least one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that the control section (14) is detachable from the

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personalization sheet and able to be applied, especially glued, to a control
document (26).
5. The arrangement according to at least one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that the means (22) for applying the individual sheet
identifier and/ or the means (40) for applying the personalization data are
formed by a printing machine or a printer of a data processing system.
6. The arrangement according to at least one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the individual sheet identifier on the personalization
section (12) and/or the control section (14) is present in machine-readable
form.
7. A method for manufacturing a personalization sheet (10) for
personalizing sheet-type documents, such as visas, vehicle documents,
subscription certificates and the like, having the method steps:
a) applying an individual sheet identifier (16) both to a personalization
section (12) and to a control section (14) of the personalization sheet
(10),
b) capturing person- or case-specific personalization data with capture
means (30), and
c) applying the personalization data to the personalization section (12)
and the control section (14) of the personalization sheet (10) such that
at least a portion of the data (18,19) applied to the two sections (12,14)
is identical.

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8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the individual
sheet identifier of a personalization sheet (10) is captured with second
capture means (36), which coact with the first capture means (30) for
capturing person or case-specific personalization data.
9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the
personalization section (12) is detachable from the personalization sheet and
able to be applied, especially glued, to the sheet-type document (28).
10. The method according to at least one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in
that the control section (14) is detachable from the personalization sheet and
able to be applied, especially glued, to a control document (26).
11. The method according to at least one of claims 7 to 10, characterized
in that the individual sheet identifier and/ or the personalization data are
applied by a printing machine or a printer of a data processing system.
12. The arrangement according to at least one of claims 7 to 11,
characterized in that the individual sheet identifier on the personalization
section (12) and/ or the control section (14) is present in machine-readable
form.

Description

CA 02548492 2006-06-O1
Arrangement and Method for Manufacturing a Personalization Sheet
The present invention relates to an arrangement and a method for
manufacturing a personalization sheet for personalizing sheet-type
documents, such as visas, vehicle documents, subscription certificates and
the like.
The issuance of visas typically occurs based on written visa applications
submitted to the issuing authority together with the applicant's passport.
Said visas are normally executed as a stamp or as individually completed
stickers. In machine-based completion of the stickers, data transfer can take
place with a local or central database, with a computer screen and an
appropriate user interface being available as a logistical aid.
Based on that, the object of the present invention is to propose an
arrangement and a method for manufacturing personalization sheets with
which it is possible to avoid correlation errors and trace irregularities in
the
issuance process.
This object is solved by the features of the independent claims.
Advantageous developments of the present invention are the subject of the
dependent claims.
According to the present invention, an arrangement for manufacturing a
personalization sheet for personalizing sheet type documents, such as visas,
vehicle documents, subscription certificates and the like, comprises

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a) means for applying an individual sheet identifier both to a
personalization section and to a control section of the persorialization
sheet,
b) capture means for capturing person- or case-specific personalization
data, and
c) means for applying the personalization data to the personaiization
section and the control section of the personalization sheet such that at
least a portion of the data applied to the two sections: is identical.
The at least partially congruent personalization of the control section with
the data of the personalization section, and the labeling of both sections
with
the individual sheet identifier make it possible to reliably avoid correlation
errors and trace intentional or unintentional mix-ups comparatively easily.
If the sheet identifier is applied temporally or spatially separately from the
actual personalizing of the personalization sheet, it is expedient to provide,
for capturing the individual sheet identifier of a personalization sheet,
second capture means that coact with the first capture means for capturing
person- or case-specific personalization data. Por example, the sheet
identifier can be applied at the manufacturer of the personalization sheets,
while an issuing office captures the person- or case-specific data and
undertakes the application of the personalization data.
To personalize the document, the personalization section is expediently
detachable from the personalization sheet and can be applied, especially
glued, to the sheet-type document. Advantageously, the control section is

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likev~ise detachable from the personalization sheet and can be applied,
especially glued, to a control document.
In an advantageous embodiment, the means for applying the individual
sheet identifier and/ or the means for applying the personalization data are
advantageously formed by a printing machine or a printer of a data
processing system.
The individual sheet identifier on the personalization section, the control
section or on both sections is preferably present in machine-readable form,
for example as a bar code.
The present invention also comprises a method for manufacturing a
personalization sheet, in which an individual sheet identifier is applied both
to a personalization section and to a control section of the personalization
sheet, and person- or case-specific personalization data are captured with
first capture means. Finally, the personalization data are applied to the
personalization section and the control section of the personalization sheet
such that at least a portion of the data applied to the two sections is
identical.
An exemplary embodiment and further advantages of the present invention
are explained below by reference to the drawings, in which a depiction to
scale and proportion was omitted- in order to improve their clarity.
Shown are:
Fig.1 a top view of a personalization sheet manufactured having an
inventive arrangement, diagrammed schematically, and

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Fig. 2 a block diagram of an arrangement for manufacturing
personalization sheets according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present invention.
Fig.1 shows a personalization sheet, in the exemplary embodiment a visa
sticker 10 having a visa section 12 and a counterfoil section 14. The visa
section 12 and the counterfoil section 14 include the same individual sheet
identifier 16, for example a sheet number, which can also be present in
machine-readable form, e.g. as a bar code. In addition, both sections are
provided with person- or case-specific personalization data 18 or 19. In
visas,
the data 18,19 comprise, for example, the applicant's first and last name, the
validity period of the visa, a visa category, the issuing authority and the
date
of issue. As described below, the personalization data 18 imprinted on the
visa section and the personalization data 19 imprinted on the control section
are at least partially identical.
The visa sections 12 are designed as stickers and, after personalization, are
glued into the passport by the issuing authority. Prior to personalization,
they are part of the blank form 10, the "blank", which includes, in addition
to
the visa sticker 12, the counterfoil section 14. In the exemplary embodiment,
the counterfoil section 14 is likewise formed as a sticker that, after
personalization, is transferred to the application form as a record of the due
issuance.
The manufacture and use of such personalization sheets will now be
explained in greater detail with reference to fig. 2, which shows a block
diagram of an arrangement 20 for manufacturing visa stickers 10 according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

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First, for each of a plurality of blanks, a blank number is assigned to each
sheet in a device 22 designed for this purpose. In the device 22, this number
is printed both on the counterfoil 14 and on the visa 12 (reference number
16), the display format of the blank numbers on the two sections 12,14
normally not being identical. At least one of the display formats of the blank
numbers is designed to be machine-readable. In the exemplary embodiment,
this is the display format on the counterfoil 14. For this, a bar: code field
is
used that includes, below the bar-field area, the plain information repeated,
visually readably, in the form of numerals and letters.
The blanks are supplied to the issuing offices-in stock quantities (arrow 24),
strict material flow control being ensured by the corresponding registered
blank numbers. Visa issuance occurs at issuing offices based on written
applications 26 submitted to the competent authority together with the
applicant's passport 28.
Based on the application form 26 and the passport 28, an issuance process is
initiated in which, with the first capture means 30, the individual issue data
are captured, for example the duration and type of visa applied for, as well
as personal data of the applicant. Said individual issue data are taken, at
least
in part, from the application form 26 and, where appropriate, also from the
applicant's passport 28. Following an inspection of the captured data, they
are stored in a database of a data processing system 32 (arrow 34).
Now, a blank is taken from the stock and its blank number is captured with
the second capture means 36 based on the machine-readable entry on the
counterfoil 14, and is likewise transferred to the database of the data
processing system 32 (arrow 38); where it is added to the remaining data
pertaining to the application. Alternatively, a stack of blanks can already be

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lying in the tray of a printer. In this case, the number of the uppermost
blank
lying exposed on top is captured before this blank is drawn in for
personalization.
Subsequently, the blank is inserted into a printer 40 and personalized based
on the stored data. Here, at least a portion of the data 18 or 19 that are
printed on the visa section 12 or the counterfoil section 14 are identical in
content. Where appropriate, the registered blank number can also be printed
out again to preclude correlation errors or to later be able to verify them.
This
can likewise take place in machine-readable and/or visually readable form.
On the visa 12, this normally takes place in the standard-prescribed so-called
MRZ (machine readable zone), which contains the most important details
about the visa in OCR-B font. This information can be useful on the
counterfoil 14 when the causes of irregularities are to be retraced.
After personalization, the printer 40 outputs a finished visa sticker 10. The
visa 12 and the counterfoil 14 can now be separated from the form and glued
into the passport 28 or the application form 26. This completes the issuance
process.
Further elements of the issuance process include handling payment receipts,
controlling material flow of application forms and blanks, and identifying
authorized users to the database system.
Beyond the issuance of visas, the described arrangement can also be adapted
for personalizing other documents, for example residence permits, which are
handled similarly to visas, or passports in which the data page is often
designed as an insert leaf that, after personalization, is laminated between
sewn-in films. Other sheet-type documents, such as vehicle registration

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certificates, food ration cards and the like are also suitable for
personalization
according to the present invention. In all variants, the counterfoil can be
used
as a reference for the document number, the counterfoil personalization
making it possible to trace intentional or unintentional mix-ups.

Representative Drawing