Abstract: A method of ink-jet printing an authentication mark on an article including, in order, the steps of: a) providing an article including an ink-receiving layer; b) applying a curable fluid on an ink-receiving layer according to a first image; c) at least partially curing the curable fluid; and d) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to generate a security document.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor is provided which comprises an aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface and a coating provided thereon, said coating comprising a photopolymerisable composition having a polymerisable compound, a pigment dispersed with a dispersant, a polymerization initiator and a binder, characterized in that the dispersant is a compound free of —COOH, —PO3H2 or —OPO3H2 groups, and the polymerization initiator is a trihalomethyl-aryl sulphone wherein the aryl group is substituted by at least one electron-donating group and wherein the sum of the Hammett constants (sigma) of the substituting groups on said aryl group has a negative value. The printing plate precursor exhibits an excellent daylight stability and shelf-life.

Abstract: A non-aqueous pigment dispersion includes a quinacridone pigment, a polymeric dispersant, and a dispersion synergist in a non-aqueous dispersion medium wherein the dispersion synergist is a quinacridone derivative substituted on one of the two nitrogen atoms of the quinacridone basic chromophore structure by a group including at least one carboxyl group or a salt thereof. Also, a method for printing an ink-jet image with an ink including the non-aqueous pigment dispersion.

Abstract: A radiation-curable ink-jet black ink is provided which includes a black pigment, at least one colour pigment and at least one radiation-curable compound. An ink-jet ink set which includes the radiation-curable ink-jet black ink and a process for printing with such an ink-jet ink set are also disclosed. Image quality defects of noticeable chromatic variation in adjacent print patches of bi-directional printing are eliminated and reduced ink consumption is observed.

Abstract: A method for creating a set of metameric printed color patches on a color printer enables visual assessment under a specific illuminant if the colors of a printed product have faded.

Abstract: A method of generating a multiscale contrast enhanced image is described wherein the shape of edge transitions is preserved. Detail images are subjected to a conversion, the conversion function of at least one scale being adjusted for each detail pixel value according to the ratio between the combination of the enhanced center differences and the combination of the unenhanced center differences.

Abstract: A method of ink-jet printing including, in order, the steps of: a) providing a coated ink-receiving layer containing a polymeric binder and a curable compound; b) at least partially curing the coated ink-receiving layer according to a first image; and c) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to apply authentication marks to a product, e.g., a security document or a product packaging.

Abstract: A system and method for scaling a composite overlay image, wherein the composite overlay image comprises a plurality of pixels and each pixel comprises at least one color channel and at least one alpha channel, and further wherein at least one pixel of the composite overlay image has an alpha value of zero and a color value that is not well defined. First, a set of pixels of the composite overlay image are identified as pixels to be dilated. The color channels of the identified pixels are then dilated to form dilated composite overlay image. Finally, the dilated composite overlay image is scaled.

Abstract: Information carrier precursor comprising a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration comprising at least one layer; and at least one substance, optionally provided pattern-wise, capable of and available for interacting in situ with at least one species diffusing through the receiving layer configuration to produce a functional species, wherein at least one layer of the receiving layer configuration comprises at least one pigment, at least one binder, opaque porous parts capable of being rendered substantially transparent by penetration by a lacquer provided at the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration and non-porous transparent parts; a method for producing the above-mentioned information carrier precursor; a method for producing an information carrier; and information carriers produced therewith.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a coating provided on a support having a hydrophilic surface, the coating containing thermoplastic polymer particles and an IR-dye characterized in that the IR-dye contains a structural element according to Formula I wherein A represents hydrogen, halogen or a monovalent organic group; Y and Y? independently represent —CH— or —N—; R1 and R2 independently represent hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl or aryl group or represent the necessary atoms to form a ring; * represents the linking positions to the rest of the molecule.

Abstract: A radiation curable composition comprising a curable compound, a photo-initiator and a co-initiator, wherein said co-initiator has a structure according to Formula I A-L-B??Formula I wherein A represents a structural moiety comprising an aromatic tertiary amine; B represents a structural moiety comprising at least one aliphatic tertiary amine; L represents a divalent linking group positioning the nitrogen atom of the aromatic amine of the structural moiety A and the nitrogen of at least one aliphatic amine of the structural moiety B in a 1-3 to 1-23 position; with the proviso that at least one aromatic and at least one aliphatic amine each have at least one alfa-hydrogen.

Abstract: A method separates a color vector into a colorant vector for a printing system that uses more than four colorants, for example cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange and green colorants. According to the method, the separation process is split up into partial four colorant processes that contain opponent colors. For example, a first partial process is a cyan, magenta, yellow and black process; a second one is an orange, magenta, yellow and black process; and a third one is a cyan, green, yellow and black process. Continuity of magnitudes of the colorants is achieved across the boundaries of the color gamuts of the partial processes by imposing specific constraints on the combinations of colorants to render a given color. A computer implemented system and a print system are based on the method.

Abstract: A method for interlaminating a transparent embossed hologram, the transparent embossed hologram comprising a support having two sides, at least one of the two sides either itself being embossed or having a layer thereon which is embossed and a layer of a HRI-material contiguous with the embossed side or embossed layer, comprising the steps of: a) providing the outermost surface of the layer of inorganic HRI-material with a layer of an adhesive composition containing a solution or dispersion of at least one polymer in an organic solvent medium; b) drying the layer of the adhesive composition on the outermost surface of the HRI-material thereby providing a conditioned outermost surface of the layer of inorganic HRI-material with a transparent continuous adhesive layer; and c) laminating the transparent continuous laminatable layer to a foil, wherein the organic solvent medium is selected from the group consisting of ketones, ethers, heterocyclic ethers, lactams, amides, halo-aliphatic compounds, nitriles and es

Abstract: A method of generating a multiscale contrast enhanced image preserving the shape of the edge transitions is described. Enhanced detail pixel values are computed by combining enhanced center difference images at least one scale.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for reading out, in a time-saving and reliable way, X-ray information stored in storage phosphor plates with an input unit (12) in which a plurality of cassettes (14) in which a storage phosphor plate to be read out is respectively located, can be input.

Abstract: In a digital printer the elements involved directly in the print process, which are located on a shuttle assembly are mounted upon a metrological frame which is isolated from the base frame by vibration dampers. Because the elements of the shuttle drive systems, such as a belt drive system having a motor and pulleys, are mounted upon the base frame, the drive and reaction forces from the motor drive systems are led to the base frame while the shuttles assembly is guided by the force-free, vibration free metrological frame. This allows for higher accuracy during printing as the metrological frame serves as a vibration free reference element.

Abstract: A system and method for converting between a plurality of single-frame image data objects and a multi-frame image data object. Meta-data attributes common to each single-frame image data object from a source are considered to be shared meta-data attributes and associated with a multi-frame image data object. Perframe meta-data attributes and pixel data are not shared and are individually stored within the multi-frame image data object. In reverse, the number of perframe meta-data attributes within a multi-frame image data object from a source are examined and the corresponding number of single-frame image data objects are created. The shared meta-data attributes are copied into each single-frame image data object along with associated perframe meta-data attributes and pixel data. This conversion process can be applied as images are transmitted to the image manager/archive from the modality, as studies are retrieved from the image manager/archive, and as studies are requested.

Abstract: A method for preparing a tamperproof ID document comprising in order the steps of a) providing an ID document having at least one image on at least one outermost surface of said ID document; b) printing or coating a curable liquid on at least one of said outermost surfaces of said ID document thereby forming an outermost layer on said printed or coated outermost surface at least partially covering said at least one image; and c) curing said outermost layer; wherein said curable liquid comprises a polymerizable and/or a polymeric abherent agent and said printed or coated outermost surface is the surface of a layer or foil exclusive of porous pigment. Also disclosed is an ID document wherein the surface of an outermost layer at least partially covering an image on the ID document has a surface energy of less than 28 mN/m; and the use of an abherent agent-comprising curable composition to provide ID-documents with a substantially non-printable and substantially non-laminatable abhesive surface.

Abstract: A relief print master, such as a flexographic print master or sleeve is created by printing a sequence of intermediate layers on top of each other with an inkjet printing system. The top layer corresponds with the halftoned image that is to be printed by the print master and the lower intermediate layers are supporting layers. The pixels of the intermediate layers that are stacked on top of each other are printed with different nozzles to reduce image quality artifacts. Both a method and a system are described.

Abstract: An alkali soluble resin is disclosed comprising a first monomeric unit including at least one sulfonamide group and a second monomeric unit derived from the monomer according to the following structure (I) wherein R1 represents a structural moiety comprising an ethylenically unsaturated polymerisable group; R2, R3 and R4 independently represent hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkaryl, aralkyl, aryl or heteroaryl group or, the necessary atoms to form a five to eight membered ring.