Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first optically active layer (32) that is present at least in some areas and comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material. According to the present invention, a second optically active layer (34) that is present at least in some areas is provided, the first and the second layer (32, 34) being stacked in an overlap area. Here, the first optically active layer (32) selectively reflects light in a first wavelength range having a first circular polarization direction, and the second optically active layer (34), either itself or, in the overlap area, in coaction with the first optically active layer (32), selectively reflects light in a second wavelength range having a second direction of circular polarization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security system especially for security documents, wherein a security element is provided in a carrier plane, that under incident light holographically reconstructs a pattern outside the carrier plane, in which concealed information is stored and having a flat transparent verification element which on flat contact with the security element makes the information stored therein visible. The invention further relates to a security element and a verification element for use in the security system and a security document fitted with the security system. The invention additionally relates to an apparatus and a method for reading out the concealed information which is stored holographically in the pattern reconstructed on the security element under incident light.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for canceling, in particular destroying, sheet material, in particular bank notes. The apparatus includes at least one canceling means to which the sheet material to be canceled is fed, in which the fed sheet material is canceled, in particular destroyed, and from which the canceled sheet material is discharged. The apparatus also includes at least one supervising means for monitoring the sheet material being discharged or having been discharged from said canceling means. For improved monitoring of the cancellation of sheet material, in particular with respect to malfunctions, there is provided at least one monitoring means for monitoring the fed sheet material. The fed sheet material is compared to the sheet material being discharged or having been discharged in an evaluation means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a highly refractive embossing lacquer for producing micro-optic arrangements which contains at least one binding agent which has at least one radiation-curing compound system consisting of one or more organic compounds. The highly refractive embossing lacquer is characterized in that at least a portion of the organic compounds of the radiation-curing compound system consists of molecules with at least one polarizable element, so that a polymeric material with a refractive index of greater than 1.5 is formed upon radiation curing. The invention also relates to a security element which is produced with at least one micro-optic authenticity feature. Micro-optic authenticity features according to the present invention permit the production of security elements that are so thin that they can be easily incorporated into value documents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a grating image having one or more grating fields, each of which includes an electromagnetic radiation-influencing grating pattern comprising a plurality of grating lines, the grating lines being characterized by the parameters orientation, curvature, spacing and profile. According to the present invention, in the grating image, a grating field (30) that is separately perceptible with the naked eye includes an electromagnetic radiation-influencing grating pattern having grating lines (32) for which at least one of the characteristic parameters orientation, curvature, spacing and profile varies (34) across the surface of the grating field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a value document, such as a banknote (1), which includes one or more window zones (2A, 2B) with one for example optically active element each which rotates a polarization plane P0 of polarized light LA, LB, penetrating the window zone by a defined angle. If such value documents are stacked and polarized light penetrates the superimposed window zones, the number of stacked value documents can be determined by way of the overall rotation of the polarization plane PA, PB. The overall nominal value of a stack of banknotes can thus be determined. The window zones can have category-specific rotational characteristics for different categories or nominal values and/or can be disposed in category-specific positions in the valuable document.

Abstract: A security element 2, 4 for embedding in or application to a security document in such a way that it is visually recognizable from both sides of the security document 1, is structured in a multilayer fashion and includes two interference elements I1, I2 with color shift effect, a metallic reflection layer R located in between as well as, optionally, diffraction structures 8. Depending on the disposition of the layers I1, R, I2 and the optionally present diffraction structures 8 on a transparent substrate S the color shift effect and/or the diffractive effects are perceptible from one or from both sides of the security element 2, 4. The security element is particularly suitable as a two-sided window thread 4 and as a label or transfer element 2 above a hole 3 in the security document 1.

Abstract: In a method for loading media data (M) into a memory of a portable data carrier (10) connected to an external operator device (24), the data carrier (10) receives a loading job, an encrypted data transfer channel (50) is set up between the data carrier (10) and a trustworthy, non-local server (30) on which the media data (M) are held, and the media data (M) are transferred in encrypted form via the data transfer channel (50) and written to the memory of the data carrier (10). A data carrier (10) and a computer program product have corresponding features. In addition, an operator device (24) and a computer program product are provided that are configured to provide a user interface for initiating the method for loading the media data (M). The invention provides a technique for loading media data (M) into a portable data carrier (10), which technique prevents unauthorized copying of the media data (M).

Abstract: An apparatus for diverting sheet material, in particular bank notes (BN), includes a diverting plate (4) with a first diverting edge (7) disposed on a slant and preferably a second diverting edge (8) disposed on a slant. The sheet material is guided and transported from the rear side (6) of the diverting plate (4) around the first diverting edge (7) to the front side (5) and further around the second diverting edge (8) back to the rear side (6). If the diverting edges (7, 8) are aligned relative to the transport direction (1, 2, 3) of the sheet material e.g. in each case at a slant angle of 45°, this apparatus permits the sheet-material transport direction to be diverted by 180°, whereby the transport path is shifted parallel. Thus, a continuous bank-note stream can be diverted uninterruptedly while retaining the sheet-material orientation relative to the transport direction.

Abstract: The invention provides a smart card chip having a nonvolatile system memory (ROM, flash1), a Java Card Virtual Machine implemented in the nonvolatile system memory (ROM, flash1), a nonvolatile application memory (EEPROM, flash2), a volatile working memory (RAM) and a variables memory area reserved for global variables, wherein the variables memory area is reserved in the volatile working memory (RAM). The variables memory area is preferably reserved statically. The use of the variables can be limited to system packages and optionally additionally to preloaded (ROM/EEPROM) packages.

Abstract: A method for identifying suspected counterfeit and/or counterfeit banknotes paid into an automatic teller machine, wherein banknotes to be paid in are checked for authenticity on the basis of data from a sensor device. The identification is achieved by linking data from the sensor device concerning the suspected counterfeit and/or counterfeit banknotes to an identity of a payer. The method also includes storing the data concerning the suspected counterfeit and/or counterfeit banknotes and the identity of the payer, and generating checking data for the suspected counterfeit and/or counterfeit banknotes by means of the sensor device or a sensor device similar to the sensor device.

Abstract: A control unit is described for technical installations, devices and/or machines having a microprocessor, a programmable memory and a housing enclosing the microprocessor and programmable memory. Data lines lead out of the housing for connection with an external device for writing data to the programmable memory. The control unit is enclosed in the housing such that the operability of the control unit is at least partly destroyed when the housing is opened. The control unit furthermore has a check device that checks for authorization a write access by which data are written to the programmable memory over the data line, and causes the data to be written to the programmable memory only in case of a successful check of authorization.

Abstract: A method for producing a security document having printed image 1 produced by steel intaglio printing and embossed microstructures 2 of an order of magnitude of less than 100 microns is carried out by one printing plate 8 on which both the steel intaglio structures and the microstructures are present. The parts of the microstructures closest to printing plate surface 9 are located 20 to 100 microns below the printing plate surface so that they are not touched and destroyed by the wiping cylinder. Alternative methods for producing a steel intaglio printing plate with integrated microstructures are provided. The microstructures can be used for embossing a diffractive relief or a blind embossing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data carrier having a security element that is at lest visually testable and has an embossing in at least a partial area, the embossing being a halftone blind embossing executed by inkless line intaglio printing, and to a method for producing the data carrier and a printing plate for blind-embossing a security element.

Abstract: An apparatus for deflecting sheet material from a first transport direction to a second transport direction while maintaining the orientation of the sheet material comprises a deflecting area (5) with a sheet-material supply zone (5a) and a sheet-material removal zone (5b), as well as at least one slider (11) with slider elements (12), which engages on the trailing edge of the sheet material to be deflected. By moving the slider from the sheet-material supply zone to the sheet-material removal zone around a rotation axis (13) the sheet material is deflected by the desired deflection angle. The sheet-material transport path preferably has two steps and the rotation axis (13) of the sliders (11) is preferably arranged in such a fashion that the slider elements (12) substantially only engage with the sheet-material transport path in the deflecting area (5) and emerge from the sheet-material transport path both upstream of the sheet-material supply zone (5a) and downstream of the sheet-material removal zone (5b).

Abstract: A security element for securing value documents has a first light-polarizing layer that is present at least in some areas and includes a cholesteric liquid crystal material, that selectively reflects light having a predetermined circular polarization, and that selectively reflects light of a firs wavelength range in a first reflection direction and light of a second wavelength range having a second, different reflection direction. A second light-polarizing layer is present at least in some areas and selectively reflects light having the opposite circular polarization to the predetermined circular polarization and selectively reflects light of the first and second wavelength range in the first and second reflection direction, respectively. A semi-transparent filter layer on which the first and second light-polarizing layer are stacked, absorbs light from the visible spectral range and transmits light from the first and/or second wavelength range.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a corresponding method for canceling, in particular destroying, sheet material, in particular bank notes. The apparatus comprises at least one canceling means (2) to which the sheet material (1) to be canceled is fed, in which the fed sheet material (11) is canceled, in particular destroyed, and from which the canceled sheet material (11) is discharged. The apparatus comprises furthermore at least one supervising means (7) for monitoring the sheet material (11) being discharged or having been discharged from said canceling means (2). For improved monitoring of the cancellation of sheet material, in particular with respect to malfunctions, there is provided at least one monitoring means (6a, 6b) for monitoring the fed sheet material (1). The fed sheet material (11) is compared to the sheet material (11) being discharged or having been discharged in an evaluation means (9).

Abstract: A method for processing papers of value in which different groups of papers of value are processed one after the other, such that for each group of papers of value an accounting unit is opened, an identification is inputted or read for each accounting unit and the identification is associated with an accounting unit, for the purpose of opening the accounting unit, only when a prior accounting unit is closed, and a check is made of whether an input for the groups of papers of value is empty.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a substrate having a resist layer in the form of a relief structure, which represents a diffraction structure. The resist layer at least in certain areas adjoins a conductive layer, which scatters the primary electrons and/or produces secondary electrons when the resist layer is exposed by means of an electron beam. With this method the material of the resist layer and the conductive layer and the exposure parameters are adjusted to each other such that the resist layer is also exposed outside the area impinged with the electron beam such that the flanks of the relief structure obtain an inclined form.

Abstract: The invention relates to an object, in particular a security element for security papers, bank notes, identity card or the like, as well as a security paper and a document of value with such a security element. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing the object, in particular the security element or the security paper and the document of value with such a security element. The method in particular serves for manufacturing a precious-metal-coloured, preferably gold-coloured coating on a substrate.