Patents Assigned to Gieseck & Devrient GmbH
  • Method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards
    Patent number: 6622910
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards containing an at least partly flat surface for visible application of data and an integrated circuit with memory. The problem of the invention is to state a method and apparatus for avoiding the abovementioned disadvantages, i.e. further reducing the reject rate in personalizing chip cards. This problem is solved by personalizing the integrated circuits and the card bodies separately from each other and subsequently incorporating the personalized circuit in the personalized card body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Fischbacher
  • Sheet stacking apparatus and method for controlling the feed of sheet material into a stacking wheel
    Patent number: 6623001
    Abstract: In a sheet stacking apparatus, in particular spiral slot stacker, one determines the relative position of a group of sheets 7A, 7B, for example distance ta between the sheets or total length tL of overlapping sheets. Sheet sensor 16 is mounted for this purpose at a large distance before input point 15 so that irregularities such as distance and/or overlap within the group of sheets 7A, 7B are taken into account and corresponding steps can be taken before leading sheet 7A is fed into stacker slot 2 of stacking wheel 1. Depending on the kind of irregularity ascertained, stacking wheel 1 is stopped, slowed down or accelerated to permit collision-free feed of the group of sheets into common slot 2 or into separate slots 2. In special embodiments one influences the sheet speed by means of separately controllable transport path segments 12a, 12b, and/or input point 15 by means of control finger 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Steinkogler, Thomas Hildebrandt, Michael Stapfer
  • Process for the secure writing of a pointer for a circular memory
    Patent number: 6622205
    Abstract: To permit safe writing of the pointer (P) pointing to the current record in a cyclic memory or ring memory, e.g. an EEPROM, the new record (D'#3) is written to the memory location (R3) containing the oldest record, and then the pointer (P) is updated. The pointer (P) consists of a first pointer (P1, P1*) and a second pointer (P2, P2*) redundant with respect to the first pointer. Each pointer contains a check value in the form of the inverse or complement code of the actual pointer. Due to the second pointer and the check value, the pointer is written with optimal safety. In case of a disturbance in the course of pointer updating, the old first pointer can later alternatively be recovered from the second pointer or the second pointer updated with the aid of the new first pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Weiss
  • Method for determining structural inhomogeneities in sheet material
    Patent number: 6595060
    Abstract: A method for determining structural inhomogeneities in sheet material including exposing sheet material to ultrasonic waves, measuring ultrasonic waves transmitted through the sheet material and ultrasonic waves reflected from the sheet material at a plurality of predetermined portions located linearly along at least one track disposed on the sheet material and producing at least one value characteristic based on at least the transmitted or reflected ultrasonic waves from each of the predetermined portions on the at least one track. The method further includes forming a first mean based on the at least one value characteristic and a second mean based on the first mean to determine the structural inhomogeneities in the sheet material representative of the at least one track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Wunderer, Ulrich Schanda
  • Method for producing an integrated circuit processed on both sides
    Patent number: 6583030
    Abstract: A method for producing an integrated circuit wherein a substrate is provided that includes a circuit structure and a first metalization structure disposed thereover comprising at least one layer with plated holes extending therethrough and into the circuit structure. The plated holes are insulated and a planarizing layer is disposed over the metalization structure. A handling wafer is applied over the substrate permitting the substrate to be thinned such that metalized connections disposed in the plated holes are exposed. A second metalization structure is provided and connected to the circuit structure and/or the first metalization structure by the metalized connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Grassl
  • Injection-moulded card with decorative layer
    Patent number: 6575371
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing injection-molded cards with at least one decorative layer (2, 6) which is already applied to a foil (1, 7) or an inlay before injection molding. To protect the inks used for the decoration from thermal action and/or excessive pressures and/or high mechanical stress during injection molding, the decorative layer (2, 6) is covered according to the invention with a protective layer (3, 5) before the foil (1, 7) provided with the decoration or an inlay provided with a decoration is inserted into the injection mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Hoppe, Wolfgang Gauch
  • Machine detectable document of value
    Publication number: 20030102662
    Abstract: The invention relates to a document of value consisting of a substrate of predetermined surface area with a printed image visible to the naked eye and a marking in the form of characters, patterns or the like at least partly superimposed on the printed image. The marking is represented by a feature substance having at least one mechanically detectable physical property and extends over the predominant part of the surface of the document. The marking additionally has a given measurable regularity which makes it possible, by mechanical scanning of the marking, to detect the correctness of the distribution and recognize gaps or added partial elements of other authentic documents as disturbances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Stenzel, Wittich Kaule
  • Memory array with address scrambling
    Patent number: 6572024
    Abstract: A memory array includes a plurality of storage cells (10) and a selection device (14) which selects a storage cell (10) for physical access due to a logical address (23) supplied via an address bus (20). The selection device (14) includes a scrambling device (15) which allocates a storage cell (10) in the memory array in predictable fashion by scrambling to a logical address (23) transmitted to one of the selection devices (14), the cell then being physically accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Baldischweiler, Stefan Eckardt
  • Portable data support with a break-off mini-chip card
    Patent number: 6561432
    Abstract: A portable data carrier with a break-out mini smart card embedded therein. The mini smart card is separated from the remaining card body by a free punch extending over substantial parts of the mini smart card. According to the invention, another rated breaking line is provided within the mini smart card, preferably consisting of a perforated line and permitting further reduction in size of the mini smart card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Vedder, Renee-Lucia Barak
  • Machine detectable document of value
    Patent number: 6530602
    Abstract: The invention relates to a document of value consisting of a substrate of predetermined surface area with a printed image visible to the naked eye and a marking in the form of characters, patterns or the like at least partly superimposed on the printed image. The marking is represented by a feature substance having at least one mechanically detectable physical property and extends over the predominant part of the surface of the document. The marking additionally has a given measurable regularity which makes it possible, by mechanical scanning of the marking, to detect the correctness of the distribution and recognize gaps or added partial elements of other authentic documents as disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Stenzel, Wittich Kaule
  • Process for manufacturing card-shaped data carriers
    Patent number: 6519497
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing card-shaped data carriers. The method has at least one production step requiring a data carrier of a defined type or quality or in a defined position and/or changing the data carrier in irreversible fashion or in a fashion which can be reversed only by additional expense. The data carrier is optically tested before or after said production step, and the further processing of the data carrier controlled depending on the result of said test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Blome, Herbert Grün, Volker Waschk
  • Printed document having a value and comprising a luminescent authenticity feature
    Patent number: 6503603
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printed valuable document with at least one authenticity mark in the form of a luminescent substance based on a host lattice doped with at least one rare earth metal. The host lattice largely absorbs in the visible region of the spectrum and is excitable in the visible region of the spectrum, and is transparent in at least parts of the IR spectral region. The rare earth metal is holmium. The luminescent substance is present in the volume of the valuable document in such a concentration that the properties of the valuable document just remain unimpaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Wittich Kaule, Gerhard Schwenk, Gerhard Stenzel
  • Apparatus for detecting properties of sheet material
    Patent number: 6496251
    Abstract: The apparatus has an imaging device which converts light emitted by an illuminating device into a substantially parallel light pencil which illuminates a line in a line plane parallel to the sheet material and falls in a first illumination plane at a fixed angle of incidence, the first illumination plane forming with the line plane a first illumination angle and intersecting the line plane along the line. Light reflected along the line in a first detection plane at a fixed angle of reflection is imaged onto a detecting device, the detection plane forming with the sheet material a first detection angle and intersecting the line plane along the line. The angle of incidence is selected equal to the angle of reflection, and the first illumination angle equal to the first detection angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Wunderer
  • Method and apparatuses for opening and closing a cassette
    Publication number: 20020185531
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cassette, a control device, an automatic teller and a method for opening and/or closing such a cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Matzig
  • Safety document
    Patent number: 6491324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security element for protecting objects which has at least one mechanically testable magnetic layer and at least one further layer consisting of a layer semitransparent in the visual spectral region. The semitransparent layer is additionally disposed over the magnetic layer so as to cover the magnetic layer. The invention further relates to a security document with such a security element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Schmitz, Theo Burchard
  • Method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards
    Publication number: 20020179702
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards containing an at least partly flat surface for visible application of data and an integrated circuit with memory. The problem of the invention is to state a method and apparatus for avoiding the abovementioned disadvantages, i.e. further reducing the reject rate in personalizing chip cards. This problem is solved by personalizing the integrated circuits and the card bodies separately from each other and subsequently incorporating the personalized circuit in the personalized card body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Fischbacher
  • Method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards
    Patent number: 6484935
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing personalized chip cards containing an at least partly flat surface for visible application of data and an integrated circuit with memory. The problem of the invention is to state a method and apparatus for avoiding the abovementioned disadvantages, i.e. further reducing the reject rate in personalizing chip cards. This problem is solved by personalizing the integrated circuits and the card bodies separately from each other and subsequently incorporating the personalized circuit in the personalized card body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Fischbacher
  • Document having a value
    Patent number: 6479133
    Abstract: The invention concerns a printed valuable document with at least one authentication feature in the form of a luminescent substance based on a host lattice doped with at least two rare earth metals. The host lattice largely absorbs in the visible region of the spectrum, is excitable in large parts of the visible region of the spectrum and transparent at least in partial areas of the IR spectral region. The luminescent substance is present in the volume of the valuable document in such a concentration that the characteristics of the valuable document just remain unimpaired. The rare earth metals concerned are thulium and holmium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Wittich Kaule, Gerhard Stenzel
  • Device for turning sheets
    Patent number: 6474638
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for turning sheets. A sheet to be turned is guided into a gap between two transport elements moving in opposite directions and is pressed against the reverse-moving transport element or the forward-moving transport element depending on whether or not said sheet should be turned. The following transport elements then guide the turned or unturned sheet to the output of the device. The device preferably is configured such that the same transport time is required for turned and unturned sheets so that the order of the sheets and the interval between the sheets upstream and downstream of the turning device remain the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Mylaeus, Detlef Bielefeld
  • Method for verifying the state of a device used to examine sheet items
    Patent number: 6472670
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking the state of an apparatus for testing sheet material having at least one illumination device, transparent measuring window and detector. For ascertaining the soiling of a measuring window according to the invention the latter is irradiated with UV light by an illumination device, the UV light transmitted through the measuring window being filtered by a UV filter such that only a small fraction passes the filter and reaches a detector. Said fraction of UV light transmitted through the filter is detected and evaluated for determining the degree of soiling of the measuring window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Philipp, Heinz Hornung