Abstract: A method is suggested for the simultaneous personalization of several portable data carriers (2) respectively having at least one integrated circuit (6) for storing and/or processing information. According to the invention a unidirectional protocol serves for transmitting an identical personalization signal to several portable data carriers (2). These detect personalization data on this basis and store them in the integrated circuits (6). Preferably adapter elements (100; 101; 102) are used, which can accommodate at least one data carrier (50) and which are equipped with first interfaces (140; 150) for communicating with a reading device (20; 21; 22) and with second interfaces (120) for communicating with the accommodated data carrier (2). In a variant the portable data carriers (1) are transported in a transport device (600) which, at least temporarily, electrically contacts the contact area (9) of the portable data carriers (2) by means of a contacting unit (604).

Abstract: A method for accepting and/or dispensing/returning bank notes wherein bank notes to be accepted or dispensed/returned are transported from or to an input and dispensing position to or from a processing position. At least an input velocity for the bank notes is ascertained upon an input of bank notes to be accepted, or at least a withdrawal velocity for the bank notes upon the dispensing/return of bank notes to be dispensed/returned is ascertained, and the bank notes to be accepted are transported at a transport velocity corresponding substantially to the input velocity or withdrawal velocity, whereas the bank notes to be dispensed/returned are transported at a transport velocity corresponding substantially to the withdrawal velocity or input velocity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the data communication between a portable data carrier (10) and an external communication device, which both in each case comprise a TCP/IP protocol stack (24). In a first step the communication device sends communication data to the data carrier (10), the communication data comprising at least commands according to an Internet protocol of the application layer of the TCP/IP reference model and commands in the form of APDUs according to ISO/IEC 7816-4. The method additionally comprises the steps of transmitting the communication data between the communication device and the data carrier (10), of receiving the communication data by the data carrier (10) and of separating the received APDUs and the received Internet protocol commands from each other by means of the allocator unit (32) of the data carrier (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for processing bank notes, in particular a compensation unit for adapting the bank-note stock of a recycling apparatus. In recycling apparatus standing in the cash offices of retailers a lack of bank notes of small denominations occurs quickly. In order to render the filling and emptying of the bank-note stock of recycling apparatus easy and safe, and to extend the time intervals for refilling and emptying recycling apparatus and thereby operate them in an economically sensible fashion, a compensation unit is connected to the recycling apparatus, in which bank notes of certain types are stored. It is possible to both transfer bank notes from the recycling apparatus to the compensation unit and to feed bank notes from the compensation unit to the recycling apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data carrier having a semiconductor chip. In order to prevent an attacker from determining secret data of the chip from intercepted signal patterns of the chip, security-relevant operations are performed only with commands or command strings of the operating program whose use does not permit the processed data to be inferred from the signal patterns.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for visually representing measuring values. The present invention starts out from the idea of veiling the visual representation of authenticity data or other measuring values by visually representing not the measuring values themselves, but camouflage data, which are formed by measuring values changed with the help of a mathematical algorithm.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for personalizing card-shaped data carriers (10, 11, 12), for example chip cards in the formats ID000 to ID3 or other suitable formats, a card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) to be personalized is transported by means of a transport device within the apparatus. During the transport motion, personalization data are transferred to an electronic storage device (13) of the card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) by means of a personalization device (40). The transporting of the card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) is effected by means of a band-shaped or tubular carrier (20, 21, 22, 23) on which a multiplicity of card-shaped data carriers (10, 11, 12) to be personalized are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a security element (12) having a metalized microrelief pattern and a negative pattern in register therewith, in which P) a substrate (20) is provided with an embossing pattern having elevations (24) and depressions (26) that form first and second regions having different first and second height levels, wherein the desired microrelief pattern (28) is introduced into the first regions of the embossing pattern, and the second regions of the embossing pattern are developed in the form of the desired negative pattern, M) the embossing pattern with the first and second regions is contiguously metalized (30), and L) the metalized embossing pattern is impinged on with laser radiation, to selectively remove the metalization (30) in the second regions of the embossing pattern through the action of the laser radiation.

Abstract: A security element for securing valuable articles comprises an optically variable layer (18) that conveys different color impressions at different viewing angles, and a color-constant layer (17, 24). The optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) are stacked in a covering region (20), while at most one of the optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) is present outside (22) the covering region. The color impression of the stacked layers (18, 17, 24) in the covering region (20) and the color impression of the one layer (18) outside (22) the covering region are matched with each other when viewed at a predetermined viewing angle. Further, the color-constant layer comprises an ink layer (17) and a metal layer arranged below the ink layer (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a see-through security element (12), for security papers, value documents and the like, having at least one micropattern having a visual appearance that is viewing-angle dependent when looked through (26, 28). According to the present invention, the at least one micropattern is formed from an arrangement of a plurality of pattern elements (24) having a characteristic pattern spacing of 1 ?m or more, and the see-through security element (12) exhibits a total thickness of 50 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for security papers, value documents and the like, having a laser-markable transparent or translucent marking layer into which, through the action of laser radiation, visually perceptible identifiers are introduced in the form of patterns, letters, numbers and/or images. The identifiers each comprise a lamellar structure composed of a plurality of substantially parallel lamella that extend into the depth of the marking layer and include the parameters color, width, height, lateral orientation, tilt angle and/or spacing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a grating image (30) for depicting a motif (24) that moves upon tilting the grating image (30) about a tilt axis (20), having two or more grating fields (32, 34, 36) having a viewing-angle-dependent visual appearance, that each include an electromagnetic-radiation-influencing grating pattern composed of a plurality of grating lines, and exhibit a preferred direction that establishes a viewing angle from which the appropriate grating field (32, 34, 36) is visually distinguishable, wherein, according to the present invention, the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are formed from a plurality of sub-regions nested within each other (32-i, 34-i, 36-i), and each grating field (32, 34, 36) displays a motif (24) view (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) that is shifted substantially along the tilt axis (20), wherein the viewing angles for the visual distinguishability and the shifts of the motif views (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) of the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are coordinated with each other such that, upon til

Abstract: A screen for producing two-level watermarks is produced by completely closing part of the screen with a viscous sealing compound, which is subsequently cured actively or passively. At the thus closed partial areas of the screen, paper deposit is hindered during papermaking so that the finished paper appears light in transmission in the areas. A mask is used for exactly positioning the sealing compound in the partial areas of the screen and/or for curing the sealing compound only in the given partial areas, whereby in the latter case the uncured areas of the sealing compound are washed out.

Abstract: Scanning apparatuses for scanning bar codes applied to documents have a reflector arrangement having either a variable reflection element or a light guide system. The reflection element or light guide system serves to deflect the beam path of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a radiation source or an illumination device in the document plane along a line substantially perpendicular to the feed direction of the document, or to capture it, and to relay it to a detector.

Abstract: In a method for assessing a condition of at least one value document with regard to limpness, there is determined from transmission values representing the ultrasound transmission at different places on the value document a condition value which depends on a variation of the transmission values and characterizes the condition of the value document with regard to limpness. A condition of the value document is determined for the condition value using a preset criterion.

Abstract: In a portable data carrier (1) having a contact-type interface device (2, 3) and a contactless interface device (4, 5) a sequencing device (6) coordinates competingly occurring contact-type and contactless data communications (16, 19) in such a way that the two data communications (16, 19) can be carried out sequentially step-by-step and without data loss. The processing of the first data communication via the first interface (4) is interrupted in order to start a second data communication via the second interface (2). After the step of starting, the interrupted processing of the first data communication is continued while at the same time the started second data communication is maintained.

Abstract: A printed document of value having at least one authenticity feature in the form of a luminescent substance on the basis of host lattices which are doped with one or a plurality of ions. Since the host lattices are doped with different ions, exchange interactions between clusters of ions that occur leads to cooperative effects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for securing data carriers, having a three-layer thin-film element (20) composed of a reflection layer (22), an absorber layer (26) and a dielectric spacing layer arranged between the reflection layer and the absorber layer (24). According to the present invention, the reflection layer (22), the absorber layer (26) and the dielectric spacing layer (24) are coordinated with each other in such a way that, for viewing from the absorber layer side (26) at all viewing angles (28, 28?) and in the entire visible spectral range, the thin-film element exhibits a very low reflection and appears black.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing bank notes that includes an input unit for inputting bank notes, a singler for singling the input bank notes, a transport system for transporting the singled bank notes through a sensor device for checking the bank notes, a control device that evaluates signals from the sensor device, output units into which the bank notes are transported by the transport system, controlled by the control device, in dependence of the check, and detectors for monitoring the apparatus for the presence of malfunctions. The sensor device signals are evaluated by the control device for this purpose, and the control device stops the singler and the transport system in the event that the presence and/or the assumption of a malfunction is determined by the control device, wherein the control device, upon or after the stopping of the singler and of the transport system, effects an expansion of the transport system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an energy store for supplying an actuator, an antenna device for receiving, by contactless communication, energy for charging the energy store and one or more control signals comprising a command for triggering the actuator, and a control unit for controlling the supply of energy to the actuator on the basis of the control signals. After the triggering command has been received, the state of charge of the energy store is determined. When this state is less than a state of charge threshold value that is sufficient for triggering the actuator, a response signal to continue contactless communication is transmitted to the transmitting device via the antenna device. When this state is greater than or equal to the state of charge threshold value, the control unit controls the supply of energy from the energy store to the actuator so that it is possible to trigger the actuator.