Abstract: A feed module for feeding value documents, in particular bank notes, to a value-document processing apparatus, has a receiving device in which one or more value documents to be processed can be inserted. The receiving device includes a first aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a first edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a first state, and a second aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a second edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a second state. A positioning device through which the receiving device is brought from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: An apparatus, a corresponding method, and value-document processing system for checking value documents that has at least two radiation sources for giving off electromagnetic radiation with which a value document is irradiated, at least one sensor for capturing the electromagnetic radiation emanating from the value document, and generating corresponding sensor signals. The apparatus has an evaluation device configured to derive from the sensor signals corrected sensor signals taking into account at least one spectral property of the electromagnetic radiation of the at least two radiation sources. The sensor signals corrected in this way reproduce the actual reflection or transmission behavior of the value document substantially more precisely than the uncorrected sensor signals. Disturbing remission or transmission artifacts may be attributed to so-called auxiliary emissions of the radiation sources are eliminated or at least reduced.

Abstract: A security element for securing security papers, value documents and other data carriers, has a lenticular image that, from different viewing directions, displays at least two appearances. The lenticular image includes a lens grid composed of a plurality of microlenses and a laser-sensitive motif layer arranged spaced apart from the lens grid. The laser-sensitive motif layer comprises, in two or more motif layer sub-regions, different markings introduced by the action of laser radiation and that, when the motif layer is viewed with the lens grid, produce at least two appearances. The lens grid is divided into two or more lens grid sub-regions in which the microlenses each comprise differently refractive lens surface forms. The different lens grid sub-regions are congruent with the different motif layer sub-regions, and the markings of the motif layer sub-regions being produced by laser impingement of the lens grid sub-regions.

Abstract: A method for establishing a sorting result for a value document while employing sensor data for the value document and pre-specified classification parameters, includes a pre-specified classification method carried out while employing the sensor data and the classification parameters. The method involves carrying out pre-specified substeps such that at least some of which are making a respective decision, and because of the carried out substeps a class is established as a sorting result. At least upon making the decisions at least one classification parameter associated with the respective decision and/or at least part of the sensor data and/or at least one substep result obtained upon carrying out a preceding substep is respectively employed.

Abstract: An optically variable security element for securing valuable articles that viewing-angle-dependently displays a motif having at least one curve depiction that, from a first viewing direction, is visible as an initial curve having two or more connected, non-collinear segments and that, when the security element is tilted about a predetermined axis, splits into the individual segments in that the segments of the initial curve move alternatingly in different directions away from the initial curve. Each of the segments has associated with it one movement segment in the form of a sub-region of an areal motif region, such that, from the first viewing direction, the segments display the initial curve having the connected segments and that, from viewing directions tilted about the predetermined axis, they display curve depictions in which, with increasing tilt angle, the segments lie alternatingly in different directions increasingly further away from the initial curve.

Abstract: A micro-optical inspection arrangement comprises micro-focusing elements which are composite bodies consisting of a main part and an additional part and which have a reference focal length. The main parts are provided as micro-focusing element preforms, and the additional parts are formed from one or more functional coatings. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a micro-optical inspection arrangement and to a micro-optical displaying arrangement comprising the micro-optical inspection arrangement according to the invention and a microstructure arrangement, in particular a moiré magnification arrangement and a modulo magnification arrangement. The invention also relates to security elements and data carriers that have the micro-optical inspection arrangement according to the invention.

Abstract: A means and method for checking a value document of at least one irregularity of at least one specified type, in which an ultrasound data record is captured which describes in locally resolved fashion at least one ultrasound property, a deviation data record is ascertained which describes in locally resolved fashion a deviation between the ultrasound data record and a model and is ascertained such that the deviation described thereby is minimal with respect to the model. The model comprises a model for the location dependence of the at least one ultrasound property of reference value documents of the specified value document type without irregularities of the at least one specified type, and using the deviation data record, it is checked whether an indication of an irregularity of the at least one type is present on the value document.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security feature having a luminescent substance with the general formula AXO3: Z (I) or B0.5XO3: Z (II) or A1-2yByXO3: Z (III), where A is an alkali metal, B is an alkaline earth metal, X stands for Nb or Ta, Z is the luminescence activator, and y lies between 0 and 0.5. The invention also relates to a security element, a security paper and a value document which is equipped with the security feature according to the invention, and to the use of the luminescent substance with the general formula (I), (II) or (III) as a feature substance for authentication. The luminescent substance is obtained by annealing solid starting materials.

Abstract: A sensor for checking value documents, an apparatus with the sensor, and a method for operating the sensor. Neither the software that the sensor executes for checking the value documents nor the adaptation data that the sensor employs for checking the value documents are stored permanently in the sensor itself. The sensor is set up for the software as well as the adaptation data to be loaded into the sensor from outside the sensor. The sensor can be employed for checking value documents only when a data carrier is connected to the sensor, and the data carrier has license data stored thereon through which a license for the employment of the software and/or of the adaptation data is supplied to the sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optically variable surface pattern having a substrate that comprises a first and a second surface region, the two surface regions being developed in such a way that the first surface region presents, in a first viewing angle range (?1) a bulged-appearing first depiction, and the second surface region presents, in a second viewing angle range (?2) that is different from the first viewing angle range (?1), a bulged-appearing second depiction.

Abstract: In a bank-note processing machine, bank notes are guided through between two components of a checking device by means of a transport band. The transport band is led away at least partly from the checking device by means of deflection rollers to enable a better check of the bank notes and a trouble-free transport of the bank notes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security feature for safeguarding value documents, comprising particles which are composed of at least two different, spatially separate solid homogeneous phases, wherein each of the phases is detectable and identifiable in a spatially resolved manner by means of a spatially resolving analytical method that is adapted for resolving down to the single-particle level.

Abstract: Input stacks of value documents are inserted in an input pocket of the value document processing apparatus, transported through the apparatus, checked and sorted into different deposit pockets of the value document processing apparatus, wherein reject value documents are deposited separately from the valid value documents. The reject value documents are automatically transported back to the input pocket with the aid of a reject transport device, to check the reject value documents again with the same value document processing apparatus (rerun). The reject transport device has several reject transport units, in which the reject value documents from the different input stacks are deposited separately from each other, and a reader for reading in the machine-readable identifier of the respective reject transport unit used for assigning the reject value documents of the respective reject transport unit to the input stack to which these reject value documents belong.

Abstract: A security element for manufacturing value documents, such as banknotes, checks or the like, comprises a top on which a microrelief structure is developed that has at least two sub-regions that each comprise a plurality of groove- and/or rib-shaped structural elements that lie adjacent to one another and extend along a longitudinal direction, and are reflecting or backscattering. The longitudinal directions of the sub-regions are different, and the structural elements are each not resolvable with the naked eye with respect to the width transverse to the longitudinal direction, and fan out incident parallel light achromatically in a fan that lies transverse to the longitudinal direction and has an opening angle of at least 30°.

Abstract: A method for checking value documents includes checking a security element having a plurality of magnetic regions, including a high-coercivity magnetic region, optionally a low-coercivity magnetic region and optionally a combined magnetic region which contains the high-coercivity as well as the low-coercivity magnetic material, and optionally a soft-magnetic magnetic region. After the magnetization of all the magnetic regions in a first direction, first magnetic signals of the security element are detected with a first magnetic detector. Subsequently, a second magnetization is performed wherein the low-coercivity magnetic material is remagnetized anti-parallel to the first magnetization, but the high-coercivity magnetic material remains aligned in the first magnetization direction. Second magnetic signals are detected with a second magnetic detector.

Abstract: A system for processing bank notes and a corresponding method comprises at least one bank-note processing machine having a central control device on which only those software modules are implemented that are necessary for the standard operation of the bank-note processing machine for counting, checking and/or sorting bank notes. At least one application server is connected to the bank-note processing machine via an external communication network and has implemented thereon at least one further software module which is executed on the application server and provides an application which provides at least one function going beyond the standard operation of the bank-note processing machine. The application provided on the application server involves a configuration application, a serial-number application, a reporting application and/or a servicing application.

Abstract: A security element has at least two luminescent substances, in which the security element has a first and a second luminescent substance which have a substantially identical, joint emission band. The first or the second luminescent substance, or both luminescent substances, have at least one excitation band that leads to an emission at the joint emission band only in the case of the first or the second luminescent substance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a sensor for checking a value document which is moved relative to the sensor. The sensor is arranged to detect the luminescence of the value document in two different spectral regions at the same location of detection simultaneously. The two temporal intensity patterns of the first and second luminescences detected in different spectral regions are evaluated relative to each other. This eliminates the motion effects which distort the two intensity patterns in the same or at least very similar manner.

Abstract: Described is a method for processing value documents which have an individual identifier, for example a serial number, in which for the value documents the individual identifier is respectively captured and from at least a part of the value documents a stack is formed, wherein for the stack the individual identifiers of the value documents of the stack are stored as belonging to a stack, for the stack there are captured usage data with the help of which the usage of the stack is identifiable and identifier data describing the individual identifier of at least one value document of the stack, and using the identifier data, the usage data and the individual identifiers of the value documents of the stack, which were stored as belonging to a stack, are stored so as to be associated with each other.

Abstract: An input module and a corresponding method involve feeding value documents to at least one value-document processing apparatus having a removal device for removing value documents from a first container located in a removal position and feeding the removed value documents to the value-document processing apparatus, an output device for receiving at least one container in an output position in which the container can be removed, and a conveying device for conveying the container within the input module. The input module and system have a simple and compact construction, and employ a simple procedure for feeding value documents to a value-document processing apparatus.