Abstract: A thermal ink layer (102) formed by a thermochromic material changing from a black color to a transparent state when heated is arranged on a base (101) which is a PET film. A cholesteric liquid crystal layer (103) in which an appropriate pattern of hologram (105) is formed is arranged on the thermal ink layer (102). At room temperature, the thermal ink layer (102) exhibits the light absorption characteristic and the selective reflection characteristic and it is possible to observe the color shift characteristic of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer (103). When heated, the thermal ink layer (102) becomes transparent and the pattern (104) on the base (101) is further observed in the superimposed state. By utilizing the change of the view, it is possible to authenticate a commodity. This realizes a higher level for preventing forgery than the conventional discrimination technique and enables a user to easily and surely judge whether a commodity is a forged one.

Abstract: A discrimination medium 10a includes a first double layered body 101 having a right-handed circular polarization polymer cholesteric liquid crystal layer 11 and a left-handed circular polarization polymer cholesteric liquid crystal layer 12 which are stacked. The right-handed circular polarization polymer cholesteric liquid crystal layer 11 reflects a specific right-handed circular polarization light, and the left-handed circular polarization polymer cholesteric liquid crystal layer 12 reflects a specific left-handed circular polarization light. The discrimination medium 10a is applied to the article 30, and is viewed via a simple determination tool 20 having a filter 21 allowing only right-handed circular polarization light to pass therethough and a filter 22 allowing only left-handed circular polarization light to pass therethough.

Abstract: A discrimination medium on which printing can be freely performed, which cannot be easily falsified, in which the authenticity can be easily discriminated by unique appearance, and which can be produced at low cost, is provided. A cholesteric liquid crystal layer 10 or a multilayer film 5, and a breakable print recording layer are laminated in the discrimination medium. The multilayer film 5 has plural light transparent films which are laminated and are different from each other in refraction index. Therefore, the discrimination medium has unique optical characteristics such that a character, a symbol, a pattern, a figure formed by printing by a thermal printer or the like changes in color depending on the viewing angle. A discrimination method using the above optical characteristics of the discrimination medium is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a discrimination medium A for discriminating the authenticity of an article by providing an optically discriminating mark on the article. A film 20 having a light reflecting layer of a polymer cholesteric liquid crystal having a circular polarization light selectivity for reflecting a specific circular polarization light is fixed to a part of the surface of a support 10. A printed portion is made by printing on the portions other than the film 20 of the support 10 in substantially the same color as that shown when the film 20 is viewed from the front. The discrimination medium A appears to be red at the support 10 and the film 20 when viewed from the front (although the film has a metallic luster), but at a larger viewing angle, the film 20 changes to blue by the blue-shift of the polymer cholesteric liquid crystal so as to exhibit a color different from that of the support 10.

Abstract: A breakable seal can be discriminated more easily than the conventional one. The discrimination medium 100 has a cholesteric liquid crystal layer 104, a substrate layer 105, an adhesive layer 102, and a partial peeling layer 103. The discrimination medium 100 has an adhesion strength XA between the adhesive layer 102 and the partial peeling layer 103, an adhesion strength XB between the partial peeling layer 103 and the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 104, and an adhesion strength XC between the cholesteric liquid crystal layer 104 and the substrate layer 105. The relationships XA<XB and XA<XC are satisfied at areas 106, 108, and 110. The relationships XC<XA and XC<XB are satisfied at areas 107 and 109. In the above manner, when the discrimination medium 100 is peeled from the article 101, the discrimination medium 100 is separated into a discrimination medium 116 and a discrimination medium 117.

Abstract: A discrimination medium cannot be easily falsified. Since the visibility of the discrimination medium is unique, the discrimination medium is superior in determination of the authenticity. The discrimination medium is structured such that a cholesteric liquid crystal layer 106 and a multilayer film 103 having plural light transparent films which are laminated and are different from each other in refraction index are laminated. The reflection light reflected by the discrimination medium includes circular polarization lights which are different in polarization direction, and the discrimination medium has unique optical characteristics. A discrimination method using the above unique optical characteristics, an article to be discriminated by the discrimination medium, and a discrimination apparatus using the above unique optical characteristics are provided.

Abstract: A discrimination medium for objects by which counterfeiting can be prevented, authenticity of the article can be easily and reliably determined, and the production cost can be reduced is provided. In the discrimination medium, the support body 31 and the pattern 20 appear to be the same color when viewed from a specific angle (for instance, viewing from the front). On the other hand, when the viewing angle is increased, the color of the pattern 20 composed of a multilayer thin film changes by color shift, whereby the pattern 20 becomes a color different from the support body 31.

Abstract: The present invention provides a discrimination medium A for discriminating the authenticity of an article by providing an optically discriminating mark on the article. A film 20 having a light reflecting layer of a polymer cholesteric liquid crystal having a circular polarization light selectivity for reflecting a specific circular polarization light is fixed to a part of the surface of a support 10. A printed portion is made by printing on the portions other than the film 20 of the support 10 in substantially the same color as that shown when the film 20 is viewed from the front. The discrimination medium A appears to be red at the support 10 and the film 20 when viewed from the front (although the film has a metallic luster), but at a larger viewing angle, the film 20 changes to blue by the blue-shift of the polymer cholesteric liquid crystal so as to exhibit a color different from that of the support 10.

Abstract: A discrimination mark having both a simple authentication function by perceptual recognition and an accurate authentication function by mechanical recognition enabled by using a combination of a mark having an authentication function by perceptual recognition with a substance having a content of a table isotope different from the natural abundance. The S/N ratio can be made large in making a mechanical recognition, so that the authentication by mechanical recognition can be implemented with high accuracy. The substance having a controlled content of a stable isotope different from the natural abundance is a rate one itself and difficult to produce. As a result, this discrimination mark has a high security level.

Abstract: In an identification medium for identifying an authenticity of an object either visually or optically by using an identification device, high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal is applied onto the object, onto a sticker adapted to be affixed to the object or onto a base for hot stamping onto the object, and the high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal is patterned, and/or a graphic representation layer such as a figure and letter is formed under or over the high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal to enhance the aesthetic quality of the identification medium or the object, and improve the capability to identify and prevent forgery.

Abstract: An authenticity identifying film (10) has a reflective film (11) having a circularly polarized light selectivity to reflect at least only either of right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light of incident light to produce reflected light. The reflective film (11) is provided with a hologram forming part (11a). The hologram forming part (11a) reflects circularly polarized light of the same circular polarization as that of the reflected light in a direction different from that of the reflected light to form a holographic image. The reflected light reflected by the reflective film (11) and the holographic image formed by the hologram forming part (11a) are detected by detectors disposed at different positions, respectively.

Abstract: In an identification medium for identifying an authenticity of an object either visually or optically by using an identification device, high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal is applied onto the object, onto a sticker adapted to affixed to the object or onto a base for hot stamping onto the object, and the high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal is patterned, and/or a graphic representation layer such as a figure and letter is formed under or over the high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal to enhance the aesthetic quality of the identification medium or the object, and improve the capability to identify and prevent forgery.

Abstract: An authenticity identifying film (10) has a reflective film (11) having a circularly polarized light selectivity to reflect at least only either of right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light of incident light to produce reflected light. The reflective film (11) is provided with a hologram forming part (11a). The hologram forming part (11a) reflects circularly polarized light of the same circular polarization as that of the reflected light in a direction different from that of the reflected light to form a holographic image. The reflected light reflected by the reflective film (11) and the holographic image formed by the hologram forming part (11a) are detected by detectors disposed at different positions, respectively.

Abstract: The object to be identified is affixed with an identification medium comprising a reflective layer consisting of a reflective hologram or diffraction grating. The high polymer cholesteric liquid crystal provides an inexpensive identification medium, and the use of the second light receiving unit for providing a reference signal provides a high S/N output signal which is highly distinct and resistant to the contamination of the identification medium. Also, the elimination of the need for expensive optical elements such as beam splitters also contributes to the reduction of cost.

Abstract: Provided is an economical identification system suitable for use on commercial products which is difficult to duplicate, and highly identifiable. The system includes an identification medium having a high-polymer cholesteric liquid crystal material applied thereon. The high-polymer cholesteric liquid crystals selectively reflect a certain wavelength, and this wavelength changes with the change in the incident angle of the light. The liquid crystals also have the property to circularly polarize the reflected light in either sense. By taking advantages of such properties, it is possible to provide a highly identifiable structure which, however, is highly difficult to illicitly duplicate. In particular, by forming the reflective layer of a hologram with high-polymer cholesteric liquid crystals, the hologram can be used as an identification medium which is highly difficult to duplicate but easy to identify with a machine.

Abstract: A large number of magnetic polymer elements are distributed at random in a base material of a object to be checked. Each magnetic polymer element includes an element main body formed of a high-molecular material, such as an acrylic resin, and magnetic metal powder contained therein. The base material is formed mainly of paper, and the magnetic polymer elements are incorporated together with wood pulp fibers in the base material. The elements and the fibers are tangled with one another in three dimensions. Indication data including figures, symbols, etc., such as post position numbers and bet numbers on betting tickets for publicly-managed gambling, are printed on the object.

Abstract: A large number of magnetic pieces are distributed at random in a scanning region of an object to be checked. A magnetic sensor of a processing apparatus for checking the object for authenticity comprises first and second detecting element pairs. Each of these detecting element pairs include a pair of MR elements arranged in a scanning direction. The MR elements of the second detecting element pair are deviated from those of the first detecting element pair in parallel relation. The apparatus registers data associated with the detection signal obtained by means of the first detecting element pair in a code indicator section of the object when the object is manufactured or issued.

Abstract: In an article identification system comprising a plurality of identification regions affixed on an article, a light emitting device for impinging an illuminating light beam onto at least some of the identification regions, a light receiving device for detecting light diffracted by the identification regions, and a determination unit for determining the authenticity of the article according to a pattern of diffracted light detected by the light receiving device, the identification regions consist of a combination of effective and ineffective identification regions which are hardly distinguishable by naked eyes. Thus, the potential forger is not able to know which regions are indeed effective without having any access to a genuine optical reader/writer, and has to duplicate all of the identification regions at a substantial cost and requiring a substantial amount of effort.

Abstract: A large number of magnetic polymer elements are distributed at random in a base material of a object to be checked. Each magnetic polymer element includes an element main body formed of a high-molecular material, such as an acrylic resin, and magnetic metal powder contained therein. The base material is formed mainly of paper, and the magnetic polymer elements are incorporated together with wood pulp fibers in the base material. The elements and the fibers are tangled with one another in three dimensions. Indication data including figures, symbols, etc., such as post position numbers and bet numbers on betting tickets for publicly-managed gambling, are printed on the object.

Abstract: An object to be checked contains a large number of magnetic polymer elements scattered at random. Each of magnetic polymer elements is made up of an element main body formed of a high molecular material, and magnetic metal powder contained in the element main body. The magnetic polymer elements are integrally incorporated in paper and tangled with the wood pulp fibers of the paper three-dimensionally. In the manufacturing process of the object, a processing apparatus magnetically scans the magnetic polymer elements incorporated in the scanning region of the object while moving the scanning region at a predetermined speed, converts a detection signal obtained by the magnetic scan into a cipher code, and records the cipher code in a code indicator section. In the authenticity checking process, the processing apparatus magnetically scans the magnetic polymer elements once again, and a detection signal obtained thereby is collated with the cipher code recorded in the code indicator section.