Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system comprising a central station (1), provided with a memory (MEM) and a connection device (COM) to at least one communication network (NET). Said communication system provides video information, in particular digitalized images and films, which are transmitted via said communication network (NET) to each remote station (2), connected to said network. Said video information is optionally buffered into said remote station (2) and displayed on a visual display terminal (VID2). According to said invention, the memory (MEM) of said central station (1) is an electronic memory (MEM), in which several video information blocks (VIDB) are to be memorized, which are recorded in an index (CONT). Said memory transmits one of the selected information blocks (VIDB) to the respective communicating remote station (2) by means of a management program (ADM) depending on the demand and keeps a record thereof in a statistical and/or accounting memory area (AS).

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.

Abstract: A plastic card includes a minichip card separably held in a carrier card. First and second separate and discrete breaking regions connect the minichip card to the carrier card along an outer contour of the minichip card. A gap separates a remainder of the outer contour of the minichip card from the carrier card. A breaking line on the carrier card, which has a higher flexibility than the rest of the carrier card, is interrupted by the gap and is closer to the first breaking region than to the second breaking region. When the carrier card is bent along the breaking line, the first breaking region separates, thereby leaving the minichip card attached to the carrier card by the second breaking region only. To fully separate the minichip card from the carrier, the minichip card is pivoted relative to the carrier card along the second breaking region until the second breaking region separates.

Abstract: An identity card, especially a credit card, having a picture section, which contains a photo of the card holder. In this section, pixels of different absorptions, especially the gray and black parts, are burned by a laser beam point-by-point into a surface layer and/or an intermediate layer located below a transparent surface layer of the identity card. In addition, a colored part is applied, particularly using the thermal transfer process, which covers the same area as the image. Security features can also be introduced into the image division.