Abstract: A method for preparing hot beverages in a hot beverage machine by possibly repeatedly pumping a specific quantity of water from a water tank into a heating device, heating the quantity of water, pumping the heated quantity of water out of the heating device into a brewing chamber and possibly at the same time pumping a further quantity of water out of the water tank into the heating device, brewing a brewing substance contained in the brewing chamber to produce a hot beverage, and finally converting the quantity of water last pumped into the heating device completely into steam in a controlled manner for forcing liquid out of the entire line system downstream of the heating device.

Abstract: A method for preparing hot beverages in a hot beverage machine by possibly repeatedly pumping a specific quantity of water from a water tank into a heating device, heating the quantity of water, pumping the heated quantity of water out of the heating device into a brewing chamber and possibly at the same time pumping a further quantity of water out of the water tank into the heating device, brewing a brewing substance contained in the brewing chamber to produce a hot beverage, and finally converting the quantity of water last pumped into the heating device completely into steam in a controlled manner for forcing liquid out of the entire line system downstream of the heating device.

Abstract: A holographic data storage medium includes a polymer film which is set up as a storage layer and whose surface structure can be changed locally by heating. The polymer film is set up for the storage of holographic information via the local surface structure of the polymer film. A reflective layer can be provided on the data storage medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a label to be used as a security feature with a substrate layer and with an optically changeable section which can be microstructured, wherein the optically changeable section is connected to the substrate layer. Thus, the technical problem of creating a label of the type previously mentioned which is simple, reliable, and tamper-proof is solved. The substrate layer of said label is provided with at least one recess which is arranged along a line which runs slightly below the optically changeable section. The invention also relates to a packaging, in which at least one label with a container is connected to a closure having at least one recess arranged in the area between the container and the closure.

Abstract: Producing a digital hologram-in a storage medium includes: (i) focusing a write beam onto the storage medium; (ii) moving the write beam two-dimensionally relative to the storage medium; (iii) focusing a scanning beam onto a beam-guiding mask having a plurality of tracks; (iv) moving the scanning beam two-dimensionally relative to the mask, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam; (v) generating a position control signal when the position of the scanning beam deviates from the scanned track by a predefined value; (vi) controlling the position of the write beam on the storage medium with the aid of the position control signal; and (vii) writing the hologram by introducing radiation energy point by point, the intensity of the write beam being controlled as a function of the position of the write beam on the storage medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sticker for sticking onto an object, having an upper side (Ia) and an underside (Ib), having a substrate (2) which is provided on the upper side (Ia) and has a region (3) for storing an optical structure, having a contact surface (4, 11) which is provided on the underside (Ib), and having an adhesive (5, 6, 12, 14) which is connected to the contact surface (4, 11) for sticking the sticker (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6) onto the object. The problem of specifying a sticker for sticking onto an object, which sticker ensures satisfactory quality of the reproduction of the information contained in the optical structure even in the case of unevennesses of the surface to be adhesively bonded, is solved by at least one part region of the substrate (2) being decoupled from the object in force terms in the adhesively bonded state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing digital holograms in a storage medium, in which the technical problem of writing computer-generated holograms by means of optical lithography as quickly as possible and with little effort with simultaneous accurate control of the timed triggering and the positioning of the write beam is achieved in that a write beam is focused onto the storage medium and moved one-dimensionally relative to the storage medium, in that a scanning beam is focused onto a trigger mask having a plurality of trigger lines and moved one-dimensionally transversely relative to the trigger lines, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam, in that, during the scanning of the trigger lines, a timed trigger signal is generated as a function of the arrangement of the trigger lines, in that, with the aid of the timed trigger signal, the intensity of the write beam on the storage medium is controlled, and in that the hologram is written line by li

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying articles, wherein article identification data are made available and the article is provided with a hologram representing said data so that the article can be identified by way of an intensity profile corresponding to said hologram. To this end, article-identifying individual data are provided, a hologram profile is digitally calculated using said individual data, and an intensity modulation of the hologram-producing beam is determined. The hologram-producing beam transfers the hologram pixels onto a hologram support that is associated with the article to be identified so that the article can be identified by way of the intensity profile reproduced from the associated hologram support.

Abstract: A lithograph for producing digital holograms in a storage medium includes a light source for producing a write beam, the light source having drive means for the two-dimensional movement of the write beam relative to the storage medium and having a first objective for focusing the write beam onto the storage medium. Writing computer-generated holograms by means of optical lithography is solved in that: a two-dimensional trigger matrix is provided, means of producing a scanning beam are provided, a second objective for focusing the scanning beam onto the trigger matrix is provided, the drive means moves the scanning beam two-dimensionally relative to the surface of the trigger matrix, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam, and means for generating a trigger signal to control the intensity of the write beam are connected to the trigger matrix.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite sheet. Provision is made for the composite sheet to comprise a polymeric base sheet and a polymeric varnish layer, said varnish layer having an abrasion resistance, expressed as pencil hardness, of at least 4H; and a flexibility such that, when the composite sheet is bent around the two closely adjacent edges of a metal strip 100 ?m thick, the varnish layer does not break or delaminate from the base sheet; and said varnish layer having the following optical properties: a transmittance at 400, 600 and 800 nm of at least 85%, determined by applying the varnish layer-forming formulation with a thickness of 5 ?m to a slide, curing the varnish layer and determining the transparency of the slide with the varnish layer in comparison to an uncoated slide; and a turbidity of not more than 5%, determined by haze measurement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing versatile plastic products, preferably single-sidedly self-adhesive products bearing an abrasion-resistant and flexible protective layer which is distinguished by particularly high surface quality especially in terms of its optical properties.

Abstract: In a method of entering information into an optically writable and readable data storage medium having a polymer film which can be changed locally by heating in order to store information and to which there is assigned an absorber dye (34) which is set up to absorb a write beam (36), at least partly, and to transfer the heat produced in the process, at least partly, locally to the polymer film, first of all the absorber dye is heated locally in a predetermined region of the polymer film in accordance with the information to be entered, specifically by means of a pulsed write beam (36). After that, the absorption properties of the absorber dye (34) are changed by means of light, to be specific preferably by means of a fixing beam (37) which bleaches (38) the absorber dye (34) in the written region of the polymer film.

Abstract: A holographic data storage medium has a polymer film which is set up as a storage layer whose refractive index can be changed locally by heating. The polymer film is set up for the storage of optical phase information via the local optical path length of the polymer film, which is illuminated in transmission when the information is read out. To the polymer film, there can be assigned an absorber dye, in order to at least partly absorb a write beam to input information and to give up the heat produced in the process at least partly locally to the polymer film. Preferably, a reflective layer is arranged behind the polymer film.

Abstract: In an example holographic data storage medium, which has a polymer film which serves as a storage layer and can be changed locally by heating, the polymer film is set up as a top layer of the data storage medium. Arranged underneath the polymer film is an absorber layer which has an absorber dye. The absorber dye is set up to at least partly absorb a write beam serving to put information in and to discharge the heat produced in the process at least partly locally to the polymer film. In an advantageous refinement of the example data storage medium, there is an adhesive layer underneath the absorber layer and a partly transparent reflective layer between the polymer film and the absorber layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of providing an article with identifying information, in which a hologram is provided from which at least first and second hologram patterns separated physically from each other can be reproduced. In this case, provision is made for the hologram to be produced in such a way that the first and second hologram patterns can generally be reproduced in one and the same direction but in different planes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithograph for producing digital holograms in a storage medium (4), having a light source (6, 10) for producing a write beam (12) with a predefined beam cross section, having a writing lens (14) for focusing the write beam (12) onto the storage medium (4) to be written, the writing lens (14) being arranged in a lens holder (16), and having drive means for the two-dimensional movement of the write beam relative to the storage medium. The technical problem of writing computer-generated holograms as quickly as possible and with little effort by means of optical lithography is solved in that a first drive device (18) is provided for moving the lens holder (16) substantially at right angles to the write beam (12) and in that the aperture of the writing lens (14) is smaller than the beam cross section of the write beam (12). The inventon also relates to a method for the lithographic production of a hologram in a storage medium.

Abstract: An example data storage medium includes an optical information carrier which comprises a polymer carrier, which is set up to store information, and, additionally, a layer. The layer comprises a dye and can be optically changed locally for the purpose of storing information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a commonplace object with an outer surface (4) that encircles the commonplace object (2) and with at least one cylindrical section (6) of the surface (4), in which the technical problem of specifying a commonplace object to whose surface a relatively large amount of information can be applied is solved in that the cylindrical section (4) of the surface (6) consists of a material which can be changed optically, and in that a data bit sequence is written along at least one track (8) on the cylindrical section (4).

Abstract: A data storage medium includes an optical information carrier comprising a spiral-wound polymer film. The central area of the data storage medium is provided with a recess whose periphery is formed by the innermost winding of the polymer film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing an individualized digital computer-generated hologram, in which the technical problem of being able to draw conclusions from the holograms about the associated writing device is achieved in that a hologram is written into a storage medium as a matrix of individual points, in that a geometric pattern for writing the holographic information in is predefined, and in that an individualizing feature is superimposed on the hologram by writing in a large number of individual points deviating from the predefined pattern. The invention also relates to a reading method and a storage medium having an individualized hologram.