Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (20) for securing valuable articles, in which a thin-film element (32) having a color-shift effect and a relief pattern (26) present in an embossing lacquer layer (24) are stacked, the embossing lacquer layer (24) having the relief pattern (26) is metalized (28) in sub-regions, and the relief pattern (26) of the partially metalized embossing lacquer layer (24, 28) is leveled with a transparent lacquer layer (30) whose refractive index substantially corresponds to the refractive index of the embossing lacquer layer (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for protecting valuable articles, having a first and a second authenticating feature. The first authenticating feature comprises a first arrangement having a plurality of focusing elements present in a first grid, and a second arrangement having a plurality of microscopic structures present in a second grid. Here, the first and second arrangement are disposed in such a way that the microscopic structures of the second arrangement are seen magnified when viewed through the focusing elements of the first arrangement. The second authenticating feature is machine and/or visually verifiable and is not influenced by the first arrangement of the first authenticating feature.

Abstract: A security element for integration into a document. The security element has a transparent substrate. An array of lenses is disposed on the first side of the substrate. A field of elementary patterns observable through the array of lenses is disposed on the second side of the substrate. A transparent lacquer partially covers the array of lenses. The lacquer takes the form of at least one macroscopic pattern, which locally cancels out the effect of the lenses, thereby allowing an observation of the field of underlying elementary patterns tin halftone. The macroscopic patterns are not spatially coordinated with the field of elementary patterns.

Abstract: A security document and a method of manufacturing a security document are provided in which a radiation curable ink is applied to at least one side of a substrate including at least one region of transparent plastics material forming a window or half-window area. The ink is embossed while soft and cured with radiation to form an embossed security device within the window or half-window area including one or more of a diffractive structure, a lens structure or other security element having a relief structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element (12) for securing value objects, with a thin film element (22) with color shift effect; a semitransparent ink layer (34), which is disposed on top of the thin film element (22) in first zones (30), wherein the color impression of the thin film element (22) is coordinated with the color impression of at least one subzone of the semitransparent ink layer (34) when viewed under predefined viewing conditions; and a transparent phase delay layer (36), which is disposed on top of the thin film element (22) in second zones, and which forms a phase-shifting layer for light in the visible wavelength range.

Abstract: A security device comprises a substrate having a transparent region (1). At least one optical element (2, 3) is provided in part of the transparent region, the optical element causing an incident off-axis light beam transmitted through the optical element to be redirected away from a line parallel with the incident light beam whereby when the device is viewed in transmission directly against a backlight, the presence of the optical element cannot be discerned but when the device is moved relative to the backlight such that lines of sight from the viewer to the transparent region and from the transparent region to the backlight form an obtuse angle (?) at which redirected light is visible to the viewer, a contrast is viewed between the part of the transparent region including the optical element and another part of the transparent region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in security devices that can be used in varying shapes and sizes for various authenticating or security applications, particularly an optically variable security device utilizing liquid crystal materials. The security device includes a liquid crystal layer (11), an at least partially absorbing layer (12) adjacent at least a part of one side of the liquid crystal layer (11), and at least one customizing region (13) which is adjacent at least a part of an opposite side of the liquid crystal layer (11) to the absorbing layer (12) in selected regions. The at least one customizing region (13) modifies the color shifting properties of the liquid crystal layer (11) such that at least two contrasting optically variable regions are provided by the regions covered by the at least one customizing region and regions not covered by the at least one customizing region.

Abstract: Labels that are conducive to the detection of bar-codes and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The labels include a substrate, a background layer, a thermally conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The background layer is preferably similar in visual appearance to the indicium that the label is to receive. Meanwhile, the thermally conductive layer is made from a material with high thermal conductivity that is used to substantially equalize the temperature across the label surface, thereby enabling a faster and cheaper detection of transitions of differential emissivity on the indicium surface. The adhesive layer is used for attaching the label to a document or other product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element comprising a carrier substrate comprising a transparent or translucent area carrying at least one digitised mark made of at least one set of dots appearing as a three dimensional mark when viewed in transmitted light. The invention relates to a security support or document or article comprising the said security element and to the method of identification and/or authentication of this security support or document or article.

Abstract: A tamper-proof security element includes at least one polymer spacer layer and two metal cluster layers. One or more of the layers, in addition to their function, fulfills a security feature in their color-shift set-up.

Abstract: Provided is a printed matter, a printed matter forming apparatus, and a printed matter forming method, which improve the expression of the texture. A lower layer having an upper surface provided with concavities and convexities different for each region; an image layer provided above the lower layer, the image layer forming an image and transmitting part of incident light towards the lower layer; and a surface layer provided above the image layer, the surface layer having an upper surface provided with concavities and convexities different for each region, the surface layer transmitting part of incident light towards the image layer are included. This allows various textures to be expressed fully.

Abstract: A security element, comprising at least two contiguous areas having an identical or different coloring which can vary depending on the inclination of the incidence and, therefore, reflection of direct light or depending on the type of incident light. The security element also has a single graphic marking which crosses with continuity the two areas having variable coloring so that the graphic marking straddles the two areas so that it is perfectly aligned, without having discontinuities of any kind. Moreover, the effect of this graphic marking is perfectly visible both when the security element is viewed from the recto and when it is viewed from the verso.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optically variable security element for protecting articles against counterfeiting, to a process for the production of a security element of this type, and to the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first layer (13), composed of cholesteric liquid crystal material, that is present at least in some areas, a second layer (14), composed of liquid crystal material, that is present at least in some areas, and a further layer (22), having a machine-readable feature, that is present at least in some areas and that is covered at least in some areas by the first and second layer composed of liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A printed dynamic optical illusion printed on a printing device using a plurality of colorants, wherein one or more of the colorants are appearance mutable colorants having spectral characteristics that can be controllably switched between a first colorant state and a second colorant state by application of an appropriate external stimulus, and wherein one or more mutable portions of the optical illusion image are printed using at least one appearance mutable colorant. The mutable portions are controllable such that when they are in a first appearance state the printed optical illusion image has a first illusion state, and when they are in a second appearance state the printed optical illusion image has a second illusion state, thereby changing the optical illusion image from the first illusion state to the second illusion state so as to affect the perception of an optical illusion by a human observer.

Abstract: A sheet-shaped document of value (BN) has luminescent feature substances (20, 21). Preferably, one luminescent feature substance is present over the entire sheet-shaped document and has a low concentration, whereas a second luminescent feature substance is present at certain partial areas and has a higher concentration.

Abstract: A method for providing a printed optical illusion image having first and second illusion states, comprising: receiving a specification of an optical illusion image having one or more mutable portions; and printing the optical illusion image on a printing device using a plurality of colorants, wherein one or more of the colorants are appearance mutable colorants having spectral characteristics can be switched between a first colorant state and a second colorant state by application of an appropriate external stimulus. The printed optical illusion image can be switched between the first and second illusion states by applying the appropriate external stimulus to controllably switch the one or more appearance mutable colorants between their first and second colorant states, thereby switching the mutable portions of the printed optical illusion image between corresponding first and second appearance states.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element (22) for securing items of value, with a relief structure (22) on which a thin film element (24) having a color shift effect is superposed in an overlap zone, wherein the thin film element (24) includes an absorber layer (30) with gaps (32), in the zone of which a color shift effect is not visible, and with a semitransparent ink layer (34), which is superposed on the thin film element (24) and the relief structure (22) in the area of the gaps (32) in the absorber layer (30), wherein the color impression of the thin film element (24) is coordinated with at least a partial zone of the semitransparent ink layer (34) when viewed under predefined viewing conditions.

Abstract: The present invention enables creating authenticable continuous tone color multi-ink multi-halftone images offering means of verifying their authenticity. The invention relies on color halftones, color separation into different ink surface coverages for different halftoning methods, mapping of an input gamut into a gamut defined by a set of inks, calculating the optimal boundary between region halftones created with different halftoning methods, and color multi-halftone image generation. The basic authentication is performed by examining the color multi-halftone image under a reference illumination and verifying that the message incorporated within the color multi-halftone is hidden and revealed under a different illumination. Authentication can further be performed by observing the color multi-halftone image both in reflection and transmission modes and verifying that in one of these modes the message is hidden and that in the other mode the message is revealed.

Abstract: An article having a surface bearing patterned indicia having micro-structures. A surface is provided with contrasting micro-structured features that form perceptible indicia or pattern having a recognizable pattern in reference to a background surface. The background surface is a micro-structured surface, on which perceptible indicia having the recognizable pattern of micro-structures are formed. The pattern of micro-structured features includes raised and/or recessed structures with respect to the substrate surface. The micro-structured surface includes irregular prisms forming structural features or topography within a plane of longitudinal rows of regular prisms. The indicia in reference to the background plane are perceivable, without requiring contrasting colors between the indicia and the background.

Abstract: The invention describes a method providing prints with fluorescent effects on a document generated by color electrophotographic print processes, employing an electrophotographic printer equipped with five print modules, where four printing stations are equipped with black, yellow, magenta and cyan toners and a fifth station is equipped with substantially clear fluorescent toners to be printed on top of the color toners or directly on a substrate of the print document. In further developments of the present invention, the clear fluorescent toner absorbs light in the UV-A range or comprises metallic pigments or metallic effect pigments added to the clear fluorescent toner.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a security feature for a security element, a security paper or a data carrier that exhibits a substrate into which at least one through opening and at least one marking in registration with the through opening are to be introduced. The method includes the steps of providing a substrate with a laser-modifiable marking substance at least in the region of the marking to be produced and, in the same operation, introducing at least one through opening into the substrate by the action of laser radiation at higher laser power and modifying the laser-modifiable marking substance in the marking region by the action of laser radiation at a lower laser power to produce at least one marking in registration with the through opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a luminous advertisement sheet. The luminous advertisement sheet includes a light-transmitting print sheet having an EL advertisement region formed in at least one area of the print sheet, and a general advertisement region formed in the other area thereof. The EL advertisement region has at least one of a fixed pattern portion in which a transparent electrode layer, an EL layer and a dielectric layer are sequentially laminated and a variable pattern portion in which a transparent electrode layer, an EL layer, a dielectric layer and a plurality of pixel electrode layers are sequentially laminated. The general advertisement region allows general dye printing to be performed therein. The luminous advertisement sheet further includes a pattern electrode layer laminated and printed with a conductive ink material to have a predetermined luminous pattern in at least one area of the dielectric layer laminated in the fixed pattern portion and/or the variable pattern portion.

Abstract: This invention provides an information recording patch that allows accurate authenticity discrimination, a printed sheet, and an authenticity discrimination method therefor. An information recording patch includes a protective layer (1), intermediate layer (2), metal layer (3), and adhesive layer (4). The protective layer (1) made of a material having a predetermined dielectric constant is arranged at the uppermost layer. The intermediate layer (2) made of a material having a predetermined dielectric constant has, on its surface, a three-dimensional pattern corresponding to the design of a hologram forming layer including the intermediate layer and the metal layer. The metal layer (3) made of a material having a predetermined conductivity is arranged on the three-dimensional surface of the intermediate layer to form a conductive film.

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: 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: Provided is a reflected pattern-printed transparent sheet in which a high reflection intensity of a non-visible light is obtained and in which a transparency in a visible light region is high. The above transparent sheet is a reflected pattern-printed transparent sheet in which non-visible light reflective transparent patterns are printed on a surface of a transparent substrate and which is mounted oppositely to a front face of a medium capable of displaying images, wherein an ink forming the transparent patterns described above contains a non-visible light reflection material; the non-visible light reflection material is a material having a wavelength selection reflectivity to a wavelength in a non-visible light region; and a thickness of the above transparent patterns is 6 to 20 ?m.

Abstract: Pigment flakes are blended together wherein some are magnetically alignable and exhibit a color shift from a first color to a second color with a change in viewing angle; and some are pigment flakes which exhibit a color shift from the first color to a third color or vice versa with a change in viewing angle, wherein the first, second and third colors are three different colors. The flakes are coated upon a substrate and magnetically alignable flakes are magnetically aligned. The non-magnetically alignable flakes are not aligned by the magnetic field and lie flat upon the substrate they are coated on. By judiciously selecting the angle upon which the magnetic flakes are oriented, an effect is created whereby an observer sees a color shift from a first color to a second or a first color to a third, when orienting the substrate by tilting it at different particular angles. The coated substrate can be used in security applications such as on currency or secure instruments.

Abstract: This invention relates to a security label for the detection of counterfeiting and tampering. The invention comprises a combination of an iridescent laminated or multilayered material with a lenticular layer. The iridescent layer exhibits an angular dependence in its coloration in reflection and/or transmission and the lenticular layer acts as a filter to light of a given angle of incidence.

Abstract: A moiré pattern display sheet is defined by a surface, with the surface being configured to be curved. A first layer has a pattern printed thereon. The pattern comprises a series of visual elements in a first row that have been distorted at least in a first direction. At least some of the series of visual elements are printed to approximately follow an arc having a sweep angle associated therewith. A light steering optical layer overlays the first layer. The light steering optical layer comprises a plurality of parallel optical features which each have a width and which change the direction of the light and thereby provide a depth effect of the visual elements to a viewer looking through the light steering optical layer.

Abstract: Provided is a surface film for a polarizing plate in which transparent patterns having a non-visible light reflective regularity are printed on a surface of a substrate and in which a reflection preventive layer or an antiglare layer is formed thereon or on a back side thereof, wherein an ink constituting the above transparent patterns contains a material reflecting a non-visible light. Capable of being provided is a surface film which can suitably be used for providing additional informations to an image display medium in such a manner that data are input by handwriting directly on a display device and in which the function described above is built-in from the beginning without making it necessary for the user to stick later a sheet having the above function.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus, as implemented by a software program on a computer system, for digitally producing counterfeit-deterring scrambled or encoded indicia images. This method and system are capable of combining a source image with a latent image so the scrambled latent image is visible only when viewed through a special decoder lens. The digital processing allows different latent images to be encoded according to different parameters. Additionally, latent images might be encoded into single component colors of an original visible image, at various angles from each other.

Abstract: A discrimination medium, which can have much information, can be produced on a small scale at low cost, and enables change of a sticker design at low cost, is provided. A cholesteric liquid crystal layer, having a fine asperity for forming a hologram, is formed on a transparent first substrate. A print layer composed of a black ink is formed on a transparent second substrate. The substrates are affixed to each other via a bond layer, so that a discrimination medium is obtained. In the discrimination medium, the display content obtained by the print layer is changed, so that the display content for discrimination can be changed at low cost.

Abstract: In order to produce a data carrier, a substrate is printed with a printing ink and personalized by means of a laser. The printing ink is laser-active and is converted at least in regions during the personalization in such a way that, for example, a silver-grade pigment is formed which is readily visible only when the substrate is inclined. In particular, the printing ink has a comparatively small proportion of carbon black that is converted by the laser essentially without disturbing combustion and overall formation.

Abstract: Fibers having a plurality of colored regions printed on front and rear sides of said fiber are disclosed, wherein the colors are visible only under ultra-violet light. The regions may be in the form of stripes or may be arranged in a pseudo-random pattern. The regions may be differently colored. Such fibers can be incorporated into paper products as a form of counterfeit protection.

Abstract: Labels that are conducive to the detection of bar-codes and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The labels include a substrate, a background layer, a thermally conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The background layer is preferably similar in visual appearance to the indicium that the label is to receive. Meanwhile, the thermally conductive layer is made from a material with high thermal conductivity that is used to substantially equalize the temperature across the label surface, thereby enabling a faster and cheaper detection of transitions of differential emissivity on the indicium surface. The adhesive layer is used for attaching the label to a document or other product.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security document comprising a translucent carrier substrate, in particular of paper and/or plastic material, and at least one security element which is applied to the carrier substrate or embedded in the carrier substrate and which presents at least one image when viewed in the transillumination mode from at least a first side of the security document and simulates a presence of at least a first watermark in the carrier substrate, wherein the security element has at least region-wise at least one layer which simulates the first watermark, wherein the at least one layer of the security element, that simulates the first watermark, imparts thereto unexpected optical effects in relation to security elements with conventional watermarks.

Abstract: A device and method for allowing secure self-capture of multifold fingerprint impressions. The device includes a strip of fingerprint labels wrapped about a tubular ergonomic roller. A subject inserts the thumb of a first hand into the ergonomic roller and grips the roller between his thumb and forefinger. The subject then rolls the inked tip of a finger on his second hand across a label in a first rotational direction while rotating the ergonomic roller in an opposite rotational direction. To prevent fraudulent substitution of fingerprinting materials that are distributed to a subject, the materials are marked with machine readable invisible barcodes that are associated with a unique identification number. After a subject captures his fingerprints and submits his materials to a trusted observer, the barcodes on the materials are compared to the identification number to determine whether the materials submitted are in-fact those that were distributed to the subject.

Abstract: An identification medium is to be observed via a linearly polarizing filter and includes a first liquid crystal layer that changes the wavelength of light according to the rotational angle of the linearly polarizing filter, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and a light absorbing layer that is provided below the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A coating for an object having identifying indicia disposed thereon. An ink layer contacts at least a portion of the identifying indicia. The ink layer obscures the portion when exposed to light within a predetermined wavelength range, and the ink layer reveals a predetermined area of the portion when exposed to light outside of the predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: Described is a security element for increasing the forgery-proof nature of a security document, in particular an identity card or pass, a passport or an identification card. The security element (1) has a first diffractive region (15) having an open code which is visible with a naked eye. The first diffractive region further has a concealed code which is not visible with the naked eye and which can be reconstructed from the arrangement of diffractive microregions disposed in the first region (1) and/or from the structure of the first diffractive region (1). Further described is a method of increasing the forgery-proof nature of a security document.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for securing valuable articles, having an optically variable layer (20) that imparts different color impressions at different viewing angles. According to the present invention, in a covering area (32), a semi-transparent ink layer (34) is disposed on top of the optically variable layer (20), the color impression of the optically variable layer (20) being coordinated with the color impression of the semi-transparent ink layer (34) in the covering area (32) when viewed under predefined viewing conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a value document, in particular a bank note, having a value document substrate and at least two different feature substances for checking the value document. According to the invention, a first feature substance is incorporated into the volume of the substrate of the value document. A second feature substance is formed by a luminescent substance which is applied to the value document substrate in the form of a coding.

Abstract: A security document is disclosed which includes an electrical circuit embedded in a document substrate, where the electrical circuit includes a power source with at least one electroactive polymer power generator, and an optical display including at least one electroluminescent display element and at least one nanohole array which forms a layer of the electroluminescent display element. A method of authenticating a security document is also disclosed, the method including illuminating an encoded nanohole array in the security document with a focused light beam or laser light source emitting at least one defined wavelength of incident light, detecting a transmitted portion of the incident light transmitted through the nanohole array with an optoelectronic sensor, analyzing at least one wavelength of the transmitted portion of light to produce a detected signal, and comparing the detected signal with an authentication signal to authenticate the security document.

Abstract: A method for creating a differential gloss image includes providing first and second anisotropic halftone structures. The first and second anisotropic structures have different orientations. One of the first and second anisotropic structures is applied to image data in a first region of an image to be halftoned. The other of the first and second anisotropic structures may be applied to image data in a second region of an image to be halftoned. A mixture of the first and second anisotropic structures is applied to image data in a third region of the image to be halftoned, whereby when printed, the three regions each have a gloss characteristic which differs from that of the other two regions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically checking sheet-shaped documents of value. According to the present invention a simply constructed measuring apparatus can be obtained, by the measuring apparatus evaluating measuring values e.g. at least two measuring frequencies and the position of one or a plurality of discrete measuring tracks being determined in such a way that at least the presence of two different not visible spectral properties of a predetermined type of authentic documents of value can be checked.

Abstract: Fibers (2, 14) having a plurality of colored regions printed on front and rear sides of said fiber are disclosed, wherein the colors are visible only under ultra-violet light. The regions may be in the form of stripes (4, 6, 8, 10 and 12) or may be arranged is a pseudo-random pattern (16, 18, 20, 22, 24). The regions may be differently colored. Such fibers can be incorporated into paper products as a form of counterfeit protection.

Abstract: A method of security printing can comprise the steps of printing a transparent ink onto a portion of a coated substrate resulting in printed region and an unprinted region, where the transparent ink is devoid of dyes, pigments, ceramics, metallics, and fluorescents; illuminating both the printed region and the unprinted region of the substrate, where the printed region scatters more light than the unprinted region creating a contrast; and detecting the contrast with a sensor that is sensitive to detecting light scattering differences between the printed region and the unprinted region.

Abstract: The invention discloses a security element for a banknote, a document of value, right or identity, a ticket, a label, a branded good identifier, or a tax banderole. The element comprises a combination of a coating containing at least one optically variable pigment having a substantial viewing-angle dependent color variation, with at least one selective spectral absorbing material, which blocks out visible spectral components reflected by the optically variable pigment at orthogonal incidence. The security element appears black when viewed at orthogonal angle, and colored when viewed at grazing angle.

Abstract: A security device comprises a substrate having a viewing region. A first pattern of a first color and a second pattern of a second color are printed on one side of the viewing region. A third pattern of the first color and a fourth pattern of the second color are printed on the other side of the viewing region. The first and second patterns on the one side of the viewing region overlap the fourth and third patterns respectively on the other side of the viewing region whereby a) when each side of the viewing region is viewed in reflected light, the patterns on that side can be distinguished by at least their colors, and b) when the viewing region is viewed in transmitted light, from either side of the substrate, the viewing region is sufficiently transparent that subtractive color mixing between the overlapped different colors results in a perceived single resultant color being visible.