EP4015229A1 - Valuable or security product and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a value or security product (100), in particular an identity card, which has a multi-layer structure which has at least one printed layer (142) with personal data in the form of text elements and/or graphic elements and/or laser markings and at least one micro- or nanostructured security element (500) with a structure (502) which is selected depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data. The structure (502) itself and/or a shape of the structure (502) of the security element (500) is selected as a function of at least one further parameter. The invention also relates to a method for producing the valuable or security product (100).

Description

The present invention relates to a value or security product, in particular an identity card, and a method for its production. Such value or security documents can be, for example, an ID document, a check card, a non-personalized authorization pass, such as a ticket or a means of payment, or a value or security element intended for product protection.

Valuable or security products, in particular valuable or security documents, are used to verify the identity of a person or thing or a claim, for example for the payment of a sum of money or for the surrender of an item or the provision of a service. To this end, it must be ensured that the value or security product cannot be imitated, counterfeited or falsified, or only with considerable effort. The valuable or security product therefore contains security elements or security features which are extremely difficult or even practically impossible to imitate. For example, the value or security product, such as banknotes, consists of a material that is not readily available. Additionally or alternatively, security features can be formed by special colors, for example luminescent or optically variable colors, optical elements such as holograms, tilting images, kinegrams, lens or prism arrays, also guilloches, mottled fibers, security threads and others.

Although there are many security features or security elements in use, many counterfeiting of value or security products are still successful; in particular those in which a portrait attached to the value or security product has subsequently been forged or falsified. The partial or complete manipulation of the existing portrait is done by subsequent overpainting on a thin foil, which is pulled over the valuable and security product in order to make the forgery invisible to the human eye - at least to a large extent.

One way to secure the portrait image of an identity card is to not pre-publish it DE 10 2019 124 762 A1 to be taken from the applicant. This has proven itself well. From the DE 10 2018 106 430 A1 the applicant is aware of a value or security product according to the preamble of claim 1, which comprises a security element with a micro- or nanostructure whose structure is formed as a function of personal data present on the document. This security document has proven itself well and is very forgery-proof.

It is the object of the present invention to specify a valuable or security product and a method for its production, which lead to an improvement in resistance and to increased security against forgery.

This object is achieved with a value or security product having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 9 . Advantageous configurations with expedient developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The value or security product according to the invention, in particular the identity card, has in particular a multi-layer structure which has at least one printed layer with personal data in the form of text elements and/or graphic elements and/or laser markings and at least one micro- or nanostructured security element with a structure includes, which is selected depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data. In addition, the structure itself and/or a shape of the structure of the security element is selected as a function of at least one further parameter.

Due to the selected structure, formed from two different parameters, the resilience of the value or security product, in particular its surface, is improved, since the linking of a first basic structure and a further personalized and/or non-personalized basic structure can limit areas with a high density of structural elements . Furthermore, there is an improvement in the perceptibility and inspectability of the security element formed by the microstructure or nanostructure.

Preferably, the value or security product is in ID 1, ID 2, ID 3 or any other format, for example in booklet form, like a passport-like item. The value or security product is generally a laminate of several document layers, which are connected to one another with a precise fit under the action of heat and increased pressure. These products should meet the standardized requirements, for example ISO 10373, ISO/IEC 7810, ISO 14443.

The product layers preferably consist of a carrier material that is suitable for lamination. However, the product of value or security can preferably be formed from a polymer selected from a group comprising polycarbonate (PC), in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate or a polycarbonate formed with a geminally disubstituted bis(hydroxyphenyl)cycloalkane, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), their derivatives such as glycol-modified PET (PETG), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS) , polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and derivatives thereof, and/or paper and/or cardboard and/or glass and/or metal and/or ceramic.

In addition, the valuable or security product can also be made from several of these materials. It preferably consists of PC, PVC and PET. The polymers can be either filled or unfilled. In the latter case, they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The above information relates both to films to be bonded together and to liquid formulations that are applied to a preliminary product, such as a protective coating or top coat. The valuable or security product is preferably produced from three to twelve, preferably four to ten, films. The films can also carry printed layers. A laminate formed in this way can finally be coated on one or both sides with the protective or top coat or with a film. The foil can in particular be a volume hologram, a foil with a surface hologram (for example a kinegraphic element) or a scratch protection foil. Overlay layers formed in this way protect a security feature arranged underneath and/or give the document the required abrasion resistance.

There is the advantageous possibility that the security element is formed areally with a high density of structural elements of more than 500 DPI ("dots per inch"), preferably of at least 900 DPI to 1200 DPI. In this case, the structure is present in particular as hatching, which is configured very precisely. In this way, surfaces can be formed which have a very high density of structural elements, but which can be sharply delimited by superimposing the information from the at least one further parameter.

This limitation can be caused, for example, by the structure of the security element being determined from the logical combination of the personal data and the at least one further parameter.

A large part of the document surface is advantageously provided with the structure of the security element. This can be done, for example, by a sinusoidal or sine wave-shaped, in particular planar design in the form of a Beat as a result of an algorithm, in particular an algorithm with at least two parameters.

The security against counterfeiting is additionally increased if not only personal text elements are used to protect the value or security document with the structural element, but if the structure contains at least one piece of information from a graphic element, which comes from the portrait of the owner of the valuable or security product, for example . Preferably, the complete facial image, alternatively just the shape of the head, can also be used as the basis for forming the structure of the security element.

Improved protection against counterfeiting of the value or security product can also be achieved in that the additional parameter flowing into the structure is formed by additional personal information from the at least one printed layer and/or laser markings. Thus, when determining the structure of the security element, there is a superimposition of at least two pieces of personal information about the owner, which makes counterfeiting of the value or security product even more difficult.

Advantageously, the security element is introduced into a cover layer in such a way that the structured areas contrast strongly with the structure-free areas when viewing reflected light, especially when reflected at the glancing angle, and the structures introduced are thus clearly recognizable.

In addition, there is the advantageous possibility that the security element is introduced into a cover layer in such a way that the structured areas contrast strongly with the structure-free areas when viewing transmitted light and the structures introduced are thus clearly recognizable. This improves the visibility and verifiability of the security feature.

The value or security document can also have a number of micro- or nanostructured security elements. The structure or part of the structure of the security element is thus continued, as a result of which increased visibility and greater coverage or protection of the document surface can be achieved.

1. A) Bereitstellen eines Trägermaterials,
2. B) Anbringen einer oder mehrerer Druckschichten und Ausbildung von personenbezogen Daten in Form von Textelementen und/oder Grafikelementen auf das Trägermaterial,
3. C) Formen oder Berechnen eines mikro- oder nanostrukturierten Sicherheitselements mit einer Struktur, die in Abhängigkeit wenigstens einer Information aus den personenbezogenen Daten sowie in Abhängigkeit von wenigstens einem weiteren Parameter gewählt ist,
4. D) Anbringen, Aufbringen oder Einbringen des Sicherheitselements an, auf oder in eine der Druckschichten oder eine die Druckschichten bedeckenden Decklage.

The advantages, advantageous configurations and effects mentioned in connection with the product of value or security according to the invention apply equally to the method according to the invention for the production of such a product of value or security. In particular, it includes the following steps:

1. A) providing a carrier material,
2. B) applying one or more layers of print and forming personal data in the form of text elements and/or graphic elements on the carrier material,
3. C) forming or calculating a micro- or nanostructured security element with a structure that is selected depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data and depending on at least one other parameter,
4. D) Attaching, applying or introducing the security element to, on or in one of the printed layers or a top layer covering the printed layers.

In the method according to the invention, too, personalized data is linked to data from another structure in such a way that the resulting security element produced by micro- or nanostructuring retains the resilience of the document surface concerned and the visibility and verifiability of the security element or security feature is improved.

The security element is preferably formed areally with a high structure element density of more than 500 DPI ("dots per inch"), with the structure of the security element preferably being determined from a logical combination of the personal data and the at least one other parameters. For this purpose, it is preferably provided that the personal data and the at least one further parameter run through an algorithm, by which, for example, a beat is formed from the personal data and the at least one further parameter on which the structure of the security element is based. The resulting "envelope" thus forms a "sharp" boundary between a structured area and an unstructured area. However, the structure is preferably in the form of hatching, which is designed very precisely and thus covers a larger area.

Improved security can be achieved if the information flowing into the structure is a graphic element in the form of a portrait image, in particular a portrait image of the owner. Protection against forgery is also increased by the fact that the additional parameter flowing into the structure is formed by additional personal information from the at least one printed layer and/or laser markings, for which personal data of a text element can be used, for example. Personal text elements such as the date of birth, the name, the place of residence or the like can therefore be used for the further parameter.

In order to improve the verification of the value or security product, it makes sense if the security element is introduced into a cover layer, whereby the structured areas have a stronger contrast when viewing reflected light, especially when reflected in the glancing angle, compared to the unstructured areas and thus the introduced areas structures are clearly visible. In addition, there is the advantageous possibility that the structured areas have a stronger contrast when viewing transmitted light compared to the structure-free areas and the introduced structures are thus clearly recognizable. The logical linking of the personalized data and the further parameter also creates a "sharp" boundary between the structured and unstructured area, which means that the security feature can be checked more easily.

A laser can be used to form the structure. A frequency-multiplied solid-state laser, for example, can be used as a laser, although excimer lasers and fiber lasers can also be used. These lasers are characterized by their positive property of being able to be operated in a very wide range of possible outputs, so that a desired energy input into the irradiated material can be specified or freely selected. With a pulsed mode of the laser, powerful but short-term energy pulses can be introduced into the material so that it is removed without burning and without leaving traces of smoke. The use of a picosecond laser or a femtosecond laser is particularly preferred for the introduction of powerful laser pulses with a low heat input into the material.

Fig. 1

eine schematische isometrische Darstellung eines Wert- oder Sicherheitsprodukts in Form einer Identitätskarte;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittansicht der Identitätskarte entlang der Linie I-I;

Fig. 3

eine Illustration des Verfahrens zur Herstellung des Sicherheitselements, welches beispielsweise mit einem Laser eingetragen wird; und

Fig. 4

eine Illustration eines Verfahrens zur Verifikation der Echtheit des Sicherheitselements und damit des Wert- oder Sicherheitsprodukts;

The present invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of figures, the examples shown being merely exemplary in nature and not representing any limitation with regard to the scope of the invention described. They show in detail:

1

a schematic isometric representation of a value or security product in the form of an identity card;

2

a schematic sectional view of the identity card along the line II;

3

an illustration of the method for producing the security element, which is entered, for example, with a laser; and

4

an illustration of a method for verifying the authenticity of the security element and thus of the value or security product;

In figure 1 a value or security product 100 provided with a security element 500 is shown. The value or security document 100 can be a personal document such as a passport, an identity card, an access card or the like, a check card or a banknote or something else document, be. All of the following examples are described using such a card as representative of other document types.

In the Figures 1 and 2 the value or security product 100 is shown in the form of an identity card, which has been assembled, for example, as a laminate of a plurality of internal polymer layers 140. For example, the polymer layers can consist of PC and/or PET. The individual layers can be unfilled or filled with fillers. In the latter case they are opaque, otherwise transparent. The plies may preferably be bonded together to form a monolithic block that is practically impossible to split.

In figure 2 the individual layers before lamination are only shown for illustration purposes. The boundary surfaces are no longer visible in the finished laminate. The card's optional outer layers 150 may be formed as a final protective plastic film or consist of a protective varnish applied to the card after lamination. The plastic protective film or the protective varnish is transparent so that the information underneath is visible from the outside. In particular, however, one or more printed layers 142, for example of a portrait image 110, remain visible, which is or are preferably arranged directly next to or behind the optional outer layer 150.

The valuable or security product 100 has an upper side 101 and an underside 102 . The facial or portrait image 110 of the owner of the card and data fields, namely for example a first data field 120 and a second data field 130 with card and owner data in plain text, are located on the upper side 101 . The data in the first and second data fields 120, 130 is produced by printing layers and/or laser markings lying on an outer layer of the document but immediately below the optional outer protective layer 150.

It can be seen that a security feature or security element 500 is assigned to the portrait image 110 for its protection, which comprises a microstructured or nanostructured structure 502 that was introduced by means of a laser, for example. In the present case, this security element 500 is formed in an areal manner with a high structure density of more than 500 DPI ("dots per inch"). In particular, this planar construct is preferably present with a structural element density of 900 dpi to 1200 dpi. An even higher resolution is also possible.

The structure 502 of the security element 500 has the special feature that it is selected on the one hand depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data. In addition, on the other hand, the structure 502 itself and/or a shape of the structure 502 of the security element 500 is selected as a function of at least one other parameter, so that there is an overlay of information that influences the shape and/or the dimensions of the structure 502, whereby increased protection against counterfeiting for the value or security product 100 results. In other words, the structure 502 has thus been determined from a logical combination of the personal data and the at least one further parameter.

figure 3 clarifies this superimposition even more clearly. Accordingly, for example, personal information of a graphic element in the form of the portrait image 110 flows into the structure 502 on the one hand. On the other hand, at least one piece of additional information flows into the structure 502 , for example in the form of an overlay structure 506 obtained from additional personal data of the value or security product 100 . This additional personal information can be, for example, the date of birth, place of residence, name, etc. of the owner of the identity card. In the present case, an algorithm is used, for example, which generates the structure 502 in the form of a beat from the portrait image 110 and the at least one other parameter, which then forms the security element 500, which can then be applied, or which can then be laser-inserted into the cover layer 150 registered becomes. This logical linking (overlaying) of a first personalized basic structure and a further personalized or non-personalized basic structure not only allows areas with a high density of structural elements to be produced, but also to delimit them. The structure is preferably in the form of very precise hatching, which forms a surface as it were.

From the bottom representation of figure 3 it can be seen that the security element 500 is introduced into a cover layer 150 or is attached thereto in such a way that the structured areas contrast strongly with the structure-free areas when viewing transmitted light and the structures introduced are thus clearly recognizable. The structured surfaces also contrast strongly when looking at reflected light, especially with reflection in the glancing angle, compared to the structure-free areas and are therefore easily recognizable as introduced structures. In other words, in the example shown, the portrait image 110 is more clearly visible in those with structure 502 provided areas than is the case for areas not provided with structure 502. For improved protection of value or security document 100 shows the figure 3 there is also the possibility that the security element 500 can also be continued, for example in the form of a beat, and thus the continuation 504 covers or secures a large part of the surface.

In figure 4 a method for verifying the authenticity of the security element 500 and thus of the value or security product 100 is disclosed—only by way of example. In this case, the structure 502 to be checked is overlaid with a control structure 602 which also results from the (adapted) algorithm for generating the structure 502 . It can also be a "negative" of the structure 502 to be tested. If the structure 502 to be checked is unadulterated, then the logical combination of the structure 502 with the control structure 602 of the test element 600 results in an area without residues (shown on the bottom left). If the structure 502 to be checked is a forgery or modification, the overlay with the control structure 602 results in easily recognizable residues (shown at the bottom right). Like the structure to be checked 502 des Security element 500 can also be formed by individualizing, personal data, the control structure 602, whereby the protection against forgery is additionally increased.

REFERENCE LIST

100

value or security product

101

top substrate surface, top card surface, top side

102

lower substrate surface, lower card surface, underside

110

portrait picture

120

first data field

125

another data field

130

second data field

135

another data field

140

internal polymer layers

142

print layer

150

outer protective layer / top layer

160

counterfeit value or security product

500

security element

502

structure / beat

504

sequel / series

506

overlay structure

600

test element

602

control structure

Claims (15)

Valuable or security product (100), in particular an identity card, which has a multi-layer structure, which has at least one printed layer (142) with personal data in the form of text elements and/or graphic elements and/or laser markings and at least one micro- or nanostructured security element (500) with a structure (502) which is selected depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data, characterized in that the structure (502) itself and/or a shape of the structure (502) of the security element (500) depending on at least another parameter is selected. Valuable or security product (100) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the security element (500) is formed areally with a high density of structural elements of more than 500 DPI. Valuable or security product (100) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structure (502) is determined from a logical combination of the personal data and the at least one further parameter. Valuable or security product (100) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the structure (502) is formed from a beating as the result of an algorithm. Valuable or security product (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the information flowing into the structure (502) is a graphic element in the form of a portrait image (110). Valuable or security product (100) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the further parameter flowing into the structure (502) is formed by further personal information from the at least one printed layer and/or laser markings (142). Valuable or security product (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the security element (500) is introduced into a cover layer (150) such that the structured surfaces (502) when viewed from reflected light, in particular at Reflection in the specular angle, have a stronger contrast compared to the structure-free areas, or such that the structured surfaces (502) have a stronger contrast compared to the structure-free areas when viewing transmitted light. Valuable or security document (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that there is a row (504) of a plurality of microstructured or nanostructured security elements (500). Method for producing a value or security product (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized by the steps: A) providing a carrier material (140), B) applying one or more print layers (142) and forming personal data in the form of text elements and/or graphic elements on the carrier material, C) forming or calculating a micro- or nanostructured security element (500) with a structure (502) which is selected depending on at least one piece of information from the personal data and depending on at least one further parameter, D) attaching, applying or introducing the security element (500) to, on or in one of the printed layers (142) or a cover layer (150) covering the printed layers (142). Method according to Claim 9, characterized in that the security element (500) is formed areally with a high structural element density of more than 500 DPI. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the structure (502) of the security element (500) is determined from a logical Linking the personal data and the at least one other parameter. Method according to Claim 11, characterized in that the personal data and the at least one further parameter run through an algorithm, by means of which a structure and/or beat (504) is formed from the personal data and the at least one further parameter, which corresponds to the structure ( 502) of the security element (500) is taken as a basis. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the information flowing into the structure (502) is a graphic element in the form of a portrait image (110). Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that the further parameter flowing into the structure (502) is formed by further personal information from the at least one printed layer and/or laser markings (142). The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the security element (500) is introduced into a cover layer (150), whereby the structured surfaces (502) when viewing reflected light, in particular when reflected at the glancing angle, compared to the structure-free areas contrast more strongly and/or the structured surfaces (502) contrast more strongly with the structure-free areas when viewing transmitted light.

Images