JP3935701B2 - Optical structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical structure for authenticity proof, and an authenticity proof recording body having the optical structure for authenticity proof.
The present invention also relates to a method for confirming authenticity performed using these optical structures or an optical structure possessed by an authenticity proof recording body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In many cases, a diffraction grating or a hologram is applied to a card such as a deposit and saving card issued by a financial institution or a credit card issued by a credit card company in order to guarantee their authenticity.
In addition, diffraction gratings and holograms are often applied to high-priced products such as famous brand watches, etc., or their cases, etc., in order to guarantee their authenticity.
[0003]
Diffraction gratings and holograms (hereinafter referred to as “holograms”) are also applied to articles in various fields other than the above examples because holograms have difficulty in manufacturing or duplicating. In addition, it has an interference color in appearance, it is easy to catch the eye, it is excellent in design, and in some cases, it may be destroyed when it is peeled off, making it a structure that can not be diverted to others This is because it has advantages such as being possible.
[0004]
However, even though holograms and the like have difficulty in manufacturing and copying, their manufacturing methods are well known among experts, and even if they are forged, they are accurate. Since it is manufactured using a processing technique, an appearance that is very similar to the real one is obtained, and it is very difficult to distinguish a forged one from that.
[0005]
Thus, various attempts have been made to further increase the safety against counterfeiting of holograms and the like.
[0006]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-3124 includes first and second hologram patterns configured to project a predetermined image indicating that transmitted or reflected diffracted light is a genuine product when irradiated with monochromatic light. Whether or not a predetermined image is projected when light of a predetermined wavelength of monochromatic light is irradiated by using an optical recording medium on which a genuine product display image projection data recorded as CGH (Computer Generated Hologram) is recorded. Thus, it is disclosed that the authenticity of a product can be easily determined.
However, in the above prior art, since a certain area of the hologram is large or the position where the hologram is provided is clear, it is easy to analyze the hologram by discovering the existence of the hologram and its position. Therefore, it cannot be said that the security against forgery is sufficient.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the present invention, as in the above-described prior art, as a structure that conceals or misleads the existence of a hologram that reproduces visually recognizable information when irradiated with coherent light. Therefore, it is an object to improve safety against forgery.
[0008]
[Means for solving the problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the inventor further arranges a unit in which a micro area in which the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image is multi-valued and recorded as a depth and a micro area composed of a diffraction grating are arranged together. As a result, it was possible to reproduce the hologram with coherent light and to conceal the presence of the hologram.
[0009]
The first invention consists of microscopic areas that are divided into six equal parts in the vertical and horizontal directions, each of which is a square, each side having a length of 10 μm or more and a square of 0.3 mm or less. Are arranged in an optical structure, and the minute area is recorded as depth by converting the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image into multiple values. Multiple types A small area, Consists of different diffraction grating pitches and / or different grating directions The present invention relates to an optical structure characterized by comprising a micro area in which a diffraction grating is recorded.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a deposit / save card or a card such as a credit card, which is one of its preferred applications.
In FIG. 1, an authenticity proof recording body 1 includes an optical structure 3 for authenticity verification laminated on an upper surface of a substrate 2 or the upper surface of the substrate 2 and an upper surface of the optical structure 3. It is embedded and laminated so as to be on the same plane.
These laminated structures may be further laminated with a transparent protective layer on the upper surface as long as there is no hindrance to the observation of the optical structure 3 or reading of the information it has.
[0011]
As the material of the base material 2, in addition to resins such as polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyimide, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, polystyrene, acrylic, polypropylene, polyethylene, metals such as aluminum and copper, paper, A sheet made of an impregnated paper such as resin or latex, or a composite sheet can be used.
When heat resistance is required, sheets of amorphous polyester resin, blended resin of amorphous polyester resin and polycarbonate resin, or the like can be used as the material of the base material 2.
[0012]
Although the thickness of the base material 2 changes with materials, it is the range of about 10 micrometers-5 mm normally. When the authenticating proof recording member 1 has the function of a magnetic card, the thickness is 0.76 mm when the substrate 2 conforms to the ISO standard. When the substrate 2 is composed of polyvinyl chloride (hereinafter referred to as PVC), usually, two white PVC sheets having a thickness of 280 μm are stacked as core sheets, and transparent PVC sheets having a thickness of 100 μm are respectively overcoated on both sides thereof. A four-layer base material (total thickness 0.76 mm) that is stacked by hot pressing or the like is used.
In the case of the base material 2 having a four-layer structure, the position where the optical structure 3 is laminated is suitably the oversheet side of the core sheet, the core sheet side of the oversheet, or the exposed surface of the oversheet.
[0013]
When viewed in detail, the optical structure 3 for proving authenticity is configured by further arranging micro optical unit areas 4. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the square micro optical unit areas 4 are They are arranged in a vertical and horizontal matrix.
The size of the optical structure 3 is, for example, about several mm to several cm, but may be a size that covers the entire surface of the substrate 2.
[0014]
The micro-optical unit area 4 constituting the optical structure 3 is preferably smaller in size for the purpose of making visual confirmation difficult, specifically, it is preferably 0.3 mm or less. This is because if the size of the micro-optical unit area 4 exceeds 0.3 mm, the possibility that the micro-optical unit area 4 can be visually recognized is increased and the possibility of analysis is generated. The size of the micro-optical unit area 4 is represented by the length of one side if it is a square, the length of a long side if it is a rectangle, the diameter if it is a circle, the major axis if it is an ellipse, etc. If there is, it shall be indicated by the maximum value of the passing dimension.
The size of the micro optical unit area 4 is preferably sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the laser beam because the laser light is irradiated to reproduce the hologram. This is because all holograms and all diffraction gratings can be reproduced.
The size of the micro optical unit area 4 can be reduced as long as at least two or more micro areas can be formed therein, but there is no problem in mass production, and the reproduced image can be easily observed. It is preferable that it is 10 micrometers or more.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the micro-optical unit area 4 is further subdivided as shown in FIG. Then, the vertical and horizontal parts are divided into six equal parts, and each of the 36 parts consists of minute areas that are square.
In this example, 36 minute areas are divided into four groups (or groups) of nine minute areas by dividing the minute area by vertical and horizontal lines (assumed lines) passing through the center of the minute optical unit area 4. It is divided. Among the four groups, each micro area in the upper group on the left side is a micro area in which the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image A is multi-valued and recorded as a depth (in the figure, the lower right side). Each minute area in the lower group on the right side is a minute area in which the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image B is multi-valued and recorded as a depth (shown by hatching). In the drawing, the hatching is shown in a right-upward hatching), and each minute area in the upper group on the right side is a minute area in which the diffraction grating C is recorded (a group of dotted lines in the horizontal direction in the figure). And each micro area in the lower group on the left side toward the left is indicated by a micro area where the diffraction grating D is recorded (indicated by a dotted line group in the vertical direction in the figure). ) The micro-optical unit areas 4 are preferably arranged in the same direction vertically and horizontally, as partially shown in the figure.
[0016]
As described above, among the information recorded as the depth in the minute area of each group, the creation of the information based on the original image A and the original image B will be described with reference to FIG. By performing each step of (7) sequentially for each type of original image.
(1) First, an original image is formed. The original image may be an arbitrarily determined image, and may be any of letters, numbers, figures, or symbols, as well as paintings, animations, or photographs.
(2) Next, a Fourier transform image of the original image is created by subjecting the original image to a Fourier transform process using the computer.
(3) Amplitude = 1.
(4) Perform inverse Fourier transform.
(5) The amplitude is set to the original amplitude (the phase is left as it is).
Thereafter, returning to (2), after repeating “Fourier transform → Fourier inverse transform”, it stops when it is determined that a Fourier transform image satisfying a predetermined condition has been obtained.
(6) After stopping, extract phase data.
(7) The phase data is multivalued to obtain depth information of a predetermined number of steps.
The depth information obtained should be summarized as “depth information obtained by multi-leveling phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image”. This is referred to as “multi-value depth information”.
Of the information recorded as the depth in each of the above groups, the diffraction grating C and the diffraction grating D should be recorded in the micro area where the diffraction grating depth information or depth information is multivalued. What is necessary is just to record using the converted multi-value information. The depth information of the diffraction grating or the multi-value information obtained by converting the depth information into multi-values is often shortened and referred to as “diffraction grating information”.
[0017]
The multi-value conversion of the phase data based on the original image A and the original image B can be, for example, binarization, quaternarization, octarization, or hexarization. Since the diffraction efficiency is 95.0%, which is sufficient for practical use, it is preferably about binarization, quaternarization, or octarization. The same applies when the phase data based on the diffraction grating C and the diffraction grating D is multi-valued.
[0018]
In the example of FIG. 1, multi-value depth information based on the original image A and the original image B, and information of the diffraction grating C and the diffraction grating D are prepared, and the micro optical unit area 4 as shown in FIG. Allocate and line up corresponding to each micro area. These operations are also performed on the other micro-optical unit areas 4 constituting the optical structure 3.
In addition, when two or more types of diffraction grating information divided for each micro-optical unit area are used, it is preferable to prepare the diffraction gratings having different pitches and / or different grating directions.
[0019]
Allocation of the multi-value depth information as described above to each micro area in the micro optical unit area can be performed by an electron beam drawing apparatus, a grating plot apparatus, etc., and exposure to a photosensitive resin. By the development, fine irregularities on the surface of the cured photosensitive resin, or fine irregularities on the etching substrate are formed.
Of course, it is possible to use these as they are as the optical structure 3. However, as will be described later, usually, an uneven structure is manufactured using these as a prototype, and the obtained uneven structure is used to form the optical structure 3. It is preferable to use a large number of replicas.
[0020]
In the above example, the micro optical unit area 4 has four groups of micro areas, each of which has two types of multi-valued depths based on the original image A and the original image B. Information, and information on the diffraction grating C and the diffraction grating D, but the micro optical unit area 4 has at least two micro areas, each of which is based on one type of original image, and multi-valued. It is only necessary that assigned depth information and information on one type of diffraction grating are allocated. The types of multi-value depth information and diffraction grating information based on these original images can be arbitrarily increased.
If multiple types of depth information and / or diffraction grating information based on the original image are used, it is possible to change the coherent light conditions when reproducing the hologram or diffraction grating, such as the irradiation angle. Therefore, the analysis becomes more difficult, and since the authenticity is proved only after all the reproduced images are confirmed, there is an advantage that the ability to guarantee the authenticity, that is, the reliability is further increased.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the micro-optical unit areas 4 which can have various shapes are arranged in a matrix of length and width as shown in FIG. 3 (a) (same as FIG. 1). Based on the first row (the horizontal row at the top), there may be an arrangement in which the second and subsequent lines are shifted by ½ pitch, or an array shifted by ３ pitch.
[0022]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the micro-optical unit area 4 may be a polygon such as a triangle (FIG. 4A), a quadrangle, a pentagon, a hexagon (FIG. 4B),. , Geometric shapes other than polygons, for example, circles and ellipses, shapes such as letters and numbers (FIG. 4C), shapes of arbitrary figures and symbols (FIG. 4D) It may be.
Of these, geometric shapes such as polygons, circles, ellipses, etc. are preferable in terms of facilitating processing when assigning multi-valued depth information and / or diffraction grating information based on the original image, In particular, in the case of a triangle, a rectangle, or a hexagon that is a representative polygon, it is easy to arrange them densely.
Further, in the case of shapes such as letters, numbers, arbitrary figures, symbols, etc., even if the shape is known, it is interested in the outer shape itself, so that there is an advantage that it becomes a camouflage of the existence of the inherent information. In addition, these shapes can be given meaning and can also help to prevent forgery.
[0023]
Depending on the shape of the micro-optical unit area 4, it may be arranged in a manner other than that described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4 (a), in the case of a triangle, the first row is configured with one side facing up, and then when the second row is configured, adjacent triangles in the first row are connected to each other. Between the triangles, with the sides of the triangles facing down, the odd rows after the third row are arranged by repeating the first row, the even rows after the fourth row are arranged by repeating the second row, It can be arranged closely.
Alternatively, in the case of a hexagon, each hexagon in the first row (the leftmost vertical row) is closely arranged so that the two opposite sides are parallel to the horizontal direction, and the second row is in the vertical direction. If they are arranged in the shape of a beehive, the arrangement can be made densely.
[0024]
When the micro optical unit area 4 has the shape of the letter “A” shown in FIG. 4C or the shape of the heart shown in FIG. 4D, no gap is formed between adjacent shapes. Although it is difficult to arrange them, the micro optical unit areas 4 themselves are small, so that the gaps are also difficult to see with the naked eye, and do not necessarily have to be arranged densely (= no gaps).
However, those that can be arranged closely, such as a polygon such as a square, are preferable in that the reproducibility of the hologram or diffraction grating can be increased. Therefore, even in the case of a shape other than a polygon, an object having a high ratio of the micro optical unit area in the area of the repeating unit is more preferable.
[0025]
The shape of the optical structure 3 is not limited to the quadrangle as shown in FIG. 1, and the optical structure 4 itself is the shape mentioned as various shapes of the micro-optical unit area 4 described above. Also good. In addition, there may be a distinction between a portion in which the micro optical unit areas 4 are arranged and a portion in which the micro optical unit areas 4 are not arranged in the shape of an arbitrary optical structure 3. For example, the micro optical unit areas 4 are arranged in the shape, and the micro optical unit areas 4 are not arranged in the other portions, so that the micro optical units 4 are arranged in a letter shape.
[0026]
The optical structure 3 applied on the substrate 2 is industrially manufactured by producing a concavo-convex mold as described above, and performing mass replication using the obtained concavo-convex mold. preferable.
As the concavo-convex mold, some of the concavo-convex molds obtained as a prototype are obtained by repeatedly performing metal plating on a product manufactured using a photosensitive resin or a product manufactured on an etching substrate. It is good to produce and use a concave / convex mold for replication.
[0027]
For mass replication, preferably, a flowable ionizing radiation curable resin (usually an ultraviolet curable resin) is applied on a transparent film, and then the surface having fine irregularities of the concave and convex molds for replication is contacted. It is preferable to carry out by curing the ionizing radiation curable resin by irradiating ionizing radiation (ultraviolet light if it is an ultraviolet curable resin) while maintaining the above. By this method, fine irregularities of the optical structure are replicated on the surface. The laminated body by which the cured resin film | membrane of the made ionizing radiation curable resin was laminated | stacked on the transparent film can be obtained.
[0028]
A reflective layer made of a reflective metal thin film such as Al or a thin film made of a material having a light refractive index different from that of a cured resin film is usually laminated on the surface of the formed fine unevenness along the fine unevenness. Is normal.
[0029]
A laminate in which a transparent film, a cured resin film having fine irregularities formed thereon, and a reflective layer are laminated in order is laminated with the base material 2 on the transparent film side or the reflective layer side via an adhesive such as a heat-sensitive adhesive layer. By doing so, the authenticity-providing recording body 1 having the optical structure 3 on the substrate 2 can be obtained.
[0030]
Alternatively, the transparent film and the cured resin film on which fine irregularities are formed are laminated so as to be peelable, and the reflective layer side is bonded to the substrate 2 via an adhesive such as a heat-sensitive adhesive layer. A structure having the optical structure 3 on the substrate 2 can also be obtained by so-called transfer, in which the transparent film is peeled off at the same time as or after the lamination.
[0031]
The authenticity confirmation method will be described by taking the card described with reference to FIG. 1 as an example. As shown in FIG. 5, a laser light source 11 is used for the optical structure 3 of the authenticity proof recording body 1, and a predetermined method is used. A laser beam 12 that is coherent light having a wavelength of is irradiated. The beam diameter of the laser light 12 may be smaller than the micro optical unit area 4 of the optical structure 3, but is preferably larger than the micro area constituting the micro optical unit area 4.
By this irradiation, holograms a and b corresponding to multi-value depth information based on the original images A and B arranged in advance in the micro optical unit area 4 are reproduced. Since these minute areas where multi-valued depth information based on the original images A and B is recorded look white under white light, when a large area is provided like a conventional hologram, The existence can be avoided.
In addition, the diffraction gratings C and D are recorded by the laser light irradiation, that is, light is diffracted in a specific direction in the micro area where the information of the diffraction gratings C and D is recorded. These micro areas where the diffraction grating is recorded appear to be colored in a specific color according to the direction and pitch of the diffraction grating under white light.
The reproduced holograms a and b are collectively referred to as “reproduced images”.
The authenticity can be confirmed by comparing the reproduced image with a reference image prepared in advance and determining whether the image is the same or different.
[0032]
Accordingly, assuming a certain surface 13, for example, the hologram a in the area 13a on the right side, the hologram b in the area 13b on the left side, the diffracted light c in the area 13c on the back side, and the front side Since the diffracted light d can be observed in the area 13d, an instrument provided with the surface 13 as the upper plate of the box, the laser light source 11, and a fixing base (not shown) for authenticity proof recording. Prepared and provided a transmissive screen in each of the areas 13a to 13d on the top plate of the box, etc., it is possible to determine the reproduced image using this instrument, and prove the authenticity. It is easy to check the authenticity of the recording material 1 for use. Further, the light diffracted in the minute area where the diffraction grating is recorded may be detected at a predetermined position to serve as auxiliary means for confirming authenticity.
[0033]
Although the present invention basically has the above-described structure, the authenticity proof recording member 1 may include the following elements.
The cards described with reference to FIG. 1 usually have a magnetic recording layer. The magnetic recording layer is usually in the form of a stripe having a width of about 5 to 10 mm. The magnetic recording layer is applied to a thin plastic sheet directly applied by applying a magnetic paint to the surface or inside of the base material 2 and stripes are applied. It is formed by transfer using a magnetic recording layer transfer sheet prepared by being cut into a shape and pasted, or prepared by laminating releasably on a temporary base sheet.
[0034]
In general recording media including cards, a magnetic recording layer is usually provided. The function of the magnetic recording layer may be replaced with an optical recording layer, an IC module, or the like. However, even if an optical recording layer or an IC module is provided, it is preferable to provide a versatile magnetic recording layer.
Further, in addition to the optical structure 3 in the present invention, a normal hologram or the like (including a diffraction grating) may be provided, and in this way, attention and interest to the optical structure 3 in the present invention is increased. Can be diverted.
[0035]
The authenticity recording body 1 of the present invention may be provided with appropriate characters by printing or the like. In the case of a card, the contents expressed in characters include the issuing company, the name of the card, the issue number, the expiration date, the name of the holder, or a cautionary note. Some of these, for example, the issue number, the expiration date, and the name of the holder may be formed by unevenness by embossing.
In addition, the base material 2 may be colored or patterned for decorating the authenticity proof recording body 1 and is usually printed.
[0036]
The authenticity proof recording body 1 of the present invention is not only for use in card applications, but various articles can be used as the base material 2 and the optical structure 3 can be laminated thereon.
Depending on the article, there are a case where the article itself is a recording body having information and a case where the article itself does not have information but is a recording body provided with information by stacking the optical structures 3.
[0037]
The authenticity proof recording body 1 of the present invention may be an ID (identity verification) card, and specifically may be a bank saving deposit card, a credit card, an identification card or the like. Further, it may be an examination slip, a passport or the like which is not necessarily in a card form.
The authenticity proof recording body 1 may be a bill, a gift certificate, a stock certificate, a securities, a bankbook, a boarding ticket, an air ticket, or a prepaid card for transportation or a public telephone. These records information such as the amount, issuer, issue number, or cautionary note.
[0038]
The authenticity proof recording body 1 of the present invention does not necessarily have information, but can be various articles to which information is given by laminating the optical structure 3.
The various articles are, for example, world-renowned luxury goods such as luxury watches, precious metals, jewelry, etc., so-called brand goods, articles such as storage boxes and cases, and these are usually expensive. Therefore, it is easy to be forged. In some cases, a tag that is hung on a product can also serve as the base material 2 of the authenticity proof recording body 1.
[0039]
Similarly, the optical structure 3 can be laminated as a base material 2 on a storage medium in which music software, video software, computer software, game software, or the like is recorded, or an article such as a case thereof. These are not necessarily expensive, but if they are illegally copied in large quantities and put on the market, there is a risk that the distributor of the genuine product may suffer serious damage.
[0040]
In any of the authenticity proof recording bodies 1, the optical structure 3 is provided for the optical structure 3 regardless of whether the portion other than the optical structure has information or not. By confirming the authenticity of the structure 3, it is possible to confirm the authenticity of the substrate 2 having the optical structure 3, that is, the authenticity proof recording body.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the micro area composed of the multi-valued phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image and recorded as the depth and the micro area composed of the diffraction grating are arranged, depending on normal observation, It is possible to provide an optical structure that has a hologram and a diffraction grating that can be reproduced only after irradiation with coherent light and has improved safety against forgery. According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, since the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image is multi-valued and recorded as depths, there are a plurality of types of micro-areas, so that the hologram is reproduced. It is possible to change the irradiation angle of the coherent light at the time of the analysis, making the analysis more difficult, and in order to confirm the authenticity, the phase information of the Fourier transform images of different original images is multivalued It is possible to provide an optical structure with higher reliability, in which it is necessary to check all reproduced images from a plurality of types of minute areas recorded as depths.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a recording medium for authenticity verification according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow for obtaining multi-value depth information based on an original image.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of micro-optical unit areas in an optical structure.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the shape of a micro-optical unit area.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for confirming authenticity.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Record for authenticity verification
2 Base material
3 Optical structure
4 Micro-optical unit area

Claims (1)

An optical structure in which micro optical unit areas, each of which is divided into six equal parts and is divided into six equal parts, each of which is a square, each side having a length of 10 μm or more and a square of 0.3 mm or less, are arranged. A plurality of types of micro-regions in which the phase information of the Fourier transform image of the original image is multi-valued and recorded as a depth is different from the pitch and / or direction of the grating of the diffraction grating. An optical structure comprising: a minute area in which a diffraction grating composed of objects is recorded.

Images