AU2010100941A4 - Security features for ticket and label substrates - Google Patents

Description

1 SECURITY FEATURES FOR TICKET AND LABEL SUBSTRATES TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates specifically to security features for meter 5 rolls, label rolls and ticket stock, such as for parking tickets. BACKGROUND Many public and private events, amenities, locations and venues require ticket or label issuing facilities. For example, hand held or fixed machines for 10 parking and/or entry tickets, machines for issuing travel tickets for buses and trains and label issuing machines such as for baggage or cargo labelling. With known tickets or labels, once a ticket or label is validly issued, it is possible for that genuine ticket or label to be photocopied to create a facsimile, counterfeit ticket or label for use by a second person. This risks loss of ticket 15 income to the issuer, potentially resulting in higher prices to genuine users to compensate for the loss of income, and also inconveniences genuine users where a counterfeit ticket or label might be used to illegally park a vehicle or for a person to illegally gain entry to a venue. It has been found beneficial to incorporate one or more security features 20 on the substrate used for ticketing or labelling purposes, such as a meter roll or ticket stock. It is known to put a security strip of metallic foil along an edge portion of ticket substrate. The metallic foil is reflective and readily shows as a genuine ticket. A photocopy version, would, of course, not have the reflectivity of the 25 metallic foil and would therefore readily show as a counterfeit ticket. However, the metallic foil on used or discarded tickets presents an environmental hazard as well as a waste of valuable metal. The metal can get into the environment, such as waterways, landfill sites and sewage systems, causing pollution and a risk to animals and the ecosystem generally. It would therefore be of great benefit to 30 provide a substrate with security features that did not require metal. With this in mind, it is desirable of the present invention to provide one or more security features on a substrate for ticketing or labelling purposes that makes fraudulent copying more readily detected.

2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the aforementioned in view, the present invention provides a ticket or label substrate including at least one anti-copying security feature. The at least one security feature may be one or more of the following: 5 micro-text on the substrate, the micro text being unreadable at normal magnification and readable when sufficiently magnified; a fluorescent colour indicator on the substrate whereby the colour fluoresces under ultra violet (UV) or 'black light'; a pattern of varying print densities on a facing surface of the substrate; 10 ultra violet ink printed onto at least one face of the substrate. The substrate may be a roll of web, such as a meter roll of paper or plastic based material (polypropylene) for use in ticket or label issuing machines. A visible warning band may also be printed on the reverse of the substrate roll or ticket stock that can be read under normal light. This provides a visible 15 warning that the substrate or ticket stock contains security features that will make reproduction difficult. Personalisation features can be included on the substrate or ticket stock. For example, a customer's logo, advertising and/or special offers/vouchers may be printed on the front and/or reverse face(s) of the substrate. 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows security features on a ticket substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an example of a photocopied portion of substrate for a 25 ticket revealing the "COPY' text in the copy void field pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter 30 be described with reference to the accompanying figure(s). However, the specificity of the following embodiments should not be taken as limiting the breadth of the invention as defined in the claims unless otherwise limited by the claims.

3 Meter rolls are used as ticket stock in many "pay and display" ticket machines and other public meter machines where a ticket is obtained. Width, diameter and core size of the roll varies according to machines. Meter rolls typically include a thermal paper substrate or thermal polypropylene material 5 substrate. One or more embodiments of the present invention includes micro-text printed as very small text, typically in a 1pt font, along an edge of the roll. The type is small enough so as to be illegible if copied on a photocopier. A fluorescent colour stripe can be provided down the length of the roll. 10 The colour fluoresces under ultra violet (UV) or 'black light', and will not photocopy easily due to the fluorescent pigments in the ink not readily recognized by a photocopier. Copy void screen is a pattern of varying screen densities on a facing surface of the substrate. When photocopied, a visual indication is reproduced on 15 the photocopy version, such as the word 'COPY' as a visual warning that the copy ticket is not genuine. Invisible ultra violet ink can be printed onto the substrate, such as on the reverse of ticket stock. The ink only shows up under UV or 'black light'. A visible warning band can also be printed on the reverse of the substrate 20 roll or ticket stock that can be read under normal light. This provides a visible warning that the substrate or ticket stock contains security features that will make reproduction difficult. Personalisation features can be included on the substrate or ticket stock. For example, a customer's logo, advertising and/or special offers/vouchers can 25 be printed on the front and/or reverse face(s) of the substrate. A particular example of an embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to figure 1. Figure 1 shows a portion of a ticket or meter roll. This provides the substrate 10 for a ticket or label. The substrate may be paper based, such as a 30 thermal paper, or may be plastic/polymer based, such as a polypropylene material. Viewing the substrate specimen from left to right, there is provided a strip of micro-text 12 adjacent the left longitudinal edge of the substrate. The micro- 4 text can be read under a microscope, magnifying glass or other optically magnifying instrument. However, the text is sufficiently small so as not to be resolved by a photocopier or scanner of copied. It will be appreciated that the micro-text may be readable text in that it makes sense as readable words or 5 digits, or could be a coded text or prescribed markings, such as micro-images, known to the issuer. Another layer of security can be provided by copy void printing 14, which provides a field of variable density printing. Visually, no discernible text or numbering is visible. If photocopied or scanned and printed, the script or images 10 are revealed in the copy version. For example, the word "COPY" or "VOID" might appear due to the photocopier not being able to resolve certain parts of the variable density field. Further, optional, security can be provided by a fluorescent coloured ink, such as a fluorescent coloured strip 16. The colour may be chosen by an issuer 15 to suit their corporate colours or for certain applications. The ink can be non toxic, water based and designed to break down harmlessly in the environment. Although the fluorescent strip appears as a solid bright colour in an original ticket, the fluorescent colour does not readily copy. For a black and white photocopy, the copied original either has the fluorescent colour simply as a grey scale shade 20 or no colour at all . In a colour copy, the fluorescent colour does not replicate but comes out a dirty grey version of the original colour and without fluorescence. The obverse (front) and/or reverse (back) face(s) of the substrate 10 can also be printed with invisible ink 18. The ink, preferably as a pattern and/or script, is revealed under UV (black light). 25 A warning band 20 can be printed on either or both of the substrate faces. The warning provides an indication to a user that certain conditions may need to be met for the ticket to be validly used, such as displaying under or on a vehicle windshield. The substrate 10 may include a region 22 for personalisation, such as 30 corporate branding, advertising, messaging, special offers or vouchers. A region 22 can be provided on the obverse and/or reverse of the substrate. When provided as roll, such as a meter roll, the substrate can be wound on a core, such as a plastic or cardboard core.

5 The present invention provides enhanced security for ticketing/labelling applications, along with environmentally friendly features. The security measures can be overt and/or covert on the substrate. Also, no metallic foils are employed, thereby being more environmentally friendly compared with known examples. 5 The present invention provides enhanced anti-copying features for increased security and reassurance to the issuer and the user. Fraudulent copying can be made almost impossible whilst clearly showing that an attempt at copying has been made because of discrepancies between the visual features of a genuine ticket compared with absent or changed visual features on the copy 10 ticket.

Claims (5)

1. A ticket or label substrate including at least one of the following anti copying features: micro-text on the substrate, the micro text being readable when magnified; 5 a fluorescent colour indicator on the substrate whereby the colour fluoresces under ultra violet (UV) or 'black light'; a pattern of varying print densities on a facing surface of the substrate; ultra violet ink printed onto at least one face of the substrate.

2. A substrate according to claim 1, including all of the at least one anti 10 copying features.

3. A ticket including a substrate according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A meter roll of substrate for ticket machines, the substrate according to claim 1 or 2.

5. A ticket substrate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to 15 the accompanying figures. WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS