EP0975467B1 - Structure d'image transitoire - Google Patents

Structure d'image transitoire Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0975467B1
EP0975467B1 EP98917362A EP98917362A EP0975467B1 EP 0975467 B1 EP0975467 B1 EP 0975467B1 EP 98917362 A EP98917362 A EP 98917362A EP 98917362 A EP98917362 A EP 98917362A EP 0975467 B1 EP0975467 B1 EP 0975467B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
image
markings
structure according
physical characteristic
lines
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98917362A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0975467A1 (fr
Inventor
Rosemary Trinder
Martin Raishbrook
Colin Norman Shenton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
De la Rue International Ltd
Original Assignee
De la Rue International Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by De la Rue International Ltd filed Critical De la Rue International Ltd
Publication of EP0975467A1 publication Critical patent/EP0975467A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0975467B1 publication Critical patent/EP0975467B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
    • B41M3/14—Security printing
    • B41M3/148—Transitory images, i.e. images only visible from certain viewing angles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
    • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
    • B42D25/20—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof characterised by a particular use or purpose
    • B42D25/29—Securities; Bank notes
    • B42D2035/16—

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a transitory image structure and a method for generating a transitory image.
  • Transitory images are images which can only be seen from certain angles of viewing. Commonly, these comprise latent images which cannot be seen when the structure is viewed normally but can be seen at certain off-normal angles, and transient images which can be seen when the structure is viewed normally but not at certain off-normal angles. Transitory images, particularly latent images, are particularly useful as security features on documents of value and security documents and can also be used as anti-counterfeiting devices. US-A-4033059 discloses a variety of latent image structures formed by intaglio printing and intended for this purpose.
  • transitory image structures comprise linear markings on a substrate, the linear markings defining image and background portions respectively, the markings cooperating together such that an image generated by the image portion is not visible from all viewing angles.
  • a drawback of conventional transitory image structures is that the presence of such structures on articles can often be detected even when the structure is viewed at an angle at which the transitory image should not be visible. Attempts have been made in the past to disguise the presence of such a structure by incorporating other patterns which are visible at all angles but these have not been completely successful.
  • a transitory image structure comprises linear markings on a substrate, the linear markings defining image and background portions respectively, the markings cooperating together such that an image generated by the image portion is not visible from all viewing angles and is characterised in that at least some of the lines of the markings of at least one of the portions have a physical characteristic which varies in a substantially random manner along their lengths.
  • linear markings for one and preferably both of the image and background portions in which a physical characteristic, for example width or depth, of at least some of (and preferably all) the linear markings varies in a substantially random manner, produces a very flat or uniform appearance when the structure is viewed at angles at which the transitory image should not be visible, considerably improving upon the problems outlined above.
  • the structure presents a speckled appearance without any indication of the presence of the transitory image.
  • the invention can be used to generate a transient image, it is particularly suitable for generating latent images and the following description will concentrate on that aspect.
  • changes in the physical characteristic of the linear markings of the at least one portion occur at substantially random intervals and the physical characteristic of the linear markings of the at least one portion has a dimension which varies in a substantially random manner. This results in maximising concealment of the transitory image. However, in some cases, only one of these changes could be implemented.
  • the linear markings will be substantially parallel and preferably are rectilinear.
  • the lines of the image portion are not parallel to the lines of the background portion. However, in some cases, both sets of lines could be parallel.
  • linear markings forming substantially concentric polygons such as octagons.
  • a single set of concentric polygons could form the first and second sets of linear markings, or the two sets of linear markings could be defined by different groups of concentric polygons.
  • the markings will be defined by relief elements such as may be produced by intaglio printing or embossing, including blind embossing.
  • the markings may be surface printed on the substrate, for example by offset or lithographic printing.
  • the surface of the substrate which carries the structure may be colour coated with one or a number of colours or be specularly metallised.
  • the structure may be incorporated into a variety of authenticatable items such as banknotes, printed monetary tokens, travellers cheques, bonds, visas, certificates, vouchers, passes, tickets, passport pages, printed paper or film seals, and tamper evident labels or tags. It is particularly aimed as a visually detectable feature for use against counterfeiting.
  • the structure is particularly suitable for incorporation into documents such as banknotes during the intaglio printing process.
  • the intaglio plate having the mould for imparting the three dimensional effect may carry ink or it may be ink free.
  • the structure will be formed on an area of paper such as security printable document grade paper during an intaglio printing process. If the structure is to be printed by the application of intaglio ink then this will generally be to an absorbent surface comprising cellulosic paper fibres or the like.
  • the area onto which the structure is to be formed may previously have been printed by lithography or the like to form an evenly coloured or lustrous background.
  • the intaglio impression may be made in the so-called "blind” embossing style in which no ink is applied to the recesses in the plate corresponding to the device indentations.
  • the surface to be embossed will preferably be glossy or specularly reflecting such as may be found by the sheen exhibited by a metallic effect printing ink, or the mirror reflectivity exhibited by a metallised film, or indeed the optical variability induced by the diffraction of light such as in white light viewable holograms, multiple layer light interference coatings and the like.
  • the area of the substrate to be embossed with the structure should be substantially planar and capable of being deformed in accordance with the shape of the mould.
  • a particular advantage of the transitory image structure according to the invention is that it presents the appearance of a random screen even at close viewing distances while at greater distances it will appear as a continuously coloured patch. This allows the structure to be incorporated into other designs on the substrate in such a way that even the presence of the structure is difficult to discern.
  • linear markings will normally be continuous, they could be discontinuous and formed, for example, by discrete dots.
  • the parallel line sets may slightly diverge and optionally the maximum permitted width of the random widening may be caused to vary along the length of the lines.
  • the transitory image structure can be generated in a variety of conventional ways, typically by generating a suitable screen of linear markings having the random variation required and then superimposing that screen on a conventional transitory image pattern. This can conveniently be done using conventional computer aided design systems, intaglio plates or the like then being created from the resultant combined pattern.
  • the intaglio plate will be therefore provided with a fine, uneven textured pattern which will appear to be essentially random.
  • In part of the area will be the parallel line pattern which causes the transitory image effect when the device is tilted.
  • the parallel line set will generally form a simple image such as a number, a letter or a symbol which will be revealed at certain angles of viewing.
  • the parallel line set image may be substantially even, in that the depth of the lines does not change.
  • the lines may themselves exhibit a small degree of speckle with a periodicity similar to that of the background lines.
  • the line sets could be formed as a matrix of miniature parallel line sets of random thickness, the sets having different orientations of the parallel line sets.
  • a method of generating a transitory image comprises generating digital data defining linear markings at least some of which have a physical characteristic which varies in a substantially random manner along their lengths; and combining the linear markings with image and background data to generate data defining image and background portions of the transitory image.
  • the linear markings are generated digitally, typically using a computer programme, which allows considerable freedom in choosing the manner in which the screen is defined.
  • the generating and combining steps are set out separately, in some cases, these may be carried out simultaneously.
  • the form of the linear markings with a varying physical characteristic is determined by:
  • the physical characteristic variation (usually width or depth) will be constrained within maximum and minimum limits.
  • the same algorithm will be used to generate the linear markings for the image portion and for the background portion.
  • the invention is primarily concerned with the generation of linear markings having a width which varies in a substantially random manner along its length.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a small portion of a set of linear markings suitable for constructing a transitory image structure, in considerably enlarged form.
  • the linear markings 1-10 have centre lines which are substantially parallel but each exhibits changes in width which occur at substantially random intervals and between substantially random width values.
  • a computer is suitably programmed to generate diaital data defining lines composed of successive short elements typically having a minimum length of 0.075mm, the width of each element being defined by the program parameters.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a flow diagram of an example of a computer programme for achieving this.
  • the line spacing between the centre lines of adjacent linear markings is set.
  • a typical example is in the range 0.2-0.5mm centre-to-centre, commonly 0.25mm.
  • the operator enters the minimum and maximum widths which each line may have, typically, in the range 50-200 microns. He also enters a decision threshold T in the range 0.1-0.9.
  • the computer then commences the generation of the line starting from a predetermined initial width value (step 22).
  • a second random number RND2 is inspected (step 25). This also varies between 0 and 1.0 and the computer determines in a step 26 the value of the new width by using the value of RND2 to define a fraction of the range between the previously set Max and Min widths.
  • the new width could be determined from RND2 in some other way, for example by using RND2 as an address into a previously defined look-up table of widths.
  • the next element is generated (step 27) with a width corresponding to the selected new width. If in step 24 it was found that RND1 was not greater than T then the next element would be generated with a width value corresponding to the previously selected width, in other words the same width as the previous element.
  • a step 28 the computer determines whether or not the end of the line has been reached and if it has not then steps 23-27 are repeated.
  • the digital data defining each line is stored and is then combined in a conventional manner with a transitory image, for example to form a bit map.
  • the resultant data (bit map) is then used to construct an intaglio plate, the appearance of that plate and hence the transitory image structure being illustrated in an enlarged form in Figure 3.
  • the transitory image structure defined by the plate comprises a background portion 30 defined by vertical lines and image portions 31,32 defined by horizontal lines, together forming a "head and shoulders" image.
  • the lines forming both the background and image portions 30-32 each have a similar random width variation and line spacing although this is not essential.
  • the background portion 30 could be defined by horizontal lines and the image portions 31,32 by vertical lines.
  • the intaglio plate can then be used to print or blind emboss the structure onto a substrate such as a banknote or the like.
  • the structure could also include a pattern which is visible from substantially all viewing angles. This could be produced by controlling the background linear markings to have a width of particular value in the predetermined pattern.

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  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)

Claims (28)

  1. Structure d'image transitoire comprenant des marquages linéaires sur un substrat, des marquages linéaires définissant des parties d'image et d'arrière-plan respectivement, les marquages coopérant ensemble pour qu'une image générée par la partie d'image ne soit pas visible à partir de tous les angles d'observation caractérisée en ce qu'au moins certaines des lignes de marquages et au moins une des parties ont une caractéristique physique qui varie de manière substantiellement aléatoire le long de leur longueur.
  2. Structure selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle au moins certains des marquages linéaires des deux parties d'image et d'arrière-plan ont une caractéristique physique qui varie d'une manière substantiellement aléatoire le long de leur longueur.
  3. Structure selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle les lignes de marquages d'au moins une des parties sont substantiellement parallèles.
  4. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle les lignes de marquages d'au moins une des parties sont rectilinéaires.
  5. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle les lignes de la partie d'image ne sont pas parallèles aux lignes de la partie d'arrière-plan.
  6. Structure selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle les lignes de la partie d'image sont substantiellement à 90° par rapport aux lignes de la partie d'arrière-plan.
  7. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle les marquages définissant la partie d'arrière-plan définissent en outre un motif visible substantiellement à partir de tous les angles.
  8. Structure selon la revendication 7, dans laquelle les lignes de la partie d'arrière-plan dans la zone du motif ont substantiellement la même caractéristique physique.
  9. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle les marquages sont définis par des éléments en relief.
  10. Structure selon la revendication 9, dans laquelle les marquages sont imprimés en creux.
  11. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, dans laquelle les marquages sont imprimés en surface sur le substrat.
  12. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'image transitoire est une image latente.
  13. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle la structure est incorporée dans une partie d'une conception plus grande sur le substrat.
  14. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle des variations de la caractéristique physique des marquages linéaires d'au moins une partie se produisent à des intervalles substantiellement aléatoires.
  15. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle la caractéristique physique des marquages linéaires d'au moins une partie possède une dimension qui varie d'une manière substantiellement aléatoire.
  16. Structure selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle la caractéristique physique comprend une de la largeur et de la profondeur des marquages linéaires.
  17. Document de valeur ou document de sécurité comprenant une structure d'image transitoire selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes.
  18. Document de valeur ou document de sécurité selon la revendication 17, le document étant sélectionné à partir du groupe comprenant des billets de banque, des jetons de monnaie imprimés, des chèques de voyage, des bons, des visas, des certificats, des chèques, des passes, des tickets, des pages de passeport, des pages imprimées ou des films de protection et des étiquettes infalsifiables.
  19. Procédé de génération d'une image transitoire, le procédé comprenant la génération de données numériques définissant des marquages linéaires dont au moins certains ont une caractéristique physique qui varie d'une manière substantiellement aléatoire le long de leurs longueurs et combinant les marquages linéaires avec des données d'image et d'arrière-plan pour générer des données définissant des parties d'image et d'arrière-plan de l'image transitoire.
  20. Procédé selon la revendication 19, dans lequel la forme des marquages linéaires avec des caractéristiques physiques variant est déterminée par les étapes de :
    a)
    i) détermination pour chaque segment de la ligne si oui ou non elle devrait avoir la même valeur de caractéristique physique que le segment précédent ; et, sinon,
    ii) génération d'une nouvelle valeur de largeur pour le segment, et
    b) génération de données selon la valeur caractéristique physique déterminée,
       où une ou les deux étapes a), i) et ii) sont réalisées d'une manière substantiellement aléatoire.
  21. Procédé selon la revendication 19 ou la revendication 20, dans lequel la caractéristique physique comprend une de la largeur et de la profondeur des marquages linéaires.
  22. Procédé selon la revendication 20 ou la revendication 21, comprenant en outre le maintien des variations de caractéristique physique dans des limites maximum et minimum.
  23. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 20 à 22, dans lequel les lignes sont substantiellement parallèles.
  24. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 20 à 23, dans lequel les données d'image et d'arrière-plan sont combinées par rapport à des parties respectives des marquages linéaires qui ne sont pas parallèles.
  25. Procédé selon la revendication 24, dans lequel les marquages linéaires des parties d'image et d'arrière-plan sont substantiellement à 90° l'une de l'autre.
  26. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 20 à 25, dans lequel l'image transitoire est une image latente.
  27. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 20 à 26, comprenant en outre la commande d'un dispositif de sortie selon les données numériques générées pour générer une représentation visuelle d'une image transitoire.
  28. Procédé selon la revendication 27, dans lequel le dispositif de sortie comprend une imprimante.
EP98917362A 1997-04-18 1998-04-15 Structure d'image transitoire Expired - Lifetime EP0975467B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9707849 1997-04-18
GB9707849A GB9707849D0 (en) 1997-04-18 1997-04-18 Structure
PCT/GB1998/001090 WO1998047715A1 (fr) 1997-04-18 1998-04-15 Structure d'image transitoire

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0975467A1 EP0975467A1 (fr) 2000-02-02
EP0975467B1 true EP0975467B1 (fr) 2002-03-06

Family

ID=10810968

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98917362A Expired - Lifetime EP0975467B1 (fr) 1997-04-18 1998-04-15 Structure d'image transitoire

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0975467B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU7060498A (fr)
CA (1) CA2286551A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69804086T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2174430T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9707849D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998047715A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008100172A1 (fr) * 2007-02-15 2008-08-21 Zuev, Boris Alexandrovich Procédé de fabrication d'articles imprimés comprenant plusieurs images cachées (et variantes) et articles imprimés fabriqués par ce procédé

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0203577D0 (en) * 2002-02-15 2002-04-03 Ascent Systems Software Ltd Security printing
NL1021905C2 (nl) * 2002-11-12 2004-05-26 Konink Nl Munt N V Muntafbeelding opgebouwd uit karakteristieken.
GB0401370D0 (en) 2004-01-21 2004-02-25 Rue De Int Ltd Security device
DE102005011612A1 (de) 2004-08-13 2006-02-23 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Datenträger mit einer optisch variablen Struktur
GB2430647B (en) * 2005-09-29 2008-09-17 Rue De Int Ltd Security device for security substrates
DE102006050290A1 (de) * 2006-10-23 2008-04-30 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Sicherheitselement mit einer optisch variablen Struktur
DE102010047949A1 (de) * 2010-10-08 2012-04-12 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Datenträger mit Schnittlinien

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4033059A (en) * 1972-07-06 1977-07-05 American Bank Note Company Documents of value including intaglio printed transitory images
CH662989A5 (fr) * 1983-11-16 1987-11-13 De La Rue Giori Sa Papier valeur.
GB8821150D0 (en) * 1988-09-09 1988-10-12 De La Rue Co Plc Security device
WO1993022146A1 (fr) * 1992-04-24 1993-11-11 Francois-Charles Oberthur Group Procede d'impression en taille douce et document protege possedant une image optique variable
US5468581A (en) * 1993-11-04 1995-11-21 Moore Business Forms, Inc. Verification latent image

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008100172A1 (fr) * 2007-02-15 2008-08-21 Zuev, Boris Alexandrovich Procédé de fabrication d'articles imprimés comprenant plusieurs images cachées (et variantes) et articles imprimés fabriqués par ce procédé

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2286551A1 (fr) 1998-10-29
DE69804086D1 (de) 2002-04-11
WO1998047715A1 (fr) 1998-10-29
AU7060498A (en) 1998-11-13
GB9707849D0 (en) 1997-06-04
ES2174430T3 (es) 2002-11-01
DE69804086T2 (de) 2002-08-01
EP0975467A1 (fr) 2000-02-02

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