EP1098777B1 - Security printing of cards and the like - Google Patents

Security printing of cards and the like Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1098777B1
EP1098777B1 EP99915893A EP99915893A EP1098777B1 EP 1098777 B1 EP1098777 B1 EP 1098777B1 EP 99915893 A EP99915893 A EP 99915893A EP 99915893 A EP99915893 A EP 99915893A EP 1098777 B1 EP1098777 B1 EP 1098777B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
scratch
cards
card
printed item
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
EP99915893A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1098777A1 (en
Inventor
Victor Benson
Clifford Maurice Wilson
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.)
Scientific Games International Ltd
Original Assignee
Scientific Games International Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Scientific Games International Ltd filed Critical Scientific Games International Ltd
Publication of EP1098777A1 publication Critical patent/EP1098777A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1098777B1 publication Critical patent/EP1098777B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/06—Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games
    • A63F3/065—Tickets or accessories for use therewith
    • A63F3/0665—Tickets or accessories for use therewith having a message becoming legible after rubbing-off a coating or removing an adhesive layer
    • 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
    • B42D15/00—Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/06—Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games
    • A63F3/065—Tickets or accessories for use therewith
    • A63F3/0665—Tickets or accessories for use therewith having a message becoming legible after rubbing-off a coating or removing an adhesive layer
    • A63F2003/067—Tickets or accessories for use therewith having a message becoming legible after rubbing-off a coating or removing an adhesive layer using carbon or graphite coating
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/06—Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games
    • A63F3/065—Tickets or accessories for use therewith
    • A63F3/0655—Printing of tickets, e.g. lottery tickets

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the printing of cards, tickets, sheets and the like, wherein secure information is covered by a layer of material which obscures the information, but which, at the appropriate time, can be irreversibly removed by scratching or rubbing with a coin, finger nail or the like, to reveal the information to the user.
  • Such items of printed matter may take any form, such as cards for lotteries and promotional games, and indeed such cards, known as scratch cards are in wide use in the United Kingdom and in many other countries of the world. These scratch cards are used in connection with "instant" lotteries in that when the user uses the card, he or she knows instantly whether or not a prize has been won. Winning cards are therefore predetermined.
  • Other forms of cards to which the invention relates are the so called “telephone” cards, which are cards charged with credit amounts which can be used for making telephone calls from public and other appropriate telephone boxes.
  • the obscuring scratch off material is typically a synthetic rubber latex material containing metal particles, which effectively obscures the information, but which exhibits a desirable tactile but disintegrating characteristic during the scratching off of the material.
  • the scratch off material has the function of keeping the concealed information (which can take any form) hidden until the card is legitimately used, but unfortunately as knowing the information to identify the winning cards or knowing a telephone card code, without removing the scratch off material or by removing it and replacing it, is of monetary value, there are many unscrupulous individuals who seek to compromise the cards in this way. Accordingly, much effort has been put into making the cards difficult to compromise, and much of this effort is the subject of patent protection, for example as set forth in United States Patents Nos. 5569512 and 5704647, which are concerned with providing overprinting on the scratch off material.
  • the idea is to provide an overprint layer which extends over the boundaries of the scratch off layer, so that they cannot be seen.
  • the inventor suggests printing over the scratch off material using at least two halftone printing steps.
  • the scratch off concept has recently been extended to telephone cards, and is used in that a purchaser purchases (through stores or dispensing machines) a telephone card which has a predetermined code printed thereon. That code typically is a twelve or fourteen digit number, and it is covered by the scratch off material.
  • the user scratches off the material when he or she desires to use the card, and then to make a telephone call, he or she punches in the number or gives it to an operator over the phone, to validate the card, and then the user can make the telephone call.
  • the card is pre programmed with a credit value equal to the cost of the card, and the user can make any number of telephone calls up to the value of the card price.
  • telephone cards Whilst lottery tickets may cost as little as £1, telephone cards can be of any value, typically £5 or £35, and they are particularly valuable.
  • such an unscrupulous person may duplicate the cards with the same code and sell them to others, whereby there may be a number of people tying to use the same code, and of course they will not all be able to have the same credit to which they believed they were entitled.
  • the present invention aims to provide a means whereby the above disadvantage is addressed and this possibility is at least reduced.
  • the invention has particular application to telephone cards of the scratch off type, it can be used in any scratch off type of item, including lottery tickets and promotional game tickets.
  • a printed item carrying information which is concealed by scratch off material which is irreversibly removed to use the item, wherein the scratch off material is overprinted with a layer which is an "active" layer in that it exhibits a changing characteristic under particular conditions.
  • the changing nature of the layer may be any of a number of possibilities.
  • the layer may be an ink with an iridescent pigment, and the change referred to above is that the ink is of a different colour when the angle of viewing is changed.
  • the layer may be of a photochromic ink which changes colour depending upon the illumination of the area in which it is located.
  • the layer would be of a different colour depending upon whether or not it was in daylight.
  • the layer might be thermochromic, which means that it changes colour when subjected to heat.
  • thermochromic means that it changes colour when subjected to heat.
  • a person could therefore assess whether or not the card had been compromised by applying his or her finger to the layer. The heat of the finger would be enough to cause the layer to change colour, and when the heat is removed, the layer reverts to the original colour.
  • the layer may be metameric or holographic, which means that it is in a number of segments which provide different images when viewed in different directions.
  • the active overprint layer is of course of a type which is irreversibly removed when the scratch off material is removed.
  • an active overprint layer is used as provided for by the present invention, it becomes more difficult for the card to be compromised in the ways indicated above, and a purchaser can ascertain easily by observing the change in the layer when he is asked to purchase a card from another.
  • the overprint layer may extend over all of the scratch off layer or only part thereof, and it may be opaque or transparent or any mixture thereof.
  • reference 10 indicates a telephone card of the type which might be bought from a dispenser, and it carries a code number of fourteen digits, referenced 12.
  • the code (although visible in the drawing) is in fact obscured from vision by means of an irreversible scratch off layer 14 of synthetic rubber latex or the like.
  • Printed over the layer 14 is an active layer 16 which may be opaque or transparent, which in this embodiment is a thermo-chromic layer 18, of a character which change colour with heat, and so Fig. 2 shows the card of Fig. 1 after the user's thumb has been applied to the layer 16, as a validation check.
  • the thumb mark 18 is of a different colour from the remainder 20 of the layer, but will return to the colour of part 20 with the passage of time.
  • active layers in accordance with the present invention provides excellent security in that it is expensive to set up equipment to apply active layers.
  • the card may carry in an area separate from the scratch off material, other printed matter 24 of for example an informative and/or promotional nature.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Educational Technology (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Printing Methods (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
  • Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)

Abstract

A printed item such as a telephone card (10) carrying a credit code which is concealed by scratch off material which is irreversibly removed to use the card, wherein the scratch off material is overprinted with a layer which is an "active" layer (18) in that it exhibits a changing characteristic under particular conditions to enhance the security of the card against compromise.

Description

This invention relates to the printing of cards, tickets, sheets and the like, wherein secure information is covered by a layer of material which obscures the information, but which, at the appropriate time, can be irreversibly removed by scratching or rubbing with a coin, finger nail or the like, to reveal the information to the user.
Such items of printed matter may take any form, such as cards for lotteries and promotional games, and indeed such cards, known as scratch cards are in wide use in the United Kingdom and in many other countries of the world. These scratch cards are used in connection with "instant" lotteries in that when the user uses the card, he or she knows instantly whether or not a prize has been won. Winning cards are therefore predetermined. Other forms of cards to which the invention relates are the so called "telephone" cards, which are cards charged with credit amounts which can be used for making telephone calls from public and other appropriate telephone boxes.
The obscuring scratch off material is typically a synthetic rubber latex material containing metal particles, which effectively obscures the information, but which exhibits a desirable tactile but disintegrating characteristic during the scratching off of the material.
The scratch off material has the function of keeping the concealed information (which can take any form) hidden until the card is legitimately used, but unfortunately as knowing the information to identify the winning cards or knowing a telephone card code, without removing the scratch off material or by removing it and replacing it, is of monetary value, there are many unscrupulous individuals who seek to compromise the cards in this way. Accordingly, much effort has been put into making the cards difficult to compromise, and much of this effort is the subject of patent protection, for example as set forth in United States Patents Nos. 5569512 and 5704647, which are concerned with providing overprinting on the scratch off material.
In the first patent, the idea is to provide an overprint layer which extends over the boundaries of the scratch off layer, so that they cannot be seen. In the second patent, the inventor suggests printing over the scratch off material using at least two halftone printing steps.
In the case of instant lottery cards, where there are only so many winners in a large number of losers compromising usually has to be organised, and the benefit can only be obtained once, but compromising telephone cards is much more lucrative.
The scratch off concept has recently been extended to telephone cards, and is used in that a purchaser purchases (through stores or dispensing machines) a telephone card which has a predetermined code printed thereon. That code typically is a twelve or fourteen digit number, and it is covered by the scratch off material. The user scratches off the material when he or she desires to use the card, and then to make a telephone call, he or she punches in the number or gives it to an operator over the phone, to validate the card, and then the user can make the telephone call. The card is pre programmed with a credit value equal to the cost of the card, and the user can make any number of telephone calls up to the value of the card price.
Whilst lottery tickets may cost as little as £1, telephone cards can be of any value, typically £5 or £25, and they are particularly valuable.
Also every one is of value, as compared to the many instant lottery tickets which are losers, and so security of the telephone cards should be greater. Surprisingly, however, this need has not been realised, and it has in the past been possible for unscrupulous people to purchase these telephone cards, remove the scratch off material, memorise the code, apply new scratch off material, and resell the ticket. Such a person then uses the code to make calls, each time depleting the credit from the card which has been bought by another.
Also, such an unscrupulous person may duplicate the cards with the same code and sell them to others, whereby there may be a number of people tying to use the same code, and of course they will not all be able to have the same credit to which they believed they were entitled.
The present invention aims to provide a means whereby the above disadvantage is addressed and this possibility is at least reduced. Although the invention has particular application to telephone cards of the scratch off type, it can be used in any scratch off type of item, including lottery tickets and promotional game tickets.
According to the invention there is provided a printed item carrying information which is concealed by scratch off material which is irreversibly removed to use the item, wherein the scratch off material is overprinted with a layer which is an "active" layer in that it exhibits a changing characteristic under particular conditions.
The changing nature of the layer may be any of a number of possibilities.
For example, the layer may be an ink with an iridescent pigment, and the change referred to above is that the ink is of a different colour when the angle of viewing is changed.
Secondly, the layer may be of a photochromic ink which changes colour depending upon the illumination of the area in which it is located. Thus, the layer would be of a different colour depending upon whether or not it was in daylight.
Thirdly, the layer might be thermochromic, which means that it changes colour when subjected to heat. A person could therefore assess whether or not the card had been compromised by applying his or her finger to the layer. The heat of the finger would be enough to cause the layer to change colour, and when the heat is removed, the layer reverts to the original colour.
Fourthly, the layer may be metameric or holographic, which means that it is in a number of segments which provide different images when viewed in different directions.
The active overprint layer is of course of a type which is irreversibly removed when the scratch off material is removed.
If an active overprint layer is used as provided for by the present invention, it becomes more difficult for the card to be compromised in the ways indicated above, and a purchaser can ascertain easily by observing the change in the layer when he is asked to purchase a card from another.
The overprint layer may extend over all of the scratch off layer or only part thereof, and it may be opaque or transparent or any mixture thereof.
One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein;-
  • Fig. 1 is perspective view of a card according to the embodiment; and
  • Fig. 2 shows the card of Fig. 1 after the overprint layer has been subjected to its active change.
    • In the drawing, reference 10 indicates a telephone card of the type which might be bought from a dispenser, and it carries a code number of fourteen digits, referenced 12. The code (although visible in the drawing) is in fact obscured from vision by means of an irreversible scratch off layer 14 of synthetic rubber latex or the like. Printed over the layer 14 is an active layer 16 which may be opaque or transparent, which in this embodiment is a thermo-chromic layer 18, of a character which change colour with heat, and so Fig. 2 shows the card of Fig. 1 after the user's thumb has been applied to the layer 16, as a validation check. The thumb mark 18 is of a different colour from the remainder 20 of the layer, but will return to the colour of part 20 with the passage of time. By this means the user can make the assumption that the card is genuine, and has not been tampered with. He or she can use it with confidence.
    The use of active layers in accordance with the present invention provides excellent security in that it is expensive to set up equipment to apply active layers.
    As shown, the card may carry in an area separate from the scratch off material, other printed matter 24 of for example an informative and/or promotional nature.

    Claims (6)

    1. A printed item carrying information which is concealed by scratch off material which is irreversibly removed to use the item, is characterised in that the scratch off material is overprinted with a layer which is an "active" layer in that it exhibits a changing characteristic under particular conditions and such changing characteristic is observable by the user whereby he can check if the item has been compromised before irreversibly removing the scratch off material.
    2. A printed item according to claim 1, wherein the changing nature of the layer is achieved by an ink with an iridescent pigment, and the change is that the ink is of a different colour when the angle of viewing is changed.
    3. A printed item according to claim 1, wherein the layer is of a photochromic ink which changes colour depending upon the illumination of the area in which it is located.
    4. A printed item according to claim 1, wherein the layer is thermochromic, which means that it changes colour when subjected to heat.
    5. A printed item according to claim 1, wherein the layer is metameric or holographic, which means that it is in a number of segments which provide different images when viewed in different directions.
    6. A printed item according to any preceding claim, wherein the overprint layer extends over all of the scratch off layer or only part thereof, and it is opaque or transparent or any mixture thereof.
    EP99915893A 1998-07-21 1999-04-08 Security printing of cards and the like Expired - Lifetime EP1098777B1 (en)

    Applications Claiming Priority (3)

    Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
    GBGB9815706.8A GB9815706D0 (en) 1998-07-21 1998-07-21 Improvements relating to security printing of cards and like
    GB9815706 1998-07-21
    PCT/GB1999/001086 WO2000005080A1 (en) 1998-07-21 1999-04-08 Security printing of cards and the like

    Publications (2)

    Publication Number Publication Date
    EP1098777A1 EP1098777A1 (en) 2001-05-16
    EP1098777B1 true EP1098777B1 (en) 2002-05-15

    Family

    ID=10835781

    Family Applications (1)

    Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
    EP99915893A Expired - Lifetime EP1098777B1 (en) 1998-07-21 1999-04-08 Security printing of cards and the like

    Country Status (18)

    Country Link
    EP (1) EP1098777B1 (en)
    CN (1) CN1308579A (en)
    AT (1) ATE217584T1 (en)
    AU (1) AU745039B2 (en)
    BR (1) BR9912034A (en)
    CA (1) CA2333454A1 (en)
    CZ (1) CZ200138A3 (en)
    DE (1) DE69901504T2 (en)
    GB (1) GB9815706D0 (en)
    HU (1) HUP0103242A3 (en)
    ID (1) ID28069A (en)
    IL (1) IL140815A0 (en)
    MX (1) MXPA00012378A (en)
    NO (1) NO20010271L (en)
    NZ (1) NZ508277A (en)
    PL (1) PL345622A1 (en)
    TR (1) TR200003896T2 (en)
    WO (1) WO2000005080A1 (en)

    Families Citing this family (9)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    DE69914187T2 (en) * 1999-07-01 2004-09-02 Banque Nationale De Belgique S.A. Document with a scratchable, fraudulent reading layer
    GB9919861D0 (en) * 1999-08-23 1999-10-27 Ditone Labels Limited Label
    DE20004025U1 (en) * 2000-03-03 2000-04-27 Schreiner Etiketten und Selbstklebetechnik GmbH & Co., 85764 Oberschleißheim Cover or seal label
    FR2824019B1 (en) * 2001-04-30 2004-01-23 Gemplus Card Int MEDIUM INCLUDING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
    DE20205815U1 (en) 2002-04-12 2002-07-04 Jaskulski, Ulrich, 58452 Witten token
    AU2003291867A1 (en) 2002-12-03 2004-06-23 Biomep Inc. Derivatives of succinic and glutaric acids and analogs thereof useful as inhibitors of phex
    DE10306576A1 (en) * 2003-02-17 2004-08-26 Quiss Gmbh Device to identify marking on product for refund of deposit and to alter identification marking to prevent repeated refund, for automated recycling of e.g. drinks cans
    US7125017B2 (en) * 2003-05-20 2006-10-24 Oberthur Gaming Technologies Inc. Dual play area lottery game with enhanced authentication system
    FR3005436B1 (en) * 2013-05-13 2016-01-01 Fasver METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SECURELY PROTECTING AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENT SO PROTECTED

    Family Cites Families (4)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    GB2232086A (en) * 1989-06-02 1990-12-05 Traqson Ltd Game cards
    US5282651A (en) * 1991-04-15 1994-02-01 Frank Alonso Trading cards and method of concealing and revealing information thereon
    US5193854A (en) * 1992-02-28 1993-03-16 Babn Technologies Inc. Tamper-resistant article and method of authenticating the same
    US5681065A (en) * 1994-12-09 1997-10-28 Webcraft Technologies, Inc. Recyclable instant scratch-off lottery ticket with improved security to prevent unauthorized detection of lottery indicia

    Also Published As

    Publication number Publication date
    BR9912034A (en) 2001-09-25
    DE69901504D1 (en) 2002-06-20
    ID28069A (en) 2001-05-03
    AU3431799A (en) 2000-02-14
    TR200003896T2 (en) 2001-07-23
    NO20010271L (en) 2001-01-19
    CZ200138A3 (en) 2001-08-15
    CN1308579A (en) 2001-08-15
    NZ508277A (en) 2002-05-31
    GB9815706D0 (en) 1998-09-16
    HUP0103242A2 (en) 2002-01-28
    EP1098777A1 (en) 2001-05-16
    IL140815A0 (en) 2002-02-10
    PL345622A1 (en) 2002-01-02
    MXPA00012378A (en) 2002-04-24
    HUP0103242A3 (en) 2002-03-28
    AU745039B2 (en) 2002-03-07
    WO2000005080A1 (en) 2000-02-03
    CA2333454A1 (en) 2000-02-03
    ATE217584T1 (en) 2002-06-15
    NO20010271D0 (en) 2001-01-17
    DE69901504T2 (en) 2003-01-09

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