EP2050046B1 - Security and/or valuable document with a pattern of radiation-modified components and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a security and / or value document with a substrate and with a printing layer arranged on the substrate, a method for producing such a security and / or value document and a method for verifying such a security and / or value document.

State of the art and background of the invention

Security and / or value documents of the type mentioned at the outset are known in practice. They typically carry information, be it about a value, be it about a holder or holder of the security and / or value document.

A classic verification of a security and / or value document includes the design of machine-readable security features and their comparison with a reference feature or with an individual personal and / or machine-readable information or information that is attached to the security and / or value document. If the comparison is positive, the security and / or value document is verified; if the comparison is negative, it is recognized as a forgery.

A constant problem of security and / or value documents is the equipping of the security and / or value document with security features, which is to further complicate or prevent counterfeiting. Security features that are only machine-readable play a special role here, since they cannot be perceived by a human viewer, and their existence and nature remain hidden from unauthorized people.

It is known in practice to introduce markings into a document during printing. Here, individual subpixels are modulated in digital printing. However, the markings thus obtained are either visible or the data density for which the mark is coded is extremely low.

From the literature US 2004/0112962 so-called tags are known. Here, a marking substance is applied to the document, the individual structure of which must either be stored on the document or in a central database. Both are with regard to the required infrastructure for manufacturing and / or verification of the document is time-consuming and the security feature cannot be verified by itself.
It is also known from practice to apply data or patterns in the form of a 2D barcode to a document. However, this is visible on the one hand with the human eye and on the other hand mostly aesthetically disturbing. Incidentally, the data density is only low.

From the literature US 5,867,586 it is known to produce an invisible marking as letters or patterns from fluorescent colors on a document. A reading or verification is carried out with an OCR reader. From the literature US 5,064,221 a printed barcode made of fluorescent colors is known.

From the literature DE 10 2004 060 315 it is known to provide a product with a machine-readable pattern by changing physically measurable properties of the product by means of radiation.

From the literature DE 103 37 877 A1 it is known to detect a change in a physically measurable property caused by an environmental influence, the change being location-dependent.

The document WO 2005/108110 teaches a security or value document, wherein first partial areas of a print layer of the value document applied to a substrate have a non-radiation-modified component and other partial areas of this print layer have a radiation-modified component.

From the WO 02/078965 invisible laser marking is known as a security feature for plastic cards.

The U.S. Patent 6951692 B1 describes a substrate for recording non-visualized permanent information that can be used as a security element.

Technical problem of the invention

The invention is based on the technical problem of specifying a security and / or value document which bears a security feature which cannot be recognized by the human eye and which is also improved against counterfeiting. Furthermore, the invention is based on the technical problem of creating such a security feature that additionally allows a higher data density of the pattern.

In practice, holographic structures or objects with diffractive properties are characterized by Imaging can be generated in a photopolymer. Such structures may not be visible to the human eye, but they may use wavelength ranges outside of visible light for detection.

Basics of the invention and preferred embodiments

To solve this technical problem, the invention teaches that first partial areas of the document have a non-radiation-modified component or a slightly radiation-modified component, and that second partial areas of the document in the case of the non-radiation-modified component in the first partial area are a radiation-modified component or in the case of the slightly radiation-modified component contain more radiation-modified components in the first sub-area, with a slight radiation modification being achieved by exposure of radiation with a lower energy dose rate to a stronger radiation modification in which a higher energy dose rate is used, the radiation-modified component differing from the non-radiation-modified component solely through radiation-induced structural differences distinguishes, namely differences arose from a radiation modification selected from the Group consisting from fading of a color, photochemical cleavage, photo-induced reactions and photophysical processes, the first sub-areas not being distinguishable from the second sub-areas with the human eye, whereas the first sub-areas can be distinguished from the second sub-areas by means of apparatus measuring means, the apparatus for detecting said radiation-induced Structural differences are set up, the first partial areas and the second partial areas forming a pattern, the component being a colorant that is perceptible or not perceptible in visible light, and wherein the pattern cannot be resolved by the human eye, by means of a detector of the apparatus for detection however, the radiation-induced structural differences can be resolved.

Holographic patterns or diffractive structures that are not visible to the human eye without technical aids are preferably excluded from the invention.

With the invention, a security and / or value document is created which, on the one hand, carries person and / or machine-readable information and, on the other hand, contains a security feature that is not visible to the human eye, by means of which by comparison with a Reference security feature and / or the information the authenticity of the security and / or value document can be verified. It is particularly advantageous here that a very high data density can be achieved, since large areas of the document, up to the entire surface of the document, are available for the security feature according to the invention due to the visibility that is not given to the human eye. The visual impression for the human eye is not disturbed.

A wide variety of chemical and / or physical processes can take place when a pattern or a character string consisting of first and second sub-areas is generated by exposure to radiation. For example, the radiation modification can cause a color to fade, whereby various chemical and / or physical processes can be the cause of this. These include photochemical radical formation, degradation due to thermal effects or other aging processes. However, it can also be a photochemical cleavage, for example analogous to classic silver deposition. Furthermore, photo-induced reactions, radical or ionic, are possible. Also photophysical processes, such as light-induced rearrangement of the molecular geometry, for example, as with rhodopsin or stilbenes with a changing absorption spectrum, are possible. Furthermore, polarization-dependent properties of the component, for example the excitation probability when exposed to radiation or absorption during detection with the measuring means, can be used.

The first sub-areas form a defined pattern and preferably encode information or represent such information, for example as a character string. The coded or represented information can correspond to the information that is attached to the document, typically in the print layer, and possibly (also) person-readable independently of the security feature according to the invention, or with information that is stored in a central memory and correlated with the document , but not on the document (otherwise).

The radiation-modified component and the non-radiation-modified component is a colorant, for example a dye or pigment. Suitable colorants are described in " Ullmanny's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry "(Wiley-VCH Verlag, electronic release 2006 ) under the keyword "Dyes and Pigments".

For example, they can be selected from the group consisting of "antrachinone, azine, azo, benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, cationic, disperse, fluorescent, indigo, bearing, leuco, luminescent, naphthalimide, nitro, nitroso, reactive -, sulfur, triarylamine, diarylamine dyes and / or pigments, and metal complexes, such as phthalocyanine ". Component does not necessarily have to be a colorant perceptible in visible light. It is preferred if the component is neither radiation-modified nor radiation-modified visible to the human eye. An example of this is a (colorless) component whose fluorescence intensity depends on radiation exposure (e.g. chelate complexes of rare earths). As a result, a pattern or a character string is introduced into the document exclusively by means of such a fluorescence component, so that it is practically impossible to inspect it with the human eye without aids. It can also be a component that has a particularly high sensitivity for the radiation modification with the radiation used.

The pattern can be a pattern that is the same for different security and / or value documents. Then the pattern for verification of a type of security and / or Suitable document of value. Examples of such document type-specific lateral patterns are: seals, coats of arms, regular or irregular surface patterns, such as line shares or guilloches, ID and 2D barcodes. These can be visible or invisible patterns, the invisible patterns differing from the visible patterns in that, unlike a suitable detector, the human eye is unable to resolve the pattern and / or the invisible ones Patterns first become visible using technical aids, such as UV sources in the case of fluorescence. The verification can be carried out by optically capturing the document, for example using a commercially available scanner which recognizes color differences which cannot be distinguished by the human eye, for example with 24-bit color resolution. For this purpose, the scanned pattern is analyzed, for example, using a correlation function,
why supplement to the literature DE 103 37 877 A1 is referred.

The pattern can also be one for different ones Security and / or value documents (of the same document type) can be an individual pattern which is coded in particular for identification information of the security and / or value document. For example, the following (sample-coded) data can be used for individual samples: alphanumeric character strings, such as personal data records, parts of personal data records such as surname, first name, address, date of birth, place of birth, and / or document data, parts of document data such as serial number, issuing point, date of issue, expiry date , as well as other data, in particular digital data, public key (in the case of a document with a readable chip or for access to central or decentralized databases) and / or checksums, and biometric data such as photo, fingerprint, vein pattern for example of the hand or a finger, Iris and / or retina. It is preferably a character string that uniquely identifies the document and / or the document carrier.

However, this character string can also be a character string not otherwise shown in the document. Here, the document is first personalized, for example by attaching an identification number or personal data, or by assigning a character string that is on the Document is not shown, and then created a pattern that is encoded for this personalization. This pattern is then introduced into the document (preferably close to the surface, into the printing layer or / or into the substrate) of the printing layer of this document. During verification, on the one hand, a pattern can be calculated from the personalization or the relevant data and correlated with the read pattern (if the pattern was generated based on the data shown on the document). Readout and correlation can be carried out as described above. On the other hand, the pattern can be decoded, for example by means of the Fourier transformation, and the data can thus be reconstructed instead of a correlation. In the case of a pattern that is encoded from the document data shown, verification can be carried out by comparing the data that can be extracted from the document and the character string calculated from the pattern. In the case of a coded character string that cannot be read from the document, a comparison is made via a database in which the character string is correlated with the document in question. A particularly high level of security is achieved here, since the character string cannot be derived directly from other data of the document before decoding.
Several patterns can be provided, the one another can be (laterally) superimposed and still be read separately, either by the detected different beam modification or by the orientation of the pattern. An example of this is angled, typically orthogonal, mutually extending barcodes. Barcodes of different barcode frequencies can also be read out separately from one another, despite overlapping. However, it is of course also possible to provide a plurality of patterns which do not (laterally) overlap one another. In both cases, combinations of document type-specific patterns and individual patterns are possible and preferred. Then, for example, a non-personalized document is first produced, which contains a pattern typical of a document. Personalization then takes place, followed by the generation of a further pattern which was generated from the personalized data, or which is coded for or correlated therewith. This is preferred if a document is produced centrally and personalized locally, since both the authenticity of the document per se and the authenticity of the personalization can then be verified.

Typically, but not necessarily, a transparent cover layer is arranged on the print layer of a security and / or value document according to the invention. The printing layer and the substrate and thus also the pattern according to the invention against environmental influences are hereby protected mechanically, thermally, chemically or by radiation, in particular UV-B and / or UV-C radiation.

1. a) auf ein Substrat wird eine Druckschicht aufgebracht, wobei in der Druckschicht und/oder dem Substrat eine nicht strahlungsmodifizierte Komponente enthalten ist, und zwar sowohl in ersten Teilbereichen als auch in zweiten Teilbereichen der Druckschicht und/oder des Substrats,
2. b) die Druckschicht und/oder das Substrat wird dann in zweiten Teilbereichen einer eine Strahlungsmodifikation der nicht strahlungsmodifizierten Komponente induzierenden Strahlung aus einer Strahlungsquelle ausgesetzt, wobei die ersten Teilbereiche demgegenüber nicht oder nur mit geringerer Energiedosisleistung der Strahlung ausgesetzt werden, wodurch in den zweiten Teilbereichen, die strahlungsmodifizierte Komponente oder die stärker strahlungsmodifizierte Komponente gebildet wird,
3. c) optional wird die Druckschicht vor oder nach der Stufe b) mit einer transparenten Deckschicht abgedeckt. Die Strahlung kann ausgewählt sein aus der Gruppe bestehend aus "elektromagnetische Strahlung, wie Mikrowellenstrahlung, IR, sichtbares Licht, UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, Röntgenstrahlung, Synchrotronstrahlung, und gamma Strahlung, und Partikelstrahlung, wie Elektronenstrahlung, Protonenstrahlung, Neutronenstrahlung, und Ionenstrahlung" Bevorzugt ist der Einsatz von IR sichtbarem Licht und/oder UV. Dabei können bei der Exposition Filter, diffraktive oder reflektive Optiken eingesetzt werden, so daß einzelne Wellenlängen, Wellenlängenbereiche oder kontinuierliche Spektren einer Strahlungsquelle zur Strahlungsmodifizierung der Komponente verwendet werden.

A security and / or value document according to the invention can be obtained with the following process stages:

1. a) a printing layer is applied to a substrate, a non-radiation-modified component being contained in the printing layer and / or the substrate, specifically both in first partial areas and in second partial areas of the printing layer and / or the substrate,
2. b) the printing layer and / or the substrate is then exposed to radiation from a radiation source that induces a radiation modification of the non-radiation-modified component in second partial areas, the first partial areas, in contrast, not being exposed to the radiation or only with a lower energy dose rate, so that in the second partial areas, the radiation-modified component or the more radiation-modified component is formed,
3. c) optionally the print layer is covered with a transparent cover layer before or after stage b). The radiation can be selected from the group consisting of "electromagnetic radiation, such as microwave radiation, IR, visible Light, UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, X-radiation, synchrotron radiation, and gamma radiation, and particle radiation, such as electron radiation, proton radiation, neutron radiation, and ion radiation "The use of IR visible light and / or UV is preferred filters, diffractive or reflective optics are used in the exposure, so that individual wavelengths, wavelength ranges or continuous spectra of a radiation source are used for the radiation modification of the component.

The pattern can be generated in various ways. A spatially resolved modulation of the energy dose rate for the various sub-areas is essential. This can be done by modulating the intensity and / or by modulating the duration with which a mass element of a partial area is irradiated.

A modulation unit can be integrated into the radiation source or be inherent therein, for example in the case of diodes such as LED (Light Emitting Diode) array or OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, and CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). Other modulation techniques include scan optics, DMD (Digital Micromirror Device), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silocon), or masks. In the simplest case, a mask can be a perforated screen or a transparent material, such as glass or film, which is printed impermeably in some areas. In general, the modulation can be set up continuously or in discrete levels (location-dependent and / or time-dependent) (gray levels or colors).

However, dynamic methods are preferred, by means of which individual patterns can be produced quickly and easily. This can be used, for example, with a pulsed scanning laser, a radiation source deflected via a reflective display, for example a DMD, or a radiation source modulated via a transmissive display, for example LCD, ie masks with a transmission coefficient that can be modulated in a spatially resolved manner, with continuous intermediate values also being adjustable . Firstly, in stage b) a mask can be arranged between the radiation source and the document, which contains first mask areas which are opaque or weakly transparent to the radiation and which contains second mask areas which are transparent or highly transparent to the radiation, whereby the radiation falls exclusively or with a higher energy dose rate through the second mask areas onto the second partial areas. Secondly, in stage b) a beam can pass over the first sub-areas and over the second Subareas are scanned, the energy dose rate of the radiation being modulated with the proviso that the beam has a higher energy dose rate when it sweeps over the second subareas than when it sweeps over the first subareas. Thirdly, an array of radiation-emitting radiation sources can be arranged above the document, a first partial array for emitting beams with a lower energy dose rate being controlled as a second partial array, whereby the second partial area is exposed to radiation with a higher energy dose rate than the first partial area.

The radiation source can be selected from the group consisting of "sunlight, focused sunlight, halogen lamps, UV lamps, arc lamps, mercury lamps, high pressure lamps, gas discharge lamps, barrier discharge lamps, plasma lamps, thermal radiators, electron beam sources, possibly with a converter layer, neutron beam source, proton beam source, ion beam source, Laser and LED ", preferably from the group consisting of" pulsable UV LEDs, pulsable UV laser diodes, frequency-multiplied Nd: YAG lasers, gamma emitters, X-ray sources, for example sychrotron (bremsstrahlung), and positron emitters, in particular a multiple radiation source with different spectral emission wavelength ranges, for example an RGB (red / green / blue) laser system. With such multiple radiation sources, exposure can be carried out simultaneously with several wavelength ranges, which in turn enables the simultaneous generation of different patterns in the respective wavelength ranges. Furthermore, an optimal adaptation to a detection system can take place.

Pulsable UV light sources, such as UV LEDs or UV laser diodes, are preferred since these can be operated at a high pulse rate and a high, locally concentrated intensity distribution. The wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is preferably in the range from 100 to 600 μm, in particular from 100 to 380 μm. The UV-C wavelength range, ie 100 to 280 µm, and in particular in the range from 254/255 to 280 µm, is particularly suitable, since the natural ambient light on the earth's surface contains these wavelengths only to a small extent due to the ozone layer absorption, and on the other hand these wavelengths are particularly suitable for radiation modification of the component due to their high energy. Due to the high pulsability up to the MHz range, the selective dosing of the exposure of the component is extremely fine, constant and divided into intensity levels. Specifically, for example, UV LEDs from NTT Basic Research Laboratories, Japan, based on aluminum nitride (AIN) LEDs with wavelengths in the range from 200 to 300 μ come into question. UV LEDs are also available from Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc., which are based on Group III nitride semiconductor systems and have wavelengths in the range 247 to 365. Due to the very small design of such UV light sources, a multiple arrangement, including light-optical components, is possible, and it is thus possible to carry out constant or individually controlled exposure processes simultaneously or in succession.

Also preferred are Nd: YAG lasers which have wavelengths of 532, 355, 266 and 213.

The invention also relates to a method for producing a security and / or value document, the above method steps being implemented. Finally, the invention also relates to a method for verifying a security and / or value document according to the invention, wherein an electronic image of the first sub-areas and the second sub-areas is generated and displayed by means of measuring devices which are sensitive to radiation-induced structural differences of the component.

The electronic image can be compared to a reference sample, the security and / or value document being classified as valid if it matches and non-valid if it does not match.

The electronic mapping can be processed as a pattern for information encoding the pattern, and the encoded information can be decoded and displayed. The decoded information can then be compared with a reference and / or machine-readable and optionally decoded reference information, in particular identification information, that is visible and / or machine-readable and attached to the security and / or value document.

A pattern introduced according to the invention can be read out, for example, by means of a commercially available scanner with high color resolution, 12 bit 21 up to 24 bit and more. A high-resolution, also based on colors and / or grayscale, CCD or CMOS camera can also be used. With both systems, color differences can be distinguished between the first areas and the second areas that are not recognizable to the human eye. It may be advisable to set up defined lighting with white light and a specified color rendering index (CRI).

Definitions and other embodiments

The term of the value and / or security document includes in particular identity cards, passports, ID cards, access control ID cards, visas, tax signs, tickets, driver's licenses, motor vehicle papers, banknotes, checks, postage stamps, credit cards and adhesive labels (e.g. for product security).

A substrate of a value and / or security document is a carrier structure to which a print layer with information, images and the like is applied. The surface of the substrate can then be provided with a generally transparent cover layer. Suitable materials for a substrate are all conventional materials based on paper and / or plastic.

The printout of the partial areas of a document denotes different surface areas of the surface of the substrate and / or the printing layer. Different surface areas typically do not overlap, but adjoin one another or are separated from one another by intermediate areas. A lateral resolution is hereby established.

A component denotes a molecular species or a mixture of different molecular species that can be modified by radiation. This can be an inorganic or an organic molecular species.

The expression not radiation-modified denotes a structural state of the component which essentially corresponds to the structural state of the component when the document was produced. It should also be noted here that a uniform radiation modification under the influence of natural ambient radiation, for example ambient light, is not a radiation modification in the sense of the invention. This is because the radiation-modified areas and non-radiation-modified areas according to the invention nevertheless remain distinguishable.

Structural differences refer to a molecular change in the component, in particular a change the chemical composition, intramolecular rearrangement, or intramolecular energy states as a result of exposure to radiation.

A radiation-modified component therefore differs from the non-radiation-modified component at the molecular level,
wherein the radiation-modified component arises directly from the non-radiation-modified component and exclusively as a result of the radiation effect. This applies analogously with regard to the component which has been modified slightly in relation to the component which has been modified more strongly.

The printouts of the slightly or more radiation-modified component serve to differentiate between radiation-induced structural differences which can be distinguished qualitatively and / or quantitatively relative to one another, in particular by means of measuring means. Therefore, the expressions "small" and "stronger" are only to be understood as a relative feature in the above sense and not as an independent quantitative or semi-quantitative statement of a size. In particular, a continuous course between more and less radiation-modified areas can also be used (or vice versa). The same applies to mask areas which have strong or weak transmission. A radiation used in accordance with the invention is selected and applied with regard to the type of radiation, radiation power or energy dose rate with the proviso that the exposure of the component leads to the radiation-induced structural differences with respect to the component which is not exposed. A slight radiation modification is achieved by exposure with a lower energy dose rate to a stronger radiation modification, in which a higher energy dose rate is applied.

The energy dose rate in the case of the use of visible light is preferably in the range from 0.1 J / m ² to 1.0 GJ / m ² . Energy dose rates of 0.1 to 100 J / m ^{2 are} sufficient for the radiation modification of organic fluorescent dyes or photosensitive layers, for example photographic film materials. Otherwise, the energy dose rate only has to be sufficient to generate the structural differences. A value smaller than 0.1 J / m ² can also produce the desired effect, but that would be Durability of the pattern in the document questionable as the document can also be exposed to sunlight. For the radiation modification of so-called lightfast pigments, a range of 100 J / m ² to 1 GJ / m ^{2 is} useful, whereby visible material changes up to material abrasion occur if the upper limit is exceeded, provided the exposure is not impractical for a short or long time he follows.

In the context of the invention, the term machine readability means that a security feature cannot be perceived with the naked eye or is not sufficiently clearly perceptible to recognize information represented by the security feature. Rather, measuring equipment is required for the detection. Equipment aids may also be necessary for the recognition of the information represented or coded by the security feature.

Suitable processes for applying the printing layer to the substrate are the processes of gravure, flat, and screen printing which are well known to the person skilled in the art. Examples include: gravure printing, halftone printing, flexographic printing, letter set, offset or screen printing.
In addition, depending on the nature of the radiation-modifiable component, insofar as it is located in the printing layer, digital printing processes such as thermal transfer printing, ink-jet printing or thermal sublimation printing are suitable.

In addition to the radiation-modifiable component, an ink or ink used according to the invention for the production of the printing layer typically contains the usual other components of inks or inks, such as binders, penetrants, adjusting agents, biocides, surfactants, buffer substances, solvents (water and / or organic) Solvents) fillers, pigments, dyes, effect pigments, anti-foaming agents, anti-settling agents, UV stabilizers, etc. Suitable color and ink formulations for various printing processes are well known to the person skilled in the art from the prior art, and radiation-modifiable components used according to the invention are therefore used instead of or in addition conventional dyes or pigments are mixed in, but the conventional dyes or pigments per se can also be a radiation-modifiable component.
A beam denotes a beam of the radiation type in question, which is customarily focused for the type of radiation used. The beam on the substrate can have a diameter in the range from 0.0001 to 5 mm, preferably from 0.001 to 1 mm, but also from 0.01 to 1 mm. It goes without saying that a beam is essentially relevant for the production variants by scanning or by means of an array of radiation sources. In contrast, when using a mask, working with a defocused one Radiation is expedient, unless an array of radiation sources is used as the radiation source. An array refers to an arrangement of several discrete radiation sources as a row or grating. In the case of a grating, a separate control of the individual radiation sources allows a two-dimensional pattern to be projected onto the printing layer with the printing layer at rest.

In a line, a two-dimensional pattern can be projected onto the print layer in that the radiation sources are each controlled separately on the one hand and on the other hand the line and the print layer are moved relative to one another in a direction that is not parallel, for example orthogonal, to the longitudinal extent of the line. However, it is also possible to generate a one-dimensional pattern by means of a point radiation source by translating the document and the modulated point radiation source in a defined manner relative to one another. A cover layer is transparent in the sense of the invention if it is transparent to visible light or at least a portion of the visible wavelengths.

A transparent cover layer can also be transparent to radiation outside visible light (IR, UV), but is preferably not transparent for this.

With respect to the wavelengths concerned, the term transparent denotes a transmittance of more than 0.005, preferably more than 0.01, most preferably more than 0.1. The term non-transparent denotes a transmittance of less than 0.1, preferably less than 0.01, with respect to the wavelengths of visible light.

A pattern designates an entirety of pattern units on a value and / or security document, namely in their flat distribution on the surface of the document or the substrate. Sample units are surface areas which preferably contain the substantially uniformly radiation-modified component or non-radiation-modified component.

The term apparatus measuring means encompasses any devices which are suitable either to make structural differences of the component visible to the human eye or sensor means, or sensor means which are sensitive to the structural differences.

A character string is a spatial and / or temporal sequence of individual characters with a given one Reading direction, for example of alphanumeric characters but also symbols and / or images.

The term spatial resolution, based on a detection of the pattern of the value and / or security document, means that information about the arrangement of a pattern element on the document is obtained. This does not necessarily have to be done with a spatially resolving detection system. Rather, a document can also be carried out in a defined manner under a non-spatially resolving detection system, in which case a chronological sequence of the measured values can easily be converted into location information due to the defined movement. Consequently, two-dimensionally spatially resolving detectors or point-shaped or one-dimensionally spatially resolving detectors (for example detector cells or detector rows) can be used as detection systems, in the latter case a defined translation of the document relative to the detector has to be carried out (translation of the document against a stationary detector, translation of the detector against a stationary document , or translation of detector and document, whereby detector and document are translated against each other), analogous to the generation of a one-dimensional pattern with a described above Spot radiation source or a two-dimensional pattern with a row of radiation sources. Otherwise it goes without saying that the document for definite assignment to a detector on defined, always the same

Is aligned, or is moved in a defined, always the same way relative to the detector.

Examples

Figur 1:

eine Aufsicht (a) auf ein erfindungsgemäßes Sicherheitsdokument sowie einen Querschnitt (b) desselben,

Figur 2:

eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitsdokumentes in Seitensicht, und eine Aufsicht auf die im Gegenstand der

Figur 3:

Figur 2 dargestellte Maske

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of examples which merely illustrate embodiments.
Show it:

Figure 1:

a supervision (a) of a security document according to the invention and a cross section (b) of the same,

Figure 2:

a device for producing a security document according to the invention in side view, and a supervision of the in the subject of

Figure 3:

Figure 2 shown mask

Aa shows a security document 1 according to the invention in supervision.

In a comparison with FIG. B, it can be seen that security document 1 has a substrate 2, two printing layers 3a, 3b and two cover layers 4a, 4b. The printing layers 3a, 3b can consist of a plurality of printing partial layers which are not shown for clarity and are stacked on top of one another. A photo 5 can be arranged between a print layer 3a and a cover layer 4a.

A printed document number 6 is arranged in the context of the printing layer 3a. This document number 6 is visible to the human eye (but also machine-readable). Furthermore, it can be seen that the printing layer 3a and / or the substrate 2 has a plurality of first subregions 7a-d and a plurality of second subregions 8a-d. For the sake of clarity, the number of the first partial areas 7a-d and the second Subareas 8a-d are low in representation, in practice their number is high, so that a high data density of a barcode 9 formed from the first subareas 7a-d and second subareas 8a-d is obtained.

The first subregions 7a-d contain a non-radiation-modified fluorescent dye which is not perceptible to the human eye and the second subregions 8a-d likewise contain the same FFluorescent dye, but with radiation modification. The radiation modification includes a reduction in the fluorescence intensity, based on the same excitation intensity. In other words, the first partial regions 7a-d fluoresce more intensely than the second partial regions 8a-d when irradiated with a light source that stimulates the fluorescence.

As a result, a barcode 9 is set up as a pattern, the existence of which cannot be recognized by the human eye, which is indicated by the thin boundary lines of the first partial areas 7a-d and the second partial areas 8a-d. If, however, the first partial areas 7a-d and the second partial areas 8a-d are illuminated with a light source used as the measuring means and stimulating the fluorescence, the barcode becomes visible and can be recognized and evaluated by means of a barcode reader. In the exemplary embodiment, the barcode codes for the document number 6 and by means of a comparison of the Security number 1 can be verified with document number 6 with the bar code or the character string encoded thereby. In the case of counterfeiting, the barcode either does not exist (due to the lack of radiation modification) or does not match the document number (due to a mechanical transfer of parts of the printing layer 3a or the substrate 2).

For the sake of clarity, it is not shown that the partial areas 7a-d and 8a-d of the barcode 9 do not necessarily have to be full-area. Rather, they can also be structured, for example in the context of a guilloche.

In the Figure 2 one recognizes a side view of a device for producing a security document according to the invention. A security document 1, with print layer 3a, but still without cover layer 4a, is placed on a carrier 10 and arranged and aligned in a defined manner, with the print layer 3a facing upwards. A mask 11 is arranged over the printing layer 3a. A radiation source 14 is arranged on the side of the mask 11 opposite the printing layer 3a, which illuminates the mask uniformly and homogeneously with visible light of a high energy dose.

In the Figure 3 you can see that the mask 11 first Has mask areas 12a-d that do not let the light through, while second mask areas 13 ad let through the light. The resulting pattern 9 codes as a barcode 9 for the document number 6. Specifically, the mask 11 is a transmissive LCD display, the pixels of which can be controlled by means of a control device 15 with the proviso that the first mask areas 12a-d and second mask areas 13a-d are formed, specifically as a bar code 9 coding for the document number 6. As a result, the first mask areas 12a-d and the second mask areas 13a-d are projected onto the printing layer 3a and the substrate 2, as a result of which the first partial areas 7a-d and second partial areas 8a-d arise in the printing layer or the substrate 2 by means of radiation modification and form the barcode 9.

The security document 1 is then detached from the carrier 10 and provided with a cover layer 4a. The next security document 1 is then placed on the carrier 10 and the process is repeated, although the mask 11 is reprogrammed with the proviso that the code the first mask areas 12a-d and the second mask areas 13a-d for the document number 6 of the next security document 1 in question.

Claims (15)

1. Security document and/or document of value (1),

   wherein, in a print layer (3a) applied to a substrate (2), first partial regions (7a-d) of the document (1) have a non-radiation-modified component or a slightly radiation-modified component,

   wherein, in the print layer (3a), second partial regions (8a-d) of the document (1) contain, in the case of the non-radiation-modified component in the first partial region (7a-d), a radiation-modified component or, in the case of the slightly radiation-modified component in the first region (7a-d), contain a more strongly radiation-modified component,

   wherein a slight radiation modification is achieved by exposition of a radiation with a lower energy dose rate compared to a stronger radiation modification, in which a higher energy dose rate is used,

   wherein the radiation-modified component differs from the non-radiation-modified component exclusively due to radiation-induced structural differences, namely differences emerging from a radiation modification selected from the group consisting of bleaching a colour, photochemical fission, photoinduced reactions and photophysical processes,

   wherein the first partial regions (7a-d) are not distinguishable with the human eye from the second partial regions (8a-d),

   wherein the first partial regions are distinguishable from the second partial regions by means of instrumental measuring devices, wherein the instrumental devices are configured to detect said radiation-induced structural differences,

   wherein the first partial regions and the second partial regions form a pattern,

   wherein the component is a dye which is perceptible or is not perceptible in visible light, and

   wherein the pattern is not solvable with the human eye, but is solvable by means of a detector of the instrumental devices to detect the radiation-induced structural differences.
2. Security document and/or document of value (1) according to claim 1,

   wherein a pattern is formed by colour differences, and/or

   wherein the radiation-modified component and the non-radiation-modified component is a dye, in particular selected from the group consisting of "anthraquinone, azine, azo, benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, cationic, disperse, fluorescent, indigo, laser, leuco, luminescent, naphthylamide, nitro, nitroso, reactive, sulphuric, triarylamine, diarylamine dyes and/or pigments, and metal complexes, such as phthalocyanine".
3. Security document and/or document of value (1) according to one of claims 1 to 2,

   wherein the pattern (9) is an identical pattern (9) for different security documents and/or documents of value (1), or

   wherein the pattern (9) is an individual pattern (9) for different security documents and/or documents of value (1), in particular codes for identification information (6) of the security document and/or document of value (1).
4. Security document and/or document of value (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a transparent cover layer (4a) is arranged on the print layer (3a).
5. Security document and/or document of value (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, obtainable by the following method steps:

   a) a print layer (3a) is applied to the substrate (2), wherein a non-radiation-modified component is contained in the print layer (3a) and/or the substrate (2), namely in first partial regions (7a-d) and in second partial regions (8a-d) of the print layer (3a) and/or the substrate (2),

   b) the document (1) is then exposed in second partial regions (8a-d) to radiation from a radiation source (14) inducing a radiation modification of the non-radiation-modified component, wherein the first partial regions (7a-d) are not exposed to radiation or are exposed at a lower absorbed dose rate, whereby in the second partial regions (8a-d), the radiation-modified component or the more strongly radiation-modified component is formed,

   c) optionally, the print layer (3a) is covered with a transparent cover layer (4a) before or after step b).
6. Security document and or document of value (1) according to claim 5, wherein the radiation is selected from the group consisting of "electromagnetic radiation, such as microwave radiation, IR, visible light, UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, X-ray radiation, synchronous radiation, and gamma-radiation, and particle radiation, such as electron radiation, proton radiation, neutron radiation, and ion radiation".
7. Security document and/or document of value (1) according to one of claims 5 or 6,

   wherein in step b), a mask (11) is arranged between the radiation source (14) and the print layer (3a), said mask (11) containing first mask regions (12a-d) which are impermeable or slightly permeable to the radiation, and containing second mask regions (13a-d) which are permeable or strongly permeable to the radiation, wherein due to the second mask regions (13a-d), the radiation is incident exclusively or with a higher absorbed dose rate on the second partial regions (8a-d), or

   wherein in step b), a ray is scanned across the first partial regions (7a-d) and across the second partial regions (8a-d), wherein the intensity or the duration of the radiation is modulated provided that the ray has a higher absorbed dose rate when scanning the second partial regions (8a-d) than when scanning the first partial regions (7a-d), or

   wherein an array of radiation sources (14) emitting rays is arranged, wherein a first partial array is controlled to emit rays with a lower absorbed dose rate than a second partial array, whereby the second partial region (8a-d) is exposed to a radiation with a higher absorbed dose rate than the first partial region (7a-d).
8. Method for manufacturing a security document and/or a document of value (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7 having the following method steps:

   a) a print layer (3a) is applied to a substrate (2), wherein a non-radiation-modified component is contained in the print layer (3a) and/or the substrate (2), namely in first partial regions (7a-d) and in second partial regions (8a-d) of the print layer (3a),

   b) the print layer (3a) and/or the substrate (2) is then exposed to a radiation inducing a radiation modification of the non-radiation-modified component from a radiation source (14) in second partial regions (8a-d), wherein on the other hand, the first partial regions (7a-d) are not exposed to the radiation or are only exposed with a lower absorbed dose rate, whereby in the second partial regions (8a-d), the radiation-modified component or the more strongly radiation-modified component is formed,

   c) optionally, the print layer (3a) is covered with a transparent cover layer (4a) before or after the step b),

   wherein a pattern is formed with a pattern which is not solvable with the human eye, which is, however, solvable by means of a detector.
9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the radiation is selected from the group consisting of "electromagnetic radiation, such as microwave radiation, IR, visible light, UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, X-ray radiation, synchronous radiation, and gamma-radiation, and particle radiation, such as electron radiation, proton radiation, neutron radiation, and ion radiation".
10. Method according to one of claims 8 or 9,
    wherein in step b), a mask is arranged between the radiation source (14) and the print layer (3a), said mask containing first mask regions (12a-d) which are impermeable or slightly permeable to the radiation, and containing second mask regions (13a-d) which are permeable or strongly permeable to the radiation, wherein due to the second mask regions (13a-d), the radiation is incident exclusively or with a higher absorbed dose rate on the second partial regions (8a-d), or
    wherein in step b), a ray is scanned across the first partial regions (7a-d) and across the second partial regions (8a-d), wherein the absorbed dose rate of the radiation is modulated provided that the ray has a higher absorbed dose rate when scanning the second partial regions (8a-d) than when scanning the first partial regions (7a-d), or
    wherein an array of radiation sources (13) emitting rays is arranged, wherein a first partial array is controlled to emit rays with a lower absorbed dose rate than a second partial array, whereby the second partial region (8a-d) is exposed to a radiation with a higher absorbed dose rate than the first partial region (7a-d).
11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10,
    wherein the radiation source is selected from the group consisting of "sunlight, focused sunlight, halogen lamps, UV lamps, arc lamps, mercury lamps, high-pressure lamps, gas-discharge lamps, barrier-discharge lamps, plasma radiators, thermal radiators, electron radiation source, if necessary with a converter layer, neutron radiation source, proton radiation source, ion radiation source, laser and LED", preferably from the group consisting of "pulsable UV-LEDs, pulsable UV laser diodes, frequency-multiplied Nd:YAG lasers, gamma-emitters, X-ray sources, for example synchrotron, and positron emitters", in particular is a multiple-radiation source with different spectral emission wavelength ranges, for example an RGB (red/green/blue) laser system, and/or
    wherein the wavelength range of the electromagnetic radiation is in the range of from 100 to 600nm, in particular from 100 to 380nm.
12. Method for verifying a security document and/or document of value (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein by means of the instrumental measuring devices, which are sensitive to the radiation-induced structural differences of the component, an electronic depiction of the first partial regions (7a-d) and the second partial regions (8a-d) is generated and depicted.
13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the electronic depiction is compared to a reference pattern, and wherein the security document and/or the document of value (1) is qualified as valid if in agreement, and is qualified as not valid if not in agreement.
14. Method according to one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the electronic depiction is processed as a pattern (9) for a piece of information coded by the pattern (9), and the coded information is decoded and depicted.
15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the decoded information is compared to a piece of visible and/or machine-readable and optionally decoded reference information, in particular a piece of identity information (6), applied on the security document and/or document of value (1).

Images