FR2830792A1 - Fabrication of security documents incorporating a code zone made up of predetermined positions associated with the presence or absence of metallised zones - Google Patents

Abstract

The fabrication of a batch of security documents (20), incorporating the definition of a plurality of determined positions on the documents (2001 - 2008), the respective positions being the same for all the documents in the batch, and the association of these positions thus defined with metallised zones (201, 203 - 205, 207, 208), is characterised in that for each document, the association of the metallised zones with the determined positions is individualised so that a coding pattern is produced by the presence or absence of a metallised zone at each predetermined position on the document. An Independent claim is also included for a batch of security documents obtained by this method.

Description

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 The present invention relates generally to security documents, such as banknotes for example.

lot de documents de sécurité, comprenant la définition d'une pluralité 1 d'emplacements déterminés des documents, les positions respectives des emplacements déterminés étant les mêmes pour tous les documents du lot, et l'association à des emplacements déterminés ainsi définis de zones métallisées. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a

batch of security documents, comprising the definition of a plurality 1 of determined locations of the documents, the respective positions of the determined locations being the same for all of the documents in the batch, and the association with determined locations thus defined of metallized zones .

 And the invention also relates to batches of security documents obtained by such a process.

 Processes of the type mentioned above are already known.

 It is thus known to integrate a metallized security thread into a document, for the purpose of authenticating the document.

 Authentication can be done by simple visual recognition of the wire: in this case it can be carried out by an observer, with the naked eye.

 Authentication can also be performed by machine, by optically recognizing the presence of the wire, for the machine.

 It is also possible to have a machine recognize specific properties of the wire (magnetic, electrical property, but also sophisticated optical property using, for example, luminescence of the wire, etc.).

 The metallized wire generally extends across the width of the document, either on the surface thereof, or by being integrated into the thickness of the weft of the document paper.

 According to an advantageous arrangement, it is also known to integrate the wire into the document so that only certain portions of the metallized wire are flush with the surface of the document, the other portions of the wire being embedded in the thickness of the frame.

 And it is also possible to flush certain portions of the wire on the surface of the two respective faces of the document, alternately.

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 Such provisions make it easier to differentiate from attempts to imitate documents with threads which would be carried out by forgers.

 Examples of such document security measures are found in patents and applications GB 1 604 463, US 4,186,943, WO98 / 5333.

 Furthermore, as we said, it is possible to associate specific properties with the wire, by coding the wire (magnetic, electrical, optical coding, etc.).

 This arrangement is advantageous because in addition to bringing a level of complexity to the document and thus making counterfeiting more difficult, it also provides a means of sorting the documents.

 The arrangements mentioned above are therefore interesting.

However, it remains necessary to constantly imagine new solutions to secure sensitive documents.

 In addition, the operational implementation of certain provisions of the type mentioned above can prove problematic: in the case of wires having specific properties, it may indeed be necessary to establish physical contact between the document and the authentication and / or sorting machine (in particular in the case of recognition of magnetic or electrical properties).

 However, this type of constraint may prove to be incompatible with the processing rates specified for such machines.

 Alternatively, it is also known to manufacture a security thread from a thin tape of translucent plastic material carrying selectively metallized areas, and to integrate this thread in a security document.

 Such a wire is described in patent EP 536,855.

 This thread can also include coding patterns (bar codes), which is interesting.

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But in this case also, the capacities of the authentication and / or sorting machines may not be compatible with the rapid and reliable reading of coded information carried by a wire.

It will also be noted that the lessons from EP 536855 1
5 are limited to a safety thread.

 In addition, no means is provided for controlling the position of the patterns relative to the edges of the document.

 Another type of known method for associating at least two metallized zones with each document is described in patent EP 522 217 in the name of the Applicant.

 In this patent, a security document comprises a discontinuous reflecting surface constituted by a succession of individual reflecting elements.

 This process is known as STRAP &commat;.

The known methods and documents mentioned above constitute interesting provisions in terms of document security.

 An object of the invention is to propose an improvement, which further increases their level of security.

In particular, the invention aims to enable simple and efficient coding of documents, the recognition of which does not involve the drawbacks mentioned above.

 In order to achieve these aims, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a method of manufacturing a batch of security documents, comprising the definition of a plurality of determined locations of the documents, the selective positions of the determined locations being the same for all the documents in the batch, and the association at determined locations thus defined of metallized zones, characterized in that for each document, the association of metallized zones with said determined locations is individualized selectively, so as to achieve on said

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 document a coding pattern from the presence or absence of a metallized area at each predetermined location of the document.

í * dans chaque document les emplacements déterminés de la pluralité s'étendent suivant une dimension du document, * le motif de codage est reconnaissable à l'oil nu par un observateur, * le motif de codage est reconnaissable par machine, . on associe aux zones métallisées des propriétés diffractives et/ou réflectives spécifiques, . les zones métallisées sont associées au document par l'intermédiaire d'un fil de sécurité métallisé dont on fait affleurer sélectivement certaines parties à la surface de chaque document du lot en certains des emplacements déterminés qui sont choisis individuellement et sélectivement pour chaque document, * les zones métallisées sont associées sélectivement et individuellement à chaque document par l'intermédiaire d'une bande de sécurité comprenant des éléments métallisés répartis de manière individuelle et sélective sur le document, * la répartition individuelle et sélective des éléments métallisés est obtenue par dessin sélectif de motifs d'une feuille d'un matériau tel que l'aluminium, ') les zones métallisées sont associées au document par impression sélective d'une encre métallisée, on constitue sur chaque document un motif répétitif de codage, on associe aux zones métallisées des propriétés optiques spécifiques, lesdites propriétés optiques sont des propriétés de luminescence et/ou de diffraction, ledit motif de codage est bidimensionnel. Preferred, but non-limiting aspects of the process according to the invention are the following:

í * in each document the determined locations of the plurality extend along a dimension of the document, * the coding pattern can be recognized with the naked eye by an observer, * the coding pattern can be recognized by a machine,. the metallized areas are associated with specific diffractive and / or reflective properties,. the metallized zones are associated with the document by means of a metallized security thread of which certain parts are flush with the surface of each document of the batch at certain of the determined locations which are chosen individually and selectively for each document, * the metallized zones are selectively and individually associated with each document by means of a security strip comprising metallized elements distributed individually and selectively on the document, * the individual and selective distribution of metallized elements is obtained by selective drawing of patterns of a sheet of a material such as aluminum, ') the metallized zones are associated with the document by selective printing of a metallized ink, a repetitive coding pattern is formed on each document, properties associated with the metallized zones specific optics, said properties s are optical luminescence properties and / or diffraction, said coding pattern is two-dimensional.

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 According to a second aspect, the invention also proposes a batch of security documents by a method according to one of the aspects mentioned above.

 Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will appear better on the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the appended drawings in which: * Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a security document such as a bank note according to the state of the art comprising metallized zones, * FIG. 2 is a similar view of a security document produced according to the invention, w! Figure 3 is a schematic view of an installation for producing security documents according to the invention.

 Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown schematically a security document such as a banknote 10, which can be made of paper.

 Note 10 is known, and will be described as a state of the art.

 The ticket 10 comprises a plurality 100 of discrete metallized zones 101 to 108 which extend along the width of the ticket.

Each metallized zone 101 to 108 may have light reflection properties, in accordance with the teaching of patent EP 522
217.

 The association of the metallized zones 101 to 108 with the ticket 10 can be carried out by means of a continuous strip of the STRAP &commat; type, of which only the regions which correspond to the metallized zones are visible, the intermediate regions separating said metallized zones being transparent .

 It is also known to associate with a document such as the ticket 10, instead of such reflective zones separated from each other, a wire

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 continuous metallic security, of which only portions are flush with the surface of the bill.

 And in this case also, we will observe on the surface of the ticket a plurality of discrete metallized zones, separated from each other, which extend in a general direction (for example across the width of the ticket in the case where the wire is oriented like this).

 In all cases, the association of such a security element with a document is preferably carried out in a register, that is to say that the position of each metallized zone on the surface of the document is fixed, and identical to 'one document to another.

 A batch of tickets manufactured in this way therefore has the same metallized zones (whether they are produced by associating with the ticket a strip of the STRAP &commat; type, with a wire, by selective metallic printing of the ticket or by any other known technique), in the same places for each ticket.

 Thus, in the case of tickets reproducing the teachings corresponding to Figure 1, all tickets manufactured in this way will have metallized areas in the same place.

 This makes it possible inter alia to facilitate the automatic recognition of the ticket by a machine, by guaranteeing that the metallized zones will be opposite the appropriate sensors of the machine.

 Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown schematically a security document produced according to the invention.

 This document 20 shows a plurality 200 of metallized zones.

 But unlike the known configuration shown in Figure 1, we observe in this case that the distribution of metallized areas is different.

 Indeed, in the case of known manufacturing, the metallized areas extend as has always been said in the same places. In addition, these

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 zones are generally distributed equidistantly, so as to form a regular sequence on the surface of the document.

 In the case of the invention, such a regular and identical distribution from one document to another is advantageously used not to produce the metallized areas themselves, but simply to define specific locations.

 And each location thus defined is capable of accommodating a metallized zone, or not.

 More precisely, taking up the analogy between the configurations of FIG. 1 and of FIG. 2, a plurality of locations determined 2001 to 2008 have been defined (here 8 in number and which correspond to the elements represented in solid lines and in lines dotted line). In the representation of the known configuration of FIG. 1, each of these 8 locations corresponds and systematically to a respective metallized zone 101 to 108.

 In the case of the invention, each location from 2001 to 2008 is capable of receiving a metallized area, or not.

 And the production of the various documents of the same batch is carried out so as to associate individually with each document of the batch a specific distribution of metallized zones on the predetermined locations, each document being able to receive in the case of the representation of FIG. 2 between 0 and 8 metallized zones, distributed in any desired manner according to the predetermined locations 2001 to 2008.

 Thus, in the representation of FIG. 2 given by way of example, the ticket 20 comprises six metallized zones 201,203, 204,205, 207 and 208 which are associated with the respective locations 2001,2003 to 2005,2007 and 2008.

 The 2002 and 2006 locations do not receive any metallized zones, so that they do not actually appear on the ticket (their representation in dotted lines simply making it possible to view their position on the document in FIG. 2).

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déterminés, qui seront les mêmes pour tous les documents du lot, * et en associant sélectivement et individuellement à chaque billet du lot des zones métallisées sur certains de ces emplacements. It is thus possible according to the invention to manufacture a batch of security documents such as banknotes: * by defining for the batch of documents a plurality of locations

determined, which will be the same for all the documents in the batch, * and by selectively and individually associating metallized zones on some of these slots with each batch ticket.

 It is thus possible to carry out an individual coding of each document in the batch, each location capable of receiving a metallized zone playing by analogy with computer systems the role of a "bit", the location corresponding to a value 0 of the "bit" if no metallized zone is associated with it, a value 1 of the "bit" if a metallized zone is associated with it.

 To authenticate such documents, authentication machines will be provided comprising sensors capable of detecting the presence or absence of metallized zones in each of the determined locations of a batch of documents.

 Examples of such sensors can be found in document FR 2 675 607.

 Such sensors can be arranged in the form of a plurality of sensors arranged opposite the predetermined locations, or of a single sensor capable of carrying out such detection for each location.

 The sensors can detect the presence of a metallized zone by optical reading, or by identification of another property of the metallized zone.

 It will be noted that in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slots 2001 to 2008 extend along the width of the ticket, so as to facilitate recognition of the metallized areas when the ticket scrolls in the direction of its length, indicated by arrow F in Figure 2.

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It is obviously possible to adapt the number of determined locations of a batch of documents, the number of 8 shown in FIG. 2 being purely illustrative.

In any event for coding documents in a batch provided with 1 of N determined locations each, there are thus 2N coding possibilities for each document.

 And one can increase the number by coding in addition another property of each determined location (for example by deleting or not each of these locations with an ink having a specific-optical, magnetic, electric or other property).

 And in all cases, the sensors of the recognition means of the authentication machines will be adapted accordingly, by providing for example a network of sensors such as photodiodes in sufficient number to recognize, by reflection and / or by transmission, the presence of a metallic zone for each predetermined location of the ticket.

 It is specified that such sensors may simply be able to detect the presence of light; it is also possible to refine the recognition means to detect a specific reflection spectrum, in the case where the metallized areas have been associated with specific optical properties (for example luminescence and / or specific diffractive property, etc.).

 It is also possible according to a variant of the invention to produce the coding pattern for the metallized areas in a repetitive form, systematically for the tickets of the same batch.

 In this case, it is possible, for example, to perform on the locations capable of receiving metallized zones twice the same coding of metallized zones.

 Taking again the configuration of figure 2, this would amount to carrying out this coding for the first time on the locations 2001 to 2004, and to reproducing it on the locations 2005 to 2008.

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machine, de sorte que si la partie du billet sur laquelle l'un des codes est apposé est endommagée de sorte que la lecture du code est compromise, 1 le code identique se trouvant sur l'autre partie du billet demeure lisible. Such an arrangement makes it possible to increase the robustness of the system, each of the two identical codes being read during authentication by a

machine, so that if the part of the ticket on which one of the codes is affixed is damaged so that the reading of the code is compromised, 1 the identical code on the other part of the ticket remains legible.

 As has been said, the sensors of the authentication machines intended to recognize the presence of the metallized areas at the various predetermined locations can be adapted, so as to recognize any type of signal desired.

 Preferably, however, the collection of the specific response from the reflective zones will be by reflection; it is however also possible to collect this response by measurement of electrical conductivity, of a magnetic characteristic, or by the exploitation of a response of an elaborate optical property which can implement phenomena of light cascade, of diffraction, etc. .

 It is possible to associate the different reflective zones with each ticket by any type of technique known per se.

 As in the case of the known prior art mentioned above, a metallic wire can also be adapted for each ticket so that only some of its sections are flush with the surface of the ticket, and thus constitute the metallized zones whose arrangement is specific to the ticket.

 It is also possible to take up lessons from document EP 522 217 to associate with the ticket a transfer band, for example a continuous transfer band of the STRAP type (D of which only certain sections which will be found during the association of the band with banknote opposite a predetermined location correspond to reflective metallized elements, the rest of the strip being transparent.

 In this case the strip is associated with the ticket by the application of a high temperature and pressure on the strip.

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 Such a strip may consist of the ordered superposition of the following layers: * a layer of a protective coating such as polyethylene,. a layer of wax, a layer of transparent varnish,. a layer of embossing lacquer for diffractive elements,. said layer of embossing lacquer being itself covered with a thin layer of a reflective material such as aluminum, which will be drawn in the case of the invention (for example with soda) to adapt for each note the distribution of the reflective elements at the different locations, a layer of glue.

 Then applying such a strip, on its side having the layer of glue, on the ticket.

 By applying a high temperature and pressure on the opposite side (here polyethylene), the strip is integrated into the banknote.

 However, it is specified that the metallized areas can be formed by any other type of technique known per se, including by direct printing of the ticket, by selectively printing with metallized ink metallized areas according to a dimension of the ticket, preferably its width.

 FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an installation which can be implemented to produce a variant of the invention, in which the tickets are made from a strip of paper 30 which results from the soaking of a rotary die 31 in a pulp solution 32.

 The matrix 31 is provided on its periphery with elements 310 which constitute covers which prevent the paper pulp 32 from adhering to the matrix.

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A metallized wire 33 is moreover brought opposite the matrix against which it is pressed during the immersion of the matrix in the paper pulp 32.

The wire is thus embedded in the paper pulp which adheres to the matrix, which amounts to integrating the wire into the weft of the paper which constitutes the sheet 30.

 The metallized wire 33 being pressed against the matrix opposite the elements 310 which are on the periphery of this matrix, said wire will be flush with the surface of the sheet 30 only at the locations corresponding to these elements 310.

 It is therefore understood that by adapting the distribution of the elements 310 (which are shown exaggeratedly enlarged in the diagram of FIG. 3), the distribution of the metallized areas on the sheet is determined, said sheet then being cut to constitute individual notes .

 It is thus possible according to the invention to define batches of security documents having as common characteristic the same predetermined locations, each document comprising a specific distribution of metallized areas on the locations (the metallic areas being associated with the document by one of the techniques described above).

 In this way, ranges of documents can be created, for example adapting the distribution of predetermined locations for each type of ticket (a distribution for 1 Euro notes, another for 10 Euro notes, etc.).

 It will be noted that the invention makes it possible to carry out an extremely simple and reliable coding on batches of security documents.

 It will also be noted that it is possible to adapt at will the size and the number of predetermined locations on the documents of a batch, these locations not necessarily being distributed equidistantly, nor in a rectilinear direction.

 In this regard, it is specified that it is possible to refine the invention by defining predetermined locations on the documents of a batch.

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 distributed according to a two-dimensional pattern (and not monodimensional as in the example described above).

 By two-dimensional pattern is meant pattern using the two dimensions of the document surface.

 It will thus be possible, by selectively associating metallized zones with some of these predetermined locations (according to one of the methods described above), to carry out an individual two-dimensional coding on each document of the batch.

 We can thus adapt the marking of documents, depending on whether we wish to favor recognition with the naked eye, or on the contrary that we wish to favor recognition by machine (in this case we will reduce the size of the predetermined locations).

Claims (14)

CLAIMS! 1. Method for manufacturing a batch of security documents (20), comprising defining a plurality of determined locations of the documents (2001-2008, the respective positions of the determined locations being the same for all the documents in the batch , and the association with determined locations thus defined of metallized zones (201,203-205, 207,208), characterized in that for each document, the association of metallized zones with said determined locations is individualized, so as to produce on said document a coding pattern from the presence or absence of a metallized zone at each predetermined location of the document. 2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that in each document the determined locations of the plurality extend along a dimension of the document. 3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coding pattern is recognizable to the naked eye by an observer. 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coding pattern is recognizable by machine. 5. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the metallized zones are associated with specific diffractive and / or reflective properties. <Desc / CRUD Page number 15> 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallized areas are associated with the document by means of a metallized security thread (33) which is flush

 selectively certain parts on the surface of each document of the 1 batch in certain of the determined locations. 7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the metallized zones are associated individually with each document by means of a security strip of the STRAP & commat type; comprising metallized elements distributed individually and selectively on the document. 8. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the individual and selective distribution of the metallized elements is obtained by selective drawing of patterns of a sheet of a material such as aluminum. 9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the metallized areas are associated with the document by selective printing of a metallized ink. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a repetitive coding pattern is formed on each document. 11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallized areas are associated with specific optical properties. 12. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said optical properties are luminescence and / or diffraction properties. <Desc / Clms Page number 16>  13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coding pattern is two-dimensional.

1 14. Lot of security documents obtained by a process according to one of the preceding claims.