MXPA00001241A - Security element structure for documents, devices for controlling documents comprising such security elements, and method for using said security elements and devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns the security element structure for documents, devices for controlling documents comprising such security elements, and a method for using said security elements and devices as per the patent application DE 197 34 855.6. The invention aims at completing the security element structure for documents, and at proposing devices for controlling such security elements, an a novel method for using these security elements and devices, making it very difficult, if not impossible, for forgers to discover how the methods and devices work, as far as the security elements are concerned, and subsequently produce forged documents so identical to the original documents as to make them undetectable by the control devices. The security element structure for documents to be controlled corresponds to the new design which is not based primarily on visual observation but on control methods. Said design referred to below as functional design, results from the combination of electrically conducting and insulating structures of identical or different sizes, in identical or different planes, with identical or different conductivity, and it is materialised by metal-coated structures and/or writing or printing electrically conductive inks.

Description

STRUCTURE OF SECURITY ELEMENTS FOR DOCUMENTS AND DEVICES FOR PROOF OF DOCUMENTS WITH THE ELEMENTS OF SECURITY AS WELL AS PROCEDURES FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE ELEMENTS AND SECURITY DEVICES DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to security elements for documents and devices for testing documents with elements as well as procedures for the application of security elements and devices. Until now, documents that include optically effective diffraction safety elements used, are verified by costly optical test procedures. For example, test documents with optically effective diffraction safety elements or so-called OVDs (optical variable device) are impossible inside a document handling machine since it works at very high speeds. "" U.S. Patent 4,255,652, for example, discloses a device for detecting and identifying features in documents with electrically conductive regions. By means of a first capacitive element which extends over the width of the document to be tested and placed above this document, a load is transferred to one of the electrically conductive regions. When the document to be tested is transferred, the electrically conductive charged region is placed under a second capacitive element that extends over the width of the document to be tested and the load is dissipated through this second element. A decoding evaluation circuit generates a typical signal function. This device, and the working principle used, are based on relatively large electrically conductive regions that extend over the width of the document to be tested, as the amount of load transferred decreases sharply in smaller areas. It is not possible a simultaneous test of several conductive regions nor the determination of their geometric shapes and sizes, in particular of a fine design. In addition, EP 0 097 570 proposes a device for the verification of the dielectric properties of sheet-like materials in which the material to be tested is passed through pairs of plates of a row of capacitors having a defined configuration. A change in the dielectric properties results in a change in the voltage of the receiving electrodes. The signals are amplified and processed separately. In this device, which is based on the test of the dielectric properties of the sheet material, in particular watermarks, all the capacitors are supplied simultaneously with the oscillating frequency which can cause a coupling between adjacent channels. If a larger distance between the capacitors is selected to avoid this disadvantage, the affordable geometric resolution is reduced. Therefore, only coarse structures can be detected. To eliminate transient problems on the receiver plates of the capacitors, only a relatively low frequency change is allowed, limiting the test at low speeds. Such a device can not be used in high-speed processing machines for construction reasons. DE 27 47 156 specifies a procedure and a test instrument for the proof of imitation or falsification of holographically fixed identity cards. The OVD is reproduced and then visually verified. This procedure is not suitable for rapid, efficient and independent tests of people. In EP 0 042 946 a device is specified for the production of scan patterns that are tested by means of a laser, a mirror and alignment systems as well as a photodetector. The economic expenses are also very high in this case. It would be higher if the material to be tested is tested without being classified. In order to avoid a prior classification process, a multiple arrangement of imitation or counterfeit test systems or a repeated test would be necessary.

In EP 0 092 691 Al, a device for the detection of security strips in bank checks is specified. By means of two measuring channels of light transmitted in the infrared range at wavelengths of approximately 5 μm, the specific absorption bands and the material of a plastic security strip are measured. An imitation or falsification test or quality test of optically effective security elements by diffraction that reflect metallicly, such as reflective holograms or cinegrams, is not specified in such EP and would not be possible by the device. From GB 21 60 644 A it is known that a method of reflected light from bank checks is tested by means of a line scan camera, and from CH-PS 52 355 it is known that cards with a layer structure are tested by means of a reflected light procedure or a transmitted light procedure. In both cases, it is a test in which the received image information is compared with the original ones. The reflections and traces of use that appear in both versions are a problem and a great disadvantage. An approval of automatic forgery of hologram information is specified in DE-OS 38 11 905. For the reflected light hologram test, the device specified in DE-OS provides the transmitter and the receiver which must be placed directly opposite. in order to be able to analyze the information of the hologram. This opposite arrangement of the transmitter and the receiver results in a metrologically disadvantageous neutralization and sometimes even in damages of the receiving elements by the incidence of direct light in the interspaces between checks of successive banks. When tested using bank checks the existing slots make the test practically impossible due to accidental reflections. According to the known methods specified above, it is required that exactly the objects to be tested be placed, and all devices are not suitable for high-speed handling machines. In document DE 196 04 856 Al it is contemplated to carry out the condition, quality and alignment test of optical security features in the form of metallic reflective layers such as cinegrams, holograms and the like, on security documents, especially bank checks. , so that a security feature that is reflected metallicly from the security paper is scanned by light transmitted in a currently known manner by means of at least one electronic camera, preferably a CCD line scanning camera, and wherein the Actual values determined in this manner are compared to the desired values by means of currently known image evaluation methods for the purpose of marking banknotes that have failed security features or for separating used checks within a classification unit. The device specified in DE 196 04 856 A1 is characterized by a transport system currently known for transporting security documents within a range of the electronic camera, by a source of infrared radiation on the side of the security document to be tested. which is opposite to the camera and wherein the optical axis of the camera includes an angle that deviates 180 ° with the optical axis of the lighting unit, and wherein the transport unit is preferably placed by transport bands that are separated from each other transversely to the transport direction. This device or procedure also has the disadvantage, so that bank checks especially used with bank checks or folds with a damaged cinegram film or a cinegram film on the tail surface are contaminated are not detected as bank checks. real. further, the specified procedure and the device in relation to it are automated, however, they are not suitable for outstanding high speed bank check machines that must pass = 1,200 checks per minute. The optically effective security features by diffraction or OVD in security documents, such as the German 100 and 200 DM bills, are so far made manually or visually with respect to damage, alignment accuracy, exact edge formation, etc. The test is carried out visually during the elaboration of the banknote and, if necessary, during the classification of banknotes that return from circulation. This procedure is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the test is not precise since, for example, the optically effective security elements by diffraction of the demetallised zones are conventionally produced by chemical etching methods. It is known that these procedures do not allow an exact flow of the structures. In general, "torn" edge flows are developed. As is known from documents US 5,248,544 and US 5,388,862, optically variable security elements for documents in the form of what are called holograms and security chains have metal films, metal films in the holograms serve to generate reflections and establish a security chain that seems opaque when viewed by transmitted light. In DE 195, 42 995 A1, for example, a method is specified for the falsification test of a data carrier by adjusting the various available data. According to this patent specification, there are the following possibilities: comparison of the standard image of the hologram with one of the memory unit, comparison of the hologram data of the hologram with the data within a defined range of the data carrier and / or those of a memory unit, comparison of the hologram data with the available data via an input unit, comparison of the individual image of the hologram with the data of the input unit of the memory unit and / or the data of a defined interval. This procedure also takes time and is expensive. The test is carried out optically by balancing the image detection by a voter device, and is not suitable for high speed handling or test machines. As specified in the application for paten e DE 19734 855. 6, the optically effective safety elements by OVD diffraction, respectively, are only used to achieve the optical effects and can only be tested by optical test methods or by a visual examination. Other test methods, especially those for application in high-speed handling machines, are not known. Well-known features, test areas and test structures to be tested, as well as test procedures and devices for proof of imitation of objects, security documents, especially bank notes, have a disadvantage main which is your level of knowledge. This degree of knowledge makes it possible for the forger to draw conclusions about knowledge of the testing procedures and devices and the way in which the features, test zones and test structures that are to be tested work. This requires a completely new formulation for the proof of objects, security documents, especially bank notes, the solution of which must be reflected in a new seventh of application of test characteristics, test procedures and test devices in order to avoid that the codes of information can be discovered and copied easily. It is the object of the invention to solve the disadvantages of the state of the art and to complete the structure of the security elements for documents by additional security elements and to contemplate devices for the test of talee security elements as well as a new procedure of the application of security elements and devices that make it difficult, if not impoerable, for a counterfeiter to extract concordance from the operation of the testing procedures and devices for the security elements to be tested in order to produce counterfeits that are so similar to the originals that can not be detected by the test devices. Furthermore, an object of this invention is to contemplate optically effective security elements by diffraction and OVD characteristics, respectively, which can not be precisely tested in combination with electrically conductive printing inks in a fast, independent of people and low cost way. The devices for testing the safety features that belong to it can be used in high-speed document handling machines as well as in manual test devices. Furthermore, the aim of the invention is to design some of the devices in relation to this invention so that a defined number of different security elements or features existing in a document are tested when the number of security elements to be tested it varies between the devices. This objective is aimed at achieving different test criteria according to the potential expenses and the security elements that can be tested. This object is solved by the following specification of the invention. The structure of the security elements for the documents to be tested provides a new design not based primarily on a visual examination but on test procedures. This design - hereinafter called functional design - is the combination of electrically conductive and insulating structures that have the same size or a different size, at the same level or at different levels from each other, with the same conductivity or with different conductivities, and is manufactured from structure metallized and / or conductive inks or printing inks. In its variety and compositions, the functional design acquires coding functions in all differentiable security elements and, therefore, can be tested in a coded manner. According to this invention, the functional design can be an optically effective security element by diffraction or it can consist of electrically conductive colors or inks. If it is designed as a safety element optically by diffraction, it can be presented at the same time as an optically perceptible design, and therefore visually, and can even be held in its optical design. Metallization structures that can be tested by capacitive coupling and electrically conductive colors or inks in the form of lines, dots and shapes are called safety elements. Such security elements are set out in the document individually or as a combination. A security feature consists of at least one security element, preferably, an accumulation of security elements having the same or different arrangement, size, ink and / or conductivity. By using currently known production technologies, the optically diffraction safety elements fabricated from metallized structures according to this invention, instead of the previous demetalizing or individual structures. In order to produce security elements to be tested with high quality metallized security elements, according to this invention, the metallized structure and the stepped edges are produced with a very high approximation to the adjacent insulating structures. The staggering of these edges makes it possible to produce and test microstructures. As specified above, in the optically effective security elements by diffraction, the deemetalized areas are conventionally produced by chemical etching processes, for example. It is known that these procedures do not allow a gradual condition of the edges and an exact displacement of the desired structures. In general, "torn" edge runs are developed. These edges do not run in a way that does not allow demetallised areas with widths in the tenth of a millimeter range to be used as a functional design. In order to achieve accurate edge shifts for a functional design, another production technology must be used. A specific metallization with adjacent non-metallized areas is carried out in known high vacuum metallizing. For counterfeiters this means higher costs for the production of counterfeit. The optically effective security elements by diffraction according to this invention have, in addition to structures more or less completely impressed, at least one security element that can be tested, in the form of a beam, in the form of a grid, circular and / or curved with a line width of = 5 mm. These security elements are an encoding of information at the same time as they can be detected and evaluated by means of the devices according to this invention. The device for testing the test characteristics specified in accordance with this invention has a scanner that works capacitively. This scanner consists of a certain number of parallel transmitting electrodes in one or more lines and a receiving electrode that is located parallel to this diepoeition. Compared to sensors with large surface electrodes, this scanner with small electrode surfaces has the advantage that there is a smaller capacitive coupling between the individual electrodes. In a document handling machine, the scanner is positioned so that the optical or mechanical sensors that exist in conventional document handling machines activate the test device according to this invention. In order to reduce detection and measurement errors, preferably a sensor carrier is used which retains all the sensors for testing. The distances between the sensors are minimized. This minimization of the distances between the sensors is necessary for a minimization of the change of position of the documents to be tested since the position of the document changes during the passage of the document through the machine due to the condition of the document, the wear of the machine as well as environmental conditions, especially the temperature and humidity of the air. By unfavorably feeding the document, the distance of the documents from each other changes. The fact that a misaligned document can pass is due to wear of the transport rollers and bearings, which also means that the newly fed document can be bent during transport. It is the result of this unwanted position change that the defined timing is altered and false rejections can occur. The smaller the security elements are, the more problematic is their detection. The device according to this invention has a pressure device which represents a very low resistance for the document. This pressure device transports the document parallel to the scanner or preferably presses the document to be tested on the scanner. In addition, the axes of the transport rollers are ground by means of sliding action contacts. By means of these additional protections and the pressure device, repetitive test conditions are guaranteed for uniform distance or contact of the document and the operation mode of the sensor is essentially improved. The control of the individual transmitting electrodes by electrical energy is carried out on a time-shift basis by means of an electronic control system with a switching speed in the range of kHz and above. The electronic control system includes as main parts, in addition to power supply, a multiplexer, an oscillator for the power supply for the transmitting electrodes and an oscillator for the control of the multiplexer. The energy of the controlled transmitting electrode is capacitively over-coupled in case of electrical conductivity between this transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode. The signal path over the receiving electrode is transformed into a signal image. The signal image depends on the metallic structure of the optically effective security element by diffraction. An electronic evaluation system downstream of the receiving electrode compares the signal image of the tested object with the corresponding reference signals. Basically, the electronic evaluation system consists of a power supply, an amplifier, a demodulator, a comparator, a microprocessor with a memory as well as filters for the suppression of interference and non-deseeadae signals. In addition to the software for the microprocessor, the reference signal images are stored in the memory which are compared to the scanned signal image of the test document based on the security elements that are to be tested. Since the scanner extends over the entire width of the document, each electrically conductive characteristic is detected by the die according to this invention. The comparison with the reference signal images provides a classification signal for further processing. As a result, a document detected as a phlegm can be separated from the classification by stopping the test equipment or by passing the document transport path. In order to reduce unwanted effects, the sensor carrier is connected in a compact manner to a board that has an electronic control and evaluation system. As a modification of the electrode arrangement, it is within the scope of this invention to place a large transmission electrode parallel to a side-by-side assembly of several parallel receiving electrodes. In this case, the received signals are processed by means of a multiplexer. The rest of the electronic evaluation system corresponds to one specified above. Another design of the receiver transmitting electrodes is characterized in that several of the transmitting and receiving electrodes are placed in parallel and / or in series. The control as well as the restriction of the patterns are processed according to the multiplexing or demultiplexing procedure. For use in manual devices, they are equipped similarly with the corresponding devices for the transport of the document or the scanner, the function of which is similar to transport devices in copiers, automatically optic-fed image scanners or facsimile units. As a modification of this, a device is provided that defines the position of the explorer working capacitively of the test device, according to this invention in relation to the document by means of stop elements. For a given test of a defined number of security elements of a document, the device has a different number of parallel transmitting and receiving electrodes. The higher the resolution received in this way, the greater the security elements and encodings that can be tested which are much more difficult to be falsified. In this way, simple manual devices, for example for daily use where the presence of safety elements such as a simple safety chain are tested, can be manufactured simply at low costs and for easy handling. Devices with a higher resolution allow the testing of additional security elements, however, in which it can detect which security elements are present. This is carried out by means of a simple microprocessor software which is only compatible with certain security features and which is not public. A higher resolution with software designed appropriately for the microcontroller makes it possible to test all the safety features. Eeta prueba coetoea ee applies, for example, by the manufacturers of the safety features and by the users who have a very high safety standard in order to obtain the best possible results. In this way, different conductivities can also be detected reliably. In addition to the fact that the entire system of use of the security elements and devices specified for the proof of documents can also be provided in accordance with this invention the performance of an image detection and condition control of the banknotes. By means of electrically conductive safety elements, it is also possible to detect an image by coding, which is an independent coding or a support coding as an auxiliary for classification purposes, an encoding for the determination of denominations and an encoding for the determination of fakes. For independent coding, there is no other safety element and the electrically conductive safety element must be clearly identifiable, for example with respect to the position of the document, in order to minimize a false rejection rate. For a coding support as an auxiliary, there are other features; the coding serves as a means of reference for the case in which a false rejection is detected. A condition control is carried out by means of a test device according to this invention so that the conductivity of the security element allows conclusions to be drawn regarding the condition of the document because the heavily used documents result in wear and tear of the document. the electrically conductive structures as experience has shown and, therefore, changes the electrical conductivity. The different wear rates are classified by the software. Therefore, documents defined with a certain rate of attrition can be eliminated in the classification. This attrition rate is shown, for example, by a partially damaged OVD, a torn document and a security element damaged by this or a highly folded document where there is a break within the security element. Therefore, there are several combination possibilities between a forgery test, image detection and condition control. In addition, the optical design of security features in an object to be tested, the security elements according to this invention acquire encodings -as specified in detail before- which are added to the main code in a mathematical reference to each other. -for example as an eumatoria- which in turn determines the authenticity, the condition of the course of a certain document by means of a signal or code from the synchronous falsification test of a metallic safety strip and / or a synchronous test of an OVD. The characteristics of this invention appear, in addition to the claims, from the specification and the drawings when the individual characteristics, either individually or assembled in the form of sub-combinations, represent advantageous protectable designs, for which we seek protection. The examples of designs of the invention are shown in the drawings and will be explained as follows. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a document with a safety feature metallized in the shape of a meander, Figures 2, 3 illustrate a schematic view of documents with safety elements metallized in the form of a strip, Figure 4 illustrates A schematic view of a document with a metallized security feature in the form of a mesh, FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic vieta of a document with various security features, FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a test device, FIGS. -9 illustrate a schematic view of various scanners, "" Figure 10 illustrates a schematic view of the scanner and a document to be tested as a side view, Figure 11 illustrates a schematic cross section through the metalized security elements. , Figure 12 illustrates a voltage-time diagram of the evaluation signals of Figure 11, Figures 13-15. a schematic view of browsers and a structured security feature. The examples illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 show the documents with security elements according to this invention, each of which contains a proposed electrical coding. In the coding process, any information is not simply coded but electrically conductive structures are placed towards or between each other, separated by non-conductive structures, to obtain electrically conductive test characteristics whose electrical coding occurs through the test device of the invention a predetermined signal response which is compared to an existing stored reference signal response. By this method, a high test speed is obtained, which is desired, (see description of Figure 14). The explorer working capacitively of the device according to this invention is also shown as a schematic view. In figure 1, the schematic structure of a safety feature 1, with metallic layers 2 is illustrated. The metallized layers 2 are separated by an insulating zone 3. From a top view, the insulating zone 3 has the shape of a meander. The width of the insulating zone 3 in the shape of a meander is larger than the smallest distance of doe electrodes. The capacitively operating scanner 4 consists of several parallel transmitting electrodes 5 and a receiving electrode 6, parallel to this side-by-side arrangement. Figure 2 illustrates the schematic structure of a security feature 1 where the metallized zones 7 in the form of strips and the insulating zones 8 in the form of strips are arranged alternately parallel to each other. The strip-shaped zones from an upper vane 7,8 run parallel or vertically to the transport path of the document. The latter case is illustrated in Figure 3. The distance between the areas of the electric conductivity is between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm. The widths of the zones of the same electrical conductivity varies. Conducting zones differently, with different widths are also possible. In figure 4 a combination of the characteristics of figures 2 and 3 is illustrated. Parallel to the direction of transport of the document, the zones 7 metallized in the form of strips and the zones 8 in the form of insulated strips are placed alternately. The metallized zone 7 is interrupted with an insulating zone 9 in the form of strips running vertically thereto. Figure 5 illustrates a document with various security features. The specific combination produces another encoding. This increases the safety of the test.

Figures 6 and 9 illustrate a block diagram as well as various design forms of the explorer 4 working capacitively. Figure 6 illustrates the block diagram of the test device according to this invention. It consists of an electronic control system, an explorer 4 that works capacitively and an electronic evaluation system. In addition to the power supply, the electronic control system basically includes a demultiplexer 10, an oscillator 11 for the energy euminote for the transmitting electrodes and an oscillator 12 for the control of the demultiplexer. Primarily, the electronic evaluation system consists of a power supply, an amplifier 13, a demodulator 14, a comparator 15, a microprocessor 16 with memory as well as filters for the suppression of interference signals and unwanted ones. The transmitting and receiving electrodes are punched in a sensor carrier. They constitute an explorer 4 that works capacitively on the entire document fed from the front. The electrode that receives the strip shape runs transversely to the front feeding direction of the document. The electrode tranemisores run parallel to the receiving electrode. The distance of a transmitting electrode from the receiving electrode is determined by the electrically conductive safety elements typical of the document. By means of the side-by-side arrangement of the transmitting electrodes, it is possible to detect several electrically conductive characteristics on the longitudinal axis of the scanner 4 which works capacitively at the same time. The resolution achieved by this arrangement depends on the number of transmission electrodes used. In this design example, the resolution is at a point that can be scanned / mm in the longitudinal direction as well as the transverse direction. The minimum distance between the adjacent transmitting electrodes is limited by the capacitive interference coupling between themselves. In order to avoid this and to minimize the interference influences of adjacent transmitting electrodes, the transmitting electrodes are controlled successively by a multiplexer 10. By arranging the transmitting electrodes over the entire front feed width of the document, the documents You can try on any piece of poetry. That is, it is not necessary to pre-classify several documents in a document management machine. Figure 7 illustrates a schematic vieta of an explorer 4 with several transmitting electrodes and a receiving electrode 6. The control and evaluation is carried out according to the block diagram shown in figure 6.

Figure 8 illustrates a schematic view of an explorer design that works capacitively with a transmitting electrode 17 and several receiving electrodes 18. As a block diagram modification in Figure 6, the transmitting electrode 17 is controlled by means of an oscillator. The signals of the receiver electrodes 18 are processed by means of a multiplexer. A part of the electronic evaluation system consists of a power supply, an amplifier, a demodulator, a comparator, a microprocessor with memory as well as filters for the suppression of interference and unwanted signals which is the same as in the diagram of blocks according to figure 6. Figure 9 illustrates the schematic view of another design of an explorer working capacitively with several transmitting electrodes 19 and several receiving electrodes 20. They are arranged alternately in a line. Accordingly, the control signals of the transmitting electrodes 19 as well as the evaluation signals of the receiving electrodes 20 are processed by means of multiplexing or demultiplexing procedures, respectively. Figure 10 illustrates a schematic vieta of explorer 4 that works capacitively and a document in side view that is going to be tested. The security feature 1 includes metallic lines 21 as well as an electrically isolated carrier film 22. Figure 11 illustrates a schematic cross-section through a security feature with a carrier layer 23 and a partially metallized layer 24. The partially metallized layer 24 includes several insulating segments. The partially metallized layer 26 has a different electrical conductivity than the partially metallized layer 24. In the representation is «the edges of the layers 24 are shown; 26 partially metallized in an idealized manner at a right angle to the carrier layer 23. Such edges or margins can not be produced uniformly by conventional chemical methods such as etching, since "slanted" edges develop in the longitudinal curve as well as edges at acute to obtuse angles in relation to the carrier layer 23. In order to achieve the enhanced signal curves, the layers 24; 26 metallics should be produced by a constant longitudinal curve and edges that coincide with the carrier layer 23 almost at a right angle. Preferably, electrochemical or electroerosive demetallising processes are suitable for this. Figure 12 illustrates the evaluation signal belonging to it, in a voltage-time diagram. Figures 13 to 15 illustrate schematic views of the browsers 33, 34, 35 and the structured security feature 36. The structure of the security feature 36 consists of a circularly metallized security element 37, a metallized safety element 38 in the form of a strip and two rectangular metallized safety elements 39, 40. The safety test is carried out by the gradual steps of the raised edge discernible of the metallization because the falsification costs are greatly increased in this way. Simple hand-held devices include a scanner 33 according to FIG. 13. The resolution is low so that only the security element 38 can be detected in the form of a strip. Such hand-held devices are suitable for daily use since they can be manufactured easily, at low costs and for easy handling. Devices with a higher resolution, according to Figure 14, consist of a scanner 34 and allows, in addition to the test of security element 38 in the form of a strip, the test of additional security elements, in this case of an element 37 circular security. The rectangular security elements 39, 40 are not tested. This is carried out by a simple microprocessor software which is only sensitive to certain security elements. The rectangular security elements 39, 40 are not available as reference signals in the memory. Figure 15 illustrates a higher resolution with software designed appropriately for the microcontroller.

This allows the proof of all the security features, that is, also of the rectangular security elements 39, 40. In order to maintain the brightness of the optically effective security elements, the microstructures are manufactured by a specific metallization. In this way, stepped edges are produced to the non-metallized structure. In order to meet the objective specified in this invention, to contemplate a new system for applying safety elements and test devices in order to prevent the operation of test procedures and devices from being known or quickly known, the further use of the security elements using a corresponding process application and including the devices according to this invention is explained. For a large application of this invention, it is necessary to establish groups of test persons who in a propyeeta way acquire certain knowledge about the test system and who will carry out the imitation or falsification test and also the image detection and the conditioning test. by means of the specified test method. By means of groups A, B and C, the application of this seventh test will be explained.

Group A: It is well known that state banks provide publications of the active security characteristics of banknotes so that the user can carry out a test by himself, in accordance with the instructions. These publications refer to test methods which are carried out without auxiliaries, and test methods which are carried out with auxiliaries. The scan sensor is mounted on a handheld device. By means of this manual device, and special software, the electrical conductivity of certain safety elements can be tested. The software is modified that the scanner is activated by optical sensors, when the banknote passes and then the step length is measured. The electrical conductivity of a safety element must be available at a defined value. By means of the optical sensors, the end of the banknote is determined and the sensor of the scanner is activated. Therefore, the position of the electrically conductive safety element on the test element can be determined. Through the controller the data is compared and evaluated with the stored data.

Group B: Group B has machines for handling banknotes. These machines are equipped with special sensors in order to detect different characteristics. At the moment, these machines are equipped with sensors for the optical range and / or the detection of magnetic properties and / or the test by means of a capacitive sensor for the measurement of the step length. By means of these capacitive sensors, the presence of electrically conductive characteristics greater than 6 mm can be detected. It does not allow the detection of several electrically conductive safety elements in the passage length. In addition, it is impossible to detect a different electrical conductivity in the test areas. Structures within a security feature can not be detected as well. Using the specified scanner sensor, these tests are possible so that this B group can carry out a higher quality test. The group B software is designed in such a way that the scanner sensor is activated by means of optical sensors and subsequently the ring-shaped metal security element 37 and the metallized security feature 38 in the form of a strip ee detect. The conductivity value is set. Deeviations ± 30% are rejected.

Group C: The software is designed in such a way that all the security elements are detected. By means of optical sensors, the scanner sensor is activated. The step length and the step width and the safety feature 36, the ring-shaped security element 37, the security element 38 in the form of a strip as well as the rectangular security elements 39, 40 are detected. The electrical conductivity is given and deviations greater than or less than 30% are rejected. Especially for the application in groups B and C, the whole test system may vary, and especially for the Euro test, it can be modified nationally when considering its objectives. Since the safety feature that is to be tested, as in the Euro in all states, the test procedure as well as the test devices, however, can be modified and changed at successive intervals in a manner different in the different nations depending on the objective. The application of the security elements and the test devices as specified above are used as follows: by means of specific coded metallization, image detection is possible. This image detection can be used for various purposes, especially for purposes of classification, naming and detection of imitations. Another advantage of this test method is condition control. The measurement of electrical conductivity allows conclusions to be drawn regarding the paper condition of the banknote. A highly worn paper minimizes too much electrical conductivity.

In this invention by hand, the structure of the security elements and the device for testing such elements is specified by means of precise design examples.

However, one may note that this invention is not limited to the details of the specification in the design examples since the modifications and changes are claimed within the general scheme of the patent claims.

The specific combination of optically effective safety elements by diffraction with other electrically conductive characteristics results in another coding. At the same time, additional electrically conductive test features such as an electrically conductive safety strip, can be classified by means of the test device, in accordance with this invention.

Claims (18)

1. The structure of optically effective security elements by diffraction, with a metallic reflection layer in documents, in which there is a specific electrical coding of information by means of electrically conductive structures additionally applied in the form of a beam, mesh, curved and / or circular, with stepped edges to non-metallic structures parallel to different levels, where the width of the line of the electrically conductive structure that can be tested smaller, is = 5 mm.

2. The structure of security elements as described in claim 1, in which there is a specific electrical coding of information by means of metallized structures and additionally applied in the form of a beam, mesh, curved and / or circular, with edges eecalonadoe to structures non-metallized parallel to different levels, where the line width of the metallized structures that can be tested smaller is = 5 mm.

3. The structure of security elements as described in one or several of the preceding claims, in which the various electrically conductive structures have different conductivities.

4. The structure of security elements as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least two structures within a security feature have different coating thicknesses.

5. The structure of security elements as described in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the width of an electrically conductive structure with a constant electrical conductivity corresponds to the width of at least two electrodes of a test device.

6. The structure of security elements as described in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between two electrically conductive structures of equal and / or different electrical conductivity, ee of at least 0.1 mm.

7. The structure of security elements as described in one or more of the preceding claims, in which the electrically conductive structures are applied additionally have tinted or colored.

8. The device for the capacitive test of documents with optically effective security elements by diffraction with a metallic reflection layer, in which a scanner that works capacitively, the width of which is greater than the largest width of a document, tests structures electrically conductors which are placed inside metallic security elements by means of several parallel transmitting electrodes that are placed side by side in one or several lines and by a receiving electrode placed on the same side of the document to be tested and extending longitudinally along the transmitting electrodes and which evaluates them by means of an electronic control and evaluation system placed in the scanner for the comparison of the signal curve of the document to be tested with the corresponding reference signal curves.

9. The device, as described in claim 8, wherein at least two adjacent electrodes are placed in an electrically connected manner.

10. The device, as described in claim 8 or 9, in which the electronic control system consists of an energy supply, a multiplexer, an oscillator for the power supply for the transmitting electrodes and an oscillator for the control of the multiplexer .

11. The device, as described in one or more of claims 8 to 10, in which the electronic evaluation system consists of a power supply, an amplifier, a demodulator, a comparator, a microprocessor with memory as well as filters for the suppression or interference of unwanted signals.

12. The device, as described in one or more of claims 8 to 11, in which the smallest distance between two transmitting electrodes is less than 0.5 mm.

13. The device, as described in one or more of claims 8 to 12, wherein the distance between a transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode is at least 0.5 mm.

14. The device, as described in one or more of the preceding claims 8 to 13, wherein the device has a pressure device that directs the document to be tested parallel to the transmitting and receiving electrodes, and preferably presses it on the Explorer.

15. The device, as described in one or more of claims 8 to 14, in which the axes of the document transport rollers are rectified by means of sliding action contacts.

16. The device, as described in one or several of claims 8 to 15, in which the device is placed in high-speed document handling machines.

17. The device, as described in one or more of claims 8 to 16, in which the device is placed in manual devices.

18. The method according to the patent application DE 197 34 855.6 for the application of safety elements optically by diffraction, with a metallic reflection layer in documents with a structure as described in one or several of the claims 1 to 7 as well as the application of a device as described in one or more of claims 8 to 17, wherein the electrically conductive structures are placed on documents to be tested in terms of size, shape, number, ink and separation so that : by means of an explorer designed as a manual device, at least one of the electrically conductive structures is tested by a group of A-pars, by means of an explorer equipped with software that differs from the software designed for the group of persons A , installed on a high-speed handling machine, at least two of the electrically conductive structures are tested by one more group small defined of personae B, by means of an inelatated scanner in a high-speed handling machine, and equipped with software that differs from the software designed for group B, at least three of the electrically conductive structures are tested by a very small defined group of people C, and where the electrically conductive structures represent codings which are visually perceptible by the group of people A, visually perceptible and by means of coding by software, by the group of people B, and by the group of people C mainly through decoding by means of software not accessible to groups A and B.