RU2431193C2 - Composite mark - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technology.

SUBSTANCE: composite mark includes a substrate on which there is a multilayer polymer structure, on whose layers there a spatially partially overlapping relief hologram and/or diffraction grating structure and an information field with recorded digital information in form of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code. The information field consists of at least two different parts, one of which serves as a machine-readable attribute identifier which authenticates the relief hologram and/or diffraction grating structure and/or contains basic information which is the key for reading information from one or more data bases in the other part of the information field, which particularly facilitate the authentication operation.

EFFECT: high volume of information and protection with low cost of production.

53 cl, 27 dwg

Description

1. The purpose of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of development of optical and optoelectronic marking, analog-to-digital coding and decoding of various objects and products. More specifically, it relates to methods and systems for identifying product authenticity based on the use of combined brands carrying digital and analog information. At the same time, the main elements providing high information capacity and security at a low cost of the combined brand are a combination of various optical effects, primarily the effects of luminescence of substances (fluorescence, phosphorescence or electroluminescence), including polarized ones, with relief holograms and diffraction gratings, as well as with special placement of digital information.

2. The technical level of the invention

Currently, one of the world's major problems is the protection against counterfeiting of various products of the trading industry and intellectual property such as optical memory devices (DVD, HD-DVD, Blue ray, fluorescent and other optical disks), as well as banknotes, securities, credit cards documents, etc. This forces the world community to develop a variety of methods and devices to identify and protect against counterfeiting the above elements and products.

The solution to these problems is currently being implemented using, in particular, special brands in the form of one- and two-dimensional barcodes, relief holograms or diffraction patterns, radio frequency identifiers and their various combinations. They are applied to the surface or to the volume of the protected object or its packaging.

As a rule, (with the exception of radio frequency identifiers), the protection effect is based on giving these brands specific properties that can be classified as protective because of the difficulty in imitating them. These difficulties arise due to the use of various marks in the composition of brands made of materials having properties that most often cannot be detected visually or organoleptically. Stamps (labels) can be made using special technologies that are not accessible to the general public, giving them a unique appearance or unique optical or other physicochemical characteristics.

Currently, the most common security technologies are barcode authentication and holographic stamps.

In general, there are two ways of encoding information called barcode (or symbology): linear (one-dimensional) (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) barcode symbology.

In essence, one- and two-dimensional barcode systems are one of the varieties of optical memory tools. They can be both ROM- and WORM-type. In the first case, the barcode brands are ROM- and WORM-type. In the first case, ROM-type barcode brands (the abbreviation “Read Only Memory” is “read-only memory”) so that the user cannot write their information to them. It is recorded and replicated by the brand manufacturer and cannot be erased for re-recording.

WORM-type barcode brands (the abbreviation "Write-On-Read-Manu" - "write-once-read-multiple") are allowed to write their information directly to them once by the user. To do this, for example, thermal transfer or laser printers can be used.

Linear (one-dimensional) are called barcodes 10, physically formed on the label in the form of a combination of strokes 11 and spaces 12 of different widths (figure 1).

The most common linear symbols are: EAN, UPC, Code39, Code 128, Codabar, Interleaved 2 of 5.

The basic information carrier in the linear bar code 10 is the ratio of the width of the dark stripes 11 (strokes) and the width of the bright stripes 12 (spaces) between the strokes. Each digit is encoded by a certain number of strokes 11 and spaces 12, which have an appropriate width and a specific location in the space reserved for the digit. The space reserved for each digit of the code 10 is called a digital sign 13, as a rule, have the same width and consist of modules 14, so the width of the lines 11 and spaces 12 is always a multiple of module 14. The module is the narrowest element, as can be seen from figure 1.

In order to conveniently record the barcode of each digit, and not draw the strokes themselves, a binary system for recording numbers is used, which successfully combines with a barcode image. To do this, strokes are indicated by the number “1”, and spaces are indicated by “0”. For example, the barcode of the number 5 in the EAN system is written as: 0110001.

A label with strokes serves as a machine-readable identifier on products containing basic information - a link to a position in an external computer database that stores all information about a product or product (name, manufacturer, price, etc.).

In the case of a regular (one-dimensional) barcode, information recorded using a combination of strokes and spaces of different widths is read linearly in the direction orthogonal to the strokes (the stroke length does not carry an information load). From here follows a restriction on the amount of information - usually it does not exceed several tens (20-30) characters (usually numbers).

A regular barcode has vertical redundancy, meaning that the same information is repeated vertically. This is a truly one-dimensional barcode. Moreover, the height of the strokes can be reduced without loss of information. However, vertical redundancy allows a barcode that has print defects (such as spots or gaps) to maintain readability.

The main reason for the emergence of new technologies in this area is that now there is an urgent need to place and store on stamps (labels) a large amount of information. This is avoided using traditional one-dimensional barcodes, which typically contain 32 characters. They are often called “license plates”, since the information stored in such codes is only a key or a reference to an external database; the code itself does not contain comprehensive information about the product or any product.

The main difference between the two-dimensional code is that both orthogonal directions on the plane are used for information storage - vertical and horizontal. As a result, the capacity of two-dimensional code can be hundreds of times greater than the capacity of one-dimensional information in terms of the volume of stored information (for example, it is capable of storing several pages of text). If an external computer database is required when working with one-dimensional code, then in many cases the use of two-dimensional code allows you to abandon such a database, since the code capacity is sufficient to store complete information about the object. This is the qualitative difference between the two technologies.

In this regard, two-dimensional codes are indispensable, for example, in autonomous identification systems or, if necessary, the storage of complex characters of languages such as Japanese or Chinese. In addition, almost all modern technologies of two-dimensional codes, unlike one-dimensional codes, contain error correction tools and, therefore, guarantee greater reliability of data protection.

2D barcodes are essentially portable information files of high density and capacity and provide access to large amounts of information without reference to an external database. That is, the 2D barcode technology allows you to store all or most of its necessary information in the barcode itself. 2D barcodes have a predominantly matrix form and do not use traditional strokes / spaces to encode information. Instead of the standard technology for determining the stroke width, matrix barcodes are used to encode information of a yes-no or one-zero design (that is, on / off - design). There are many varieties of 2D barcodes (e.g. PDF417, MaxiCode, Datamatrix).

The structure of the code supports the coding of the maximum number from 1000 to 2000 characters in one code with information density from 100 to 340 characters. Each code contains a start and finish group of strokes that increase the height of the barcode.

However, devices for creating, applying, scanning, and decoding a two-dimensional barcode are much more complex and therefore more expensive than the widespread equipment for linear codes. Thus, printers with good resolution (thermal transfer or laser) are used to print 2D barcodes, and reading is carried out using special laser or CCD scanners.

2D barcode readers, unlike ordinary barcode scanners, first capture their image, then analyze the resulting image and only then extract it and decode the barcode. Devices that use video analysis are necessary for efficient reading of matrix codes, but they can also read ordinary barcodes. Video analysis technology offers opportunities for reading signatures, optical character recognition, etc.

In fact, in terms of supported data volumes and functional capabilities, two-dimensional coding technology takes an intermediate place between one-dimensional barcode and remote identification technologies.

Initially, two-dimensional codes were developed for applications that do not provide enough space to accommodate a conventional barcode identifier.

The first application for such symbols was the packaging of medicines in healthcare. These packings are small in size and have little space for 1D symbols. The electronics industry is also showing interest in high-density codes and two-dimensional codes due to the reduction in the size of elements and products.

Barcodes are most often used to automate distribution of goods. The most widespread is the thirteen-digit EAN-13 code, developed in 1976 based on the UPC (Universal Product Code) code. The essence of the technology is labeling in the form of a sequence of lines, which together with the spaces between the lines occupy numerical values.

The advantages of using barcode authentication include: reduction in paper workflow and the number of errors; increased processing speed; automation of goods distribution.

The main disadvantage of one- and two-dimensional barcode authentication is that the data on the tag is presented in the clear and does not protect goods from fakes and thefts. In addition, barcode labels are short-lived, as not protected from dust, moisture, dirt, mechanical stress.

At the same time, many are of the opinion that the most effective modern means of protection against counterfeiting of securities, banknotes, various currencies, bank cards, excise and special stamps, forms of strict accounting documents, authentication of high-quality goods, pharmaceutical, radio engineering and other products are rainbow embossed holograms embossed on polymer films.

Indeed, holographic marks applied in one way or another cannot be reproduced even by the most advanced copying and duplicating equipment.

Like barcode systems, holographic labels can be attributed to one of the varieties of optical media ROM-type. They are designed so that a user (not a criminal) cannot write down their holographic information on them.

By the nature of the image, protective holograms are divided into three main classes - two-dimensional or flat (2D), three-dimensional or three-dimensional (3D) and mixed (2D / 3D).

2D holograms are holograms of focused images of two-dimensional (flat) objects, with visible width and length. They are characterized by bright color reconstructed images that change color when the hologram is rotated relative to the light source. Two-dimensional holograms is a set of diffraction gratings.

Strictly speaking, these are not holograms, but diffractive optical elements, synthesized, as a rule, from individual diffraction gratings that differ in the frequency and angle of orientation of the dashes on the plane. This set forms a flat multi-color image. When changing the viewing angle, the color of individual parts of the image changes. 2D holograms are characterized by high brightness of the picture and undemanding to the quality of the light source.

Compared to other types of holographic images, they are relatively easy to fake or imitate, and therefore are rarely used on their own for protection, with the exception of low-value goods.

2D / 3D holograms allow you to restore single-color and color three-dimensional images of three-dimensional objects located near the registration plane, and are characterized by the effect of multi-colored volume plans.

3D holograms are three-dimensional images of objects with a width, length and depth. The simplest example of a three-dimensional hologram is the image of a dove on a VISA card.

The ability of a hologram to protect a specific object from a fake depends on several of its properties:

1. The hologram itself has high protective properties due to the fact that it cannot be made or copied using any of the modern printing technologies. At the household level, when authenticating, an ordinary consumer, as a rule, is limited to visual inspection of the fact of the presence of a protective hologram on the product, on which, as he knows, it should be.

2. A holographic image can be quite complex, contain several different elements with different diffraction effects visible to the naked eye, and at the same time contain elements visible only under certain conditions, the so-called hidden marks. This level of protection makes hologram forgery difficult. The main visual and hidden image elements used in the manufacture of protective holograms can be: image change depending on the angle of view, color coding, animation, kinematic effects (illusion of movement when the hologram is rotated), images visible only at large diffraction angles, moire effect, micro and nanotexts, etc.

A separate element of hologram protection against fakes is the so-called hidden mark. As a rule, this is a hologram that restores a certain image at a certain distance under certain lighting conditions. Most often, the light of a laser diode incident on the hologram at a certain angle is used for restoration, and the image is restored on the screen, which is also placed in a certain place. Usually reading hidden tags is implemented in special devices.

Hidden marks can also be made machine-readable to automatically determine the authenticity of a hologram using a special device. However, in real life, machine-readable diffraction marks are practically not used in situ, since too high demands are placed on the orientation of the hologram in space relative to the reader and its deformation.

For multi-level protection of the properties of holograms, currently developed:

- holograms with a “standard” holographic image with the application of an additional non-holographic image by thermal transfer printing or laser engraving (microtext, guilloche grid, etc.);

- holographic labels with sequential alphanumeric numbering (ink or laser);

- Exclusive “image” holograms (with the ability to include protective elements);

- holograms with a “standard” holographic image with laminating an additional non-holographic latent image, which can be visualized, for example, only using polarized light or by highlighting with special laser radiation with the formation of a fluorescent image.

A significant part of the above properties is possible only with the use of synthesized (digital) holography.

Thus, not only visual, but also instrumental (machine-readable) verification of the authenticity of holograms can be implemented.

Unfortunately, due to the widespread use of holographic technology even at the level of small private enterprises, many types of holograms, such as Landis and Gur cinemagrams, which restore images of simple geometric shapes or change their scale discretely when changing the direction of observation, are no longer a reliable means of protection against fakes. This is due to the fact that they can be reproduced on a professional level, however, with the corresponding financial costs.

In addition, a large number of criminal organizations involved in the illegal forgery of various products currently have great technical and technological capabilities. This allows them to copy even very technically sophisticated protective topographic stamps.

At the same time, a certain positive point is that it takes some time to realize this possibility.

Therefore, to solve the problem of protection against fakes, it is necessary:

- as much as possible complicate the production technology of the protective marks themselves with the aim of making their fakes unprofitable, and, on the other hand,

- to carry out their change quite often, again to complicate their falsification.

In this regard, firms specializing in the production of holograms designed to protect against counterfeiting of critical documents and securities are developing new types of embossing of rainbow holograms, the falsification of which is much more difficult. It is possible:

- either in connection with the new physical principles underlying them,

- either with a fundamentally new and fairly sophisticated technology,

- either with the introduction of multilevel degrees of protection of the holograms themselves.

Nevertheless, overcoming the situation, as practice shows, cannot be solved only by creating elements that certify the authenticity of the product (barcode or holographic stamps, etc.). These elements do not or do not carry enough information about the product itself and related obligations to use intellectual property. The absence of such information in this case does not guarantee the receipt of payments to the owners of the relevant rights provided for by applicable law and agreements between participants in a commercial project.

Thus, one of the key areas of protection of intellectual property rights is the creation of an integrated protection system that combines the functions of:

- authentication of the product itself;

- evidence of legal rights to the implementation of this product, taking into account compliance with obligations to use copyright and related rights;

- registration of the fact of the sale of products combining fiscal tasks with the protection of intellectual property on the basis of checking the availability of all the above certificates.

In accordance with the declared functions, the integrated intellectual property protection system includes a number of technological subsystems and elements:

- product labeling subsystem;

- subsystem of protection and authentication of the marked product;

- a fact registration subsystem during actions with a product with confirmation of authority to carry out such actions.

One of the interesting and promising materials for the formation of protective brands are materials that, for example, are transparent when exposed to visible radiation, but luminesce under the influence of, for example, UV or IR radiation. The properties of luminescence (fluorescence or phosphorescence), such as intensity, shape of the glow spectrum, wavelength of the maximum of the spectrum, spectral range, lifetime of the excited state, polarization characteristics of the glow, etc., can be used as protection elements. However, the ability to copy such fluorescent labels significantly limits their protective properties.

[US 3, 276, 316] describes a method for producing a polymer layer with a dichroic fluorescent dye dissolved in it, which is capable of anisotropically glowing under UV radiation.

[JP 60250304] proposes a medium with fluorescent adhesive and polarizing layers.

[US 5, 532, 104] describes a system for reading information from a recording medium such as a book cover with an anisotropic fluorescent image in the form of a barcode.

In [US 2003/9106994] a protective label was proposed to identify an object, including a fluorescent or phosphorescent material with an orientationally ordered molecular structure. When the label is irradiated with UV radiation, it re-emits polarized fluorescent or phosphorescent light, the polarizing and frequency parameters of which are protective signs to identify the authenticity of the object.

[US 2003/0006170] proposes a method and apparatus for multispectral imaging for identifying and sorting objects.

[US 2005/230965] proposes thermal transfer printing for the manufacture of identification cards. The process involves printing a stamp on the ink-perceiving surface of the card substrate. The stamp is printed with a combination of yellow, magenta and blue dye. The top coating has latent luminescent properties. The printed stamp is visible in normal light and detects bright fluorescence when illuminated with ultraviolet light.

[US 2002/0153423] proposes an automatic system and identification method using a machine-readable multilayer label. The label has many layers of machine-readable labels arranged one after the other. Each of the layers is encoded with identification symbols that are detected using one or more sensitive technologies. Each of the layers may include the same or different coding materials, providing the ability to read using x-ray, radio, thermal magnetic or ultrasonic radiation. Composite symbols can be formed either within one layer, or in the form of composite fragments.

[UA 16893] proposes a method for verifying the authenticity of a holographic security element with a microrelief [UA16894] formed on the surface of a polymer film with fluorescent labels. The method includes operations: excitation of a fluorescent dye using light with a specific wavelength, reading the fluorescence spectrum, analysis and comparison of the fluorescence spectrum of the investigated holographic element with the spectrum of the reference holographic element. If the essential features of the fluorescence spectra of the investigated and reference holographic elements coincide, a decision is made on the authenticity of the first. In case of mismatch, a decision is made on the authenticity of the holographic element being studied.

Closest to the technical nature of the present invention is a fluorescent holographic security element and method for verifying its authenticity, proposed in [US 6,263,104; US6,535,638; US 6,832,003; US2005100222]. In particular, in [US6, 263, 104] a device and method for reading information from holograms and other diffraction objects, including fluorescent coding and decoding on transparent holograms and objects such as various cards, are proposed. In the latter case, fluorescent labels were placed on the opposite side of the object with respect to the hologram, and the spectral properties of the light-emitting particles were the coding element.

3. Disclosure of invention

The above and other problems are solved by methods and devices in accordance with the examples described below in the present invention.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a combined information-bearing brand (hereinafter, for brevity, just a brand). Its main advantages compared to well-known technical solutions that provide high information capacity and security at low cost are the combination of holographic protection methods using various parameters of the optical and spectral-luminescent properties of substances, such as intensity, absorption and emission wavelengths, spectral shape and glow time, polarization characteristics, as well as with special placement of digital information generated using discrete elements, optical Kie properties of which differ from the optical properties of the medium in which they are located, so that the spatial region which it (information) takes a partially or fully overlaps with the region of space occupied by the hologram. In this case, both the holographic and luminescent components of such a combined brand can be made in the form of a single or multilayer information-bearing structure, which is one of the new varieties of optical means of ROM- or WORM-type memory.

In the General case, in accordance with the invention, the combined brand authenticating the product includes at least one polymer layer, on the surface of which a structure is formed, consisting of a field with digital information recorded using discrete elements, the optical properties of which differ from the properties of the environment , and overlapping with the field on which the reflective relief hologram and / or diffraction grating is located. A distinctive feature of the brand is that the holographic and / or diffraction fields and the information field partially or fully spatially overlap with each other according to a predetermined law and are logically interconnected.

By “field” or “region” is meant a part of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space possessing characteristic specific properties. By “information field” is meant a field with digital information recorded using discrete elements. By “discrete field element” is meant the part of the “field” that gives it functional properties. By “discrete luminescent element” is meant an element capable of luminescing under the influence of light or under the influence of an applied electric field. By “reflective discrete element” is meant an element capable of reflecting sensing light. By “hologram” is meant a relief hologram and / or a diffraction grating. Under the "structure" of the brand is understood the layered construction of the brand, consisting of several polymer and other auxiliary layers, as well as the spatial arrangement of the fields with different functional properties on these layers.

In this case, several options for the mutual arrangement of the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and the information field are possible:

1. Information-bearing luminescent discrete elements of the two-dimensional code of the information field are made in the form of microdepths filled with a luminescent composition and are located directly in the same polymer layer as the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure.

2. Luminescent and reflective discrete elements of the two-dimensional code are made by microlocal removal of the reflective layer deposited on top of the hologram relief and / or diffraction-grating structure, and are located in the same polymer layer as the hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure.

3. The luminescent and reflective discrete elements of the two-dimensional code are located partially or completely in polymer layers other than the layer in which the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure is formed.

The brand information field may be uniform in density of discrete elements or variable, and preferably consist of one or more auxiliary (low) and one or more main (high) information fields.

A low-informative field consists of discrete luminescent elements, which can be made in the form of recesses filled with a luminescent composition (luminescent pits) or flat luminescent and / or reflective pixels individually located according to a given law, for example, along a family of parallel lines with a period of the order of hundreds of lines / mm, on the area of the hologram. The size and material of each discrete element is selected so as not to distort the hologram. The sizes of discrete elements, their shape and the density of their placement in the information field, especially in low- and high-information fields, can be different. In addition, the discrete elements can be spatially isolated from each other, and / or spatially in contact with each other and / or spatially partially or completely overlap with each other. In each case, depending on the type of hologram and the amount of information, the ratio between the holographic and information fields can be optimized. Preferably, the area of the information field is about 20-30% of the area of the hologram. Moreover, this information field is visually invisible and does not affect the quality of images retrieved from the hologram. The capacity of such an information field can be commensurate with the capacity of traditional one-dimensional barcodes. The proposed uninformative field serves as a machine-readable identifier of a sign confirming the authenticity of the hologram itself. In addition, it contains the basic information (code), which is the key for one or more databases located directly in highly informative fields located on the same combined brand.

One or more highly informative fields is performed in the form of matrix structures spatially arranged according to a given law on the area of a homogeneous hologram. Moreover, the information capacity of each of the fields can be comparable to or exceed the capacity of traditional two-dimensional barcodes (1-2 kilobytes) and sufficient to store complete information about one or more products. This allows you to completely abandon the external computer database and autonomously carry out a number of operations. For example, operations such as confirmation of the authenticity of the product itself (or several products at once) and the existence of legal rights to sell these products, taking into account obligations to use copyright and related rights, as well as registration of the fact of sale of the product that combines fiscal tasks with intellectual property protection based on checking all of the listed items.

Another objective of the present invention are various versions of the technology for the manufacture and recording of information on the luminescent component of the proposed combined brand, which can be performed with a single or multi-layer luminescent information-bearing structure, which is one of the new varieties of optical memory devices ROM or WORM type.

According to the present invention, anisotropic, dichroic-absorbing and anisotropic-luminescent substances that can orient themselves, for example, in an anisotropic matrix, can also be used as photo- or electroluminescent substances that fill information pits. In this case, the spatial orientation of the optical axes in each of the pits or pixels can be encoded according to a certain law in the range from 0 ° to 180 °. Such angular orientation coding and polarization reading allows for multiplex recording and reading of data information and makes it possible to store up to several tens of bits of information in one pit or pixel. Thus, this method allows one to increase the recording density by a factor of tens in comparison with the traditional system of fluorescent optical memory, in which the information signal is a simple difference in the luminescence intensity at the location of the pit or pixel and beyond. In addition, this method is an effective method of protecting information and the product itself from fraud.

Another objective of the invention is another variant of the structure and methods of forming anisotropic combined grades using anisotropic uniaxially stretched luminescent polymer films in which embossed holograms and / or diffraction structures are formed on the surface of a thermoplastic polymer film with a highly reflective coating on both sides in all visible spectral range or only in the absorption band of this substance is coated. The necessary luminescent properties of the film can be imparted by dissolving in it and / or by chemical bonding to the polymer with a covalent or ionic bond, at the molecular level, with an anisotropic, dichroic absorbing and anisotropic luminescent substance. As such substances can be used both low and high molecular weight compounds. In this case, a luminescent information-bearing field is formed at the recording stage as a result of local removal of the reflective coating on one side, for example, by laser ablation.

The use of anisotropic materials provides:

1. The absence of background luminescent illumination, since the luminescent layer is covered by a fully reflective layer.

2. The glow of information-bearing pixels is polarized, which is an additional security element. In addition, reading can be carried out by dichroism in the absorption band of the phosphor.

3. In addition, since the polymer molecules in the information-carrying pixels are uniaxially oriented, the information recorded in them can be read both by birefringence in the transparency region and by dichroism in the absorption band, for example, in the infrared region of the spectrum.

4. It is possible that instead of an anisotropic phosphor, a dichroic, non-luminescent substance with an absorption band in a given (UV, visible or IR) region of the spectrum is used.

5. A simpler version of the manufacture of the combined mark is possible when an anisotropic phosphor or a dichroic substance is absent in the hologram layer.

The next objective of the invention are optical elements and devices for reading information from the proposed brands. At the same time, such fluorescence or phosphorescence properties as intensity, emission spectral range, spectrum shape, luminescence duration under optical or electrical excitation, as well as its polarization characteristics are used as machine-readable features.

Another objective of the present invention is the use of the proposed brands in various fields of technology.

In the description, other advantages and functionality of the invention are formulated.

4. Brief Description of the Drawings

The essence of the invention is illustrated by examples of its specific, but not limiting the claimed technical solutions, embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 - schematically represents the structure of a one-dimensional barcode,

figure 2 - schematically represents the structure of a two-dimensional barcode,

figa, b - schematically represents the transverse structure of one of the variants of the proposed brand ROM-type with optically (a) and electrically (b) an excited phosphor,

figure 4 - schematically represents an image of one of the possible options for the spatial location of the protective elements on the brand,

figure 5 - schematically represents an image of another variant of the spatial arrangement of the protective elements on the brand,

6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the geometric configuration of four adjacent bytes of information recorded using an ETT code,

figa, b - schematically represents a stamp placed on an opaque product (a), and a stamp embossed directly on the protected product (b),

figa, b - represent (a) a flowchart of the manufacturing process of the brand - the original with the relief for the production of a combined brand ROM type and (b) a schematic illustration of this process,

Fig.9-22 - represent various variants of the manufacturing process of combined grades of ROM- or WORM-types,

Fig - schematically represents one of the possible variants of a device for reading information from a combined brand,

Fig - schematically represents the transmission spectra of the filters located in front of the read radiation source (a) and the photodetector element (b).

5. The implementation of the invention

In accordance with the invention, in the general case, the combined brand includes a substrate and a polymer layer with a structure consisting of an overlapping hologram field and a field with digital information. A distinctive feature of the brand is that the hologram field is made in the form of a relief of light-reflecting material, and the field with digital information is an array of discrete elements, the optical properties of which differ from the properties of the medium in contact with them (surrounding them), and which can convert the incident electromagnetic radiation or an electric field applied to them into an optical signal emitted or reflected by them. Discrete elements can be made of light-reflecting materials and / or materials having luminescent, including electroluminescent, properties. The use of luminescent materials allows their characteristic properties to be included in protection elements. Another distinctive feature of the brand is that discrete elements that carry digital information can be located in the structure of the brand with different densities according to a certain law and are logically interconnected. It is preferable to design discrete information elements in such a way as to exclude or impede their detection and identification by organoleptic methods. Finally, a distinctive feature of the brand is that the polymer layer with the formed fields can be made in either a single-layer or multi-layer version.

In this case, several options for the mutual arrangement of the fields of protective holograms and / or diffraction gratings and fields with digital information are possible:

1) information-bearing discrete elements are made in the form of microdeeps, the surface of which is covered or the volume of which is filled with a material, the optical properties of which differ from the optical properties of the medium in contact with them, and are located directly in the same polymer layer as the hologram relief,

2) discrete elements are made by local selective removal of the reflective layer deposited on top of the hologram relief, and are located in the same polymer layer as the hologram,

3) luminescent and reflective discrete elements are located partially or completely in the polymer layer, different from the layer in which the relief hologram is formed.

Like barcode and holographic marks, the combined marks proposed in the present invention can also be considered as one of the varieties of optical memory devices of ROM or WORM type. Moreover, structurally significantly different from fluorescent optical disks, the technological processes for their manufacture and physicochemical principles of recording and reading information in some cases may partially be close to the processes and principles of operation of fluorescent optical memory described in the patents [US6, 009, 065; US6,039,898; US6,071,671; US6,309,792; US 6,500,660; US6,992,965; US7, 116, 628; US7,226,637; EP 1428173]. Thus, it can be considered that combined brands are one of the new applications of fluorescent optical memory.

It is known that a ROM-type information medium is arranged so that a user cannot record his information on it. It is recorded optically or by electron beam lithography initially on the original disc with the subsequent manufacture of a metal master disc and is again replicated by the manufacturer of optical discs. Therefore, this information cannot be erased for re-recording. As a rule, replication from a master disk is carried out by embossing solid thermoplastic polymer films or hardening liquid, for example, photopolymerizable compositions.

The same technology with a certain modification can be used in mass production of a combined ROM-type brand. Moreover, like fluorescent optical disks of the ROM type, described in the patents [US6, 039, 898; US6,071,671; US6,291,132; US 6,500,660; US6, 309, 729], information-bearing luminescent layers of the brand proposed in the present invention may have a microrelief structure and contain microdepths filled with a luminescent composition. By analogy with fluorescent discs, we further call them information-bearing pits, or simply information pits, or simply pits.

In the case of short-run production of a combined ROM-type brand for the formation of information-bearing luminescent or reflective discrete elements, the present invention proposes to record information by a laser beam using a method such as direct laser ablation of the luminescent layer.

In addition, luminescence quenching is possible (when using a bilayer polymer film containing a phosphor and a luminescence quencher, as described in the patents [US 6, 115. 344; US 6, 721, 257]), the use of latent phosphors (ie photochromic substances [US 6, 071, 671; US 5, 847, 141; US5, 936, 878, US 6, 027, 855; US 6, 280, 904], films with energy-intensive compounds [US 6, 682, 799; US 7 , 094, 517]) and other methods. In these cases, after recording information, the spatial structure of the luminescent film is not violated and microdeeps are not formed. Information is recorded in the form of microlocal changes in the luminescent properties of the medium.

In addition, information can be recorded by microlocal removal of the reflective coating located on the surface of the polymer, including the luminescent, layer.

Moreover, the luminescent properties of the information layer also do not change and are uniform over the entire surface. However, the luminous intensity of the combination of the luminescent layer and the microperforated reflective coating is determined by the presence or absence of the reflective layer in a local place. In this way, luminescent and reflective information discrete elements can be obtained.

By analogy with the terminology used in the technology for the production of liquid crystal displays [VGChigrinov, Liquid Crystal Devices: Physics and Applications, Artech House, London (1999)], we hereinafter call these microlocal changes information-bearing pixels, in contrast to the pits characterizing local spatial arrangement of microdeeps.

At the request of the consumer, these combined marks can be used to additionally record information stored on the consumer on them (WORM-type marks). For this, the devices described below can be used.

Fig. 3a schematically represents the transverse structure of one embodiment of the proposed ROM-type combined brand 30. The brand consists of a substrate (not shown in Fig. 3a) with a layer 31 applied thereon, made of organic or organoelement (for example, organosilicon) polymeric material. For its manufacture, thermoplastic polymers can be used, as well as thermo-, photo- or radiation-curable oligomeric or monomeric compositions.

The combined relief structure 32 consists of relief 2D or 3D holograms, pixelograms, kinoforms, stereograms, cinemagrams, diffraction patterns, etc. 33 with a depth of relief of up to several fractions of a micron, and information-bearing pit 34, also made in the form of microdepths with a depth several times greater than the maximum depth of the holographic microrelief, is formed on the surface of layer 31 either by embossing a thermoplastic polymer, or by thermo-, photo- or radiation hardening of oligomeric or monomeric compositions. Moreover, individual luminescent information-bearing elements (pits) 34 or information fields of them are located according to a certain law directly in the same layer 31 as the relief hologram 33.

A layer of reflective coating 35 made of metal, such as aluminum, is applied over this combined microrelief structure 32. The coating thickness is hundredths of a micron. As reflective coatings can also be used layers made of semiconductors or dielectric materials with a high refractive index.

On the reflective coating 35, a layer 36 is located with an information field made of a material containing substances capable of exhibiting luminescence (fluorescence or phosphorescence) properties under the influence of activating, for example UV, visible or near infrared radiation absorbed by them.

In accordance with the present invention, the brand 30 may have several information-bearing layers (for simplicity, only one additional information layer 37 is shown for simplicity), which are interconnected transparent to the recording, reading, reading (luminescent) radiation of the separation layers 38. As of such separation layers, polymer layers are used. In this case, the refractive indices of the optical medium of the separation layers 38 and the information layers 37 are equal or very close to each other. The polymer layer 39 serves to protect the card from mechanical, chemical and other damage.

Luminescent compositions used to form luminescent information-bearing layers may include luminescent chemically homogeneous or different substances having the same or different light-absorbing and light-emitting spectral and temporal characteristics. The last option is shown in figa and 3b, where the layers 36 and 37 are different from each other.

Fig.3b schematically represents the transverse structure of another variant of the proposed combined brand with not optical, but electrical excitation of information-bearing layers during reading.

As one of the materials capable of luminescence, in the present invention, it is proposed to use substances capable of exhibiting the property of electroluminescence, i.e. glow when a certain voltage is applied to the layer 36 using a transparent electrode 40 and a control unit 41 (additional layers are not indicated in Fig. 3b that contribute to lowering the electron injection energy barrier, increasing the mobility of charge carriers and improving other technical characteristics).

The advantage of using electroluminescent materials in the proposed brand is the absence of the need for light illumination during reading, however, the design of the brand itself is quite complicated.

The luminescent information-bearing layer 36 can be made in the form of a structure when the luminescent material fills only the pits 34, or of a continuous structure when it partially fills the space between the pits, i.e. at the location of the hologram 33 (as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b). The type of structure of the information-bearing layer 36 is determined by the specific purpose of the combined brand 30.

According to the present invention, anisotropic, dichroic absorbing and anisotropic luminescent substances capable of taking a given molecular orientation according to a selected direction, for example, in an anisotropic matrix, can also be used as photo- or electroluminescent substances that fill information pits.

In the general case, anisotropic information pits or pixels can be made of materials and compositions capable of spontaneously (for example, due to the anisotropy of intermolecular interactions) or under the influence of any external forces of electrical, magnetic, optical or other origin to form anisotropic molecular structures in the form of information pit or pixel carriers. The composition of these materials or compositions that play the role of a matrix should include photochemically stable, exhibiting dichroic properties at the wavelength of information reading and anisotropically luminescent low or high molecular weight substances. Anisotropic luminescent substances can also be used without a matrix, provided they are able to form anisotropic molecular structures in the form of discrete information elements - pits or pixels.

As such anisotropic absorbing and luminescent substances, for example, those that are well soluble in photopolymerizable liquid crystal polymer, oligomeric or monomeric compositions are selected. Molecules must have a rigid, rod-like or disk-shaped shape, the long-wavelength absorption oscillator of which lies along their long axis (for example, stilbene) or across it (for example, tetracene, pentacene and other polyacenes).

Since the spatial orientation of the optical axes in each pit or pixel can be encoded according to a certain law, this allows polarization-multiplex data storage.

An advantage of the proposed information carrier is also the possibility of increasing the intensity of the fluorescent signal by increasing the size of the information pit or pixels (due to the possibility of storing several bits of information in one pite or pixel), compared with the known fluorescent optical memory systems [US 6, 115, 344; RU 2 159 471].

Figure 4 presents a schematic representation of one of the possible options for the spatial location of the protective elements on the surface 40 of the brand 30.

In accordance with the invention, the holographic part 41 may occupy either the entire area of the brand, or only part of it. As mentioned above, it represents a variety of previously known 2D or 3D holograms or diffraction patterns and their combinations. It can carry certain, also previously known, protective properties, for example, contain a rainbow background that changes color, or the effect of flicker when turning, etc.

In addition, like traditional holographic marks, additional security elements can be introduced at or at the location of the protective holograms, as indicated earlier, for example, microtext, including those made with thermochromic or photochromic paints that change color when the temperature or exposure changes light of a certain composition, notches that serve to ensure the destruction of the brand when trying to separate it from the product, etc.

In accordance with the invention, the first information-bearing layer 36 may occupy the whole or part of the hologram field and may be uniform or inhomogeneous in terms of the density of discrete elements according to a predetermined law in the information field, which, in turn, preferably contains at least two types information fields: one little and one or more highly informative:

1. One uninformative field consisting of separate discrete information pits or pixels (luminescent or reflective) 42 individually spatially arranged according to a given law, for example, along a family of parallel lines with a period of the order of hundreds of lines / mm, on the area of the hologram 41. The linear size of each information discrete element may be from fractions of a micron or more and with a total area occupied by these elements, so as not to lead to distortion of the hologram 41, while their sizes may be different . The total area occupied by these discrete elements can be about 20-30% of the total area of the hologram. Moreover, this information field is visually invisible and does not affect the quality of images retrieved from holograms 41. The capacity of such an information field can be commensurate with the capacity of known one-dimensional barcodes. A low-informative field serves as a machine-readable identifier of a sign confirming the authenticity of holograms 41. In addition, it contains basic information (code), which is the key for one or more databases located directly in the highly informative fields 43 and located on the card 40.

2. One or more highly informative fields 43 in the form of matrix structures of discrete information elements spatially arranged according to a given law on the area of a homogeneous hologram 41. Each discrete information element (luminescent and / or reflective pit or pixel) 44 on field 43 can have a linear size of fractions of a micron or more, and the area of each of these highly informative fields 43 may be from about mm ² or more. As a result of this, the capacity of each information field 43 can be comparable or significantly exceed the capacity (1-2 Kbytes) of traditional two-dimensional barcodes.

Since the information capacity of highly informative fields 43 is sufficient to store complete information about one or more protected products, this allows you to abandon the external computer database and autonomously carry out, for example, operations such as verifying the authenticity of the product (or several products at once), the presence legal rights to sell these products, subject to compliance with obligations to use copyright and related rights, as well as registration of the fact of sale of the product, combining fiscal Tasks with the protection of intellectual property on the basis of an examination of all the elements listed above.

Figure 5 presents a schematic representation of another variant of the spatial arrangement of the protective elements on the surface 50 of brand 30. In accordance with the invention, in this case, there is also one uninformative field consisting of individual discrete information elements (luminescent and / or reflective pits and / or pixels) 500, individually spatially located along the holographic part (field of the hologram and / or diffraction grating) of the mark. The brand itself is occupied by many spatially spaced identical (501a-d; 502a-d) or different (503 and 504) holograms. As mentioned above, they can be a variety of previously known 2D or 3D holograms or diffraction patterns and their combinations.

As in the case of FIG. 4, discrete information elements (luminescent and / or reflective pit and / or pixels) are also formed on the surface of a layer with at least one hologram in the form of certain structures 505a-j containing a matrix of discrete information elements 506 They are presented more clearly in insets 507 and 508. The spatial angular arrangement of discrete information elements (luminescent and / or reflective pits and / or pixels), for example, 506f and 506d in each of the information fields 505a-j with respect to turnips The number of directions on the periphery of 509 grade 30 is set according to a certain law. This is clearly seen in the inserts 507 and 508, as well as in the inserts 510 and 511, where the arrows indicate the direction of the discrete information elements 506f and 506d. For example, from figure 5 it can be seen that the orientation of the pit or pixels in the i-th information field relative to the specifying (reference) direction (vertical) is 0 ° (φ _ii = 0 °), while in the j-th this angle is 45 ° (φ _ij = 0 °). Angular coding of the arrangement of pit or pixels 505 in the information fields 504 allows for multiplex coding, which allows to increase the information capacity and noise immunity of the brand 30, and also use it as a key for one or more databases located directly in the highly informative fields 43 and located on the brand 40.

According to the invention, highly informative fields 504 may have a matrix form for encoding information similar to that of traditional 2D barcodes (for example, PDF417, MaxiCode, Datamatrix). They can use an interference-proof on / off design (that is, “yes-no” or “unit zero”) to encode information with the possibility of error correction, which would make it possible to correctly read even partially damaged marks.

For example, one of the promising methods for encoding information in highly informative fields is the ETT ("eight-to-ten") method described in the patents [US 6,507,545; EP1.428.173]. 6 schematically shows a two-dimensional geometric configuration of information elements as four adjacent bytes of information 60, deposited using an ETT code on the surface of the information medium. Here, one information byte is presented in the form of a field (microregion) 61, including (2 × 5) square elements of a certain size, where each of the square elements is optically different (contrasted) from the surrounding space (for example, due to a fluorescent substance or a light-reflecting coating) .

Another variant of the ROM structure of the brand is shown in Fig. 7a (for simplicity, only the main elements are shown). Such a structure makes it possible to read information from a mark placed on a controlled opaque product 70 in the transmission mode using sensing radiation 77, which causes a luminescence of information carrier pit 34 and a recording photodetector 73. For this, a transparent window 74 is made in the product 70, where the mark is placed . To increase the brightness of the hologram 33, reproduced from the brand, while maintaining a sufficiently high transparency, the reflective layer 35 consists of dielectric materials with a high refractive index.

Another possibility is the ROM structure shown in Fig.7b. In this case, the hologram 33 is directly pressed together on a protected, for example, paper, document or product 80. In this case, the hologram 33 may be pressed together on elements 81 printed on a document, for example, or on polymer layers laminated to the protected document. These elements in this embodiment serve as a layer 31, similar to that shown in figa. An information-bearing embossed microstructure in the form of pit or pixels 34 is formed on the surface of this relief hologram 33 using a stamper. Next, they are filled with a luminescent composition with a refractive index significantly different from the refractive index of the material 81 of the protected document.

In the absence of a reflecting layer, a few percent of the reflected radiation is spent on the formation of a holographic image and it is almost imperceptible when observed in ordinary scattered light.

However, it is visualized using sufficiently directed radiation, for example, from an incandescent lamp.

The most important step in the production process proposed in the present invention, the combined brand ROM-type shown in figa, b, providing its specified features and properties, is the first stage of manufacture of relief-bearing brand-original. On figa, b presents a block diagram of the technological process of its manufacture and (b) a schematic illustration of this process.

In accordance with the invention, initially, by analogy with the technology for manufacturing optical disks, a relief-bearing brand-original (analogue of an optical disk-original, stamper, stamp, embossed pattern) is made. For this, a layer is used, for example, photo- or electron-resistor 801, deposited on a transparent, for example, glass or quartz substrate 802. In contrast to the technology for forming optical discs-originals, thicker layers 801 are used in this case. Their thickness should be not less than depth information pit.

There are two options for the formation of the original brand:

1. The use of optical radiation. Thus, for example, in the layer of photoresist 801, one hologram is recorded, as shown in Fig. 4, or a series of holograms, as shown in Fig. 5. After that, low- and high-information fields are imprinted into the layer by photolithography, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Then, the exposed layer of photoresist 801 is developed with the formation of a relief hologram 803 and an array of information pit 804 on its surface.

A reverse sequence of exposure operations is possible when a photolithographic operation is performed first, after which a hologram is recorded in the same layer. A variant is possible when the manifestation of the photoresist is performed sequentially after each stage of exposure. The last option is shown in Fig.7 b.

2. When using synthesized (computer) holograms and / or diffraction-grating structures, both stages of exposure can be carried out simultaneously (as shown in Fig. 7 b) using electron-sensitive resists. This option may be preferable in terms of expanding the functionality of the proposed combined protective brands.

Further, according to the traditional production technology of master disks for CD or DVD optical discs, described, for example, in [G. Bouwhuis, J. Braat, A. Huijser, J. Passman, G. van Rosmalen, and K.Schouhamer Immink, Philips Research Laboratories, Eindhoven, Adam Hilger Ltd., Bristol and Boston (Optical Disk Systems, Translation by V. G. Tsukanov, edited by M. F. Stelmakh, Moscow, “Radio and Communication”, 1991); Ullman's Encyclopedia jf industrial chemistry, sixth edition, Wiley-VCH, Reprint; J. Taylor, DVD Demystified, The Guidebook for DVD - Video and DVD - ROM, McGraw-Hill], make master stamps, using which, according to the technology for the production of multilayer fluorescent optical discs, described, for example, in patents [US 6, 039, 898; US 6, 309, 729; US 6,500,660; US 7,226,637; US 2007/00753279; EP 1027703; EP1419047; EP 1 428 173; RU 2271043] the manufacture of the combined multilayer brand of the product of the present invention is performed.

One of the options for the production and duplication of a combined brand with the ability to record information (analogue of a WORM-type optical medium or ROM-type small-format medium) can be organized as shown in Fig. 9. To do this, the thermoplastic film 901, which is initially smooth with a reflective (for example, metallized) coating, enters the table 903 using the tape drive 902, where the embossed hologram 905 is stamped with a metal stamp (stamper) 904 and the coordinate marks 906 and coordinate grid are formed, as shown in the inset 908. After that, a film 910 containing a luminescent substance is pressed onto a tape with a hologram, a coordinate grid and coordinate marks using a laminating device 909.

After that, the hologram film 901, laminated with a luminescent film 910, enters the digital information recorder 911. The 911 recorder is positioned in accordance with the coordinate grid 907 and marks 906 formed on the film 901. After that, in certain areas of the hologram 905 on the luminescent layer in the holographic layer the field is recorded using the methods described below, a low-informative field containing key information (codeword) {h _ij } 912 and highly informative fields containing digital information {L _mn } in areas 913.

The coordinates {h _ij } can be associated with discrete information elements (luminescent or reflective) {L _mn }. An array of digital data M [{h _ij }; {L _mn }], including, for example, an electronic digital signature, according to the method described, for example, in [US 5, 519, 805]. As a result of the formation of such an array of digital data, any attempt to distort (fake) the hologram should lead to a violation of the information array of data M due to the loss of some discrete information elements, up to one, and make reading information in a highly informative field impossible.

In another case of short-run production of a ROM-type combined brand for the formation of information-bearing fields (luminescent or reflective), the present invention proposes to record information by a laser beam using a method such as direct laser ablation of luminescent or reflective layers.

In addition, luminescence quenching is possible (when using a bilayer polymer film containing a phosphor and a luminescence quencher, as described in patents [US6, 115, 344; US 6, 721, 257]), the use of latent phosphors (ie photochromic substances [ US 6, 071, 671; US 5, 847, 141; US 5, 936, 878; US 5, 936, 878; US 6, 027, 855; US 6, 280, 904], films with high-energy compounds [US 6 , 682, 799; US 7,094, 517]) and other methods.

The final step is to apply a protective film 914 to the layer with the formed field of discrete information elements (luminescent or reflective), for example, by laminating 915, as shown in Fig. 9, by gas vapor deposition or other known methods.

A modified version of the method described in Fig.9 is presented in Fig.10. In this case, a multilayer film 10 is used with a thermoplastic layer 11 containing a luminescent substance. As shown in inset 12, a reflective coating 13 (metal, semiconductor, dielectric) is applied to the surface of layer 11. It should be noted that the layers 14 are auxiliary in nature, for example, imparting certain mechanical or adhesive properties, and may be absent.

In this case, the sequential formation of a hologram 905 with coordinate marks 906 and grid 907 and the implementation of information recording is carried out in one layer. Initially, the hologram is embossed with a device (for example, a press) 904. Then, at the stage of recording information using a laser device 911 by local removal (ablation, evaporation, burning) of the reflective coating 13, discrete information elements (luminescent and / or reflective pixels) are formed as in areas of low informative field 912, and in areas of highly informative fields 913. Moreover, in order not to disturb the luminescent layer at the places of formation of information pixels, its thickness is chosen It is large enough.

The above process can be modified by applying to the surface of the reflective layer, for example Al, an additional layer containing in its composition in latent (latent) form substances from the class of photoacids or photo bases. In this case, during exposure at the recording stage, local etching of the lower metal layer occurs in appropriate places, and the photoreaction etching film is separated from the working surface of the layer, after which a protective material is applied.

A photolithographic method can also be used to form information pixels on the surface of which there is no reflective layer. In this case, a layer of dry film photoresist is applied to the reflective layer (for example, Al). After that, the photoresist is exposed through the photomask and appears with the formation of microdepths. Further, in the places where microdeeps are formed, the reflective coating is etched to form luminescent pixels. Then, the remaining photoresist film is removed from the working surface and then a protective layer is applied to it.

Another embodiment of the method is presented in Fig.11. In this case, a hologram stamp (stamper) can be used, which is located on the cylindrical surface 115. At least one ruler or array of lasers 116 is used to increase the speed of recording information.

On Fig presents a variant of forming a combined brand ROM-type. As in the case of the technological process shown in Fig. 8, a combined stamper 1201 is used as a stamper, on the surface of which a hologram with a microrelief and microdepths, spatially formed in the form of uninformative and highly informative fields, are simultaneously formed. As before, the stamper 1201 is used to form a relief hologram 905 on the surface of the film 901. However, in this case, microdepths (pits) are also formed on the hologram in the information area 906 and 912. Then, the film 901 is laminated with a luminescent film 1202. After that, using a stamp 1203, 1204, the laminated film is embossed in such a way that micro-cavities are filled with a luminescent composition to form an information-bearing luminescent film with a thickness less than or equal to depth Pete. Then, as before, a protective film 914 is applied to the luminescent surface.

The luminescent coating may also be applied from the varnish solution 1301, as shown in FIG. 13. After applying the luminescent varnish 1301 to the surface of the hologram 905 and the information areas 906 and filling the recesses on the surface of the film 901, the varnish 1301 is dried in a drying device 1302. Next, a protective film 914 is applied.

The same process can be organized as shown in Fig. 14. In this case, as in FIG. 11, the combined stamper 1201 is made on the surface of the cylinder 1401. In addition, an applicator 1402 is additionally introduced into the processing unit to form a homogeneous liquid film of a given thickness. The drying compartment 1302 serves to form a solid luminescent film, the surface of which can be covered with a protective film 914. The relief on the surface adjacent to the microdepths can be formed in such a way as to facilitate the flow of fluid into them.

A similar process is shown in FIG. But in this case, a liquid luminescent composition based on photosensitive oligomers (photopolymers) 1501 is used, which cures under the influence of a UV radiation source 1502.

Another option may be the process schematically represented in FIG. 16. After the formation of the hologram 905 and informational microregions for filling the pit, in this case, the deposition of solid phosphors 1601 at a small angle is used. This spraying mode was previously proposed for the application of reflective coatings [US 6, 049, 521; EP 1419503] and nanocrystals of semiconductors (quantum dots) [US 2004/0114491]. Instead of spraying, one can use directional deposition of, for example, electrically charged, aerosols of liquid composite luminescent compositions with their subsequent hardening under the influence of heat or light. After filling the pit with a phosphor, a protective film 914 is applied.

When forming multilayer combined grades of ROM- and / or WORM-type, information can be recorded on several luminescent films, as shown in Fig. 17. In this case, after the information is generated in the first luminescent layer 1701 using the device 1702 (laser devices, embossing, printers, low angle spraying), a second luminescent film 1703 is deposited on its surface, on which another array of information is formed. The process can be repeated many times. As the first layer, a layer can be used on which an information field is formed from discrete elements that reflect light, and information fields of all subsequent layers consist of discrete luminescent elements. Also, the information field of the first layer may contain both luminescent and reflective discrete elements. Thus, a multilayer storage medium can be obtained. After applying all layers containing information fields, a protective layer is applied to the surface of the last of them, for example, film 914. This process can be applied without restriction to all previously considered cases.

On Fig shows the process of forming a protective brand WORM-type using a multilayer film 1801, the upper layer of which is a film of a thermoplastic material with both good reflective and luminescent properties. After the hologram is embossed using a stamper 1401, a luminescent information area 913 is formed, for example, by ablation using a device 1802. After that, a protective layer 914 is applied to the surface of the mark.

For the manufacture of small runs of protective grades during their manufacture, the method of coating formation on a rotating substrate (centrifugation method) can be used. A schematic diagram of such a process is shown in FIG. On a stamper 1901 made of metal and containing, as shown in inset 1908, information (1902) and holographic (1903) fields with different relief depths on its surface, by centrifugation, for example, a layer of the initially liquid photopolymer composition 1904 is applied, which is closed by a transparent the substrate. Next, photo-curing of the 1904 layer by UV radiation is conducted through the substrate. After being connected to the surface of the obtained replica, for example, by spraying, a layer of reflective material 1905 (for example, metal or dielectric) is applied. Then, a layer of luminescent material 1906 (polymer varnish or photopolymer composition containing phosphors) is applied to its surface in such a way that all information-bearing microdeeps (pits) on the replica surface are filled with a luminescent composition with its subsequent hardening. Of course, the whole process can be organized to obtain a multi-layer combined mark by repeating the above operations and correspondingly combining the information fields with the hologram field. After that, a protective layer 1907 or a functional layer, for example, an adhesive layer (not shown), is applied to the surface 1906, and the mark is cut or cut.

This process can be designed differently if transparent, for example, quartz, glass or polymer, relief stamper is used. In this case, a transparent stamper is applied to the surface of the substrate with a layer of liquid photopolymer, through which UV illumination is produced. After separation of the stamper, the operations described above are performed.

On figa shows a variant of manufacturing a combined brand ROM-type, where, as before, first on the metallized thermoplastic film 901 using a cylindrical stamper 115, a relief hologram 905 with coordinate marks 906 and a grid 907 is formed. Device 2001 serves to generate information luminescent fields 912 and 913 on a layer 2002 containing, as previously indicated, thermo- or photosensitive substances capable of acquiring or losing luminescence properties upon thermal or light exposure. The device 2003 is used to synchronize the movement of the films so that the holographic and information fields are aligned accordingly according to coordinate marks. After they are joined by joint lamination, a protective film 914 is applied.

The flowchart in FIG. 20b describes another brand manufacturing process, including initial production of replicas with recording information, filling them with luminescent compositions to form luminescent information-bearing fields, combining the coordinate fields of a hologram and a luminescent information carrier with their subsequent gluing and final cutting or cutting combined brand.

All of these schemes are suitable for the formation of combined grades of the isotropic type. Nevertheless, as indicated earlier, there are possible cases when information pits or pixels can be anisotropic and made of materials and compositions that can spontaneously (for example, due to the anisotropy of intermolecular interactions) or under the influence of external forces of electrical, magnetic, optical or other origin to form anisotropic molecular structures in the form of information-bearing pit or pixels.

On Fig shows one of the options for the formation of such anisotropic grades. For this, an anisotropic polymer film is laminated onto a metallized thermoplastic film, containing anisotropic, dichroically absorbing and anisotropic luminescent substances that can orient along a chosen direction, for example, in an anisotropic polymer matrix. In particular, such anisotropic polymer films can be uniaxially or biaxially oriented films obtained by melt extrusion or mechanical stretching. In the latter case, the stretching operation can be carried out at elevated temperature, followed by cooling to room temperature.

The phosphor can also be oriented in the polymer matrix by optical radiation 2101 with a polarizer 2102 (the so-called photo-orientation method described in [VGChigrinov, VMKozenkov, HS.Kwok, Photoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials. Physics and Applications, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publications , 2008]) absorbed phosphor. In the latter case, anisotropic substances can be oriented by light even without a polymer matrix. Such layers can be obtained, for example, by thermal spraying in vacuum, centrifugation, mechanical rubbing, or the Langmuir-Blodget method.

Then, on the resulting multilayer film 2103 (thermoplastic and anisotropic luminescent layers laminated together), the hologram 905 is embossed with a cold or heated stamp (stamper) 115. In the latter case, the embossing temperature is chosen below the temperature at which the phosphor molecules are oriented.

After the formation of the hologram 905 with coordinate marks 906 and the grid 907 under the laser beam of the recording device 2104, an array of discrete isotropic luminescent marks (pixels) 913 and 912 is formed in the anisotropic luminescent layer. The formation of isotropic pixels is caused by thermal rotational disorientation of the phosphor molecules and is a consequence of the process leading to local heating of the layer.

As a result, when reading information through polaroids, background polarized luminescence will not impede the reading of a useful signal. By analogy with the above process (Fig. 17), this process can be applied in a multilayer version. In addition, the formation of holographic and luminescent regions can be carried out on each layer of the multilayer structure.

Recording information in such layers can also be carried out by laser ablation of an oriented polymer layer.

There is the possibility of implementing several options for the formation of anisotropic combined grades using the processes presented previously in Fig.9-11 and Fig.18. To realize this possibility, the present invention proposes to use a combined brand 2200, a schematic view of which is presented in Fig.22. As a material for the relief hologram 2201, a uniaxially oriented film 2202 of a thermoplastic polymer with anisotropic phosphor 2203 dissolved in it at the molecular level is used. In accordance with the orientation of the polymer molecules, the phosphor molecules 2203 are also uniaxially oriented in this film. A reflective metal coating 2204 with an almost 100 percent reflection is applied to the film 2202 on both sides. It is possible to use dielectric coatings having high reflection only at the read wavelength (in the absorption band of the anisotropic phosphor) and transparent in the rest of the spectrum. Anisotropic non-luminescent substances may also be used. In this case, reading is performed on the reflected signal.

At the stage of formation and recording of information on such a brand, a relief-bearing hologram 2201 and luminescent information-bearing fields 2205 are successively formed, similar to how this is done in accordance with Figs. 9-11 and Fig. 18. However, in this case, the proposed option has the following differences:

- the absence of background luminescent illumination, since the luminescent layer is closed by a fully reflective layer;

- the glow of information-bearing pixels is polarized, which is an additional security element. In addition, reading can be carried out by dichroism in the absorption band of the phosphor;

- in addition, since the polymer molecules in the information-bearing pixels are uniaxially oriented, the information recorded in them can be read both by birefringence in the transparency region and by dichroism in the absorption band, for example, in the infrared region of the spectrum;

- it is possible that instead of an anisotropic phosphor, a dichroic, non-luminescent substance with an absorption band in a given (UV, visible or IR) region of the spectrum is used;

- a simpler variant of manufacturing a combined mark is possible when an anisotropic phosphor or a dichroic substance is absent in a layer with a relief hologram.

On Fig schematically presents one of the possible variants of the device for determining the authenticity of the product 2301 using the combined brand 2302. The device 2300 allows both trivial visual verification of the authenticity of this product and the operations carried out with it, and machine-readable control. In the latter case, it becomes possible to perform operations such as determining the authenticity of the hologram itself, confirming the authenticity of the product itself (or several products at once), the availability of legal rights to sell these products, taking into account compliance with the use of copyright and related rights, as well as registration of the fact of sale of the product combining fiscal tasks with the protection of intellectual property based on verification of all the above elements.

The device 2300 includes a reading radiation source 2303, which can be used, for example, as a laser diode, or various sources with a wide spectrum of radiation 2304. The focusing optics 2305 serve to form a collimated beam 2306, and the spectral filter 2307 passes everything (including including at the excitation wavelength λ _ex luminescence grade 2302) the radiation from the source 2303, but cuts off (absorbs, scatters, or reflects) the radiation at the luminescence wavelength λ _em grade 2302 (see Fig. 24).

Thus, the radiation transmitted through the filter 2307 simultaneously restores a monochrome or polychrome image 2308 recorded on a hologram located on the mark 2302, and a luminescent image 2310 recorded on an information-carrier layer located there. The first image 2308 is visually observed by the operator 2309, and the second image 2312 is sent using a translucent (or dichroic) mirror 2311 and a lens system 2313 to a photodetector 2315, for example, a CCD camera (CCD camera), or metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) flat detectors. To eliminate the background illumination from radiation 2308, a narrow-band filter 2314 is installed in front of the photodetector, transmitting only radiation at the luminescence wavelength λ _em (see Fig. 24).

It should be noted that the brightness of the luminescence from the brand can be quite weak (at the level of extraneous illumination). To eliminate this drawback, the reading radiation incident on the brand 2106 can be modulated in intensity with a certain frequency or using an external modulator (not shown), or directly in the power supply circuit of the radiation source, which allows to increase the sensitivity of the device by using special methods of processing an optical signal, including by applying synchronous detection.

In addition, when using the polarization characteristics of the reconstructed read (luminescent) from the radiation mark in the channel of the read beam and in front of the CCD camera, polarizers are installed (not shown in FIG. 23).

The electric signal from the CCD camera is supplied to the data processing unit 2316. The latter has two channels: a block 2317 for processing data recorded on information-bearing luminescent layers, and a block 2318 for determining the authenticity of the hologram and the item being monitored.

Like two-dimensional codes, block 2317 analyzes the temporal sequence of signals arriving in the form of luminescent pulses from the read-out information carrier layer. It serves to determine the authenticity of the hologram itself, confirm the authenticity of the product itself (or several products at once), the availability of legal rights to sell these products, taking into account obligations to use copyright and related rights, as well as registration of the fact of sale of the product that combines fiscal tasks with protection intellectual property based on verification of all the above items, etc.

Another block 2318 serves as an additional feature (step) of the protection of determining the authenticity of the product. At the same time, such luminescence properties as the spectral range of emission, the wavelength of the maximum glow, the shape of the spectrum, the duration of the glow under pulsed optical or electrical excitation, as well as the polarization characteristics of the glow of information pits (pixels), etc. are used as machine-readable features. These characteristics are measured in device 2300 or each individually, or in a specific combination thereof. The latter option allows you to increase the authenticity of the authentication of the verified product.

The circuit described in FIG. 23 is suitable for authenticating products using mirror-reflective marks, as shown in FIG. 3a, as well as marks placed on a controlled non-transparent product in the open mode (FIG. 7a) or directly stamped on a protected one, for example paper document or product. (Fig.7b). In addition, it is suitable when using grades with electroluminescent information-bearing layers, as shown in fig.3b.

Claims (53)

1. A combined brand, authenticating the product, including a substrate with a multilayer polymer structure located on it, on the layers of which spatially partially overlapping embossed hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and information field with recorded digital information in the form of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code are distinguished, characterized in that the information field consists of at least two different parts, one of which serves as a machine-readable identifier a sign confirming the authenticity of the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and / or contains basic information that is the key for reading information from located in another part of the information field of one or more databases, allowing autonomous operations to verify the authenticity of at least one product, availability legal rights to sell this product, subject to compliance with obligations to use copyright and related rights, as well as registration of the fact of sale of the product, n based inspection of all the above elements. 2. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the discrete information elements of the two-dimensional code, including spatially adjacent and / or overlapping each other and including having different sizes and shapes, can convert the electromagnetic radiation or electric field incident on them applied to them into the optical signal emitted or reflected by them. 3. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the information discrete elements of the two-dimensional code located directly in the same polymer layer as the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure are made in the form of microdepths - pits filled with luminescent material. 4. The mark according to claim 3, characterized in that the depth of the luminescent pits exceeds the maximum depth of the hologram relief and / or diffraction-grating structure. 5. The mark according to claim 2, characterized in that the discrete elements of the two-dimensional code are partially or completely located in layers other than the layer in which the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure is formed. 6. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure is coated with a reflective coating made of metal, or semiconductor, or dielectric materials. 7. The mark according to claim 5, characterized in that the discrete elements of the two-dimensional code are luminescent. 8. The brand according to claim 6, characterized in that in the reflective coating applied to the area with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure by its microlocal removal, discrete information elements of a two-dimensional code are formed in the form of reflecting light-sensing pixels. 9. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that there is no reflective coating on the region of the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure. 10. The brand according to claim 3, characterized in that the luminescent material has electroluminescent properties, and a transparent electrode is applied to the surface of the layer with the information field. 11. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the various layers carrying information are interconnected transparent to the recording, reading, reading of radiation separation layers. 12. The brand according to claim 11, characterized in that the polymer layers are organic, or inorganic, or organoelement layers. 13. The brand according to p. 12, characterized in that the refractive indices of the optical medium of the separation layer and the material of the luminescent layers are equal or very close to each other. 14. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the layer containing the information field and directly in contact with the layer containing the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure is luminescent with information recorded by discrete elements of a two-dimensional code. 15. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one information field is luminescent and has the ability to write once in the form of luminescent discrete elements of a two-dimensional code of information intended for repeated reading. 16. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the information field serving as a machine-readable identifier of a sign confirming the authenticity of the relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and / or containing basic information, which is the key for reading information from one or more databases located in another part of the information field are visually invisible. 17. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the information field containing the database is made in the form of structures of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code spatially located on the area of the hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure. 18. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that all the layers with the information field are made of materials containing substances capable of exhibiting luminescent properties. 19. The brand according to p. 18, characterized in that all the layers with the information area are made of materials containing luminescent substances having the same light-absorbing and light-emitting spectral properties. 20. The brand according to p. 18, characterized in that at least one layer with the information area is made of a material containing substances having light-absorbing and light-emitting spectral properties different from the properties of other layers. 21. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the information field formed in the layer with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure consists only of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code that reflect light. 22. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the information field formed in the layer with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure consists of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code that reflect light and discrete elements of a two-dimensional code with luminescent properties. 23. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that the information field formed from discrete elements of a two-dimensional code, in addition to discrete elements of a layer on which a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure is formed, consists of discrete elements with luminescent properties. 24. The brand according to p. 18, characterized in that substances capable of exhibiting luminescent properties are photo- or thermochemically sensitive. 25. The brand according to p. 18, characterized in that the substances capable of exhibiting luminescent properties are photo- or thermochemically stable. 26. The brand according to 14, characterized in that the luminescent layer has electroluminescent properties. 27. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that reflective layers are applied on both sides of the polymer layer with the formed relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure. 28. The brand according to item 27, wherein the polymer layer contains substances capable of exhibiting the properties of photo- or electroluminescence. 29. The brand according to item 27, wherein the polymer layer is an anisotropic uniaxially oriented layer. 30. The brand according to p. 28, characterized in that substances capable of exhibiting electroluminescence properties are anisotropic, dichroically absorbing and anisotropically luminescent. 31. The brand according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one layer with an information field is made of a material containing anisotropic, dichroic absorbing and anisotropic luminescent substances. 32. The brand according to clause 29, wherein the anisotropic substances are able to spatially and selectively orient in the anisotropic uniaxially oriented polymer layer. 33. The brand according to p, characterized in that liquid crystal materials are used as the anisotropic polymer layer. 34. The mark according to claim 2, characterized in that the information discrete elements of the two-dimensional code can have a spatial orientation that varies from 0 to 180 °. 35. A method of manufacturing a combined mark with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and with recorded digital information in the form of discrete elements of a two-dimensional code formed in a polymer layer, including the initial receipt of the original mark, manufacture of a combined metal master mark from it and duplication from it combined copies of stamps, characterized in that the original brand and, accordingly, the master brand, have a variable depth of surface relief, and the formation of a relief golog The frames and / or the diffraction-grating structure and the information field with discrete elements of the two-dimensional code are carried out directly in one photo- or electron-sensitive polymer layer. 36. The method according to clause 35, wherein the formation of a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and information field with discrete elements of a two-dimensional code is carried out sequentially in time using optical radiation using holographic and photolithographic methods. 37. The method according to clause 35, wherein the formation of a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and information field with discrete elements of a two-dimensional code is carried out simultaneously using electronic radiation. 38. The method according to clause 35, wherein the combined master mark is on the surface of the cylinder. 39. The method according to clause 35, wherein the formation of the information field with discrete elements of a two-dimensional code is carried out using a liquid luminescent composition. 40. The method according to clause 35, wherein the luminescent composition is made on the basis of liquid photosensitive oligomers. 41. The method according to clause 35, wherein the formation of the information area with discrete elements of a two-dimensional code is carried out by thermal spraying of solid phosphors at a small angle and / or by applying an aerosol of a liquid luminescent composition to the surface of the layers with pits. 42. The method according to clause 35, wherein a transparent master mark is used as a combined master mark. 43. The method according to clause 35, wherein a protective layer is applied to the surface of the layer with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and information field. 44. A method of manufacturing a combined brand according to claim 35, characterized in that the polymer layer has thermoplastic and luminescent properties, has a reflective metallized coating and allows information to be recorded. 45. The method according to item 44, wherein the recording of information is carried out by local evaporation of the reflective coating. 46. The method according to item 44, wherein the surface of the reflective, for example aluminum, coating is applied an additional layer containing in its composition in a latent (hidden) form substances from the class of photoacids or photo bases. 47. The method according to item 46, wherein the recording of information is carried out by local etching of the metal coating. 48. The method according to item 44, wherein the information is recorded using a dry film photoresist. 49. The method according to item 44, wherein the recording of information is carried out by at least one line of lasers. 50. A device for reading information from a combined mark with a relief hologram and / or diffraction-grating structure and with recorded digital information in the form of luminescent discrete elements, including a radiation source, focusing optics, a translucent or dichroic mirror, a lens system, a photodetector and a data processing unit characterized in that a spectral filter is installed in front of the radiation source, which cuts off (absorbs or scatters) the radiation at the luminescence wavelength retentive elements, and a spectral filter is installed in front of the photodetector, which transmits only radiation at the luminescence wavelength of discrete elements. 51. The device according to p. 50, characterized in that as a radiation source it uses a laser diode or sources with a wide spectrum of radiation. 52. The device according to p. 50, characterized in that the radiation source is modulated by spectrum, or a modulator is placed in front of it. 53. The device according to p. 50, characterized in that the data processing unit measures the intensity, or the shape of the spectrum, or wavelengths, or lifetime, or polarization parameters, or a specific combination thereof for luminescence of discrete elements.

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