WO1998057299A1

WO1998057299A1 - Document with an authentication feature

Info

Publication number: WO1998057299A1
Application number: PCT/AT1998/000141
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joergen Brosow; Wilhelm Liesinger
Original assignee: Nova-Technik Entwicklung Von Und Handel Mit Medizinischen Geräten Gmbh
Priority date: 1997-06-11
Filing date: 1998-06-10
Publication date: 1998-12-17
Also published as: AU7749998A

Abstract

The invention relates to a document (2) with an authentication feature (10) consisting of at least one base or carrier material (4) with integrated characteristics (11-13) physically differing from the base or carrier material (4), and an electronic switching circuit (5) formed more particularly by a microprocessor (6) with an interface to at least one reading device for said characteristics (11-13), and in which the characteristics (11-13) are stored in an at least biaxial coordinate system in a memory unit in order to form an identifier. At least one further parameter is formed in the coordinate system by at least one of the physical features of the characteristics (11-13). The characteristics (11-13) are positioned in at least one randomly selected part of the document 92) and at least one of the physical features of the characteristics (11-13) is stored in the memory unit for comparison with the determinable positions and physical features of the characteristics (11-13) before each use.

Description

Document with an authenticity feature

The invention relates to a document with an authenticity feature, a reading unit and a method for initializing the security functions of such a document, as described in the preambles of claims 1, 2; 13; 15 is described

Various documents with authenticity features are already known, e.g. from the

US 4,218,674 A, EP 0 656 607 A2, EP 0 625 766 A2 and DE 26 35 695 AI. All of these known documents describe forms of documents or methods for their production and devices for scanning them, these having different identifiers. In most cases, the position of the identifiers is determined in a coordinate system comprising at least two axes, and in successive scanning operations the originally recorded target value is compared with the actual value of the identifier determined during the scanning. If the comparison is positive, the document is recognized as genuine and the intended activities, such as access to buildings, transactions of money or other services, can then be carried out. A disadvantage of such systems is that manipulation of the documents is difficult to rule out.

Furthermore, in order to increase the security or to check the authenticity of documents, documents were already known on which electronic circuits, in particular microprocessors and corresponding storage units for identifiers, are arranged. Through the use of microprocessors and the possible linking of the data, in particular also their encryption and the execution of arithmetic operations, it was possible to increase the security against forgery of such documents. The disadvantage here, however, is that in an external central computer, which must be connected to all reading units, the necessary identifiers must be available at all times when the document is checked.

The object of the present invention is to increase the security against forgery in such documents without the corresponding target data of the identifiers having to be stored in a central computer which must be connected to each reading unit.

The object of the invention is solved by the features in claim 1. It is advantageous that, in addition to the position data, data of the physical properties from any number of possibilities can now also be used as an authenticity criterion and therefore the likelihood of imitating such an identifier is so greatly reduced that it is not possible to calculate or manipulate the identifiers with the technical means currently available. The main reason for this is that the location data are linked to a parameter that is randomly selected from a number of physical properties of the license plates and that target data are stored on the document in an inaccessible form from the outside, so that with each scanning process the license plates, in particular, their position in the coordinate system and the additional parameter make it impossible for an outsider to compare the actual and target data.

The object of the invention is also achieved by the features in claim 2. It is advantageous that access to the secret identifier in the electrical circuit, which indicates the authenticity of the document, from the outside after the initialization and the issuance of the document to the authorized user is excluded. In addition, an outsider cannot understand which areas of the document were used to form the identifier. A general systematics in the generation of the identifiers, which could possibly be determined by hackers, is thus avoided, which means that the chances of misusing the document with the circuit are no longer present.

An embodiment according to claim 3 is also advantageous, since it enables a clear and reliable detection of the number plates, which is hardly subject to fluctuations.

However, a further development according to claim 4 is also advantageous, since this increases the variety of variants of the data structure for the formation of the identifier and thus prevents replications of the document and determination of the valid identifier by unauthorized persons.

However, an embodiment according to claim 5 is also possible, since the retention of the intended association between the circuit and the document carrying it can thereby be checked with simple means.

An embodiment as described in claims 6, 7 is advantageous, since the security standard with regard to forgeries or replicas of the document can thus be significantly increased with little effort.

A further development according to claim 8 or 9 is also possible, because the incentive to falsify or duplicate the document is thereby considerably reduced without additional constructional expenditure. An embodiment according to claim 10 is also advantageous since the document is assigned to the authorized user in a non-transferable manner.

Furthermore, an embodiment according to claim 11 is advantageous, since it provides a wide variety of characteristics with diverse, clearly ascertainable physical properties.

An embodiment according to claim 12 is advantageous, since the license plates are thus reliably protected against intentional or unintentional changes.

The invention also includes a reading unit as described in claim 13. It is advantageous here that physical properties of the characteristics of a document can now also be recorded and used as an authenticity criterion.

A further development according to claim 14 is advantageous, since it enables a significantly higher amount of data to be recorded, which favors the formation of unique identifiers and almost excludes duplicates of documents.

The invention further comprises a method for initializing the security functions of a document with identification, as described in claim 15. It is advantageous here that in addition to the detection of the respective position in the document, each license plate can also be assigned the respective physical property, as a result of which copying or forging is practically unthinkable due to the numerous criteria.

Further advantageous measures are described in claims 16, 17, since this means that the security-relevant identification of hackers cannot be determined or is completely unusable.

Further advantageous developments are given in claims 18 to 20.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

Show it:

Fig. 1 is a reading unit for a document equipped according to the invention and that for

Document provided in a review immediately prior to being introduced into the Reading unit location, in a highly simplified, schematic representation;

FIG. 2 shows a document designed according to the invention in a diagrammatic illustration, to an enlarged scale, with the characteristics arranged therein;

3 shows a plan view of the document designed in accordance with the invention, in which those areas in which the parameters of the identifiers for defining the identifier are taken are marked;

Fig. 4 is a highly simplified block diagram of the electronic circuit with the

Interface and the storage unit in a document designed according to the invention;

5 the document in front view and simplified, schematic representation with a reading head for scanning the position and / or the physical properties of the identification;

6 shows a document according to the invention in a simplified, schematic representation in plan view with the characteristics with different physical properties;

Fig. 7 shows a document according to the invention in plan view with a different density distribution of the characteristics in different areas of the document.

As an introduction, it should be noted that in the differently described embodiments, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals or the same component names, and the disclosures contained in the entire description can be applied analogously to the same parts with the same reference numerals or the same component names. Furthermore, individual features from the different exemplary embodiments shown can also represent independent solutions according to the invention.

1 shows a reading unit 1 for a document 2, in particular for a card 3 such as an identity card, ID card, credit card or other authorization card, in a diagrammatic, simplified representation. The document 2 is formed from at least one suitable base or carrier material 4, such as, for example, plastic or cellulose material, in which an electrical circuit 5, at least partially formed by a microprocessor 6, is at least partially embedded or attached to a surface of the document 2. Document 2 can thus also be referred to as a so-called chip card, which enables a user to carry out the actions provided by the issuer of document 2 or identifies a user.

For this purpose, the user must connect the document 2, as is known per se, to the reading unit 1, which can be formed in particular by an automated teller machine, an access control device or another card terminal.

As shown schematically, this can be done by feeding through a receiving opening 7 of the reading unit 1 to a reading device 8. Furthermore, it is possible for the user to manually move the document 2 past the reading device 8 or also to move the reading device 8 with respect to the document 2 and to continuously read the recorded information on the document 2.

It goes without saying that instead of the relative movement between the document 2 and the reading device 8, it is also possible to carry out the scanning or reading process without movement by an overall recording of the information content of the data carrier 2.

If the reading unit 1 is designed to initiate a plurality of possible actions, a user field 9 can optionally also be arranged, which has input, output and / or display elements in order to input, output, output, receive or increase data or objects to capture. The user field 9 can thus be designed, for example, to enter a personal security code which, in combination with the document 2, releases the intended function.

As can best be seen from FIGS. 2 to 7, the document 2 also has at least one authenticity feature 10, by means of which the document 2 can be checked for forgery or originality. An authenticity feature 10 is formed by a multiplicity of identifiers 11 to 13 embedded in the base or carrier material 4. This

Marks 11 to 13 are arbitrarily arranged in the base or carrier material 4 with regard to their position, their distribution density and their spatial position in the base or carrier material 4 and are permanently retained and have different physical properties compared to the base or carrier material 4.

The marks 11 to 13 embedded in spatial confusion in the base or carrier material 4 form such a wide variety of variants that during the production of the documents mente 2 always produce unique pieces that also make deliberate duplication impossible or the ratio of effort to use assumes an unprofitable value in the case of an intended replication.

The markings 11 to 13 can be formed from any material which can be detected in document 2 by means of any type of reading device 8 known from the prior art. The marks 11 to 13 can accordingly, for example, from organic substances, such as Textile or cellulose fibers, made from metallic materials, from plastics or also from inorganic materials, e.g. Graphite fibers or a combination of all of the aforementioned substances. Of course, it is also possible to provide the aforementioned substances to form the marks 11 to 13 in layers or to include or include them in relation to further substances or elements of the periodic table. It is essential that the physical properties of the markings 11 to 13 deviate from the physical properties of the base or carrier material, so that there are distinctive features which can be detected by the reading device 8.

Accordingly, scratch-like depressions 14 or elevations 15 in or on the base or carrier material 4 are also suitable as identifiers 11 to 13, as is shown in broken lines or in thicker solid lines. With these depressions 14 or elevations 15, reference is made to a middle card plane or a middle card surface - formed by the base or carrier material 4. The depressions 14 or elevations 15 have the most varied width, depth or height dimensions and / or courses.

Likewise, it is possible to provide cavities 16 of any spatial shape and orientation in the base or carrier material 4 of the document 2, which also have a random distribution in the document 2 and can be detected by means of the reading device 8. These cavities 16 can form the base or carrier material 4 in a pore-like manner, wherein individual cavities also extend to the surface or the interfaces of the document 2 or can also exceed these.

If necessary, it is also possible to fill the markings 11 to 13, which are designed as depressions 14 and / or as elevations 15 and / or as cavities 16, with a material which has different physical properties than the base or carrier material 4. Plastics are particularly suitable for this purpose, which maintain the shape, orientation and position of the depressions 14, elevations 15 or cavities 16 under all operating conditions or ambient conditions that occur in a customary manner and a change in these symbols 11 to 13 is excluded. It is also possible to Document 2 with a film, in particular made of plastic at least partially to prevent changes in the surface or the nature of the marks 11 to 13.

Of course, it is also possible to build up the base or carrier material 4 of the document 2 in layers, if necessary from different materials with different properties of the individual layers, in order to obtain a kind of sandwich component with several layers connected to one another

The reading device 8, which uses all of the detection methods known from the prior art, for example by means of optical, acoustic, electrical, magnetic detection methods or a combination of these detection methods, detects the marks 11 to 13 of the document 2, is at an interface 17 with a Interface 18 of the circuit 5 connectable. The connection between the two interfaces 17, 18 can be made contactless for wireless transmission or also by electrically conductive contact elements or by optical connecting lines.

The reading device 8 is capable of detecting the position and orientation of the marks 11 to 13 with respect to at least one reference point on or around the document 2. Furthermore, it is additionally possible to read the respective physical properties of the various identifiers 11 to 13 via the reading device 8. An information content greater than or equal to one bit can be assigned to the physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13. That The most diverse physical values or data of the identifiers 11 to 13 are at an information content of one bit above or below a certain threshold value of the corresponding physical property. Accordingly, if the information content of the respective physical property of the marks 11 to 13 is greater than one bit, the respective data can assume a value from zero to an upper limit of the maximum information range. The actual data of the identifiers 11 to 13 on the document 2 determined in this way are derived from signals which are caused by electrical, electromagnetic or acoustic waves 19 or rays and / or their change.

These waves 19 or rays emitted by the reading device 8 in the direction of the document 2 are, as can best be seen from FIG. 5, received or not registered by the physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13 in unchanged or changed form, whereupon Conclusions about the different physical properties and the positions of the marks 11 to 13 can be drawn. These data from the physical properties of the labels 11 to 13 can be formed by determining the respective material, the weight, the specific density, the electrical properties and / or the thermal expansion of the labels 11 to 13. Further data on the physical properties of the marks 11 to 13 can be formed by acoustic, optical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic measurement units. These include, for example, the electrical conductivity, the electrical resistance, the magnetic shielding ability, the optical or magnetic reflectance, the coefficient of thermal expansion, the damping, the refraction or the reflection of the respective waves 19 or rays.

It is also possible to use the reading device 8 to determine the distribution density of the labels 11 to 13, that is to say the number of labels per unit area, as a representative feature of the document 2.

The reading device 8 can be arranged only on one side of the document 2 and can have both transmitting and receiving devices for the shafts 19 or the beams. However, it is of course also possible to arrange the transmitting devices for the waves 19 or the rays on one side of the document 2 and the receiving devices for the waves 19 or rays on the opposite side of the document 2, as shown in FIG. 5 in dashed lines is shown.

This large number of data, which are formed by the position and, on the other hand, by the various physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13, are transmitted via the interface 17 to the interface 18 of the circuit 5 on the document 2. These data received by the reading device 8 are stored by the circuit 5 or by the microprocessor 6 in an electrical or magnetic storage unit 20. Of course, it is also possible to connect the interface 18 directly to the storage unit 20 and thus to write the respective data directly. After the storage unit 20 has been described for the first time with all or an extract of the data from the identifiers 11 to 13, all access possibilities to the storage unit 20 from outside the circuit 5 are prevented. Thus, after the first description of the storage unit 20 with at least some of the data of the identifiers 11 to 13, it is no longer possible to write or read again to the storage unit 20 after the proper initialization process by the reading device 8 or another external writing or reading device can be made. The data 21 represented by crosses in the storage unit 20 accordingly represent a clear image of the document 2 with the identifiers 11 to 13 and are handled as target data for subsequent comparisons when the document 2 is used.

Of course, it is also possible, as shown in particular in FIG. 3, to store only a part of the actually existing data volume in the storage unit 20 when the document 2 or the circuit 5 is initialized. The subset of the data to be stored in the storage unit 20 can preferably be determined by a random generator 22 of the circuit 5, which is started for the initialization process. This random generator 22 determines e.g. Detection areas 23 or spatial boundaries within which the data to be derived therefrom are to be stored in the storage unit 20. These detection areas or spatial boundaries determined via the random generator 27 are also stored in the storage unit 20 for later checking of the originality of the document 2, preferably by the microprocessor 6.

The random number generator 22 is usually formed in software by an instruction list to be processed by the microprocessor 6.

In order to avoid external access to the memory unit 20 in relation to the circuit 5 after its initialization, a destructible connecting element 24 is provided in a write and / or read line 25 and / or in data lines 26 between the interface 18 and the memory unit 20 . Likewise, it is possible for the destructible connecting element 24 to be arranged in the write and / or read lines 25 or in the data lines 26 between the interface 18 and the microprocessor 6 if the data transfer from the reading device 8 to the block after initialization Storage unit 20 on the

Microprocessor 6 takes place. The connecting element 24 can, as is known per se, be destroyed by overvoltage or exceeding an upper limit current.

The data 21 selected by the random number generator 22 in the memory unit 20, which were derived from the detection areas 23 on the document 2, thus form an unmistakable identifier 27 of the document 2, which the document 2 clearly assigns to the circuit 5 arranged thereon and provided for this purpose in an unmanipulable manner.

If the amount of data stored in the storage unit 20 is relatively extensive or if all positions of the identifiers 11 to 13 are recorded in the storage unit 20 in terms of coordinates and at least one of the physical properties, then the valid identifier 27 can preferably be selected from the entire database via the random number generator 22. The unique identifier of the document 2 stored in the storage unit 20 is also preferably changed or changed depending on further parameters, such as, for example, the access frequency to the identifier 27, the duration, the type of transactions or each time card 3 is read by the random generator 22 redefined.

The position data and the data of the respective physical property of the identifiers 11 to 13 represent a first criterion for forming the identifier 27. At least one further criterion or a further parameter for the position data relating to a coordinate system is at least 11 one of the physical properties of the marks 11 to 13 formed. This data 21 formed by the location data and the data of the physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13 can be recorded in the storage unit 20 in tabular form or in the manner of a three-axis coordinate system, with two axes representing the position of the respective identifiers 11 to 13 with respect to a starting point comprise and at least a third coordinate represents at least one physical property of the identifiers. A randomly selected part of the positions and at least one of the physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13, that is to say the identifier 27 selected in each case, is used each time the document 2 is used by the reader 8 transmitted positions and physical properties of the marks 11 to 13 compared by the circuit 5, in particular by the microprocessor 6.

When using document 2 to initiate the actions intended by the issuer of card 3 or to expel the user of document 2, the entire recordable data base of marks 11 to 13 can be read by reader 8 via interfaces 17, 18 to circuit 5 internal comparison are transmitted and the circuit 5 can then filter out the data which should result in the valid identifier 27 and subsequently compare it with the identifier 27 stored in the memory unit 20.

Thus, the identifier 27, which uniquely identifies the document 2, never leaves the circuit 5 from the document 2, as a result of which interception or copying thereof by unauthorized third parties is ruled out, since the checking of the unity of the circuit 5 and the document 2 before the initiation or release of the respective Action takes place exclusively internally within the circuit 5 and external access to the data 20 or the identifier 27 in the storage unit 20 is excluded. Thus, it is no longer expedient for people with criminal intentions to detach the circuit 5 from the document 2 assigned to it or from the card assigned to it and to place it on a document 2 identifying the criminals, since during a checking process of the document 2 this act immediately is recognized and appropriate countermeasures or refusal measures can be initiated.

Since duplication or replication of the base or carrier material 4 with the marks 11 to 13 is excluded, unauthorized use of various services is therefore almost impossible.

Instead of the two-dimensional definition of the positions of the marks 11 to 13 in the base or carrier material 4, it is also common to define the position of the marks 11 to 13 in a coordinate system having at least three coordinate axes, for which purpose the reading device 8 for recording the spatial position of the marks 11 to 13, at least one further shaft 19 of a further reading device 8, which transmits or receives waves at right angles to the shafts 19 of the first reading device 8, is arranged. Of course, it is also possible for the first reading device 8 or any further reading device 8 to emit the waves 19 or rays at an oblique angle with respect to at least one of the surfaces of the document 2. Likewise, it is possible to have the waves 19 or beams of the individual reading devices 8 run at an oblique angle to one another, as a result of which unauthorized persons cannot understand how the data 21 representing the identifiers 11 to 13 came about.

It is preferably also possible to provide a monitoring device 28 in the circuit 5, by means of which monitoring of the maintenance of the position between the storage unit 20 and / or the circuit 5 in relation to the base or carrier material 4 with the identifiers 11 to 13 is possible. to provide.

The monitoring device 28 is formed by conductor tracks arranged in the base or carrier material 4 and anchored to it, which are connected to the memory unit 20 and / or the circuit 5, in particular the microprocessor 6, for monitoring security features. These conductor tracks, which can also be formed, for example, by at least a portion of electrically or optically conductive markings 11 to 13, can be acted upon with an internal and / or external energy supply device 29 on an electrical or optical basis with corresponding energy. Changes in the energy consumption or interruptions thereof allow conclusions to be drawn about a manipulation of document 2 with circuit 5 and appropriate countermeasures to be taken. For this monitoring, the evaluation of the conductivity of the monitoring device 28 is preferably used, the target data of the electrical conductivity of the monitoring device 28 when the document 2 is initialized in the storage unit 20 or in its own ROM memory 30, which also contains the program to be processed, is stored

The data 21 supplied to the storage unit 20 and / or the identifiers 27 to be compared with it are also preferably encryptable via an encryption element 32, which is preferably implemented in software, so as to increase the security against forgery or replication of the document 2 with the circuit 5.

It is also possible that a further parameter is a further criterion for generating the unique identifier of the document 2 by a user-related identifier, such as the blood pressure, the voice position, the iris image, the fingerprint or the like.

6 and 7, the different physical properties of the identifiers 11 to 13 are shown schematically as circles, quadrilaterals, triangles, star symbols and the like, and in their diverse physical properties they form part of the data 20 for unambiguous identification of the document 2nd

Furthermore, it is shown in particular in FIG. 7 how the marks 11 to 13 of the document 2 represent different distribution densities due to their uneven distribution, which can also be included in the database and can also have an effect on the respective identifier 27.

Finally, for the sake of order, it should be pointed out that individual components and assemblies are shown disproportionately and to scale in the drawings for better understanding of the invention.

Individual features of the individual exemplary embodiments can also form the subject of independent inventions with other individual characteristics of other exemplary embodiments, or in each case on their own.

Above all, the individual in FIGS. 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7 shown embodiments form the subject of independent, inventive solutions. The relevant tasks and solutions according to the invention can be found in the detailed descriptions of these figures. Set of reference symbols

Reading unit

document

map

Base or substrate circuit

Microprocessor receiving opening reading device user field

Authenticity feature

Mark

Deepening survey

cavity

interface

wave

Storage unit

Data

Random generator

Detection area connecting element write and / or read line data line identifier monitoring device energy supply device ROM memory encryption element

Claims

Patent claims

1. Document with an authenticity feature from at least one basic or

- Carrier material with therein stored characteristics different from the basic or carrier material and having an electronic circuit, in particular formed by a microprocessor, with an interface to at least one reading device for the characteristics and in which the characteristics for forming an identifier in an at least biaxial coordinate - x rx system are stored in a storage unit, characterized in that at least one further parameter in the coordinate system is formed by at least one of the physical properties of the indicators (11 to 13) and the position of the indicators (11 to 13) in a randomly selected one Part of the document (2) and at least one of the physical properties of the marks (11 to 13)

, - Comparison with the positions and physical properties of the identifiers (11 to 13) that can be determined before each use is stored in the memory unit (20).

2. Document with an authenticity feature made of at least one base or carrier material with therein embedded characteristics that have different physical properties from the base or carrier material and an electronic circuit, in particular formed by a microprocessor, with an interface to at least one reading device for the characteristics and in which the identifier for forming an identifier in an at least biaxial coordinate

«- are stored in a storage unit, in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the position of the marks (11 to 13) in a randomly selected part of the document (2) for comparison with the positions and physical properties of the prior to each use Identification (11 to 13) is stored in the memory unit (20) and a read line of the memory

~ ₀ purity (20) with the circuit (5), in particular with the microprocessor (6) and a write and / or read line (25) or data lines (26) of the memory unit (20) via a destructible connecting element (24) is connected to the interface (18) and / or to the circuit (5).

~ _-

3. Document according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the physical characteristics (11 to 13) by at least one signal such as electrical, electromagnetic, acoustic or optical waves (19) and / or their change is detectable.

4. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further parameter in the coordinate system is formed by at least one of the properties such as the weight, the density, the distribution density, the electrical, optical and / or acoustic properties and / or the thermal expansion is.

5. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that for monitoring the position of the memory unit (20) and / or the circuit (5) in relation to the base or with the identifier (11 to 13) A monitoring device (28) is arranged on the carrier material (4).

6. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (28) is formed by conductor tracks arranged in the base or carrier material (4), which are connected to the storage unit (20) and / or the circuit (5) Monitoring of target and actual data of security features, e.g. the conductivity can be applied via an internal and / or external energy supply device (29).

7. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the target data of the security features, such as. the electrical conductivity, the electrical resistance, the elongation or the like are stored in a ROM memory (30).

8. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data supplied to the storage unit (20) and / or the data to be compared with the identifiers (11 to 13) e.g. are encrypted by an encryption member (31).

9. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an identifier (27) stored in the storage unit (20) based on the identifiers (11 to 13) as a function of further parameters, for example the frequency of access, the length of time , the type of transaction or can be changed with every reading.

10. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further parameter of the coordinate system by a user-related identifier, such as. blood pressure, iris image, fingerprint or the like.

11. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the marks (11 to 13) are formed by depressions (14), elevations (15) or cavities (16) in the base or carrier material (4).

12. Document according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavities (16) and / or depressions (14) or elevations (15) with respect to the base or carrier material (4) filled with a material having different physical properties or are balanced.

13. Reading unit, in particular for a document according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 12, with a reading device, an interface for connecting the reading device with an interface of the document, an electronic circuit, in particular a microprocessor, in which the electronic circuit for detection the position of the identifier is formed in an at least biaxial coordinate system, characterized in that a further scanning device is arranged to determine a further parameter of the coordinate system formed by the physical properties of the identifier (11 to 13).

14. Reading unit according to claim 13, characterized in that the position of the indicators (11 to 13) is defined in a coordinate system having at least three coordinate axes.

15. A method for initializing the security functions of a document, in particular according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 12, with indicators, the positions of which are determined in a coordinate system with at least two axes, and for the subsequent authenticity check of the document, these position signals with the ones determined before the output Position signals of the license plates are compared, characterized in that the position signals of the license plates and further signals corresponding to at least one physical property of the license plates are fed to a storage unit and after complete transmission of the signals, if necessary after prior, repeated confirmation Write and / or read lines for external access to the storage unit are destroyed.

16. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory unit (20) supplied and / or the signals or data of the characteristics to be compared with them, e.g. be encrypted by an encryption member.

17. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that an identifier stored in the memory unit based on the identifiers is changed as a function of further parameters, for example the access frequency, the duration, the type of transaction or during each reading process .

18. Chip card with a base or carrier material and optionally at least one layer made of a film, in particular made of plastic and with an electronic circuit, characterized in that the chip card by a document (2) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12 is formed.

19. Credit card with a base or carrier material and optionally at least one layer made of a film, in particular plastic and with an electronic circuit, characterized in that the credit card is formed by a document (2) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12 .

20. Smart card with a base or carrier material and optionally at least one layer made of a film, in particular plastic and with an electronic circuit, characterized in that the smart card is formed by a document (2) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12 .