Security element and method to inspect authenticity of a print

Abstract

The invention relates to a security element applied onto printing substrates (bank¬ notes, securities, product packagings, identity cards / labels or other similar documents) by printing, comprising a unique identifier as primary information visible to the naked eye and secondary information protecting against copying non-visible to the naked eye. The unique identifier is typically a point code. Said secondary information is represented by a structure with the largest dimension of 2 to 40 microns, and due to printing distortions arising when the security element is applied onto a printing substrate, said secondary information is non-reconstructable from the print of the security element and a statistically analyzable inherent feature is associated to it. The invention also relates to a printed matter with such an inventive security element and to a method to check authenticity of a printed matter with the inventive security element in visible light (380-750nm).

Description

field of invention [0001] The invention relates to a security element and a method for determining the authenticity of printed content provided on a printed substrate. Its field of application concerns the field of protection of prints produced by printing presses or the anti-counterfeiting of documents produced with inkjet and / or laser printers. Background of the invention [0002] To date, photocopying and laser printing technologies have come a long way. Thus, high-quality reproduction of all types of printed matter is considerably simplified using such techniques. At the same time, however, it has unfortunately become easier to counterfeit valuable or personal prints. Therefore, the anti-counterfeiting protection of this type of document has just been put on the agenda. Documentation provided, for example, by a printing press or on a data carrier (such as, for example, text or drawings) produced by an inkjet and / or laser printer may constitute a claimed printed matter...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The biggest disadvantage of these solutions is that the inks are expensive due to their specificity (for example, printing inks with optically variable pigments) or require the use of specific printing substrates (such printing substrates can also be produced at a higher cost)

This means that this print protection can only be used on very special prints

Also, each printer / scanner driver must be "taught" about the forbidden watermark

Another drawback of this technology is that the printing units manufactured before the agreement were not able to recognize the hidden watermark and thus print a print protected by said watermark

The drawback of this solution is that, for inspection, in each case access to a remote database is required, which necessitates a data communication connection with an appropriate bandwidth

The disadvantage of this technique is that it requires a high-resolution digital device for learning

Their disadvantage lies in the fact that, in general, they do not contain copy protection, so their use as security elements is very limited

[0011] In light of this, it is clear that while various print protection technologies exist for protecting printed content with copy protection and printed substrates / documents with such printed content, these technologies are either too expensive or require specific kits for create and / or check these technologies

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