Security element for marking or identifying objects and living beings

Abstract

A security element for marking, authenticating or identifying objects or living beings, such as people, animals or plants is provided that includes one or more layers of materials that are arranged next to or on top of each other or that overlap, which have security markings. At least one layer of the security element has, at least regionally, a crackle pattern in form of tears or cracks, nicks, wear areas or shrinkages and possible impurities, which can be scanned and detected together or separately as security features. A method for producing such a security element and to a use thereof for authenticating a person or an object, or for authorizing, triggering, continuing, carrying out and ending an action is also provided.

Description

[0001]This nonprovisional application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / EP2010 / 004270, which was filed on Jul. 14, 2010, and which claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2009 033 221.9, which was filed in Germany on Jul. 14, 2009, and which are both herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a security element for marking, authenticating, or identifying objects, particularly documents, securities, stamps, labels, bank bills, bank notes, identity documents, personal identity cards, other ID cards, passports, (chip) cards, access cards, credit cards, access control cards, tickets, driver's licenses, vehicle documents, bank notes, checks, postage stamps, labels, vignettes, paintings, art objects, furniture, measuring devices, machine parts, machines, vehicles, cameras, cell phones, computers, computer-like devices, data storage media, printed materials, books, fab...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0064]Crackle formation can be accelerated by the use of ultrasound. A treatment can occur, for example, after a reading process to prevent possibly existing copies from remaining undetected in a subsequent examination. The use of a point ultrasound source is preferable, so that only previously defined or randomly selected areas are treated. If these areas are included in a subsequent scanning operation and the database is updated, then it is not possible to forge this feature lastingly. Additional security is achieved by a defined selection of the areas to be scanned or by a selection with the use of an algorithm. In a variant, one of the layers can be formed so that it does not undergo any crackle pattern formation. Another variant can include a material that allows only individual changes, therefore, for example, forms crackles but no shrinkages or nicks.

[0065]In another variant, a final layer can be provided, which lies over the topmost layer and in itself does not form crackles. It can include a liquid or gel-like material. This material can be protected permanently or limited in time by a protective film before the drying, whereby in a preferred embodiment the protective film is removed for activating the security feature. In another embodiment, such a layer is formed over the crackle pattern-forming layer so that the crackle itself is no longer visible to the human eye. A visualization can occur, for example, by examination with infrared light, which further makes forgery much more difficult. In addition with some heating this layer can form its own crackle pattern or change its composition and thereby its appearance. The composition of the material is preferably such that in an attempt to remove the security element or to separate the layers, a component of the liquid or the gel destroys other layers, which provides further for an improved forgery security.

Problems solved by technology

However, because of the available possibilities for forgery, the absolutely certain assignment of such security elements has remained an unresolved problem thus far.

Further, an identical printed image with an identical protective lacquer can be applied to a forgery, as a result of which the forgery can no longer be distinguished from the original.

Determination of authenticity is not possible or possible only with great effort.

This system is not forgery-proof either.

In addition, the identity cannot be unequivocally assigned to a specific person.

False negatives and operator-, user-, or transmission-related errors also continue to be possible.

This production process, nevertheless, does not represent protection from copies, because all originals retain their specific security features and these can ultimately be reconstructed.

The aforementioned existing methods for authentication (access control) of persons or for marking of originals are inflexible, on the one hand, because they include predefined authentication steps.

On the other hand, they do not include any effective mechanism for protection against forgery.

In addition, existing systems are not capable of determining who an authorized person is, because they only compare information that they receive.

Apart from false-negative cases, false-positive cases are also a daily problem.

This type of three-factor authentication is not sufficient, however, because false negatives and other discrepancies can continue to occur.

Further, the consistency of the transmitted data is not checked, which enables possible hacker attacks.

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