Method and apparatus for producing and system for monitoring a tamper-proof document

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a tamper-proof document, a method for handling the tamper-proof document, a device for producing the tamper-proof document, a device for handling the tamper-proof document, and a system comprising both devices. The tamper-proof document (1) has a substrate (2) in which at least one security element (3, 4, 5) made of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is embedded or applied. Information is embedded or applied to the substrate (2), and a spatial arrangement of the at least one security element (3, 4, 5) is stored during the creation process.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a forgery-proof document, a method for handling the forgery-proof document, a device for producing the forgery-proof document, a device for handling the forgery-proof document and a system for monitoring a forgery-proof document. BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the availability of increasingly efficient and accurate printing techniques that simplify the imitation of security features in documents and the associated need to protect documents, especially certificates, efficiently and reliably from misuse, the need for appropriate devices and methods for producing and handling forgery-proof documents is growing.

[0003] Document DE 199 62 790 A1 discloses a security paper with at least two types of mottled fibers that differ in their luminescent properties and form a code. Each type of mottled fiber is present in a defined sub-area of ​​the security paper, and the code is represented by the defined geometric arrangement of the sub-areas on the security paper and / or by the presence or absence of mottled fibers of a specific type. TASK AND SOLUTION

[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for producing a forgery-proof document, a device for producing the forgery-proof document, in particular using such a method, a method for handling the forgery-proof document, a device for handling the forgery-proof document, in particular using such a method, and a system for monitoring a forgery-proof document, wherein documents or identification documents can not only be produced particularly efficiently and reliably, but the realization of such a forgery-proof document or an associated method can be achieved particularly simply and cost-effectively.

[0005] The problem is solved with respect to the method by the features of the first and second independent claims. The problem is solved with respect to the device by the features of the third and fourth independent claims. The problem is solved with respect to the system by the features of the fifth independent claim. The subclaims contain advantageous developments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for producing a forgery-proof document is provided. The forgery-proof document produced by the method comprises a substrate into which at least one protective element made of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is introduced or applied. Information is applied or incorporated onto the substrate. A spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element is stored during production. Advantageously, the method enables a particularly secure production of the forgery-proof document, ensuring a maximum degree of forgery security even during production.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the protective element is a fiber, preferably a plurality of randomly arranged fibers, which consists of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material or to which a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is incorporated or applied. This advantageously allows for improved identification of the forgery-proof document.

[0008] According to a further preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, at least one position mark, which is provided as a reference when detecting a spatial arrangement, is applied or introduced onto the substrate. The at least one position mark preferably comprises a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material. This advantageously allows, for example, the determination of the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element of the document to be further improved.

[0009] According to a further preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, visible information is applied by a printing process and / or at least one further security feature, in particular at least one watermark, at least one hologram, at least one chip module, and / or at least one near-field communication module (NFC), is applied or incorporated. Advantageously, this can simplify, for example, the user's recognition of the authenticity of the forgery-proof document, and the forgery security can be further improved by the additional features.

[0010] According to a further preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one protective element is excited to glow by a radiation source, in particular a light source with ultraviolet light. The spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element is captured by a first document capture unit, in particular a camera or a scanner. The first document capture unit can have at least one filter that has increased transparency for light emitted by luminescence, fluorescence, and / or phosphorescence. The first document capture unit is designed to select the at least one protective element. The spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element captured by the first document capture unit, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark, is stored in a memory, in particular in a (write-)protected, in particular non-volatile, memory.Advantageously, this can ensure, for example, that the forgery-proof document can be clearly identified.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the invention, a method for handling the forgery-proof document produced using the method according to the first aspect is provided. To make the at least one protective element visible, the forgery-proof document is irradiated with radiation, in particular ultraviolet light. The forgery-proof document is captured by a further document capture unit, in particular by a camera or a scanner. The data captured by the further document capture unit is transmitted to a further data processing unit. Advantageously, the method for handling the forgery-proof document produced using the method according to the first aspect enables a particularly reliable determination of the authenticity of the forgery-proof document. Advantageously, unique features of the forgery-proof document can thus be provided in a reliable and particularly secure manner.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element is determined by the further data processing unit from the captured data. The spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element determined by the further document capture unit is compared by the data processing unit with an arrangement of the selected protective elements stored in the memory, in particular in the protected memory, which was stored during production. Advantageously, this allows the unambiguous authenticity of the forgery-proof document to be ensured in a reliable and particularly secure manner.

[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the results of the comparison of the protective elements are forwarded to a central unit. The central unit is designed to detect misuse of the forgery-proof document in the event of a discrepancy detected by the data processing unit and to forward the information to a recipient, in particular a government agency, the police, customs authorities, and / or a security company. This advantageously allows for a particularly rapid response to documents with discrepancies in the protective features, and the relevant authorities can be informed.

[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the data processing unit is designed to select the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element from captured image data. This advantageously allows for a significant reduction in processing time and memory requirements.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the invention, a device for producing a forgery-proof document, in particular using the method according to the first aspect of the invention, is provided. The device for producing the forgery-proof document comprises a device for introducing or applying at least one protective feature, a device for detecting the spatial arrangement of at least one protective feature, and a memory for storing the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective feature. Advantageously, the protective elements introduced during production are directly documented in their spatial arrangement and are available as a unique security feature for every forgery-proof document.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a device for handling a forgery-proof document is created, in particular using the method according to the second aspect of the invention. The device for handling the forgery-proof document has a device for detecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element, a device for reading the stored data of the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element, and a device for comparing the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element. Advantageously, this makes it possible to clearly identify features of the forgery-proof document in a particularly simple, reliable, and particularly secure manner. This particularly advantageously enables an authenticity check of a document.

[0017] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a system comprising the device according to the third aspect of the invention and the device according to the fourth aspect of the invention is provided for monitoring a forgery-proof document. The device for producing the forgery-proof document and the device for handling a forgery-proof document have a shared memory or access a shared memory. This particularly advantageously enables authenticity verification and comparison of the document features of a forgery-proof document. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The following is a detailed, non-limiting, and purely exemplary description of some embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures of the drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a forgery-proof document according to the invention with protective elements; Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an exemplary forgery-proof document according to the invention with protective elements and position marks; Fig. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a forgery-proof document according to the invention with visible information and a further protective element; Fig. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a forgery-proof document according to the invention with visible information, visible protective elements, visible position marks and a further protective element; Fig. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for producing the forgery-proof document; Fig. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for handling the forgery-proof document; Fig. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for monitoring a forgery-proof document; Fig. 8 shows an exemplary flow diagram of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a forgery-proof document; and Fig. 9 an exemplary flowchart of an embodiment of the inventive method for handling the forgery-proof document.

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a forgery-proof document 1 with protective elements 3, 4, 5. The forgery-proof document 1 shown here has a substrate 2. The substrate 2 is intended as a carrier element to which further elements are applied and / or applied. The substrate can be, for example, paper, in particular document paper, or a flexible or rigid plastic material, e.g., made of PE, HD-PE, PA, PEEK, or PMMA.

[0020] In one embodiment, the substrate 2 consists of a flexible material. In one embodiment, the flexible material is paper, a film, or a fabric. The flexible material can also be a combination of the aforementioned materials.

[0021] A paper intended for a forgery-proof document 1 is preferably based on cotton or another plant fiber. If lower mechanical requirements are placed on the substrate 2, papers made from bleached pulp, for example, are used. If the paper must meet increased mechanical requirements, the paper is preferably made from a combination of cotton fibers with a synthetic fiber content.

[0022] The substrate 2 of the forgery-proof document 1 can also consist essentially of a film or fabric made of a polycarbonate or a polycarbonate derivative. The substrate 2 can consist of a plastic, in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate, carboxy-modified PC, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), its derivatives, such as glycol-modified PET (PETG), carboxy-modified PET, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS).

[0023] If a fabric is provided for the substrate 2, the substrate may comprise a cotton fabric, a natural fiber fabric, a plastic fabric of the above-mentioned plastics or a blend thereof.

[0024] The substrate 2 can also be a laminate. This laminate can be produced by laminating two or more layers of at least one of the materials described above. Preferably, a layer of a natural fiber or cellulose fiber is enclosed by a plastic layer so that the forgery-proof document 1 is insensitive to moisture.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the substrate 2 can also be made of a material with low flexibility. Such a substrate 2 with low flexibility can consist of one of the plastics mentioned above. In this embodiment, the substrate 2 can also comprise a cotton fabric and / or natural fiber fabric that is stiffened in combination with one of the plastics mentioned.

[0026] The forgery-proof document 1 has protective elements 3, 4, 5. At least one protective element 3, 4, 5 made of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is incorporated or applied into the substrate. The protective elements 3, 4, 5 are preferably designed to have at least one spectral emission band. As shown in Fig. 1 indicated by the different line types, the forgery-proof document 1 has protection elements 3, 4, 5 with three different spectral emission bands. The representation in Fig. Figure 1 shows the protective elements 3, 4, and 5 in the excited state, making them visible. The number of spectral emission bands is not limited to three.

[0027] In one exemplary embodiment, a first spectral emission band of the protective elements 3 represented by the dashed lines can be designed such that it emits blue light when excited by a radiation source suitable for excitation. Another spectral emission band of the protective element 4 represented by the dashed lines can, for example, emit red light when excited by the same radiation source. The protective elements 5 represented by a solid line are designed, for example, such that green light is emitted when excited by the same radiation source. The emission spectra emitted by the protective elements are not limited to the emission spectra mentioned above. In further exemplary embodiments, the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 can have any other suitable emission spectra.

[0028] The at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 can be designed such that each protective element 3, 4, 5 has at least two emission spectra. If the protective element is in the form of a fiber, for example, the fiber can comprise materials with different emission spectra in sections along the longitudinal direction, so that different colors are emitted in sections along the longitudinal direction. Protective elements designed in this way improve the forgery security of the forgery-proof document 1.

[0029] The protective elements 3, 4, 5 are in the Fig. 1 are represented as fibers. These fibers, preferably a plurality of randomly arranged fibers, consist of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphating material. In further embodiments, a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material can be incorporated or applied to the fibers. The fibers into which the luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is incorporated or applied preferably consist of a transparent carrier material. The transparent carrier material makes it possible for the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 to be applied or incorporated into the substrate in such a way that it is almost undetectable under normal lighting conditions. Normal lighting conditions are understood to mean natural sunlight and artificial lighting in the visible light spectrum.

[0030] In further embodiments, the at least one protective element can also consist of luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent pigments that are incorporated or applied to the substrate. Preferably, in this embodiment, a plurality of randomly arranged pigments are incorporated or applied to the substrate.

[0031] In Fig. 1 shows the random arrangement of the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and a random pattern generated thereby. This random pattern can be generated by spraying the protective elements 3, 4, 5. To enable spraying of the protective elements 3, 4, 5, they are preferably present as a dispersion. A further random arrangement of the protective elements 3, 4, 5 can already be achieved during the production of the substrate 2 by mixing the protective elements 3, 4, 5 into the material from which the substrate 2 is formed.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an exemplary forgery-proof document 1 according to the invention with protective elements 3, 4, 5 and position marks 6. This embodiment essentially corresponds to the above-described embodiments of the forgery-proof document 1 comprising a substrate 2 and at least one protective element 3, 4, 5. The forgery-proof document 1 additionally has at least one position mark, in which Fig. 2 shown embodiment three position marks 6.

[0033] The position marks 6 are provided as a reference when detecting a spatial arrangement of the protective elements 3, 4, 5. The position marks can be applied to the substrate 2 by a printing process. The position marks 6 preferably consist of printing inks with luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent properties. The printing inks of the position marks 6 are applied to the substrate 2, for example, by a screen printing process, a planographic printing process, a gravure printing process, a letterpress printing process, or a digital printing process.

[0034] The position marks can also be incorporated into the substrate 2. The insertion of the position marks 6 into the substrate 2 takes place during the production of the substrate 2. Alternatively, the position marks 6 can also be inserted as inserts during the production process at a designated position in the semi-finished product prepared for completion, from which the substrate 2 is produced. During completion, each position mark 6 inserted in this way is an integral part of the substrate 2 and thus an insoluble part of the forgery-proof document 1.

[0035] Fig. Figure 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a forgery-proof document 1 according to the invention with visible information and a further protective element. As in Fig. 3, the protective elements 3, 4, 5 are incorporated or applied into the substrate 2 and are invisible without UV light irradiation. This is the case if the forgery-proof document D1 is not irradiated with a radiation source capable of exciting the luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material of the protective elements 3, 4, 5, so that their characteristic luminous phenomenon is not triggered.

[0036] The visible information on the forgery-proof document 1 can, as in Fig. 3, contain personal data 7, such as name, address, and a passport photograph. However, the information 7, 8 applied to the forgery-proof document 1 can also be document data, such as from a patent certificate, a master craftsman's certificate, a journeyman's certificate, a diploma certificate, a purchase deed, etc. The visible information 7, 8 recorded on the forgery-proof document 1 can thus be any information that the creator of the forgery-proof document 1 considers worthy of protection.

[0037] The visible information 7, 8 can be applied by a printing process, in particular by a screen printing process, a planographic printing process, a gravure printing process, a letterpress printing process, or a digital printing process. Another marking option is laser marking. In this case, the information is burned into the surface of the substrate 2 by a laser in such a way that the visible information is recognizable on the surface of the substrate 2.

[0038] As an additional security feature, a unique identification (ID) 8 can be printed on the forgery-proof document 1. This unique ID is defined so that it is assigned only once. This allows for a quick initial verification through manual inspection. A watermark and a hologram, individually and in combination, are suitable for determining the authenticity of the forgery-proof document 1 with limited security. The limitation essentially relates to the fact that these additional security features can be imitated with corresponding effort.

[0039] Another in Fig. The security feature shown in Figure 3 is a chip module 9, which can also be a near-field communication (NFC) module. This chip module can be designed purely as a memory with the corresponding document data. In one embodiment, the chip module 9 can also have a microcontroller. The chip module can be protected by an integrated cryptoprocessor so that counterfeiting, in particular of the chip module 9, is virtually impossible. The chip module is integrated into the substrate 2 in such a way that any attempt at unauthorized replacement will cause noticeable damage to the substrate 2. If the chip module 9 is designed as a near-field communication module, it can also be integrated invisibly, provided the substrate 2 is made of a sufficiently thick material.

[0040] Fig. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a forgery-proof document 1 according to the invention with visible information 7, 8, visible protective elements 3, 4, 5, visible position marks and a further protective element 9. In the Fig. The forgery-proof document 1 shown in Figure 4 is the Fig. 3 described tamper-proof document 1. The visible information 7, 8, as well as the additional security features 9 have already been Fig. 3 described in detail.

[0041] As in Fig. 4 can be seen, the protective elements 3, 4, 5 are now also visible. For this purpose, the protective elements 3, 4, 5 are exposed to radiation suitable for exciting the protective elements 3, 4, 5. The suitable radiation depends on the luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent material of the protective elements 3, 4, 5. Frequently, a radiation source is used that is designed to emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the range from 315nm to 380nm, e.g. in the form of an LED with an emission wavelength of preferably 365nm. Alternatively, the UV radiation can also be generated by an excimer lamp or an excimer laser. If special requirements are placed on counterfeit security, X-rays can also be used to excite certain luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent materials.

[0042] As in Fig. 4 in the area of ​​the illustrated head 10, the protective elements 3, 4, 5 are visible with reduced luminosity depending on the opacity of the visible information 7, 8. The visible information 7, 8 can also replace the position marks 6 or, in addition to the marking, serve as orientation for the spatial arrangement of the protective elements 3, 4, 5.

[0043] Fig. Figure 5 shows an embodiment of a device 11 for producing the forgery-proof document 1. A base material 12 is provided in the device 12 in the form of a roll. The base material 12 can also be provided in the form of a pasty material, a liquid material, sheets, and plates. This base material 12 is formed into a corresponding substrate 2 in a forming device 13 using a suitable forming process.

[0044] Before the forming process in the forming device 13, at least one protective element is applied or introduced onto the base material 12. The application or introduction of the at least one protective element is carried out by a device for introducing or applying at least one protective element 14.

[0045] The device 14 for introducing or applying the at least one protective element consists, for example, of a spray head. This spray head is preferably designed such that the at least one protective element, which in this embodiment is present as a dispersion, is applied to the base material to be molded with a random spatial arrangement. In another embodiment, the device 14 for introducing or applying the at least one protective element can be designed to stir or sprinkle the at least one protective element into the base material 12.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment, the shaping device 13 is followed by a printing device 15. This printing device 15 is in Fig. 5 is shown as a single-stage device. The printing device 15 can also be designed in multiple stages.

[0047] One stage of the printing device 15 is preferably designed to apply at least one position mark 6, which is provided as a reference when detecting a spatial arrangement, to the substrate 2. The preferably luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphating printing ink of the position marks 6 is applied to the substrate 2, for example, by a screen printing process, a planographic printing process, a gravure printing process, a letterpress printing process, or a digital printing process.

[0048] The printing device 14 may have a further stage designed to apply the visible information 7, 8 to the substrate 2 using a screen printing process, a planographic printing process, a gravure printing process, a letterpress printing process, or a digital printing process. The visible information may also be applied in multiple stages, for example, if multi-color printing is required.

[0049] In a further stage of the printing device 14, the applied print can be reshaped, for example by a heat treatment, so that the material deposited by printing penetrates into the substrate 2.

[0050] The printing device is preferably followed by a first document capture unit 16 for capturing the spatial arrangement of at least one protective feature or element 3, 4, 5 and, if present, the position marks 6. In this exemplary embodiment, the document capture unit 16 has a recording unit in the form of a camera 17 and two radiation sources 18 for capturing the at least one protective feature or element 3, 4, 5 and, if present, the position marks 6. In this exemplary embodiment, the radiation sources 18 are designed as light sources that emit ultraviolet light onto the substrate 2. The emitted ultraviolet light excites the protective elements or elements 3, 4, 5 and, if present, the position marks 6 such that they emit light in their characteristic color. This emitted light is captured by the camera 17 and converted into corresponding image data.

[0051] In a further embodiment not shown here, the first document capture unit 16 is designed as a scanner. This scanner has at least one radiation source, embodied, for example, as an LED array. This LED array is preferably designed to illuminate the entire width of the forgery-proof document 1 to be scanned. The LED array emits an emission spectrum suitable for exciting the protective elements and, if provided, the position marks 6. A recording unit captures the light emitted by the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and converts it into image data based on their specific position. In this scanner, the recording unit is preferably based on a line sensor arranged parallel to the LED array. This line sensor can be, for example, a contact image sensor (CIS) or a charge-coupled device (CCD).Such a scanner-based document capture unit is particularly preferably used in a continuously running manufacturing process for the forgery-proof document.

[0052] The document capture unit 16 can have at least one optical filter that has increased transparency for light emitted by luminescence, fluorescence, and / or phosphorescence. This filter increases the contrast of the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and the position marks 6 relative to the substrate. Thus, the detection of the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark 6 or relative to the other information 7, 8, is significantly improved, since the brightness values ​​of the protective elements and the position marks are increased.

[0053] The image data acquired by the document capture unit 16 are fed to a memory 20. For this purpose, the document capture unit 16 has a data processing unit 19. This data processing unit is designed to select the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5. The spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5, captured by the first document capture unit 20, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark 6 or the other information 7, 8, is determined by the data processing unit 19. This determined spatial arrangement, in particular in spatial relation to at least one position mark 6, is stored in the memory 20, in particular in a protected memory.

[0054] The Fig. The device 11 for producing the forgery-proof document 1 shown in Figure 5 comprises, for example, a separation device 21 which is designed to separate the forgery-proof documents 1 which are present as blanks in an endless belt or in sheets during production and to collect them in a container 22 suitable for this purpose.

[0055] Fig. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a device for handling 23 a forgery-proof document 1. The device for handling 22 a forgery-proof document 1 has a device for detecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective feature or protective element 3, 4, 5. In the Fig. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 6, the device for detecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective feature or protective element 3, 4, 5 has a further document detection unit 24. The further document detection unit 24 is designed to transmit detected data of the forgery-proof document 1 to a further data processing unit 25. In this exemplary embodiment, the document detection unit 24 is embodied in the form of a scanner. However, camera-based further document detection units 24, as already described for the production device 11, are also suitable.

[0056] The scanner in Fig. The exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 6 preferably has a transparent surface designed to mechanically receive and hold the forgery-proof document 1 to be checked. For this purpose, the transparent surface can have at least partially raised portions at its edges, for example, a frame or a partial frame, in particular to align the forgery-proof document 1. An optical pickup unit and an illumination unit are arranged beneath the transparent surface.

[0057] In the exemplary embodiment, the illumination unit of the further document capture unit 24 has at least one radiation source, embodied, for example, as an LED emitter. This LED emitter is designed to illuminate the forgery-proof document 1 to be scanned. The LED emitter emits an emission spectrum suitable for exciting the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and, if provided, the position marks 6. The LEDs provided as the radiation source are designed to emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the range from 315 nm to 380 nm, in particular with an emission wavelength of 365 nm. If a different form of radiation is required for excitation, a corresponding radiation source suitable for this radiation is provided in the document capture unit. This can, for example, be a radiation source that emits an alternating electric field.If special requirements are placed on counterfeit security, X-rays can also be used to excite certain luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent materials.

[0058] The recording unit captures the light emitted by the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and converts it into image data. Preferably, the recording unit in this scanner is based on a charge-coupled device (CCD). Such a scanner-based additional document capture unit 24 is provided in particular in a compact device for handling a forgery-proof document 1.

[0059] The further document capture unit 24 can have at least one optical filter that has increased transparency for light emitted by luminescence, fluorescence, and / or phosphorescence. This filter increases the contrast of the protective elements and the position marks relative to the substrate. Thus, the detection of the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark 6, is significantly improved, since the brightness values ​​of the protective elements 3, 4, 5 and the position marks 6 are increased.

[0060] As in Fig. 6, the device 23 for handling a forgery-proof document 1 has a further data processing unit 25. The data processing unit 25 is designed to determine the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 by the further data processing unit 25 from the captured data. This spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 determined by the further document capture unit 25 is compared by the data processing unit 25 with an arrangement of the selected protective elements 3, 4, 5 stored in the memory 20, in particular in the protected memory, which was stored during production.

[0061] The device 23 for handling a forgery-proof document has a central unit 26. This central unit 26 receives the comparison results. If the central unit 26 detects a discrepancy, misuse of the forgery-proof document 1 is assumed. The central unit 26 can work either directly with the raw image data or with data derived from it, e.g., vectorized data.

[0062] Fig. Figure 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the system 31 according to the invention for monitoring a forgery-proof document. The system 31 comprises the device 11 for producing the forgery-proof document (see Fig. 5) and the device for handling 23 a forgery-proof document 1 (see Fig. 6) with the common memory 20. Here, the interaction of the device for producing 11 the forgery-proof document 1 and the device for handling 23 the forgery-proof document 1 via the common memory 20 is illustrated.

[0063] The shared memory 20 enables the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 determined by the additional document capture unit 24 to be compared with an arrangement of the selected protective elements 3, 4, 5 stored in the memory 20 during production. The memory 20 can be a central memory at the manufacturer of the forgery-proof document or at an administrative office or authority for the forgery-proof document. Specially protected cloud memories are also conceivable as the shared memory 20.

[0064] The results of a comparison of the protection elements 3, 4, and 5 are provided to a central unit 26. This central unit 26 is designed to signal possible misuse. The central unit 26 is connected to a recipient, in particular an authority 27, the police 28, customs 29, and / or a security company 30. A deviation detected by the further data processing unit 25 and / or a suspicion of misuse of the forgery-proof document 1 is forwarded to the recipient via these connections. This enables the recipient to respond appropriately to this notification.

[0065] Fig. 8 shows an exemplary flow diagram of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a forgery-proof document. In a first step S110 for producing the forgery-proof document, at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 made of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material is introduced or applied into or onto a substrate. The application of the at least one protective element can, for example, take place in a spraying process with subsequent fixing. In a further exemplary embodiment, the introduction or application 14 of the at least one protective element can take place by stirring it in or sprinkling it onto or into the base material. The protective element can be a fiber, preferably a plurality of randomly arranged fibers, which consists of or consists of a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphating material.or on which a luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent material is incorporated or applied.

[0066] In a further step, information is applied or incorporated onto the substrate S120. This step can be carried out, for example, by a printing process, in particular by a screen printing process, a planographic printing process, a gravure printing process, a letterpress printing process, or a digital printing process.

[0067] In a further step S130, a spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element 3, 4, 5 is stored during creation.

[0068] Between step S110 of applying or inserting the at least one protective element and step S120 of applying or inserting information, a step of applying or inserting at least one position mark onto the substrate can be performed. The at least one position mark is provided as a reference when detecting a spatial arrangement. The at least one position mark preferably comprises a luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent material.

[0069] In a further optional step, at least one further security feature, in particular at least one watermark, at least one hologram, at least one chip module and / or at least one near field communication module (NFC) can be applied or incorporated.

[0070] Storing the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element can comprise a step of exciting the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) to illuminate. This is preferably done by a radiation source suitable for exciting the at least one protective element, in particular a light source with ultraviolet light. In a further storage step, the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element is recorded by a first document capture unit, in particular a camera or a scanner. The first document capture unit can have at least one filter that has increased transparency for light emitted by luminescence, fluorescence, and / or phosphorescence.

[0071] The storing step may include a further step of selecting the at least one protective element by the first document capture unit. The spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element captured by the first document capture unit, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark, is stored in a memory, in particular in a protected memory.

[0072] Fig. 9 shows an exemplary flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for handling the forgery-proof document produced according to the method for producing the forgery-proof document described above. In a first step S210, the forgery-proof document is irradiated with radiation, in particular ultraviolet light or other radiation suitable for exciting the at least one protective element, to make the at least one protective element visible.

[0073] In a further step S220, the forgery-proof document is captured by another document capture unit, in particular by a camera or a scanner. The data captured by the other document capture unit is transmitted to another data processing unit in a further step S230.

[0074] In a further step provided before the transmission S230 of the captured data, the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element can be determined by the further data processing unit from the captured data. In a subsequent step, the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element determined by the further document capture unit can be compared by the data processing unit with an arrangement of the selected protective elements stored in the memory, in particular in the protected memory, which was stored during production.

[0075] In a further step, the results of the comparison of the protective elements can be forwarded to a central unit. In this step, the central unit is preferably designed to identify misuse of the forgery-proof document in the event of a discrepancy detected by the data processing unit and to forward the information to a recipient, in particular an authority, the police, customs authorities, and / or a security company.

[0076] The data processing unit can perform a step of selecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element from acquired image data. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the storage requirements for data relating to the acquired spatial arrangement of the protective elements.

[0077] The random arrangement, in particular of a large number of protective elements, particularly those in the form of fibers, creates a unique spatial distribution and arrangement of the protective elements on or in each substrate (e.g. paper) on which the information (e.g. text and photograph for a passport or driving license) is applied or incorporated. This is unique and individual for each substrate provided in this way. This unique arrangement creates a unique assignment of a specific substrate provided in this way to a specific image stored during production, which can be traced back at any time. Even if a counterfeiter were to gain access to an unprinted substrate provided with such protective elements, the random spatial distribution of the protective elements there would be different. A comparison with the stored image of the original would immediately expose the forgery.This is a particular advantage of the invention.

[0078] The invention is not limited to the embodiments discussed above. All features described in the description, claimed in the claims, or shown in the drawings can be combined with one another as desired within the scope of this invention. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 199 62 790 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] A method for producing a forgery-proof document (1), wherein the forgery-proof document (1) comprises a substrate (2) in which at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) made of a luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent material is introduced or applied (S110), wherein information is applied or introduced onto the substrate (2), and wherein a spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) is stored during creation. [2] The method according to claim 1, wherein the protective element (3, 4, 5) is a fiber, preferably a plurality of randomly arranged fibers, which consists or consist of a luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent material or on which a luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent material is or is applied. [3] The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one position mark (6), which is provided as a reference when detecting a spatial arrangement, is applied or introduced onto the substrate (2), wherein the at least one position mark (6) preferably comprises a luminescent, a fluorescent or phosphorescent material. [4] The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein visible information (7, 8) is applied by a printing process, and / or wherein at least one further security feature (9), in particular at least one watermark, at least one hologram, at least one chip module and / or at least one near field communication module (NFC) is applied or incorporated. [5] The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) is excited to glow by a radiation source, in particular a light source with ultraviolet light, wherein the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element is captured by a first document capture unit, in particular a camera or a scanner, and / or wherein the first document capture unit has at least one filter which has increased transparency for light emitted by luminescence, fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, wherein the first document capture unit is designed to select the at least one protective element, and / or wherein the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element captured by the first document capture unit, preferably in spatial relation to at least one position mark, is stored in a memory, in particular in a protected memory. [6] A method for handling the forgery-proof document produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the forgery-proof document is irradiated with radiation, in particular ultraviolet light, to make the at least one protective element visible, wherein the forgery-proof document (1) is captured by a further document capture unit (24), in particular by a camera or a scanner, wherein data captured by the further document capture unit (24) is transmitted to a further data processing unit (25). [7] The method for handling the forgery-proof document according to claim 6, wherein the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) is determined by the further data processing unit from the recorded data, wherein the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) determined by the further document capture unit (24) is compared by the data processing unit (25) with an arrangement of the selected protective elements stored in the memory (20), in particular in the protected memory, which was stored during production. [8] The method for handling the forgery-proof document (1) according to claim 7, wherein the results of the comparison of the protective elements (3, 4, 5) are forwarded to a central unit (26), wherein the central unit (26) is designed to detect misuse of the forgery-proof document (1) in the event of a deviation detected by the data processing unit (25) and to forward it to a recipient, in particular an authority (27), the police (28), customs (29) and / or a security company (30). [9] The method for handling the forgery-proof document (1) according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the data processing unit (25) is designed to select the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) from captured image data. [10] A device for producing, in particular with the method according to one of claims 1 to 5, a forgery-proof document (1), a device for introducing or applying (14) at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) onto or into a substrate, a device for detecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element, a memory (20) for storing the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element. [11] A device for handling (23) a forgery-proof document (1), in particular with the method according to one of claims 6 to 9, comprising, a device for detecting the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5), a device for reading out the stored data of the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5), a device for comparing the spatial arrangement of the at least one protective element (3, 4, 5) with the spatial arrangement during production. [12] A system (31) for monitoring a forgery-proof document with the device according to claims 10 and 11, wherein the device for producing the forgery-proof document (11) and the device for handling (23) a forgery-proof document (1) have a common memory (20) or access a common memory (20).

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