Secure Item with Revealing Screen and Combined Image

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current secure articles lack effective optical anti-counterfeiting systems that can easily integrate into paper-based items, providing authentication and identification while being difficult to counterfeit.

Innovation Solution

The integration of micropatterns into secure articles, forming a combined image and revelation frame that, when superimposed, reveal distinct images based on displacement or angle, utilizing periodic micropatterns of different colors and opacities to create a high-resolution, polychrome effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional security elements are applied to secure articles, then basic authentication is provided, but the security level is insufficient and easy to counterfeit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity levelVSAvoiddifficulty to counterfeit
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The security element is divided into multiple nested images (first image, second image, third image) that are superimposed on each other. Each image contains specific patterns (geometric shapes, alphanumeric characters, ideograms) that are only visible when viewed through the revelation frame at specific angles or positions, making counterfeiting difficult while maintaining manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the security element have different optical properties and patterns. The revelation frame selectively reveals specific portions of the nested images at different locations, creating localized authentication features that vary across the article surface, enhancing security without complicating the overall manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If existing revelation frame systems are used, then image observation is enabled, but the optical effects are limited and not sufficiently recognizable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidrecognizability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The nested images contain patterns in different colors (red, green, blue, yellow, black, white) that are selectively revealed by the revelation frame. The revelation frame itself may have colored regions that filter or enhance the visibility of specific patterns, creating distinctive color-based authentication features that are easily recognizable by end users

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The security element provides dynamic authentication through multiple observation modes: the revelation frame can be displaced to reveal different images, the article can be rotated to change viewing angles, and different regions can be examined to find specific patterns. This dynamic interaction makes authentication engaging and highly recognizable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If high-resolution micropatterns are incorporated, then counterfeiting difficulty increases, but the complexity of the security system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-counterfeiting propertyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple complete images are nested within each other in the same spatial region, with each image containing micropatterns at high resolution. The revelation frame acts as a selector that reveals one nested image at a time, allowing high complexity to be packed into a small area without requiring additional physical space or complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The security element utilizes the angular dimension by designing patterns that are visible only at specific viewing angles. The revelation frame and nested images are arranged so that rotation or angular displacement reveals different features, adding a dimensional aspect to authentication that increases security without requiring more physical components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3397500B1Secure item comprising a revealing screen and a combined image
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 OBERTHUR FIDUCIAIRE SAS
  • EP3397500B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3397500B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~3C
  • EP3397500B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5D

AI summary

The invention relates to a secure item comprising a revealing screen (4) and a combined image (I), or an assembly comprising a secure item (10) and another object (100), the secure item (10) comprising one of the revealing screen (4) and the combined image (I), and the object (100) comprising or forming the other one of the revealing screen (4) and the combined image (I), the combined image being made up of a plurality of interlaced images (I1 to In) each interlaced image (I1 to In) and/or the revealing screen being made up of a plurality of elements (ii to in, pi to pn, 5a, 5b), the revealing screen (4) making it possible, when placed on top of the combined image (I), to observe various revealed images (Ir) by moving the revealing screen (4) relative to the combined image (I) and/or by changing the observation angle, the revealed images each comprising a certain proportion (P1_; Pn) of each interlaced image I1 to In), and the elements (ii to in, pi to pn, 5a, 5b) being made up of one or more micro-patterns (7).