Secured Partial Product Using Alienation Keys for Optical Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Security elements used in data carriers and valuables can be vulnerable to unauthorized use, as components may be produced by different manufacturers, allowing unauthorized recreation or modification of optically variable effects, such as movement effects, by combining embossed structures with printed information.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed where a specific encoding alienation key is applied to the supplementary product and a corresponding decoding alienation key is applied to the partial product, ensuring that only the manufacturer can produce matching supplementary products, by altering the reflection behavior of the embossed structure, thus securing the partial product against unauthorized use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If security elements are produced by multiple manufacturers using embossed structures and printed information, then production flexibility and specialization are improved, but vulnerability to unauthorized use and reproduction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The security element is divided into two separate partial products: an embossed structure and a printed information layer. Each can be produced independently by different manufacturers, but they must be combined with specific alignment to create the intended optical effect. This segmentation enables production flexibility while the required combination prevents unauthorized use.
Solution Approach 2:
A registration mark system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the embossed structure and printed information. The registration marks encode alignment information that mediates the combination process, ensuring that only authorized combinations produce the correct optical effect, while unauthorized combinations fail to align properly.
2Ease of manufacture
If embossed structures with regular repeat patterns are used, then manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but susceptibility to reduction or enlargement to different repeat sizes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent encodes specific repeat size parameters within the registration marks. These parameter changes are embedded in the alignment code, allowing the system to verify the correct repeat size. If someone attempts to reduce or enlarge the repeat pattern, the registration marks will not align with the printed information, preventing unauthorized modification while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Reliability
If alienation keys are applied to both partial products, then security against unauthorized use is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying complex alienation keys throughout the entire security element, the patent concentrates the alienation information into localized registration marks. These small, specific features contain the encoding/decoding keys in a localized area, providing security protection while minimizing overall device complexity and manufacturing difficulty.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively prevents unauthorized use by ensuring that the partial product can only produce the predetermined visually visible effect when used with the correctly alienated supplementary product, maintaining the security and authenticity of the combined security element.
Implementation Method 1
the supplementary product changes the embossed surface of the embossed structure in its reflection behavior
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for securing a partial product (30) which, in cooperation with a supplementary product (40) generates a predetermined visually perceptible effect (24), against unauthorised use of the partial product (30), wherein, in the method, a specific encoding alienation key (ESI) and an associated decoding alienation key (DSI) are generated, the supplementary product (40) is alienated by means of the specific encoder alienation key (ESI) and the partial product (30) to be secured is alienated by means of the associated decoder alienation key (DSI), such that the alienating partial product (30-1) generates a predetermined visually perceptible effect (24) in cooperation with the alienating supplementary product (40-1) and, in cooperation with a non-alienating supplementary product (40) or a supplementary product (40-2) alienated by means of a different encoder alienation key, does not generate the predetermined visually perceptible effect. The partial product to be secured provides an embossing structure having a plurality of raster elements, and the supplementary product changes the embossed surface of the embossed structure with regard to the reflection behaviour of the embossed surface.