Security Document Variable Color Inversion Optical Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current security documents with optical effects are difficult to authenticate unambiguously and are susceptible to counterfeiting due to complexity in reproduction, as observers may struggle to verify the authenticity of the optical animations.

Innovation Solution

A security document featuring a substrate with first and second patterns that produce color changes during reflection and transmission, combined with a third pattern that becomes colored in reflection and disappears in transmission, creating a variable color inversion optical effect, enhancing authenticity verification and making reproduction more challenging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If security elements produce optical effects with complex animations, then the difficulty of reproduction increases, but the ease of verification by observers decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedifficulty of reproductionVSAvoidease of verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The security element is divided into multiple independent patterns (first pattern, second pattern, third pattern) with distinct optical behaviors. Each pattern can be independently designed and verified, allowing observers to check authenticity through simple visual cues while maintaining complex reproduction requirements for each individual pattern

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes color changes under different observation conditions (reflection vs transmission) as the core verification mechanism. The first and second patterns exchange colors between reflection and transmission modes, while the third pattern disappears in transmission, providing intuitive visual verification without requiring complex animation understanding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of manufacture

If security elements use precise observation configurations for optical effects, then the complexity of reproduction increases, but the reliability of authentication decreases due to observer uncertainty

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomplexity of reproductionVSAvoidauthenticity verification reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The security element is designed to automatically present its authentication characteristics under normal viewing conditions without requiring precise positioning or specific observation configurations. The color inversion effect occurs naturally when switching between reflection and transmission modes, which are spontaneous observation actions, eliminating the need for precise configuration while maintaining high authentication reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If security documents use translucent or transparent zones for optical effects, then the visual appeal and ease of observation increase, but the difficulty of detecting incorrect positioning increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of observationVSAvoiddetection of incorrect positioning
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The security element incorporates dynamic color inversion behavior that occurs when transitioning between reflection and transmission modes. This dynamic effect provides immediate visual feedback to observers about the correct observation configuration, as the color inversion only occurs in the proper orientation, thereby eliminating ambiguity about positioning while maintaining ease of observation through the translucent/transparent zone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution provides a clear and intuitive optical effect that ensures easy verification of authenticity, reduces ambiguity, and complicates incorrect positioning, while making the document more difficult to counterfeit.

Implementation Method 1

the first and second patterns are capable of producing, inside the transparent zone, respectively at least first and second colors during observation of the document in reflection and to permute these first and second colors during observation of the document in transmission

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical interference: Interference

Implementation Method 2

the element comprises a third pattern, extending at least partially in the transparent zone, capable of becoming colored with at least one color during observation in reflection and of substantially disappearing during observation in transmission in the zone transparent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP2501554B1Security document including patterns with variable optical effect
Publication Date: 2015.09.16 OBERTHUR FIDUCIAIRE SAS
  • EP2501554B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2501554B1 patent drawingFigure 4~11
  • EP2501554B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a document (10) which includes a substrate (12) and a security element (20) including first (22A) and second (22B) patterns supported by the substrate (12), the substrate (12) also including a translucent or transparent area (14), with the first and second patterns (22A, 22B) at least partially extending therein. The first and second patterns (22A, 22B) are suitable for producing, inside the transparent area (14), at least first and second colours respectively when observing the document (10) by reflection and for switching said first and second colours when observing the document (10) being sent.