Printed matter – Having revealable concealed information – fraud preventer or... – Utilizing electromagnetic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2001-03-27
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Printed matter
Having revealable concealed information, fraud preventer or...
Utilizing electromagnetic radiation
C283S058000, C283S094000, C283S114000, C359S618000, C359S640000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206429
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to security documents including a security image composed of a printed security image and a printed complementary security image. The security image is arranged to provide an indication of document authenticity.
Conventional security documents comprise a security image including security image elements designed such that an attempted duplication or reproduction results in the formation of a readily apparent warning image on the face of the duplicate document. The security image elements are arranged such that the presence of the warning image is not readily apparent on the original. Examples of security documents of this type are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,579,370, 5,149,140, 5,197,765, 5,340,159, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Some conventional security documents are printed in two or more colors that are blended to achieve a smooth transition from one color to the next. This is commonly achieved through the use of a split fountain, i.e., a print unit with special dividers which separate one color from another. The split fountain technique is, however, troublesome in some instances because it is typically difficult to control print quality and requires frequent production stoppages for cleaning and other related maintenance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a security document production scheme that enables efficient creation of a security document including a multi-color security image where the colors blend together in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Further, there is a need for a multi-color security document production scheme that avoids conventional difficulties related to printing multi-color documents.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This need is met by the present invention wherein a security document production scheme is presented for the creation of a security document including a prismatic multi-color security image. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a security document is provided comprising a security image defined on a face of the document. The security image is defined along first and second dimensions by the superposition of a primary security image portion and a secondary security image portion. The primary security image portion is defined by security image elements of a first color. The secondary security image portion is defined by security image elements of a second color. The primary security image portion is arranged to include first, second, and third types of security image segments. The secondary security image portion is arranged to include first, second, and third types of security image segments. The first type of security image segment defines an image element tone that decreases in magnitude along the first dimension of the security image and that maintains a substantially constant magnitude along the second dimension of the security image. The second type of security image segment defines an image element tone that decreases in magnitude along the second dimension of the security image and that maintains a substantially constant magnitude along the first dimension of the security image. The third type of security image segment defines an image element tone that maintains a substantially constant magnitude along the first and second dimensions of the security image. The primary security image portion and the secondary security image portion are superposed such that (i) security image segments of the first type in the primary security image portion are superposed with security image segments of the third type in the secondary image portion, (ii) security image segments of the second type in the primary security image portion are superposed with security image segments of the second type in the secondary image portion, and (iii) security image segments of the third type in the primary security image portion are superposed with security image segments of the first type in the secondary image portion.
The security image segments of the first, second, and third types are preferably arranged along the second dimension in adjacent columns of common image element types. The columns of common image element types may be arranged such that: (i) the primary security image portion comprises, in succession, at least one column of security image segments of the first type, at least one column of security image segments of the second type, at least one column of security image segments of the third type, at least one column of security image segments of the second type, and at least one column of security image segments of the first type; and (ii) the secondary security image portion comprises, in succession, at least one column of security image segments of the third type, at least one column of security image segments of the second type, at least one column of security image segments of the first type, at least one column of security image segments of the second type, and at least one column of security image segments of the third type.
The second type of security image segment preferably includes a set of basic second type security image segments and a set of reversed second type security image segments. The reversed security image segments define an image element tone that varies in a direction opposite to a varying tone direction defined by the basic security image segments.
The columns of common image element types may be arranged such that: (i) the primary security image portion comprises, in succession, at least one column of security image segments of the first type, at least one column of security image segments of the basic second type, at least one column of security image segments of the third type, at least one column of security image segments of the reversed second type, and at least one column of security image segments of the first type; and (ii) the secondary security image portion comprises, in succession, at least one column of security image segments of the third type, at least one column of security image segments of the reversed second type, at least one column of security image segments of the first type, at least one column of security image segments of the basic second type, and at least one column of security image segments of the third type.
The security image segments may be arranged such that the adjacent columns of common image element types comprise columns of generally diagonal orientation relative to the first and second dimensions.
The first type of security image segments are preferably arranged in at least one selected column such that the selected column as a whole defines an image element tone that decreases in magnitude along the first dimension of the security image. The image element tone of the selected column of the first type of security image segments decreases in value from a maximum tone at a top edge of the security image to a minimum tone at a bottom edge of the security image. The image element tone of the selected column of the first type of security image segments preferably decreases in value from a maximum tone at a top edge of an uppermost security image segment in the security image to a lower tone at a bottom edge of the uppermost security image segment, and the image element tone of successively lower security image segments in the selected column preferably decrease in value from a lower tone defined at a bottom edge of a preceding security image segment in the selected column to a successively lower tone at a successive bottom edge of the successively lower security image segment.
The second type of security image segments are preferably arranged in at least one selected column such that the selected column as a whole defines an image element tone that decreases in magnitude along the first and second dimensions of the security image. The image element tone of the selected column of the second type of security image segments preferably decreases in value from an intermediate tone at a top edge of the security image to a minimum tone at a bottom edge of the security image and from
Cull Standale Joseph
Mowry, Jr. William H.
Riccardella Joseph V.
Webendorfer Stephen D.
Carter Monica S.
Killworth, Gottman Hagan & Schaeff LLP
The Standard Register Company
Wellington A. L.
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