A method and apparatus for evaluating the fitness of an object based on determination of a measure of permeability of the object, including positioning the object between a fluid source and a gasochromic material, dispensing a fluid from the fluid source towards the object such that at least a portion of the fluid flows through the object and contacts the gasochromic material, exciting the gasochromic material with an excitation source such that an emission of the gasochromic material is in response to the excitation source and the fluid, detecting the emission from the gasochromic material to determine the permeability of the object, and evaluating the fitness of the object based on the determination of the permeability of the object. The gasochromic material may also be included in the object.

An apparatus and method for checking value documents, in particular bank notes, and a value document processing system having at least one sensor for capturing an electromagnetic radiation transmitted by a value document and generating corresponding transmission signals, and an evaluation device for checking whether the value document has a foreign object taking into account the transmission signals. From the transmission signals an edge course of the value document is derived and a rectangle is approximated to the edge course. By comparing the edge course of the transmission image with the rectangle, the presence of a foreign object such as an adhesive tape, can be ascertained.

An apparatus and method for checking value documents, in particular bank notes, and a value document processing system having at least one sensor for capturing an electromagnetic radiation transmitted by a value document and generating corresponding transmission signals, and an evaluation device for checking whether the value document has a foreign object taking into account the transmission signals. From the transmission signals an edge course of the value document is derived and a rectangle is approximated to the edge course. By comparing the edge course of the transmission image with the rectangle, the presence of a foreign object such as an adhesive tape, can be ascertained.

An apparatus and a corresponding method for checking value documents, involves at least one first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or transmitted by a value document and to convert the radiation into corresponding first sensor signals. At least one second sensor is configured to detect sound waves reflected and/or transmitted by the value document and to convert the sound waves into corresponding second sensor signals, and an evaluation device configured to determine a first area value which characterizes a first area of the value document on the basis of the first sensor signals, to determine a second area value which characterizes a second area of the value document on the basis of the second sensor signals, and to infer a possible identification marking of the value document with a marking ink on the basis of the first and second area value.

An apparatus and a corresponding method for checking value documents, involves at least one first sensor configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected and/or transmitted by a value document and to convert the radiation into corresponding first sensor signals. At least one second sensor is configured to detect sound waves reflected and/or transmitted by the value document and to convert the sound waves into corresponding second sensor signals, and an evaluation device configured to determine a first area value which characterizes a first area of the value document on the basis of the first sensor signals, to determine a second area value which characterizes a second area of the value document on the basis of the second sensor signals, and to infer a possible identification marking of the value document with a marking ink on the basis of the first and second area value.

A substrate can include at least two scintillator materials that are mixed at a predetermined ratio. In an embodiment, the scintillator materials can have a decay time difference of at least 50% when exposed to a same radiation source. In another embodiment, the scintillator materials can have a maximum emission wavelength difference of at least 25 nm when exposed to a same radiation source. At least one of the scintillator materials has a decay time of at most 10 s. A system can include the substrate and a logic element configured to determine an identity represented by the substrate. A method can include generating an electronic pulse in response to the substrate being exposed to a radiation source; and analyzing the electronic pulse to determine an identity represented by the substrate.

The present invention relates to the use of non-deactivatable security compositions comprising the combination of at least two types of particles of oxide materials, where said particles have a different size and/or morphology, and where the inorganic oxide materials have at least one transition metal or one lanthanide element, and radiofrequency wave absorption properties. The invention also relates to security articles, documents or elements incorporating these compositions, as well as to a method and to a system for detection thereof.

The present invention relates to the use of non-deactivatable security compositions comprising the combination of at least two types of particles of oxide materials, where said particles have a different size and/or morphology, and where the inorganic oxide materials have at least one transition metal or one lanthanide element, and radiofrequency wave absorption properties. The invention also relates to security articles, documents or elements incorporating these compositions, as well as to a method and to a system for detection thereof.

Described is a method for providing measurement data for value documents to a specified purpose of use employing a value-document processing device which has a transport device for transporting the value documents, and a sensor device for capturing at least one property of value documents transported in the value-document processing apparatus by means of the transport device and forming measurement data describing the captured property, in which value documents are transported to the sensor device by means of the transport device and measurement data for these are respectively captured by means of the sensor device, it is tested whether the measurement data for the value documents meet a suitability criterion specified for the purpose of use, and measurement data for respectively one of the value documents either are permanently stored or discarded in dependence on the result of the testing.

Described is a method for providing measurement data for value documents to a specified purpose of use employing a value-document processing device which has a transport device for transporting the value documents, and a sensor device for capturing at least one property of value documents transported in the value-document processing apparatus by means of the transport device and forming measurement data describing the captured property, in which value documents are transported to the sensor device by means of the transport device and measurement data for these are respectively captured by means of the sensor device, it is tested whether the measurement data for the value documents meet a suitability criterion specified for the purpose of use, and measurement data for respectively one of the value documents either are permanently stored or discarded in dependence on the result of the testing.