In an image forming apparatus, an extraction processing portion extracts one or more items of personal information from image data of a card read by an image reading portion. A document data acquiring portion acquires image data of a fixed-form document. A document layout acquiring portion acquires document layout information that indicates one or more composite positions in the image data of the fixed-form document where the one or more items of personal information are to be combined. A composition processing portion generates composite image data by combining the personal information extracted by the extraction processing portion with the image data of the fixed-form document in accordance with the document layout information. A print control portion causes an image forming portion to execute a composite image printing process of printing a composite image represented by the composite image data on a sheet.

Engraver configured to be coupled to a heater piece of a hot foil stamping machine for decorating sides of plastic cards wherein the engraver is made of silicone and capable of being heated up and comprising a recess on its external face opposite to a foil of the hot foil stamping machine, in such a way that a cross-section of said engraver is a negative shape and size of a side of plastic cards, including rounded corners formed by said side and adjacent side, wherein engraver size is dependent on number of plastic cards and the engraver is capable of being heated up and is suitable for being coupled to the heater head piece of the hot foil stamping machine.

Engraver configured to be coupled to a heater piece of a hot foil stamping machine for decorating sides of plastic cards wherein the engraver is made of silicone and capable of being heated up and comprising a recess on its external face opposite to a foil of the hot foil stamping machine, in such a way that a cross-section of said engraver is a negative shape and size of a side of plastic cards, including rounded corners formed by said side and adjacent side, wherein engraver size is dependent on number of plastic cards and the engraver is capable of being heated up and is suitable for being coupled to the heater head piece of the hot foil stamping machine.

A method of producing a security document includes the steps of producing a first part of a color image by color laser marking a security document precursor; and producing a second part of the color image by a second imaging technique different from laser marking. The resulting security document is more difficult to falsify.

A method of producing a security document includes the steps of producing a first part of a color image by color laser marking a security document precursor; and producing a second part of the color image by a second imaging technique different from laser marking. The resulting security document is more difficult to falsify.

A micro-optic security device (105) includes a planar array of microlenses (305), which are configured to focus light along a plurality of focal paths (610) associated with a viewing angle. The micro-optic security device further includes an icon layer stack (905) disposed along the plurality of focal paths. The icon layer stack includes a first icon layer (620) with volumes of cured material of a first color (613b) and volumes of substantially transparent material at locations outside of focal paths of the first range of viewing angles. The icon layer stack also includes a second icon layer (640) with volumes of substantially transparent cured material at locations along focal paths of the first range of viewing angles, and volumes of cured material of a second color (637a) at locations along focal paths of a second range of viewing angles.

A micro-optic security device (105) includes a planar array of microlenses (305), which are configured to focus light along a plurality of focal paths (610) associated with a viewing angle. The micro-optic security device further includes an icon layer stack (905) disposed along the plurality of focal paths. The icon layer stack includes a first icon layer (620) with volumes of cured material of a first color (613b) and volumes of substantially transparent material at locations outside of focal paths of the first range of viewing angles. The icon layer stack also includes a second icon layer (640) with volumes of substantially transparent cured material at locations along focal paths of the first range of viewing angles, and volumes of cured material of a second color (637a) at locations along focal paths of a second range of viewing angles.

A security device manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate having a viewing region; providing an obscuring layer in the region; providing a first image; applying a mask to the first image and swapping colour components of first and second sub-images of the first image forming: a mask pattern, and a background pattern representing the unswapped colour components on their assigned side; and printing the mask and background patterns on corresponding layer sides. The layer reduces colours visibility on one side when the other side of the layer is viewed in reflection, and allows light through the region when the security device is viewed in transmitted light. When either side of the region is viewed in reflected light, the patterns on that side are dominantly visible and may be distinguished. When the region is viewed in transmitted light from either side, the region is transparent and the colour-composite image is visible.

A security device manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate having a viewing region; providing an obscuring layer in the region; providing a first image; applying a mask to the first image and swapping colour components of first and second sub-images of the first image forming: a mask pattern, and a background pattern representing the unswapped colour components on their assigned side; and printing the mask and background patterns on corresponding layer sides. The layer reduces colours visibility on one side when the other side of the layer is viewed in reflection, and allows light through the region when the security device is viewed in transmitted light. When either side of the region is viewed in reflected light, the patterns on that side are dominantly visible and may be distinguished. When the region is viewed in transmitted light from either side, the region is transparent and the colour-composite image is visible.

A method of manufacturing a hybrid security structure for a security document, the method comprising the steps of: providing a document substrate; applying to the document substrate, by a first process, a first element comprising a first electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure; applying to the document substrate, by a second process, a second element comprising a second electrically conductive region of the hybrid security structure, wherein the first process is different from the second process; and electrically coupling the first and second electrically conductive regions of the hybrid security structure for detection by a capacitance sensor.