An optically variable security element has a multicolored, reflective areal region including a first relief structure disposed at a higher level than a second relief structure. The first relief structure has a first ink coating and the second relief structure has a second, different ink coating. The two relief structures overlap in an overlap region. The first ink coating of the first relief structure is disposed at a higher level in the overlap region and has at least one recess the dimension of which is more than 140 μm. The first ink coating comprises an edge region adjoining the recess, and as a bicolor register feature the first relief structure lets the edge region of the first ink coating appear with a first color impression and the second relief structure through the recess lets the second ink coating appear with a second, different color impression in mutual register.

An optical element where a first and a second image is at least partially encoded by a pattern of a non-periodic, anisotropic surface relief microstructure such that when light is incident on the surface of the element the first image is optimally visible under a first viewing angle and the second image is optimally visible under a second viewing angle. The optical element is particularly useful for securing documents and articles against counterfeiting and falsification.

A security document (e.g. passport) comprising a protective feature for authenticating a laminate data sheet thereof and method for making the same. A metalized flexible hinge attached to the laminate data sheet is used to bind the laminate data sheet into the passport with one or more other sheets at a binding of the passport such that at least a portion of the metalized surface of the flexible hinge is visible proximate to the laminate data sheet. Personalization data is etched on the visible portion of the metalized surface of the flexible hinge and matches personalization data of the laminate data sheet.

A security document (e.g. passport) comprising a protective feature for authenticating a laminate data sheet thereof and method for making the same. A metalized flexible hinge attached to the laminate data sheet is used to bind the laminate data sheet into the passport with one or more other sheets at a binding of the passport such that at least a portion of the metalized surface of the flexible hinge is visible proximate to the laminate data sheet. Personalization data is etched on the visible portion of the metalized surface of the flexible hinge and matches personalization data of the laminate data sheet.

There is provided an information page of a security document in which no non-uniform external force acts on an IC module. The information page of a security document includes a core layer, an IC module holding layer provided on one surface of the core layer via an intermediate layer, an IC module held in the IC module holding layer, and a laser printing layer provided on the other surface of the core layer. The intermediate layer and the IC module holding layer are both made of polycarbonate.

There is provided an information page of a security document in which no non-uniform external force acts on an IC module. The information page of a security document includes a core layer, an IC module holding layer provided on one surface of the core layer via an intermediate layer, an IC module held in the IC module holding layer, and a laser printing layer provided on the other surface of the core layer. The intermediate layer and the IC module holding layer are both made of polycarbonate.

A method of inserting guilloche patterns in a document, each guilloche pattern being capable of encoding variable alphanumeric data ensuring a different aspect at each guilloche pattern so as to render said document secure using an operation of determining an insertion intensity of each guilloche pattern previously generated on the basis of a mid-gray level of the document near said guilloche pattern. A device for implementing this insertion method. The method further provides for extracting guilloche patterns from a secure document likely to be degraded by determining a contrast card of at least one portion of the secure document that includes the guilloche patterns, identifying, on this contrast card an optimal percolation trajectory, and extracting the optimal percolation trajectory, said trajectory corresponding to the guilloche pattern. The method further provides for authentication of the guilloche patterns of a secure document likely to be degraded, by the extraction operations, and comparing each extracted guilloche pattern with a corresponding theoretical guilloche pattern.

A method of inserting guilloche patterns in a document, each guilloche pattern being capable of encoding variable alphanumeric data ensuring a different aspect at each guilloche pattern so as to render said document secure using an operation of determining an insertion intensity of each guilloche pattern previously generated on the basis of a mid-gray level of the document near said guilloche pattern. A device for implementing this insertion method. The method further provides for extracting guilloche patterns from a secure document likely to be degraded by determining a contrast card of at least one portion of the secure document that includes the guilloche patterns, identifying, on this contrast card an optimal percolation trajectory, and extracting the optimal percolation trajectory, said trajectory corresponding to the guilloche pattern. The method further provides for authentication of the guilloche patterns of a secure document likely to be degraded, by the extraction operations, and comparing each extracted guilloche pattern with a corresponding theoretical guilloche pattern.

The present invention relates generally to a data carrier and a method for making the data carrier. More particularly, this invention relates to color laser marking of article, especially security documents. The present invention proposes a security document comprising a multilayers assembly instead of a single color component mixture in a layer. The multilayer assembly comprises at least two laser sensitive layer. Each layer comprises at least one coloring agent component. The order arrangement of the multilayers of bleachable coloring agent component is made so that each layer behaves as a wavelength filter configured to selectively transmit longer wavelengths and block or attenuate shorter wavelengths while protecting the underneath coloring agent component from bleaching interference.

The present invention relates generally to a data carrier and a method for making the data carrier. More particularly, this invention relates to color laser marking of article, especially security documents. The present invention proposes a security document comprising a multilayers assembly instead of a single color component mixture in a layer. The multilayer assembly comprises at least two laser sensitive layer. Each layer comprises at least one coloring agent component. The order arrangement of the multilayers of bleachable coloring agent component is made so that each layer behaves as a wavelength filter configured to selectively transmit longer wavelengths and block or attenuate shorter wavelengths while protecting the underneath coloring agent component from bleaching interference.