A heated indenter is provided for indenting a personalized document to create a security impression thereon. The personalized document includes but is not limited to, identification cards, driver's licenses, credit and debit cards, and the like. The security impression can provide a visible or tactile security feature that can be recognized by one with little or no training. The security impression causes a laminate layer of the document to tear or disfigure when attempting to remove the laminate layer from a substrate of the document.

In general, the subject matter described in this specification relates to security credentials for documents, such as identification documents. One example is an identification document that includes a photographic image of an individual associated with the document, and a spiral pattern applied to a region of the identification document. The spiral pattern includes an elliptical spiral segmented into a plurality of arc segments, where wherein the arc segments of the spiral pattern encode identification data associated with the individual. Other implementations include corresponding processes, systems, apparatus, and computer programs related to generating and verifying identification documents with spiral patterns.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining information to be embedded within an identification document. Modifying the information to add depth when viewed through a three-dimensional (3D) viewing device, thereby yielding modified information. Embedding the modified information in a target image to yield a modified target image such that the modified information is not viewable to a naked eye and the modified information is visible with added depth when viewed through a 3D viewing device. Disposing the modified target image on an identification document to yield embedded 3D information. An identification document includes the target image and 3D information embedded within the target image. The 3D information embedded within the target image is not visible to a naked eye, but is visible with added depth when viewed through a 3D viewing device.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining information to be embedded within an identification document. Modifying the information to add depth when viewed through a three-dimensional (3D) viewing device, thereby yielding modified information. Embedding the modified information in a target image to yield a modified target image such that the modified information is not viewable to a naked eye and the modified information is visible with added depth when viewed through a 3D viewing device. Disposing the modified target image on an identification document to yield embedded 3D information. An identification document includes the target image and 3D information embedded within the target image. The 3D information embedded within the target image is not visible to a naked eye, but is visible with added depth when viewed through a 3D viewing device.

A method for producing an identification article is described. The method includes associating one or more data items with one or more line patterns, where the line patterns include one or more line segments. A particular data item is associated with at least a subset of line segments and the particular data item corresponds to an attribute of a user of the identification article. The method further includes integrating the line patterns with graphical features of the identification article. The graphical features being discernable by a human eye and the subset of line segments is indiscernible by the human eye. The method includes identifying a region of the identification article that includes the subset of line segments associated with the particular data item and associating the particular line pattern with an identifying feature of the user.

A method for creating an identification document that includes: defining a debossed region on a surface of a card blank, the debossed region having a pre-determined pattern being indented into the card blank; and applying, as part of a lamination process, an overlay on the surface of the card blank to cover the defined debossed region such that an air gap is formed on the card blank's surface during the lamination process and is sealed and removed after the lamination process, and that a tactile pattern thus created on the surface of the overlay substantially duplicates the pre-determined pattern of the defined debossed region.

A method for creating an identification document that includes: defining a debossed region on a surface of a card blank, the debossed region having a pre-determined pattern being indented into the card blank; and applying, as part of a lamination process, an overlay on the surface of the card blank to cover the defined debossed region such that an air gap is formed on the card blank's surface during the lamination process and is sealed and removed after the lamination process, and that a tactile pattern thus created on the surface of the overlay substantially duplicates the pre-determined pattern of the defined debossed region.

A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

A heated indenter is provided for indenting a personalized document to create a security impression thereon. The personalized document includes but is not limited to, identification cards, driver's licenses, credit and debit cards, and the like. The security impression can provide a visible or tactile security feature that can be recognized by one with little or no training. The security impression causes a laminate layer of the document to tear or disfigure when attempting to remove the laminate layer from a substrate of the document.