The present invention relates to a watermark formation element for forming watermarks in paper, a cylinder mould cover comprising such a watermark formation element, a method of making such a cylinder mould cover, a method of making paper using such a cylinder mould cover and paper made thereby. The watermark formation element has an integrated body comprising a watermark forming surface, which has one or more watermark forming regions, and a drainage surface. A plurality of drainage channels extend from front surface apertures in the watermark forming surface to the drainage surface. At least some of the front surface apertures are shaped to define at least one of an alphanumeric, a symbol or a pictorial image. A filter layer located between the watermark forming surface and the drainage surface having filter layer apertures which have a maximum width which is less than a smallest width of the front surface apertures.

The present invention relates to a watermark formation element for forming watermarks in paper, a cylinder mould cover comprising such a watermark formation element, a method of making such a cylinder mould cover, a method of making paper using such a cylinder mould cover and paper made thereby. The watermark formation element has an integrated body comprising a watermark forming surface, which has one or more watermark forming regions, and a drainage surface. A plurality of drainage channels extend from front surface apertures in the watermark forming surface to the drainage surface. At least some of the front surface apertures are shaped to define at least one of an alphanumeric, a symbol or a pictorial image. A filter layer located between the watermark forming surface and the drainage surface having filter layer apertures which have a maximum width which is less than a smallest width of the front surface apertures.

A system and method for automatic identification of photocopied documents is disclosed wherein the method is performed by capturing an image of a marked printed document; decoding a digital watermark embedded in the image, obtaining a mark identifier; recovering, by searching a database, at least one calibration parameter associated with the mark identifier; applying a discrete Fourier transform to the image, obtaining a frequency matrix; obtaining at least one maximum frequency value in the frequency matrix; comparing the at least one maximum frequency value with at least one calibration parameter; determining, on the basis of the comparison, if the marked printed document is an original document or a photocopied document.

A system and method for automatic identification of photocopied documents is disclosed wherein the method is performed by capturing an image of a marked printed document; decoding a digital watermark embedded in the image, obtaining a mark identifier; recovering, by searching a database, at least one calibration parameter associated with the mark identifier; applying a discrete Fourier transform to the image, obtaining a frequency matrix; obtaining at least one maximum frequency value in the frequency matrix; comparing the at least one maximum frequency value with at least one calibration parameter; determining, on the basis of the comparison, if the marked printed document is an original document or a photocopied document.

A security paper is provided that includes at least one layer of fibrous substrate and a security deposit thereon. The at least one layer has a main body of a substantially uniform thickness and at least one aperture and/or zone of reduced thickness. The reduced thickness is non-zero and at least 15% less than the thickness of the main body. The security deposit includes at least one element that partially covers the fibrous substrate exposed in the at least one aperture and/or zone of reduced thickness. Therefore, when the at least one layer is split through its thickness into first and second portions, a hole is provided in the first portion and the at least one element is provided on the fibrous substrate of the second portion. A method of manufacturing the security paper and security documents including the security paper are also provided.

A security paper is provided that includes at least one layer of fibrous substrate and a security deposit thereon. The at least one layer has a main body of a substantially uniform thickness and at least one aperture and/or zone of reduced thickness. The reduced thickness is non-zero and at least 15% less than the thickness of the main body. The security deposit includes at least one element that partially covers the fibrous substrate exposed in the at least one aperture and/or zone of reduced thickness. Therefore, when the at least one layer is split through its thickness into first and second portions, a hole is provided in the first portion and the at least one element is provided on the fibrous substrate of the second portion. A method of manufacturing the security paper and security documents including the security paper are also provided.

A secure image for a security document is generated by performing a rasterization process for each of a plurality of mono-color base images using a plurality of different threshold functions. For each base image, the plurality of threshold functions cover different intensity regions and result in a complex rasterization pattern depending on the intensity of the input image. The resulting binary images obtained by the rasterization process are combined using offset printing with fluorescent inks of different colors, to result in a multi-color fluorescent output image including a plurality of different complex rasterization patterns.

A secure image for a security document is generated by performing a rasterization process for each of a plurality of mono-color base images using a plurality of different threshold functions. For each base image, the plurality of threshold functions cover different intensity regions and result in a complex rasterization pattern depending on the intensity of the input image. The resulting binary images obtained by the rasterization process are combined using offset printing with fluorescent inks of different colors, to result in a multi-color fluorescent output image including a plurality of different complex rasterization patterns.

The present invention relates to the use of nanosystems as non deactivable security markers comprising metal atomic quantum clusters (AQCs) of at least two different size distributions encapsulated in a cavity with an inner diameter less than or equal to approximately 10 nm. These nanosystems are luminescence, particularly fluorescence after external excitation. The invention also relates to security documents, articles or elements incorporating these markers as well as to a method and a system for detecting the same.

The present invention relates to the use of nanosystems as non deactivable security markers comprising metal atomic quantum clusters (AQCs) of at least two different size distributions encapsulated in a cavity with an inner diameter less than or equal to approximately 10 nm. These nanosystems are luminescence, particularly fluorescence after external excitation. The invention also relates to security documents, articles or elements incorporating these markers as well as to a method and a system for detecting the same.