A secure instrument and associated systems and methods of authentication, the secure instrument including a polymer substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate, the inner layer being a conductive, absorbing, or upconverting layer and including one or more gaps therein; and an opacity layer disposed on or over the inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate.

A secure instrument and associated systems and methods of authentication, the secure instrument including a polymer substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate, the inner layer being a conductive, absorbing, or upconverting layer and including one or more gaps therein; and an opacity layer disposed on or over the inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate.

The invention relates to a security device and an authentication method, in which a security element (1) is provided. The security element comprises a support material (6), in which a three-dimensional pattern with structures (4) such as cracks, grooves, flaking, pits, scales, elevations, and/or shrinkages are embedded as static or dynamic security features. Additionally, a material, which is detectable by a scanning device, or a material composition is deposited or incorporated at least partly onto or into the three-dimensional pattern embedded in the support material (6) and is, if necessary, new applicable onto or removable from the security element, whereby the colour, intensity, structure, layer thickness, individual pigments or another physical property of the support material (6) and/or the three-dimensional security element (1) pattern embedded into the support material is changed such that an at least partly altered appearance is produced which is detectable by the scanning device at authentication point of time and is storable in the storage device.

The invention relates to a security device and an authentication method, in which a security element (1) is provided. The security element comprises a support material (6), in which a three-dimensional pattern with structures (4) such as cracks, grooves, flaking, pits, scales, elevations, and/or shrinkages are embedded as static or dynamic security features. Additionally, a material, which is detectable by a scanning device, or a material composition is deposited or incorporated at least partly onto or into the three-dimensional pattern embedded in the support material (6) and is, if necessary, new applicable onto or removable from the security element, whereby the colour, intensity, structure, layer thickness, individual pigments or another physical property of the support material (6) and/or the three-dimensional security element (1) pattern embedded into the support material is changed such that an at least partly altered appearance is produced which is detectable by the scanning device at authentication point of time and is storable in the storage device.

A security document comprises a substrate (1) and an optical waveguide (7). Couplers (10a, 10b) are provided in the waveguide (7) for coupling light into and out of the waveguide. The couplers (10a, 10b) can e.g. by gratings, scattering objects, holograms, luminescent dyes or perforations. The authenticity of the document can be verified using methods based on the properties of the waveguide.

A security document comprises a substrate (1) and an optical waveguide (7). Couplers (10a, 10b) are provided in the waveguide (7) for coupling light into and out of the waveguide. The couplers (10a, 10b) can e.g. by gratings, scattering objects, holograms, luminescent dyes or perforations. The authenticity of the document can be verified using methods based on the properties of the waveguide.

A data carrier in card form includes a card body, which has a first card surface, a second card surface, and a peripheral border. The peripheral border connects the first card surface to the second card surface. The peripheral border also has a first border portion with at least one cutout, with at least one cutout being at least partially filled with a color material, in order in this way to provide a color effect for the first border portion. A method is provided for producing a data carrier in card form.

A data carrier in card form includes a card body, which has a first card surface, a second card surface, and a peripheral border. The peripheral border connects the first card surface to the second card surface. The peripheral border also has a first border portion with at least one cutout, with at least one cutout being at least partially filled with a color material, in order in this way to provide a color effect for the first border portion. A method is provided for producing a data carrier in card form.

The disclosure includes a system and method to obtain at least one image of a document under test, wherein valid instances of the document under test include at least one perforation-based three-dimensional security feature; obtain a first image snippet from the document under test, the first image snippet corresponding to at least a first portion of the perforation-based three-dimensional security feature present in the valid instances of the document; analyze the perforation-based three-dimensional security feature for one or more characteristics; and modify a likelihood that the document under test is accepted as valid, or rejected as invalid, based on a presence, or an absence, of the one or more characteristics.

The disclosure includes a system and method to obtain at least one image of a document under test, wherein valid instances of the document under test include at least one perforation-based three-dimensional security feature; obtain a first image snippet from the document under test, the first image snippet corresponding to at least a first portion of the perforation-based three-dimensional security feature present in the valid instances of the document; analyze the perforation-based three-dimensional security feature for one or more characteristics; and modify a likelihood that the document under test is accepted as valid, or rejected as invalid, based on a presence, or an absence, of the one or more characteristics.