Provided is a data carrier (1) extending along an extension direction (E) comprises at least one first colour element (2), wherein the first colour element (2) exhibits an appearance under a first illumination and/or exhibits an appearance under a second illumination being different from the first illumination, at least one second colour element (3), wherein the second colour element (3) exhibits an appearance under the first illumination being different from the appearance of the first colour element (2) under the first illumination and/or exhibits an appearance under the second illumination that is different from the appearance of the first colour element (2) under the second illumination.

Personalizing a multipage security document by placing a laser-alterable ink layer on a personalization area of an edge of each of the sequence of pages. The method includes revealing a portion of the personalization area of each of the sequence of pages relative to a pages above said each of the sequence of pages such that the personalization portion of each two consecutive pages in said sequence of pages are located adjacent to one another thereby producing a two-dimensional multi-page personalization section, and creating a pattern on the two-dimensional multi-page personalization section by altering the inked personalization area in the revealed portion of each page of said sequence of pages by exposing said revealed portions to a laser, such that a pattern is visible when the revealed portions of a sequence of pages are viewed simultaneously.

The invention provides an authenticatable ballot and method wherein a printable substrate is provided with at least one of overt authenticating indicia and covert authenticating indicia. The overt and covert authenticating indicia provide a means for voters and ballot counting entities to authenticate ballots by verifying the presence of sanctioned overt and covert authenticating indicia. The overt authenticating indicia is observable by the human eye without the use of any specialized tool or light source. The covert authenticating indicia are not readily apparent to the human eye and require the indicia to be resolved using a specialized tool, such as an ultraviolet or infrared light source.

The invention provides an authenticatable ballot and method wherein a printable substrate is provided with at least one of overt authenticating indicia and covert authenticating indicia. The overt and covert authenticating indicia provide a means for voters and ballot counting entities to authenticate ballots by verifying the presence of sanctioned overt and covert authenticating indicia. The overt authenticating indicia is observable by the human eye without the use of any specialized tool or light source. The covert authenticating indicia are not readily apparent to the human eye and require the indicia to be resolved using a specialized tool, such as an ultraviolet or infrared light source.

A value document having a security element in the form of a strip with a first polymer layer which comprises at least one embossed diffraction structure, having at least one reflection layer which visually interacts with the diffraction structure in order to form a reflection hologram as the first visually recognisable security feature, and having at least one imprint which is luminescent under UV radiation and which forms a second security feature that is visually recognisable under UV light, wherein the reflection hologram comprises at least one see-through region on the second security feature. In order to increase the level of protection against forgery of the security element, the luminescent imprint comprises a halftone print image, and the see-through region is formed by at least one recess in the reflection layer and by the polymer layer which is free in this region of the recess from the diffraction structure at least above the halftone print image of the imprint.

A value document having a security element in the form of a strip with a first polymer layer which comprises at least one embossed diffraction structure, having at least one reflection layer which visually interacts with the diffraction structure in order to form a reflection hologram as the first visually recognisable security feature, and having at least one imprint which is luminescent under UV radiation and which forms a second security feature that is visually recognisable under UV light, wherein the reflection hologram comprises at least one see-through region on the second security feature. In order to increase the level of protection against forgery of the security element, the luminescent imprint comprises a halftone print image, and the see-through region is formed by at least one recess in the reflection layer and by the polymer layer which is free in this region of the recess from the diffraction structure at least above the halftone print image of the imprint.

A display body includes a first surface, a second surface, a first optical component, and a second optical component. The first surface includes a first optical surface and a second optical surface. First light is incident on the first surface from an observation side. The second surface is located opposite to the observation side with respect to the first surface. Second light is incident on the second surface from a side opposite to the observation side with respect to the second surface. The first optical component forms first information, which is displayed on the observation side, from the first light received on the first optical surface. The second optical component receives the second light transmitted through the second surface, forms second information, which is displayed on the observation side, from the second light, and emits the second information from the second optical surface.

A display body includes a first surface, a second surface, a first optical component, and a second optical component. The first surface includes a first optical surface and a second optical surface. First light is incident on the first surface from an observation side. The second surface is located opposite to the observation side with respect to the first surface. Second light is incident on the second surface from a side opposite to the observation side with respect to the second surface. The first optical component forms first information, which is displayed on the observation side, from the first light received on the first optical surface. The second optical component receives the second light transmitted through the second surface, forms second information, which is displayed on the observation side, from the second light, and emits the second information from the second optical surface.

The current invention relates to methods for generating images with multiple reflection colors in a single layer of cholesteric liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) for optical security applications such as optical devices and labels for brand protection or document security. The multicolor feature enhances the counterfeiting resistance of a CLCP based optical devices, in addition to its intrinsic polarized selective reflection and being an optical variable device. The fabrication methods include: digital printing on CLCP, the use of heat transfer masks and UV masks as well as hot stamping techniques. Embodiments are presented that adapt the above methods to continuous, roll-to-roll printing lines.

The invention relates to a security sheet or document having enhanced watermark(s). In one exemplary embodiment, the inventive security sheet or document is a single-ply paper that is made up of a paper layer including one or more watermarks, and a micro-optic security device (e.g., a patch or thread) that at least partially covers an upper or face portion of the watermark(s). The overlying patch or thread increases the durability of the watermark(s), thereby allowing for the watermark(s) as well as reduced fiber density areas therein to be made larger, and for the reduced fiber density areas to be made thinner. In a preferred embodiment, the micro-optic security device projects synthetic image(s) that coordinate or link in with the watermark design(s). In a more preferred embodiment, the micro-optic security device offers a machine detectable/readable feature in the form of enhanced IR-brightness, especially when measured in transmission.