A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

The invention relates to a multilayer structure (2) intended to be inserted in an identification document and comprising:—at least one first layer (4) at least partially opaque forming a data area (6), the first layer (4) comprising at least one through opening (8) integrally confined by at least partially opaque material of the first layer (4), and—a second layer (10) at least partially transparent extending at least partially on the data area (6) in order to extend into the through opening (8), the second layer (10) comprising a part extending beyond the first layer (4) and forming an edge part (12), the second layer (10) comprising at least one element forming a security element, the security element being present and/or visible on and/or in the edge part (12) and in the through opening (8) of the first layer (4).

The invention relates to a multilayer structure (2) intended to be inserted in an identification document and comprising:—at least one first layer (4) at least partially opaque forming a data area (6), the first layer (4) comprising at least one through opening (8) integrally confined by at least partially opaque material of the first layer (4), and—a second layer (10) at least partially transparent extending at least partially on the data area (6) in order to extend into the through opening (8), the second layer (10) comprising a part extending beyond the first layer (4) and forming an edge part (12), the second layer (10) comprising at least one element forming a security element, the security element being present and/or visible on and/or in the edge part (12) and in the through opening (8) of the first layer (4).

A micro-optic device, including: a substrate; a plurality of image elements; and a plurality of focusing elements, each focusing element focuses light towards, or causes light to be diverged from or constructively interfere at a real or imaginary focal point, the focusing elements causing the image elements to be sampled so as to project imagery which is observable to a user from at least a first viewing angle, wherein a first focusing structure including at least a first group of the focusing elements and a first imagery structure including at least a first group of the image elements are integrated into a first unitary structure on a first side of the substrate.

A security device includes a diffractive structure, including grating elements and having a first area, the grating elements within a region have a constant pitch or spacing; the first area regions pitches or spacings increase from one region to the next between a first region having a grating element pitch or spacing of less than or equal to 0.6 microns and an end region having a grating element pitch or spacing of greater than or equal to 5 microns; upon illumination and viewing along a first viewing direction substantially orthogonal to the first axis, the device exhibits a first optical effect in that at least one region exhibits a diffractive colour; each region has at least first and second sub-regions having different grating element orientations within the plane of the device such that the first optical effect is exhibited at more than one angle of tilt about the second axis.

A security system, such as a banknote, comprises: i) a substrate, ii) a first ink, which is applied on at least a part of at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the first ink includes at least one IR luminescent dye and/or at least one IR luminescent pigment, and iii) a second non-luminescent ink, which is applied on at least a part of at least one surface of the substrate onto which the first ink is/are applied, wherein the second ink includes at least one non-luminescent IR absorbing pigment and/or a least one non-luminescent IR absorbing dye, wherein the first ink and the second ink at least partially overlap on the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the second ink is applied in the overlapping area onto the first ink, and wherein the emission spectrum of the first ink and the absorption spectrum of the second ink at least partially overlap.

The present invention relates to an optically variable security element for securing valuable articles, having a substrate having opposing first and second main surfaces and, arranged on the first main surface, an optically variable pattern that comprises an embossing pattern and a coating. The coating comprises at least one imprinted line grid and a background layer that contrasts with the line grid. The embossing pattern comprises a two-dimensional grid of elevated and/or depressed embossing elements. Both are combined in such a way that substantially on every embossing element lies at least one line segment of a line in the line grid, and at least one of the parameters position of the line segment on the embossing element, orientation of the line segment on the embossing element and form of the line segment varies location dependently across the dimension of the optically variable pattern. Due to the line grid, a movement effect, especially a pump or rotation effect, is created when the security element is tilted.

The present invention relates to an optically variable security element for securing valuable articles, having a substrate having opposing first and second main surfaces and, arranged on the first main surface, an optically variable pattern that comprises an embossing pattern and a coating. The coating comprises at least one imprinted line grid and a background layer that contrasts with the line grid. The embossing pattern comprises a two-dimensional grid of elevated and/or depressed embossing elements. Both are combined in such a way that substantially on every embossing element lies at least one line segment of a line in the line grid, and at least one of the parameters position of the line segment on the embossing element, orientation of the line segment on the embossing element and form of the line segment varies location dependently across the dimension of the optically variable pattern. Due to the line grid, a movement effect, especially a pump or rotation effect, is created when the security element is tilted.

The identification document comprises a personalized area carrying owner-specific information, such as an owner's name data or photograph, The personalized area is overlapped by a lightguide, The lightguide comprises a primary incoupler and a primary outcoupler on opposite sides of the personalized area. Any attempt to tamper with the personalized area may lead to a damage in the lightguide, which can easily be detected by coupling light into the primary incoupler and testing the light coupled out by the primary outcoupler.

An IR and/or UV machine-readable optical security device (e.g., micro-optic security thread) that is made up of at least one IR-absorbing component with a characteristic IR signature detectable at two or more IR-wavelengths, at least one UV-absorbing component with a characteristic UV signature detectable at two or more UV-wavelengths, at least one IR-absorbing component that absorbs IR light and emits light at a different invisible wavelength, at least one UV-absorbing component that absorbs UV light and emits light at a different invisible wavelength, or a combination thereof, is provided. The IR and UV machine-readable features do not interfere with the optical effects projected by the optical material.