Identity document comprising a ghost image based on a two-dimensional image

Abstract

An identity document includes in a single plane a two-dimensional image and under optical elements a ghost image for verifying the authenticity of the two-dimensional image. The ghost image is a stereo image and the stereo image is based on the two-dimensional image. The stereo image includes at least two images of the person on the identity card wherein at least one of the two images is a calculated image. The stereo image may further include a floating image, the floating image being arranged to be perceived to float over the ghost image.

Claims

1. An identity document (1) comprising: in a single plane a two-dimensional portrait image (A) and under optical means a ghost image (D) for verifying authenticity of the two-dimensional portrait image (A), wherein the ghost image (D) is a stereo image (5) that is based on the two-dimensional portrait image (A), wherein the ghost image (D) comprises the two-dimensional portrait image (A) per se, wherein the two-dimensional portrait image (A) shows a person, and the ghost image (D) shows a person being the same person as shown by the two-dimensional portrait image (A), wherein the ghost image (D) comprises more than two images of the person on the identity document (1) of which at least one of the more than two images is a calculated image that is rotated over an angle in the range from 4.5? to 7.5?, the more than two images being interlaced, and a floating image (20) arranged to appear to float over the ghost image (D), wherein the optical means comprise a series of linear lenticular lenses (8, 9, 10) forming a lens array (7) and said lenses (8, 9, 10) are cylindrical shaped, the lenses (8, 9, 10) extending in the direction of the symmetry axis of the face of the person, the images being formed by focusing a laser beam via the lenses and a carbonizing image layer material, and wherein the two dimensional portrait image (A) and the stereo image are recognizable as the same person and can be compared by an inspecting person without tilting the identity document for establishing authenticity of the two-dimensional portrait image (A).

2. The identity document (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ghost image (D) is made under two different angles with respect to the person in the two-dimensional portrait image (A).

3. The identity document (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotation angle difference between the at least two interlaced images is 4?.

4. The identity document (1) according to claim 1, wherein the more than two images are offset relative to one another and overlapping one another in an image layer (11).

5. The identity document (1) according to claim 1, wherein the more than two images are overlapped with respect to each other in such a way that the angle of observation of different images is 6? to 15?.

6. The identity document (1) according to claim 1, wherein the floating image (20) comprises digits and/or letters.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other aspects, features and details of the present invention will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. In the appended drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an identity document according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a transversal cross section of the ghost image of FIG. 1 along the line II-II;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the ghost image

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an identity document in its entirety comprising a data medium 1 having image layer 11, data 2 and two images A, D. The data 2 that are associated with the document bearer, may comprise data or codes readable by human or by a machine. Moreover, the two images A, D are positioned parallel to each other in the same image plane. The images correspond to a two-dimensional basic image A and a ghost image D. The two-dimensional basic image A is basically a photograph 3 of a person. The ghost image D is a stereo image 5, based on the two-dimensional basic image A of the same face of the person to obtain a stereo effect. The ghost image D is applied under a lens array 7, the lens array 7 being formed by lenses 8, 9, 10 extending in the direction of the symmetry axis of the face of the person. The stereo image 5 consist of a composite image 6. The ghost image D comprises at least two images A, B being applied offset relative to one another and overlapping one another in an image layer 11. An optical layer comprising a light-permeable material and forming a lens array 7 is applied to the image layer 11. The at least two images A, B are arranged in such a way that when viewed from different angles with both eyes and at certain viewing distance to the data medium 1, the at least two images A, B are visible with a depth effect (stereo effect). The at least two images A, B comprise images of the same identical person's face observed at different rotation angles. The at least two images A, B are arranged in such a way and the lenses of the lens array are made in such a way that the distance between said different angles is between about 6?-15?, and wherein the at least two images are on a single image plane. When the ghost image D is viewed by a user, the user is able to see one image of the at least two with the right eye and another image of them with the left eye. As a result, an image with the stereo effect is perceived by the user. The distance between the user's eyes as well as the viewing distance for example, between 30-90 cm, will play a role on the accuracy and effectiveness of the visual inspection.

(6) It should be noted that the person shown in the two-dimensional basic image A is the same as the person shown in the stereo image D, and that the stereo image D is based on the two-dimensional basic image A. The ghost image D may comprise the two-dimensional basic image A per se or an image derived from the calculation of the two-dimensional basic image A as a first image, and at least a second image derived from a calculation of the two-dimensional basic image A.

(7) Alternatively, two or more images can be used. These images can be calculated from the two-dimensional image or created by stereo-photography.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a transversal cross section of an embodiment of the ghost image D of FIG. 1 along the line II-II, wherein the stereo image D is applied onto an image carrier 16. The stereo image D is here represented by means of a series of a linear cylindrical or spherical lenses 8, 9, 10. The image carrier 16 can be used for constructing composite images on different types of identification documents e.g. security documents, national identity cards, driving licenses, bank passes, passports, visa stickers, etc. The image carrier 16 comprises the lens array 7 which is provided on the upper side with a series of n linear lenses 8, 9, 10. The number of lenses n is, for example, 130 lenses per cm.

(9) In FIG. 2 the image layer 11 is shown which is located under of the lens array 7, in which each of the groups of image lines 12, 13, 14 is applied in such a way that each of said groups comprise image elements, in a form of a pixel, being burned via a laser into the image layer 11.

(10) It will be appreciated that each image line of the group of image lines 12, 13, 14 is formed by vertical areas of carbonized image layer material, i.e., polycarbonate, that are formed in places where the laser beam has been focused by the lenses 8, 9, 10 on the image layer 11. The image lines 12, 13, 14 comprise a plurality of image lines 15 provided under the lenses 8, 9, 10. Furthermore, each group of image lines 12, 13, 14 comprises m lines (l11, l21 . . . lm1), . . . , (l1n, l2n, . . . lmn), wherein the image lines m may be between 2 and 60. Each image line group 12, 13, 14 is deflected by the associated lens 8, 9, 10 in a predefined direction to the user.

(11) FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the ghost image D in which a floating image 20, such as a security mark or authenticity code, is applied to each composite image 6 from which the stereo image D is constructed. In the formed stereo image D, the floating image 20 is located in front of the composite image 6 of the person. The floating image 20 can be applied with an image processing unit in each case in two-dimensional form in the image area, for example on certain position below the facial form. The floating image 20 is superpositioned on each of the at least two images A, B, in such a way, that when the identity document is tilted, the floating image 20 appears to move relative to the ghost image D. The floating image 20 may comprise a code comprising digits, letters, or symbols. Also, the floating image may comprise a patterned image of any conceivable shape.

(12) The images that are calculated from the two-dimensional photo can be processed and created by a computing device as known in the art that has been loaded with suitable software.

(13) In the light of the above, variants will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art that are obvious in the light of the above description and fall within the scope of the appended claims.