WO2014135597A1

WO2014135597A1 - Security document comprising security element verifiable by means of microwaves

Info

Publication number: WO2014135597A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/054281
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward Springmann
Original assignee: Bundesdruckerei Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-03-05
Filing date: 2014-03-05
Publication date: 2014-09-12
Also published as: EP2964470A1; DE102013203758B4; DE102013203758A1; EP2964470B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a security document comprising a security element which is verifiable using microwave radiation, a method for producing the same, a verification method, and a device for verifying such a security document. A security document comprising a document body of planar design is provided, said document body having a top side and an opposite underside and a conductive elongated element of wavy design being arranged on or in said document body, wherein the elongated element has wavy deflections oriented transversely with respect to a longitudinal extension direction of the elongated element and transversely with respect to the planar extent of the document body. For the purpose of verification, a linearly polarised microwave radiation is introduced, which is scattered by the elongated conductive element of wavy design given suitable frequency and direction of incidence and direction of polarisation relative to said element. The detected microwave scattering is used for verifying the security document.

Description

Security document with microwave verifiable security element

The invention relates to a security document with a security element that can be verified using microwave radiation, a method for its production, a verification method and an apparatus for verifying such a security document.

A variety of different security documents are known in the art. These include, for example, identity cards, passports, driver's licenses, access cards, and the like, to name but a few. Common to these security documents is that they have at least one feature which makes unauthorized imitation, falsification and / or manufacture difficult or impossible. Such a feature is called a security feature. Such a security feature may also be used to verify the authenticity of a present security document. A variety of

Security features can be visually inspected, i. using light in the visible, ultraviolet or infrared wavelength range. Here is a

Reflection, backscattering or the like of irradiated light evaluated.

DE 10 2006 055 680 A1 discloses a security element for security papers, documents of value and the like with a substrate and a metallization arranged on the substrate. In the case of the security element, it is provided that the metallization comprises a first opaque metal layer and a second opaque metal layer arranged above the first metal layer, and the two metal layers have substantially the same color shade in the visible spectral range.

DE 10 2004 043 064 A1 discloses a security element for security papers, value documents, chip cards and the like with a machine-readable one

Authenticity feature known. The authenticity feature includes at least one region having a periodic conductive surface element which exhibits resonance effects in a predetermined frequency range of incident electromagnetic radiation.

From DE 29 19 576 a fiber composite and a process for the preparation of a fiber-containing metal fiber composite, in particular for the paper industry are known. The method provides that the metal fibers with a water-soluble binder be treated such that an agglomerate of fibers and binder is formed, in which the metal fibers are surrounded by the binder,

a) an aqueous dispersion is formed by stirring while stirring

Agglomerate is mixed with non-metallic fibers and water; and b) the aqueous dispersion is applied to the wet web in web form during manufacture of the fiber web.

In order to make it as difficult as possible for counterfeiters to reproduce security documents and their security features, it is the endeavor of the experts for

Security documents to integrate a variety of possible different security elements in a security document or to integrate particularly difficult to replicate and unique security features in a security document.

The skilled person is therefore faced with the technical task of integrating new types of security elements that can be reliably verified into security documents.

This technical object is achieved by proposing a novel security feature or security element for a security document, which comprises a wave-like elongate conductive element which is integrated into a flat document body of a security document so that the wave-like deflections of the elongate element transversely a longitudinal extension of the elongate element and at the same time are oriented transversely to an upper side and a lower side of the document body. The wave-like structure of the elongated element thus lies in a plane which is oriented transversely to the top and bottom of the security document. Such a structure results, for example, on or in a document body that is conductive

elongated element is attached by means of a prestrike seam. This results in a non-closed conductive structure. Such an elongate structure, which is at the same time formed wave-shaped transversely to the longitudinal extent, can be excited by means of suitable microwave radiation, which is linearly polarized and directed.

As a result, electrons are excited to vibrate in the conductive elongated element, so that the conductive wave-like elongated element itself emits microwave radiation again. However, this is radiated not only in the spatial direction in which propagates the originally irradiated microwave radiation, but especially in spatial directions which orthogonal to the polarization direction are oriented, wherein the polarization direction of the exciting microwave radiation indicates the direction in space, parallel to which oscillates the electric field vector of the exciting microwave radiation.

A security document having such a wavy elongated conductive element can thus be verified by placing it in a test region into which linearly polarized directional microwave radiation is irradiated. With a microwave receiver is examined whether in the test area

Microwave radiation is emitted, which is based on an excitation of

Electron vibrations in the undulated elongated conductive element is due. Depending on the detected microwave signal, a verification decision is then made.

definitions

An elongated element is an element which in a direction of expansion has a substantially greater length than respectively locally oriented in two orthogonal thereto

Directions. The cross-sectional area transverse to the one extension direction of the elongate member is preferably constant. The maximum dimensions in the cross-sectional area transverse to the one extension direction are preferably 2 orders of magnitude, more preferably 3 or 4 orders of magnitude smaller than the length along the one extension direction.

An elongated wave-shaped member is an elongate member formed in a plane and having one extension direction extending in the middle along a longitudinal extension direction of the elongated wave-shaped member, the elongate member being alternately deflected transversely to the longitudinal direction. The elongate element thus shows a wave-like course in a plane. This plane, in which the deflections are formed around the longitudinal extension direction of the elongated wave-like elongated element, is referred to as a deflection plane or structure plane.

Structured conductive surfaces, in particular of light-diffracting elements, are not considered to be undulated elongated elements, even if formed in the form of a hologram filament, hologram strip or the like. As a pre-stitch or stitching, an attachment of an elongate member to a substrate layer is referred to, in which the elongated member first penetrates the substrate from top to bottom, with a portion along the bottom of the substrate layer parallel to a seam direction, the material layer of the Penetrated underside to the top and then guided with a section parallel to the seam direction along the top, and then again recurrently penetrate the substrate layer from top to bottom, to be guided along the bottom, to be guided from the bottom to the top and along the

Top to be passed. In this case, the elongated element is attached to the substrate as a whole along the seam direction. The seam direction agrees with the

Longitudinal direction of the elongated element match. Such a type of seam formation is known, for example, from the textile sector and is used there to, for example, two substrate layers, which lie flat against each other in the

Area of a surface overlap to connect with each other.

The substrate penetrating portions of the elongate member are also referred to as penetration portions.

The stitch length refers to the distance between two adjacent penetration points of the substrate at which the elongated element penetrates the substrate in the same direction, for example from the top to the bottom, following the elongated element of its longitudinal extension. Furthermore, the terms top stitch length and undercut length are defined here, wherein the top stitch length indicates a distance between the penetration points, between which the elongate element is guided on the upper side of the substrate layer or extends. Accordingly, the undercut length is that section of a stitch in which the elongated element is guided below the substrate. In the event that the elongated element is guided in each case perpendicular to a substrate plane through the substrate, the stitch length results from a sum of the top stitch length and the undercut length. In other cases, the sum of the top and bottom stitch length may differ from the total stitch length.

In forming the pre-stitched seam with an elongate member, a wavy elongate member is created whose deflection plane or structural plane is formed transversely to the substrate layer in which the pre-stitched seam is formed.

Preferably, a profile curve of the elongated element in the

Deflection plane or structure plane in the form of a rectangular curve or a sinusoidal curve. Trajectories that are parallel to each other are penetrating portions (i.e., portions perpendicular to

Längssehtrecknichtung), which are connected by arcs or circular sections or to the penetration portions angled portions alternately above and below the penetrated by the penetration portions of material layer.

The pairwise adjacent penetration portions are preferably oriented parallel to each other, but need not necessarily be oriented parallel to each other.

As wave-like not only the shape of an elongated element is referred to, whose curve curve exclusively from round sections, for example

sinusoidal, sections exists. Rather, even angular trajectories, which consist of rectangular or obtuse-angled or even acute-angle clashing straight or curved sections, considered wave-shaped, if these courses have at least one coarse structure with alternating deflections transverse to a direction of elongation about this longitudinal direction.

By microwave radiation is meant electromagnetic dipole radiation whose frequency is in the range of 3 GHz to about 400 GHz. The corresponding

Wavelengths in vacuum are 10 cm to 0.75 mm. We prefer

Microwave radiation with frequencies ranging from 40 GHz to 400 GHz used.

As directed microwave radiation microwave radiation is understood, which propagates around a preferred direction in a limited solid angle range. The

Preferred direction is referred to as propagation direction.

Directed microwave radiation is radiated into a volume, so gives the

Propagation direction of the microwave radiation to the direction of incidence.

Preferred embodiments A preferred embodiment of a method for producing a security document comprises the steps of providing at least one extensively extended substrate layer, forming a pre-stitched seam with an at least partially conductive elongated element, such that a plurality of sections of the elongated element penetrating the substrate layer transversely to their areal extent are conductive. In this way, a simple security feature is formed, which enables verification via irradiation and detection of scattered microwave radiation.

Preferably, the at least one planarized substrate layer has at least one material thickness of 100 μm.

In some embodiments, deflections of the elongate element in the structural plane have amplitudes of 200 μm to 3.2 mm. Preferably, the sections formed perpendicular to the direction of elongation have lengths of between 100 μm and 3.2 mm. Even more preferred are vertical sections

Section lengths of 200 μηι to 700 μηι produced and accordingly

Security documents formed with such sections.

A corresponding security document has a flat design

Document body, which has a top and an opposite bottom and on or in the at least partially conductive wave-like

formed elongated member, wherein the elongated member has wave-like deflections, which are oriented transversely to a longitudinal direction of the elongate member and transversely to the planar extent of the document body. The difficulty for a counterfeiter of such a document is that a wave-like conductive structure, such as may be produced by forming a prestrike seam with a conductive element, is formed in the security document, which is not disposed in a plane parallel to the surface Upper or underside of a flat trained document body is oriented. As a result, a fake effort is significantly increased.

In addition, a novel method for verifying a

Security document, comprising the steps of: arranging a A security document in a test region, emitting directional, linearly polarized microwave radiation along a first direction into the test region and detecting microwave radiation exiting the test region, and evaluating the detected microwave radiation and deriving a verification decision. Based on the microwave radiation emerging from the test region, which depends on the presence of an elongate wave-like shaped conductive element in the document body, the verification decision is derived.

The irradiation of the directed microwave radiation preferably takes place in such a way that the direction of irradiation is parallel to the longitudinal extension direction of the elongate

Elements takes place. If the alignment in a security document to be verified is not known, the irradiation takes place parallel to an expected one

Extension direction of the elongated element.

Preferably, the irradiation of the directed microwave radiation thus takes place in a plane which is defined by a planar extension of the preferably card-shaped document body. If the security document is a lamination body composed of multiple layers or foils, for example in a high-pressure, high-pressure lamination process, then a center plane of the lamination body is a preferred plane defined by the areal extent of the document body and for irradiation of the

Microwave radiation is particularly suitable. If, for example, two layers of material of the same layer thickness are laminated to one another, then the bonding surface of the two layers is at the same time also the central plane.

In a preferred embodiment of the verification method, the microwave radiation emerging from the test region is detected along a second spatial direction, which is oriented transversely to the first direction and transversely to the oscillation direction of the electric field vector of the irradiated linearly polarized microwave radiation. Preferably, the second direction is perpendicular to the direction of vibration of the

electric field vector of the irradiated linearly polarized microwave radiation oriented. Here is the expected signal maximum. The irradiated

Microwave radiation, upon selection of a suitable microwave frequency, is capable of vibrating charge carriers in the wavy shaped elongated conductive element, which in turn causes electromagnetic radiation radiate. This radiated radiation, or possibly an attenuation of the microwave radiation along the original first direction caused by the radiation, can be detected as a feature indicating the presence of such a wavy elongated conductive element.

As the elongated element, a thread having at least one metal wire or a metallic wire is preferably used. Accordingly, the seam is made with a thread having at least one metal wire or a metallic wire as an elongated element. Here are all metals or metallic alloys in question, which have an electrical conductivity. Particularly suitable here are copper or copper alloys and wires made of precious metals such as silver, gold or platinum. In particular, copper has both mechanical and electrical properties which are advantageous for processing in forming the seam. Likewise, however, iron or

Beam alloys are used. Alternatively, electrically conductive polymers, for example polyaniline, or polymers filled with electrically conductive materials, for example metal particles, carbon black or carbon nanotubes, may also be used.

In order to allow a particularly good excitation with the microwave radiation, the seam is executed in a preferred embodiment with a constant stitch length. As a result, similarly formed conductive sections are formed in periodic sections in which electrons can be excited to vibrate when microwave radiation is irradiated. Is the wavelength of the irradiated

Corresponding to microwave radiation according to the stitch length and thus the formed wave structure of the elongated conductive element, it can be achieved that the electromagnetic waves radiated from the individual periodically repeating sections superimpose each other again constructively, so that an amplified microwave signal generated by the elongated wave-shaped conductive element is produced.

It should be noted that a wavelength in a document body of the

Dielectric constant of the substrate material is dependent. Embodiments in which the substrate layer provided with the seam with further substrate layers to form a document body are particularly preferred

is joined together. As a result, the elongated wavy conductive element formed by the seam can be integrated into the security document or its document body.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the substrate layer provided with the seam is arranged between two further planarly extended substrate layers and joined together with them. In particular, such joining takes place by means of a lamination. The substrate layer and the further substrate layers are in preferred embodiments made of a thermoplastic material, such as polycarbonate, PVC or similar materials known in the art, which enable lamination in a high pressure, high temperature process. Are all substrate layers based on the same

Made of plastic material, for example all based on polycarbonate, so when assembled in a high-pressure high-temperature process, a monolithic trained document body can be generated in which the original

Layer boundaries, which coincide with the limits of the original and

zusammengefgten substrate layers coincide in the finished document body due to the plastic structure are no longer recognized. Of course, the material layers in the document body formed are still distinguishable, provided that the individual layers of material produced on the basis of the same plastic material originally have different additions in the form of pigments or the like.

The advantage of using material layers based on it

Plastic material is that a later separation of the

Security document body is significantly more difficult. Thus, manipulation and / or replacement of the wavy elongate conductive member made over the seam are significantly impeded or impossible. In particular, due to the fact that the wave-like deflection of the elongated element transverse to the surface

As a result, a multiplicity of substrate layers, at least the one or more substrate layers through which the original seam is made, as well as the adjacent substrate layers are influenced. In a lamination process Namely, a part of the elongate element penetrates into the substrate layers adjacent to the one provided with the seam

Substrate layer or the plurality of seamed substrate layers adjacent.

Individualization of a security document can be achieved by varying the formation of the seam or the resulting wave-shaped elongate conductive element. On the one hand, a modification can be made by varying the stitch length. Preferably, this is carried out so that the individual stitches of the seam have an identical length and result in a periodic wave-like elongate conductive element. A variation of the period length thus gives a first possibility of variation. A period length is for example in the range of 1 mm to 5 cm. In addition, an amplitude of the wave-like deflections can be varied. This can be brought about in particular by varying a layer thickness of the substrate layer which is penetrated by the seam or the wave-shaped element. Likewise, it is possible to penetrate not only one substrate layer, but several substrate layers. In this case, a seam can be made on substrate layers that have not yet been joined together or on substrate layers that already have,

For example, in a lamination process, are joined together. Furthermore, the conductive element may be or may be passed between the penetration points or points differently densely at the top and / or bottom of the substrate layer or substrate layers. This also leads to the variation of the amplitude of the deflections.

Another modification possibility is to change a position at which the seam is executed. In addition, the orientation can be changed relative to the orientation of the entire document. This applies, on the one hand, to a seaming direction, ie a longitudinal direction of extension of the elongate element, as well as a plane in which the wave-like deflections occur. If the substrate layer is not penetrated perpendicularly, then a plane in which dike-like deflections of the manufactured wave-like elongated conductive element lie can be varied relative to a plane in which the planarized substrate layer extends, at least in a certain range. Thus, the plane in which the wavelike deflections lie need not necessarily be oriented orthogonal to the plane in which the substrate layer extends in a planar manner. About a combination of different Ausgestaltungs- and Anordnungs- or orientation possibilities of the elongated wave-shaped element or the formation of the seam to produce the elongated wave-shaped element, the interaction with the irradiated microwave radiation can be influenced in the test region. Assuming that other security features and security elements present in the document body of the security document do not interfere with the security document

irradiated microwave radiation, the microwave radiation radiated from the test region is dependent only on the orientation and formation of the elongate wave-like conductive element in the security document relative to the directed linearly polarized microwave radiation. A different one

Insertion position and / or orientation thus leads to the fact that in order to achieve the same interaction with the microwave radiation, a different arrangement and / or orientation of the security document in the test region is required. Thus, the orientation and / or position which a security document must assume, for example, in the test region in order to obtain a maximum signal strength of the microwave radiation radiated in the test region, can be used to derive a

Verification decision be used. Accordingly, by deriving the verification decision, an orientation of the security document relative to the microwave radiation radiated into the test region and a positioning of the security document relative to the microwave radiation radiated into the test region can be included in a verification decision.

Also other parameters of the elongated conductive element like a

Cross-sectional area, a cross-sectional profile shape (circular, oval, rectangular, triangular, etc.), a specific conductivity, and also its length influence a behavior of the entire wave-like elongated conductive element with

Microwave radiation.

In addition, it is alternatively or additionally possible to add a frequency

in which a maximum signal strength of the microwave radiation radiated from the test region is received.

An embodiment of a verification method therefore provides that a frequency of the irradiated microwave radiation is varied and the microwave radiation radiated from the test region as a function of the irradiated one Microwave frequency is detected. Depending on the specific configuration of the wave-like elongate conductive element, the received signal strength varies depending on the frequency of the irradiated microwave radiation. With the frequency of the microwave radiation also changes the wavelength of the irradiated

Microwave radiation. At a suitable wavelength of the irradiated

Microwave radiation finds a particularly good vibration excitation of

Charge carrier in the wave-shaped elongated conductive element instead, so that at this frequency a particularly strong radiation of microwave radiation through the elongated conductive wave-like element in the

Security document body arises. Due to the wave-like deflection, the maximum vibration excitation occurs when one direction of polarization, i. the direction indicating the direction of oscillation of the electric field vector coincides with the direction along which the deflections of the wave-shaped elongate conductive element are oriented. Thus, the plane falling through the oscillation vector of the electric field and the propagation direction of the

Microwave radiation is fixed, with a plane together, which through the

Longitudinal direction of the elongated wave-shaped element and the direction of the deflections is spanned, so is a maximum

To expect vibration excitation for a suitable microwave frequency or wavelength of the microwave radiation. This is maximum along a direction which is oriented perpendicular to the polarization direction. A period length or a

Stitch length for forming the seam is preferably in the range of 1 mm to 5 cm. For an electrically conductive elongated element having such a period length, suitable microwave radiation, which causes a particularly effective excitation, can be produced well.

In addition to the corrugated elongated conductive element whose wave-like deflections lie in a plane which are oriented transversely to the planar extent of a top and bottom of the document body, it is possible to form a conductive wave-like structure which parallel to the top and / or Bottom of the document body is oriented. For this purpose, for example, a wave-like conductive structure can be arranged on the substrate layer on which the seam is formed, or a further substrate layer which is connected to this one substrate layer to the document body. Most simply such a wave-like conductive structure is applied by means of a printing process or sprayed by means of a nozzle or Like. Also, a mask may be used to pattern such a conductive structure.

Since this structure basically has a different orientation, in particular with respect to the plane in which the wave-like deflections are formed, an interaction with linearly polarized microwave radiation is fundamentally different given fixed orientation of the document relative to the directed polarized microwave radiation. Therefore, there are two different orientations of the

Security document in the test region and possibly also different wavelengths or frequencies of the microwave radiation, in which an excitation of charge carriers of the respective conductive structure is effectively effected and this is a radiation of microwave radiation from the test region is effected.

By means of a combined evaluation of the interaction of the microwave radiation with the two conductive structures, an expanded possibility for individualization and verification is created. For example, the wavelike structures may have different periodicities, amplitudes, etc. In addition to the different orientation then also the detectable microwave radiation occurs at different wavelengths and possibly with different maximum signal strength. All of these different metrologically detectable features can be used to perform verification of the security document. For example, a ratio of the frequencies at which a maximum signal strength for the

different orientations can be detected as a feature used to encode information and / or individualization.

A suitable device for verifying a security document with a sheet-like document body on or in which a conductive wave-like elongate element is arranged, wherein the wave-like deflection is oriented transversely to a longitudinal extension direction of the elongated element and transversely to the planar extension of the document body comprises a

A microwave transmitter for radiating linearly polarized microwave radiation along a first spatial direction into a test region formed

Security document, a microwave receiver, which is adapted to receive from the test region emitted microwave radiation, a

Control means for effecting microwave radiation of the microwave transmitter and at the same time to detect a received signal of the microwave receiver, and an evaluation device for generating a Verificationssignals, which of the

Received signal is derived. Further developments of the device can further

Have microwave receiver and / or other microwave transmitter, which are oriented under other spatial directions with respect to the first spatial direction to simultaneously investigate and evaluate an interaction with microwave radiation for different wavy formed conductive elongated structures.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the document is arranged in the test region so that the first spatial direction parallel to a surface of the

Security element is oriented and the document is also oriented so that a longitudinal extension of the elongated wave-like conductive element is oriented parallel to the irradiation direction of the polarized microwave radiation. The document will, if the orientation of the elongated

wavy element is not known, oriented as it would require an expected or assumed orientation of the elongated wave-like element. The polarization direction of the irradiated microwave radiation is preferably oriented perpendicular to the surface of the security document. Also, the elongated undulating member is preferably positioned in the security document so that the undulating deflections lie in a plane which is oriented perpendicular to the surface of the security document. At this

geometric arrangement is a maximum signal strength perpendicular to

Direction of irradiation and parallel to the surface of the security document body to be expected. Here is the expected microwave radiation, which is almost at the

elongated wave-like conductive element is scattered, also linearly polarized, wherein a vibration direction of the electric field is oriented parallel to the oscillation direction of the electric field of the irradiated microwave radiation.

In one embodiment, in deriving the verification decision, an orientation of the security document relative to the emitted microwave radiation and / or positioning of the security document relative to the emitted one

Microwave radiation and / or a frequency of the microwave radiation, in which a maximum signal strength of the radiated from the test region microwave radiation is included. An embodiment therefore provides that an orientation and / or position of the document in the test region with respect to the first direction and / or the

Polarization direction is varied, and an orientation in space and / or position of the security document in the derivation of the verification decision is included.

It can be provided that a security document is verified as genuine if a predetermined or a maximum received signal strength is detected at a predetermined orientation and / or positioning of the security document in the test region.

Likewise, it is possible additionally or alternatively a frequency of the irradiated

Microwave radiation to vary and the frequency at which a given

Signal strength is achieved, with in deriving the verification decision

included.

In yet another embodiment, it is provided that, for two different orientations and / or positions of the security document relative to the irradiated microwave radiation in each case a resonant frequency is determined in the transverse, preferably perpendicular, to the respective irradiation direction and transverse, preferably perpendicular, to the polarization direction maximum signal strength are detected and the verification decision depends on the two determined

Resonant frequencies is derived.

The device for verification may therefore provide in one embodiment that the microwave transmitter and the microwave receiver are oriented so that a

Radiation direction coincides with the first spatial direction and the

Microwave receiver has an excellent receiving direction, which is the direction under which an incident standard signal generates a maximum received signal strength, and the excellent receiving direction is oriented orthogonal to the emission direction, and a first polarization direction perpendicular to that of the

Direction of emission and the receiving direction spanned plane is oriented.

In another embodiment, it is provided that a second

Microwave receiver with another excellent receiving direction so is arranged such that the second receiving direction is oriented perpendicular to the emission direction and perpendicular to the excellent receiving direction of a microwave receiver, wherein the microwave transmitter is adapted to selectively use linearly polarized microwave radiation, either along the first

Polarization direction or perpendicular to polarized here.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Hereby show:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic section of a security document with

a security element that interacts with

Microwave radiation is detectable;

2a-2c is a schematic representation of a manufacturing method of a

Security document with a security feature that is detectable via a microwave interaction;

3 shows a schematic representation of a further security document with a security feature which can be detected via a microwave interaction; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for verifying a

Security document with a security feature that is verifiable via an interaction with microwave radiation.

5a-5i show exemplary sections of waveforms of wave-like

elongated elements in a structural plane in which they are formed.

In Fig. 1, a section of a security document 1 is shown schematically. The security document comprises a document body 3, which may for example be composed of several substrate layers. For example, the various substrate layers may become one in a lamination process

be joined together monolithic document body. In particular, the various substrate layers can all be made on a plastic basis. alternative For example, individual substrate layers, which form individual material layers not shown here in the document body, can also consist of other materials, for example cellulose or the like.

The security document 1 has a security element 5, which can be verified via an interaction with microwave radiation. This is preferably arranged in the interior of the document body 3.

The document body 3 has an upper side 1 1 and an opposite lower side 13, which are both preferably oriented parallel to one another and extended in a planar manner. In addition to the security document 1, a coordinate system 21 is shown which has an X-axis 23, a Y-axis 25 perpendicular thereto and a Z-axis 27 perpendicular to the plane spanned by the X-axis 23 and the Y-axis 25 , The coordinate system 21 is oriented with respect to the security document 1 so that a planar extension of the document body 3 is oriented parallel to the X-Y plane. Thus, the top 1 1 and the bottom 13 are oriented parallel to the X-Y plane. An extension or document body thickness 7 is generally smaller than edge lengths of the upper side 1 1 and the lower side 13.

A security element 5 that can be verified via microwave interaction is embodied in the security document 1. This has a wave-shaped elongated conductive element 31. This may be, for example, a conductive thread or a conductive wire. For example, a conductive thread may comprise different fibers, one of which is, for example, a conductive wire. As conductive wires are in particular metallic wires, which may consist of an elemental metal or an alloy in question. For example, a steel wire or a copper wire is suitable.

The elongated wave-like conductive element 31 extends along a longitudinal extension direction 35, which in the illustrated embodiment runs with its longitudinal extension direction 35 parallel to the X-axis 23 of the coordinate system 21. Transverse to the longitudinal extension direction 35, the elongated wave-like conductive element 31 has deflections 33, which form the wave-like structure of the

Effect elements. The elongated wave-like conductive element 31 is thus formed in a deflection or structural plane 34, which transversely, preferably orthogonal, oriented to the top 1 1 and bottom 13 of the surface extended document body 3. If a microwave radiation 51 is more suitable

Wavelength that is polarized in the X-Z plane and irradiated along the X direction is interacted with the security document 1, so in the elongated wave-like conductive member 31, carriers are excited to vibrate. The irradiated microwave radiation 51 is polarized in the illustrated case so that an electric field vector in a

Polarization plane 53 vibrates, which coincides with the X-Z plane. The

Irradiation takes place along a first spatial direction 55, which coincides with the X direction of the coordinate system. In the illustrated situation, therefore, a polarization plane 53 coincides with the deflection plane or structural plane 34 of FIG

elongated wave-like conductive element 31 together or is oriented parallel to this. In recurring sections of the wave-like conductive element, charge carriers are thus excited to oscillate by the electric field vector, so that the elongate wave-like conductive element 31 in turn emits microwave radiation 71 due to the oscillating charge carriers. In this case, a maximum radiation intensity is radiated in the X-Y plane, so that an outgoing microwave radiation 71 under a second spatial direction 75, which is preferably orthogonal to the first spatial direction 35 and perpendicular to the

Deflection or structural plane 34 is detected.

If, however, further microwave radiation 61 is irradiated, in which the electric field vector oscillates along the XY plane, then in the wave-like elongated conductive element 31, the charge carriers can not be excited to oscillations in the XY plane, since the conductive element 31 is up to a material thickness none

Has expansion in the X-Y plane. With such an orientation between the polarization plane 63 of the further microwave radiation 61 and the deflection or structure plane 34, no microwave radiation generated by the conductive element 31 is to be detected. The of the conductive wave-shaped element 31st

radiated microwave radiation 71 is also referred to as scattered microwave radiation.

The security document shown in Fig. 1, in addition to the means

Microwave radiation detectable security element 5 another over

Microwave radiation detectable security element 9, which consists of a further conductive wave-like structure 41, which is formed in a plane which is oriented parallel to the planar extension of the document body, ie parallel to the top and / or bottom. Preferably, this further wave-like conductive structure 41 is formed by a printed conductive substance

educated. The person skilled in the art is familiar with conductive printable formulations which may be, for example, indium tin oxide (IT), which is even transparent, or metal-containing pastes or printing preparations. The further elongated wave-like structure 41 is formed in a structural plane 44 which is parallel to the upper side 1 1 and transversely, preferably perpendicular, to the structural plane 34 of the elongated wave-like element 31. In the illustrated embodiment, another longitudinal extension direction 45 of the further wave-like conductive structure is oriented parallel to the longitudinal extension direction 35 of the elongate wave-like conductive element 31. Further microwave radiation 61, which is linearly polarized and whose polarization plane 63 is oriented parallel to the structural plane 44 of the further conductive wave-like structure 41, is capable of vibrating charge carriers in the further conductive wave-like structure 41 and of scattering radiation from the other Microwave radiation 81 through this further wave-like conductive structure 41 to cause.

The oscillation of the charge carriers takes place in the X-Y plane, so that a maximum radiation takes place in the X-Z plane, for example along the Z-axis. By changing a period length 49 and / or an amplitude 47 of the further wave-like structure 41, a variation of the cross section of the conductive structure and its

Positioning and orientation in the document body, a variation of the generated microwave scattering at constant irradiation of the microwave radiation 51 and other microwave radiation 61 can be achieved. The same applies with regard to a period length 39 and an amplitude 37 of the deflections 33 of the wave-like elongate conductive element 31. Differences in the period lengths 39 of the wave structure of the elongated conductive member 31 and the period length 49 of the wave-like conductive pattern 41 cause maximum scattering of the microwave radiation 51, 61 by the wave-like elongated member 31 and the other wave-like conductive pattern 41 at different frequencies and due to the different structural levels 34, 44 at different

Polarization directions occurs. If the longitudinal orientation of the longitudinal extension directions 35, 45 is also different, the result is a further orientation dependence of the document body 3 relative to the directed microwave radiation 51 or further microwave radiation 61.

About the different design of the structure of the elongated wave-like conductive element 31 and optionally additionally the structure of the other wave-like conductive structure 41 can be made an individualization of the document. Depending on the period length 39, the cross section of the wave-like elongate conductive element 31 and orientation, optimal scattering occurs under different circumstances.

One possibility for encoding is to form the structural plane 34 of the wave-like elongate conductive element 31 and the structural plane 44 of the other wave-like conductive structure 41 orthogonal to one another and to determine the frequency or wavelength corresponding to the microwave radiation 51 and the further microwave radiation 61 at which a maximum Microwave scattering orthogonal to the plane of polarization 53, 63 of each irradiated microwave radiation 51 and other microwave radiation 61 is observed. If the orientations of the structural planes 34, 44 are oriented differently relative to one another, that is the

Structural plane 34 of the elongated wave-shaped conductive element 31 with respect to the plane of the top 1 1 of the document body 3 deviating from 90 ° oriented, as well as the orientation of the document relative to the irradiated

Microwave radiation 51 and the other microwave radiation 61 a crucial role. For this purpose, either the position of the security document 1 or

Document body 3 in a test region 100, in which the microwave radiation 51 and the further microwave radiation 61 is irradiated, are changed. Alternatively, an irradiation direction of the microwave radiation 51 or further microwave radiation 61 can be changed. It is also possible, only the polarization plane 53 of the

Microwave radiation 51 to change so that it gradually or continuously merges into the further microwave radiation 61. In addition, of course, the Einstrahlrichtung can be varied in the test region 100. Preferably, however, a microwave transmitter and a corresponding microwave receiver are each aligned with each other so that the microwave receiver optimally receives scattered microwave radiation emerging from the test region 100, which is oriented perpendicular to the polarization plane 53 of the microwave radiation 51 irradiated by the microwave transmitter. FIGS. 2 a to 2 c schematically show a production of a document body similar to that of FIG. 1. First, a substrate layer 1 1 1 or become

optionally provided a plurality of substrate layers. A conductive thread 131 is in the form of a pre-stitching on the one substrate layer 1 1 1 or the plurality

Substrate layers attached. The thread 131 is along an upper side 121 of the

Substrate layer 1 1 1 out, then penetrates these from the top 121 to the bottom 123, is guided along the bottom 123 along the substrate layer 1 1 1 along a seam direction 141 and then penetrates the substrate layer 1 1 1 again from the bottom 123 to top 121th The thread 131 is then further along the

Nahtrichtung 141 out and then penetrates again from the top through the

Material layer 1 1 1 to the bottom 123 therethrough. This continues continuously. Preferably, a periodic structure is thereby formed. The thread 131 is, for example, a metallic conductive wire or a thread formed of different fibers, at least one fiber of which is conductive, e.g. a metallic wire is.

The stitch length 151 is a distance between two

Penetration points 152, 153 of the material layer is located at which the elongated conductive member 31 and the thread 131 penetrates the material layer 1 1 1 in the same direction 159. The portion along which the thread is guided on the underside 123 is referred to as undercut length 155. The section along which the thread 131 is guided along the upper side 121 is called the upper stitch length 156.

Preferably, upper stitch length 156 and lower stitch length 155 are of equal length for all stitches formed in the pre-stitched seam 150 thus formed.

Illustrated is an example of a penetration perpendicular to the surface 121 of the material layer 1 1 1. However, it is also possible that the penetration direction 159 has an angle with respect to a surface normal 129. As long as the

Surface normal 129 and the direction of penetration 159 a plane 154th

span. All "penetration directions" of all stitches lie in the plane 154, which is also referred to as the penetration plane 154, in which also the

Longitudinal direction 141 is located. This plane indicates the structural plane 34 of the formed wave-like elongated conductive element 31. FIG. 4 schematically shows an embodiment of a seam 150 in which the penetration plane 154 and thus the structural plane 34 forms an angle deviating from the normal 129 to the upper side 121 of the substrate layer 11.

In a further method step, the further conductive wave-like structure 41 can be printed on a further substrate layer 161, as shown in FIG. 2b. Other forms of application are possible, for example in the form of a

Transfer method, a vaporization for a mask or the like. The

Substrate layer 121, optionally the further substrate layer 161 and additional substrate layers 162, 163 are stacked on top of one another and joined together to form a document body 3. In this case, the substrate layer 1 1 1 and the optional further substrate layer 161 are arranged so that they are inner substrate layers. This ensures that neither the further conductive structure 41 nor the elongate wave-like conductive element 31 can be manipulated from the outside in the finished document body 3. alternative

However, embodiments may provide that e.g. the further conductive structure 41 is also formed on an upper or lower side of the document body or the wave-like elongated conductive structure extends as far as an upper side and / or a lower side of the document body 3. The further substrate layer 161 and the further wave-like conductive structure 41 are shown in dashed lines in order to indicate that these are optional.

In Fig. 2c of the finished laminated document body 3 is shown. The further conductive structure in the interior of the document body 3 is again shown in dashed lines to

to indicate that this is optional.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an apparatus for verifying a security document 1 for interaction with microwave radiation 51. The device 200 comprises a microwave transmitter 201 which emits linearly polarized microwave radiation along a first spatial direction 35. The microwave transmitter 201 is indicated by a dipole antenna structure whose orientation is at the same time a

Polarization direction 21 1 of the microwave radiation 51 indicates. The coordinate system 21 having an X-axis 23, a Y-axis 25 and a Z-axis 27 is oriented such that a first spatial direction 35 coincides with the X-axis and the polarization plane 53 of the microwave radiation coincide with the orientation of the transmitter 201 or the dipole-like antenna is oriented parallel to the XZ plane. In a test area 100, a document body 3 of a security document 1 is arranged, which comprises on the one hand a wave-like elongated conductive element 31 and at the same time another wave-like conductive structure 41. While the elongated wave-like conductive element 31 is structured in a plane of articulation 34 formed parallel to the XZ plane, the further conductive wave-like structure 41 is wave-structured in a structural plane 44 which is parallel to the XY plane is.

In addition to the transmitter 201, the device comprises a microwave receiver 221, which is indicated via a receiving antenna. The microwave receiver 221 is oriented with respect to the microwave transmitter 201 so that it is optimal

Receive microwave radiation 71 from the inspection area 100, which is orthogonal to the first spatial direction, i. to the X direction, is radiated and whose plane of polarization perpendicular to the polarization plane 53 of the irradiated

Microwave radiation 51 is. The polarization plane 73 of the scattered

Microwave radiation 71 is thus preferably oriented parallel to the Y-Z plane. A control unit 231 controls the microwave emission and at the same time the detection of a reception signal of the microwave receiver 221. In addition, the

Control device 231 an evaluation device 241, which evaluates the received signal of the microwave receiver 221 and derives therefrom a verification decision. For example, the control device 231 is designed such that it continuously changes a frequency of the emitted microwave radiation 51 and the evaluation device 241 is designed such that it determines the wavelength or frequency at which a maximum signal strength of the scattered microwave radiation 71 is detected. By way of example, it can be ascertained here whether an elongated wave-like conductive element 31 is present in the document body 3 under the predetermined orientation and at the same time whether it is designed in accordance with the specifications with regard to its wave-like structure. In a very simple

Verification process is only checked, if scattered at all

Microwave radiation is detectable for one of the frequencies.

In a further development it is provided that the document in different

Orientations in the test area is orientable. For this purpose, for example, a document holder 251 may be provided, which manually or via one or more Drives 271, 272 connected to the control device 241 can be driven in order to bring the document into different positions and orientations in the test area 100. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, if the document body is rotated about the X-axis by 90 ° in the clockwise direction, the microwave wave radiation 51 can now be used to excite the further wave-like conductive structure 41 for microwave dispersion. Since it has a different period length 49 than the elongated wave-like conductive element 31, maximum scattering occurs in a different one

Microwave wavelength or frequency of the irradiated radiation.

This second determined frequency can thus be included in the verification. If the exact orientation of the elongate wave-like conductive element 31 or the further wave-like conductive structure 41 is not exactly known, the microwave radiation can also be included in the verification decision, depending on the orientation of the document body 3 in the test area 100. For example, the orientation can be detected via measuring sensors 275-277 on the document holder 251, and the detected position or orientation information can also be evaluated by the evaluation device. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible that the microwave transmitter 201 is formed so that the polarization plane 53 of the linearly polarized microwave radiation 51 is pivotable. In one embodiment, with the change in the plane of polarization, the microwave receiver with the test area 100 is also pivoted at the same time, so that it is always perpendicular to the

Polarization plane 53 and 53 'of the irradiated microwave radiation 51, 51' "looks". With apostrophe designated reference numerals apply to the "rotated state".

In another embodiment, another microwave receiver 321 may be disposed adjacent to the test area 100, wherein the microwave receiver 221 and the further microwave receiver 321 are preferably configured to optimally detect radiation from directions orthogonal to each other. Preferably, the irradiation direction 35, the direction 75, under which the first microwave receiver can optimally detect microwave radiation, and the

Direction 325, under which the second microwave receiver can detect scattered radiation, each oriented perpendicular to each other.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the verification process can be configured in a variety of ways to accommodate the individual different microwave scattering To evaluate the variables influencing the wave-like conductive structures. Depending on whether the detected microwave radiation or the necessary parameters orientation, frequency, etc. match those that are expected, a document can be verified as real or not real. Also, verification is possible in such a manner that the document is classified into one of various groups depending on a detected maximum frequency at which optimal dispersion occurs. Even such a classification is considered as verification here.

FIGS. 5a to 5i show, by way of example, progress curves of wave-like elongate elements which are formed by a pre-stitched seam through a substrate layer 11. The structural level can be seen in each case.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 security document

3 document bodies

5 security element

7 document body thickness

9 security element

1 1 top

13 bottom

21 coordinate system

23 x-axis

25 y-axis

27 z axis

31 elongated conductive element

33 deflection

34 structural level

35 longitudinal direction

37 amplitude

39 period length

41 other conductive, wave-like structure

44 structural level

45 more longitudinal extension

47 amplitude

49 period length

51, 51 'microwave radiation

53, 53 'polarization plane

55 first spatial direction

61 more microwave radiation

63 more polarization plane

71 microwave radiation (radiated)

73 polarization plane

75 second spatial direction

81 more scattered microwave radiation

100 test area

1 1 1 substrate layer 121 top

123 bottom

131 thread

141 seam direction

151 stitch length

152, 153 penetration points

155 underscore

156 upper stitch length

150 pre-stitched seam

159 penetration direction

129 surface normal

154 penetration (plane)

141 longitudinal direction

161 substrate layer

162,163 substrate layers

200 device

201 microwave transmitter

21 1, 21 1 'polarization direction

221 microwave receiver

231 control unit

241 evaluation device

251 Document holder

271, 272 drives

275-277 measuring sensors

321 microwave receiver

325 direction

Claims

claims

1 . Method for producing a security document (1) comprising the steps:

Providing at least one flat extended substrate layer (1 1 1);

Forming a pre-stitched seam (150) with a conductive elongate member (31) such that the pre-stitched seam penetrates the at least one substrate layer from an upper surface of the substrate layer (11) to an underside of the substrate layer (11) and vice versa, and a plurality the at least one substrate layer (1 1 1) transverse to its areal extent penetrating portions of the

elongated element (31) are conductive and which by means of linearly polarized and along a first spatial direction which is parallel to the

Longitudinal extension direction (35) of the elongated element (31) is oriented, directed microwave radiation can be excited, so that the conductive, the

Vorstichartige seam-forming elongate element (31) itself again

Radiating microwave radiation in a second spatial direction, which is oriented transversely to the polarization direction and the first spatial direction, wherein the

Polarization direction of the exciting microwave radiation indicates the direction in space, parallel to which the electric field vector of the exciting

Microwave radiation oscillates.

A method according to claim 1, wherein the seam is made with a thread having at least one metal wire or a metallic wire as the elongate member (31).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the seam (150) is executed with a constant stitch length.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the provided with the prestrike seam Substartschicht (1 1 1) with further flat extended substrate layers (161 -163) to a document body (3) is assembled.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the Substartschicht is arranged with the seam during assembly between two of the further extended planar substrate layers.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that on the substrate layer or one of the further substrate layers, a further wave-like conductive structure is applied.

A security document comprising a sheet document body having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and having disposed thereon a conductive undulating elongated member (31), said elongate member having wave-like deflections (33) across one another Longitudinal extension direction (35) of the elongate element (31) and transverse to the planar extension of the document body (3) are oriented, wherein the wave-like deflections at least one

Penetrate material layer of the document body transversely to its planar extent and by means of linearly polarized and along a first spatial direction, which is parallel to the longitudinal extension direction (35) of the elongate member (31) oriented microwave radiation can be excited so that the conductive wavy elongated member (31 ) again radiates microwave radiation in a second spatial direction, which is oriented transversely to the polarization direction and the first spatial direction, wherein the

Microwave radiation oscillates.

8. Security document according to claim 7, characterized in that the

wave-like configuration of the elongated element has a periodicity.

9. Security document according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that formed on or in the document body (3), a further wave-like conductive structure (41) extending in a plane (44), which parallel to the flat extension of the document body (3) is oriented.

10. Security document according to one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that the further wave-like conductive structure (41) is a periodic structure having a different period length than the structure of the elongated element (31).

1 1. Device (200) for verifying a security document (1) with a flat document body on or in which an at least partially conductive wave-like elongated element is arranged, wherein wave-like deflections transverse to a longitudinal direction of the

elongated member and oriented transversely to the planar extent of the document body, comprising:

a microwave transmitter (201) for emitting linearly polarized

Microwave radiation along a first spatial direction into a test region (100), which is designed to receive a security document, so that the first spatial direction coincides with a plane in which the document body is expanded in a planar manner,

and a microwave receiver configured to receive microwave radiation radiated from the test region along a second spatial direction, wherein the second spatial direction is transverse to the first spatial direction and transverse to the first spatial direction

Polarization direction of the microwave transmitter (201) emitted linearly polarized microwave radiation is oriented, and

a control device for effecting a microwave radiation of the microwave transmitter and at the same time detecting a received signal of the microwave receiver and an evaluation device for generating a verification signal which is derived from the received signal.

12. A method of verifying a security document (1) comprising the steps of:

Arranging a security document in a test region so that a first spatial direction coincides with a plane in which a document body of the security document (1) is extended flat;

Emitting directed, linearly polarized microwave radiation (51) along the first spatial direction into the test region (100) and

Detecting microwave radiation (71), which emerges from the test region (100), and evaluating the detected microwave radiation and deriving a

Verification decision, characterized in that when detecting the microwave radiation (71) along a second spatial direction from the test region emerging microwave radiation is detected, wherein the second spatial direction is oriented transversely to the first spatial direction and transverse to the direction of vibration of the electric field vector of the irradiated linearly polarized microwave radiation.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that a document (1) is verified as genuine when in the microwave receiver (221) a predetermined signal strength is detected.

ADJUSTED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA / EP