Optical security device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical security device, which comprises:
- an array of icon focusing elements, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical refractive, reflective, or hybrid refractive/reflective focusing elements;
at least one grayscale in-plane image that has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of a substrate on which the in-plane image is carried; and
a plurality of coextensive control patterns of icons contained on or within the at least one in-plane image forming an icon layer, each control pattern being mapped to areas of the in-plane image having a range of grayscale levels, wherein placement of the control patterns of icons within the in-plane image is determined using one or more control pattern probability distributions associated with each grayscale level within all or part of the in-plane image,wherein the array of icon focusing elements is positioned to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the icons in each coextensive control pattern of icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image, which intersects with the at least one grayscale in-plane image, having one or more dynamic effects, wherein the one or more dynamic effects of the at least one synthetically magnified image are controlled and choreographed by the control patterns of icons, wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image.
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Abstract
An improved form of optical security device for use in the protection of documents and articles of value from counterfeit and to verify authenticity is provided. The inventive device, which is made up of an optionally embedded array of icon focusing elements, at least one grayscale in-plane image, and a plurality of coextensive control patterns of icons contained on or within the in-plane image, each control pattern being mapped to areas of the grayscale in-plane image having a range of grayscale levels, provides enhanced design capability, improved visual impact, and greater resistance to manufacturing variations.
299 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An optical security device, which comprises:
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an array of icon focusing elements, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical refractive, reflective, or hybrid refractive/reflective focusing elements; at least one grayscale in-plane image that has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of a substrate on which the in-plane image is carried; and a plurality of coextensive control patterns of icons contained on or within the at least one in-plane image forming an icon layer, each control pattern being mapped to areas of the in-plane image having a range of grayscale levels, wherein placement of the control patterns of icons within the in-plane image is determined using one or more control pattern probability distributions associated with each grayscale level within all or part of the in-plane image, wherein the array of icon focusing elements is positioned to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the icons in each coextensive control pattern of icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image, which intersects with the at least one grayscale in-plane image, having one or more dynamic effects, wherein the one or more dynamic effects of the at least one synthetically magnified image are controlled and choreographed by the control patterns of icons, wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15)
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8. A method for forming an icon layer of an optical security device that includes a grayscale in-plane image, wherein the in-plane image has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of the substrate on which the in-plane image is carried, a plurality of control patterns of icons contained within the in-plane image thereby forming an icon layer, and an array of icon focusing elements positioned to form at least one synthetically magnified image of the control patterns of icons, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical refractive, reflective, or hybrid refractive/reflective focusing elements, wherein the synthetically magnified image intersects with the at least one in-plane image, the method comprising:
- selecting a grayscale in-plane image; and
using the grayscale in-plane image to place the control patterns of icons within the in-plane image to together form the icon layer, wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image. - View Dependent Claims (9)
- selecting a grayscale in-plane image; and
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10. A method for forming an icon layer of an optical security device that includes a sequence of grayscale in-plane images, wherein the in-plane image has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of the substrate on which the in-plane image is carried, a set of control patterns of icons for each in-plane image where each set of control patterns of icons is contained within its respective in-plane image together forming an icon layer, and an array of icon focusing elements positioned to form an animation of synthetically magnified images of the control patterns of icons, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical refractive, reflective, or hybrid refractive/reflective focusing elements, the synthetically magnified images intersecting with the grayscale in-plane images, the method comprising:
- selecting a sequence of grayscale in-plane images, selecting a set of control patterns of icons for each grayscale in-plane image wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image; and
using the grayscale in-plane images to place its respective control patterns of icons within the in-plane image to form the icon layer. - View Dependent Claims (11)
- selecting a sequence of grayscale in-plane images, selecting a set of control patterns of icons for each grayscale in-plane image wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image; and
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12. A method for increasing design space and reducing blurriness of images formed by an optical security device, the optical security device including at least one grayscale in-plane image, a plurality of control patterns of icons contained within the in-plane image forming an icon layer, and an array of icon focusing elements positioned to form at least one synthetically magnified image of the control patterns of icons, which intersects with the at least one in-plane image, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical refractive, reflective, or hybrid refractive/reflective focusing elements, the method comprising:
- using at least one grayscale in-plane image, wherein the in-plane image has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of the substrate on which the in-plane image is carried; and
using coordinated control patterns of icons on or within each in-plane image to control and choreograph one or more dynamic effects of the synthetically magnified images, wherein the choreography of the images is prescribed by the relative phasing of the control patterns and by the control pattern distribution, in addition to the nature of the grayscale in-plane image.
- using at least one grayscale in-plane image, wherein the in-plane image has a boundary and an image area within the boundary that visually lies substantially in a plane of the substrate on which the in-plane image is carried; and
Specification