Micro-Optic Security And Image Presentation System Presenting A Synthetically Magnified Image That Appears To Lie Below A Given Plane

• US 20080212193A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visual Physics LLC (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Nanoventions Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Hurt, Mark J., Steenblik, Richard A., Jordan, Gregory R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/24 Reliefs or indentations
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/08 Alphanumerical data
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/20 Optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/44 Miniaturised markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/324 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/342 Moiré effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/36 comprising special materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/364 Liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/373 Metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/378 Special inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/06 produced by transmitted light, e.g. transparencies, imitations of glass paintings
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/44 Latent security elements, i.e. detectable or becoming apparent only by use of special verification or tampering devices or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/06 with moving picture effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0043 : Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 : arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 : involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A film material utilizing a regular two-dimensional array of non-cylindrical lenses to enlarge micro-images, called icons, to form a synthetically magnified image through the united performance of a multiplicity of individual lens/icon image systems. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system includes one or more optical spacers (5), a micro-image formed of a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icons (4) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes and positioned on or next to the optical spacer (5), and a periodic planar array of image icon focusing elements (1) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes, the axis of symmetry being the same planar axis as that of the micro-image planar array (4). A number of distinctive visual effects, such as three-dimensional and motion effects, can be provided by the present system.

Claims

1. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons; and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie below a given plane, image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

2. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical focusing elements.

3. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 2, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements.

4. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have base geometries selected from the group consisting of a circular base, a hexagonal base, a rounded off hexagonal base, a square base, a rounded off square base, a triangular base, and a rounded off triangular base.

5. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

6. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 2, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

7. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having an effective diameter of from about 10 to about 30 microns.

8. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having an effective diameter of less than 30 microns.

9. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a total thickness of less than about 45 microns.

10. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a total thickness of about 10 to about 40 microns.

11. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having a focal length of less than about 40 microns.

12. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having a focal length of about 10 to less than about 50 microns.

13. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a morphing effect is provided for causing the at least one synthetically magnified image to morph into another synthetically magnified image.

14. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each image icon being formed from a printing method selected from the group consisting of ink jet, laserjet, letterpress, flexo, gravure, intaglio, and dye sublimation printing methods.

15. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

16. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a plurality of layers of image icons at different depths in the system and the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

17. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of micro image icons opposite the focusing elements.

18. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a transparent tamper indicating material placed over the focusing elements.

19. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a second periodic array of focusing elements placed substantially parallel to the side of the array of micro image icons opposite the focusing elements.

20. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 19, having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

22. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are selected from refractive, diffractive, reflective and hybrid refractive/diffractive focusing elements.

23. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icon focusing elements are polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries in the plane of their planar array.

24. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the array of focusing elements has at least two substantially equivalent axes of symmetry.

25. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements provide an enlarged field of view over the width of the image icons correlated with the focusing elements so that the peripheral edges of the correlated image icons do not drop out of view.

26. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including one or more optical spacers positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

27. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed from patterns of colorless, transparent, opaque, ink, colored, tinted or dyed material.

28. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as protrusions in the surface of a substrate, the spaces between the protrusions optionally being filled with a material having a different index of refraction than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

29. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons that are transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or display optically variable color.

30. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and have a background that is transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or displays optically variable color.

31. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed from printing, microstructures, deposited metallization, patterned metallization, or patterned demetallization.

32. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed in a photographic emulsion.

33. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed of non-fluorescing pigments, non-fluorescing dyes, fluorescing pigments, fluorescing dyes, metal, metal particles, magnetic particles, nuclear magnetic resonance signature materials, lasing particles, organic LED materials, optically variable materials, evaporated materials, sputtered materials, chemically deposited materials, vapor deposited materials, thin film interference materials, liquid crystal polymers, optical upconversion and/or downconversion materials, dichroic materials, optically active materials, or optically polarizing materials.

34. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by direct metallization or lamination.

35. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by evaporation, sputtering or chemical deposition, or chemical vapor deposition process.

36. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 35, wherein the formation process involves a metal material.

37. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by patterned demetallization.

38. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 17, wherein the reflective layer is metallized.

39. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable.

40. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 39 wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

41. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having interstitial spaces between the focusing elements, the interstitial spaces optionally being filled.

42. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a tamper indicating layer.

43. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to a background on which they appear.

44. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein upon illumination of the system the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have a shadow.

48. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

49. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 48, wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either or both of an image icon repeat period and a focusing element repeat period.

50. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 48, wherein the transformation is produced by incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

51. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to be three dimensional.

52. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a second synthetically magnified image appears to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, to lie on a spatial plane above the system, to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, to move in a direction parallel to an axis of tilt of the system upon tilting the system about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the system, to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another or a form, shape, size or color, or appears to be three dimensional.

53. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 52, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image and the second synthetically magnified image may or may not have the same color or graphical elements.

54. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 52, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image and the second synthetically magnified image appear on different image planes.

55. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 54, wherein the different image planes are further different in at least one of form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification.

56. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to have at least one of a plurality of patterns, colors or shapes.

57. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements provide vertical blurring of a central focal zone of the focusing elements.

58. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the planar arrays of image icons.

59. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements, and wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

60. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements include pin hole optics.

61. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity.

62. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 61, wherein the F number is less than 1.

63. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have a base diameter of 35 microns and a focal length of 30 microns.

64. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including a surface layer that must be removed for the synthetic image to be viewed.

65. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including an optical spacer positioned between the planar array of image icons and the planar array of image icon focusing elements, the optical spacer having a thickness of about 8 microns to about 25 microns.

66. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including an optical spacer formed of an essentially transparent polymer.

67. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 66, further wherein the transparent polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride.

68. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally are filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.

69. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 68, wherein the icon recesses have a recess depth of about 0.5 microns to about 8 microns.

70. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, applied to an article, wherein the article is selected from the group of:

Passports, ID Cards, Driver'"'"'s Licenses, Visas, Birth Certificates, Vital Records, Voter Registration Cards, Voting Ballots, Social Security Cards, Bonds, Food Stamps, Postage Stamps, and Tax Stamps;

Currency, security threads in paper currency, features in polymer currency, and features on paper currency;

Titles, Deeds, Licenses, Diplomas, and Certificates;

Certified Bank Checks, Corporate Checks, Personal Checks, Bank Vouchers, Stock Certificates, Travelers'"'"'Checks, Money Orders, Credit cards, Debit cards, ATM cards, Affinity cards, Prepaid Phone cards, and Gift Cards;

Movie Scripts, Legal Documents, Intellectual Property, Medical Records/Hospital Records, Prescription Forms/Pads, and Secret Recipes;

Fabric and home care goods;

beauty products;

baby and family care products;

health care products;

food and beverage packaging;

dry goods packaging;

electronic equipment, parts and components;

apparel, sportswear and footwear products;

biotech pharmaceuticals;

aerospace components and parts;

automotive components and parts;

sporting goods;

tobacco products;

software;

compact disks and DVD'"'"'S;

explosives;

novelty items, gift wrap and ribbon;

books and magazines;

school products and office supplies;

business cards;

shipping documentation and packaging;

notebook covers;

book covers;

book marks;

event and transportation tickets;

gambling and gaming products and devices;

home furnishing products;

flooring and wall coverings;

jewelry and watches;

handbags;

art, collectibles and memorabilia;

toys;

point of purchase and merchandising displays; and

product marking and labeling articles applied to a branded product or document for authentication or enhancement, as camouflage, or for asset tracking.

117. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

141. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system forms a second synthetically magnified image exhibiting a different optical effect than the at least one synthetically magnified image.

142. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 141, wherein the optical effect of the second synthetically magnified image is different in one or more of form, color, direction of movement or magnification.

148. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

150. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 61, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

152. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

154. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 61, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

156. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein

(a) at least a portion of the image icons includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the at least a portion of the image icons have a repeat period;

and

(b) at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the least a portion of the image icon focusing elements have a repeat period, and wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is less than 1 for the at least one synthetically magnified image.

21. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an array of image icons;

(b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements; and

(c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie below a given plane, the image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

71. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements are selected from refractive, diffractive, reflective and hybrid refractive/diffractive focusing elements.

72. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icon focusing elements are polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries in the plane of their planar array.

73. The method of claim 21, wherein the array of focusing elements has at least two substantially equivalent axes of symmetry.

74. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements provide an enlarged field of view over the width of the image icons correlated with the focusing elements so that the peripheral edges of the correlated image icons do not drop out of view.

75. The method of claim 21, further including one or more optical spacers positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

76. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are formed from patterns of colorless, transparent, opaque, ink, colored, tinted or dyed material.

77. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are formed as protrusions in the surface of a substrate, the spaces between the protrusions optionally being filled with a material having a different index of refraction than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, a pigmented material, or combinations thereof.

78. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to a background on which they appear.

79. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or display optically variable color, or combinations thereof.

80. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and have a background that is transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or displays optically variable color.

81. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed from printing, microstructures, deposited metallization, patterned metallization, or patterned demetallization.

82. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed in a photographic emulsion.

83. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed of non-fluorescing pigments, non-fluorescing dyes, fluorescing pigments, fluorescing dyes, metal, metal particles, magnetic particles, nuclear magnetic resonance signature materials, lasing particles, organic LED materials, optically variable materials, evaporated materials, sputtered materials, chemically deposited materials, vapor deposited materials, thin film interference materials, liquid crystal polymers, optical upconversion and/or downconversion materials, dichroic materials, optically active materials, or optically polarizing materials.

84. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by direct metallization or lamination.

85. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by evaporation, sputtering, chemical deposition, or chemical vapor deposition process.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the formation process involves a metal material.

87. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by patterned demetallization.

88. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of micro image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the reflective layer is metallized.

90. The method of claim 21, wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

92. The method of claim 21, including a tamper indicating layer.

93. The method of claim 21, wherein upon illumination of the system the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have a shadow.

97. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to transform from one or more or a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

98. The method of claim 97 wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either of both of an image icon repeat period and a focusing element repeat period.

99. The method of claim 97, wherein the transformation is produced by incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

100. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to be three dimensional.

101. The method of claim 21, wherein a second synthetically magnified image appears to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, to lie on a spatial plane above the system, to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, to move in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of tilt of the system upon tilting the system about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the system, to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another or a form, shape, size or color, or appears to be three dimensional.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image and the second synthetically magnified image may or may not have the same color or graphical elements.

103. The device of claim 101, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image and the second synthetically magnified image appear on different image planes.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein the different image planes are further different in form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification, or combinations thereof.

105. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have a plurality of patterns, colors or shapes or combinations thereof.

106. The method of claim 21, further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the arrays of image icons.

107. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements, and wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

108. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity.

109. The method of claim 108, wherein the F number is less than 1.

110. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements have a base diameter of 35 microns and a focal length of 30 microns.

111. The method of claim 21, further including a surface layer that must be removed for the synthetically magnified image to be viewed.

112. The method of claim 21, further including an optical spacer positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

113. The method of claim 21, further including an optical spacer formed of an essentially transparent polymer.

114. The method of claim 113, further wherein the transparent polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride.

115. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally are filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.

116. The method of claim 115, wherein the icon recesses have a recess depth of about 0.5 microns to about 8 microns.

118. The method of claim 21, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements include having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

119. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical focusing elements.

120. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements.

121. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements have base geometries selected from the group consisting of a circular base, a hexagonal base, a rounded off hexagonal base, a square base, a rounded off square base, a triangular base, and a rounded off triangular base.

122. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

123. The method of claim 21, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 2 or less.

124. The method of claim 21, each focusing element having an effective diameter of from about 10 to about 30 microns.

125. The method of claim 21, each focusing element having an effective diameter of less than 30 microns.

126. The method of claim 21, wherein the arrays are formed into a system having a total thickness of less than about 45 microns.

127. The method of claim 21, wherein the arrays are formed into a system having a total thickness of about 10 to about 40 microns.

128. The method of claim 21, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements having a focal length of less than about 40 microns.

129. The method of claim 21, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements having a focal length of about 10 to less than about 50 microns.

130. The method of claim 21, wherein a morphing effect is provided for causing the at least one synthetically magnified image to morph into another synthetically magnified image.

131. The method of claim 21, the image icons including image icons being formed from a printing method selected from the group consisting of ink jet, laserjet, letterpress, flexo, gravure, intaglio, and dye sublimation printing methods.

132. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

133. The method of claim 21, wherein a plurality of layers of image icons are provided at different depths in the system, the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

134. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icon focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

135. The method of claim 21, further providing a transparent tamper indicating material placed over the focusing elements.

136. The method of claim 21, further providing a second periodic array of image icon focusing elements placed to the side of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

137. The method of claim 136, having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

138. The method of claim 21, further providing interstitial spaces between the focusing elements, the interstitial spaces optionally being filled.

139. The method of claim 21, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system forms a second synthetically magnified image exhibiting a different optical effect.

140. The method of claim 139, wherein the optical effect of the second synthetically magnified image is different in one or more of form, color, direction of movement or magnification.

149. The method of claim 21, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

151. The method of claim 108, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

153. The method of claim 21, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

155. The method of claim 108 wherein the planar array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

157. The method of claim 21, wherein

(a) at least a portion of the image icons includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the at least a portion of the image icons have a repeat period;

and

(b) at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements have a repeat period, and wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is less than 1 for the at least one synthetically magnified image.

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

94. (canceled)

95. (canceled)

96. (canceled)

143. (canceled)

144. (canceled)

145. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons; and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to lie below a given plane, and

wherein the image icons are selected from the group consisting of positive image icons, and negative image icons.

146. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 145 wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 2 or less.

147. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 145, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

158. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 145, wherein

(a) at least a portion of the image icons includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the at least a portion of the image icons have a repeat period;

and

(b) at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements includes an axis of symmetry in at least one direction and the least a portion of the image icon focusing elements have a repeat period, and wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is less than 1 for the at least one synthetically magnified image.