Image Presentation and Micro-Optic Security System

• US 20090122412A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• 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 8,144,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/626
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/10 Metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/16 Magnetic or magnetisable material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/18 Reflecting material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/20 Coloured material; Pigments or inks
• 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 2035/26 Halftone or interference patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/36 visible in transmitted light, e.g. in a window region
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/44 Miniaturised markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/324 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/328 Diffraction gratings; Holograms
• 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 25/355 Security threads
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/36 comprising special materials
• 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 25/382 : absorbing or reflecting infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 : absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/391 : absorbing or reflecting polarised light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/425 : by deformation, e.g. embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/43 : by removal of material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 : involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0244 : Surface relief holograms replicating hologram without interference recording G03H1/0276

Abstract

An image presentation system employing microstructured icon elements to form an image. In one form a synthetic optical image system is provided that includes an array of focusing elements, and an image system that includes or is formed from an array or pattern of microstructured icon elements, such as those described below, wherein the microstructured icon elements are designed to collectively form an image or certain desired information, and wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate, for example through optical coupling, to form a synthetic optical image which image may optionally be magnified. In another form an image presentation system is provided that includes or is formed from an array or pattern of microstructured icon elements, such as those described below, wherein the microstructured icon elements are designed to collectively form an image or certain selected information, and wherein the image system is designed to stand alone and be the image viewed or the information read by use of a magnifying device, such as a magnifying glass or microscope, that is provided separately from the image system.

Claims

1-81. -81. (canceled)

82. A synthetic optical image system, comprising

an array of focusing elements, and

an array of icon elements,

wherein the system operates as an authentication system in which the array of focusing elements is separate from the array of icon elements and is used to read information contained in the array of icon elements, the array of focusing elements and the array of icon elements cooperating to form a synthetically magnified optical image when the array of focusing elements is disposed in proximity to the array of icon elements.

83. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82, wherein the array of focusing elements is formed as a sheet and the array of icon elements is formed as a sheet and the two sheets are adapted to be optically or mechanically coupled to thereby form the synthetically magnified optical image, and the focal length of the focusing elements is greater than the thickness of the sheet including the focusing elements.

84. The synthetic optical image system of claim 83, wherein the two sheets are coupled with a coupling fluid.

85. The synthetic optical image system of claim 83, wherein the array of icon elements is positioned on or in a surface of its sheet and the focal point of the focusing elements is at or slightly off of said surface of said icon elements sheet when the two sheets are coupled to form a synthetic optical image, the surface of the icon elements sheet including the icon elements designed to form the synthetically magnified optical image.

86. The synthetic optical image system of claim 83, wherein the icon elements sheet is secured to or incorporated into an object as an authentication or security device.

87. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82,

wherein the array of focusing elements is formed as a sheet and the array of icon elements is formed as a sheet and the two sheets are adapted to be optically or mechanically coupled to thereby form the synthetically magnified optical image, and the focal length of the focusing elements is greater than the thickness of the sheet including the focusing elements;

wherein the array of icon elements is positioned on or in a surface of its sheet and the focal point of the focusing elements is at or slightly off of said surface of said image icon elements sheet when the two sheets are coupled to form a synthetic optical image, the surface of the icon elements sheet including the icon elements designed to form the synthetically magnified optical image;

the array of focusing elements and the array of icon elements having a rotational symmetry and a repeat period that substantially match.

88. The synthetic optical image of claim 82

wherein the array of focusing elements is formed as a sheet and the array of image icon elements is formed as a sheet and the two sheets are adapted to be optically or mechanically coupled to thereby form the synthetically magnified optical image, and the focal length of the focusing elements is greater than the thickness of the sheet including the focusing elements;

further including a surface coating on the icon elements sheet.

89. The synthetic optical image system of claim 83, wherein the icon elements sheet includes multiple patterns of icon elements that form different synthetic optical images in cooperation with the array of focusing elements.

90. The synthetic optical image system of claim 89, wherein the different synthetic optical images are formed at different angles of rotation of the focusing element sheet in relation to the icon elements sheet.

91. The synthetic optical image system of claim 89, wherein the different synthetic optical images are formed through use of different separate focusing element sheets, the different separate focusing element sheets having arrays of focusing elements that differ in one or more of the repeat period of the focusing element array, the focal length of the focusing elements, or their rotational symmetry.

92. The synthetic optical image system of claim 89, wherein one icon pattern has a differing repeat period or differing rotational symmetry or both from another icon element pattern.

93. The synthetic optical image system of claim 92, wherein different focusing element sheets are required to form synthetic optical images from the different icon element patterns.

94. The synthetic optical image system of claim 92, wherein a second focusing element sheet is placed over a first focusing element sheet to form synthetic optical images of two differing icon element patterns, one of the focusing element sheets having focusing elements with a different focal length than the focusing elements of the other focusing element sheet.

95. The synthetic optical image system of claim 94, wherein the first and second focusing element sheets have arrays of focusing elements that differ in one or more of the repeat period of the focusing element arrays, the focal length of the focusing elements, or their rotational symmetry.

96. The synthetic optical image system of claim 89, wherein the differing icon patterns are provided in at least two different icon element layers.

97. The synthetic optical image system of claim 96, wherein the different icon element layers are provided in different icon element sheets.

98. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82, further including an optical spacer positioned between the array of focusing elements and the array of icon elements.

99. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82, comprising

wherein the icon elements are either incorporated into an icon layer, or in a coating layer formed on a substrate,

further including an optical spacer positioned between the array of focusing elements and the array of icon elements,

wherein the thickness of the optical spacer is greater than the focal length of the focusing elements such that the synthetic optical image is not distinguishable without placing a material over the array of focusing elements, the refractive index of the material being sufficient to change the focal length of the focusing elements to focus on the icon elements of the image system, thereby forming a synthetic optical image.

100. The synthetic optical image system of claim 99, further including different icon element layers that provide different synthetic optical images with the addition of materials having different indices of refraction.

101. The synthetic optical image system of claim 99, wherein the a material is a liquid thereby providing a wetness-indicating synthetically magnified optical image.

102. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82, wherein at least a portion of the icon elements are positioned such that the synthetically magnified optical image seen by a viewer changes as the azimuthal angle of view of the image system changes.

103. The synthetic optical system of claim 82,

the icons elements including icon elements formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that are optionally filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.

104. The synthetic optical system of claim 103, wherein the icon elements are filled with at least one of a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

105. The synthetic optical system of claim 82, wherein the icon elements include icons formed from patterns of colorless, transparent, opaque, ink, colored, tinted or dyed material.

106. The synthetic optical system of claim 82, wherein the icon elements include:

icons that 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 icons that 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;

or both.

107. The synthetic optical system of claim 82, wherein the icon elements include icons that are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed from printing, microstructures, lamination, deposited metallization, direct metallization, patterned metallization, patterned demetallization, or formed in a photographic emulsion, or combinations thereof.

108. The synthetic optical system of claim 82, wherein the icon elements include icons that are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are 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.

109. The image icons of claim 82, wherein the icon elements include icons that 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.

110. The image icons of claim 112, wherein the formation process involves a metal material.

111. The image icons of claim 103, wherein the icon recesses have a recess depth of about 0.5 microns to about 8 microns.

112. The synthetic optical image system of claim 82, the system comprising focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

113. A synthetic optical image system, comprising

an array of icon elements, and

an array of focusing elements disposed in relation to the array of focusing elements,

wherein the system operates as an authentication system in which the array of focusing elements includes focusing elements having a focal length that is greater than or less than the the focal length necessary for said focusing elements to form a synthetic optical image in cooperation with at least a portion of the icon elements in the array of icon elements,

the system further comprising either a material that alters the index of refraction of the focusing elements allowing the focusing elements to cooperate with the at least a portion of the icon elements in the array of icon elements to form a synthetic optical image or a second array of focusing elements including focusing elements having a focal length sufficient to cooperate with the at least a portion of the icon elements in the array of icon elements to form a synthetic optical image.

114. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of icon elements; and

(b) an array of focusing elements, the array of focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the icon elements at a distance sufficient for at least a portion of the focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the icon elements, wherein the at least a portion of the icon elements are positioned such that the synthetically magnified optical image seen by a viewer changes as the azimuthal angle of view of the image system changes.

115. An image presentation system comprising an array of microstructured icon elements, the microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image or certain selected information, wherein the image is designed to be viewed or the information read by use of a separate magnifying device.