Identification card and a method of producing same

• US 4,629,215 A
• Filed: 08/01/1984
• Issued: 12/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GAO Gesellschaft Fur Automation und Organisation mbH
• Original Assignee: GAO Gesellschaft Fur Automation und Organisation mbH
• Inventors: Maurer, Thomas, Holbein, Hans J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYRANA, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US06/636,617
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 283/72, 283/75, 283/86, 283/94, 283/97, 283/110, 283/111, 283/70, 156/292, 156/308.4
• US Class Current: 283/94
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 Security printing securities B42D25/29
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/30 Plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/02 Nature of the markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/06 Picture of the user
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/08 Alphanumerical data
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/26 Halftone or interference patterns
• 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 25/337 Guilloche patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/126 by photographic or thermographic registration recording apparatus for measuring instruments G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/083 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1092 All laminae planar and face to face

Abstract

The disclosure concerns an identification card containing information such as name, account number, photo of the card owner, etc. The card is protected by a superjacent printed security pattern, such as a guilloche, or other pattern which is difficult to imitate, or a homogeneous printed surface. The information is inscribed into the identification card material through the printed security pattern by a laser beam recorder. The energy of the laser and the colors of the printed security pattern are coordinated with each other in such a way that the laser light is not absorbed by the printed security pattern and the latter is not destroyed by the laser light.

Claims

1. An identification document comprising:

a base card;

identification information on said base card, said information being applied directly to said base card by a laser recorder;

a security pattern covering said base card in areas to be protected wherein said identification information is beneath the security pattern and visible without any auxiliary equipment;

colorants in said security pattern visibly unchangeable by the radiation of a laser recorder wherein said identification information is recorded through the security pattern without destroying said security pattern.

2. The identification document of claim 1, wherein said security pattern extends over a large area of said base card.

3. The identification document of claim 2, wherein said security pattern extends substantially over the entire surface area of said base card.

4. The identification document of claim 1, wherein said identification information is selected from the group consisting of letters, numbers, images and combinations thereof.

5. The identification document of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said security pattern is a printed security pattern.

6. The identification document of claim 5, wherein said printed security pattern is designed as a guilloche pattern.

7. The identification document of claim 5, wherein said printed security pattern is in the form of continuous printed areas.

8. The identification document of claim 7, wherein a guilloche pattern at least partially overlaps said continuous printed areas.

9. An identification document having identification information in the form of letters, numbers, images and combinations thereof comprising:

a base card;

means for covering said base card in an area to be protected wherein said means for covering is a visible security pattern;

identification information applied to said base card through said security pattern by means of a laser recorder controlled so that the radiation of said laser recorder during application of said identification information does not visibly change said visible security pattern;

wherein said identification information is beneath said security pattern and visible without any auxiliary equipment.

10. The identification document of claim 9, wherein said security pattern is printed on said base card.

11. The identification document of claim 10, wherein said security pattern is printed over an entire face of said base card.

12. The identification document of claim 9, wherein said printed security pattern covers only partial areas of said base card.

13. The identification document of any one of claims 10, 11, or 12 wherein said security pattern is printed in a continuous pattern.

14. The identification document of any one of claims 10, 11 or 12 wherein said security pattern is printed in a guilloche pattern.