Verifiable holographic article

• US 6,351,537 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1998
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Dovgodko, Sergiy, Kirchmeyer, Domenica
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, GAIL O
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leaning, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US09/166,653
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 283/17, 283/73, 380/54, 359/2
• US Class Current: 380/54
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0011 for security or authentication holograms on information-bearing cards B42D25/328; testing papers with holograms G07D7/0032
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/16 the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating

Abstract

A verifiable holographic article comprises a substrate comprising (a) at least one hologram; and (b) at least one covert image that is convertible to an overt image using a decoding sampling device, e.g., a photocopier, that produces an aliasing or moire effect. The article cost-effectively provides both “first line” and “second line” security features and can be easily, quickly, and safely verified or authenticated.

Claims

1. A verifiable holographic article comprising a substrate comprising (a) at least one hologram;

and (b) at least one covert image that is convertible to an overt image using a decoding sampling device that produces an aliasing or moiré

effect, wherein said covert image is created by a process comprising the steps of (a) removing any frequency components of an original, overt image that are greater than half the sampling frequency of said decoding sampling device; and

(b) mirroring the remaining frequency components about the axes that correspond to half of said sampling frequency.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said device produces an aliasing or moire effect for a sufficient number of frequencies of said covert image to make said covert image at least partially visible to the human eye.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein said covert image is prepared by a process comprising the steps of (a) determining the Fourier transform of at least a portion of an original, overt image;

(b) removing all of the frequency components of said Fourier transform that are greater than half of the sampling frequency of a decoding sampling device that is to be used for the decoding of said portion of said image;

(c) mirroring the remaining frequency components of said Fourier transform about the axes that correspond to half of said sampling frequency; and

(d) determining the inverse Fourier transform of the resulting mirrored frequency components.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein said hologram is viewable or reconstructible without the use of a monochromatic coherent light source.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein said hologram is selected from the group consisting of reflection, transmission, true color, and composite holograms.

6. The article of claim 5 wherein said hologram is a transmission hologram.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein said hologram is a rainbow hologram.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of photopolymer films, photographic films, photochromic glasses/crystals, dichromated gelatin, thermoplastic materials, photorefractive crystals, embossable reflective materials, and combinations thereof.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein said substrate comprises an embossable reflective material.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein said embossable reflective material is selected from the group consisting of metal foil, metallized paper, and metallized polymeric film.

11. The article of claim 10 wherein said embossable reflective material is metal foil.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein said metal foil is aluminum foil.

13. The article of claim 1 further comprising an overt image superimposed on said covert image.

14. The article of claim 1 wherein said covert image is integrated into said hologram.

19. A security label or security laminate comprising the article of claim 1.

15. A verifiable holographic article comprising a substrate comprising (a) at least one rainbow hologram;

and (b) at least one covert image that is prepared by a process comprising the steps of (i) determining the Fourier transform of at least a portion of an original, overt image;

(ii) removing all of the frequency components of said Fourier transform that are greater than half of the sampling frequency of a decoding sampling device that is to be used for the decoding of said portion of said image;

(iii) mirroring the remaining frequency components of said Fourier transform about the axes that correspond to half of said sampling frequency; and

(iv) determining the inverse Fourier transform of the resulting mirrored frequency components.

16. The article of claim 15 wherein said substrate comprises an embossable reflective material and wherein said hologram and said covert image are embossed on said substrate.

17. A kit comprising (a) a verifiable holographic article comprising a substrate comprising (a) at least one hologram;

and (b) at least one covert image that is convertible to an overt image using a decoding sampling device that produces an aliasing or moiré

effect, wherein said covert image is created by a process comprising the steps of (a) removing any frequency components of an original, overt image that are greater than half the sampling frequency of said decoding sampling device; and

(b) mirroring the remaining frequency components about the axes that correspond to half of said sampling frequency and (b) a decoding sampling device.

18. The kit of claim 17 wherein said decoding sampling device comprises a polymeric sheet comprising a pattern or array of elements having a selected spacing that produces a desired sampling frequency function.