WO2002085633A1

WO2002085633A1 - Production of documents

Info

Publication number: WO2002085633A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/001267
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Nello Crozier
Original assignee: Christopher Nello Crozier
Priority date: 2001-04-24
Filing date: 2002-04-17
Publication date: 2002-10-31

Abstract

The invention provides a method of producing a document, which includes applying at least a first character to a document, which first character is visible to the naked eye under normal conditions, and applying at least a second character corresponding or related to the first character to the document, which second character is visible or invisible to the naked eye under normal conditions, but which is clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

Description

PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

THIS INVENTION relates to the production of documents. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of printing documents. The invention extends to a printer.

As part of ongoing efforts to prevent document fraud, the

Inventors have found that advanced techniques have been developed which assist in the prevention of the, fraudulent duplication of documents. However, very few effective techniques have been developed which assist in combatting the fraudulent alteration of existing documents. This problem is particularly prevalent in the sort of documents which are printed in bulk, as blanks or templates, and which are customised by variable information which is added at a later stage, thereby imparting value or significance to the document. For example, cheques, tickets, certificates, vouchers, or the like, are mass printed in the form of blanks or templates, and valuable, variable information is only added at a later stage, such as an amount or beneficiary. The variable information on these types of documents is susceptible to fraudulent alteration.

The techniques of which the Inventors are aware for combatting the fraudulent alteration of existing documents are: 1 . Foiling or laminating;

2. "Indelible" inks;

3. Multicolour, high-impact fonts;

4. Multiple encoding of the data; and 5. Verification by enquiry.

Foiling or Laminating

A protective foil is applied over all or part of the document, or the document is laminated with transparent plastic sheets. The disadvantages are that the process is slow and expensive, and it is sometimes possible to remove the foil or split the laminate, change the information and then re-apply the foil or lamination. The covering then serves as a barrier masking the evidence of alteration. For this reason, foiling of cheques was barred by the banking industry in South Africa.

"Indelible" Inks

The problem with indelible inks is that the term "indelible" is an absolute that is seldom, if ever, accurate in all circumstances. It is difficult to devise inks that are both resistant to all forms of removal and compatible with printer technology. Nevertheless some inks have excellent properties in this regard, and may play a part in the application of the present invention. However, when used in isolation they offer no protection against fraud that involves purely additive alteration to the variable information, and there are many ingenious frauds based on this. At a simple level, a ticket marked ADMIT 1 is easily changed to ADMIT 10, for example. Multicolour, High-Impact Fonts

One technique that is well established and effective, prints variable data in very heavy, extra-bold fonts where each character is printed in two or more colours. A heavy duty impact printer is used, giving good penetration of ink into the paper fibres, and produces a result that is a greater challenge to fraudulent alteration as it is both resistant to erasure and difficult to replicate. It does however suffer from the drawback that it is slow and not suited to high-volume applications.

Multiple Encoding of the Data

There are several approaches that essentially involve encoding the variable data in more than one way: typically they combine human-readable print with a machine-readable component that carries the same information. Examples of the latter are: very fine barcode that appears to be a grey line; two-dimensional barcodes; and magnetic inks. The essential concept is that the machine-readable information is read at the point of presentation of the document and the decoded information is compared to the human-readable information. The major disadvantage of this approach is that specialist equipment is needed to read the encoded information: the more cunning and complex the encoding is, the more expensive and trouble-prone the reading equipment is.

Verification by Enquiry

This simply involves enquiring from a central database (or from a locally-stored copy of the database) to verify the contents of the document. It is a very simple and effective approach provided one has access by some means to a central database, or an up-to-date local copy of it, and that the database integrity is assured. There are however many problems in practice with providing these elements except in specific cases.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means, which the Inventors believe will at least alleviate the problem of the fraudulent alteration of existing documents and which do not suffer from the disadvantages of the conventional methods and means.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a document, which includes applying at least a first character to a document, which first character is visible to the naked eye under normal conditions; and applying at least a second character corresponding or related to the first character to the document, which second character may be visible or invisible to the naked eye under normal conditions, but which is clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

For the purpose of this specification the phrase "character" should be broadly construed to include all forms of characters such as writing symbols and alphanumeric characters, as well as devices, designs, figures, emblems, indicia or signs capable of being visually represented on a document. The term "corresponding or related" should be interpreted, when used in relation to a second character or characters, as referring to a second character or characters which provide confirmation of the information provided by the first character or characters.

Furthermore, by "under normal conditions" is meant that, at least the first characters are visible to the unaided naked eye, under standard or ambient lighting and temperature conditions.

The method may include applying the first and second characters using ink. Accordingly, the method may include printing the characters on the document.

The second character may be printed or applied using an ink which becomes visible to the naked eye under the revealing condition, which may involve external stimulation of the second character, for example, by exposure to light of a certain wavelength or by exposure to a certain temperature.

In one embodiment of the invention the method includes printing or applying the second character using an ink which fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Thus, the second character may become visible to the naked eye when the document is exposed to UV light.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the second character is partially or even completely visible under normal conditions, in addition to fluorescing when exposed to UV light. Instead, or in addition, the ink used to print the second character may respond to pre-selected temperature or pressure conditions. Thus, the second character may for example become visible to the naked eye when the document or character is subjected to heat.

In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes printing multiple first visible characters on the document, and duplicating each of the first visible characters on the document with second characters which are clearly visible under the revealing condition.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method includes printing a first set of visible characters on the document and printing multiple replicas of the first set of characters over at least part of the face of the document, which second characters are clearly visible under the revealing condition.

The document is typically in the form of a blank or template which is produced in bulk, and to which customised or variable information may be added at a later stage. Thus, the method may include printing the first set of visible characters in the form of such variable or customised information on such documents together with the second set of second characters.

Thus, the first and second set of characters are typically customised at the time of printing.

The second set of characters may be an exact duplicate of the first set of characters. Alternatively, or in addition, the second set of characters may be modified or altered in some fashion, while still corresponding or relating to the first set of character. For example, the second set of characters may be enlarged or reduced in size, or it may repeat a numerical first set of characters, e.g. an amount, in words.

The second set of characters may be printed on the document in a specific orientation relative to the first set of characters. For example, the second set of characters may shadow the first set of characters. Alternatively, the second set of characters may be replicated over the entire face of the document.

The method may include printing the first and second sets of characters simultaneously or substantially simultaneously.

The characters may be printed or applied using indelible inks. Typically, a carbon based ink is used, at least for the first character or characters, which is preferably resistant to chemical attack.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a printer which includes first print means for printing first characters visible to the naked eye, under normal conditions; and second print means for printing second characters which may be visible or invisible to the naked eye under normal conditions and corresponding to the first characters, but which are clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition. The printer may be in the form of an inkjet printer which includes a printhead defining the first and second print means in the form of at least two nozzle banks, each connectable to separate ink reservoirs, one containing a visible ink and the other containing an ink which is clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

The printer may include an authorisation facility for authorising use of the printer.

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a printhead of a printer in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a sample document produced by the printer of the invention; Figure 3 shows a further sample document produced by the printer of the invention;

Figure 4 shows another sample document produced by the printer of the invention;

Figure 5 shows a further sample document produced by the printer of the invention; and

Figure 6 shows yet a further sample document produced by the printer of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 0 generally indicates a printhead of a printer in accordance with the invention. The printer in this embodiment of the invention is in the form of an inkjet printer. The printhead 10 has a first bank of inkjet nozzles, generally indicated by reference numeral 14, which are connected to an ink reservoir (not shown) which contains black ink.

The printhead 10 also includes a second bank of inkjet nozzles, generally indicated by reference numeral 1 6, which are similarly connected to a second ink reservoir (not shown) containing ink which fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

The printer further includes one or more microprocessors (not shown) for controlling the operation of the printer.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, in use, the printer of the invention prints documents, a sample of which is indicated by reference numeral 18, having a first visible set of characters 20, represented in the drawings by a darker tone, together with a second corresponding set of characters 22, shown in half tone in the drawings, in a fluorescing ink. The visible characters are printed using the black ink, dispensed onto the document 18, via the first bank of inkjet nozzles 14. The black ink is typically carbon-based and resistant to chemical attack. These characters are visible to the naked eye while the document is exposed to normal lighting conditions.

Ideally, the paper on which the UV ink is printed must be non-reflective to the UV light to which it is being exposed. For example, the commercially available "Uvidull" (trade mark) type of paper may be used. The characters 22 are printed using the UV ink, dispensed onto the document 1 8, via the second bank of inkjet nozzles 1 6. In a preferred embodiment, the characters 22 are invisible to the naked eye while the document is exposed to normal lighting conditions, but fluoresce, and are hence visible to the naked eye, when the document is exposed to a revealing condition, in this case UV light. However, it is to be appreciated that the characters 22 may also be visible to the naked eye, in addition to fluorescing when exposed to UV light. A person wishing to alter the document 1 8 fraudulently is then likely to alter the characters 20, 22 with black ink only which does not fluoresce under UV light. The alteration will then be clearly visible under UV light as the characters 20, 22 will differ under UV light.

Typically, the printer 1 0, is configured to print the pair of sets of visible and invisible characters 20, 22 simultaneously, via the inkjet nozzles 1 4, 1 6, thus providing high speed graphical capabilities.

The actual set of characters 20, 22 printed using the printer 1 0 is customised by a user at the time of printing, and dependent on the specific application. Typically the printer is used for printing on template or blank documents, such as blank cheques, ticket stubs, vouchers, certificates, or the like. Thus it is possible for a user to specify the exact text or graphics for the document.

The specific form and orientation of the invisible character set 22 is determined by information programmed into the microprocessor(s) and controlled by external software. Thus, it is possible to print a simple replication of the visible character set, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or alternatively to print the invisible character set in a more complex arrangement, as shown in Figures 3 through 6.

Thus, for example, in Figure 3, the character set 20 is replicated over most of the face of the sample document shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, for example, as shown in Figure 6, it is possible to add certain graphical elements or designs 28 to the document.

The invention provides at least the following advantages:

(a) The means used to verify the authenticity of a document prepared in accordance with the invention can be very simple and inexpensive. Battery-powered hand-held UV lamps are cheap and portable, and need be no larger than a small flashlight.

(b) The method of the invention does not interfere with normal document design or legibility.

(c) The information printed in UV ink is unique and specific to each document, as it is fully customised to the individual document.

(d) The information printed in UV ink can be replicated many times across the face of the document, making fraudulent alteration of every copy of the information a formidable task.

(e) A printer in accordance with the invention can print documents in accordance with the invention at a low cost and at high throughput, of the order of thousands of documents per hour from a single printer.

(f) The printer of the invention, as illustrated, uses a printing method that is highly resistant to fraudulent alteration of the print in visible carbon-based ink.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A method of producing a document, which includes applying at least a first character to a document, which first character is visible to the naked eye under normal conditions; and applying at least a second character corresponding or related to the first character to the document, which second character is visible or invisible to the naked eye under normal conditions, but which is clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second characters are applied using ink, and which includes printing the characters on the document.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second character is printed using an ink which becomes visible to the naked eye under a revealing condition which involves external stimulation of the ink of the second character.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, which includes printing the second character using an ink which fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second character is at least partially visible under normal conditions, in addition to fluorescing when exposed to UV light.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes printing a first set of visible characters on the document and printing multiple replicas of the first set of characters over at least part of the face of the document, which second characters are clearly visible under the revealing condition.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second set of characters is an exact duplicate of the first set of characters.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second set of characters is modified or altered in some fashion, while still corresponding or relating to the first set of characters.

9. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second characters are applied simultaneously.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the characters are applied using indelible inks.

1 1 . A printer which includes first print means for printing first characters visible to the naked eye, under normal conditions; and second print means for printing second characters which is visible or invisible to the naked eye under normal conditions and corresponding or related to the first characters, but which are clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

1 2. A printer as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the printer is in the form of an inkjet printer which includes a printhead defining the first and second print means in the form of at least two nozzle banks, each connectable to separate ink reservoirs, one containing a visible ink and the other containing an ink which is clearly visible to the eye under a revealing condition.

1 3. A printer as claimed in claim 1 1 or claim 1 2, which includes an authorisation facility for authorising use of the printer.

1 4. A method of producing a document as claimed in claim 1 , substantially as herein described and illustrated.

1 5. A printer as claimed in claim 1 1 , substantially as herein described and illustrated.

1 6. A new method of producing a document or a new printer, substantially as herein described.