Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh

Giesecke+devrient Currency Technology Gmbh

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Klaus Thierauf

Thomas Giering

Dieter Stein

Jan Domke

Franz Müller

Bernd Wunderer

Norbert Holl

Wolfgang Deckenbach

Ulrich Scholz

Gregor Grauvogl

Jürgen Schützmann

Hans Lochbihler

Ulrich Schanda

Helmut Steidl

Ulrich Magg

Hans-Uwe Moosler

Lukas Löffler

Wolfgang Rapf

Stefan Kokrhoun

Walter Straub

Hans-Uwe Richter

Christoph Gerz

Ernst Kegler

Konrad Svenka

Friederike Lichtenegger

Franz Mueller

An optical sensor for examining value documents, such that at a point in time before the check of the value documents, a self-test of the optical sensor is carried out, during which the light sources thereof are switched on, and, with the aid of monitor elements, the respective light intensity of the light source assigned to the respective monitor element is detected which impinges on the respective monitor element at the time of the self-test. During the check of a value document following the self-test, the light sources illuminate the value document, and measured values are recorded. The recorded measured values are then corrected with the aid of the light intensities detected by the monitor elements at the time of the self-test to take into account a change in the light intensity emitted by the light sources that occurs in the course of the service life of the light sources.

Optical sensor for examining valuable documents

A method for examining a value document includes emitting ultrasonic pulses onto several locations on the value document. An echo pulse arises by reflection of at least a portion of a respective ultrasonic pulse at the value document. The echo pulses are received while forming echo values, and from the echo values at least a characteristic value is established as to the wrinkledness of the value document. As apparatus is provided for carrying out the method.

Methods and device for checking value documents

A sheet-shaped document of value (BN) has luminescent feature substances (). Preferably, one luminescent feature substance is present over the entire sheet-shaped document and has a low concentration, whereas a second luminescent feature substance is present at certain partial areas and has a higher concentration.

Value document, production and verification of value documents

In a method for assessing a condition of at least one value document with regard to limpness, there is determined from transmission values representing the ultrasound transmission at different places on the value document a condition value which depends on a variation of the transmission values and characterizes the condition of the value document with regard to limpness. A condition of the value document is determined for the condition value using a preset criterion.

Method for assessing a state of a document of value with regard to limpness using ultrasound, and means for carrying out the method

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically checking sheet-shaped documents of value. According to the present invention a simply constructed measuring apparatus can be obtained, by the measuring apparatus evaluating measuring values e.g. at least two measuring frequencies and the position of one or a plurality of discrete measuring tracks being determined in such a way that at least the presence of two different not visible spectral properties of a predetermined type of authentic documents of value can be checked.

Device and method for verifying valuable documents

An apparatus for checking the authenticity of bank notes in unprotected areas, has a sensor assembly containing a light source which produces light of a first wavelength with which the bank notes to be checked are illuminated; whereupon one or more feature substances present in and/or on the bank notes produces light of a second wavelength which is detected by the sensor assembly. A control device evaluates data from the sensor assembly about the light of the second wavelength and compares them with reference data to determine the authenticity of the bank notes. The structure and operation of the sensor assembly and/or the control device permit conclusions to be drawn only with difficulty on the feature substance or substances contained in the bank notes.

Apparatus for checking the authenticity of banknotes

An apparatus for checking bank notes which scans the bank notes to be checked by means of a semiconductor array, including two linear semiconductor arrays formed of at least three layers which are sensitive to light of different wave-lengths, a first linear semiconductor array scanning the bank notes in a defined range of spectral sensitivity of the semiconductor (e.g. in the visible range), and a second linear semiconductor array scanning the bank notes in a range different therefrom (e.g. of invisible infrared light). From the signals of the two arrays a color image of the bank note and at least one image in the range of invisible light are obtained by suitable combination.

Apparatus for checking banknotes

Methods and apparatuses for testing the authenticity of objects printed with security link are provided which measure light emanating from, in particular reflected or transmitted by, an object to be checked. To guarantee especially reliable authenticity testing, it is provided that light emanating from the object to be checked is detected indifferent spectral regions outside the visible spectral region. To obtain easily operated and safe authenticity testing, it is provided that light emanating from the object is detected at a plurality of places on the object in at least two selected spectral regions. A test series is produced for each spectral region wherein two test series adapted to each other, and authenticity testing is then performed by comparing the adapted two test series.

Methods and devices for testing the color fastness of imprinted objects

An apparatus and method for testing the authenticity of bank notes are proposed. The apparatus includes a light source for emitting light suitable for exciting fluorescent light in a bank note to be checked, and a fluorescence detector for detecting the fluorescent light emitted by the bank note to be checked. According to the invention it is provided that the light source is a light-emitting diode and the light-emitting diode is formed to emit light containing ultraviolet light at least in a partial spectral region. This makes it possible in particular to obtain a compact structure of the apparatus. The method involves exciting and detecting fluorescent light in the bank note to be checked and comparing the detected fluorescent light with a predefined threshold value. According to the invention it is provided that the detected fluorescent light is reduced by the ambient light detected with the light source switched off. This permits the elimination of measuring inaccuracies at the same time as simple operation.

Device and method for verifying the authenticity of banknotes

A method and apparatus for recognizing foreign material (), in particular adhesive objects, glue or joints, on or in bank notes (), including detecting the thermal radiation () emanating from at least a partial area of the bank note (): and recognizing foreign material () located on the bank note () on the basis of the detected thermal radiation (). The invention is especially suitable for recognizing adhesive objects, in particular adhesive tape and joints, on bank notes since areas of a bank note with adhesive tape or joints differ very distinctly in their thermal properties from other areas of the bank note without adhesive tape.

Method and apparatus for recognizing foreign material on bank notes

In order to be able to write in a magnetic tape inserted in a magnetic tape recorder, a write enable ring must be inserted on the rear of the magnetic tape reel. The presence and absence of the write enable ring is checked through the use of a sensing ring which is displaced in the axial direction when the tape reel having the write enable ring is put in place. At its exterior, the sensing ring has a surface in the axial direction having high reflectivity and contains a mark having low reflectivity. The presence and absence of the write enable ring is statically checked with an opto-electronic sensing element by sensing the surface having high reflectivity and dynamically checked by sensing the mark.

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Munich, Germany

Klaus Thierauf