Patent ID: 9703994
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: G06K,G07D

Claim:
1. A method for checking a security element which has at least a first magnetic material having a first coercive field strength and a second magnetic material having a second coercive field strength which is smaller than the first coercive field strength, with the security element comprising at least a first magnetic region which has the first and not the second magnetic material, at least a second magnetic region which has the second and not the first magnetic material, and no or at least a third magnetic region which has both the first and the second magnetic material, comprising the following steps: subjecting the security element to a first magnetic field region having a first magnetic field direction and a first magnetic field strength which is greater than the first and the second coercive field strength, such that both the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are premagnetized in a first magnetization direction, subjecting the security element to a second magnetic field region, having a second magnetic field direction which is different from the first magnetic field direction, and a second magnetic field strength which is greater than the second coercive field strength and is smaller than the first coercive field strength, such that the second magnetic material is aligned by the second magnetic field region in a second magnetization direction which differs from the first magnetization direction, while the first magnetic material remains premagnetized in the first magnetization direction, capturing a magnetic signal from at least one of the magnetic regions of the security element while the security element is subjected to the second magnetic field region, and evaluating the magnetic signal, wherein in the evaluating step it is derived from the captured magnetic signal, without any further magnetic signals of the magnetic regions being captured and evaluated, whether the relevant magnetic region is a first magnetic region or a second magnetic region, and wherein it is derived from the captured magnetic signal, without any further magnetic signals of the magnetic regions being captured and evaluated, whether the relevant magnetic region is a third magnetic region, where applicable.