Abstract:
A numbered data carrier and method for producing the same, wherein the data carrier includes a document of value and at least one security element having a serial number that individualizes the data carrier out of a series of data carriers. The security element includes first and second parts. The first part of the security element partly represents the serial number and the second part of the security element represents the serial number either partly or completely. The security element is applied on the document.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a data carrier such as a paper of value, ID card, bank note, package or the like having at least one security element applied thereto which has a serial number individualizing the data carrier out of a series of data carriers, and to a method for producing the data carrier. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     To increase forgyey-proofness and to identify docunents such as bank notes, checks, ID cards, credit cards or the like one applies consecutive numberings to these documents, usually printing this so-called “serial number” on the completed data carrier. This printed serial number individualizes the data carrier, i.e. gives it an individual and unique feature clearly identifying the data carrier out of a series of otherwise identical data carriers. 
     For applying serial numbers to the data carrier one customarily uses a numbering machine provided in a numbering station, the data carriers to be numbered running through the numbering station either as single copies or still in the sheet with a plurality of copies and thereby being provided with the serial number. 
     For applying the serial number to a security document, DE-OS 1 486 894 discloses a method wherein a consecutive serial number is applied to the document with the aid of a numbering machine, the numbering machine having figure rolls which are advanced by one count after each print of a number. This multidigit serial number can be provided on the document several times and be applied horizontally or vertically depending on the requirement. To protect the document of value further, it is possible to apply this serial number with a special ink which ensures better protection of the document against falsification and moreover permits a simple check of the correct numbering and adjustment, i.e. of correct application of the serial number. For this purpose, magnetic inks are proposed for example, so that the numbering can be read mechanically with the aid of suitable detectors. 
     To increase the forgery-proofness of documents of value, EP 0 061 795 B1 further proposes providing an additional code number on the document. This code number is applied to the document by a figure roll disposed equiaxially with the numbering machine and is controllable in accordance with the particular adjustment of the figure rolls of the serial number. This makes it possible to produce an additional code number which is produced in accordance with the printed serial number and applied together therewith. 
     To improve the security of numbered documents of value, EP 0 160 504 B1 further proposes providing the serial number on a document in such a way that at least two characters of the serial number differ in their height, width, type font or in a combination of these properties. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is thus based on the problem of providing numbered documents with a security element which, firstly, ensures individualization of the single documents out of a series of documents and, secondly, improves the forgery-proofliess of the numbered documents. 
     This problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. 
     According to the present invention, a data carrier such as a document of value is provided with a security element which has a serial number, this security element consisting of two parts. The first part of the security element has only part of the serial number, while the second part of the security element has another part or the entire serial number. 
     During production of the data carrier, the two parts of the security element are applied to the document in a defined position relative to each other with a separate numbering apparatus in each case. The numbering apparatus used in each case is in particular a numbering machine having figure wheels. At the places on the numbering machine where the serial number is incomplete there are figure wheels with a blind numbering, i.e. figure wheels bearing no figures. The effect of this blind numbering is that no figures are transferred to the document at these places, so that the applied number represents the serial number only partly. Since the two parts of the security element are applied to the data carrier with different numbering machines, it is possible to design the first part of the security element so that it represents the serial number only partly, while the second part of the security element can be executed so that it renders the serial number partly or completely. The security element can in particular be executed so that the two individual parts each represent the serial number only partly, the two parts being applied to the document in such a way as to complement each other to form the complete serial number. The first and second parts jointly form the inventive security element. 
     If two numbering machines optionally having a blind numbering at one or more places are used in a numbering station, it is possible for the first time to represent the serial number in two different color tones. Thus, the figure sequence assigned to the first part of the security element can be represented in a completely different color from the figure sequence assigned to the second part of the security element. Positionally accurate guidance of the document within the numbering station ensures that after the application of the first part of the security element, i.e. the first, incomplete figure sequence of the serial number, the document is supplied to the second numbering device in an accurate position and the second part of the security element, i.e. the second, likewise incomplete part of the serial number or the complete serial number, is applied to the document here. The combination of the first part with the second part thus yields a complete serial number, or the incomplete serial number of the first part of the security element is completed by at least one figure of the second part of the security element. It is irrelevant with this procedure which part of the security element is applied to the data carrier as the first and which as the second. 
     The use of two different numbering machines in a numbering station for applying the first and second parts of the security element makes it necessary that the data carrier to be printed with the serial number be guided through the numbering station as a single data carrier or as a multiple-copy panel, for example in sheet format, in such a way that it is supplied to both numbering apparatuses in an accurate position. This makes it possible to apply the two parts of the security element to the data carrier in a defined position relative to each other, so that the two parts of the security element are present on the data carrier with the desired exact registration. 
     The term “figures” in the context of this invention refers to be all characters or symbols, in particular also letters, which are suitable for rendering a serial number. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention will result from the figures described in the following, which in the interests of clarity are not true-to-scale: 
     FIG. 1 shows two figure blocks of two different numbering machines, 
     FIG. 2 shows a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 3 shows a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 4 shows a detail of a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 5 shows a detail of a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 6 shows a detail of a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 7 shows a detail of a data carrier with an inventive security element, 
     FIG. 8 shows a data carrier with an inventive security element. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 schematically shows eight adjacent figure blocks  18  of first figure sequence  10  from a first numbering machine and eight adjacent figure blocks  20  of second figure sequence  12  of a second numbering machine. On individual figure blocks  18 ,  20  figure blocks with FIGS.  16  and figure blocks with blind numbering  14  are provided alternatingly in figure sequence  10 . In second figure sequence  12  belonging to a second numbering apparatus, figure blocks  20  bear FIGS. 17 at the places where figure sequence  10  has blind FIGS. 14, while blind FIGS. 15 of figure sequence  12  are accordingly provided at the places where FIGS. 16 are provided in sequence  10 . The first and second numbering machines are provided in a numbering station for numbering documents in such a way that figure sequence  10  is printed on the document first. Positionally accurate guidance of the document within the numbering station relative to the second numbering machine makes it possible to provide the document with the second figure sequence m exact register, the second figure sequence being applied to the document in the present case in such a way that the complete serial number, consisting of a combination of FIGS. 16 of first figure sequence  10  and FIGS. 17 of second figure sequence  12 , is applied to the document. The position of the security element composed of the figures of first figure sequence  10  and second figure sequence  12  is freely selectable on the document. 
     In a preferred embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 2, FIGS. 16 of first figure sequence  10  and FIGS. 17 of second figure sequence  12  are applied to data carrier  22 , for example a bank note, so as to be located on a common straight base line. Serial number  24  is applied with the aid of two numbering machines which each contain a blind numbering. This serial number then constitutes the security element consisting of two parts. The first part represents the serial number incompletely, consisting for example of the figure sequence “A 6 4 1”. The second part likewise represents the applied serial number incompletely, consisting in this example of the figure sequence “7 5 3 2”. The two parts of the security element are applied to the bank note in such a way that the individual figures from the two numbering machines follow each other alternatingly and together to form complete the serial number  24 . Since different numbering machines are used for applying the two parts, it is possible to produce serial number  24  on document  22  which, as indicated in the present example, altematingly has different colors for the individual figures of the serial number if the two numbering machines are colored differently. Since each numbering machine is usually inked with only one color, the figures printed by one numbering machine have the same color. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the serial number can also be provided on the bank note several times if the numbering station is suitably designed, serial numbers  24  and  25  being applied to bank note  22  in the way described above. Serial number  24  can be applied for example with two different colors, such as black and red, while serial number  25  can have another color combination, such as green and blue. 
     If one uses vertical numbering machines for applying the security element instead of the horizontal numbering machines shown in FIG. 1, it is also possible to apply the security element to the data carrier vertically in the form of serial number  26 , as shown in FIG.  3 . If the numbering station is suitably designed, it is also possible to provide data carrier  22  with a plurality of such security elements, whereby one can also combine vertically applied security elements  26  with horizontally applied security elements in the form of serial number  25  on bank note  22  according to FIG.  3 . 
     In a further embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first part of security element  28  representing the serial number incompletely and consisting for example of the figure sequence “7 6 5 4 3 1 2” is combined with the second part of security element  30  in such a way that the positionally accurate arrangement of the two parts of security element  28  and  30  causes the first part of security element  28  to be supplemented by the first figure (“A”) of the second part of security element  30  to form the complete serial number. To attain this, one provides first and second numbering machines in the numbering apparatus, the first numbering machine having the serial number incompletely, i.e. a blind figure being inserted at one place, in the present case at the first place. The second numbering machine is executed in the present case as a vertical numbering machine and comprises the complete serial number without blind numbering. The document is then guided within the numbering station in such a way that after application of the first part of security element  28  the second part of security element  30  is applied to bank note  22  in an accurate position, so that first part  28  is supplemented by a figure of second part  30  to form the complete serial number. 
     The same applies to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, which shows that the first part of security feature  28  can be supplemented by placing the second part of security element  30  basically any place on the data carrier  22 . In the example according to FIG. 5, the figure sequence “A 7 6 5 4 3 1” is supplemented on document  22  by the last figure “2” of the second part of security feature  30  to form the complete serial number. 
     In a further embodiment according to FIG. 6, the security element is executed in such a way that the first part of the security element crosses the second part of the security element and the first part is supplemented by the second part to form the complete serial number. This means that the first part of security element  28 , which has the serial number only in part, is combined with the second part of security element  30 , which has the serial number completely, in such a way that the figure sequence of the first part is supplemented by at least one figure of the second part to form a complete serial number. 
     The security element provided on the data carrier in this way gives considerably higher protection from imitation since the two parts of the security element must be applied in an accurate position relative to each other, which can be done exclusively with special high-precision machines. 
     FIG. 7 shows a further possibility of disposing the first and second parts of the security element on the document in such a way as to considerably increase the forgery-proofness of the document. The first part of the element consists of FIGS. 32 or  36  which are applied to document  22  vertically or horizontally along a common base line in each case. Offset from this base line the second part of security element  34  or  38  is provided on document  22  in each case. FIGS. 32 and 34 or  36  and  38  are disposed in their position relative to each other in such a way as to be interlaced with each other and offset from each other, the two parts together forming the complete serial number. 
     In a further embodiment, bank note  22  is shown in FIG. 8 as a data carrier having the inventive security element. As the first part of security element  42  the figure sequence “3 1 2” is shown, being integrated into graphic element  44  in the present case. As the second part of security element  40  the complete serial number is applied to the data carrier. First part  42  and second part  40  together form the security element, first part  42  representing only part of the complete serial number. In the present example, first part  42  represents the last three figures of the serial number, so that these can be provided on the data carrier for example as additional check figures, thereby considerably impeding imitation of the data carrier. This holds true in particular when these check figures are integrated into an element which is difficult to imitate graphically. Although first part  42  of the security element represents the last three figures of the serial number in the present example, it is also possible to provide a single figure of the serial number or any, even noncontiguous, figure sequence of the serial number at any place on document  22  and to use this as a check number. In this case, the first part of the security element forms a check number which is individual only for a certain number of documents and whose correctness can immediately be recognized by comparison with the second part of the security element. 
     As in all other stated examples, it is also possible to execute the two parts of the serial number in the same or in different colors. Any color combinations can thereby be used. One can also use metallic luster, fluorescent, phosphorescent, magnetic or electroconductive inks, which in particular improves the automatic processibility or machine readability of the documents. Furthermore, one or both parts of the security element can be provided on the document as so-called blind prints, i.e. as prints without ink transfer. 
     The security feature can be provided on a data carrier in one or more of the stated variants one or more times. 
     It is especially simple to apply the security element to a data carrier if the latter is present as a multiple-copy panel, for example as a sheet. This sheet is then supplied to a numbering station, the first and then the second part of the security element being applied simultaneously to each individual data carrier of the sheet one after the other. 
     The order in which the first and second parts of the security element are applied to a document is irrelevant. For the inventive security element it is only necessary to apply the two parts of the security element in the desired defined position relative to each other, this being particularly facilitated by a numbering station through which the sheet or each individual data carrier is guided in such a way as to ensure positionally accurate application of the two parts of the security element. 
     The present invention is by no means restricted to the above-described preferred embodiments, but covers all variations that might be implemented by using equivalent functional elements or devices that would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, or modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.