Patent Publication Number: US-6988665-B2

Title: Grayscale security microprinting for identification cards

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to and claims priority from earlier filed provisional patent application No. 60/339,177, filed Dec. 11, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a process for printing ID cards using a thermal dye sublimation process and the ID cards produced thereby. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process whereby a thermal dye sublimation printing process is used for microprinting security features having a high degree of accuracy and pixel registration onto ID cards. 
     In the prior art, many different forms of ID cards include different types of security microprinting using certain words in the background of the ID. This is also a common feature on US and other foreign currencies and other forms of negotiable paper such as certified checks. In general, the microprinting appears as a kind of watermark on the background of the ID or may be imbedded into a shape contained on the ID card. For example, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may microprint “Commonwealth of Massachusetts Official Document” across the entire background of the card in a diagonal pattern. Another example is the pattern placed in the background of a certified check that appears as the word void if the check is electronically scanned or copied. Typically, printing of this type is placed on the raw card stock itself when the raw stock is made and shipped to the issuing authority where the personalized information is printed onto the card at the card issuance location. In general, therefore, the microprinting is provided on the blank card stock when the card stock is received at the card issuance location. 
     The difficulty with applying this type of microprinting as described in the prior art is that it is typically completed using a single pass operation of black ink. While single pass printing is very clear and readable, it is also easily repeatable using most thermal printing technologies available on the market today. As a result, it is easy for counterfeiters to reproduce the microprinting security feature onto raw card stock and then apply the personalized ID information onto the card in a separate operation, thereby circumventing the security of the card. The other issue is that since the micro printing is placed onto the card stock at the point of manufacture, it is possible for a counterfeiter to obtain raw stock as the material passes through various warehousing, shipping and storage operations. In this manner, it is easy for a counterfeiter to create fraudulent ID cards simply by printing the desired personal information onto the raw cards that they obtain. 
     There is therefore a need for an identification card that includes a microprinted security feature that overcomes the above noted drawbacks while producing a card that is difficult to reproduce at a location other than the card issuance location. Specifically, there is a need for an ID card with a microprinted security feature that is applied at the time and place of the card issuance that cannot be easily reproduced using readily available imaging technology. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a microprinting security feature is applied to the ID card at the issuance location at the time the card is issued. The current invention therefore provides for a process of producing an ID card that includes a microprinted security feature, which is applied at the time and place that the card is issued. The present invention further provides for an ID card that includes microprinted security information that is generated and applied at the time and place of issuance thereby further producing a code by which the authenticity of the ID card can be cross verified. 
     Typically, ID card issuance locations utilize a high quality three pass thermal color printing process to achieve color images on the ID cards that they issue. This type of printing process requires a printing device that provides a highly accurate print registration between each of the pixels printed onto the card during each of the three printing passes. In other words, each individual pixel that is printed during each pass of the respective colors of the print process must be overlaid onto one another exactly so that the final product of the printing process does not have fuzzy edges or print artifacts (stray pixels) giving an offset appearance to the final image. 
     The present invention places a microprint text in a grayscale gradient across selected locations of the ID card using this high accuracy printing technology. The gradient grayscale image gradually changes from a darker gray to a lighter gray across the designated infill area of the microprint feature. Since grayscale printing using a three-pass thermal printing device requires the precise overlapping of pixels from three different color passes, grayscale gradient printing is very difficult to accomplish using conventional thermal printers. In the present invention, a three pass thermal printer is configured to such a high tolerance, that the grayscale gradient microprinting is possible without producing significant artifacts. When this technique is applied with microprinted text, any imperfections that result from the use of lower quality printing equipment become immediately identifiable, and therefore reduces the ability of counterfeiters to produce fake or altered ID cards. 
     The benefits to the present invention are two fold. The first benefit is that the raw cards do not have to be pre-printed with the security microprinting. This saves on processing costs by eliminating an additional handling and printing step while also reducing the possibility that prepared cards may be obtained by counterfeiters during the warehousing, shipping or storing of the card stock. Secondly, since the grayscale gradient microprinting is very difficult to achieve without specialized printing equipment, it is difficult for a counterfeiter to reproduce an ID card having this feature. Fake cards would be detectable because when lower quality printing equipment is used to produce a card having this feature, the sloppy print registration of the grayscale gradient printing would be immediately identifiable. The entire background of the card would look fuzzy rather than displaying the sharp image of the microprinted text. 
     The process of the present invention therefore includes providing a blank piece of card stock for printing, printing an image onto the ID card using a highly calibrated multipass thermal printer that includes both the required ID card information and a gray scale gradient microprinted security text pattern. In addition, the present invention includes the ID card end product that is produced using the process of the present invention. 
     Another feature of the present invention lies in the generation of predetermined text at the point of issue for use in the gradient microprinting. The text for example may include a time, place and date stamp of the location where the card is issued. In addition, the text printed in this manner may be encrypted using some form of coding known only to the card issuing authority. For example, each issuing location may have a specific identification code that is printed onto the card that must be matched to authenticate the card. In another example, when the card is printed, the issuing authority would enter a record into the file system noting the time and place that the card was issued then place this information into the code in the microprinted text. If this information does not match the record of the issuing authority, the card is identified as a counterfeit. 
     Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an ID card that includes a microprinted security feature that is applied at the time and place of card issuance. Another object of the present invention is the production of an ID card that includes a gradient grayscale microprinting security feature that is printed using a multiple pass printing process whereby a high degree of pixel registration is obtained to produce a clear and crisp image. A further object of the present invention is the provision of an ID card that is resistant to counterfeiting due to the inclusion of a grayscale microprinted security feature that includes encoding that relates to the time and place of the issuance of the card allowing the authenticity of the card to be verified. Yet a further object of the present invention, is the provision of a process whereby an ID card is produced to include a microprinted grayscale security feature that is placed onto the card at the time and place of card issuance using a multi pass thermal printer having a high degree of pixel registration. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
         FIG. 1  is front view of the identification card of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a close up view of the security printing thereon; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the identification card of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a close up view of the identification card of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the identification card of the present invention is illustrated and generally indicated at  10  in  FIGS. 1–4 . The ID card  10  has a substrate  12  with indicia printed thereon. Portions of the indicia on the ID card  10  are specially placed and printed to enhance the security and deter the manufacture of counterfeit ID&#39;s as will be more fully described below. Further, the present invention provides for a method of manufacturing an ID card  10  that includes security printing that is placed onto the ID card  10  at the time and place of the issuance of the ID card  10  also further deterring the manufacture of counterfeit ID cards  10  as will also be described below. The present invention therefore provides a convenient and economical ID card  10  that is easy to produce while providing enhanced features that deter fraudulent issuance of fake ID cards  10  that has not been previously available in the prior art. 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 , the front of the ID card  10  of the present invention is shown. Typically, the card  10  includes a substrate material  12  onto which the relevant card features and information is printed. The substrate  12  may consist of a variety of constructions. In the preferred embodiment, the substrate  12  is a rigid plastic material onto which the indicia are printed directly. Further, the card  10  may include additional features such as a clear overlay (not shown) to further protect the printed indicia. Finally, the card  10  may also include a laminated cover (not shown) over the entire front and back surface of the card  10  to further protect the card  10  and prevent alteration of the front of the card. In addition, the substrate  12  onto which the card is printed is not limited to plastic but may also include paper or cardboard or any other sheet material suitable for printing as is known in the art. 
     The face of the ID card  10  includes several different types of printed indicia. 
     These indicia can be divided into three general categories. The first is the issuing authority information  14 . This includes the generic information that is the same regardless of the person to whom the card  10  is issued and includes for example, the name of the issuing authority, the purpose of the ID, etc. This generic information  14  is maintained within the image file that is printed onto the card  10  and is combined with the other two categories of indicia for printing onto the ID card  10 . 
     The second category of indicia is the biometric information  16  that is specific to each recipient of the ID card  10 . This biometric information  16  includes the user&#39;s name, address, weight, height, date of birth, picture, signature, etc. and is customized to match the profile of each user to whom an ID card  10  is issued. This information is also included into the overall image to be printed onto the ID card  10 . 
     The final category of indicia printed onto the ID card is the security printing features  18 . This component is critical to the present invention. The security indicia  18  of the present invention are printed in predetermined locations on the card  10  and appear as a background for areas of the card  10  that do not contain other information. The security indicia  18  are provided as a printed text  20  in a repeating pattern using continuous gradient gray scale shading  22 . Specifically the security indicia  18  of the present invention is a microprint text  20  that is formed by printing a continuous grayscale gradient  22  across the background of selected locations of the ID card  10  using a high accuracy printing technology while selectively leaving voids  20  in the pattern  22  that form the text letters. The gradient grayscale security image  18  gradually changes from a darker gray to a lighter gray (or lighter to darker) across the designated infill area of the microprint feature. The microprinted security indicia  18  of the present invention is printed using a three pass thermal printer that is configured to such a high tolerance, that the grayscale gradient microprinting is possible without producing significant artifacts. When this technique is applied with microprinted text  18 , any imperfections that result from the use of lower quality printing equipment become immediately identifiable therefore reducing the ability of counterfeiters to produce fake or altered ID cards. Turning now to  FIG. 2  an enlarged view of the microprinted security indicia  18  is provided showing that the small text  20  requires a high degree of precision to produce a crisp image without producing stray pixels. Specifically, since a three pass printing process does not include a panel of black ink, the grayscale printing  18  must be done by combining the thermal transfer ink of the three passes and requires the precise alignment and overlapping of pixels from three different color passes. This type of grayscale gradient  22  printing is very difficult to accomplish using conventional thermal printers. Therefore, in the process of the present invention, a three pass thermal printer is used that is configured to such a high tolerance, that the grayscale gradient  22  microprinting is possible without producing significant artifacts. When this technique is applied with microprinted text  20 , any imperfections that result from the use of lower quality printing equipment become immediately identifiable therefore reducing the ability of counterfeiters to produce fake or altered ID cards  10 . 
     The indicia in all of the three above described categories, generic  14 , biometric  16  and security  18 , are all combined into a single image at the time and place of card issuance and printed onto the card substrate  12  in a single printing operation. The first benefit to producing the cards  10  in this manner is that the raw cards  10  do not have to be pre-printed with the security microprinting. This saves on processing costs by eliminating an additional handling and printing step while also reducing the possibility that prepared card stock may be obtained by counterfeiters during the warehousing, shipping or storing of the card stock. In addition, since the grayscale gradient microprinting  18  is very difficult to achieve without specialized printing equipment, it is difficult for a counterfeiter to reproduce an ID card  10  having this feature. 
     In turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an alternate embodiment of the ID cards  10  of the present invention is shown. Rather than printing a continuous background  22  with voids  20  to create the text features, actual text  24  is printed directly in a continuous grayscale gradient as described above onto a clear background  26 . This manner of providing the security text  18  includes all of the limitations and security features as described above relating to the printing of a grayscale pattern using a three-pass process color printing method. 
     Turning again to  FIGS. 2 and 4  the microprinted security text  18  can be seen. The present invention provides for this text  18  to be a simple standard stock set of words that are repeated in the pattern such as the name of the issuing authority or as a code.  FIG. 2  illustrates a stock security phrase while  FIG. 4  illustrates a code  28 . The use of a code  28  is also a security feature of the present invention. The code  28  is generated at the time and place of card issuance and can be used to verify the authenticity of the ID  10 . For example, the issuing authority may have a code arrangement where a specific location code is combined with an issue date and a database record number and printed into the background of the ID card  10 . In this manner, the code  28  can be compared to a database or record log of issued ID cards  10  to verify whether the code  28  matches a legally issued ID card  10 . This code  28  may vary from issuance location to issuance location or be standardized among state authorities to facilitate training of individuals in the identification of fake ID cards  10 . 
     The process of the present invention includes the provision of a blank substrate material  12  that is placed into the feeding mechanism of a high precision three-pass thermal printer. An image file is produced that includes the generic issuance information  14 , the biometric information of the recipient  16  and the security-printing feature  18 . The security feature  18  may be a stock security phrase or a code that is generated at the time and place of card issuance. The information is all combined and printed onto the card substrate  12  in one printing operation, thereby producing a finished ID card  10 , ready for issuance. 
     It can therefore be seen that the present invention provides a unique ID card  10  and a method of producing the same that includes an integral security feature  18  that reduces the ability of a counterfeiter to produce fraudulent ID cards  10 . Specifically, the present invention provides for a method of producing an ID card  10  in a single printing operation that reduces the opportunity that raw card stock can be obtained for fraudulent purposes while enhancing the security of the finished product. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art, which has substantial commercial merit. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.