EP0364730A2 - Method and device for manufacturing a book-shaped identification document - Google Patents

Abstract

In the manufacture of passports, which contain a number of paper sheets and a data sheet covered with transparent plastic film, personal details such as name, place of birth and date of birth of the passport-holder are burnt into the paper fabric of the data sheet, which is already covered with plastic, using a laser beam. The passport can be bound into book form before the plastic-covered data sheet and further paper data sheets are provided with data relating to the holder of the passport. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing an identification document in book form, for. B. a passport and a device for performing the method.

Passports usually take the form of a small booklet, consisting of a linen or plastic cover and several sheets of paper. In order to increase security against counterfeiting, there has recently been a move to provide at least the side of the passport that contains the photographically applied personal data such as name, birthday, photo, signature etc. with a transparent plastic film so that this data does not are directly accessible.

In addition, an embossed pattern is embossed in the surface of the laminated plastic film and a repetition of the name of the passport holder is introduced in the form of an engraving produced by means of a laser beam. Other pages of the passport contain e.g. B. data printed using a matrix printer and a punched registration number.

This plastic coating of the data sheet makes the production more complex and leads in particular to the fact that personalized documents such. B. must be reproduced in a complex manner due to errors in the lamination or embossing. Since the lamination, the embossing of the surface of the laminated data sheet and the engraving of the name in the area of the photo using a laser beam can only take place after the photographic application of the personal data (name, place of birth and the like), this personal data must be used for the reproduction of incorrect passports be made available again. Only then can the correctly created data sheet be put together with the other sheets of paper and a cover Plastic, linen or other material can be bound in book form.

When binding identification documents, consisting of several sheets, each with different personal data, it must also be ensured that the data sheets coming from different work stations converge correctly at the binding station for a very specific passport. This assignment is all the more difficult to check, the more extensive the preparatory work for creating the various data sheets with personal data is.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for producing an identification document in book form, the production being simple and with as little rejection as possible, the problem of assigning the data sheets belonging to an identification document practically does not exist, and the personal data such as name, photo, Signature etc. can be brought in in a forgery-proof form. In addition, an apparatus for performing the method is to be specified.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1 and in claim 4.

In contrast to the known method described above, in which the personal data is photographically applied before the data sheet is laminated and then bound with other sheets, the data sheet is first provided with the transparent plastic film according to the invention, and only then is the personal data shown in the data sheet burned in with a laser beam. In a preferred embodiment, the laminated data sheet is also bound to the other, non-laminated sheets before the personal data is registered.

The method according to the invention thus allows the personal data in the preferred embodiment to be introduced into the passport which has already been completely completed and is already bound in book form. Passport manufacturing, d. H. creating the individual sheets, lamination, embossing and binding is one of passport personalization, i.e. H. Introduction of personal data, completely decoupled process. The passport production can take place in the corresponding special workshops with a corresponding final inspection, so that only high quality copies come for personalization. The passport personalization can be at any other point, e.g. B. decentralized, made in appropriate personalization stations.

In the method according to the invention, use is advantageously made of an invention as described in DE-PS 29 07 004. This patent describes an identification card in which the personal information is burned into the plastic-coated paper insert on both sides.

This laser inscription gives the data sheet of the passport produced according to the invention a high level of security against forgery, since the inscribed or burned-in data is not only visually recognizable in the inner paper or plastic sheet made of PVC, polyethylene, polycarbonate or another material, but is also congruent in the overlying plastic film.

With an appropriate choice of the recording parameters, the data can namely be recorded while simultaneously forming a congruent surface relief in the outer plastic film. On the other hand, it is also possible to only cause discoloration in the transparent plastic film, so that the smooth surface remains. Laser beam recording is therefore also suitable for recording the data lines intended for machine reading.

The use of a laser beam for data recording also allows optically variable authenticity indicators to be introduced, such as e.g. B. from DE-OS 35 36 740 and DE-OS 35 36 739 known.

This document therefore contains elements that cannot be reproduced in terms of copying technology.

The method according to the invention permits the production of a passport not yet related to the holder and the final personalization of the passport shortly before or preferably even after binding.

Since the plastic lamination is carried out before the personal data is registered, there is no need to specifically reproduce the committee that would otherwise arise during the subsequent lamination. H. Repeat the entire personalization process including data acquisition, etc.

The neutral laminated data sheets are preferably produced in sheets, i.e. H. in the form of sheets comprising a large number of individual data sheets, which are cut into the individual data sheets after lamination and embossing.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention provides that, in addition to the data sheet covered with the transparent plastic film, the other sheets, which may not be provided with a plastic film, are also labeled with the corresponding, in some cases also personal, data by means of a laser beam. A laser beam can also be used for this to blacken the other paper or plastic sheets that are not provided with a transparent plastic film and to label them.

It may be necessary to do this, the parameters such. B. to change the pulse length or to use a second laser source, which may work in a different mode instead of in pulse mode in continuous operation. On the other hand, paper or plastic sheets can be used as additional data sheets which consist of a material which can be laser-labeled and which are matched to the laser type used in each case or which are provided with a corresponding surface coating. The surface coating can be limited to the whole area or only to the areas to be actually labeled. Laser-markable coating materials, which can be applied, inter alia, in the form of lacquer or color layers on the support to be labeled, are e.g. B. is known from EP-A 190 997. By appropriately adjusting the intensity of the laser beam, perforation of the paper sheets can also be achieved. Accordingly, according to the method according to the invention, both the printing device previously required for personalization, e.g. B. in the form of a matrix printer and punching devices.

As mentioned above, the data on the non-laminated sheets can either - as usual - e.g. B. print with a matrix printer or by means of a laser beam. When using a second printing device for printing on the further (non-laminated) data sheet or the further data sheets, this printing device, like the laser station, is preferably connected to the same data memory in which the personal data are stored. This is an economically and organizationally simple provision of the data and it is in particular guaranteed that the respectively related data, ie the data relating to one and the same passport holder, are always written into the various data sheets belonging to a passport. Assignment problems cannot arise with this.

A variant of the device according to the invention contains a document conveying device which connects the laser station, the binding station and, if appropriate, further intermediate stations, the laminating station being arranged independently of this.

Another variant of a device according to the invention provides the laser station independently of the laminating station and also independently of the binding station. The already bound passport is automatically opened for personalization by a suitable device, fed to the laser station in this form and personalized there and finally automatically closed again. Devices for opening books are known (e.g. EP-PS 123 188). Alternatively, the passports can also be stacked in the opened state after binding, so that they can be pulled open from the stack and fed to the laser station for labeling. The passports can then be closed with a relatively simple device.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines aufgeklapp­ten Reisepasses,
• Fig. 2 eine Querschnittsansicht eines kaschierten Datenblatts für den Reisepaß nach Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 ein Blockdiagramm einer Vorrichtung zum Her­stellen von Reisepässen,
• Fig. 4 ein Blockdiagramm einer Vorrichtung zum Per­sonalisieren von Reisepässen,
• Fig. 5 eine vereinfachte Teildarstellung einer Reise­paß-Fördereinrichtung,
• Fig. 6 ein Blockdiagramm einer Vorrichtung zum Perso­nalisieren von Reisepässen,
• Fig. 7 eine vereinfachte Darstellung einer Vorrich­tung zum Zuklappen geöffneter Reisepässe,
• Fig. 8 eine Draufsicht auf eine Transportbandanlage zum Transportieren aufgeklappter Reisepässe,
• Fig. 9 eine Skizze einer Vorrichtung zum Transportie­ren aufgeklappter Reisepässe und
• Fig. 10 eine Darstellung eines aufgeklappten Reisepas­ses mit herabhängendem kaschierten Datenblatt.

Show it:

• 1 is a perspective view of an opened passport,
• 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a laminated data sheet for the passport according to FIG. 1,
• 3 shows a block diagram of a device for producing passports,
• 4 is a block diagram of a device for personalizing passports;
• 5 shows a simplified partial illustration of a passport conveyor device,
• 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus for personalizing passports;
• 7 shows a simplified illustration of a device for folding open passports,
• 8 is a plan view of a conveyor belt system for transporting unfolded passports,
• Fig. 9 is a sketch of a device for transporting unfolded passports and
• Fig. 10 is an illustration of an unfolded passport with hanging laminated data sheet.

1 shows a passport 1, consisting of a plastic or linen envelope with a front cover sheet 2a and a rear cover sheet 2b, a first data sheet 3 covered on both sides with a plastic film, a second data sheet 4, a third data sheet 5 and a blank sheet 6 Sheets 4, 5 and 6 and, if appropriate, further blank sheets (not shown) are preferably made of paper or another material with a surface finish that permits later entries (extensions, visas, etc.).

Sheet 4 contains on the front (hidden in FIG. 1) information about the place of residence, height, eye color and possibly further information about the passport holder. On the back of data sheet 4 there is information about children of the passport holder. There is a stamped passport number on the lower edge of data sheet 4.

The data sheet 3 shown in cross section in FIG. 2 contains two transparent plastic films 3a and 3b, between which a paper inlay 3d provided with a security print and watermark is enclosed. The edges of the two plastic films 3a and 3b are welded at 3e. An embossed pattern 3c is indicated on the top of the data sheet 3.

The passport number and the designation for the issuing state are printed on the front of data sheet 3, which is hidden in FIG. 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the back of the laminated data sheet 3 contains a smooth surface area 30 on the outer edge, which is reserved for the machine-readable data lines. When this data field is labeled, the laser beam intensity and any other parameters (scanning speed etc.) are controlled so that only discoloration occurs inside the data sheet, i.e. the paper and plastic layers, while the outer plastic surface remains undamaged and therefore smooth. This is followed by an area with a surface relief 31 which serves to increase the security against forgery. In the top left corner ("above" is the area of the back of the book-shaped passport) there is also an image of the passport holder 33 applied with a laser. Under the name of the passport holder, the date of birth and the birthplace of the passport holder are given at 35 and 36. Located below there is an area 37 for the passport holder's signature, which, like all other holder-related data on the laminated data sheet 3, is burned into the paper insert 3d by means of a laser beam (DE-PS 29 07 004). The format of the data sheet is selected so that it slightly exceeds the passport size and can thus be incorporated into the passport to form an edge area 38 which reappears at the end of the passport. The burn-in makes the data in the paper inlay visible, and in addition, if the recording parameters are selected appropriately, the surface structure of the overlying plastic film changes to form a relief that is congruent with the burned-in areas in the paper inlay.

The image of the passport holder and the signature are used when recording the personal data. B. detected by a video camera and electronically processed in a form suitable for reproduction by means of the laser.

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a device for producing the passport shown in FIG. 1. Sheets of paper that have not yet been laminated are drawn off in the direction of the arrow and fed to a laminating station S1. There the opaque paper sheets are laminated on both sides with a transparent plastic film (e.g. PVC) and then fed to an embossing station S2. In this stamping station, e.g. B. embossed an emblem or logo in the plastic surface. In addition, the area 31 on the back of the data sheet 3 can also be provided with a relief pattern.

Then the data sheets prepared so far are temporarily stored and checked for good quality of the embossing pattern and the lamination before further processing.

The tested laminated and embossed data sheets are then fed to a personalization device S4. The personalization device S4 contains a laser station S41 and a printing device in the form of a matrix, thermal transfer, ink jet printer S42. A data processing system with a data memory D, which contains the personal data for the various data sheets 3, 4, etc., is connected to the personalization device S4. Non-laminated data sheets 4 are fed to the printer S42 from a supply stack 4. The printer prints the data on the basis of the respective data records which are stored in the data store D. Simultaneously with the printing of the data sheets 4, the laminated data sheet 3 belonging to the same passport is also labeled in the laser station S41. If the data of a passport holder is stored as a data record in the data memory, a data record is supplied to the printer S42 and the laser station S41. This ensures that data sheets 3 and 4 belonging to a passport are assigned.

A punching station S5 connects to the printer S42. Data sheets 5 to be punched are also fed to this punching station S5. The punched data sheets 4 and 5, like the data sheets 3 and blank sheets 6 described by means of a laser beam, are fed to a binding station S6, where the sheets 3, 4, 5 and 6 are each bound into a book form with a linen cover 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, data is written into data sheet 3 and, if appropriate, data sheet 4 is printed after the passport has already been bound.

Fig. 4 shows a stack with bound, but not yet personalized passports 1 '. The closed passports 1 'are via a conveyor one Folding device A supplied. A laser / printer station S4 'connects to the opening device A. There the information is written into data sheets 3 and 4 using a laser beam. The station S4 'can separately contain a laser device and a matrix printer. Preferably, the station S4 'contains only one laser device with which both the laminated data sheet 3 and the non-laminated data sheet 4 can be described.

At the station S4 'a closing or folding device S connects. The finished passports 1 are stacked after being closed.

Fig. 5 shows schematically a part of a system in which the not yet personalized passports are opened and individually transported in the opened state. To open the passports and to expose the pages to be labeled, devices and methods can be used, such as z. B. from EP-PS 129 188 are known.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment modified compared to the embodiment according to FIG. 4. The folded, not yet personalized passports 1 'are fed to a swap-open station SW. A laser station S4 'is connected to this station, in which all pages to be printed are printed by means of a laser beam. When a sheet is already labeled, the unfolded passport is sent to station S4 and, after turning the page, the next data sheet is written in the laser station. The fully personalized passport is closed and stacked in a locking station.

Fig. 7 shows a simple device for folding a completely personalized passport.

The passport is transported by a conveyor device, not shown, to the center of a table formed by two pivotable flaps, so that the back of the book-shaped passport is located approximately in the area of the slot formed between the flaps. By pivoting the two flaps 50a and 50b down into the position shown in dashed lines, the passport falls down in the direction of the arrow and is closed in the process. The closed passport passes between two conveyor belts 51a and 51b and is fed by these to a stack, not shown.

To transport the unfolded passport, a belt conveyor is recommended, in which the unfolded passport z. B. is held between a lower band 53 and two upper bands 51 and 52. The straps on both sides of the unfolded passport prevent the leaves of the passport from moving. In the laser station, this or another type of passport holder ensures that the respective data sheet assumes a prescribed position and distance from the laser device.

According to Fig. 9, a passport 1 'is transported unfolded on a base, while the upstanding laminated data sheet 3 is driven by two rollers 61 and 62, which have a vertical axis. The passport moves perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The data sheet 3 is transported and held in a position suitable for labeling by such a transport device. In this embodiment, the front and back can optionally also be labeled without turning the data sheet.

You can transport the passport 1 'as shown in FIG. 10 in a state in which the laminated data sheet 3 is exposed on both sides and z. B. hangs down, while the rest of the leaves are folded far up. In this form, the front and back are also accessible for labeling without mechanical intermediate steps.

Claims (11)

1. Method for producing an identification document in book form, e.g. B. a passport that contains several sheets, of which at least one data sheet (3) personal data, eg. B. Name, date of birth and the like, of the document holder and consists of an opaque paper or plastic sheet which is covered at least on one side with a transparent plastic film, characterized in that
- In a first step, the data sheet is provided with the transparent plastic film and
- Only in a subsequent step is the data sheet (3) bound together with the other sheets to form a unit in book form and the personal data are written into the data sheet with a laser beam, with at least the opaque paper or plastic sheet being visually discolored locally. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the binding takes place before the registration of the personal data. 3. The method according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that in addition to the data sheet covered with the transparent plastic film, at least one further sheet of a laser-inscribable material or coating, which is not provided with a plastic film, is printed by a laser beam. 4. Device for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized by
- a laminating station (S1), in which the opaque paper or plastic sheet (3), possibly printed with non-personal data, is provided with the transparent plastic film (3a, 3b) and arranged downstream of this station:
- a binding station in which the individual sheets of the document are bound in book form and
- A laser station (S4, S41) in which the personal data are at least written into the data sheet provided with a transparent plastic film. 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that a printer (S42) is provided for printing at least one further data sheet (4) and the laser station (S41) and the printer (S42) both to a data memory (D) storing the personal data. are connected. 6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the laser station is designed in addition to writing data into other data sheets (4) not covered with a plastic film, the data sheets consisting of a laser-inscribable material or having a laser-inscribable surface coating. 7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that a punching device (S5) is provided for punching data into at least one of the sheets. 8. Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the laser station (S4, S41), the binding station (S6) and optionally further intermediate stations are connected to a document conveying device and are designed or arranged independently of the laminating station. 9. Device according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the laminating station is followed by an embossing station (S2) in which at least one side of the plastic-coated data sheet (3) is provided with a surface relief (3c). 10. Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the laser station (S4 ') is arranged independently of the laminating station and also independently of the binding station and the laser station (S4) has a folding device (A) for opening the bound document and Expose the side to be labeled upstream and a folding device (S) is connected downstream. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the opening device and the closing device are combined to form a unit designed as a page change station (SW).

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