EP0160504A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Numbered documents and methods of and means for production thereof
Assignee: De la Rue International Ltd
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Filing: 1985-04-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-04-24
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to documents, such as banknotes, which are produced and used in large numbers and which, for a given series, are identical one with another except for a unique multi-digit number upon each individual document, the number this uniquely identifying that document within the series. According to the present invention, to render unauthorised reproduction of the document more difficult, on each document, at least two characters in the identifying number differ from each other (in addition to any differences in the letters or digits which they represent) in one or more visible characteristics. Thus the differing characters may have different heights or widths or be in different styles of type. Preferably, the identifying number appears twice on each document, in diagonally opposite corners, and preferably the variation of physical characteristics of the characters along the length of one of the numbers is reversed in direction in the other of the numbers.
Inventors
- 👤 Colin John Whitehead
- 👤 Robin Bratchley
- 👤 John Martin Haslop
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:23
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41K; B41K3/00; B41K3/02; B41K3/04; B41K3/10; B41K3/102; B41K3/105; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; B42D25/20; B42D25/29; G; G09; G09F; G09F3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A document, which is one of a series of documents which are identical in content except for a number made up of a set of alphabetical or numerical characters, which number uniquely identifies each document within the series, characterized in that at least two characters of the identifying number differ from each other, in addition to any differences in the letters or digits which they represent, in one or more visible physical characteristics.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A document, which is one of a series of documents which are identical in content except for a number made up of a set of alphabetical or numerical characters, which number uniquely identifies each document within the series, characterized in that at least two characters of the identifying number differ from each other, in addition to any differences in the letters or digits which they represent, in one or more visible physical characteristics.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A document as claimed in claim 1 in which the differing characters have different heights.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A document as claimed in claim 1 in which the differing characters have different widths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A document as claimed in claim 1 in which the differing characters are in different styles of type:
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A document as claimed in claim 1 in which the pitch of the characters varies, at least between the characters which exhibit varying visible physical characteristics.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A document as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each of the characters of the identifying number includes an underline which is discrete from the underline of the adjacent character or characters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A document as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the identifying number appears twice on the document and in which the variation of physical characteristics of the characters of one of the two numbers is reversed in direction in the other of the two numbers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A document in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the number is printed twice on the document in diagonally opposite corners.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A series of documents which are identical except for a number composed of a set of alphabetical or numerical characters which uniquely identifies each document within the series, characterized in that in each document at least two alphabetical or numerical characters of the identifying number differ from one another, in addition to any differences in the letters or numerical values which they represent, in one or more visible characteristics.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A series of documents which are identical except for a number composed of a set of alphabetical or numerical characters which uniquely identifies each document within the series, characterized in that in each document at least two alphabetical or numerical characters of the identifying number differ from one another, in addition to any differences in the letters or numerical values which they represent, in one or more visible characteristics.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of printing identifying data on each of a series of documents which are identical except for a number composed of alphabetical or numerical characters, the method comprising applying to each document of the series a multi-character number in which at least two of the characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in the alphabetical or numerical significance of those characters, in one or more-visible physical characteristics, the method further comprising changing at least one character of the multi-character number between the printing of the numbers on successive documents in such a manner that each number uniquely identifies that document within the series.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of printing identifying data on each of a series of documents which are identical except for a number composed of alphabetical or numerical characters, the method comprising applying to each document of the series a multi-character number in which at least two of the characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in the alphabetical or numerical significance of those characters, in one or more-visible physical characteristics, the method further comprising changing at least one character of the multi-character number between the printing of the numbers on successive documents in such a manner that each number uniquely identifies that document within the series.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for applying identifying numbers to each of a series of documents, comprising numbering means, means for feeding the series of documents one at a time to the numbering means, and means whereby the numbering means prints a different number on each successive document, the numbering means being such that in any number printed at least two characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in their alphabetical or numerical significance, in one or more visible or physical characteristics.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for applying identifying numbers to each of a series of documents, comprising numbering means, means for feeding the series of documents one at a time to the numbering means, and means whereby the numbering means prints a different number on each successive document, the numbering means being such that in any number printed at least two characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in their alphabetical or numerical significance, in one or more visible or physical characteristics.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for applying identifying numbers to each of a series of documents, comprising rotary numbering means, means for feeding the series of documents one at a time to the rotary numbering means, and means for indexing the rotary numbering means between prints on successive documents, and in which the rotary numbering means comprises a type ring for each character in the number to be printed, each ring carrying angularly spaced type faces representing different selectable characters, the type faces of the said rings being such that in any number printed by the rotary numbering means, at least two characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in their alphabetical or numerical significance, in one or more visible physical characteristics.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for applying identifying numbers to each of a series of documents, comprising rotary numbering means, means for feeding the series of documents one at a time to the rotary numbering means, and means for indexing the rotary numbering means between prints on successive documents, and in which the rotary numbering means comprises a type ring for each character in the number to be printed, each ring carrying angularly spaced type faces representing different selectable characters, the type faces of the said rings being such that in any number printed by the rotary numbering means, at least two characters differ from each other, in addition to any differences in their alphabetical or numerical significance, in one or more visible physical characteristics.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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