US 5,396,559 · Granted 1995-03-07

Anticounterfeiting method and device utilizing holograms and pseudorandom dot patterns

A security device for use on identification cards, monetary documents, and the like using a reference pattern and a message pattern each having the appearance of a random pattern of dots. The reference pattern is a dense pattern of randomly positioned dots, and the message pattern is a modulated version of the reference pattern in which the dots of the reference pattern are slightly repositioned by an amount depending on the grey value or color value of a message image at each dot location. The message image is decrypted and becomes visible with a range of grey values when it is viewed through a film transparency of the reference pattern. The dot pattern may be printed, embossed or recorded as a photograph or a hologram. Decryption of the message image may be accomplished by viewing through a contact mask, superposition of images of the message pattern and reference pattern, by viewing the message pattern through a mask positioned at a real image of the reference pattern, or like means.

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