Micro-optic security and image presentation system

A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• (b) providing a planar array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having an F number equivalent to 4 or less and having a repeat period within the array and
• (c) disposing the planar array of the image icon focusing elements substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is substantially equal to 1 and the axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icons and the corresponding axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icon focusing elements are rotationally misaligned providing orthoparallactic motion effects for the at least one synthetically magnified image,
• the planar array of image icons and the planar array of image icon focusing elements having a combined thickness of less than 50 microns.

A method of making a synthetic magnification optical system, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a layer of material to form an optical spacer;
• (b) applying a substantially transparent or clear radiation curable resin to the upper and lower surfaces of the optical spacer;
• (c) forming an array of focusing elements on the upper surface and an array of icons in the form of recesses on the lower surface of the optical spacer, the arrays having a repeat period of icons or focusing elements and an axis of symmetry, wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is substantially equal to 1 and the axis of symmetry of the array of icons and the corresponding axis of symmetry of the array of focusing elements are rotationally misaligned providing orthoparallactic motion effects for one or more synthetically magnified images;
• (d) curing the substantially transparent or clear resin using a source of radiation;
• (e) filling the icon array recesses with a pigmented resin or ink;
• (f) optionally removing excess resin or ink from the lower surface of the icon array;
• and
• (g) optionally providing a pigmented or metallic sealing or obscuring coating or layer to cover the surface of the icon array opposite the optical spacer.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) a micro image comprised of a periodic, rotationally symmetric planar array of a plurality of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane;
• and
• (b) a periodic, rotationally symmetric planar array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements having a rotational symmetry and a periodicity substantially corresponding to the rotational symmetry and periodicity of the micro image array and having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the axis of symmetry of the array of image icon focusing elements having a selected angle with respect to the corresponding axis of symmetry of the micro image planar array, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base mulit-zonal focusing elements,
• wherein-the plane of the image icon focusing elements is disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, and wherein the focusing elements provide an enlarged field of view over the width of the image icons correlated with the focusing elements so that the peripheral edges of the correlated image icons do no drop out of view.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) a micro image comprised of a periodic, rotationally symmetric planar array of a plurality of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane;
• and
• (b) a periodic, rotationally symmetric planar array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements having a rotational symmetry and a periodicity substantially corresponding to the rotational symmetry and periodicity of the micro image array and having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the axis of symmetry of the array of image icon focusing elements having a selected angle with respect to the corresponding axis of symmetry of the micro image planar array, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements, wherein the plane of the image icon focusing elements is disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, and
• wherein upon illumination of the system the synthetic image appears to have a shadow.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising

• (a) a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• and
• (b) a plan array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having an F number equivalent of 4 or less and having a repeat period within the array, the planar array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• the repeat periods and the axes of symettery of the arrays of the focusing elements and the image icons arranged in relation to each other such that when the system is tilted about an axis substantially parallel to the plan of the systm the at least one synthetic image appears to move in a direction parallel to the tilt axis,
• the system comprising the planar array of image icons and the planar array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) a micro image comprised of a periodic, rotationally symmetric planar array of a plurality of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane;
• and
• (b) a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements having a rotational symmetry and a periodicity substantially corresponding to the rotational symmetry and periodicity of the micro image array and having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the axis of symmetry of the array of image icon focusing elements having a selected angle with respect to the corresponding axis of symmetry of the micro image planar array, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements, wherein-the plane of the image icon focusing elements is disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein the focusing elements provide vertical blurring of a central focal zone of the focusing elements.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• and
• (b) a planar array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having a repeat period within the array, the planar array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is substantially equal to 1 and the axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icons and the corresponding axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icon focusing elements are rotationally misaligned providing orthoparallactic motion effects for the at least one synthetically magnified image,
• wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity for orthoparallactic motion applications.

A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• (b) providing a planar array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having a repeat period within the array, and
• (c) disposing the planar array of the image icon focusing elements substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form a at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is substantially equal to 1 and the axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icons and the corresponding axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icon focusing elements are rotationally misaligned providing orthoparallactic motion effects for the at least one synthetically magnified image,
• wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity for orthoparallactic motion applications.

A synthetic magnification optical system comprising

• (a) a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• and
• (b) a planar array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having an F number equivalent to 4 or less and having a repeat period within the array, the planar array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the repeat periods and the axes of symmetry of the arrays of the focusing elements and the image icons arranged in relation to each other to provide a synthetically magnified image having an orthoparallactic motion effect,
• the system comprising the planar array of image icons and the planar array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) a planar array of image icons having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icons having a repeat period within the array;
• and
• (b) a planar array of image icon focusing elements having an axis of symmetry within its plane, the image icon focusing elements having a repeat period within the array, the planar array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed substantially parallel to the planar array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the image icons to the repeat period of the focusing elements in at least one direction is substantially equal to 1 and the axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icons and the corresponding axis of symmetry of the planar array of image icon focusing elements are rotationally misaligned providing orthoparallactic motion effects for the at least one synthetically magnified image, and
• wherein the image icons are selected from the group consisting of positive image icons, and negative image icons.