Image presentation and micro-optic security system

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein at least a portion of the microstructured icon elements have a coating, the coating being a metal material, and
• wherein the metal coating material has selected portions that have been omitted.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein at least a portion of the microstructured icon elements have a coating,
• wherein the coating is patterned and the patterned coating provides an icon image independent of the microstructured icon elements such that the patterned coating creates a first synthetic image while the microstructured icon elements create a second synthetic image.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein at least a portion of the microstructured icon elements have a coating, the coating being supported by a substrate, and
• wherein the substrate is positioned between the icon layer and the coating.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein the microstructured icon elements are either incorporated into an icon layer, or in a coating layer formed on a substrate, and
• wherein the layer is formed of either or both of positive icon image elements in which the positive image icon elements are formed as depressions or voids in the layer and background areas in the layer are formed as raised areas in the layer or of negative icon image elements in which the negative image icon elements are formed as raised areas in the layer and background areas in the layer are formed as depressions or voids in the layer.

A synthetic optical imacie system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein the microstructured icon elements are either incorporated into an icon layer, or in a coating layer formed on a substrate, and a coating material is applied to at least a portion of the surface of the layer, and
• wherein the coating material is aluminum that is substantially transparent when viewed from a direction normal to the plane of the layer and the reflectivity of the coating increases with increasing angle of incidence so that the sides of the coated icon elements appear more reflective resulting in the appearance of a high-contrast outline of the icon elements.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image,
• wherein the system operates as an authentication system in which the array of focusing elements is separate from the array of image icon elements and is used to read information contained in the array of image icon elements;
• wherein the array of focusing elements is formed as a sheet and the array of image icon elements is formed as a sheet and the two sheets are adapted to be optically or mechanically coupled, and the focal length of the focusing elements is greater than the thickness of the sheet including the focusing elements;
• wherein the array of image icon elements is positioned on or in a surface of its sheet and the focal point of the focusing elements is at or slightly off of said surface of said image icon elements sheet when the two sheets are coupled to form a synthetic optical image, the surface of the image icon elements sheet including the microstructured icon elements designed to form the synthetically magnified image;
• the array of focusing elements and the array of image icon elements having a rotational symmetry and a repeat period that substantially match.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image,
• wherein the system operates as an authentication system in which the array of focusing elements is separate from the array of image icon elements and is used to read information contained in the array of image icon elements;
• wherein the array of focusing elements is formed as a sheet and the array of image icon elements is formed as a sheet and the two sheets are adapted to be optically or mechanically coupled, and the focal length of the focusing elements is greater than the thickness of the sheet including the focusing elements;
• further including a surface coating on the image icon elements sheet.

A synthetic optical image system, comprising

• an array of focusing elements, and
• an image system including an array of microstructured icon elements designed to collectively form an image,
• wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate to form a synthetic optical image and,
• wherein the microstructured icon elements are either incorporated into an icon layer, or in a coating layer formed on a substrate,
• further including an optical spacer between the array of focusing elements and the array of image icon elements,
• wherein the thickness of the optical spacer is greater than the focal length of the focusing elements such that the synthetic optical image is not distinguishable without placing another material over the array of focusing elements, the refractive index of the another material being sufficient to change the focal length of the focusing elements to focus on the icon elements of the image system, thereby providing a synthetic optical image.

Image icons for use in a synthetic magnification optical system, the synthetic magnification optical system including:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed in relation to the array of image icons at a distance and in a manner sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons;
• the image icons including image icons formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that are optionally filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.