Synthesis of superposition images for watches, valuable articles and publicity

Hersch, et al.

U.S. Patent No. 7,295,717

The present invention aims at synthesizing superposition images formed either by band moire shapes or by shape level lines for making the information forwarded by valuable articles or by time pieces such as watches and clocks more dynamic, as well as for improving their attractiveness and aesthetics. A further application is publicity. For synthesizing band moire images, the present invention relies on a band moire image layout model allowing to obtain the layout of the base the band grating, given the layouts of the band moire image and of the revealing line grating. Base and revealing layer layouts may be conceived to create band moire image shapes whose patterns move e.g. radially, circularly, or according to a spiral trajectory. Shape level lines occur in a superposition image when e.g. a base layer comprising modified sets of lines is superposed with a revealing layer comprising a line grating. Such a base layer embeds a shape elevation profile generated from an initial motif shape image (e.g. typographic characters, words of text, symbols, logo, ornament). By moving the revealing layer in superposition with the base layer, shape level lines move dynamically between the initial motif shape boundaries and shape foreground centers, respectively shape background centers, thereby growing and shrinking. The movement of the shape level lines creates visually attractive pulsing motif shapes, e.g. a pulsing heart or pulsing text. Categories of embodiments comprise (1) visually attractive articles having moving parts (watches, clocks, vehicles, publicity display devices, fashion clothes), (2) articles such as cosmetics, drugs, perfumes and wines, where one part is moved in respect to a second part, e.g. bottles having a lid or labels composed of two layers, (3) articles where the base layer and the revealing line grating are separated by a gap and form a fixed composed layer, and (4) articles where at least one of the layers is an electronic display.

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