METHOD AND DEVICE FOR APPLYING AT LEAST ONE IMAGE TO A PLASTIC SUBSTRATE OF A SECURITY DOCUMENT, SECURITY DOCUMENT HAVING A PLASTIC SUBSTRATE WHICH BEARS AN IMAGE

1 . A method for applying at least one image to a plastic substrate of a security document, comprising the steps:

selection of an image section from electronically stored image data of an image;

application of a connecting layer to the plastic substrate, a surface area and surface shape of the connecting layer corresponding or almost corresponding to a surface area and surface shape of the selected image section; and

printing of the applied connecting layer with a printed image that reproduces the image section, in such a manner that the connecting layer and the printed image are congruent or almost congruent.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein selecting an image section from the electronically stored image data comprises determining differences in colour between individual image areas and/or differences in brightness between individual image areas and/or lines between individual image areas in the electronically stored image data by a determination device.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein, on the basis of the determined differences in colour and/or differences in brightness and/or lines, surface position data of the image section of the electronically stored image data that is to be selected is calculated by a calculation device.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the surface position data is transmitted to a first regulating device of an application device.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein when applying the connecting layer, the first regulating device controls or regulates the application device in such a manner that the connecting layer is applied, with the transmitted surface position data, to a surface of the plastic substrate.

6 . The method according to claim 3 ,

wherein the surface position data is transmitted to a second regulating device of a printing device.

7 . The method according to claim 6 ,

wherein the second regulating device controls or regulates the printing device in such a manner that the printed image is applied, with the surface position data applied thereto, to an entire area or almost the entire area of a surface of the connecting layer.

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image section represents a head and, optionally, a neck and shoulder region of a person within a portrait photograph.

9 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the connecting layer is a precoating layer, of a polyester-containing material.

10 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein a protective layer is applied to the image section that reproduces the printed image, the protective layer being applied either to all of the plastic substrate having the printed image or only a form of the printed image.

11 . An apparatus comprising:

a selection device for selecting an image section from electronically stored image data of an image,

an application device for applying ( 4 ) a connecting layer to a plastic substrate, wherein a surface area and surface shape of the connecting layer corresponds to a surface area and surface shape of the selected image section, and

a printing device for printing the applied connecting layer with a printed image that reproduces the image section, in such a manner that the connecting layer and the printed image are congruent or almost congruent.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a determination device for determining differences in colour between individual image regions and/or differences in brightness between individual image regions and/or lines of individual image regions in the electronically stored image data; a first regulating device for regulating the application device in such a manner that the connecting layer is applied, with received surface position data, to a surface of the plastic substrate, and a second regulating device for regulating the printing device are so arranged that the printed image is applied, with surface position data applied thereto, to an entire area or almost the entire area of a surface of the connecting layer.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second regulating devices are combined to form a single control or regulating device.

14 . A security document having a plastic substrate which bears an image, wherein an image section of the image is applied to the security document and, between the image section of the image and the plastic substrate, a connecting layer is applied to the plastic substrate, and wherein a surface area and surface shape of the connecting layer corresponds to a surface area and surface shape of the selected image section, so that the connecting layer and the printed image are congruent or almost congruent.

15 . The security document according to claim 14 , wherein the connecting layer has a surface content which is not more than about 1% to about 10% greater than a surface content of the printed image, and/or wherein a protective layer is applied to the image section that reproduces the printed image, where the protective layer is either applied to an entire surface of the plastic substrate having the printed image or is applied thereto only a form of the printed image.