EP0395659A1

EP0395659A1 - Security system

Info

Publication number: EP0395659A1
Application number: EP88908729A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Robert Brown
Original assignee: Vistramark Ltd
Current assignee: Vistramark Ltd
Priority date: 1987-10-13
Filing date: 1988-10-06
Publication date: 1990-11-07
Also published as: DK83490D0; DK83490A; GB8723957D0; BR8807747A; JPH03501418A; WO1989003314A1; AU2536688A

Abstract

Une visionneuse de validité stocke une image représentant une identité sélectionnée d'un utilisateur autorisé, par exemple un portrait représentant la tête et les épaules. L'image n'est pas normalement visible mais elle est révélée lorsque le code correct est introduit dans la visionneuse. Dans un exemple, le code figure sur une carte associée à la visionneuse de validité et est lu dans ladite visionneuse par un lecteur. Dans un autre exemple, le code est introduit via un clavier se trouvant sur la visionneuse.A validity viewer stores an image representing a selected identity of an authorized user, for example a portrait depicting the head and shoulders. The image is not normally visible, but is revealed when the correct code is entered into the viewer. In one example, the code appears on a card associated with the validity viewer and is read in said viewer by a reader. In another example, the code is entered via a keyboard on the viewer.

Description

SECURITY SYSTEM

This invention relates to a security system, and more particularly to a security system which enables one or more selected credentials of anyone seeking to use the system to be readily verified.

With the moves towards a cashless society, a principal use of such security systems is likely to be at a point of sale, where the till operator is required to make instant judgements upon requests for credit from credit holders. With the increasing use of credit cards, the till operator is presently required to compare a signature - often written whilst standing -with the signature on the credit card which may have been written whilst seated. Furthermore, an unauthorised user of the credit card may have had ample time to practice the signature which is fully visible on the card. Many credi t cards never reach their rightful owners, being intercepted before delivery; and counterfeiters continually seek to reproduce cards, to which signatures of non-existent persons can then be added so as to defraud the credit card company and raise the cost of credit to all users.

Another use of such security systems is as an alternative form of identity or security card. Such cards are used for example where entry to an area or building is to be restricted to selected personnel. Depending on the particular form of currently available identity cards, it can be fairly simple and cheap to forge authentic-looking cards with readily available materials. Such cards may also be used to identify the card carrier as a member of a club or library etc and so on.

A need exists for a security system which can overcome at least some of the problems outlined above and which allows the identity of the card carrier to be checked quickly and easily and which also has a relatively high degree of security.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a validity viewer for establishing the identity of an authorised user of the viewer, said viewer including:- identification means storing image data and operable selectively to display an image repesenting a selected credential of an authorised user;

data input means for allowing a data code to be input into the viewer;

code store means for storing at least one preset code;

processor means for receiving the data code input via said data input means and the preset code in said code store means and for causing said identification means to display said selected credential only when said inputted data code corresponds with said preset code.

Then invention also extends to a security system including a security card in combination with a validity viewer as defined above for identifying the authorised user of the card.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a validity viewer in accordance with this invention prior to insertion therein of a security card;

Figure 2 is a section view taken on lines II— II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the validity viewer of Figure 1 with the security card inserted therein, and

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the interrationship between the components of the validity viewer of Figures 1 and 2.

The validity viewer illustrated in the drawings is intended to be used with security cards to allow the authorised user of the card to be identified. Exarηples of such security cards include cheque cards, credit cards, charge cards, membership cards, security passes etc. The validity viewer provides a means by which the proper identity of the authorised user of the security card may be readily checked. To do this, the validity viewer reads a data code from the security card and, if the code agrees with a pre-stored code held in the validity viewer, the image of the authorised user is displayed on the validity viewer.

The validity viewer may also be used otherwise than in combination with a security card. For example, instead of providing personnel with laminated photo-cards as security passes, they may instead be provided with a validity viewer of the form illustrated in the Figures. In this instance, the validity viewer would be programmed so that the image of the authorised user of the validity viewer was revealed only when an appropriate personal identification number (P.I.N.) was entered by the authorised user.

Referring to the Figures, the validi ty viewer 10 comprises a casing 12 of slim rectangular form having on its upper surface a keyboard/alpha¬ numeric display area 14 and an identification display area 16. The keyboard/alpha-numeric display area 14 includes a membrane keypad 18 by which the usual alpha-numeric symbols may be keyed into the viewer, a solar cell panel 20 for generating the power required for operation of the validity viewer and a conventional numerical display, e.g. digital display panel 22 having several characters of seven segment form. Referring especially to Figure 2, the identification display 16 comprises an image 24 representing a selected credential of an authorised user located beneath a screen 26. In this example, the image 24 is in the form of a photograph of the head of a user with a facsimile of the signature of the authorised user beneath the photograph. The screen 26 is electronically operable and made of a material which may be rendered opaque or substantially transparent dependent on the electrical signals applied thereto. Such a screen could, for example, be made of a liquid crystal display which is normally opaque but which, on application of an energising current, is rendered transparent. The construction and operation of such screens will be well known to those skilled in the art.

At one end of the casing 12, the right hand end in Figure 1, there is provided a slot 28 into which a security card may be inserted. The validity viewer includes a reader 32 for reading a code from the security card. For example, many forms of security card now available include a magnetic stripe containing coded information including a P.I.N. code. The reader 32 incorporated in the validity viewer reads this code and supplies it to the processor 28 of the validity viewer. Such readers are well known to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that other forms of data transfer for transferring data stored on the security card to the processor 28 may be used. For example, the data may be stored on the security card in the form of a bar code or similar optically readable code. In another arrangement, the security card may be a "smart card" of the type including a processor and means for transferring data to or from the smart card by means of magnetic induction. In this instance, the validity viewer may include a receiver loop for receiving data transmitted from the smart card.

Figure 3 shows the validity viewer when the card having a code corresponding to that held in the validity viewer has been inserted in the slot 28. It will be seen that the screen 26 has been rendered transparent to reveal the photograph and signature of the authorised user.

Referring now to Figure 4, the processing and control of the validity viewer will now be described. Processing and control of the viewer is carried out by a processor 30 located within the validity viewer. The construction, programming and operation of the processor to carry out the tasks described below is within the competence of one skilled in the art and a detailed description thereof will not therefore by given here. The processor 30 is operable both to perform various validation checks on data fed into the viewer as well as to perform the usual arithmetic calculations of a standard calculator. Data may be input to the processor by means of the membrane keyboard 18 or a card reader 32 associated with the slot 28. Power for the processor and the peripheral equipment is supplied by means of the solar cell panel 20. Power may also be supplied by means of a battery (not shown). Associated with the processor 30 is a code store 34 for storing one or more codes, such as P.I.N. codes associated with the authorised user of the validity viewer. The processor controls the numerical display panel 22 and the screen 26. A seal sensor 36 is associated with the casing 12 of the validity viewer and in particular with the identification display 16 and detects if these are tampered with. Should tampering be detected, the seal 36 sensor inputs to the processor 30 a signal which disables the processor and renders it inoperable. The processor 30 is preferably programmed to return the screen 26 to an opaque state a preset period after it has been made transparent.

In use, a printed image representing a selected credential of the authorised user, for example his or her photograph and signature, is inserted behind the screen 26. A code or codes identifying the authorised user are entered into the code store 34. At least one of these codes corresponds to the coded information held in the magnetic strip on the back of the security card. Having programmed the validity viewer for the particular authorised user by inserting the selected credential and the code or codes in the code store, the validity viewer 10 is sealed and the seal sensor 36 made active.

There are various levels of of security offered by the validity viewer 10. At one level all that is necessary to reveal the image and signature beneath the screen 26 is for the user to punch in the membrane keypad 18 the correct personal code. If the digits of the code entered by the user of the card correspond to the code held in the code store , the processor will activate the screen 26 to make it transparent so that the photograph and signature of the user are displayed. At this level, the validity viewer acts as a form of security pass card with an enhanced level of security in that the viewer provides protection against unauthorised removal of the selected credential or tampering with the housing. Also, display of the selected credential is dependent on the correct P.I.N. code being punched into the card by the authorised user.

At another level of security, a data code from a card entered into the slot 28 is read by the card reader 32. If the data code from the card corresponds to that held in the code store 34, the screen 26 is activated to display the photograph and signature of the authorised user. An advantage of this arrangement is that it constitutes a major improvement in security against credit card fraud since it allows the authorised user to be visually identified at the point of sale. Also, since the validity viewer reads the P.I.N. code normally carried on the reverse of cheque cards or credit cards, no special modification of the cards themselves is required to provide this enhanced level of security.

At a further level of security, a data code from a security card is read by the card reader and supplied to the processor which also receives via the membrane keypad 18 a separate code manually entered by the user. The two codes are compared with respective codes stored in the code store 34. If the input codes correspond to the respective stored codes, the screen 26 is rendered transparent.

Whilst in the illustrated example of the validity viewer the security card is read by inserting it into slot 38, other forms of reader may be used. For example, the security card may be "wiped" past a sensor head on the reverse of the validity viewer. Alternatively, as mentioned above, the validity viewer may include an inductor loop or antenna which receives data transmitted from a similar antenna on a smart card. Other forms of data transfer for transferring data representing a code from the security card to the validity viewer will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Where the validity viewer relies on a code inserted via the membrane keypad 18, the code in the code store 34 with which the kεyed- in code is compared may be changed by the user of the validity viewer. For example, by pressing a special symbol (not shown) on the membrane keypad 18 or entering a preset sequence of symbols, the appropriate code in code store 34 may be altered at will by the user.

In other applications, the code may be allocated to the validity viewer and entered with the code store by the issuer of the validity viewer, for example the credit card company or securi ty company etc. Alternatively, the code may be selected by the authorised user of the card and then entered into the code store by the issuer of the validity viewer. The validity viewer and the card will usually be sent separately to the authorised user.

In the example described above, the authorised user's photograph and signature are inserted into the validity viewer during manufacture. In other applications, the authorised user may himself insert the appropriate photograph and signature on receipt of the validity viewer. In this case, the validity viewer is preferably constructed so that once the photograph and signature have been inserted, a seal sensor device becomes armed so that any attempt to remove the photograph or tamper with the viewer renders the processor inoperable.

In another example of validity viewer (not shown) the selected credentials which identify the authorised user may be stored digitally instead of in the form of a photograph. In this instance, the Identification Display 16 will be a screen which is capable of displaying a two dimensional image under the control of the processor 30. To provide an enhanced level of security, in this instance, the image and signature of the authorised user may be stored in scrambled or encrypted form and the processor may include a decoder for decoding the scrambled image prior to its display on the identification display 16. As well as serving as a means of identifying the authorised user of a security card, the validity viewer may also be used as a conventional calculator.

Whilst the provision of both a card and a validity viewer will be more expensive initially than merely the card, the reduction in fraudulent losses, and the longer time between card changes possible with this more secure system, will soon recoup the extra expenditure. To entice more users to adopt the system and carry and use the validity viewer, the card companies can select those of the allocated card numbers which have been used during a selected usage period for entry into a free draw, with suitable prizes.

Whilst the invention has been described in relation to a security card and a validity viewer actuated by the complementary security card - that is one carrying the identical code, clearly the complementary security card can carry other actuating numbers such as those which added to the card numbers total 9 for each column. The invention is not limited to a card, since a key inserted into or turning a lock, or other suitable combinations of components can act to reveal a personal characteristic as above described above. The principles disclosed herein may also be used for customs and similar security documents, and passports.

Claims

1. A validity viewer for establishing the identity of an authorised user of the viewer, said viewer including:-

identification means storing image data and operable selectively to display an image representing a selected credential of an authorised user;

data input means for allowing a data code to be input into the viewer;

code store means for storing at least one preset code;

2. A validity viewer according to claim 1, wherein said identification means stores and selectively displays an image of the authorised user.

3. A vlaidity viewer according to claim 1 or claim 2, where said identification means stores and selectivity displays a facsimile of the signature of the authorised user.

4. A validity viewer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said identification means stores said image in pictorial form.

5. A validity viewer ace to claim 4, wherein said identification means includes screen means located over said image, said screen means being renderable opaque or subsequently transparent whereby said image may be selectively obscured or displayed respectively.

6. A validity viewer according to claim 5, wherein said screen means is electronically actuated.

7. A validity viewer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said identification means stores said image in the form of digital data.

8. A validity viewer according to claim 7, wherein the digital data representing said image is in encrypted form and said identification means

J. includes indues means for decoding said encrypted digital data.

9. A validity viewer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said data input means comprises a keypad .

10. A validity viewer according to any of the preceding claims wherein said data input means comprises reading means for reading data stored remotely from said validity viewer.

11. A validity viewer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said data input means comprises a keypad and reading means for reading data stored remotely from said validity viewer, and said processor means is responsive to said keypad and said reading means to cause said identification means to display said selected credential only when the data codes inputted via said keypad and said reading means correspond with said stored preset code.

12. A validity viewer according to claim 11, wherein said store means stores two preset codes, and said processor means compares one of said preset codes with data input via said keypad and compares the other of said preset codes with data input _ia_ said reading means.

13. A validity viewer according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said reading means comprises a magnetic strip reader for reading a magnetic strip on, for example, a value card.

14. A validity viewer according to any on of claims 10 to 12 wherein said reading means includes an induction loop.

15. A validity viewer according to any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein the validity viewer is arranged to read data stored on a card, and said validity viewer includes slot means for receiving at least a part of said card.

16. A validity viewer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the identification means is a sealed area and means is provided for disabling said identification means if the identification means is tampered with.

17. A validity viewer according to claim 16 wherein breaking of said seal causes said processor means to become inoperative.

18. A security system including a security card and a validity viewer according to any one of claims 10 to 17 wherein said validity viewer stoife, image data representing a selected credential of the authorised user of the security card.

19. A validity viewer substantially hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

20. A security system substantially hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.