GB2359397A - Information systems - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for storing and retrieving personal e.g. medical information about a plurality of card holders comprises:<BR> ```a database for storing said personal information about said card holders;<BR> ```a plurality of cards for distribution to the card holders, wherein each card has stored thereon: (a) information identifying the card holder to the database, and (b) a fingerprint of the card holder; and<BR> ```at least one fingerprint reader;<BR> whereby information may be released from the database only when a fingerprint of an individual purporting to be the card holder and measured by the fingerprint reader matches the fingerprint stored on the card.

Description

<B>INFORMATION SYSTEMS</B> The present invention relates to systems for storing and retrieving personal information about a plurality of individuals. The invention relates in particular to medical information systems.

It would be desirable for emergency services and medical services to be able to access necessary personal information about their subjects quickly and reliably. For this purpose it is helpful for the information to be held on a central database so that it can be retrieved by the emergency services or medical services using secure communication links such as wide-user networks or sattellite communications, or even telephone land lines. However, the ease and speed of retrieval of the information must be matched by appropriate security measures to prevent the wrong information being released, and to ensure that information is not released to unauthorised persons.

It is known to provide individuals with bracelets, pendants, identity cards or the like that have medical information stored therein. It is also known to provide such bracelets or pendants or cards bearing a contact number that can be called in an emergency to obtain the necessary information. However, such means of accessing medical information are not secure in the event of the bracelets, pendant or card being lost of stolen.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for storing and retrieving personal information about a number of individuals, wherein the systems provides rapid and accurate access when needed, but which is secure against unauthorised or accidental access.

The present invention provides a system for storing and retrieving personal information about a plurality of card holders, said system comprising: a database for storing said personal information about said card holders; a plurality of cards for distribution to the card holders, wherein each card has stored thereon: (a) information identifying the card holder to the database, and (b) a fingerprint of the card holder; and at least one fingerprint reader; whereby information may be released from the database only when a fingerprint of an individual purporting to be the card holder and measured by the fingerprint reader matches the fingerprint stored on the card. The personal information preferably includes medical information, and it is envisaged that the systems according to the present invention will be especially useful for storage and retrieval of medical information for use by hospitals and the emergency services. However, the present invention encompasses information systems for use in business, for example for retrieving financial information, carrying out credit checks or validating electronic fund transfers through a central database. The present invention can also be applied to credit cards and debit cards. It is envisaged that the systems according to the present invention will be large, preferably for storing information about at least 100,000 card holders, more preferably at least 1,000,000 card holders, and most preferably at least 10,000,000 card holders. Preferably, the information set for each card holder is associated with a data field containing a unique alphanumeric identifier for that card holder in order to ensure that there is no confusion between card holders with the same name.

The system according to the present invention further comprises a plurality of cards for distribution to the card holders covered by the system. Of course, more than one card may be issued per card holder. However, it is envisaged that the number of cards in issue will not be less than the number of card holders. Each card has information identifying the card holder to the database stored thereon. For example, this information may be the alphanumeric identifier mentioned above. This information will normally be public, for example printed or embossed on the card in similar fashion to a credit card. Other information, such as issue date of the card, name of the card holder, expiry date of the card, contact telephone numbers, and details of the card issuer may also be written or embossed on the card. - It is an advantage of the present invention that it is not necessary to print the name of the card holder on the card in order for the card holder to be identified and authenticated by the system. This makes fraudulent use of the system even more difficult. The same or additional or different information may also be stored on a machine-readable form on the card, such as in a bar code or magnetic strip, or in the read-only memory (ROM) of a so-called smart card.

The card further has the fingerprint of the card holder stored thereon. Each card bears the fingerprint of only one person, namely the card holder specified on that particular card. The fingerprint may be stored in any convenient form. Preferably, the fingerprint is imprinted (embossed) on the card, for example by providing the card with a layer of hardenable material onto which the card holder presses a finger to imprint their fingerprint. The hardenable material may, for example, be an air-curable or light-curable polymer composition that sets hard on exposure to air or light following imprinting of the fingerprint. For example, the cards are preferably issued with a layer of the hardenable composition in a region of the card, and with a protective sheet covering the hardenable composition and preventing hardening of the composition by air or light until the protective sheet is peeled off to expose the layer of hardenable composition. On receipt of the card, the designated card holder peels off the protective sheet and immediately imprints their fingerprint on the hardenable composition. It is very difficult to tamper with a fingerprint stored on the card in this way. In other preferred embodiments, the card is provided with a region of a substrate suitable for permanent marking by an indelible ink. For example, this may resemble the signature field of existing credit cards. The fingerprint of the card holder would then be applied directly in indelible ink to this field. In yet other preferred embodiments, the fingerprint could be stored in digital form, preferably read-only form on the card by incorporating read-only storage media such as optical storage media or ROM smart card media into the card. Preferably, the system according to the present invention does not include any fingerprint information stored otherwise than on the cards. Thus, for example, the system preferably does not have any fingerprint information about the card holders stored at the central database, thereby allaying public concerns about the misuse of the fingerprint information on the cards.

It is envisaged that the fingerprint reader would be located at a site remote from the database, for example at a hospital. The remote site would be connected to the database by a secure communication link such as a wide-user network or a satellite communications network. In certain embodiments, a telephone land line and modem could even be used. Preferably, a plurality of fingerprint readers would be provided at a plurality of remote sites, such as a plurality of hospitals across the country, each remote site being connected to the database by such a secure communication link. The fingerprint reader may include or otherwise be operatively associated with a card reader adapted to read the fingerprint stored on the card. In use, an operator (who might be the card holder, or might be for example a medical professional) would request any individual purporting to be the card holder to allow their fingerprint to be read by the fingerprint reader. The operator would then look for a match between the fingerprint of the individual and the fingerprint stored on the card, for example by inserting the card into a card reader suitably adapted to read the fingerprint information from the card. Only in the event of such a match would information be released from the database to the remote site. This ensures that it is not possible for third parties to use the card to obtain the information stored about the card holder on the database without the presence of the card holder. Preferably, the information is released from the database in response to one or more authentication codes. For example, one such authentication code could be supplied by the card holder for example, this could be a personal identification number (PIN) memorised by the card holder.

Alternatively or additionally, one of the authentication codes could be supplied by an operator other than the card holder. This could be particularly advantageous in medical information systems, where the card holder might be unconscious. The operator would be a suitably vetted individual who would only supply the authentication code to release the information on the database in the event of a match being found between the fingerprint of the individual purporting to be the card holder and the fingerprint information stored on the card.

Alternatively or additionally, one of the authentication codes could be supplied by a computer operatively linked to the fingerprint reader and card reader, and adapted to transmit the authentication code to the database only in response to a match being found between the output of the fingerprint reader and the fingerprint information read from the card.

The present invention further provides a card for use in the system according to the invention, wherein the card has stored thereon: (a) information for identifying a card holder to a database; and (b) a fingerprint of the card holder.

Many alternative embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims will be apparent to the skilled reader.

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS 1. A system for storing and retrieving personal information about a plurality of card holders, said system comprising: a database for storing said personal information about said card holders; a plurality of cards for distribution to the card holders, wherein each card has stored thereon: (a) information identifying the card holder to the database, and (b) a fingerprint of the card holder; and at least one fingerprint reader; whereby information may be released from the database only when a fingerprint of an individual purporting to be the card holder and measured by the fingerprint reader matches the fingerprint stored on the card.
2. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the personal information includes medical information.
3. 3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fingerprint is stored by forming an impression of the fingerprint in a layer of hardenable material.
4. 4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the hardenable material comprises an air-curable or light-curable polymer composition.
5. 5. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fingerprint is stored by forming an inked fingerprint on a suitable substrate region of the card.
6. 6. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fingerprint is stored in digital form on a recording medium or read-only memory incorporated into the card.
7. 7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein no card holder fingerprint information is stored otherwise than on the cards.
8. 8. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fingerprint reader is located at a site remote from the database, and said site is connected to the database by a secure communication link.
9. 9. A system according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of finger print readers are provided at a plurality of remote sites, each remote site being connected to the database by a secure communication link.
10. 10. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein information is released from the database in response to one or more authentication codes.
11. 11. A system according to claim 10, wherein one of said authentication codes is supplied by the card holder.
12. 12. A system according to claim 10, wherein one of said authentication codes is supplied by an operator other than the card holder.
13. 13. A system according to claim 10, wherein one of said authentication codes is supplied by the fingerprint reader.
14. 14. A system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the authentication code is supplied automatically in response to a match being found between the fingerprint of the individual purporting to be the card holder and the fingerprint stored on the card and read by a card reader operatively associated with the fingerprint reader.
15. 15. A card for use in a system according to any preceding claim, wherein the card has stored thereon: (a) information for identifying a card holder to a database; and (b) a fingerprint of the card holder.