HK1009190B - System for verifying use of a credit/identification card including recording of physical attributes of unauthorized users - Google Patents

Description

System for confirming use of credit card with record of physical characteristics of unauthorized user

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for validating an authorized user of a credit card and/or identification card (identification card), and more particularly to a method and apparatus for validating an authorized user of a card using a plurality of scanning stations.

Background

Recently, attempts have been made to develop such systems to prevent unauthorized use of credit cards. Typically, these systems authenticate the identity of the person using the card using a variety of devices. One system provides a card owner's fingerprint on the surface of a card, where the user's fingerprint must match the fingerprint on the card. The concept of using fingerprint identification to confirm the authenticity of a credit/identification card is well known. One exemplary system is disclosed in U.S. patent nos.4,582,985(Lofberg) and 5,180,901(Hiramatsu), respectively. However, fingerprint identification, which requires comparison of a user's fingerprint with the card owner's fingerprint, has some disadvantages in that credit cards are easily tampered with, for example, the owner's fingerprint is replaced with the fingerprint of an unauthorized user.

Other methods of identifying authorized users of cards have similar disadvantages. For example, U.S. patent No.4,995,086(Lilley et al) discloses a verification system in which a bar code with information about the card owner is located on the card and compared to information stored in a database in communication with the system. Similar to fingerprint recognition, bar codes on the surface of cards may be tampered with.

Disclosure of Invention

There is a need for a method and apparatus for validating an authorized user of a credit/identification card that can detect whether the card has been modified to prevent use of the card by unauthorized users.

Among the several objects of the present invention is to provide an improved method for confirming authorized users of credit/identification cards, which is capable of detecting whether the card has been tampered with; an improved method is provided having several cross-checking steps that substantially ensure authorized use of the card; a method is provided which is capable of confirming whether a fingerprint of a user of a card matches a fingerprint of an owner of the card; a method is provided that is capable of confirming whether a voice print of a user of a card matches a voice print of an owner of the card; a method is provided that is capable of confirming whether a retinal pattern of a user of a card matches a retinal pattern of an owner of the card; a method is provided that can retain cards of unauthorized users; a method is provided that records fingerprints of unauthorized users.

Among the several objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for confirming authorized users of credit/identification cards; there is provided an apparatus which can detect whether a card is tampered; an apparatus is provided having a plurality of scanning devices to substantially ensure authorized use of a card; there is provided an apparatus having fingerprint scanning means and auxiliary means for confirming whether a fingerprint of a person using a card matches a fingerprint of a person holding the card; there is provided an apparatus having a microphone and an auxiliary device for confirming whether a voiceprint of a user of a card matches a voiceprint of an owner of the card; an apparatus is provided having a retinal scanning device and an auxiliary device for confirming whether a retinal pattern of a person using a card matches a retinal pattern of an owner of the card; an apparatus is provided that can retain a card of an unauthorized user; an apparatus is provided which can record fingerprints of unauthorized users; a device is provided that encrypts data transmissions while in communication with a central database.

Generally, a method of confirming an authorized user of a credit identification card includes the steps of:

a inserting a card into a device having a plurality of scanning stations, the card comprising a surface having thereon a bar containing information about the card owner, such as an identification code (identification number) and other personal data, and having thereon at least one fingerprint of the card owner;

b, scanning a measuring point on an information strip of the equipment, and scanning the strip on the card to confirm the card information containing the identification code;

c comparing the information stored in the card strip with information stored in at least one accessible database in communication with the device, and if the information on the card does not match the information stored in the database of the owner of the card, the device withholds the card;

d scanning the surface of the card at the pattern scanning stations of the apparatus, which digitize the surface of the card by imaging each line of the surface;

e converting the image on the surface of the card into a digital number sequence;

f comparing the card surface, which has been scanned by the pattern scanner and converted into a digitized sequence of numbers, with the digitized sequence of data stored in the database to determine whether the card has been tampered with, and if the card surface does not match the card surface stored in the database, the apparatus withholds the card;

g acquiring a fingerprint of the user;

h, scanning the fingerprint of the user at the fingerprint scanning measuring point;

i comparing the user's fingerprint with the fingerprint on the card and the fingerprint of the card owner in the database to ensure authorized use of the card, and if the fingerprint scanned by the fingerprint scanning station does not match the fingerprint on the card and the fingerprint in the database, the device withholds the card, thereby ensuring that the user of the card is the card owner based on the match of the user's fingerprint with the fingerprint on the card and the fingerprint in the database, the device allowing the user to use the card for the intended purpose.

The device for carrying out the method of the invention comprises information strip scanning means for scanning the information strip of the card and means for comparing the information contained in the strip with at least one owner's information stored in an accessible database in communication with the device. If the information on the card does not match the card owner information stored in the database, the device withholds the card. The device and the database comprise encryption means for encrypting data transmissions between the device and the database. A graphic scanning device scans the surface of the card, wherein the graphic scanning device digitizes the surface of the card by imaging each line of the surface. Suitable means convert the image of the card surface into a digitized numerical sequence and compare the card surface converted into the digitized numerical sequence by the conversion means after scanning by the image scanning means with the digitized numerical sequence stored in the database for determining whether the card has been modified. If the card surface does not match a card surface stored in the database, the device withholds the card. A fingerprint scanning device having a platen (pad) scans a user's fingerprint, a card is pressed against the platen with a finger of the user to obtain the user's fingerprint, and a corresponding device compares the user's fingerprint with the fingerprint on the card and the fingerprints in the database to ensure authorized use of the card. If the fingerprint scanned by the fingerprint scanning device is not matched with the fingerprints in the database and the fingerprints on the card, the card is withheld by the equipment. In this way, the apparatus allows the user to use the card for a particular purpose, depending on the match of the user's fingerprint with the fingerprints on the card and in the database, to ensure that the user of the card is the owner of the card.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The best mode for carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. A is a flow chart illustrating a method of confirming that a credit and/or identification card authorizes a user of the present invention;

the second figure is a block diagram of the equipment for implementing the method of the invention;

FIG. three is a credit card of the present invention;

figure four illustrates the back of the credit card shown in figure three.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, a method generally indicated at 10 (shown in figure 1) is provided for confirming an authorized user of a credit and/or identification card generally indicated at 12 (shown in figure 3). Preferably, the card 12 includes a surface 14 having at least one fingerprint 18 of the owner of the card 12 printed thereon. The card preferably has a back 15 (fig. 4) having an information strip 16, such as a bar code or magnetic strip, printed thereon containing card owner information, such as identification codes and other private data. The information strip 16 and fingerprint 18 may be printed directly onto the card 12 and protected using any suitable lamination technique known in the art. As shown in fig. three, the card 12 has two card owner fingerprints 18 printed on the surface 14. The card 12 may also include other information such as a photograph 20 of the owner and the owner's name and address. It should be understood that the method 10 of the present invention is applicable to any situation where it is desirable to confirm or authenticate that the user of the card 12 is the owner of the card. The method of the present invention is particularly useful for identifying credit card users. The method 10 may also be used to confirm the identity of authorized persons who wish to access a restricted area (e.g., a hospital, a cooperative research department, etc.). Fig. 2 illustrates an apparatus, indicated generally at 22, for carrying out the method of the present invention, the apparatus 22 being described in detail after the description of the method 10 of the present invention.

Referring now to fig. 1, method 10 includes the steps of: card 12 is inserted into a device, such as device 22, having a plurality of scanning stations, namely, information strip scanning station 30, graphic scanning station 32, fingerprint scanning station 34, voice print recording station 36, retina scanning station 38, and photograph scanning station 40. As detailed below, the device 22 may be embodied in any of a variety of designs so long as the various validation steps of the method 10 are enabled.

After insertion into the device 22, the card 12 enters a message scanning station 30 for scanning the strip 16 on the card 12 to confirm the information of the card 12 containing the identification code. This information is transmitted to a microprocessor 42 (fig. 2) which compares the information stored on the message track 16, including the card owner identification code, with at least one information stored in an accessible database 44 (fig. 2) in communication with the microprocessor 42 of the device 22. In order to ensure absolute security of data transmission between the device and the database, both the device and the database preferably include encryption devices for encrypting and decrypting data transmissions. If the information on the bar 16 of the card 12 matches the information stored in the database 44 for a particular card, the card 12 is detected by the next station (i.e., the pattern scan station 32). Otherwise, if the information on the card does not match the card owner information stored in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card 12. If not, the cards 12 may be stored in any suitable portion of the apparatus 22 until the apparatus is serviced, wherein cards 12 representing unauthorized users and not being received by the apparatus 22 may be found.

The card 12 is then again inspected by the pattern scanning station 32, in which the surface 14 of the card 12 is digitised by imaging each line of the surface, the purpose of inspecting the surface 14 of the card 12 being to determine whether it has been modified. The image of the surface 14 of the card 12 is converted to a digitized numerical sequence which is transmitted to the microprocessor 42 which compares the digitized numerical sequence representative of the card surface with card prior scan information stored in the aforementioned database 44 or in another accessible database in communication with the microprocessor 42 of the device 22. If the digitized digit sequence of the card 12 matches the digitized digit sequence stored in the database for a particular card, the card 12 is detected by the next station. However, if the digitized numerical sequence of the card does not match the digitized numerical sequence stored in the database 44, the device withholds the card 12. Similar to the information scanning station 30, the cards 12 may be stored in any suitable portion of the device 22 until the device is serviced, where cards representing unauthorized users and not being picked up by the device may be found.

As shown in fig. one, the card 12 is next detected by the fingerprint scan station 34. This step of the method 10 of the present invention requires the user of the card 12 to provide a fingerprint 18 which is used to compare the fingerprint 18 on the card 12 with the fingerprint of the owner of the card in the aforementioned database 44 or a separate access database in communication with the microprocessor 42 of the device 22 to ensure authorized use of the card 12. Similar to the information strip and graphic scan stations 30, 32, the device 22 retains the card 12 if the fingerprint scanned by the fingerprint scan station does not match the fingerprint on the card or the fingerprint in the database 44. The apparatus 22 will allow the user to use the card 12 for a particular purpose if the user's fingerprint matches that on the card 12 and in the database 44, or as shown in figure one, the card 12 can be detected by subsequent stations if a more rigorous level of verification is required.

When the user does not match the fingerprint 18 on the card 12 or the card owner's fingerprint stored in the database 44, the method of the present invention further includes the step of recording the user's fingerprint. The purpose of this additional step is to obtain clues that can be used to identify unauthorized users of the card. The recorded fingerprint of the unauthorized user may be compared to fingerprints stored in other databases, such as a criminal profile database, an employee database, and the like.

As described above, if additional verification is required, card 12 may be detected by voice print recording station 36, retina scan station 38, and photo scan station 40. It should be understood that any of these additional scanning steps may be performed independently or in any combination and still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Still referring to FIG. I, the method 10 of the present invention requires the user of the card 12 to speak into the voiceprint recording station 36 of the device 22 to obtain the user's voiceprint. The voice print is digitized and sent to microprocessor 42 where it is compared to the voice print of the owner of card 12 stored in database 44 or in a separate access database in communication with microprocessor 42. Similar to the other stations, if the user's voice print does not match the voice print of all the people stored in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card 12 until properly processed. Otherwise, the apparatus 22 allows the user to use the card 12 for a particular purpose, or if a more accurate level of confirmation is required, the card 12 can be detected by subsequent stations.

Accordingly, method 10 also requires the user of card 12 to view retinal scan stations 38 of device 22 to obtain a user's retinal pattern. This retinal pattern is then transmitted to microprocessor 42 and compared to the retinal pattern of the card owner stored in database 44 or in a separate access database in communication with microprocessor 42. Similar to the other stations, if the user's retinal pattern does not match any of the person's retinal patterns stored in database 44, device 22 does not receive a card. If the user's retina pattern matches the retina pattern of all persons stored in the database 44, the device 22 allows the user to use the card 12 for a particular purpose, or the card 12 is detected by a subsequent photo scanning station 40.

At the photo scanning station 40, the photo 20 on the card 12 is scanned and compared with the photo of the card owner stored in the database 44 to ensure that the card 12 has not been tampered with. The scanning stations 40 are preferably more sensitive than the graphic scanning stations 32 because the latter are used to locate the details of various portions of the card 12 rather than all people's photographs. Thus, if the owner photograph 20 of the card 12 is replaced with a photograph of the user and the card passes the pattern scanning station 32 without being rejected, the microprocessor 42 will recognize that the photographs do not match and thus the device 22 does not reject the card 12. If the photos match, the device will allow the user to use the card for the intended purpose, confirming that the program is complete.

Turning now to fig. two, there is illustrated the apparatus 22 of the present invention comprising an information scanning device 50, a pattern scanning device 52, a fingerprint scanning device 54, a microphone 56 and device 58 for digitizing sounds, a retinal scanning device 60 and a photograph scanning device 62. The microprocessor 42 takes the information gathered by these devices and compares them to information stored in a database 44 or, as previously described, to information stored in several separate databases in communication with the microprocessor 42. Device 22 and database 44 preferably include an encryption device 63 that encrypts and decrypts data transmissions therebetween. The encryption device 63 effectively prevents others from accessing the telephone line to illegally steal or copy data transmissions during the validation process. The encryption device 63 under consideration is manufactured by Datotek, inc. The apparatus 22 may comprise various forms, however it is envisioned that it may be constructed in a manner similar to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), or similar device for accepting and processing cards.

More specifically, the information strip scanning device 50 is used to scan a bar code or magnetic strip of the card 12. As shown, the microprocessor 42 includes means 44 for comparing the information contained in the bar 16 of the card 12 (including the identification code of the owner of the card) with the owner information stored in the database 44. If the information on the card 12 does not match the information in the database 44, the device 22 does not receive the card 12. The information strip scanning device 50 may be any commercially available bar code scanner such as, for example, the scanner model PDF417 available from Symbol Technologies, inc.

The image scanning device 52 scans the surface 14 of the card 12 to determine whether the card 12 has been altered. A converter 66 (broadly, conversion means) is used to convert the image of the surface 14 of the card 12 into a digitized sequence of numbers. The digitized digit sequence is communicated to the microprocessor 42 which also includes means 68 for comparing the surface 14 of the card 12 scanned by the pattern scanner 52 into a digitized digit sequence by the converter 66 with the digitized digit sequence stored in the database 44 (or other database in communication with the microprocessor) to determine whether the card 12 has been tampered with. If the sequence of digitized numbers representing the surface 14 of the card 12 does not match the sequence of digitized numbers in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card 12. The pattern scanning device 52 and transducer 66 may be any commercially available pattern scanning and transducer, such as the scanner manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Corporation of California.

The fingerprint scanning device 54 has a platen (not shown) against which a user of the card 12 presses a finger to acquire the user's fingerprint. The fingerprint scanning device 54 scans the user's fingerprint obtained from the platen and transmits it to the microprocessor 42, which includes a device 70 for comparing the user's fingerprint with the fingerprint on the card 12 and the fingerprint of the card owner in the database 44. If the fingerprint 18 of the user of the card does not match the fingerprint 18 on the card 12 or the fingerprints in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card.

The fingerprint scanning device 54 may also include a recording device (not shown) in which the fingerprint of an unauthorized user is recorded for later use, such as by comparing it to fingerprints in other databases. The recording means will assist in capturing unauthorized users.

The fingerprint scanning device 54 may be any commercially available fingerprint scanning system, such as the fingerprint scanner sold by Electronic Data Systems Corp, Dallas, TX or the fingerprint scanner disclosed in the Lofberg and Hiramatsu patents.

The apparatus 22 described so far can perform the method 10 of the present invention by comparing the information on the bar 16 of the card 12 with all the person information in the database, determining whether the card 12 has been modified, and comparing the user's fingerprint with the fingerprint 18 on the card 12 and the fingerprints in the database 44. The device 22 also includes the aforementioned microphone 56 and auxiliary means 58 for recording the user's voice, as well as retinal scanning means 60 and photo scanning means 62 for increasing the level of confirmation. It should be understood that device 22 may include each additional device or any combination thereof, depending on the level of acknowledgement desired.

The microphone 56 is used to receive the user's voice when the user is speaking. A voice recorder 58 (broadly, a voice recording device) records the user's voice after the user speaks into the microphone 56 and converts the analog signals into digital signals to obtain the user's voice print. The voice print is transmitted to microprocessor 42 which includes means 72 for comparing the user's voice print to the voice print of the card owner stored in database 44 or other accessible database. If the user's voice print of the card 12 does not match the voice print in the database 44, the card 12 is not received by the device 22. The microphone 56, recorder 58, and voice recognition software may include any commercially available voice recognition system, such as that sold by Texas instruments of Dallas, TX.

Retina scanner 60 acquires the user's retina pattern after the user views retina scanner 60. The retinal pattern is transmitted to microprocessor 42 which includes means 74 for comparing the retinal pattern of the user with the retinal pattern of the person holding card 12 stored in database 44 or other accessible database. If the user's retina pattern of the card 12 does not match the retina pattern in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card 12. Retinal scanning device 60 is commercially available from optomatic Imaging Systems, inc.

Finally, the apparatus 22 includes a photograph scanning device 62 for scanning the photograph 20 on the card 12. The scanning device 62 is preferably more sensitive than the graphic scanning device 54 because the latter is used to locate the majority of the card rather than the photo details of the card owner. This information is transmitted to the microprocessor 42 which includes means 76 for comparing the photograph 20 scanned by the scanning means 62 with photographs of all persons of the card 12 stored in the database 44 or other accessible database to ensure that the card 12 has not been tampered with, i.e. the photograph 20 has not been replaced with a photograph of the user. If the photograph 20 on the card 12 does not match the photograph in the database 44, the device 22 withholds the card. Photo scanning device 62 is commercially available from Hewlett-Packard Corporation.

The microprocessor 42 of the device 22 may be selected from commercially available microprocessors, wherein the software includes a menu system, such as the system designed by gallactomom, inc. It is envisaged that the menu system enables the user of the card to select from a plurality of options, such as credit, deposit, cash transfer, hospital or healthcare authorizations, etc., when the authorized user of the card is identified. In this connection, the software can be designed for a single use. For example, hospitals require healthcare authorization before admission or treatment. The system software may be specifically designed to access and store appropriate billing data such as date, treatment type, location of the facility, etc. Other single-use applications, such as a bank's ATM, will access and store information relating to the respective purpose. It is also contemplated that the device code and location should be encoded in the form of a bar code and affixed inside the device, where a separate bar code reader (not shown) would read the bar code and store the information with information about each card transaction.

It should be noted that the method 10 and apparatus 22 of the present invention can confirm the authorized user of the credit/identification card or can determine whether the card has been modified.

While particular structures embodying the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the invention is not limited to the forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (18)

1. A method of electronically validating the identity of a person attempting to gain access to a computer system electronically, comprising the steps of:

obtaining, at the computer system, an identification code assigned to an account owner;

searching for the information profile of the owner stored in a database in communication with the computer system, the information profile being searched for using the identification code;

acquiring a physical characteristic image of said individual;

comparing the acquired image of said individual with a corresponding image of said owner physical characteristic of said account stored in an information file of the owner of the account to correctly identify said individual as the owner of the identification code, said user being authorized to access said computer system based on a match between the individual image and the corresponding image of the owner; and

in the event that the personal physical characteristic image does not match a corresponding identification code owner physical characteristic image stored in the account owner information profile, the personal image is recorded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: comparing the recorded image of the physical characteristic of the individual with a set of other physical characteristic images of the individual stored in a second database in an attempt to identify the individual.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining an image of a physical characteristic of the user comprises obtaining a scanned image of the user's fingerprint.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining an image of a physical characteristic of the user comprises obtaining a scanned image of a pattern of the human retina.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining an image of a physical characteristic of the user comprises obtaining a voice print of the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises obtaining a photographic image of the physical characteristics of the user.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises the steps of: acquiring a scanned image of a user's fingerprint; a second image of the human retina pattern is acquired.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises the steps of: acquiring a scanned image of a user's fingerprint; a user's voice print is obtained.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises the steps of: acquiring a scanned image of a human retina pattern; a user's voice print is obtained.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting data communications to and from the remote database.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of encrypting data communications to and from the remote database.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting the desired electronic service from a predetermined menu system when the user is authorized to use the card.

13. An apparatus for confirming an authorized user of a credit/identification card, the card including a message strip thereon having information on an owner of the card and an identification code assigned to the owner of the card, the apparatus comprising:

a scanning device for scanning the card information strip and obtaining the identification code from the information strip;

means for communicating with a remote database and for searching the database for an information file corresponding to the identification code;

means for obtaining an image of physical characteristics of a user of the card;

means for comparing the acquired card user image with the corresponding card owner physical characteristic image stored in the card owner information file to correctly identify that the card user is the card owner, and authorizing the user to use the card for a desired purpose based on a matching condition of the user image with the corresponding card owner image; and

means for registering the acquired user image of the card in the event that the user physical characteristic image does not match a corresponding physical characteristic image of the card owner stored in the card owner information file.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining an image of the physical characteristic of the user comprises a fingerprint scanning device and the stored image of the physical characteristic of the owner comprises a stored image of a fingerprint of the owner of the card.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining the image of the physical characteristic of the user comprises a microphone for obtaining a voiceprint of the user, and the stored image of the physical characteristic of the owner comprises a stored voiceprint of the owner of the card.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises a retinal scanning device for obtaining a pattern of the retina of the user, and the stored image of the physical characteristics of the owner comprises a stored image of the pattern of the retina of the owner of the card.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining an image of the physical characteristics of the user comprises a photo scanner means and the stored image of the physical characteristics of all of the persons comprises a stored photo image of all of the facial characteristics of the persons on the card.

18. The device according to claim 13, further comprising encryption means for encrypting and decrypting data communication between the device and a database, the database comprising corresponding encryption means.