Systems and methods for enterprise based issuance of identification cards

• US 20020082885A1
• Filed: 12/26/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entrust Corp.
• Original Assignee: DIS Transitions LLC (Entrust Corp.)
• Inventors: Pittroff, Fredrick L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Methods and associated systems for enterprise-wide issuance of identification cards. A single enterprise server component and a plurality of card issuance machine controller components are distributed over an enterprise network. Each card machine controller component controls one or more devices for the production of identification cards including, for example, embossed and/or digitally encoded information. The single enterprise server component acts as a server to route the card issuance requests to the proper card machine controller component on behalf of client programs at each location used to request the production of an identification card. The enterprise server component further provides enhanced security and encryption to provide requisite security in the exchange of sensitive information in the production of such identification cards. An administrative component, which can be used anywhere on the network, provides centralized management of common data used by the server, card machine controllers and client programs in the production of identification cards. The administrative component also provides for centralized administration of the plurality of PCs, card issuance machines and software components to permit easy re-assignment of future production requests for purposes of management and/or for end user convenience.

Claims

1. A system for issuance of identification cards in an enterprise, said system comprising:

a plurality of card issuance components for production of identification cards;

a card issuance controller coupled to said plurality of card issuance components for controlling said plurality of card issuance components to service requests for said production of identification cards;

an enterprise server coupled to said card issuance controller through an enterprise network for managing requests for production of said identification cards; and

a card issuance client coupled to said enterprise server through the enterprise network for generating requests for said production of identification cards.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said enterprise server includes:

a queue corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components wherein each request of said requests is entered into a queue corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said enterprise service includes:

a production queue corresponding to a component of said plurality of card issuance components wherein each request of said requests directed to said component is entered into said production queue.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an administrative client coupled to said enterprise server through the enterprise network for providing a user interface for managing requests for said production of identification cards.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said administrative client includes:

a graphical user interface element to enable a user to administer aspects of said system, wherein said graphical user interface includes iconic representations corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a card issuance component queue corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components wherein production requests are selectively entered into said card issuance production queue corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components;

a production queue corresponding to each component of said plurality of card issuance components wherein production requests are selectively entered into said production queue corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components,

wherein said graphical user interface further includes iconic representations of each said card issuance production queue and of each said production queue.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said graphical user interface is operable to permit an administrative user to route future card production requests to a desired alternate card issuance component queue corresponding to another card issuance component of said plurality of card issuance components or to an alternate production queue corresponding to another card issuance component of said plurality of card issuance components.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a database associated with said administrative client for centrally storing identification information and related information associated with said request.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a card format database having information regarding types of cards to be produced within the system.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a plurality of queues each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of card issuance components wherein each request of said requests is entered into a selected queue of said plurality of queues corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components; and

links associating each of said requests with said queue based on the type of card identified in each said request.

11. A method for producing identification cards comprising the steps of:

generating a request in a client process to produce an identification card wherein said request includes information regarding a type of card to be produced;

transmitting said request from said client process to an enterprise server process through an enterprise network to manage the production of said identification card; and

forwarding said request from said enterprise server process to a card issuance controller process coupled to a plurality of card issuance components for production of said identification card, wherein said type of card determines a selected card issuance component of said plurality of card issuance components for production of said identification card by said card issuance controller process.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of forwarding includes the step of:

queueing said request in a card issuance component queue associated with said selected card issuance component.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of queueing includes the step of:

linking said request to a particular card issuance component queue based on card type information in said request.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of queueing includes the step of:

first queueing said request in a production queue associated with said card issuance component;

receiving instruction from an administrative user to process requests in said production queue; and

transferring said request from said production queue to said card issuance component queue.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of queueing includes the step of:

linking said request to a particular production queue based on card type information in said request.