Optical card based system for individualized tracking and record keeping

• US 20040162988A1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSI2000, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BSI 2000 Incorporated
• Inventors: Harper, Jack
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 235/90 Means to affix bar code, e.g. attaching, etching, coating, printing

Abstract

According to the invention, a system for identifying an individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from an optical card is disclosed. The system includes an optical card drive and a biometric scanner that are both coupled to a data processor. The optical card includes biometric data of the individual. The biometric scanner reads the biometric information from the individual. The biometric information is compared with biometric data to assist in authenticating that the individual is associated with the optical card

Claims

1. A system for identifying an individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from an optical card, the system comprising:

an optical card drive adapted for reading from and writing to the optical card, wherein the optical card includes biometric data of the individual;

a biometric scanner that reads the biometric information from the individual; and

a data processor coupled to the optical card drive and the biometric scanner, wherein the biometric information is compared with biometric data to assist in authenticating that the individual is associated with the optical card.

2. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying an image retrieved from the optical card, whereby the image of the individual can be compared to the individual.

3. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, wherein the data processor is programmed for encrypting and deciphering encrypted data obtained from the optical card drive.

4. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical card drive, the biometric scanner, and the data processor are held in a single housing.

5. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, further comprising a barcode scanner coupled to the data processor.

6. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication link for sending and receiving data of the system.

7. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 1, further comprising an access control mechanism, whereby the access control mechanism is manipulated on verification of the identity of individual.

8. A system for identifying an individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from an optical card, the system comprising:

an optical card drive adapted for reading an image of the individual from the optical card;

a display for displaying the image retrieved from the optical card; and

a data processor coupled to the optical card drive and the display, wherein the image of the individual is displayed while the individual'"'"'s appearance is compared to the image to assist in authenticating that the individual is associated with the optical card.

9. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 8, further comprising a biometric scanner that reads the biometric information from the individual, wherein:

the optical card includes biometric data of the individual, and

the biometric information is compared with biometric data to assist in authenticating that the individual is associated with the optical card.

10. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 8, wherein the data processor automatically performs the comparison of the image with the appearance.

11. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 8, wherein the optical card drive, the display, and the data processor are held in a single housing.

12. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 8, further comprising an access control mechanism, whereby the access control mechanism is manipulated on verification of the identity of individual.

13. A system for identifying an individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from an optical card, the system comprising:

a biometric scanner for obtaining biometric data from the individual;

a housing comprising;

an optical card drive adapted for reading from and writing to the optical card, and

a data processor coupled with the optical card drive and the biometric scanner, wherein the data processor assists in comparing data from said optical card and the biometric data and delivers data to the optical card drive for writing on the optical card; and

a video output for displaying an image corresponding the individual, wherein the image is read from the optical card.

14. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein the optical card stores a prescription or other medical therapy.

15. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein data processor is programmed for assigning testing of the individual with a reading of the optical card.

16. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein the optical card includes software for interpreting information stored on the optical card.

17. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises a printer that is coupled to the data processor.

18. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein the biometric scanner comprises at least one of a fingerprint reader, an iris reader, hand geometry reader, voice recognition device, face recognition device, and a DNA recognition device.

19. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein the optical card is disk-shaped.

20. The system for identifying the individual and reading biometric information pertaining to the individual from the optical card as recited in claim 13, wherein audit information is written to the optical card during interaction with the system.

21. A method for tracking an individual and information about the individual, the method comprising:

assigning an optical card to the individual;

reading first biometric information from the optical card;

gathering second biometric information from the individual;

comparing first biometric information and the second biometric information, wherein the reading, gathering and comparing steps are performed with a system that includes a optical card drive, a biometric scanner and a data processor; and

authenticating an identity of the individual based upon, at least, the comparing step.

22. The method for tracking the individual and information about the individual as recited in claim 21, further comprising steps of:

providing a display for displaying data from the data processor;

reading an image from the optical card;

displaying the image on the display, whereby an attendant can compare the image with the individual to authenticate that the optical card is associated with the individual.

23. The method for tracking the individual and information about the individual as recited in claim 21, further comprising a step of writing information to the optical card with the optical card drive that relates to the authenticating step, whereby the information provides part of an audit trail for later inspection.

24. The method for tracking the individual and information about the individual as recited in claim 21, further comprising a steps of:

assigning a test of the individual based on the identification; and

writing information to the optical card indicating the test was assigned.

25. The method for tracking the individual and information about the individual as recited in claim 21, further comprising a step of encrypting information that is written on the optical card.

26. The method for tracking the individual and information about the individual as recited in claim 21, further comprising a step of writing a digitized image of a document to the optical card.