Optical motor-vehicle card

• US 20050279828A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BSI2000, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BSI2000, Inc.
• Inventors: Harper, W. Jack
• Application Number:
  US11/145,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/00 Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols vehicle registration number plates B60R13/10; Panels or boards show-cards G09F1/00; indicating arrangements for variable information G09F9/00, G09F11/00; illuminated signs G09F13/00; boards for notices or posters G09F15/00

Abstract

An optical motor-vehicle card is provided as a laminated card having a pattern of burn holes that encode information according to a set of fields. One field is an identification field having optically encoded information identifying an authorized holder of the optical motor-vehicle card. Another field is a driving-status field having optically encoded information summarizing an authorized driving status of the authorized holder.

Claims

1. An optical motor-vehicle card comprising a laminated card having a pattern of burn holes that encode information according to a set of fields, the set of fields comprising:

an identification field having optically encoded information identifying an authorized holder of the optical motor-vehicle card; and

a driving-status field having optically encoded information summarizing an authorized driving status of the authorized holder.

2. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the identification field comprises optically encoded information identifying a physical feature of the authorized holder.

3. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 2 wherein the optically encoded information identifying the physical feature of the authorized holder identifies at least one of a sex of the authorized holder, a height of the authorized holder, a hair color of the authorized holder, and an eye color of the authorized holder.

4. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 2 wherein the optically encoded information identifying the physical feature of the authorized holder comprises an optically encoded photograph of the authorized holder.

5. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 2 wherein the optically encoded information identifying the physical feature of the authorized holder comprises an optically encoded fingerprint of the authorized holder.

6. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the identification field comprises an optically encoded signature of the authorized holder.

7. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the driving-status field comprises optically encoded information identifying a license classification of the authorized holder.

8. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the driving-status field comprises optically encoded information identifying driving restrictions placed on the authorized holder.

9. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the driving-status field comprises optically encoded information identifying a history of driving infractions assessed against the authorized holder.

10. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the set of fields further comprises an insurance field having optically encoded information identifying driving insurance carried by the authorized holder.

11. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the set of fields further comprises a voting-registration field having optically encoded information identifying a status of the authorized holder as eligible to vote in at least one identified political territory.

12. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the set of fields further comprises an organ-donation field having optically encoded information identifying directions of the authorized holder for organ donation.

13. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 1 wherein the set of fields further comprises a registration-information field having optically encoded information identifying:

a vehicle registered with a vehicle-registration authority; and

an owner of the vehicle.

14. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 13 wherein the optically encoded information identifying the vehicle comprises a vehicle identification number assigned to the vehicle.

15. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 13 wherein the owner is the authorized holder.

16. An optical motor-vehicle card comprising a laminated card having a pattern of burn holes that encode information according to a set of fields, the set of fields comprising:

an identification field having optically encoded information identifying an authorized holder of the optical motor-vehicle card; and

a registration-information field having optically encoded information identifying;

a vehicle registered with a vehicle-registration authority; and

an owner of the vehicle.

17. The optical motor-vehicle card recited in claim 16 wherein the optically encoded information identifying the vehicle comprises a vehicle identification number assigned to the vehicle.

18. A method for aiding a law-enforcement officer in evaluating an operator of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, with an optical-card processing unit, an optical motor-vehicle card presented by the operator in response to a request from the law-enforcement officer, the optical motor-vehicle card including an identification field having optically encoded information identifying an authorized holder of the optical motor-vehicle card and a driving-status field having optically encoded information summarizing an authorized driving status of the authorized holder;

decoding, with the optical-card processing unit, the optically encoded information identifying the authorized holder from the optical motor-vehicle card;

generating, from the decoded information identifying the authorized holder, a display for presentation to the law-enforcement officer to allow the law-enforcement officer to confirm the operator is the authorized holder;

decoding, with the optical-card processing unit, the optically encoded information summarizing the authorized driving status of the authorized holder; and

displaying the decoded information summarizing the authorized driving status to the law-enforcement officer as an information aid to the law-enforcement officer in determining a course of action.

19. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the optically encoded information identifying the authorized holder comprises an optically encoded photograph of the authorized holder; and

generating the display comprises generating a rendering of the photograph for presentation to the law-enforcement officer.

20. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the optically encoded information identifying the authorized holder comprises a list of physical characteristics of the authorized holder; and

generating the display comprises preparing the list for presentation to the law-enforcement officer as text.

21. The method recited in claim 18 wherein:

the optically encoded information identifying the authorized holder comprises an optically encoded fingerprint of the authorized holder; and

generating the display comprises generating a rendering of the fingerprint for presentation to the law-enforcement officer.

22. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the authorized driving status comprises specification of a license classification of the authorized holder.

23. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the authorized driving status comprises specification of driving restrictions placed on the authorized holder.

24. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the authorized driving status comprises specification of a history of driving infractions assessed against the authorized holder.

25. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the optical motor-vehicle card further includes a registration-information field having optically encoded information identifying:

a vehicle registered with a vehicle-registration authority; and

an owner of the vehicle,

the method further comprising;

decoding, with the optical-card processing unit, the optically encoded information identifying the vehicle and the owner; and

displaying the decoded information identifying the vehicle and the owner to the law-enforcement officer as part of the information aid to the law-enforcement officer in determining a course of action.

26. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the optical motor-vehicle card further includes an insurance field having optically encoded information identifying driving insurance carried by the authorized holder, the method further comprising:

decoding, with the optical-card processing unit, the optically encoded information identifying the driving insurance; and

displaying the decoded information identifying the driving insurance to the law-enforcement officer as part of the information aid to the law-enforcement officer in determining a course of action.