Process and system for the material reduction of counterfeit and identity-maker fraud

• US 20060015733A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harland Clarke Corporation (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Original Assignee: John H Harland Company (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Inventors: Hansen, Scott A., Watson, John A. II, Kilmer, Samuel R., O'Malley, John E., Ludwick, Clifford A. Jr., Beckel, Helen A.
• Application Number:
  US11/148,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification

Abstract

A method, system and product for the material reduction of counterfeit and identity/maker fraud as it relates to payment vehicles and other authentication-requiring documents. The authentication system allows an institution to apply a code comprising relevant elements of an end-user to an authentication-requiring document. The authentication system allows institutions to validate the authentication-requiring documents at the point of presentment. The authentication system is stand alone and self-authenticating, allowing institutions to include the method, system and product anywhere in the institutions'"'"' document verification or manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a document requiring authentication, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning said document;

detecting relevant elements on said document;

detecting validation symbols on said document;

extracting encrypted secure identity code stored in the validation symbols;

extracting characteristic components from the encrypted secure identity code stored in the validation symbols, wherein said characteristic components cannot be re-created into human readable data forms corresponding to the relevant elements on said document;

translating the relevant elements on said document into data forms that correspond with the characteristic components stored in the validation symbols on said document; and

determining whether the translated relevant elements on said document correspond with the characteristic components stored in the validation symbols on said document.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of outputting a rating identifying the results of said determining step.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify a valid match.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined output used to identify a valid match.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predefined output is a color.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify a valid match.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify an invalid match.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined color used to identify an invalid match.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify an invalid match.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify an undetermined match.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined color used to identify an undetermined match.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify an undetermined match.

13. A method of creating an authentication-requiring document, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting relevant elements from data associated with an end-user;

analyzing the collected relevant elements;

translating the relevant elements to characteristic components;

compressing the characteristic components;

encoding the compressed characteristic components into a secure identity code of approximately 100 bytes in size per end-user;

securely delivering the secure identity code to a machine readable system; and

printing an encoded version of the secure identity code on the authentication-requiring document.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of updating stored secure identity code with changes to the relevant elements of the end-user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said characteristic components cannot be re-created into a human readable data form corresponding to the relevant elements.

16. A method of creating and maintaining validation symbol, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a secure identity code;

encrypting the secure identity code; and

converting the encrypted secure identity code to validation symbols to be placed on an authentication-requiring document.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of securely delivering the validation symbol for integration with an authentication-requiring document.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the validation symbol is stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the validation symbol is associated with said end-user in a computer-readable storage medium.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of updating said stored validation symbol with changes to the secure identity code associated with the end-user.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said method further comprises integrating the validation symbol with an authentication-requiring document, wherein said validation symbol comprises approximately 100 bytes of information per end-user.

22. A computer readable storage medium containing a computer readable code for operating a computer to perform a method of authenticating a document with a validation symbol, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning said document;

detecting relevant elements on said document;

detecting validation symbols on said document;

extracting encrypted secure identity code stored in the validation symbols;

extracting characteristic components from the encrypted secure identity code stored in the validation symbols, wherein said characteristic components cannot be re-created into human readable data forms corresponding to the relevant elements on said document;

translating the relevant elements on said document into data forms that correspond with the characteristic components stored in the validation symbols on said document; and

determining whether the translated relevant elements on said document correspond with the characteristic components stored in the validation symbols on said document.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said method further comprises the act of outputting a confidence rating identifying the results of said determining means.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify a valid match.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined color used to identify a valid match.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify a valid match.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify an invalid match.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined color used to identify an invalid match.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify an invalid match.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined word used to identify an undetermined match.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined color used to identify an undetermined match.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein said outputting step comprises displaying a predefined symbol used to identify an undetermined match.

33. A system comprising a stand alone authentication-requiring document computer program, said program causing the system to perform the steps of:

collecting relevant elements from data associated with the end-user;

analyzing the collected relevant elements;

translating the relevant elements to characteristic components;

compressing the characteristic components;

encoding the compressed characteristic components into a secure identity code of approximately 100 bytes in size per end-user;

securely delivering the secure identity code to a machine readable system; and

printing an encoded version of the secure identity code on the authentication-requiring document.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein said characteristic components cannot be recreated into a human readable data form corresponding to the relevant elements.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein said system further comprises means for updating stored secure identity code with changes to the relevant elements of the end-user.

36. A system for generating a validation symbol comprising of a stand alone capture translating computer program, said program causing the system to perform the steps of:

obtaining a secure identity code;

encrypting the secure identity code; and

converting the encrypted secure identity code to validation symbol to be placed on authentication-requiring document.

37. The system of claim 36 further comprises means for securely delivering the validation symbol for integration with an authentication-requiring document.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the validation symbol is stored in a computer readable storage medium.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said validation symbol is associated with said end-user in a computer readable storage medium.

40. The system of claim 38 further comprises means for updating said stored validation symbol associated with the end-user with changes to the secure identity code associated with the end-user.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein said system further comprises means for integrating validation symbol with an authentication-requiring document, wherein said validation symbol comprises approximately 100 bytes of information per end-user.

42. A method of authenticating an authentication-requiring document, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing information that will assist in authenticating the authentication-requiring document, said information including but not limited to reference data defining signatures, document details and account information;

converting the captured information into a symbol, wherein said symbol cannot be re-created into human readable form;

applying the symbol on the authentication-requiring document;

scanning the authentication-requiring document;

reading the symbol on the authentication-requiring document;

reading aspects of the authentication-requiring document appropriate for comparison with the symbol read; and

applying an automated evaluative process that will output a confidence level regarding the authenticity of the authentication-requiring document.

43. A check comprising:

a substrate; and

a validation symbol used for authentication of said check located on the substrate, said validation symbol being produced by;

collecting relevant elements from data associated with an end-user;

analyzing the collected relevant elements;

translating the relevant elements to characteristic components;

compressing the characteristic components;

encoding the compressed characteristic components into a secure identity code of approximately 100 bytes in size per end-user;

securely delivering the secure identity code to a machine readable system; and

printing an encoded version of the secure identity code on the substrate.