PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 3,579,186 A
• Filed: 06/25/1968
• Issued: 05/18/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Burroughs Incorporated (Terreno Realty Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Dunham, Robert R. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Robert R., Dunham, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US04/739,803
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• US Class Current: 382/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2253 Recognition of characters printed with magnetic ink G06V30/2247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/247 electronically, e.g. by comparing signal of hand-writing with a reference signal from the pass

Abstract

A method and apparatus for positively determining whether an individual is a member of a predetermined group based on unique repeatable characteristics of an electrical waveform generated by a force-responsive transducer whenever the person writes his name or other mark. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, positive identification of a person as being an authorized member of a predetermined group is made by an apparatus which compares prerecorded authorized signature characterizing information with an electrical waveform generated when the person signs his signature. The comparison may for example comprise a cross or autocorrelation technique in which the identifying apparatus determines whether the waveform generated by the person in signing his signature correlates within a predetermined degree with the previously recorded signature identifying information.

Claims

1. A method for establishing the identity of an individual on the basis of a handwritten mark, for example the signature of the individual to be identified, said method comprising the steps of generating a dynamic signature characterizing electrical waveform, said dynamic waveform being a predetermined function of the varying pressure exerted by a stylus in contact with a marking surface when the individual to be identified writes his signature, generating an authorized signature characterizing waveform, said authorized signature characterizing waveform corresponding to a like predetermined function of the varying pressure exerted by a stylus on a marking surface in writing the signature to be authorized, and comparing said dynamic signature characterizing pressure waveform with said authorized signature characterizing waveform to determine the degree of match therebetween.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step of comparing comprises the step of electrically analyzing predetermined parameters of said dynamic signature characterizing waveform with like parameters of said authorized signature characterizing waveform.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said step of electrically analyzing comprises the step of cross correlating said dynamic signature characterizing waveform with said authorized signature waveform to determine the maximum degree of correlation therebetween and additionally including the step of signalling a verified condition when said dynamic signature characterizing waveform and said authorized signature characterizing waveform correlate within predetermined limits.

4. A method for determining whether an individual is a member of a predetermined group on the basis of a handwritten mark, for example a signature, wherein an authorized signature or mark for each member of said predetermined group is characterized by individual identifying information that is derived as a predetermined function of an electrical signal generated as such individual writes his authorized mark upon being enrolled in said predetermined group, said method comprising the steps of generating a dynamic signature characterizing electrical waveform as the person to be verified as a member of said group writes his mark, and comparing said individual identifying information for at leasT one of said predetermined members of said group with like signature identifying information derived from said dynamic signature characterizing waveform to determine the degree of correlation therebetween.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein said step of comparing comprises the steps of analyzing said dynamic signature characterizing electrical waveform to derive individual identifying information as a predetermined parameter of at least one function of said electrical waveform, and matching similar portions of said individual identifying information and said individual identifying information derived from said dynamic signature characterizing waveform to determine the degree of likeness therebetween.

6. The method defined in claim 4 wherein the step of comparing comprises the steps of generating an authorized signature analogue electrical waveform from said authorized signature individual identifying information presented by the person to be identified, and correlating said analogue electrical waveform generated from said authorized signature identifying information with said dynamic signature characterizing waveform to determine whether said respective waveforms correlate within a predetermined degree.

7. Personal identification verifier apparatus for determining whether a particular individual is a member of a predetermined group of authorized persons, said apparatus comprising information entry means for receiving authorized signature characterizing information data, said authorized signature characterizing information data being issued to ones of said authorized persons when they are admitted as members of said group, identifying means for generating a dynamic electrical waveform as said individual to be identified writes his signature or mark, comparison means for comparing at least one function or parameter of said electrical waveform with said authorized signature characterizing data entered by said individual via said information entry means, and signalling means for signalling a verify condition whenever said derived information and said authorized signature characterizing information favorably correlate within predetermined limits.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said information entry apparatus comprises means for receiving a credit-type card and for reading authorized signature identifying information from cards inserted therein.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said identifying means comprises pressure responsive means for generating the signature characterizing electrical analogue waveform as said individual writes his mark, said analogue waveform being proportional to a predetermined function of the varying pressure exerted by said individual between a marking stylus used to make his mark and a marking surface on which said mark is made.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said comparison means includes converter means for generating an authorized signature analogue electrical waveform in response to said information data entered via said information entry means, and correlation means for electrically comparing said analogue waveforms to determine the degree of correlation between said dynamic and authorized signature waveforms.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said identifying means includes an electrical transducer responsive to the varying pressures exerted by a person to be identified when writing the authorized signature or mark, and wherein said electrical transducer forms part of an electrical circuit and cooperates therewith to generate electrical signals indicative of such varying pressures.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said electrical transducer is a strain gauge, and wherein the strain gauge is incorporated in the circuit as one part of a balanced bridge circuit.

13. Personal identification verifier apparatus comprising means for generating a dynamic electrical analogue waveform as An individual to be identified writes his signature or mark, means responsive to authorized signature information supplied by said individual for generating an authorized signature waveform and means for correlating said dynamic and authorized waveforms to determine the degree of likeness therebetween.

14. The identification verifier apparatus defined in claim 13 additionally including means for coupling said apparatus via a communication channel to an on line data processor and wherein said correlation means includes means for transmitting at least the dynamic waveform to said data processor whereby comparison of said dynamic waveform may be correlated with authorized signature data for those persons included within a predetermined population group.

15. Personal identification verifier apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a credit card or the like bearing an authorized signature characterizing identifying data and for reading such data, means responsive to forces exerted by an individual to be identified as he writes the authorized signature for generating an electrical waveform signal corresponding to such forces, means for electrically comparing at least one or more identifying features of said electrical waveform signal with the authorized signature characterizing data read from a credit card received by the apparatus, and means for indicating whether the electrical waveform signal compares favorably with the authorized signature characterizing data read from the credit card.

16. A personal identification verifier system comprising, in combination:

apparatus for generating a dynamic electrical analogue waveform signal concurrently as an individual to be identified writes his signature or mark, means responsive to authorized signature data furnished by said individual for generating an authorized signature waveform signal, means for coupling said apparatus by way of a communication channel to a remote data processor, and means for transmitting at least the dynamic waveform signal to said data processor whereby comparison of said dynamic waveform signal may be correlated with the authorized signature waveform signal to determine the degree of likeness therebetween.

17. A method for establishing the identity of an individual on the basis of a handwritten mark, for example, the signature of the individual to be identified, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a credit card or the like bearing prerecorded identifying features of an authorized signature, generating a signature characterizing electrical waveform signal as a function of the varying forces exerted by a stylus in contact with a marking surface when an individual presenting the credit card writes the authorized signature, and electrically comparing the electrical waveform signal with the identifying features of the authorized electrical waveform recorded on the credit card to determine the degree of match therebetween.

18. A method for establishing the identity of an individual on the basis of a handwritten mark, for example, the signature of the individual to be identified, said method comprising the steps of:

generating an authorized signature characterizing electrical waveform signal as a function of the varying forces exerted by a stylus in contact with a marking surface when an authorized individual writes his signature, recording identifying features of the authorized electrical waveform signal upon a credit card or the like, generating a second signature characterizing electrical waveform signal as a function of the varying forces exerted by a stylus in contact with a marking surface when an individual presenting the credit card writes the authorized signature, and electrically comparing the second generated electrical waveform signal with the identifying features of the authorized electrical waveform signal recorded on the credit card to determine the degree of match therebetween.