CONTROLLED ACCESS SYSTEMS

• US 3,857,018 A
• Filed: 12/07/1973
• Issued: 12/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard M. Stark, Ronald G. Beachem
• Original Assignee: Richard M. Stark, Ronald G. Beachem
• Inventors: Stark, Richard M., Beachem, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Application Number:
  US05/422,753
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 235/61.7B,61.7R 340/149A,149R
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1066 PIN data being compared to data on card

Abstract

A security system for use either as a means for establishing credit or for limiting access to restricted areas. The system operates with a card having a variable 20 by 20 row and column matrix as its internal configuration. The system may be programmed to read any number of digits in the matrix, in any combination and in any sequence. This feature allows the owner of the system to create unique card codes and to change these codes at any time. Programming is accomplished simply by closing a key switch and positioning the proper sequence of numbers on an input keyboard. The authorized holder of an identification card is assigned a unique keyboard number for his card depending on the owner'"'"''"'"'s program. Each cardholder must then use his input number which is based on his card'"'"''"'"'s internal configuration. In addition, further programming of this system provides eight levels of control. This feature allows a single installation to have up to eight increasing levels of security with no change in the card'"'"''"'"'s unique configuration. Cards may be coded for entry to one area only, to all eight areas or to any intermediate number of areas. Similarly, credit ranges can be established in the same manner. Provision is also made to selectively lock out individual cardholders.

Claims

1. A system for security control of a desired operation comprising:

a series of identification cards having individually distinct but nondiscrete information as a part of each card;

means for programming said system with a system program to read a random selection of information from the cards;

input means for entering the system program and for enabling a user to enter memorized information into the system;

information sensing means to read the random selection of information in accordance with the system program;

means for comparing the memorized information to the randomly selected information obtained from the cards to determine whether or not they are identical; and

means for implementing the desired operation if the memorized information and the randomly selected information are identical.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the nondiscrete information associated with the identification cards is impregnated in the identification cards.

3. The sYstem of claim 1 wherein the nondiscrete information associated with the identification cards is affixed to the surface of the identification cards.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the nondiscrete information associated with the identification cards is arranged in a matrix configuration.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the system can be programmed to read selected rows of the matrix in any order to establish a number to identify a user of the card.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the system can be programmed to read selected columns of the matrix in any order to establish a number to identify a user of the card.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the system can be programmed to read selected rows and columns of the matrix in any order to establish a number to identify a user of the card.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the desired operation is to identify the user of the card for the purpose of providing credit thereto.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the desired operation is to identify the user of the card for the purposes of controlling access to secured areas.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising security level means for establishing various levels of security for the desired operation and wherein a portion of the nondiscrete information associated with the identification cards is related to the maximum level of security that the user may be permitted to obtain.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the memorized information are numbers used to identify the user and further comprising storage means for storing numbers identifying users who will not be permitted to perform the desired operation;

means for comparing the memorized number with the stored numbers to determine whether or not they are identical; and

means for preventing the desired operation if the memorized number and the stored number are identical.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the memorized information is a number and each digit of the user'"'"''"'"'s memorized number is sequentially compared with each digit of a number selected by the system program from information associated with the identification card.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the system may be programmed to obtain a multiple digit number having an identification component and a security level component from the nondiscrete information impregnated in each identification card.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the desired operation can be accomplished at various levels of security and wherein the system may be programmed to obtain a multiple decimal digit number for identification of the user and a multiple octal digit number to determine at which security level the user may perform the desired operation.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the system may be programmed to ignore all but one octal digit of the multiple octal digit number, the octal digit number being used to establish the maximum of eight levels of security that the user will be permitted to perform the desired operation.