Secure identification card and system

• US 4,682,794 A
• Filed: 07/22/1985
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Photon Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Photon Devices, Ltd.
• Inventors: Margolin, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US06/757,385
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 283/85, 283/87, 283/91, 283/107, 283/109, 283/904, 283/82
• US Class Current: 283/82
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/16 Magnetic or magnetisable material
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/20 Optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/34 Markings visible under particular conditions or containing coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/305 Associated digital information record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/086 with markings consisting of randomly placed or oriented elements, the randomness of the elements being useable for generating a unique identifying signature of the record carrier, e.g. randomly placed magnetic fibers or magnetic particles in the body of a credit card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• 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 7/0813 Specific details related to card security
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

A credit card is made with a number of optical fibers sandwiched in the card. Some of the fibers intersect opposite edges of the card in a random fashion and provide a unique code characteristic of the card when light is directed into one edge and detected at the other. When cards are made in quantity, the fiber are added in a random fashion providing a unique code for each card.

Claims

1. An identification card comprising an essentially planar member having first and second edges, said member including a plurality of optical fibers at least some of which have first and second ends which intersect said first and second edges respectively at random.

2. An identification card in accordance with claim 1 wherein said member is rectangular in shape and includes at least a first area aligned parallel to said first and second edges and including a plurality of coded indications.

3. An identification card in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first area comprises a magnetic stripe.