Personal identification card system

• US 4,729,128 A
• Filed: 06/10/1985
• Issued: 03/01/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvin G. Grimes, Norman E. Dixon
• Original Assignee: Marvin G. Grimes, Norman E. Dixon
• Inventors: Grimes, Marvin G., Dixon, Norman E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US06/742,942
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 382/58, 340/825.34, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.33, 235/380, 235/439, 235/487, 235/488, 283/72, 283/75, 283/94, 283/111, 73/599, 367/7, 367/8, 367/87, 358/112, 380/23, 380/59
• US Class Current: 382/116
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means, e.g. sensing punched holes with compressed air; by sonic means ; by ultrasonic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a personal identification card system includes a card having a plurality of lamina joined permanently together, with identification information written on the inner surfaces of the lamina. The information is not visible from the exterior of the card, and is written as analog and digital indicia and images adapted to be read by ultrasonic imaging means. An ultrasonic imaging card reading terminal may include either pulse-echo, through-transmission, or tomographic amplitude sensing devices, or may include acoustic holographic imaging sensors for appropriately formed indicia and images. The personal identifying data contained within the card may include a fingerprint image or an acoustic vocal spectrogram of the individual, as well as personal identifying numbers, signature, and the like.

Claims

1. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, and card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said acoustic data means includes an acoustically encoded holographic image.

2. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, and card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said acoustic data means includes digital data in acoustically encoded form.

3. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, and card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said acoustic data means includes analog data in acoustically encoded form.

4. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, and card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said layers are optically opaque to prevent visualization of said acoustic data means.

5. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultraonsic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said card scanning means includes an ultrasonic transducer for emitting said ultrasonic signal, means for receiving said ultrasonic signal after said signal passes through said card, said ultrasonic transducer also comprising said means for receiving said ultraonsic signal, and further includign means for translating said card relative to said transducer and said means for receiving to scan said acoustic data means portion of said card.

6. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said card scanning means includes an ultrasonic transducer for emitting said ultrasonic signal, means for receiving said ultrasonic signal after said signal passes through said card, further including liquid acoustic couplant means in which said card, said transducer, and said means for receiving are all immersed.

7. The system of claim 6, further including beam splitter means for dividing said ultrasonic signal into an interrogation signal and a reference signal, and means for directing said interrogation signal through said card to a surface of said liquid couplant means.

8. The system of claim 7, further including means for directing said reference signal to intersect said interrogation signal at said surface of said liuqid couplant means to form a holographic representation thereon.

9. The system of claim 8, further including optical holographic imaging means for converging said holographic representation at said surface of said liuqid couplant to a visible hologram.

10. A personal identification card system, including an identification card having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card ina predetermined, data encoding pattern, card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern with in said card, wherein said card scanning means includes an ultrasonic transducer for emitting said ultrasonic signal, means for receiving said ultrasonic signal after said signal passes through said card, wherein said ultrasonic transducer includes a layer of piezoelectric material therein, and a plurality of conductors disposed in an array impinging on said piezoelectric layer and adapted to electrically interact with portions of said piezoelectric layer to transmit or receive ultrasonic signals.

11. A personal identification card system, including an identificationc ard having a plurality of layers bonded together, acoustic data means on one internal surface of one of said layers for altering the propagation of an ultrasonic signal through said card in a predetermined, data encoding pattern, card scanning means for directing an ultrasonic signal through said card and detecting the altered signal propagation through said acoustic data means and said predetermined, data encoding pattern within said card, wherein said card scanning emans includes an ultrasonic transducer for emitting said ultrasonic signal, means for receiving said ultrasonic signal after said signal passes through said card, further including dry acoustic coupling means interposed between said ultrasonic transducer, said card, and said receiving means for impedance-matching the acoustic signal propagation therethrough.