Low cost method employing time slots for thwarting fraud in the periodic issuance of food stamps, unemployment benefits or other governmental human services

• US 5,553,155 A
• Filed: 03/11/1992
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avant, Inc. (Sentinel Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Nathans, Roger J. Kuhns
• Inventors: Kuhns, Roger J., Nathans, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US07/850,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 382/2, 382/115, 382/116, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 235/377, 235/382, 364/409
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

Upon monthly revalidation of a benefit, the client'"'"'s pin is read off of the client'"'"'s benefit card and a PC produces a time slot assigned to the client who receives a food benefit allocation for the month only if the current date and time of day is within his assigned time slot. Since the assigned time slot is only 1-2 hours each month, and since the card holder stands in line, he simply doesn'"'"'t have time to collect two food benefit allocations from two separated issue stations. He can'"'"'t get a second food benefit card with a different time slot because the assigned time slot is tied to his unchanging biometric characteristics. However, since the time slots at each issue station are synchronized, he can report to any issue station for convenience. Transfer of a second fraudulently obtained card to an accomplice is thwarted by ink jet printing the applicant'"'"'s facial image on the benefit card when issued, or using the pin to display his facial image on a CRT.

Claims

1. Method of utilizing an electronically controlled data processor means to prevent fraud in the issuance of periodically dispensed benefits to enrollees at a plurality of benefit issue stations comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting biometric data indicative of at least one particular type of biometric characteristic of each enrollee into said electronically controlled data processor means;

(b) utilizing the biometric data to assign a particular periodically recurring time slot period, selected from at least several time slot periods, to each enrollee in accordance with and under the control of the biometric data of each enrollee;

(c) detecting the presence of each enrollee at an issue station; and

(d) issuing a benefit to each enrollee only if the enrollee reports to an issue station during that periodically recurring time slot period assigned to the enrollee.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) includes causing the biometric data to address a look-up table.

3. Method of claim 1 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period is no greater than two hours in duration, thus making it difficult for an enrollee to receive two benefit allocations at two adjacent issue stations.

4. Method of claim 3 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

5. Method of claim 1 including causing all issue stations within a portion of a protected area to issue benefits at particular times only to enrollees having the same assigned periodically recurring time slot period to deter fraud, while at the same time enabling an enrollee to conveniently report to an issue station of his own choosing.

6. Method of claim 1 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

7. Method of claim 1 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period recurs no more than once a week.

8. Method of utilizing an electronically controlled data processor means to prevent fraud in the issuance of periodically dispensed benefits to enrollees at a plurality of benefit issue stations comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting biometric data indicative of at least one particular type of biometric characteristic of each enrollee into said electronically controlled data processor means;

(b) converting the biometric data of each enrollee into time slot data related to biometric characteristics represented by the biometric data, the time slot data being indicative of one periodically recurring time slot period;

(c) utilizing the time slot data produced in accordance with step (b) to assign a particular periodically recurring time slot period, selected from at least several time slot periods, to each enrollee;

(d) detecting the presence of each enrollee at an issue station; and

(e) issuing a benefit to each enrollee only if the enrollee reports to an issue station during that periodically recurring time slot period assigned to the enrollee.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step (b) includes causing the biometric data to address a look-up table.

10. Method of claim 8 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period is no greater than two hours in duration, thus making it difficult for an enrollee to receive two benefit allocations at two adjacent issue stations.

11. Method of claim 8 including causing all issue stations within a portion of a protected area to issue benefits at particular times only to enrollees having the same assigned periodically recurring time slot period to deter fraud, while at the same time enabling an enrollee to conveniently report to an issue station on his own choosing.

12. Method of claim 8 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

13. Method of claim 8 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period recurs no more than once a week.

14. Method of utilizing an electronically controlled data processor means to prevent fraud in the issuance of periodically dispensed benefits to enrollees at a plurality of benefit issue stations comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a particular biometric index having a given value for each enrollee which is representitive of several different types of biometric characteristics of the enrollee;

(b) utilizing the particular biometric index of each enrollee to assign a particular one of at least several periodically recurring time slot periods to each enrollee which is based upon and related to the value of the particular biometric index generated in accordance with step (a);

(c) detecting the presence of each enrollee at an issue station; and

(d) issuing a benefit to each enrollee only if the enrollee reports to an issue station during that periodically recurring time slot period assigned to the enrollee.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step (b) includes causing the biometric index to address a look-up table.

16. Method of claim 14 wherein the biometric index is indicative of a plurality of the following types of biometric characteristics, sex, age, height, weight and eye color.

17. Method of claim 14 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period is no greater than two hours in duration, thus making it difficult for an enrollee to receive two benefit allocations at two adjacent issue stations.

18. Method of claim 14 including causing all issue stations within a portion of a protected area issue benefits at particular times only to enrollees having the same assigned periodically recurring time slot period to deter fraud, while at the same time enabling an enrollee to conveniently report to an issue station of his own choosing.

19. Method of claim 14 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and with a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

20. Method of claim 14 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period recurs no more than once a week.

21. Method of utilizing an electronically controlled data processor means to prevent fraud in the issuance of periodically dispensed benefits to enrollees at a plurality of benefit issue stations comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting biometric data having a given value and indicative of at least one particular type of biometric characteristics of each enrollee into said electronically controlled data processor means;

(b) converting the biometric data of each enrollee into time slot data related to the value of the biometric data, the time slot data being indicative of one periodically recurring time slot period;

(c) utilizing the time slot data produce din accordance with step (b) to assign a particular periodically recurring time slot period, selected from at least several time slot periods, to each enrollee;

(d) detecting the current time and current day during which each enrollee reports to an issue station; and

(d) thereafter enabling the issuance of a benefit to each enrollee only if the current time and day is within the periodically recurring time slot period assigned to the enrollee.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step (b) includes causing the biometric data to address a look-up table.

23. Method of claim 21 wherein the biometric data is indicative of a plurality of the following types of biometric characteristics, sex, age, height, weight and eye color.

24. Method of claim 21 said periodically recurring time slot period is not greater than two hours in duration, thus making it difficult for an enrollee to receive two benefit allocations at two adjacent issue stations.

25. Method of claim 21 including causing all issue stations within a portion of a protected area to issue benefits at particular times only to enrollees having the same assigned periodically recurring time slot period to deter fraud, while at the same time enabling an enrollee to conveniently report to an issue station of his own choosing.

26. Method of claim 21 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

27. Method of claim 21 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period recurs no more than once a week.

28. Method of utilizing an electronically controlled data processor means to prevent fraud in the issuance of periodically dispensed benefits to enrollees at a plurality of benefit issue stations comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting biometric data indicative of at least one particular type of biometric characteristic of each enrollee into said electronically controlled data processor means;

(b) producing a variable index having a value which is a function of the biometric data of each enrollee and utilizing the variable index to assign a time slot period to each enrollee which is determined by the value of the index;

(c) detecting the presence of each enrollee at an issue station; and

(d) issuing a benefit to each enrollee only if the enrollee reports to an issue station during that periodically recurring time slot period assigned to the enrollee.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein step (b) includes causing the biometric data to address a look-up table.

30. Method of claim 28 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period is no greater than two hours in duration, thus making it difficult for an enrollee to receive two benefit allocations at two adjacent issue stations.

31. Method of claim 30 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

32. Method of claim 28 including causing all issue stations within a portion of a protected area to issue benefits at particular times only to enrollees having the same assigned periodically recurring time slot period to deter fraud, while at the same time enabling an enrollee to conveniently report to an issue station of his own choosing.

33. Method of claim 28 further including recording facial images of enrollees receiving benefits at a particular issue station and within a particular recurring time slot period and displaying groups of recorded facial images to a human being to enable detection of two facial images of the same person, thereby to further deter fraud.

34. Method of claim 28 wherein said periodically recurring time slot period recurs no more than once a week.