Method and apparatus for transaction card security utilizing embedded image data

• US 6,321,981 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Ray, Lawrence A., Honsinger, Chris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Larry D
• Application Number:
  US09/218,614
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/462.01, 235/382, 235/470, 235/379, 235/493, 382/115, 283/93, 705/26, 705/40, 705/41, 705/64
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

A highly secure personal identification related document is achieved by having an area which contains machine readable information and also having a printed region having embedded data in the image printed thereon. The machine readable information as recorded has been encoded using a secure hash algorithm. For legitimate personal identification related documents, the machine readable data and the embedded data are identical information. The personal identification related document is used in conjunction with a reader system which includes a reader for the machine readable data, an optical scanner for scanning the image and data embedded therein, and a processor. The machine readable data is delivered to the processor which applies the secure hash algorithm thereto to generate a first data set. The digitized image data retrieved with the optical scanner is also delivered to the processor and the embedded data is retrieved therefrom to generate a second data set. The two data streams are then passed to a comparator to determine if there is an adequate match to verify authenticity of the document.

Claims

1. A personal identification related document reader system comprising:

means for reading a machine readable area of a personal identification related document;

an optical scanner for scanning a printed image area of the personal identification related document;

means for extracting data embedded with an image in the printed image area;

a hash algorithm for deriving information from the machine readable area;

means for comparing the information derived from the machine readable area to the extracted data embedded within the printed image area; and

an indicator device which informs a user if the information derived from the machine readable area and the extracted data embedded within the printed image area are within a predetermined level of agreement, the predetermined level of agreement being less than 100 percent.

2. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the machine readable information is in a magnetic strip.

3. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the machine readable information is in a two-dimensional bar code.

4. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the machine readable information is in an integrated circuit.

5. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the machine readable information is in a data glyph.

6. A personal identification related document as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the printed image information in the printed region is an image of the holder the personal identification related document.

7. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a personal identification related document transport system.

8. A personal identification related document reader system as recited in claim 7 wherein:

said personal identification related document is a transaction card.

9. A method for verifying authenticity of a personal identification related document having a hash algorithm encoded first data set recorded on a machine readable area and a second data set derived from the first data set embedded in an image printed on a printed region, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning the image in the printed region;

extracting the second data set from the image in the printed region;

reading the encoded first data set;

decoding the hash algorithm encoded first data set;

deriving the second data set from the first data set of said decoding step;

comparing the second data set from said deriving step with the second data set from said extracting step; and

determining whether the second data set from said deriving step and the first data set from said extracting step are within a predetermined level of agreement, the predetermined level of agreement being less than 100 percent.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein:

the image to be printed onto the printed region is an image of the holder the personal identification related document.