System for verification and association of documents and digital images

• US 6,801,907 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Security Identification Systems Corp. (ACRE LLC)
• Original Assignee: Security Identification Systems Corp. (ACRE LLC)
• Inventors: Zagami, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/545,941
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 707/3, 707/2, 707/203, 707/9, 340/5.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

This invention provides a process and apparatus, using a computer system, peripheral equipment and uniquely designed software, for electronically capturing the image(s) of one or more persons and/or objects, associating such image(s) with a database record and printing or otherwise transferring to a document (including, but not limited to, tickets, cards, tags and passes) a unique coding or symbology. When later required, the person(s) and/or object(s) associated with the document can be verified by visually comparing such person(s) or object(s) with the displayed image(s) recalled from the computer memory by using the symbology on the document to locate the database record and image file, or reconstructed from the symbology or coding on the document itself by using various decoding algorithms.

Claims

1. A method as implemented on a computer system to provide an interactive photo identification and access control system for monitoring, identifying and inventorying personnel, consisting of the steps of:

providing a photo registration station at a point of entry to an area having controlled access, the registration station including a CPU, a digital camera, a monitor, data input means, a network interface, and a sensing mechanism operable to read an access card having machine-readable media thereon containing coded identification data;

applying an access card to the sensing mechanism to retrieve the identification data coded thereon;

whereupon a digital image of one or more persons, objects or combinations thereof is taken;

storing the digital image in a database in association with the identification data to form a unique identifier dataset;

verifying the access card by application to the sensing mechanism for interpretation of the identification data coded thereon;

querying the database to retrieve the unique identifier dataset;

displaying the digital image from the unique identifier dataset on the monitor to a human operator, allowing the human operator to perform an instantaneous visual comparison of the digital image with the person bearing the access card to ascertain definitive identity confirmation of the person attesting to association with the access card in accordance with the unique identifier dataset;

recording the time of entry of a person associated with the unique identifier dataset into an access controlled area at such time the access card is verified;

recording the times of exit of a person associated with the unique identifier dataset from the access controlled area at such time the access card is verified; and

storing the times of entry and exit in the database whereby a real-time inventory of personnel within the access controlled are can be maintained.