System of secure personal identification, information processing, and precise point of contact location and timing

• US 7,013,365 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arnouse Digital Devices Corporation
• Original Assignee: Michael Arnouse
• Inventors: Arnouse, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Assistant Examiner(s): KO, DANIEL BOKMIN
• Application Number:
  US10/462,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20040255081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 711/115, 235441-449
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD

Abstract

A universal lightweight, easily carried memory identification card records information and controls access to this information. The memory card includes a file system of electronic files on the card, which are automatically detected and recognized by selected authorized readers. The file system is organized so that stored electronic files appear in separate and distinct encrypted compartments in the card, so that only authorized preselected readers have access to particular compartments. Biometric identifying information is imprinted in the card, so that no data can be transferred unless there is a biometric match between a reader and a person assigned to the card and who possesses the card. The separate compartments of the memory card may include a compartment containing medical, administrative or financial information relating to the assigned user of the card, wherein the information is accessed only by a preselected memory card reader having the unique pin code assigned to the compartment having the medical information. The memory identification card can also have a single chip Global Positioning System (GPS) to identify where the card is being used.

Claims

1. A memory card comprising:

one or more storage devices for retaining information;

an interface mechanism for transferring information either from or to the one or more storage devices, wherein the interface mechanism comprises one or more physical contacts located on the surface of the memory card, and with the one or more physical contacts being in connection with the one or more storage devices, the one or more physical contacts further being adapted to engage an external device;

a security mechanism for regulating access to the information retained in the one or more storage devices, wherein the security mechanism comprises a specific arrangement of the one or more physical contacts of the interface mechanism, with the memory card being adapted to transfer specific types of information based on a corresponding physical connector associated with the external device; and

a tracking mechanism for associating the physical and temporal location of the memory card with the external device, wherein said tracking mechanism is activated by the external device.

2. A memory card of claim 1, wherein the interface mechanism comprises a transmitter/receiver.

3. A memory card of claim 1, wherein the interface mechanism comprises an antenna.

4. A memory card of claim 3, wherein the antenna comprises at least one of a foil antenna or a ceramic antenna.

5. A memory card of claim 1, wherein the security mechanism comprises biometric information stored in the one or more storage devices and adapted to be compared via the interface against actual measured biometric information.

6. A memory card of claim 1, further comprising one or more integrated circuits mounted on a substrate as a flip chip.

7. A memory card of claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises a polyimide substrate.

8. A memory card of claim 6, wherein the integrated circuits are mounted by an adhesive.

9. A memory card of claim 1, further comprising one or more layers of a polyimide laminate.

10. A memory card of claim 1 further comprising a power source.

11. A memory card of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises a solar cell.

12. A memory card of claim 1, wherein the tracking mechanism comprises a GPS device.

13. A memory card of claim 1 further comprising a photo image of a person assigned to the card displayed on an outer surface of the card.

14. A memory card of claim 1 in which said card contains in a storage device a digitized photo image of the person assigned to said card.

15. A memory card of claim 1 in which one of the storage devices contains biometric identifying information about the assigned user of said card.

16. A system for storing information unique to a particular person and using said information for a plurality of purposes comprising:

a) a central establishment for collecting and storing said information;

b) a memory card for recording information downloaded from said establishment, said card having;

i) a plurality of storage elements for recording said information in a plurality of different compartments; and

ii) biometric identifying information stored on said card in one of the storage elements so that no data can be transferred unless there is a biometric match between the stored biometric identifying information and a person assigned to said card;

c) a plurality of preselected readers for transferring information between said establishment and said memory card; and

d) an interface between the memory card and the plurality of preselected readers for controlling the transfer of information between the memory card and the plurality of preselected readers, the interface comprising a plurality of separate groups of physical contacts located on the surface of the memory card, with each group of physical contacts being in connection with a different storage element on the memory card, wherein each group of physical contacts comprises a specific unique arrangement of physical contacts different from any other group located on the memory card, with each preselected reader having a unique arrangement of physical connectors located thereon which are configured to match the specific unique arrangement of physical contacts of designated ones of the groups of physical contacts located on the memory card, so that a preselected reader can only extract information from a compartment for which said preselected reader has the corresponding physical connectors associated with that compartment.

17. A system of claim 16 in which said biometric information includes a digitized photo image of the person to whom said memory card pertains.

18. A system of claim 17 in which said memory card display a picture of said person for comparison with the digitized photo image of said person.

19. A system of claim 16 in which said memory card contains a single chip GPS engine allowing said establishment to track the movements of said memory card.

20. A method of securing information on a memory card comprising:

accessing one or more establishments via an interface mechanism;

verifying the identity of the card owner by comparing identifying information stored on the memory card against identifying information stored in an external device, wherein the interface mechanism comprises one or more physical contacts adapted to engage a corresponding physical connector associated with the external device;

transferring selected information between the one or more establishments and the memory card when the identity of the card owner is verified, wherein the selected information is based on the specific arrangement of the physical connector associated with the external device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the identifying information comprises biometric information.

22. The method of claim 21 in which said biometric information comprises one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of facial characteristics, finger prints, DNA, and retina characteristics.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein information is transferred from said one or more establishments and downloaded onto the memory card when identity has been verified.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the information stored on said card is encrypted.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the memory card comprises multiple compartments, each of which includes a different bundle of information, with said biometric information being stored in one compartment, each compartment having a different unique physical contact for access thereto.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising providing location information for allowing the memory card to be tracked.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the location information comprises GPS tracking.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising a GPS engine for providing the GPS tracking and with the GPS engine located on one of the memory card or a reader for communicating with the memory card.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the memory card comprises a specific arrangement of physical contacts for communicating with the reader, with each reader including a corresponding physical connector for communicating with specific compartments on said memory card.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said card includes a digitized photo image of the person to whom said memory card pertains.

31. A system of claim 30 in which said memory card displays a picture of said person for comparison with the digitized photo image of said person.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said biometric information stored on said card is represented by a number.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein an account number is provided on said card that is different than said number corresponding to said biometric information stored on said card.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein biometric information stored on the memory card is unalterable.