EP0199718A4

EP0199718A4 - Curtailment of tampering.

Info

Publication number: EP0199718A4
Application number: EP19840904020
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roger J Kuhns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-03
Filing date: 1984-10-03
Publication date: 1987-06-17
Also published as: WO1986002047A1; EP0199718A1

Abstract

A portable digitizer for receiving an identification medium (10) having a fingerprint (7) thereon, including at least one fingerprint discontinuity (7v) associated therewith. The exact position of the discontinuity with respect to the edges of the medium is then encoded by the digitizer by rotating an elongated scale (6) coupled to the base of the digitizer until the fiducial line (8) on the scale is coincident with the discontinuity. A reading is thereafter recorded proportional to the position (9) of the discontinuity along the elongated scale and a reading is also recorded indicative of the angle (12) of the elongated scale, with respect to the base member (2). These readings are recorded on the medium and/or inserted into a data processor. The above procedure is repeated during verification of the medium, and if the readings match the medium is deemed authentic.

Description

CURTAILMENT OF TAMPERING

Background of the Invention This invention relates to security, and, more specifically to the curtailment of tampering of identification cards or the like.

Photographic identification (photo I.D.) cards are in wide use. Security can be enhanced by employing a fingerprint in conjunction with the photo. In one form of I.D. card, a photograph of the bearer is used with the bearer's thumb print on the reverse. Security is increased by laminating the print-bearing photo between sheets of plastic.

While it is difficult to delaminate the card, this can be done and a forgery substituted. In this procedure the fingerprint of the original card holder, or some other fingerprint, is placed on the bace of the substituted photograph.

Accordingly, a rapid, efficient and inexpensive method of defeating such forgeries is desirable. The method applies also to cards bearing one or more fingerprints unaccompanied by any photo.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with the present invention, the exact position of one or more fingerprint discontinuities is determined and recorded for fingerprints employed with identification media. The determination is made with respect to a prescribed position, such as the edge of an identification medium by a "digitizer" which is inexpensive, protable and reliable.

A preferred digitizer employs a pivotable elongated scale which bears a fiducial line. The scale is rotated by an operator until it is coincident with a specified fingerprint discontinuity. Data corresponding to the distance from the discontinuity to the pivot point of the scale and/or the angular position of the scale, preferably are thereafter recorded upon the medium with visible or invisible ink.

Verification takes place subsequently by inverse operation of the digitizer.

Alternatively, or additionally, in those cases where the media is laminated between sheets of plastic, each inner data-bearing sheet, can include a photograph and be treated by forming a plurality of incisions or punctures within the data-bearing sheet. This results in at least partial disintegration or disfigurement of portions of the inner sheet upon subsequent attempts at delamination, and indicates tampering. The incisions or punctures also product an additional flow of the laminating adhesive. This increases the adherence of the inner data-bearing sheet to the outer plastic sheets, particularly when the punctures extend all the way through the sheet. Where lamination is by pressure-sensitive adhesives, instead of heat activated adhesives, the adhesive will catch the punctures and result in disfiguration upon attempted delamination. The pattern of punctures may be in the form of a symbol of the issuing authority. Description of the Drawings

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent after consideration of several illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a "digitizer" in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view of the digitizer of FIGURE 1 ; FIGURE 3 is a front view of an ID card which has been modified in accordance with a further aspect of the invention;

FIGURE 4A is a view taken through the card of FIGURE 3 illustrating, one effect of the invention;

FIGURE 4B is another view taken through the card of FIGURE 3 illustrating another effect of the invention; and

FIGURE 4C is still another view taken through the card of FIGURE 3 illustrating a further effect of the invention.

FIGURE 5A illustrates an encapsulated recipe card in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 5B illustrates the addition of indicia to the card of FIGURE 5A, FIGURE 5C illustrates the indicia added to the card of FIGURE 5A, and

FIGURE 6 illustrates an application of the further embodiment of the invention employing technical data.

Detailed Description

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a photograph 10 is taken and a right thumb print 7 of the bearer is formed on the back. The print 7 is then placed in a well 3 of a device 1, designated as a "digitizer". The digitizer 1 has a base member 2 which can be a flat plastic sheet. The photo 10 with the fingerprint 7 up is snugly fitted within the edges 3A and 3B of the well 3 so that its exact position is predetermined with respect to pivot 4, which rotatably couples an elongated measuring scale 6 to base member 2.

Although several fingerprint discontinuities are generally present, the center of a closed loop or "vortex" 7v often is the most prominent. Other discontinuities which could be employed are ends of lines (ridges) or line intersections "Y"s).

The encoding or recording of the exact position of the vortex 7v is accomplished by having the operator rotate the elongated scale 6 until the fiducial line 8 on the transparent scale 6 is coincident with vortex 7v. Markings 9 along the length of the scale allow the operator to read the measurement that indicates the distance between the vortex 7v and the pivot member 4. The measurement may be recorded, visibly or invisibly, directly upon the photo 10 in code portion 11 and/or in, for example, an electronic data processor, plus on the rear of the inner data-bearing sheet of the card to which the photograph 10 may be affixed.

It is preferred that the scale markings be in accordance with a non-linear scale, for example logarithmic, to further frustrate a forgerer. An angular reading of the fiducial line 8 is read from the sale and may be recorded, visibly or invisibly, within the code portion 13 of the photo 10 and/or recorded within a data processor and on the inner data-bearing sheet. The photo 10 can itself be employed as an issued identification medium if typed material is added, or can be incorporated within a three-part laminated data card. In the latter case, the photo 10 is desirably fitted into a rectangular cutout within an information-bearing inner sheet identical in relation to the position of the pivot 4 that is thereafter laminated to a pair of outer sheets, typically by heat and pressure to form a composit I.D. card, as for example, in U.S. patent 3,679,512 issued to Roger J. Kuhns.

When an operator subsequently desires to verify the authenticity of the identification medium, the digitizer is again used. In the case of a non-laminated card where the fingerprint bearing photo 10 is the issued identification medium, the photo is inserted into the well 3 of, for example, a second digitizer. The foregoing steps of rotating the elongated sale 6 until the fiducial line 8 coincides with discontinuity vortex 7 is repeated and the distance and angle codes are noted by the operator. These data are now compared with the codes previously recorded on the photo card and/or inserted into a data processor. If there is a match, the photo card is considered authentic. The inventor has determined empirically that it is extremely difficult to falsify fingerprint codes.

In case the encoded photograph 10 is laminated within outer plastic sheets, verification is performed by inserting the card into the outer well 5 and verification is carried out as before.

While a rotatable scale 6 is greatly preferred, it is within the scope of the invention to employ other discontinuity position encoders and readers such as a pointer or other fiducial means coupled to, for example, a rectangular X,Y encoder reader. A cylinderical lens bearing the fiducial line may be used to advantage as a pointer scale. It is within the scope of the invention to move the base and maintain the fiducial line stationary, or to produce relative motion between these two members. The method of the invention may be practised with a single digitizer or many, employed at various places, and may be practised without employing a photo at all.

In the alternative embodiment of FIGURE 3, a photograph 34 of a bearer is inserted within a cutout of a data-bearing sheet 32, or is affixed to the upper surface of the sheet. The sides of the cutout are at 38 and 39, and the photograph 34 has an emulsion side 36 bearing an optical image and an opposite side 37 which can bear the fingerprint of the subject. Data sheet 32 is typically of paper or plastic and is sandwiched between the outer transparent plastic sheets 31-1 and 31-2. The inside surfaces of the outer plastic sheets 31-1 and 31-2 bear a heat-activatable adhesive layer 33-1 and 33-2 which have a thickness of .002 - .006 of an inch. The instant photograph and the data-bearing sheet typically have a thickness of about .010 of an inch.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of punctures 35 are formed within the databearing card. The punctures 35 are also illustrated in FIGURE 4A and preferably extend completely through the data-bearing sheet. The punctures may be formed upon the entire photograph or alternatively upon a portion of the photograph and through the inner data-bearing sheet. Such perforations may be formed by a knurled roller having pointed members, or by a spiked "iron maiden" platen or other similar device. The punctures may extend completely through the photograph, any protective inner transparent sheet covering the photo emulsion, and portions of the inner data sheet bordering the photo, so that upon the lamination of the I.D. card under heat and pressure, adhesive, e.g. polyethylene, will flow into the punctures to form tine welds between the inner data-bearing sheet and the outer protective plastic sheets.

Alternatively, corona discharge techniques may be employed and are believed to be especially effective since this technique forms inverted "mushroom" cavities for good interlocks between the adhesive and data card. Such punctures will eliminate the need for a tiecoat, and at the same time result in the disfigurement or even disintegration of the databearing sheet upon attempted delimination of a composite data card and even make it possible for the outside lamination to adhere to a smooth plastic sheet immediately covering or "capping the photo emulsion.

A desirable arrangement is to puncture the inner databearing sheet in areas of the photograph and adjacent areas of the inner sheet 32 bordering the photograph . Upon the substitution of an unauthorized photograph or data, the border area of the inner paper data-bearing sheet choύld be disfigured. Also the disintegration of the photo upon delamination would disfigure the fingerprint if present on the back of the photo. Since punctures formed across an entire photograph could sometimes produce loss of image resolution for facial features, the central photo area need not be punctured. A seal of the issuing authority could be formed by an array of punctures at 35a. In FIGURE 4B, incisions 35e are made in the photograph and within border areas of the inner paper data-bearing sheet. The incisions are a type of puncturing formed by slicing or "razor" cutting the inner sheet by well known means in contrast with the perforations illustrated in FIGURE 4A, whereby actual portions of the inner sheet are removed.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4C molten heat-activated material 33-1 and 33-2 of layer 31-1 and 31-2 are joined through punctures 36 to produce a unitary molten cohesive mass for rendering the maximum welding effect mentioned above. it is also within the scope of the invention to produce punctures which do not extend completely through the inner data-bearing sheet, and yet will produce disfigurement upon delamination. Separations between punctures of above 0.3 cm to about 0.6 cm are preferred. The punctures will also catch pressure-sensitive adhesive if used in place of heat activated adhesive, to disfigure the data sheet. The laminating temperature of the heat-activatable adhesive should be sufficient to activate the adhesive but not to exceed 100ºC. to cause vaporization of photo moisture if moist photos or data cards are being laminated.

FIGURE 5A illustrates a top view of a recipe card 50, having indicia 52 thereon, which could, for example, describe a standard recipe. The card 50 of FIGURE 5A includes an inner core sheet 53 shown in FIGURE 5B, which is laminated between transparent plastic sheets 54 and 56 by heat and pressure. A heat activatable adhesive layer 57 is affixed to the inside portion of outer plastic sheet 54, and a similar heat activatable adhesive layer 58 is affixed to the inside surface of the plastic base sheet 56. During the manufacturing process the core sheet 53 is fed between, for example, rolls of plastic material such as 54 and 56, bearing heat activatable adhesive surfaces 57 and 58. Heat and pressure are applied to produce a laminated structure as shown in FIGURE 5B. Alternatively, pre-cut plastic envelopes may be utilized having outer sheets 54 and 56 of "Mylar" polyester coated with layers 57 and 58 of heat activatable polyethylene adhesives In the case of pre-cut envelopes, the outer plastic sheets enclosing the core sheet 53 are heat sealed together. Such double sheet plastic envelopes are produced by Avant Incorporated of West Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.A. under the trademark "Thermochip". The inner core sheet 53 is commercially available, and is often designated as carbonless or inkless paper. It has micro-encapsulated cavities therein containing fluids which are not visible until pressure is applied to break the capsules causing the fluids to mix and produce visible indicia. Such sheets have self-contained chemical encapsulations. The self-contained paper core sheets 53 can extend to the edges of the plastic outer sheets as indicated in the FIGURES, but they are also utilized with pre-cut plaβtic chips or envelopes. The laminated structure of FIGURES 5A and 5B is supplied to the user and can be completely blank for certain applications, or can, for example, bear pre-printed indicia such as the "lasagna recipe" showin in FIGURE 5A as indicia 52. Customised variations in the recipe are readily produced by adding indicia to the recipe. The additions are produced by applying pressure with a pointed instrument 64 to the upper surface of the outer sheet 54 to produce indicia 66 representative of additional material. The application of pressure causes the micro-encapsulations in the self-contained chemical paper toobe broken, and the additional indicia 66 is thus produced, which is readily visible through the clear plastic overlay Sheet 54. In accordance with a feature of the invention, the pre-printed indicia 52 is usually of a color which provides visual contrast. Grease and other foreign material are no longer a problem, since the clear plastic may be readily washed and wiped, and tearing or fraying of the recipes would not occur. The need to rewrite material, to preserve it after an extended period of time, is also eliminated . Another advantage is that the cards will readily elide in and out of a file box due to the reduced coefficient of friction of plastic on plastic relative to paper on paper.

Another advantageous feature of the invention is to fabricate the entire structure of FIGURE 5B such that the card is thin and flexible enough to be inserted within a typewriter, and thus the added-on material could be typewritten rather than merely handwritten.

Another exemplary application of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 6, wherein the inner core sheet 53 bears original indicia 71, representative of an arrangement of electrical components which could be pre-printed at a factory. The indicia 71 could represent a basic circuit which can be modified by the user. In the case of FIGURE 6, the modification is shown to the left of the dashed line 73 and takes the form of the encircled circuit modification 72.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of curtailing forgery of an identification medium having a fingerprint with at least one discontinuity, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an instrument including a base, fiducial or indicator means movable with respect to said base, and referencing means for positioning said identification medium at a predetermined position upon said base;

(b) positioning said identification medium at said referencing means;

(c) producing relative motion between said fiducial means and said base member until said fiducial means coincides with said fingerprint discontinuity; and

(d) recording data indicative of the resulting relative position of said fiducial means with respect to said base member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said identification medium includes a photograph of the bearer and said fingerprint is affixed to said photograph.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further including the verification steps of

(e) repositioning said identification medium at said referencing means at a later time;

(f) repeating steps c and d; and

(g) comparing the data resulting from carrying out steps e and f with data previously recorded in accordance with steps a, b, c, and d.

4. The method as set forth in any of claims 1 - 3 wherein the data resulting from carrying out step d is recorded upon said identification medium, adjacent or other identification media, and/or is stored in a data processor.

5. The method of thwarting the forgery of an identification medium having a fingerprint including at least one fingerprint discontinuity recorded thereon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one digitizer having a base, an elongated scale, having fiducial means pivotably mounted to said base at a predetermined pivot point, an angular scale positioned upon said base adjacent said elongated scale, and position referencing means for positioning said identification medium at a predetermined position upon said base;

(b) positioning said identification medium at said referencing means;

(c) rotating said elongated scale until said fiducial means of said scale coincides with said fingerprint discontinuity;

(d) recording the reading upon said sale aligned with said discontinuity; and

(e) recording the angle upon said angular scale indicative of the angular position of said scale when the measuring protion of said scale is coincident with said discontinuity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of said scales includes non-linearly spaced measuring markings; or said identification medium includes a photograph of the bearer and fingerprint is affixed to said photograph; or further including the verification steps of:

(f) repositioning said identification medium at said referencing means at a later time;

(g) repeating steps c, d, and e; and

(h) comparing the data resulting from carrying out step g with previously recorded data recorded in accordance with steps b, c, d, and e; or the data resulting from carrying out steps d and e is recorded upon said medium and/or elsewhere; or the data resulting from carrying out steps d and e is inserted into a data processor.

7. A digitizer for thwarting the forgery of an identification medium having a fingerprint, including at least one fingerprint discontinuity recorded thereon, comprising (a) a base member;

(b) fiducial means movable relative to said base member and coupled thereto; and

(c) position referencing means for positioning said identification medium at a precise given position upon said base member; and said positioning referencing means may comprise a well, formed within said base member, to enable said medium to be positioned therein; and said fiducial means may comprise b1. an elongated scale, having fiducial means, pivotably mounted to said base member at a predetermined pivot point; and b2. an angular scale formed upon said base member for indicating the angular position of said elongated scale; and at least one of said scales may include non-linearly spaced measured markings; said position referencing means may comprise a well, formed within said base member, to enable said medium to- be positioned thereon; and said elongated scale may comprise a cylindrical lens having a fiducial line positioned thereon.

8. In the method of laminating a composite data card including an information bearing sheet which. may include a photograph, and/or fingerprint, said sheet being affixed to at least one protective layer having a heat-activatable adhesive associated therewith by the application of heat and pressure to said information-bearing sheet and said protective layer, the improvement comprising the step of forming an array of punctures within said information-bearing sheet, said punctures acting as receptacles for said molten heat-activatable adhesive during lamination of said composite data card by the application of heat and pressure thereto.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said punctures are formed within said photograph; or said punctures are formed within said photograph and/or fingerprint except upon central areas thereof having the image of the face of the subject thereon; or said punctures are additionally formed in areas of said information bearing sheet adjacent the edges of said photograph; or said punctures extend completely through said informationbearing sheet; or said punctures are formed by cutting said information-bearing sheet without removing portions thereof; or said punctures are separated from one another by a distance of about 0.3 - 0.6 cm.

10. In the method of laminating a composite data card including an information-bearing sheet which may include a photograph, and/or fingerprint, said sheet being affixed to at least one protective layer having a adhesive associated therewith, by the application of pressure to said informationbearing sheet and said protective layer, the improvement comprising the step of forming an array of punctures within said information-bearing sheet; and said punctures may be formed within said photograph and/or fingerprint; and said punctures may be formed within said photograph and/ or fingerprint except upon central areas thereof having the image of the face and/or fingerprint of the subject thereon; and said punctures may be additionally formed in areas of said information-bearing sheet adjacent the edges of said photograph and/or fingerprint; and said punctures may extend completely through said informationbearing sheet; and said punctures may be formed by cutting said information-bearing sheet without removing portions thereof; and said punctures may be separated from each other by a distance of about 0.3 - 0.6 cm; and said information-bearing sheet may be devoid of photograph and/or fingerprint; and said array of punctures can be configured in the form of identification indicia.

11. A record card comprising: a seIf-contained chemical encapsulated sheet whereby visible indicia is produced thereon upon the application of pressure thereto, said self-contained chemical encapsulated sheet being laminated to at least one light-transmissive overlay sheet.

12. The card of claim 11 wherein said light-transmissive sheet is laminated to one side of self-contained chemical encapsulated sheet and a second sheet is laminated to the other side of said self-contained sheet; and/or said light-transmissive sheet is clear plastic; and/or said second sheet is clear plastic; and/or further including a heat-activatable adhesive formed upon the inner surface of said light-transmissive sheet facing said self-contained chemical encapsulated sheet; and/or including indicia therein of a color which differs from the color of visible indicia produced by the application of pressure thereto.

13. Method of creating a light-transmissive card bearing indicia added to the card by a user after manufacture of said card comprising the steps oft providing a card having a self-contained chemical encapsulated sheet whereby visible indicia is produced thereon upon the application of pressure thereto and having a light-transmissive protective sheet overlaying said selfcontained chemical encapsulated sheet; and thereafter applying pressure to said overlay sheet to produce added on visible indicia upon said-self-contained chemical encapsulated sheet visible through said light-transmissive overlay sheet.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said pressure is applied by a pointed instrument; and/or said pressure is applied by a pointed instrument; and/or said pressure is applied by a typewriter; and/or said card is thin and flexible enough to be inserted within a typewriter; said pressure is applied to the outer surface of said protective sheet which is laminated to said self-contained sheet; and/or said pressure is applied to the outer surface of said protective sheet which is laminated to said self-contained sheet.