GB2378292A

GB2378292A - A bar-code personal identification system

Info

Publication number: GB2378292A
Application number: GB0109659A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Arthur Charles Chown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-19
Filing date: 2001-04-19
Publication date: 2003-02-05
Also published as: GB0109659D0

Abstract

A personal identification system (2) includes a plurality of identification documents (4), reader means (6) for reading the identification documents (4) and displaying identity details, and memory means (16) containing the identity details of all the people. The identification document (4) for each person has the identification details for that person in the form of a bar code (26). The identification document (4) does not show the identity details in a form which is understandable to other persons. The reader means (scanner) (6) reads the barcode on the identification document (4) and displays the identification details in a form which is understandable to other persons.

Description

AN IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING PEOPLE This invention relates to an identification system for identifying people.

People traditionally carry passports and identification cards in order to prove their identity. The passports and the identity cards usually contain a photograph of the person. Sometimes the passports and the identity cards are stolen. It is then possible to insert a new photograph into the passport or the identity card in order to provide a forged document that can be used in organised crime.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided an identification system for identifying people, which identification system comprises a plurality of identification documents, reader means for reading the identification documents and displaying identity details, and memory means containing the identity details of all the people, the identification system being such that there is one of the identification documents for each person, the identification document for each person has the identification details for that person, and the identification details for that person are in the form of a bar code, whereby the identification document does not show the identity details in a form which is

understandable to other persons, and whereby the reader means is able to read the identification document and display the identification details in a form which is understandable to other persons so that a person operating the reader means is able to compare the displayed identification details with the actual person who is presenting the identification document in order to obtain verification of the person presenting the identification document.

Because the bar code does not show the identification details in a form which is understandable to other persons, this makes it difficult for criminals to steal passports and identity cards, and to alter them with a view to providing other people with false identities for the purposes of organised crime.

Usually, the bar code will be provided on the identification document such that the bar code remains permanently on the identification document.

The identification system may be one in which the identification document is a passport, an identity card, or a birth certificate. Other identification documents may be employed.

The reader means may be a scanner. Alternatively, the reader means may be a swipe reader means which operates such that the identification document is swiped through the swipe reader means.

The memory means may form part of a computer. The computer may be a stand alone computer or it may be linked to a central computer.

The identity details that are displayed by the reader means may be written information and/or pictorial information. The pictorial information may be a picture of the holder of the identification document.

The identification system of the present invention is advantageous because the identification document does not contain a photograph of the owner of the identification document. Thus a person stealing the identification document will not know what the owner looks like, and will also not know their personal details such for example as their height and age.

If the identification document used in the identification system of the present invention is to be in the form of a passport, then a photograph could be sent to the passport office with an application form. The photograph could be scanned into the passport office computer, where it could remain there until the next passport was due, whereby another photograph would be sent for passport renewal. When the holder of the passport passes through immigration in the appropriate country concerned, for example the United Kingdom, the passport is then able to be scanned and the bar code on it would enable the reader means to display written information about the owner, and also the photograph of the owner. The customs

officer or immigration officer would be able to see on a display screen forming part of the reader means, the photograph of the person presenting the passport. This photograph could then be compared with the appearance of the person actually presenting the photograph, in order to verify the identity of the person presenting the passport.

The details as displayed by the reader means may be in colour or black and white.

The identification system of the present invention may also be used for identifying people for banking purposes, credit transfer purposes, medical purposes, and any other suitable and appropriate purposes.

If desired, the bar code may be provided on a substrate such for example as a plastics substrate. The substrate may then be attached to a card or any other suitable and appropriate means. The card or the like can then be carried by the person, for example in a wallet, bag or even attached to a key fob. When a person needs to pay for goods or services at a store or petrol station, then the bar code can usually be scanned and the identity of the person presenting the identification document would then be able to be checked by reader means which could form part of check-out apparatus. The details of the person could be revealed on a check-out apparatus screen, with the details being written and/or with a photograph. The identity of the person making a purchase could thus immediately be verified at the time of making the purchase, thereby

helping to prevent a major drawback with known credit cards which do not reveal the identity of a person presenting the credit card and which thus lend themselves to being stolen and then used fraudulently.

Generally, the memory means may be part of a central computer which may be government controlled, or even privately controlled under a licence from the government. The central computer could be used only for designated purposes if desired, for example for passport control and/or medical purposes. The memory means could additionally or alternatively be a computer for operation and controlled by banks and/or credit card companies for the purposes of controlling credit transactions. The memory means could additionally or alternatively form part of cash registers, with the cash registers having access to the central computer. In this case, the cash registers would normally be fitted with read out screens and appropriate scanners for scanning the bar code.

If desired, mobile telephones could be fitted with scanners and then the identification details could be seen on a display screen forming part of the mobile telephone.

Authorised police personnel could carry appropriate reader means for easily and quickly establishing the identification from a person carrying one of the identification documents.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows part of a first identification system utilising an identification document in the form of a passport ; Figure 2 shows part of a second identification system utilising an identification document in the form of an identity card ; Figure 3 shows part of a third identification system using an identification document in the form of a birth certificate ; and Figure 4 shows memory means which may form part of any one of the identification systems shown in Figures 1-3.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown part of a first identification system 2 for identifying people. The identification system 2 comprises a plurality of identification documents in the form of a plurality of passports, one of which is shown as passport 4. The identification system 2 also comprises reader means 6 for reading the passport 4 and displaying identity details.

The reader means 6 comprises a hand held reader device 8 which is connected by a cable 10 to a visual display unit 12 having a screen 14, see Figure 4. The visual display unit 12 forms part of a computer system containing a memory in memory means 16, the memory means 16 containing the identity details of all the people. The memory means 16 is

access via a keyboard 18 which is connected to the memory means 16 by a cable 20. A mouse 22 is connected to the keyboard 18 by a cable 24. The mouse 22 provides the control for controlling what is displayed on the screen 14.

As shown in Figure 1, the reader device 8 is reading a bar code 26 on the passport 4. As shown in Figure 4, the bar code 26 is displayed on the screen 14.

The identification system 2 is such that there is one of the passports 4 for each person. The passport 4 for each person has the identification details of that person. The identification details for that person are in the form of the bar code 26. Thus, as can be seen from Figure 1, the passport 4 does not show the identity details in a form which is understandable to other persons. Only the bar code 26 can be seen. The reader means 6 is able to read the passport 4 and display the identification details in a form which is understandable to other persons on the screen 14. Thus, in Figure 4, the bar code 26 will not normally be displayed on the screen 14 but instead there will normally be displayed the identification details that were stored in the bar code 26 such for example as the person's height, place of birth, and a photograph of the person.

Thus, the display on the screen 14 is in a form which is understandable to other persons so that a person operating the reader means 6 is able to compare the identification details displayed on the screen 14 with the actual person who is presenting the passport 4. In this way, the person

operating the reader means 6 is able to obtain verification of the person presenting the passport 4. The person operating the reader means 6 may be, for example, a customs officer checking persons coming into a country or leaving a country.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown part of an identification system 28 which utilises an identification document in the form of an identity card 30. The identity card 30 has a bar code 32. The bar code 32 is read by reader means 34 including a hand held reader device 36 which is shown emitting a signal 38 from a reader head 40. The information obtained by the reader means 34 passes to the memory means 16 shown in Figure 4 so that the identification details contained in the bar code 32 can be displayed on the screen 14 in a form which is understandable to other persons.

Figure 3 shows an identification system 46 utilising the reader means 34 shown in Figure 2 in order to read a bar code 42 on a birth certificate 44. The obtained identification details can then be displayed on the screen 14 shown in Figure 4 in the same manner as described above in connection with Figures 1 and 2. If persons were to steal the passport 4, the identity card 30 or the birth certificate 44, then they would not know from the bar codes 26,32, 42 respectively what the actual details were of the correct person for the passport 4, the identity card 30 or the birth certificate 44. This is because the thief would

not have the reader means. This would thus make it much more difficult for a thief to use the passport 4, the identity card 30 or the birth certificate 44 for fraudulent means.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the indention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the identification document may be other than a passport, an identity card or a birth certificate. Other types of reader means to those shown may be employed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An identification system for identifying people, which identification system comprises a plurality of identification documents, reader means for reading the identification documents and displaying identity details, and memory means containing the identity details of all the people, the identification system being such that there is one of the identification documents for each person, the identification document for each person has the identification details for that person, and the identification details for that person are in the form of a bar code, whereby the identification document does not show the identity details in a form which is understandable to other persons, and whereby the reader means is able to read the identification document and display the identification details in a form which is understandable to other persons so that a person operating the reader means is able to compare the displayed identification details with the actual person who is presenting the identification document in order to obtain verification of the person presenting the identification document.
2. An identification system according to claim 1 in which the bar code is provided in the identification document such that the bar code is permanently on the identification document.

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3. An identification system according to claim 1 or class 2 in which the identification document is a passport, an identity card or a birth certificate.
4. An identification system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the reader means is a scanner.
5. An identification system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the reader means is a swipe reader means.
6. An identification system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the memory means forms part of a central computer.
7. An identification system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the identity details are written information and/or pictorial information.
8. An identification system for identifying people, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.