Validation systems for credit card or the like

Abstract

A credit card validation system employs apparatus which serves to decode validation information contained on the card by means selecting one of a plurality of translators selected at different intervals according to a predetermined format data also contained on the credit card. This uniquely translated information is compared with a secret subscriber number, memorized by the credit card holder, and obtained by him in complete privacy when his account is opened.

Description

This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 648,522 filed on Jan. 12, 1976 which was a reissue application of U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,420 issued on Jan. 15, 1974. memorized via line 13. .

It is also apparent, that with magnetic stripes, and so on, in order to select different combinations of bits from the card number, the information must be read into a storage unit. . or memorized number.

The contents of the register 154 therefore contain the memorized number.

It is also noted that the subscriber's hand held keyboard and storage pad is operated by a battery 155 as the circuits can be implemented by commonly available integrated circuits, which are low power devices.

As indicated above, after the subscriber inserts the secret number, the keyboard and storage pad unit is plugged into the card reader and select translator module circuitry.

The card reader applies signals to the translator bank 156. The exact translator module in bank 156 is preselected by the first subscriber digit as applied to the translator select network 157 from the key digits shift register 158. Thereafter, as indicated, another translator in bank 156 is selected from data on the card.

The contents of the recirculating shift register are also coupled to code digits shift register 159 which in turn is connected to the comparator 160.

The other input to comparator 160 is obtained via the translator bank 156.

As each digit is compared, the comparator which is strobed or interrogated by a pulse from the card reader modules will produce an output pulse indicating a comparison for each digit which is correctly compared. This output pulse is applied to a multi-stage counter 162.

If, at the end of the cycle, the comparator has correctly verified all digits of the secret code, the counter 162 will have reached its desired state and the "GO" line is energized indicating a verification.

If one or more digits do not compare, the counter 162 will not count to the desired state and a "NO GO" condition is indicated, acknowledging that verification has not taken place.

FIG. 8 also has circuitry which is utilized in issuing a secret number to a new subscriber.

When a new card is to be issued, the person (bank director, etc.) authorized to issue such cards enters a "special" predesignated secret number by means of the keyboard 150. The card issue translator module 168 recognizes this number, when any card is read, since the contents of the recirculating shift register 154 are coupled directly to the card issue translator 168.

The card issue translator 168 provides an output signal level 171 upon recognition of the bank authorized number. The output level is applied to an AND gate 169 which has another input coupled to the encoding matrix 151 of the storage pad unit. The output of the card issue translator 168 is also applied to the comparator 160 to inhibit the same via 172 and to an input of an AND gate 170.

The gate 170 has another input applied from the translator bank 156. The output of gate 170 is also connected to one input of gate 173. The purpose of the gates 170 and 173 are to provide for printing and displaying of the subscriber's memorized number. The output of gate 171 displays digits which are arbitrarily selected by the subscriber to form his memorized number. The operation is as follows. After the authorized person keys in the secret number, the keyboard unit 150 and associated module is given to the new subscriber. He enters a secured room in which there is a card reader and a validator unit.

He is instructed to place his card into the reader and plug in the keyboard storage pad.

He then keys in any arbitrary number he desires as the first "key" digit using keyboard 150. this is the first number of his secret code and can be any number from 1 to 10. or 0 to 9. He is, of course, the only one who knows this. The number he inserts into keyboard 150 is decoded by matrix 151 and applied via gate 169 to the select translator unit 157.

Thus, the first digit from his card is decoded by an arbitrary translator selected according to the first number that he has arbitrarily selected. The output of the translator is fed to gate 170, where it is then applied to suitable storage and print out or display circuits. This digit that was selected is thereby displayed for the subscriber via gate 173. The remaining digits on the card are then decoded as indicated above and displayed as being applied via gate 170 to suitable display networks.

Thus, the number that the subscriber must memorize is the number that is displayed to him. As soon as he is through and has memorized the number, he presses a reset button on the reader which extinguishes the display and resets all the abovenoted circuits to their quiescent state.

In this manner the subscriber is issued a secret number, the first digit of which has been preselected by him and will thereafter be done so, the remaining digits being preselected by the code on the card.

Claims

1. In a system where the owner of an information bearing card such as a credit card or the like is in the sole possession of a predetermined memorized number of a given number of significant digits, said credit card having on a surface thereof a plurality of first indicia corresponding to said predetermined number and a plurality of second indicia corresponding to a code determining how said first indicia is manifested on said information bearing card, in combination therewith apparatus for verifying that said number and said first indicia correspond, comprising:

a. first means including a keyboard for storing said number after insertion thereby by an owner,

b. second means responsive to both said first and second indicia on said credit card for providing at an output thereof an electrical signal according to said indicia,

c. third means responsive to a digit of said number as stored to provide a first control signal and then responsive to only said second indicia for providing any one of a plurality of control signals each one operative to determine how said first indicia is to be translated,

d. a plurality of translating means coupled to said second means, each one capable of responding to said electrical signal output representative of said first indicia to provide a decoded signal therefrom according to the particular format of said translator, each of said decoded signals representative of a digit contained in said predetermined number when translated according to said second indicia,

e. translating selector means responsive to said control signals and coupled to said translating means to cause a first one of said translating means to be selected according to said first control signal and thereafter others of said translating means to be selected according to said plurality of control signals, whereby different selected ones of said translating means provide different digits of said number according to said second indicia on said credit card, and

f. comparison means responsive to said decoded signals and said stroed number to provide an output when said decode signals correspond to said stored number, said output verifying that said memorized number and said first indicia on said card correspond.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein:

a. said first means including a keyboard further comprises a shift register having a storage capability corresponding to said given number of significant digits in said predetermined number.

3. The system according to claim 2 further comprising:

a. a housing of a generally rectangular configuration and having an internal hollow capable of accommodating said first means including said shift register, said keyboard being located in a top surface of said housing.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of translating means are arranged to decode according to a two-out-of-five code format.

5. In a system of the type where the owner of an information bearing card such as a credit card or the like is in sole possession of a predetermined number, which number has a given number of significant digits from one to n, where n is a positive integer greater than one, said credit card having on a surface thereof a plurality of first indicia corresponding to said predetermined memorized number and a plurality of second indicia corresponding to a code determining the translation of such first indicia as present on said surface of said card, in combination therewith apparatus for verifying that said memorized number and said first indicia correspond, comprising:

a. first means including a keyboard for receiving and storing said memorized number after insertion thereby by an owner,

b. card reading means responsive to said indicia on said credit card for providing at an output thereof an electrical signal according to said indicia,

c. a plurality of selectable translators coupled to said card reading means and each responsive to said electrical signal to provide at an output a decoded signal representative of one of said digits contained in said memorized number when a correct translator is selected according to said second indicia on said card,

d. a translator selector circuit, operative in a first or second mode, said selector circuit coupled to said plurality of translator circuits and said card reading means and responsive to said electrical signal to provide a control signal indicative of said second indicia on said card to select one of said plurality of translators for decoding one of said digits according to said second indicia in said second mode, and operative in a first mode responsive to one of said significant digits of said memorized number as stored in said first means for selecting another of said plurality of translators for decoding at least another of said digits independent of said second indicia, and

e. comparison means coupled to said output of said translators and said first means for comparing said stored number with said translated decoded signals to provide an output when said decoded signals correspond to said stored number, said output verifying that said memorized number and said first indicia on said card correspond.

6. In a system of the type where the owner of an information bearing card, such as a credit card to the like is in sole possession of a predetermined memorized number of a given number of significant digits, said credit card having on a surface thereof a plurality of indicia representative of first information groups, each group corresponding to one of said digits of said memorized number and second information groups corresponding to a decoding sequence for each one of said first information groups, in combination therewith apparatus for verifying that said memorized number and said first information groups correspond, comprising:

a. first means for receiving and storing said memorized number after insertion thereby by an owner,

b. card reading means responsive to said indicia on said card to provide an electrical signal according to said indicia,

c. a plurality of selectable translators, each capable of responding to any one of said first information groups to provide at an output a decoded signal representative of one of said first information as corresponding to one of said digits of said memorized number,

d. a translator selector circuit, coupled to said first means and said card reading means and operative in a first mode responsive to at least one of said significant digits of said stored number to select one of said translators to cause a first information group to be decoded according to said significant digit, and operative in a second mode responsive to said electrical signal representative of a second information group for selecting one of said translators to cause another first information group to be decoded according to said second information group whereby each one of said first information groups is decoded to correspond with said memorized number under control of at least one digit of said number and said second information and,

e. comparison means coupled to said translators and said first means for comparing said memorized number or is stored with said first information groups as decoded to provide an indication when said number and said decoded first information groups correspond.

7. The system according to claim 5 wherein said first means further comprises a shift register having a storage capability corresponding to said given number of significant digits is said predetermined number.

8. The system according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of translators are arranged to decode according to a two-out-of-five code format.

9. the system according to claim 6 wherein said first means further comprises a shift register having a storage capability corresponding to said given number of significant digits in said predetermined number.

10. The system according to claim 6 wherein said plurality of translators are arranged to decode according to a two-out-of-five code format.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said translating means includes memory means having a plurality of addressable storage locations, with said translator select means capable of selecting said storage locations.

12. The system according to claim 1, whereby said system is a connected system.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said translating means includes a processor.

14. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of selectable translators are a plurality of selectable memory locations.

15. The system according to claim 5, wherein said system is a connected system.

16. The system according to claim 5, wherein said translators are processors.

17. The system according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of selectable translators are a plurality of selectable memories.

18. The system according to claim 6, whereby said system is a connected system.

19. The system according to claim 6, wherein said translators are processors.