Automatic identification system and method

Claim 2

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of identity devices having corresponding codes on each other as well as corresponding codes on both cards, said corresponding codes being arranged in a different physical order and related in the same logical order, readiNg means for simultaneously scanning both devices to simultaneously collate for corresponding codes of each device and both devices and to collate for noncorresponding codes on each device and both devices, and means responsive to said reading means for developing an indication when the corresponding codes and noncorresponding codes are present.

Claim 3

In an identification system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said identity devices are a coded credit card and a coded key card to be presented concurrently to identify the bearer.

Claim 4

In an identification system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reading means develops a binary output representing the presence of predetermined corresponding codes on the cards.

Claim 5

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of identity devices being separately coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas of the devices, each said identity device having readable indicia which corresponds with each other as well as readable indicia which corresponds with one another, pickup means for each device having a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, scanner means arranged for relating the terminals on each card to each other in a logical order independently of their location on said pickup means to establish a plurality of logically related, like information characters for both devices and for scanning the related terminals to simultaneously collate for corresponding codes on each device and both devices for the presence and absence of said logically related characters prearranged on the devices as readable indicia on said identity devices, and means for developing a separate indication when said like characters are present and a separate indication when said like characters are absent on said devices.

Claim 6

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of identity devices being separately coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas of the devices, each said identity device having readable indicia which corresponds with each other as well as readable indicia which corresponds with one another, pickup means for each device having a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, scanner means arranged for relating the terminals on each card to each other in a logical order independently of their location on said pickup means to establish a plurality of logically related, like information characters for both devices and for scanning the related terminals to simultaneously collate for corresponding codes on each device and both devices for the presence and absence of said logically related characters prearranged on the devices as readable indicia on said identity devices, and means for developing a separate indication when said like characters are present and a separate indication when said like characters are absent on said devices.

Claim 7

In an identification system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said like information characters are established by matching a terminal of one block with another terminal on the one block and a terminal of the other block with another terminal of the other block and matching the terminals of both blocks.

Claim 8

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of separate identity devices coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the device, a switch block for each having a plurality of pickup terminals positioned to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, reading means having banks of matched contacts, each contact connected to preselected of the pickup terminals on each card to each other and on both cards to one another in a logical order independently of their location on the blocks to establish a plurality of logically related like information characters for each device and both devices and motor driven wiper means for dynamically scanning the matched contacts to simultaneously collate both devices for the presence and absence of said like characters being precoded as readable indicia on said devices, and readout means coupled to the wiper means including a counter for counting the number of matched contacts for each scan of the wiper means over each bank of contacts and all banks of contacts and indicator means for developing an indication when the logically related like characters are present and absent on said devices.

Claim 9

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of separate identity devices coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the device, a switch block for each having a plurality of pickup terminals positioned to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, reading means having banks of matched contacts, each contact connected to preselected of the pickup terminals on each card to each other and on both cards to one another in a logical order independently of their location on the blocks to establish a plurality of logically related like information characters for each device and both devices and motor driven wiper means for dynamically scanning the matched contacts to simultaneously collate both devices for the presence and absence of said like characters being precoded as readable indicia on said devices, and readout means coupled to the wiper means including a counter for counting the number of matched contacts for each scan of the wiper means over each bank of contacts and all banks of contacts and indicator means for developing an indication when the logically related like characters are present and absent on said devices.

Claim 10

In an identification system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said readout means includes an electromagnetic circuit including a relay having a coil each card, said relay being engaged to close when simultaneous outputs are present from simultaneously reading each and both cards.

Claim 11

In an identification system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said readout means includes a stepper motor to count the number of times the simultaneous outputs are present, said motor being arranged to turn on an indicator if thE motor steps a predetermined number of times and a second light if it steps less or more than the predetermined number of times.

Claim 12

In an identification system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said readout means is an electronic logic circuit including first gate means responsive to the simultaneous outputs of each card, a counter for counting the number of simultaneous outputs for each scan and a second gate means for inhibiting the first gate means when a selected number of counts is exceeded.

Claim 13

In an identification system the combination comprising: a credit card and a key card, said cards being coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the cards, an electric power source, a switch block for each card having at least one input terminal connected to the power source and a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage each of the small discrete areas and readable indicia of the cards, each said card having an electrically conductive portion for transferring electric power from said power source through the card and to the pickup terminals, reading means for the cards including banks of matched contacts arranged side by side, each contact connected to a preselected of the pickup terminals on each card to establish a plurality of like information characters on both cards and a motor driven wiper means transferring power from the contacts to scan the related terminals simultaneously collate both cards for the presence and absence of said like characters, and counter means for counting the number of matched contacts per scan of the wiper means over each bank of contacts and all banks of contacts, said motor automatically stopping after each complete scan, and indicator means for developing an indication when said like characters are present and absent on either of said cards after each complete scan of the contacts.

Claim 14

In an identification system the combination comprising: a credit card and a key card, said cards being coded with readable indicia at preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the cards, an electric power source, a switch block for each card having at least one input terminal connected to the power source and a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage each of the small discrete areas and readable indicia of the cards, each said card having an electrically conductive portion for transferring electric power from said power source through the card and to the pickup terminals, reading means for the cards including banks of matched contacts arranged side by side, each contact connected to a preselected of the pickup terminals on each card to establish a plurality of like information characters on both cards and a motor driven wiper means transferring power from the contacts to scan the related terminals simultaneously collate both cards for the presence and absence of said like characters, and counter means for counting the number of matched contacts per scan of the wiper means over each bank of contacts and all banks of contacts, said motor automatically stopping after each complete scan, and indicator means for developing an indication when said like characters are present and absent on either of said cards after each complete scan of the contacts.

Claim 15

In an identification system according to claim 10 wherein each said card is of a laminated construction having outer electric insulator layers and an inner electric conductive layer.

Claim 16

In an identification system according to claim 10 wherein each said switch block includes a flat base adapted to support the card, each said input and pi pickup terminals including a pinlike member slidably supported in the base and urged upwardly against the card, through a selected recess in an outer layer of the card into engagement with the conductive layer to make an electrical contact therewith.

Claim 17

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of identity cards adapted to be precoded on information areas with readable indicia at a preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the cards, each card having a first and second information area, a switch block for each card having a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, reading means having a first bank of contacts for one information areas and a second bank of contacts for the other information areas of each card, said banks for both cards being arranged adjacent to one another to establish a series of sets of four of four coincident contacts, each said switch block for each card having selected of its pickup terminals connected to selected of contacts of the first bank and other selected of its pickup terminals connected to selected of its contacts to the second bank independently of their location on the blocks to match terminals representing logically related like characters as coincident contact pairs only once in the first and second contact banks for both cards, said reading means having a motor driven wiper assembly sequentially engaging the sets of coincident pairs of the banks to collate for the presence and absence of logically related like characters being precoded as readable indicia on said cards, and stepper motor means for counting each set of energized coincident pairs and Indicator means coupled to the stepper motor means for developing an indication when the like characters are present and absent on said cards.

Claim 18

In an identification system, the combination comprising: a pair of identity cards adapted to be precoded on information areas with readable indicia at a preselected of a plurality of small discrete areas on the cards, each card having a first and second information area, a switch block for each card having a plurality of pickup terminals adapted to engage said small discrete areas to sense the presence and absence of readable indicia thereon, reading means having a first bank of contacts for one information areas and a second bank of contacts for the other information areas of each card, said banks for both cards being arranged adjacent to one another to establish a series of sets of four of four coincident contacts, each said switch block for each card having selected of its pickup terminals connected to selected of contacts of the first bank and other selected of its pickup terminals connected to selected of its contacts to the second bank independently of their location on the blocks to match terminals representing logically related like characters as coincident contact pairs only once in the first and second contact banks for both cards, said reading means having a motor driven wiper assembly sequentially engaging the sets of coincident pairs of the banks to collate for the presence and absence of logically related like characters being precoded as readable indicia on said cards, and stepper motor means for counting each set of energized coincident pairs and Indicator means coupled to the stepper motor means for developing an indication when the like characters are present and absent on said cards.

Claim 19

In an identification system according to claim 13 wherein said characters are decimal numbers from one to ten with ten contacts in each bank being assigned consecutive numbers, each said bank being logically related to seven pickup terminals on the switch block and representing one digit.

Claim 20

In an identification system according to claim 13 wherein the banks of contacts and terminals are consecutively repeated for consecutive digits.

Claim 21

In an identification system according to claim 13 wherein there are six pairs of banks of contacts for each information area on the cards to provide 42 pickup terminals on each switch block.