US3612687A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Credit car system
Assignee: Holobeam Inc
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Filing: 1968-07-17
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Granted: 1971-10-12
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Expires: 1988-07-17
Abstract
Abstract A credit card system is described wherein a credit card has an area thereof provided with a pattern representative of a code. A card pattern reader is provided wherein selected portions of the pattern are decoded for verification of the code represented by the pattern. The credit card system as described provides a system secure from fraudulent credit card use.
Inventors
- 👤 Melvin S Cook
- 👤 Edward M Ulicki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:02
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/347; G07F7/1025; G07F7/1058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
25 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 1 wherein said credit card is provided with a pattern of locations with optically distinguishable features.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 2 wherein said credit card is provided with a substantially rectangular array of dark and bright locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 1, wherein said code word is composed of a character having several forms and wherein the pattern on said credit card further comprises a first character form pattern and a second character form pattern, said patterns being interleaved, and wherein said card reading means reads selected locations of each of said first and second character form patterns to provide a signal representative of the characteristics of said read selected locations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The credit card verification system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said code word is composed of several characters each having several forms and wherein the pattern on said credit card is divided into a plurality of interleaved pattern groups, each of said group utilizing different pattern locations, with each of said groups being representative of a character form, and wherein said card reading means reads selected locations of each of said groups to provide a signal representative of the character forms used in the code word on said card.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 1, wherein said card locations are provided with optically distinguishable features and wherein said card reading means further comprises a plurality of optical fibers and said signal comparing means comprises a display, said optical fibers optically coupling said several selected locations on said credit card to said display to provide a signal optically representative of the code word on said pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 6, wherein said code word generating means provides said comparison signal optically representative of the characteristics of the optically read locations on said credit card.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 7, wherein said signal comparing means further comprises a second display, a photographic transparency having an inscription thereon corresponding to the desired features of said selected locations, and means for illuminating said second display with said inscription on the photographic transparency.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
194 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 8, wherein the code word is composed of a character having several forms and wherein the pattern on the credit card further includes a first character form pattern and a second character form pattern, said patterns being interleaved and wherein said card-reading means reads said selected locations of each of said first and second character form patterns to provide a signal representative of the features of said scanned locations, and wherein said code word generating means further comprises a pair of apertured code wheels rotatably mounted about a common axis, the features of different wheels being adjustable in axial alignment with one another, a plurality of photographic transparencies each having inscriptions thereon corresponding to desired features of selected locations of the first and second character forms, said photographic transparencies being mounted in apertures of said code wheels displaying the inscriptions thereon, and wherein said means for illuminating said second display includes a light source and means for directing said light source through aligned ones of said transparencies and onto said second display to provide a visual display representative of the characteristics of said selected locations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The credit card verification system as recited in claim 1 and further including a plurality of different card-scanning devices, each scanning preselected different locations representing the code word coded in the credit card pattern, and a plurality of code word generators, each providing a comparison signal indicative of the desired features of scanned locations for one of said different card-scanning devices.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of operating a credit card system with subscribers, comprising forming a plurality of different credit cards each having an area thereof provided with a digital pattern of locations having distinguishaBle features with selected ones of said locations being chosen as representative of a code word uniquely associated with the holder of the card, providing at geographically separate places a different card-scanning device and a correspondingly different code word-generating device for scanning a different portion of the code word pattern on a credit card from the scanned by other scanning devices located at geographically separate places, and verifying the scanned portion of said code word of a card at each geographically separate place with a code word generating device in response to a code word provided by the credit card holder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-11 | 1975-04-12 | 1975-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-11 | 1979-04-12 | 1979-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-11 | 1983-04-12 | 1983-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |