Patent US3688086A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3688086A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Check digit and transaction authorization system
Assignee: SIMCOM CORP
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Filing: 1970-10-28
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1990-10-28
Abstract
Abstract A system for operating on the digits of an identifier such as an account number represented in a coded form by a constant ratio code, said system including means which operate by some preestablished formula to determine if the identifier is a valid identifier and/or has been properly entered, said system also providing a way to verify that persons who use the system have in fact actually used it as they are supposed to and used it properly each time. The present system therefore provides means for evaluating the performance and reliability of those who use equipment in the extending of credit and for other purposes. The programming of the subject system can be varied from time to time to prevent users of the system from being able to outsmart or bypass use of the system even when making later transactions involving the same identifiers or account numbers.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph L Levasseur
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:37
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/403; G06Q20/4033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
Means for determining acceptability and verifying the correctness of entry of a multi-digit identifier comprising means for representing the individual digits of the identifier in a coded optically detectable form, a film strip mounted for movement adjacent to the means representing the individual identifier digits, said film strip having a portion containing optically detectable images complementarily encoded with respect to the coding of the means that represent the digits of the identifier, means for producing relative movement between the film strip and the means representing the identifier digits for making direct optical comparisons between the coding for selected ones of the encoded identifier digits and a corresponding encoded portion of the film strip, each of the encoded portions of the film strip being positioned thereon to be compared individually to the encoding of the identifier for the corresponding digit positions during said relative movement so that optical comparison of encoding for the same digits will prevent light passage, a liGht source and a light sensor unit positioned on opposite sides of the adjacent encoded means representing the identifier digits and the complementary encoded film strip, said sensor unit having a plurality of distinct sensor elements, each element positioned to respond to any light from the light source that is able to reach it during direct optical comparison of associated encoded digit positions, each of said sensor elements producing an output each time the light from the light source is interrupted during said relative movement, means for counting the number of said outputs produced during said relative movement, and means for combining the number of said outputs with a predetermined number of similar outputs which represent a selected one of the digits of the encoded identifier, said combination having a distinctive predetermined characteristic only when the identifier is an acceptable identifier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
Means for determining acceptability and verifying the correctness of entry of a multi-digit identifier comprising means for representing the individual digits of the identifier in a coded optically detectable form, a film strip mounted for movement adjacent to the means representing the individual identifier digits, said film strip having a portion containing optically detectable images complementarily encoded with respect to the coding of the means that represent the digits of the identifier, means for producing relative movement between the film strip and the means representing the identifier digits for making direct optical comparisons between the coding for selected ones of the encoded identifier digits and a corresponding encoded portion of the film strip, each of the encoded portions of the film strip being positioned thereon to be compared individually to the encoding of the identifier for the corresponding digit positions during said relative movement so that optical comparison of encoding for the same digits will prevent light passage, a liGht source and a light sensor unit positioned on opposite sides of the adjacent encoded means representing the identifier digits and the complementary encoded film strip, said sensor unit having a plurality of distinct sensor elements, each element positioned to respond to any light from the light source that is able to reach it during direct optical comparison of associated encoded digit positions, each of said sensor elements producing an output each time the light from the light source is interrupted during said relative movement, means for counting the number of said outputs produced during said relative movement, and means for combining the number of said outputs with a predetermined number of similar outputs which represent a selected one of the digits of the encoded identifier, said combination having a distinctive predetermined characteristic only when the identifier is an acceptable identifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the means encoded to represent the individual digits of the identifier include a credit card having a row formed by adjacent opaque and light conducting areas, the locations of said opaque and light conducting areas being position encoded in said row to represent the digits of the identifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the means encoded to represent the individual digits of the identifier include a plurality of adjacent movable members each having a plurality of portions encoded to represent the various possible digits of the identifier, and means for moving said members to establish a row of selected ones of said encoded portions which together represent a particular identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein said film strip portion includes a plurality of adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting areas encoded in rows for comparison with the light conducting and non-light conducting areas of the means representing the individual digits of the identifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the said selected one of the digits of the identifier is a check digit the value of which depends on the values and arrangements of the other digits of the identifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the means representing the individual digits of the identifier in a coded optically detectable form include means for representing the individual digits according to a constant ratio code.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the coding on the film strip portion is arranged to produce a predetermined number of outputs in each digit position of the identifier according to a formula established for each digit position of the identifier as the said coded portion of the film strip moves thereby.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The means defined in claim 7 wherein different formulas are established in at least two different individual digit positions of the identifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the means for counting the number of outputs produced during movement of said film strip portion include a gate circuit having inputs connected to preselected sensor elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The means defined in claim 1 wherein the means for counting outputs include at least two gate circuits each having inputs connected to preselected ones of the sensor elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
270 words
Means for calculating an identifying indicator based on a formula involving the values and arrangements of the digits of a multi-digit identifier comprising means for representing the individual digits of the identifier in an optically readable encoded form including a form having adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting regions, a strip of film positioned for movement adjacent to said means for representing the digits of the identifier, said film strip having a preselected portion thereof with distinct adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting areas encoded thereon that are registrable with the encoded representations of corresponding ones of the digits of the identifier during movement of the preselected portion of the film strip therEby, the encoding on the film strip being the optical complement of the coding for the identifier, means for producing relative movement between the film strip and the means representing the identifier digits so that each encoded area on the film strip momentarily registers with selected portions only of the encoding for the corresponding digits of the identifier, means for optically comparing the distinct encoded areas on the film strip with the encoding representing the different selected digits of the identifier and for producing an output signal whenever an exact comparison is sensed therebetween in any position as indicated by a momentary blockage of light through the registered and compared encoding, means for counting the output signals that occur during movement of the preselected portion of the film strip past the representation of the multi-digit identifier, and means for producing a visual display indicative of the number of exact comparisons that are counted during said film strip movement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
270 words
Means for calculating an identifying indicator based on a formula involving the values and arrangements of the digits of a multi-digit identifier comprising means for representing the individual digits of the identifier in an optically readable encoded form including a form having adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting regions, a strip of film positioned for movement adjacent to said means for representing the digits of the identifier, said film strip having a preselected portion thereof with distinct adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting areas encoded thereon that are registrable with the encoded representations of corresponding ones of the digits of the identifier during movement of the preselected portion of the film strip therEby, the encoding on the film strip being the optical complement of the coding for the identifier, means for producing relative movement between the film strip and the means representing the identifier digits so that each encoded area on the film strip momentarily registers with selected portions only of the encoding for the corresponding digits of the identifier, means for optically comparing the distinct encoded areas on the film strip with the encoding representing the different selected digits of the identifier and for producing an output signal whenever an exact comparison is sensed therebetween in any position as indicated by a momentary blockage of light through the registered and compared encoding, means for counting the output signals that occur during movement of the preselected portion of the film strip past the representation of the multi-digit identifier, and means for producing a visual display indicative of the number of exact comparisons that are counted during said film strip movement.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein said means for producing a visual display include means for producing at least a two digit display, each digit of which is based on the number of output signals that occur for different selected groups of the digits of the identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The means defined in claim 12 wherein said counting means has separate counter portions for counting output signals that occur for the different selected groups of the digits of the identifier, and means connected between said separate counter portions for feeding selected outputs from one of said counter portions to the other depending on the number of output signals counted by the said one counter portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein said means for optically comparing and producing output signals include a plurality of light sensitive elements located on one side of the film strip in position to sense light in respective digit positions of the identifier, and at least two gate circuits connected to preselected ones of said light sensitive elements, each of said gate circuits passing output signals sensed by the associated sensor elements to the counting means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The means defined in claim 14 wherein switch means are connected between selected ones of the light sensitive elements and a selected one of the said gate circuits.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein the means for representing the individual digits of the identifier include a credit card having adjacent light conducting and non-light conducting areas position encoded thereon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein the means for representing the individual digits of the identifier include a plurality of adjacent optically encoded movable slide members each having a plurality of spaced optically encoded areas thereon that are sufficient to represent all possible digits that can be encoded in the corresponding digit position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein the means for representing the individual digits of the identifier include means for encoding the identifier digits according to a constant ratio code.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The means defined in claim 11 wherein the encoding on the film strip is arbitrarily selected to produce any desired number of output signals for each possible identifier digit in each position thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |