Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal, an apparatus for verifying that a holder of an identification card bearing machine-readable data is an authorized holder, comprising means for converting said machine-readable data into a first electrical signal; means for entering a set of indicia known by only the authorized holder; means for converting said set of indicia into first and second signal portions; first means located at the remote terminal for comparing said first signal portion with a first reference signal; means responsive to a favorable comparison in said first means for generating a first validation signal; means responsive to the first validation signal for transmitting said second signal portion to the central computer; second means located at the central computer for comparing said second signal portion with a second reference signal; and means responsive to a favorable comparison in said second means for generating a second validation signal indicating that the holder of the card is an authorized holder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal, an apparatus for verifying that a holder of an identification card bearing machine-readable data is an authorized holder, comprising means for converting said machine-readable data into a first electrical signal; means for entering a set of indicia known by only the authorized holder; means for converting said set of indicia into first and second signal portions; first means located at the remote terminal for comparing said first signal portion with a first reference signal; means responsive to a favorable comparison in said first means for generating a first validation signal; means responsive to the first validation signal for transmitting said second signal portion to the central computer; second means located at the central computer for comparing said second signal portion with a second reference signal; and means responsive to a favorable comparison in said second means for generating a second validation signal indicating that the holder of the card is an authorized holder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for entering said set of indicia includes a keyboard.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 2, werein said keyboard is an alphanumeric keyboard.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1, including translator means for translating said first signal into a translated first signal constituting said first reference signal; said first means comparing said first signal portion with said translated first signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 4, including offset means for modifying said first signal portion to a modified first signal portion prior to comparison with said translated first signal in said first means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said offset means includes means responsive to offset data contained on said card for modifying said first signal portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second reference signal for comparison with said second signal portion is stored in a memory contained in said central computer; said apparatus further including means responsive to said first signal for addressing said second reference signal in said memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said set of indicia includes an alphabetic symbol, and said apparatus further includes means for decoding the alphabetic symbol to a corresponding numeral prior to translation in said translator means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
206 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal, an apparatus for verifying that the holder of an identification card carrying machine-readable data including an account number, is authorized to complete a transaction at the terminal, the apparatus comprising card reader means for converting said account number to a first electrical signal; input means including a keyboard for storing second and third electrical signals representing, respectively, transaction data and secret data entered by the holder, said secret data known by only an authorized card holder; means for converting said third electrical signal to a first signal portion and a second signal portion; means for translating said first signal into a translated first signal; first means located at the remote terminal for comparing said translated first signal with said first signal portion; means responsive to a favorable comparison in said first means for transmitting said first signal, said second signal portion and said second signal to the central computer; second means located at the central computer for comparing said second signal portion with a reference signal; and means responsive to a favorable comparison in said second means and to said second signal for completing a transaction in accordance with said second signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
206 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal, an apparatus for verifying that the holder of an identification card carrying machine-readable data including an account number, is authorized to complete a transaction at the terminal, the apparatus comprising card reader means for converting said account number to a first electrical signal; input means including a keyboard for storing second and third electrical signals representing, respectively, transaction data and secret data entered by the holder, said secret data known by only an authorized card holder; means for converting said third electrical signal to a first signal portion and a second signal portion; means for translating said first signal into a translated first signal; first means located at the remote terminal for comparing said translated first signal with said first signal portion; means responsive to a favorable comparison in said first means for transmitting said first signal, said second signal portion and said second signal to the central computer; second means located at the central computer for comparing said second signal portion with a reference signal; and means responsive to a favorable comparison in said second means and to said second signal for completing a transaction in accordance with said second signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 9, including offset means for modifying said first signal portion into a modified first signal portion prior to comparison with said translated first signal in said first means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said machine-readable data contained on said card further includes offset number data, and said offset means includes means responsive to said offset number data for generating an offset signal; and said apparatus further includes means for modifying said first signal portion in accordance with said offset signal prior to the comparison in said first means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said keyboard is an alphanumeric keyboard, and said apparatus further includes means for converting alphabetic symbols, keyboard-entered by the holder, into corresponding numerical symbols prior to comparison of said first signal portion of said third electrical signal with said first signal in said first means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
177 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal having a card reader and a keyboard, a method of verifying that a holder of an identification card bearing machine-readable data is an authorized holder, comprising the steps of reading data from said card in said card reader; generating a first signal representing said card-read data; generating a second signal from said keyboard representing secret data entered therein by the holder, the secret data being known only to the authorized holder; converting said second signal into first and second signal portions; translating said first signal into a translated first signal having no logical relationship to said first signal; comparing the translated first signal to the first signal portion at the remote terminal; and, in response to a favorable comparison, transmitting the second signal portion to the central computer; comparing the second signal portion with a reference signal at the central computer; and, in response to a favorable comparison at the central computer, generating a signal indicating that the holder is an authorized holder.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
177 words
In an on-line system including a central computer and at least one remote terminal having a card reader and a keyboard, a method of verifying that a holder of an identification card bearing machine-readable data is an authorized holder, comprising the steps of reading data from said card in said card reader; generating a first signal representing said card-read data; generating a second signal from said keyboard representing secret data entered therein by the holder, the secret data being known only to the authorized holder; converting said second signal into first and second signal portions; translating said first signal into a translated first signal having no logical relationship to said first signal; comparing the translated first signal to the first signal portion at the remote terminal; and, in response to a favorable comparison, transmitting the second signal portion to the central computer; comparing the second signal portion with a reference signal at the central computer; and, in response to a favorable comparison at the central computer, generating a signal indicating that the holder is an authorized holder.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 13, including the step of transmitting a transaction data signal along with said second signal portion to said central computer; and performing a requested transaction in response to a favorable comparison at the central computer and in accordance with said transaction data signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes the steps of generating a signal representative of an alphabetic character, and converting the signal representative of the alphabetic character to a signal representative of a corresponding numeral.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes the steps of generating a signal representative of an alphabetic character and a signal representative of a numeral, and converting said signal representative of the character to a signal representative of a corresponding numeral.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 13, including the step of addressing a memory at the central computer with said first signal to generate the reference signal corresponding to the card-read data.