Fraud resistant credit card system

Claim 2

Tamper proof credit or identification card, comprising a flat card member adapted to identify an authorized bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impinging thereon from light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce an image at another predetermined angle relative to said reference beam to impinge on sensor means disposed at a predetermined position relative to said light source means.

Claim 3

Tamper proof credit or identification card as in claim 1, wherein said indicia one embodied as a magnetic stripe and the magnetic stripe and said reflective hologram are disposed on opposite flat surfaces of the card member.

Claim 4

Tamper proof credit or identification card, comprising a flat card member adapted to identify an authorized bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impining thereon from light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce a plurality of images at predetermined angles relative to said reference beam, each to impinge on respective sensor elements disposed at predetermined positions relative to said light source means.

Claim 5

Tamper proof credit or identification card, comprising a flat card member adapted to identify an authorized bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impining thereon from light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce a plurality of images at predetermined angles relative to said reference beam, each to impinge on respective sensor elements disposed at predetermined positions relative to said light source means.

Claim 6

System for verifying authenticity of credit or identification cards, comprising one or more tamper proof cards, each including a flat card member adapted to identify the bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impinging thereon from light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce an image at a predetermined angle relative to said reference beam to impinge on sensor means disposed at a predetermined position relative to said light source means; and a vertifying card reader mechanism including means to receive one such card inserted therein, means to read the data in said indicia when said card is inserted in a predetermined orientation, reference light beam source means disposed within said reader and positioned and oriented so that a light beam emanating therefrom impinges on said hologram at said one predetermined angle, at least one light sensor means disposed in said reader at said predetermined position and providing an output signal when said image impinges thereon, and checking circuit means coupled to receive the output of said sensor means to indicate the authenticity of the card inserted in said reader.

Claim 7

System for verifying authenticity of credit or identification cards, comprising one or more tamper proof cards, each including a flat card member adapted to identify the bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impinging thereon from light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce an image at a predetermined angle relative to said reference beam to impinge on sensor means disposed at a predetermined position relative to said light source means; and a vertifying card reader mechanism including means to receive one such card inserted therein, means to read the data in said indicia when said card is inserted in a predetermined orientation, reference light beam source means disposed within said reader and positioned and oriented so that a light beam emanating therefrom impinges on said hologram at said one predetermined angle, at least one light sensor means disposed in said reader at said predetermined position and providing an output signal when said image impinges thereon, and checking circuit means coupled to receive the output of said sensor means to indicate the authenticity of the card inserted in said reader.

Claim 8

System for vertifying authenticity of credit or identification cards, comprising one or more tamper proof cards, each including a flat card member adapted to identify the bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impinging thereon from a light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce a plurality of images at predetermined angles relative to said reference beam to impinge on respective sensor elements disposed at predetermined positions relative to said light source meams; and a verifying card reader mechanism including means to receive one such card inserted therein, means to read the data in said indicia when said card is inserted in a predetermined orientation, reference light beam source means disposed within said reader and positioned and oriented so that a ligth beam emanating therefrom impinges on said hologram at said one predetermined angle, a plurality of light sensor elements disposed at least at said predetermined positions relative to said light source means, each providing an output signal when said image impinges thereon, and checking circuit means coupled to receive the output of said sensor elements to indicate the authenticity of the card inserted in said reader.

Claim 9

System for vertifying authenticity of credit or identification cards, comprising one or more tamper proof cards, each including a flat card member adapted to identify the bearer thereof, automatically-readable indicia on one surface of the flat card member containing data relating to the authorized bearer, and a separate reflective hologram disposed on a surface of the flat card member, the automatically-readable indicia being spaced apart from the hologram, the hologram being so constructed that a reference light beam impinging thereon from a light source means at one predetermined angle and orientation to said one surface of the card will produce a plurality of images at predetermined angles relative to said reference beam to impinge on respective sensor elements disposed at predetermined positions relative to said light source meams; and a verifying card reader mechanism including means to receive one such card inserted therein, means to read the data in said indicia when said card is inserted in a predetermined orientation, reference light beam source means disposed within said reader and positioned and oriented so that a ligth beam emanating therefrom impinges on said hologram at said one predetermined angle, a plurality of light sensor elements disposed at least at said predetermined positions relative to said light source means, each providing an output signal when said image impinges thereon, and checking circuit means coupled to receive the output of said sensor elements to indicate the authenticity of the card inserted in said reader.

Claim 10

System as in claim 5, wherein, in said reader mechanism, there are a first plurality of said light sensor elements each at a position corresponding to the position of a respective one of said images, and second plurality of additional light sensor elements disposed at other positions at which no image beam impinges, and said checking circuit includes logic circuit means having first and second sets of input coupled respectively to the outputs of the first and second plurality of sensor elements, and providing an output of an affirmative sense when the outputs of the first plurality of said elements are all of one predetermined sense, while the outputs of the second plurality of said elements are all of a complementary sense, and providing an output of another, negative sense otherwise.