U.S. patent number RE30,579 [Application Number 05/846,356] was granted by the patent office on 1981-04-14 for check authorization system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Telecredit, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert N. Goldman, Ronald A. Katz.
United States Patent |
RE30,579 |
Goldman , et al. |
April 14, 1981 |
Check authorization system
Abstract
.Iadd.A system is disclosed for providing financial status data
from a data processing system to a plurality of input units.
Operation is based on identification verification, personal history
records, and current activity of subjects. Subjects are verified
using two classes of identification, one that is characteristic of
a subject and another that is arbitrarily assigned. Arbitrary
identification signals designate a memory location for a subject's
status and characteristic identification. A comparison between
recorded and inquiry identification confirms a subject's identity.
The system includes apparatus for accepting and recording
identifications for first-time subjects. Memory also registers
personal history, for example, negative information on subjects
which is provided as one form of status data. Records of a
subject's recent activity are generated in the memory to indicate
another form of status data.
Inventors: |
Goldman; Robert N. (Kailua,
HI), Katz; Ronald A. (Los Angeles, CA) |
Assignee: |
Telecredit, Inc. (Los Angeles,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25297675 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/846,356 |
Filed: |
October 28, 1977 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
102486 |
Apr 12, 1961 |
03212062 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
340/5.6; 235/375;
235/380; 340/5.86 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
40/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06Q
40/00 (20060101); G06F 015/20 (); G06K 005/00 ();
H04Q 003/58 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/172.5,149A,152,149R
;235/380,419,375 ;364/401 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kilgore; Robert M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nilsson, Robbins, Dalgarn,
Berliner, Carson & Wurst
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A data-processing system comprising: means for formulating
signals representative of an arbitrary identification and a
characteristic identification; a memory file; means employing said
signals representative of an arbitrary identification to address a
location in said memory file for registering signals representative
of a characteristic identification; determination means for
determining the presence of signals in a location in said memory
file representative of a characteristic identification; means for
registering said signals representative of a characteristic
identification controlled by said determination means upon
determining no such signals to be registered in a location in said
memory file; means to compare any existing signals from said memory
file representing a characteristic identification with signals
formulated to represent a characteristic identification, controlled
to operate conditionally upon said determination means determining
the presence of characteristic identification signals in said
memory file; and means to manifest the occurrence of coincidence
between signals received by said means to compare.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said characteristic
identification comprises a composite characteristic identification
formulated from a plurality of individual separate characteristics,
and said means for formulating signals includes means for
formulating signals representative of said composite characteristic
identification from signals representing said individual
characteristics.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said locations in said
memory further register status signals representing a current
status related to number of inquiries, and including means for
automatically revising said status signals upon each sensing
thereof until a predetermined value is reached.
4. A data-processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality
of inquiry stations for providing a status report on any of plural
subjects, each bearing arbitrary identification and characteristic
identification, comprising: means for forming input signals
representative of a subjects arbitrary identification and
characteristic identification; a memory means having a multitude of
storage locations, each for registering a subjects registered
characteristic identification and status; means for interrogating
said memory means to provide signals representative of a subjects
registered characteristic identification of a subjects arbitrary
identification, providing such signals are registered; means for
registering said input signals representative of a subjects
characteristic identification in a storage location under control
of said signals representative of a subjects arbitrary
identification, providing no such signals are registered; and means
for manifesting a subjects status providing the said input
characteristic identification signals coincide with the registered
characteristic identification signals.
5. A data processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality
of inquiry stations for providing a status report on subjects
bearing arbitrary identification and characteristic identification,
comprising: means for forming input signals representative of a
subjects arbitrary identification and characteristic
identification; a memory means having a multitude of storage
locations, each for registering registered signals representative
of characteristic identification and status; means for
interrogating said memory means to provide said registered signals
representative of a subjects characteristic identification and
status, under control of said input signals representative of a
subjects arbitrary identification, providing such registered
signals are registered; comparison means for comparing registered
signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification
from said memory means with similar input signals from said means
for forming signals to verify the validity of a subjects
identification upon each of, coincidence of compared signals, and
no signals being registered representative of a subjects
characteristic identification; and means for manifesting a status
for subjects, controlled by the status registered in a storage
location of said memory means and said comparison means.
6. A data-processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality
of inquiry stations for providing a status report on any of a
plurality of subjects being arbitrary identification and
characteristic identification, comprising: means for forming input
signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification and
characteristic identification; a memory means having a multitude of
storage locations, each for registering registered signals
representation of a subjects characteristic identification and
status; means for interrogating said memory means to provide said
registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic
identification and status under control of said input signals
representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing
such signals are registered; means for registering said input
signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification
in a storage location under control of said input signals
representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing no
such signals are registered; comparison means for comparing
registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic
identification from said memory means with similar input signals
from said means for forming signals to verify the validity of a
subjects identification; and means for manifesting a status for
subjects, controlled by the registered signals representative of
status registered in a storage location of said memory means and
said comparison means verifying characteristic identification by
comparison or detecting absence of prior registration.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for forming
input signals includes means for forming composite characteristic
identification signals from signals representative of a plurality
of physical characteristics of said subject. .[.8. Apparatus
according to claim 6 wherein said storage locations may register
any of a plurality of status signals, and wherein said apparatus
includes means for automatically incrementing the registered status
signals registered upon each sensing of the related storage
location until a predetermined value is reached..].
An indentification-verifying status-reporting system comprising:
input means for forming electrical input signals representative of
a characteristic identification and an arbitrary identification for
a selected subject; memory means having a plurality of storage
locations for registered signals representative of a characteristic
identification and a status for an individual subject; means for
addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control
of said input signals representative of an arbitrary
identification; detection means for determining the presence of
registered signals in an addressed storage location; means
controlled by said detection means for registering said input
signals representative of a characteristic identification in said
addressed storage location upon no registered signals being
therein; means controlled by said detection means for comparing
said input signals representative of said characteristic
identification with said registered signals representative of said
characteristic identification in said addressed storage location
upon signals being therein, to provide a control signal upon the
occurrence of signal coincidence; and means for manifesting the
status signals from an addressed storage location under control of
said control signal. .[.10. An identification-verifying
status-reporting system comprising: input means for forming
electrical input signals representative of a characteristic
identification and an arbitrary identification for a selected
subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations for
registered signals representative of a characteristic
identification and a status for an individual subject; means for
addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control
of said input signals representative of an arbitrary
identification; detection means for determining the presence of
registered signals in an addressed storage location; means
controlled by said detection means for comparing said input signals
representative of said characteristic identification with said
registered signals representative of said characteristic
identification in said addressed storage location upon signals
being therein, to provide a control signal upon the occurrence of
signal coincidence; means for manifesting the status signals from
an addressed storage location under control of said control signal;
and means for automatically altering said status signals in each
storage location, each time said location is addressed whereby to
indicate such occurrence..]. .[.11. A system for verifying the
credit status of a subject comprising: input means for forming
electrical input signals representative of identification for the
subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations, each
for registered signals representative of a status for a subject;
means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means
under control of said input signals; means for manifesting the
status signals from an addressed storage location under control of
said input signals; and means for automatically altering said
status signals in each storage location by a uniform increment,
each time said location is addressed until a predetermined value of
said status
signals is registered..]. .Iadd.12. Apparatus according to claim 1
wherein said location in said memory further register status
signals representing a current status related to number of
inquiries, and including means for automatically revising said
status signals upon each sensing thereof unless a predetermined
value is reached. .Iaddend.
Description
.Iadd.The present application is a divisional reissue application
of U.S. Patent No. 3,212,062. .Iaddend.
The present invention relates to a data-processing system, and
particularly to a system for providing a status report on subjects
bearing assigned identification and characteristic
identification.
Present day commercial activities involve a substantial number of
bank checks at practically every level of commerce. A large portion
of the transactions involving checks are made between total
strangers so that the validity of many checks is questionable when
they are accepted. Transactions of this type are particularly
common in retail trade with the result that most retail merchants
experience a considerable loss every year resulting from worthless
checks. Of course, these losses could be limited by accepting only
those checks which are recognized to be valid; however, such a
policy would result in considerable loss of sales and therefore is
not generally followed by retail merchants.
Various methods and devices have been employed in the past in
attempts to reduce the losses resulting from worthless checks. For
example, even merchants having the most liberal policy of cashing
checks still request some form of identification, as a driver's
license or credit card from an unknown person. Certain assigned or
arbitrary identification on such a card (as a driver's license
number) may then be recorded on the check for assistance in tracing
the passer should the check be worthless. Although this procedure
may dissuade some persons from passing worthless or bad checks, it
is generally quite ineffective against professional bad-check
passers and persons who are habitually overdrawn on their bank
account. Generally, persons in the latter group are relatively easy
to locate by their name alone; however, they possess limited
property and collections from them are very difficult. As a result
having accepted a bad check from a person of this type, a retail
merchant must normally either spend considerable time to collect
the amount due, turn the matter over to a collection agency and pay
a proportionate fee, or simply dismiss the check as a business
loss.
Contrary to the above category, professional passers of worthless
checks are generally difficult to locate even with a form of
identification, because any identification they provide is normally
counterfeit or altered, so that no authentic information relative
to the check passer is actually obtained when the check is
accepted.
Recognizing that the practice of recording the identification
presented by a person tendering a check as the only means of
authenticating the value of the check is somewhat ineffective,
various devices have been proposed for better control. For example,
one class of such apparatus employs a camera to photograph the
check passer and the check prior to cashing. Devices of this type
generally reduce the losses incurred by a retail merchant; however,
many good customers are reluctant to be repeatedly photographed and
therefore some loss of business is attendant the use of
photographic devices. Furthermore, the photograph of the check
passer, in addition to any other information or identification
provided, may not materially assist in collecting many worthless
checks.
Another technique employed to combat losses resulting from
worthless checks utilizes a personal file to provide the status of
persons from whom checks have been received. Reference is then made
to the file prior to accepting a check. Of course, files of this
type are somewhat useful; however, if the file is maintained by an
individual retail merchant, it remains quite limited and he can not
usually identify a person as a bad risk until a loss is actually
incurred. In the event that the file is maintained at a central
office and consulted collectively by several merchants, broader
scope is obtained; however, the file tends to become unwieldly and
therefore time-consuming in operation. Furthermore, the file
requires considerable effort to be maintained up to date.
From the above considerations, it is readily apparent that a need
exists for a system of authenticating persons tendering checks to a
merchant for cash or goods. In general, a satisfactory system of
this type would operate very rapidly, require relatively little
effort to maintain, identify a person tendering the check on the
basis of arbitrary identification (e.g. driver's license) and
physical characteristic identification (e.g. eye color, birth
date), and be capable of registering data relative to a vast number
of persons.
In general, the present invention comprises an authentication
system for determining the status of a subject from arbitrary and
characteristic identification. This identification is formulated
into electrical signals, and the signals representative of the
arbitrary identification are employed to interrogate a storage
location in a memory system which registers the subject's
characteristic identification and status. Upon locating this
information, it is compared with the newly-provided characteristic
identification as a first means of validating the authenticity of
the subject. If the comparison is favorable, the subject's status
is provided and may be registered in an altered form in the memory
system to indicate that an inquiry has been answered. Furthermore,
the system includes means for accepting and recording
identification for subjects applying to be authenticated for the
first time.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved system
for determining the status of a subject.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
system for authenticating a subject's identification and
ascertaining his status.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fast,
economical system for use in conjunction with a plurality of
inquiry stations, to authenticate a subject's identification and
manifest his status.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an
automatic system for authenticating arbitrary and characteristic
identification, and rapidly as well as conveniently providing the
status of a subject so identified.
One further object of the present invention is to provide a system
for authenticating the identification of persons and providing
their status, which system can be maintained up to date with
reasonably little effort.
These and other objects of the present invention will become
apparent from a consideration of the following, taken in
conjunction with drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a system constructed in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of the system
of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of another portion of the
system of FIG. 1.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, there are shown a plurality of input
units I1 through IN. These units are similar and include various
push buttons to formulate electrical signals indicative of the
characteristic and arbitrary identification relating to a
particular subject. The signals from all the input units are
applied to a rotary selector 10 which places them in serial form
for transmission in sequence into a data-processing system 12.
Within the data-processing system, the assigned arbitrary
identification is employed to locate a storage space reserved for
the subject in question. This storage space contains the
characteristic identification and status of the subject. The
characteristic identification of the subject registered in the
data-processing system 12 is then compared with the similar
identification received from the input unit and if the comparison
is favorable, the status register in the storage location is
applied to a rotary distributor 14.
In the event that the comparison is not favorable, signals
indicative of this fact are applied to the rotary distributor.
Additionally, various other information may be applied from the
system 12 to the rotary distributor, for example, signals may be
provided indicating that no arbitrary identification has been
assigned coinciding to that received.
The signals received by the rotary distributor 14 are passed to a
series of output units U1 through UN, stationed respectively with
the input units I1 through IN. Upon receiving these signals, the
output units manifest them to indicate the status of the subject
under investigation. Specifically, the output unit may indicate:
that the subject is wanted by the authorities; that the subject has
been convicted of passing bad checks; that the subject is covered
by a special manual file; that the subject habitually overdraws his
checking account; that the characteristic identification does not
coincide with that registered for the subject; that a prior inquiry
was made on the subject, however, that sufficient time for a check
to clear has not passed; or that the subject's checks are generally
valid and he has cashed a certain number of checks during the past
week or other assigned period.
On the basis of this information, the cashier to whom a check has
been tendered can make a fairly-accurate appraisal in most
situations as to whether or not the check should be accepted.
Furthermore, he may also inform the authorities of the presence of
the person, as for example, if the subject is wanted by the
authorities.
Considering the apparatus of FIG. 1 in greater detail, the input
units I1 through IN may vary in number and are of similar
structure. Generally, these units include three distinct sections
16, 18 and 20 which serve to formulate signals respectively
representative of eye color, birth data, and driver's license
number. Specifically, the section 16 has five push-buttons which
identify the eye colors blue, brown, grey, green and hazel black
respectively. Therefore, depression of one of these buttons
formulates an electrical signal which is representative of a
particular eye color. The section 18 includes five buttons which
may be individually depressed to formulate electrical signals
representative of birth dates falling in different parts of a
month. For example, one of the buttons is employed for birth dates
between the 1st and 6th days of the month, another for the days
between the 7th and 12th, and so on through the days of a month in
six-day increments.
The third section 20 of the input unit is employed to formulate
signals representative of a subject's license number. For example,
the license number may contain eight digits, and by depressing any
of ten buttons in sequence, the section 20 is set up to provide
signals representative of a driver's license number. In this
manner, the input unit is set to manifest an eye color, a birth
date category and a driver's license number. The eye color and
birth date category are generally characteristic identification of
the subject and are confirmed to some extent by his physical
appearance. The driver's license number represents an arbitrary
identification which has been assigned to the subject.
After the input unit has been properly set, a "go" button 22 is
depressed to energize the binary devices affixed to the buttons and
transmit parallel signals through a cable 24 representative of the
subject's eye color, birth date, and license number to the rotary
selector 10. In structure, the input units may comprise a variety
of well known devices. For example, the push buttons may be
connected to control the states of stages in a binary register
which may be formed of a group of flip-flops or binary relays.
Alternatively, various well-known key board structures may also be
employed to form the desired signals as shown and described in U.S.
Pat. No. 2,408,754 issued Oct. 8, 1946 to G. L. Bush. In any event,
the signals are cleared from the input units by depressing the "go"
button 22 which resets the input unit and provides parallel binary
signals through the cable 24 to the rotary selector 10. In
structure, this function is accomplished by an "and" gate which
receives the desired signals and is qualified to pass them by the
"go" button 22. Such structure is well known in the prior art and
is exemplified in the above-referenced patent to Bush.
The rotary selector 10 essentially time-shares the data-processing
system 12 among the units. That is, the rotary selector receives
and registers input signals from all of the input units I1 through
IN, and provides these signals in sequence through a cable 26 to
the data-processing system 12. Various structures for the rotary
selector are readily available, for example, this device may
consist of a plurality of buffer registers which are connected in
sequence to the data-processing system either by an electronic or
an electromechanical apparatus.
The details of the data-processing system 12 will be considered
below with reference to FIG. 2; however, the function of the system
is to select a particular storage location therein on the basis of
the subject's drivers license number. If information is possessed
on the subject, the selected location contains the subject's status
and his characteristic identification (eye color and birth data
category). Such characteristic identification registered in the
memory location is compared with the charcteristic identification
provided from the input unit and in the event of coincidence, the
status registered in the memory location is provided in the form of
electrical signals to a cable 28.
It is to be noted, that after the inquiry has been made, the
data-processing system 12 automatically alters the subject's status
to indicate that the inquiry has been made. This consideration is
important because the number of checks cashed by a person during a
relatively short interval may be somewhat indicative of his present
financial status.
The signals applied to the cable 28 by the data-processing system
are received by the rotary distributor 14 and transferred to the
respective output units U1-UN through cables as the cable 30. The
rotary selector 10 is synchronized with the rotary distributor 14
by a mechanical coupling or by electrical clock synchronization as
well known in the prior art so that the status signals are provided
at the location from which the inquiry was made.
The rotary distributor 14 may take a variety of forms including
units similar to those employed for the rotary selector 10.
The cable 30 from the rotary distributor 14 has several conductors
which are individually connected to different sections of the
output unit U1. In general, the output units U1 through UN are
similar; therefore, only the output unit U1 will be considered in
detail.
The conductors in the cable 30 are individually energized depending
upon the status reported by the data-processing system 12.
Therefore, only a single section of the output unit is energized to
manifest the subject's status. Specifically, the output unit is
divided into sections which are individually energized to indicate
the subject's status as follows:
______________________________________ Section Definition
______________________________________ "Wanted" The subject is
wanted by the authorities for passing worthless checks. "Convicted"
The subject has been previously convicted of passing worthless
checks. "Special" The subject is a special case and reference
should be made in the special file. "Overdraws" The subject
habitually overdraws his account. "I.D. Invalid" The characteristic
identification is not correct. "Number Invalid" The driver's
license number is not valid. "First Request" This is the first
request we have received relative to this subject. "First Request
In- We have received at least one prior request terim." on this
subject's status: however, sufficient time has not lapsed for a
check cashed on that occassion to clear. "Zero" The subject has
previously cashed valid checks and has not cashed any checks during
the current period. "One" The subject has previously cashed valid
checks and has cashed one check during the current period. "Two"
The subject has previously cashed valid checks and has cashed two
checks during the current period. "Three" The subject has
previously cashed valid checks and has cashed three checks during
the current period. "Four" The subject has previously cashed valid
checks and has cashed four checks during the current period. "Five"
The subject has previously cashed at least five valid checks during
the current period. ______________________________________
In structure, the output units may consist of a variety of output
devices, including a simple illuminated panel which energizes
various sections in accordance with the received signal, to
manifest a subject's status.
In using the system of the present invention as illustrated in FIG.
1, the cashier to whom a check is tendered simply requests the
subject's driver's license. The cashier then observes the subject's
eyes and approximate age, verifying this characteristic
identification with the subject's physical appearance. If this
identification appears satisfactory, the cashier either directly or
indirectly interrogates the data-processing system through an input
unit and the rotary selector. The data-processing system then
locates the subject's storage location in accordance with his
driver's license number and compares the presented characteristic
identification with that registered for the subject. If the subject
has never been checked before, the presented characteristic
identification is registered for him and a signal is provided
indicating that this is the first inquiry. Otherwise, the status of
the subject is provided through the rotary distributor and the
output unit back to the cashier to guide him in determining whether
or not to cash the tendered check.
In general, the operation of the unit may be exceedingly fast with
virtually the only delay of any substance occurring in the
communication between the input units and the cashier. Of course,
by using special telephone lines, this communication can be
performed very rapidly, with the system providing a rapid and
simple means of evaluating checks, which system functions with
small embarrassment to customers and relative safety for
merchants.
Furthermore, the system automatically builds a vast file of
information which is periodically reviewed and up dated as
described below in the specific description of the data processing
system 12. The data-processing system as shown in FIG. 2 may be
best understood by assuming certain initial conditions and
proceeding with the description of the component parts in the
system along with the description of their sequence of operation.
Pursuing the description in this manner assume initially that a
subject's driver's license number is received through a cable 16a
(a portion of the conductors in the cable 16) and registered in a
license-number register 42 (upper left corner) which may take the
form of a multi-stage binary register. Newly-received signals
destroy previously-registered signals in the register 42 in
accordance with well-known techniques.
The output from the license-number register 42 is applied through a
cable 44 to an "and" gate 46. The "and" gate 46 is in effect a
plurality of "and" gates (one for each of the conductors in the
cable 44) which are all individually qualified by a signal received
through a conductor 48 from a monostable multivibrator 50. However,
to preserve the legibility of FIG. 2, cables, as the cable 44 and
composite gates, as the "and" gate 46 are employed.
In operation, the "and" gate 46 serves to pass the signals in all
of the conductors of the cable 44 to a group of similar conductors
in a cable 52 providing the high state of a two-state signal
appears in the conductor 48. The signal in the conductor 48 is
controlled by the monostable multivibrator 50 which is in turn
controlled by a switch 54 that is closed briefly by the rotary
selector 10 (FIG. 1) each time an input unit transfers signals into
the data processing system 12. The brief closure of the switch 54
sets the monostable multivibrator 50 in a temporary or unstable
state thereby providing a pulse in the conductor 48 to qualify the
gate 46 to pass signals from the license-number register 42 to an
address generator 56. In operation, the monostable multivibrator 50
automatically reverts to a stable state after a brief interval
sufficient for the data-processing system to complete a functional
operation and at that time provides another control pulse.
The license-number signals applied to the address generator 56 are
converted into signals representing a memory address for an address
register 58 and applied thereto through a cable 60. The address
generator 56 may take the form of various conversion matrices and
functions simply to convert driver's license numbers as may be
employed in a particular state, into suitable numerical addresses.
Of course, if desired the driver's license numbers can be employed
directly as addresses, as may the numbers of issued licenses or
cards arbitrarily assigned to persons, in which case the address
generator 56 may comprise simply transfer conductors. However, if
license numbers are not orderly, it may be desirable to change them
to another radix. If so, any of a wide variety of radix converters
or code converters may be employed, as the address generator 56,
including specific examples as disclosed beginning on page 410 in
the book entitled "High Speed Computing Devices" by the staff of
Engineering Research Associates Inc., published in 1950. Coding
systems of this type are well known in the prior art and further
description is therefore not deemed necessary. However, it is to be
noted that in the present system, every address is uniquely defined
simply by the driver's license number or other assigned
identification. Also, the memory is completely dense except for
certain sections which are left unassigned.
In addition to an address, the address generator 56 also provides a
signal in a conductor 62 when a false driver's license number is
received. That is, the two-state signal in the conductor 62 goes to
a high state upon the address register receiving an unassigned or
invalid driver's license number. The conductor 62 is connected
directly to a terminal 64 and provides the "invalid number" signal
for the output units.
It is to be understood that certain invalid license numbers may
also be carried in the memory in an alternative arrangement wherein
expired and revoked licenses are recognized as such. In such
instance, invalid license simply becomes another status which is
manifest upon presentation of such a license number.
The address developed by the address generator 56 and registered in
the address register 58 specifies a particular storage location
within a memory 66. The memory is controlled by signals applied
through conductors 68 and 70 from the monostable multivibrator. The
application of a high signal to the memory through the conductor 68
causes the memory to provide the contents of the storage space
specified by the address register 58 to a cable 72. The conductor
68 (connected to the output from the monostable multivibrator 50)
receives a pulse as a license number is received; therefore, at
that time, the memory is commanded to provide the contents of the
address or storage-location specified by the address register 58.
The signals from the selected storage location are applied to a
character output register 74.
The characters provided to the register 74 are in binary form in
the system of FIG. 2; however, the form of signals employed to
represent these characters may take a variety of forms. The
following character designations are employed in FIG. 2:
______________________________________ Character Code Definition
______________________________________ A 000001 Non-Valid License
Number. B 000010 Wanted for Passing Bad Checks. C 000011
Convicted-Passing Bad Checks. D 000100 Reported-Not Sufficient
Funds. E 000000 No Prior Validation. F 000111 See Special File. G
001000 Code 1-First Timer. H 001001 Code 1-Interim. I 001010 Code
1-No Checks this Period. J 001011 Code 1-One Check this Period. K
001100 Code 1-Two Checks this Period. L 001101 Code 1-Three Checks
this Period. M 001110 Code 1-Four Checks this Period. N 001111 Code
1-Five Checks this Period. O 011000 Code 2-First Timer. P 011001
Code 2-Interim. Q 011010 Code 2-No Checks this Period. R 011011
Code 2-One Check this Period. S 011100 Code 2-Two Checks this
Period. T 011101 Code 2-Three Checks this Period. U 011110 Code
2-Four Checks this Period. V 011111 Code 2-Five Checks this Period.
W 100000 Code 3-First Timer. X 100001 Code 3-Interim. Y 100010 Code
3-No Checks this Period. Z 100011 Code 3-One Check this Period. 0
100100 Code 3-Two Checks this Period. 1 100101 Code 3-Three Checks
this Period. 2 100110 Code 3-Four Checks this Period. 3 100111 Code
3-Five Checks this Period. 4 101000 Code 4-First Timer. 5 101001
Code 4-Interim. 6 101010 Code 4-No Checks this Period. 7 101011
Code 4-One Check this Period. 8 101100 Code 4-Two Checks this
Period. 9 101101 Code 4-Three Checks this Period. . 101110 Code
4-Four Checks this Period. .degree. 101111 Code 4-Five Checks this
Period. & 110000 Code 5-First Timer. $ 110001 Code 5-Interim. *
110010 Code 5-No Checks this Period. 110011 Code 5-One Check this
Period. / 110100 Code 5-Two Checks this Period. , 110101 Code
5-Three Checks this Period. % 110110 Code 5-Four Checks this
Period. # 110111 Code 5-Five Checks this Period.
______________________________________
The manner in which the characters in the above chart are
manipulated in binary signal form is described below; however,
preliminary thereto reconsider the interval when an inquiry is
received by the data-processing system which inquiry includes the
license number identification (considered above) and also the
eye-age information. The latter specifically includes information
relative to the subject's eye color and birth date, which
information passes through a cable 16b to be accepted in a register
76 (top center FIG. 2). This register may take a variety of forms,
wherein new information is registered over old information.
The signals from the register 76 are applied through a cable 78 to
an identification coder 80 which functions to encode the received
signals into a composite identification signal. The identification
coder may take a variety of forms including a diode matrix of "and"
gates to provide the desired codes. The output from the
identification coder is upon a three-conductor cable 82 to
represent binary code digits as set forth in the following table in
accordance with particular eye colors and days of birth.
______________________________________ Binary Code Eye Color Day of
Birth ______________________________________ 001 Blue 1 to 6. 001
Brown 7 to 12. 001 Grey 13 to 18. 001 Green 19 to 24. 001
Hazel-Black 25 to 31. 010 Blue 7 to 12. 010 Brown 13 to 18. 010
Grey 19 to 21. 010 Green 25 to 31. 010 Hazel-Black 1 to 6. 011 Blue
13 to 18. 011 Brown 19 to 24. 011 Grey 25 to 31. 011 Green 1 to 6.
011 Hazel-Black 7 to 12. 100 Blue 10 to 24. 100 Brown 25 to 31. 100
Grey 1 to 6. 100 Green 7 to 12. 100 Hazel-Black 13 to 18. 101 Blue
25 to 31. 101 Brown 1 to 6. 101 Grey 7 to 12. 101 Green 13 to 18.
101 Hazel-Black 19 to 24.
______________________________________
It is to be noted that the chart divides characteristic
identification into categories. That is, in accordance with a
subject's eye color and his birth date he is placed in a category,
and with the knowledge of his eye color or his birth date (as
recorded on his driver's license) there is still only one chance in
five that a counterfeiter could correctly guess the other
identification.
The three binary digital signals representative of the
characteristic identification of a subject are applied to a
coincidence detector 84 along with three similar digital signals
applied through a three-conductor cable 86 from the character
register 74. These digital signals represent the most-significant
three digits of the code indicated by the first chart above, which
are representative of the subject's previously-registered
characteristic identification. The coincidence detector 84 then
functions to compare the characteristic identification previously
registered for a subject with that which accompanies the present
inquiry, as the previously-registered characteristic identification
is applied to the coincidence detector from the character register
74 while the characteristic identification accompanying the present
inquiry is applied from the identification coder 80.
The coincidence detector 84 provides two opposite output signals
depending upon the results of the comparison. The first output
signal NC is applied to a conductor 88 and is high when the
compared signals do not coincide. The occurrence of the high state
of the signal NC in the conductor 88 indicates that the
characteristic identification was improper and this fact is
manifest through a gate 91 (considered hereafter) by a high signal
at a terminal 90 to which the conductor 88 is connected.
If the coincidence detector determines that the identification
information from the two sources are coincident, this fact is
manifest by providing a high signal C on a conductor 92 which is
the negation of the signal NC. The signal C is applied to a
composite "and" gate 94 which also receives inputs from a cable 96
carrying the character registered in the character register 74. The
"and" gate 94 is a composite gate as previously described and if
the signal in the conductor 92 is high, the values registered in
the character register 74 are all passed through the cable 96 and
the gate 94 to a cable 98 which is connected to a "add-one"
register 100 and a status decoder 102.
After the determination that the identification presented by the
injuiry is correct, the system functions to provide the subject's
status, and revise the status registered back in the memory 66. The
current status is provided from the status decoder 102 which
functions to provide a single status signal from a code character
as set forth in the first chart above. The status decoder 102 may
comprise a diode decording network and functions to accomplish the
conversions set forth below.
______________________________________ Code Character Output Signal
Terminal ______________________________________ G, H, O, P, W, X,
4, 5, &, $ "First Request" Interim 101 I, Q, Y, 6, * "Zero" 108
J, R, Z, 7, - "One" 110 K, S, 0, 8, / "Two" 112 L, T, 1, 9, (.)
"Three" 116 M, U, 2, (.), % "Four" 117 N, V, 3, .degree., # "Five"
119 ______________________________________
The status coder therefore functions to energize one of the
terminals 104, 108, 110, 112, 114 or 116, in accordance with the
subject's status.
With regard to the matter of revising the status to indicate that
another inquiry has taken place, this operation is performed by the
"add-one" register 100. The contents of the "add-one" register
comprise signals representative of the character taken from the
memory and these signals are sensed by a decoder 120 through a
cable 122. The decoder functions to form a single high signal in a
conductor 124 unless a particular binary code is registered in the
"add-one" register. The purpose of the decoder 120 is to maintain
the existing status for certain subjects whose status does not
change upon each inquiry. That is, if the register 100 contains
signals representative of a status which automatically changes,
i.e. "zero," "one," "two," "three," and "four," a signal is applied
through the conductor 124 to the "add-one" register 100, which may
take the form of an interconnected binary register capable of
functioning as a counter to increase the value of its contents by
"one." The conductor 124 is then connected into the
least-significant stage of the register 100 so that a binary "one"
is effectively added to the contents of the register. The decoder
comprises a logic network which passes a pulse to the conductor 124
unless it detects binary code signals representative of XXX00X,
000XXX, or XX1111. The signals in the category XXX00X represent
first timers and first timers interim. Subjects with such status do
not change their status on each inquiry therefore no signal is
provided to increment these status signals. Subjects identified by
a status containing 000XXX are all special cases, e.g. "wanted" and
therefore not subject to change on inquiry. The status category
which includes the signals XX1111 is that the subject has cashed
five or more checks during a current period. This status does not
change with further inquiries. Of course, the categories set forth
above may be verified by reference to the first chart set out
above.
To manifest the altered status, the "add-one" register is connected
through a cable 126 and a composite "or" gate 128 to a character
register 130 which comprises the input to the memory 66. Therefore,
prior to the time when a cycle of operation is deemed to be
complete by the timing of the multivibrator 50, the "add-one"
register 126 has registered its contents in the character register
130. The monostable multivibrator 50 then reverts to its stable
state providing a pulse through the conductor 70, thereby
commanding the memory to register the contents of the character
register 130 in the address specified by the address register 58.
As a result, the status of the subject has been sensed, manifest,
possibly altered, and placed back in the proper memory
location.
As indicated above certain of the code characters are placed back
in the memory 66 unchanged. Among these are the characters A
through F, representing special situations and identified by a
binary code having the threemost significant digits zero. As a
result of the operation of the decoder 120, these codes are not
altered by adding one but rather are returned to the memory
unchanged. To manifest these various special case codes, a
special-case decoder 134 receives the character from the character
register 74 and applies the appropriate signal to the proper
terminal of the terminals 138 through 144. The special-case decoder
may simply take the form of a diode decoder which provides signals
in the lines 138, 139, 140 and 141 in accordance with code
characters B, C, D and E of the first chart above.
The above description indicates the manner in which the system
operates after identification for a subject has been established.
However, in many instances inquiries will be made on subjects of
whom the system has no prior information. An important aspect of
the present invention resides in the operation of the system in
such instances to automatically formulate and retain characteristic
identification to accumulate an ever-increasing field of knowledge.
If the system is interrogated relative to a subject for the first
time, the coincidence detector 84 will register no coincidence and
formulate the signal NC high, because the system has no previous
knowledge of the subject's identification and only zeros are drawn
from the memory unit 66. This occurrence is detected by a
"no-prior" decoder 152 which is connected to the character register
74 through a cable 154. The decoder 152 simply determines the
occurrence of all zeros in the character register and provides a
high output signal in a conductor 156 upon such an occurrence. This
signal is applied to a composite "and" gate 158 which passes the
received identification from the identification coder 80 through a
cable 160 and the composite "or" gate 128 to the character register
130. Therefore, the identification supplied with an initial inquiry
is registered in the storage space of the memory 66 which is
assigned on the basis of the arbitrary identification or
driver's-license number identifying the subject.
The signal appearing in the conductor 156 from the decoder 152 is
also applied to a terminal 165 to manifest no previous information
is available on the subject, i.e. "first request." This signal is
also applied through an inverter circuit 166 to an "and" gate 91.
The inverter circuit 166 may take various well-known forms and
functions to reverse or invert the state of the two-state signal
from the decoder 152. Therefore the inverter circuit 166 normally
(except on initial inquiries) passes high signal to the "and" gate
91 permitting the gate to pass a signal manifesting the occurrence
of no-coincidence between the identification signals. However, if
the current inquiry is the first inquiry, the signal NC is blocked
by the gate 91.
Summarizing the operation of the system, the most common occurrence
will involve an inquiry relating to a subject who has previously
been considered by the system. In this instance, the system simply
reports the number of checks he has cashed in a relatively-recent
period (as a week) and verifies his identification. The system then
functions to alter the number of checks he has cashed increasing
the number by one on the assumption that the merchant accepted a
check.
Occasionally, the system will receive an inquiry involving a
subject who falls into a special category as being wanted by the
authorities or having a record of repeated overdraws on a checking
account. In this instance, this status is simply manifest and the
identification is confirmed.
Still another situation which will arise occasionally involves the
first-time user of the service wherein the identification of the
subject is registered for future use and the system manifests no
prior knowledge relative to the subject however verifies the
authenticity of the driver's license number or other arbitrary
identification as being a valid and active identification. Prior to
the time when the system indicates that previous checks have been
cashed for a subject and proven to be acceptable, the system only
verifies the identification. It is generally assumed that as the
identification is a valid driver's license number, the subject is a
good risk and a check is accepted. However, before the subject is
graduated to the status of having passed an acceptable check in the
past, it is necessary to allow a period of time to pass sufficient
for a check to clear. During this time, the subject retains a
status of "First request interim." According to one method of
operating the system, the contents of the memory is reviewed weekly
and revised according to new information and what may be assumed
with the passage of time. In such operation of the system it is
desirable that subjects remain in the "First request interim"
category for at least one week. Therefore, a subject is first
placed in the category designated by code characters G, O, W, 4,
&, then at the weekly updating these categories become H, P, X,
5, $, still indicating an interim stage. The next weekly review
then shifts these character designations of status to I, Q, Y 6 and
*. The operation of updating the system to perform these
manipulations will now be considered with reference to FIG. 3.
The system of FIG. 3 represents a configuration which may be
physically built into a system of the present invention or which
may be alternatively employed periodically to update the contents
of the memory 66. In any event, a pulse generator 200 is provided
to deliver periodic pulses to a counter 202 which supplies an
information count, that is, its contents representative of a
numerical value to the address register 58 continually advancing
the register so as to completely scan the contents of the memory.
The pulse generator also applies pulses directly to the memory
through a conductor 204 and through a delay circuit 206. These
pulses command the operation of "reading" and "registering" by the
memory 66. During the read-out operation character signals are
transferred through a cable 208 to a character modifier 210 which
modifies the characters in accordance with the following chart.
______________________________________ Change To Change To Change
To ______________________________________ G II U Q 8 6 H I V Q 9 6
J I W X ", " 6 K I X Y .degree. 6 L I Z Y & 8 M I "0" Y $ * N I
1 Y * O P 2 Y / * P Q 3 Y % * R Q 4 5 ", " * S Q 5 6 # * T Q 7 6
______________________________________
The modifier may comprise various logical networks and after its
operation, the characters are returned to the memory via the cable
212 considering the above changes in view of the coded
representations provided above for each character it is apparent
that simple digital changes are all that are necessary. For example
to accomplish the first alteration of the character G to H, the
digital representation 00100 (G) is changed to 001001 (H). The
logic for accomplishing this change in the modifier 210 is simply a
gate to detect the presence of the representation 001001 and means
to provide the representation 001001 in its place. Such a logic
network may be constructed by employing the detailed teachings of
Chapter 3 of the book "Arithmetic Operation in Digital Computers"
by R. K. Richards, published 1955 by D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc.
Alternatively, the function of the character modifier 210 may be
performed by a variety of well-known general purpose computers
programmed to accomplish the desired changes. One such computer is
shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,472 issued May 2, 1961
to H. D. Huskey.
Thus, the system is periodically updated to change the status of
persons, after a specified period of time and furthermore the
status of persons may be altered by a fluid program in the
character modifier which functions to insert new data for persons
of special categories. Thus, the system is maintained current in
accordance with the best information available, and yet requires a
minimal amount of manual effort. Furthermore, the system operates
at an exceedingly high speed so that the status of a subject is
returned to the inquiry station very rapidly without any
embarrassing delay.
Although various features and concepts of the present invention
have been set forth in the foregoing illustrative embodiment, the
present invention is not to be limited in accordance therewith but
is to be construed in accordance with the claims set forth
below.
* * * * *