Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PERSONA~ ~7F~ INDIVIDUAL SECURED CARD PRODUCTION DEVICE
~;LD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a system for producing secured cards and in
particular a system and device for producing personalized individual secured cards.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Secured plastic cards such as credit cards, debit cards, health cards and the
like are well known. It is very Important in the delivery of these cards that security
measures are put in place to ensure that the individual who applied for and was approved for
the card is the individual who receives the card.
Typically secured cards are produced on mass at a centralized location where
they are produced in batches. The advantage of such a system is that a large number of
cards can be produced relatively inexpensively. A major disadvantage of such a system is
that although it is relatively inexpensive to produce each card it is very expensive to deliver
the card. The delivery expenses would include the printing and m~iling costs to deliver the
card itself, to deliver the personal identification number and to deliver a letter to confirm the
individual has received the card and number. As well there are the expenses with regard to
cards that are lost or stolen in the mail.
A centralized batch production system is slow to respond to change. For
instance when the issuing in~titl1tion requires a change in the art work or other information
on the card, such changes are generally slow to be implemented. Further, a centralized
batch production system does not include a method of including a picture of the card holder
as an integral part of the card. For a centralized batch production system to be adapted to
include a picture of the card holder the cost of providing the card would increase because of
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the security issues associated with transporting the card holder picture to the card
manufacturer. In addition there would be an increase in production costs because the card
could no longer be produced in batches since each card would be different.
Card identification systems are available where an identification card is
5 produced with a picture and other personalized information printed thereon. These cards
however do not have all of the features of a credit card. Particularly these cards are not
embossed. Without the embossing the card could not be used in credit card machines that
transfers the embossed information onto a credit card slip. Therefore existing printer
technology cannot produce a personalized individual credit card type card.
Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a system and device for
producing a personalized individual secured card that can be located at the site of the
in~titution that is delivering the card. Further it would be desirable to provide a system for
delivering cards that could be adaptable to produce different art works, that could include a
picture of the card holder and that could be produced while the card holder waits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a card delivery system which includes a
personalized individual secured card production device. The card production system
includes a method of ~ses~ing applicants, a printer/embosser and a computer operably
20 connected to the printer/embosser for operating and controlling the printer/embosser. The
printer/embosser includes a double sided printer, an overcoater, an encoder and an embosser
and tipper. Preferably the card production device includes a camera and an image capture
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system operable connected to the con~ulel and the computer operates and controls the
image capture system. The card production device allows for the decentralization of a card
delivery system, for instance it will f~cilit~t~ each branch of a financial institution in
becoming a location where credit cards may be produced and delivered.
In another aspect of the invention a personalized individual secured card
printer/embosser for printing secured cards is disclosed. The printer/embosser is adapted to
be attached to a co"-pulel which has hardware and software capable of operating the
printer/embosser. The printer/embosser includes a double sided printing mechanism, an
overcoater, an encoder and an embosser and tipper. The double sided printing mechanism
is for printing designs on two sided of the secured card. The overcoater is operably
connected to the double sided printing mechanism and is for overcoating one side of the
printed card with a foil. The encoder is operably connected to the overcoater and is for
encoding predetermined information into memory device. The embosser and tipper is
operably connected to the encoder and is for producing raised alpha numeric characters on
the secured card.
Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in
the course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a flow chart of a card delivery system of the present invention;
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Fig. 2A is a detailed flow chart of the card delivery system; and
Fig. 2B is the continuation of the detailed flow chart of a card delivery systemof the present invention shown in Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3 is a flow chart of the personalized individual secured card
5 printer/embosser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Fig. 1, the main steps of the card delivery system of the present
invention are shown generally at 10. The card delivery system includes an application step
12, a data input step 14, a data evaluation step 16 and a card production step 18. In the
application step 12 the user or potential card holder provides information to the issuing
institution to apply for the relevant secured card. The in~titution may be a bank, a credit
union, a trust company, a merchant, a hospital or a government or any other or~ni~tion
which provides cards. The in~ti~ution inputs the data in step 14 in accordance with their
int~rn~l requirements. The in~titution then evaluates the data in step 16 to determine if the
applicant is a approved. Once the applicant has been approved the card is then produced in
step 18.
Referring now to figure 2, application step 12 is the initial stage for obtaining
a credit card. The in~ti~ution i~entifi~s potential customers or users by way of direct mail
20, point of sale 22 or tele",~lk~ing 24. Direct mail 20 solicitation is generally conducted
by way of pre-approved applications or an invitation to apply. The application at the point
of sale 22 will typically be at the financial institution branch location 26 or at the merchant's
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28 place of business. Telemarketing 24 is generally where card applications are received
through a phone-in response line. In the application step 12 the customer provides the
institution with all of the information required by the institution.
Data input step 14 may be pe Ç~,l-ed in a number of ways. For example,
5 there may be a central data entry site 30 where the paper based applications are input.
These applications may be sent there directly by the branch, the merchant or the applicant.
Alternative the data may be entered by way of a direct input device 32. Direct input device
32 allows the branch or merchant to input the information directly at the point of sale.
Direct input device 32 would be connected to a central system where the information is
10 processed.
The criteria for the data analysis 16 is set individually by each institution.
Typically the data analysis includes an application qualification system 34 which uses
information obtained from a Credit Bureau Data Base type service 36. The relevant
information is obtainable from the Credit Bureau Data Base 36 because the appropriate
15 information was obtained through the application 12. In the data analysis step 16 the
applications are divided into three streams namely approved 38, need more information 40
and refused 42. If the application is refused 42 the applicant is notified immediately
generally in the form of a letter 44 to the applicant. If more information is required 40 the
applicant is invited to provide this information and the information is re-evaluated. If the
20 application is subsequently approved at step 46 it rejoins the approved stream and if it is
rejected 48 a letter 44 is sent to the applicant.
The final stage is then to produce the card in step 18. The approved
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application 38 and 46 is logged into a system or file of approved applications 50 and the
applicant is notified and requested to attend at the appropliate location where a personalized
individual secured card production device 52 is located. The applicant is notified either by
letter 54 or phone 55. When the applicant attends at the applopliate location the applicant is
5 required to identify themselves with such information as address, social insurance number
and mother's maiden name. This information is cross-referenced with the approved
application file 50 to verify the applicant's identity. If the applicant's identity cannot be
verified the process is stopped, security is notified and appl~liate actions are taken. If the
applicant's identity is verified a card is produced by the personalized individual secured card
10 production device 52.
Personalized individual secured card production device 52 or station includes
the following elements a personal computer 70, a camera assembly 56, an image capture
system 58, and a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) card printer/embosser 60. The computer
includes a~ropliate software and hardware to run the image capture system 56 and the
printer/embosser 60. Typically the computer would be a 486 personal computer however it
will appreciated by those skilled in the art that any computer that is capable of handling the
software and haidw~ could be used.
The image capture system 58 includes image data base application software,
image server software, an image capture board and a VGA (video graphics array) card all of
20 which are compatible with colllpuler and installed therein. In use the camera assembly 56 is
either operably connected to the image capture system so that the image is transferred
electronically directly to the computer without producing a conventional photograph or the
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camera can produce a conventional photograph which is scanned and the scannedinformation is transferred to the colllpu~er. The applicant's image will be stored preferably
digitally in an image file 72 and in a card master file 74 for future reference and for security
and filing purposes. The information stored in image file 72 and master file 74, including a
5 picture of the applicant, will improve the security measures that the institution is able to
implement.
Preferably printer/embosser 60 includes a high quality multi-color printer
which prints the customer's photograph and a detailed high quality card design. The
printer/embosser includes a double sided printing mechanism 62 and prints an image on both
10 sides of the card. The card design is printed right to the four edges of the PVC card in a
technique known as bleeding. Typically the printer uses yellow, magenta, cyan and black
thermal transfer foil with an overcoating process to overprint multi-color pictures. The
printer/embosser also includes an overcoater 64. The overcoating process overcoats the
front side of the card with an overcoating foil which can be a high transparent or a
lS hologram foil in endless or diffraction marks. Printer/embosser 60 includes an encoder 66.
Encoder 66 may be a magnetic stripe encoder which is capable of encoding the magnetic
stripe on the card according to prescribed specifications and standards. In addition or
alternatively encoder 66 includes a chip encoder which is capable of encoding or
progr~mmin~ the chip according to prescribed specifications and standards.
20 Printer/embosser 60 also includes an embosser and tipper 68 which embosses and tips alpha
numeric characters onto the card. Typically these characters include the name and number
of the card holder. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that printer/embosser 60
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is an improvement over existing card printers since it allows the printer/embosser to be used
for printing credit card type cards.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the personalized
individual secured card production device 52 having the reatules that are described above
5 will allow the operate a wide range of flexibility. For example one machine could be used
to produce a wide variety of cards including a bank card, a health card, a drivers licence,
specialty cards and the like. The cards could be easily modified so when an institution is
instituting a new marketing strategy the design card can be readily changed to enhance this
new strategy. Further, it is common that certain financial institutions sponsor ~esi~n~t~d
10 org~ni7~tions such as air miles programs, arts org~ni7~tions, university alumni associations
or car manufacturers and the card associated with each org~ni7~tion could have a specific
design. Personalized individual secured card production device 52 would allow one branch
to accommodate these different org~ni7~tions and produce the particular card.
Once the card is produced 76 it is then given to the applicant and the card
15 delivery process is ended 78.
It will be appreciated that the above description related to one embodiment by
way of example only. Many variations on the invention will be obvious to those skilled in
the art and such obvious variations are within the scope of the invention as described herein
whether or not expressly described.
