Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02234~77 1998-04-09
WO 97/15032 PcT/~l9sJ~5~l5SYSTE~ ~OR THE SRFE ~UTHENTIC~TION ~ND ~N~EMENT OF REGISTERED
CREDIT INSTRUMENTS ~ND DOCU~ENTS
This invention relates to a system for the safe authent;cation
and mana~ement of registered cred;t instruments and documents~
~ore particularly, this invention relates to a system suitable
to identify with the utmost certainty the po5sessory title of a
document which i5 univocally associated to the legitimate holder
on the basis of a personalized card~
Besides~ this invention relates to the apparatuses for issuing
the personali~ed card and the document and for the validation of
the latter, with tha ascertainnient of its authenticity on its
utili7ation~
Concerina registered documents, special reference is made to a
specific credit in~strument utili~able for commzrcial transac-
tions wh;ch are executed with the utmost securit~, as the possi-
bility of an illicit use of said instrument by third partiss -
due to loss or stealin~ - is excluded
~nyhow~ the same system of authenticatiQn and management may be
utili~e~ for any othar crsdit instruments. such as chs~ues,
share certificatçs, csrtificates of ;ndebtedness, savin3s books
and thz like~. as well as personal documents or personal identi-
fication documents, of the kind, for instance7 of credit cards7
passports, identity cards and driving licences.
Several methods are ~nown for the execution of the commercial
trans~ctions that involve the transfer of money between psrsons
~any transactions take place without an~,~ mater-ial transfer of
curr~.ncv~ for instance through a ban~. which sees directly, upon
re~uest by the concerned person, to crediting the indicated
person with a given sum
Tn other cases, the payment is through credit instruments, for
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CA 02234577 1998-04-09
ir,stance ban!~. che~ues or bank-~ drafts, rel~tively to which spe-
cial cau-tiQns are adopted. to try to avoid their for ery or
stealinq and their illicit utili-ation
~nother form of payment is based on tha use of credit cards,
which allthori=e the holder to purchase ~300ds or services with
third ~ tie.~ havinq an arran~ement wit,l-l the i,suer of said
cards. t~ which the charge of ths payment is transferred
But also this form of payment is not free from risk;s, as the
credit card mav gst lost or be stealed and unlawfully utili ed,
even though temporarily, by non authori~ed third parties.
The aforementioned payment forms1 widely adopted, allow to limit
tha supply of cash, whish however is still the more practical
and dir~ct and sometimes compulsory system to execute commercial
transactions whose amount is not alway~ small Obviously the
poss~Cc;on of cash qives rise to fairly serious security pro-
blemG: in fact~ stealed or lost currenc~.~ san be easily used by
anYona. gen~r~lly without problems. as not even the ~uarantees
ex;Gt that safegu.~rd somehow or other th_ circulation of c~heques
and cred~..t cards
~XX~x ~.n earlier patent application~ the same applicantXW~
describes
x~ x~xx~ a system for commercial transactions suita-
b]e to obviate th~ aforamentioned drawbac~.s, providing for the
u_e of a personali~ed card integrating a microprocessor wherein
a personal code and information are stored deriving from the
application of a mathcmatical expression to the parameters
referred to the fingerprint of at least a fin er of the holder
of.the same card; based on such documant7 a credit instrument is
issued. which can be associated Dnly to the holder, and which
may be, by way of example, a che~ue for a given sum, validable
with bu,inesses that have stipulated an agreemen' with the
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CA 02234577 1998-04-09
issusr. on the conclusion of the commercial transaction Thanks
to the ~rovision of the r~ersonal code and especiall~ the tran-
scod;.nc of the f;n~erprint integratad in the card, said credit
instrum2nt prQvides guarantees of utmost security, as it cannot
bs utili=ed by a ~erson other than ths holder, and also the
~erson who receiv25 the payment has the utmost ~uarantaes, as
there is the certainty of the authenticit~ of the the instru-
ment~ suhstantially assimilable to cash
~t h ~ ~ h~ o n = t r o ~ l t h ~ t t h; ~ ~ ~ t o m i ~ ~ ~ I c r- o r~ t; h l o n f m n .~; f i--
sa~ons which can furtherly improve its alr2ady hi~.h leve ~ f
~lob~ s2curit~t~, allowing at the same tima to create j impls
ap~arat. ~es for ths validat~on of ths credit ins ~ ment or
secllrit;~s ~hose circulation is limite~. ~h'~ way ~ f example,
withl.n the Fra~ of this ;nvention, to ban!~s
Qbject of this i ~ntion is. therefors to p~id~ a system for
th~ autl-7~ntication ~ management of reg ~ ered cr~dit instru-
m~nts and documents~ s~ch as to pro ~de the utmost security
~u~t-..-1nt22s, cau~in~ them ~ be util ~ ble onl~ by the holder to
Whnl-7 th?~ h3~J8 l~2~n le~itima ~ sued
furthsr object of this in~ ~ on is to provide said credit
i-nstrumr-7nts associat2d t ~the e ~nomic transaction or said
r~-listored documents or ~ entity docu ~ ts wit,h a s2curity print
ind;.sso!.ubly associ~ ~d to the paper sup ~ t forming said inst-
rumr~nt or document/
Q furthor obje ~ of this invention is to reali ~ simpls appara-
tuses for c ~ yiny out the different sta~es of th ~system which
al7ow-; tr~ mplement the above defined system
Theso ~ d still further ob7jects are reachad by the sy ~em fi~r
th ~saf~ authetication an_l manag2ment of registered c ~ dit
-t r~ Im~t~- ~n~ ~nr~l l.~ontc s~Ihjo~t ma tt~r of t h; ~ ~ i-7~,ont; n~
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CA 02234~77 1998-04-09
A system for the authentication of a registered credit instrument or
document according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US-A-5 157
726.
Furthermore, GB-A-2 256 170 discloses a system for recognising the
holder of a smart card storing numerical information which is
associated by a mathematical expression or algorithm of a fingerprint
of a live finger of the holder of the card. When the card is issued
the holder places a finger in a biometric sensor and data read from
this sensor are encoded to provide a unique mathematical
characterisation of the fingerprint which is then stored in the card.
When the holder of the card must be identified or recognised, he
places its finger in a biometric sensor and the data obtained from the
live finger are compared with the data read from the card by a card
reader.
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CA 02234577 1998-04-09
U~ir on tha ~ncluG~icn of ths c~mm~rclal tr~n~,~t;nn Th-in~
to the ~rovision of the personal sQda and especiall
scodlnci of th3 fin~~isrprint ;nteciratad in t ~ said credit
instrumant prQvid2s ciuarantaeS of u ~ ~sacurity, as it cannot
bs utili~ed by a person ~ an tha holder and also tha
p3rson ~Jho rece ~ paymel,t h~s tha utmos.t cluarantees as
thera ~ ertainty of tha authanticity of tha tha instru-
m ~ 5ub5t~iti~11~ 3.s5imil~i~1s tG c~.~h.
It ha.- ~aan strasssd that this systam is sussaptibla of mod;f-i-
catiQns which can furtherly improve its already hi~h levsl of
qlobal s3surit~ allowin~ at ths same tims to create simple
apparatusas for tha validat~.on of the credit instrumsnt or
szcurit;as whosa circulation is limitai b~ way of example,
with;n the frame of this invention to banks
Obiast o-f this invantion is -tharafora to prQvida a system for
tha authentisation and mana3smsnt of ra~;stered sr~dit instru-
ments an-l documsnts. ~uch as to pro~ide the utmost sscurity
~iuar-antses~ causin~i tham to b~ ut;li-able only by tha holdar to
whom th?~ hava baen la~aitimataly issued
.~i further object of this invsntion is to provida said credit
;nstruments associatad to tha esonomic tran~action or said
ra~;ster2ri documants or idant;ty dosum3nts with a sosurity print
;nd;ssol.ubly associatsd to the pa3sr suppQrt forming said inst-
rumsnt or documant
further obJact of this invsntion is to rsali e simpla appara-
tuses for carrying out ths different sta~s of the system whicl-i
allo~J~ to implement ths abova defined syst~m.
T~ese .an_i still furtl~er o~jects are raashed by t~e system for
the safa authetication and manaaament of registerad credit
instrum.ents and documants subjact matter of this inv2ntion
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CA 02234~77 1998-04-09
comprising
- a personalised document incorporating a microprocessor storing a
personal identification code (CIP) and a numerical information
associated to a mathematical expression or algorithm of the parameters
related to a fingerprint of at least one live finger of the holder of
said personalized document;
- first means for issuing said personalised document to the holder;
- second means for issuing registered credit instruments or documents,
said second means comprising a reader of the personalised document and
using the personal identification code (CIP) stored in said
personalised document as a cryptographic key to generate univocally a
security code not interpretable at sight which is printed on said
registered instruments or documents;
- third means for validating the use of said registered credit
instruments or documents, wherein all of said means are optionally
associated to an information system (SI) are provided with a device
for acquiring at least one fingerprint of the holder of the
-personalised document; wherein
- the issuing of the registered credit instruments or documents is
obtained by comparing the information got through direct reading of
the finger of the holder and the application of the mathematical
expression or algorithm with one stored in the microprocessor of the
personalised document, and
- the validation of the use of said registered credit instruments or
documents is obtained both (a) by comparing the information got
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CA 02234~77 1998-04-09
through direct reading of the finger of the holder and the application
of the mathematical expression or algorithm with one stored in the
microprocessor of the personalised document; and (b) by comparing the
security code printed on the registered credit instruments or
documents with the one resulting by using as cryptographic key the
personal identification code (CIP) stored in the microprocessor of the
personalised document.
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. CA 02234~77 1998-04-09
\compri=ir~Q: ~--~~~ ~ /
~a pzrsonali7ed document incorporating a microprocessor su~ta-
bl~ o store a personal identification code of the holde ~and a
num~.r ~ ;nformation associated to biometric character~ tics of
the same ~older;
- first me ~s for releasing said personalized d ~ument to the
holder~ \ /
- second means ~or ;ssuing registered cre~ t instruments or
documents; and
- third means to val ~ te the use of ~e instruments or docu-
m~nts~ all of said mea~s being ass~ciated to an information
system and providod w;th a~ evice ~lowin~ to acquire at least a
biometric characterist;c of t ~ lder; .
sald ;ssued instruments and ~ uments comprising at least a
security code univocally ~nerat ~ by utilizing the personal
identiflcation code as a ~ yptograph ~ ~ey;
said ;nformation being/associated to a\mathematical expression
of th~ ~ata concer~ ng the fingerprint ~ at least one live
finger of the ho ~ er of said personali_ed ~ strument or docu-
ment: / \
the recognit~ n of the holder, both for the issue ~f the instru-
ment or d ~um~nt and for the related validation, be ~g obtained
by com~ ing the information got through the direct r~ding of
the ~ve finger of the holder and the application of the ~athe-
cal expression with the information stored in the person
~ ~Innl Imf~ntc
The characteristics of tha system for the safe authentication
and managemer,t of registered credit instruments and documsnts
subject matter of this invention will be better understood from
the following descrip-tion~ wherein refarence is made to the
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WO 97/15032 5 PCTAEP95/05015
att~ched drawings which show schamatically a preferred non
limitat;vs embodimsnt of the same system, referred by way of
examPl.e -to a credit instrument. and wherein:
Fiq J. ~hows the block diagram of the. ;ssue stage of the perso-
nali7ed card;
Fig 2 shows the bloc~ diagram of the issus stage of the credit
instrument, based on said psrsonalized card;
F;q 3 sh~ws the block diagram of the validation stage of the
credit instrumsnt assoc;ated to the personali~ed card
With reference to the aforementioned figures, the system for the
safe authentication and management of rsgistered credit instru--
m~nte and documents subject matter of this invention comprises
basically a personali~ed document 10 and a paper support forming
the cred;t instrument l? The personali~ed document or smart-
card 10. formed, by way of ex~mple, by a card having dimensions
s;mil.?~r to those of the conventional creiit card-,, ;ncorporates
a micro~rocessor wherein there are stored a psr~onal idenl.ifica~
t:;on ccde rIp and .~~ mathefn.~tisal e~preG.sion assQciated to at
least one fingerprlnt of tha pr3rson who rsquire~ of the issuing
inst].turion, fo~- instance a ban~ said card l~. to utili~e the
system sub.lect matter of this in~ention referred to a credit
instrument to perform commercial transactions The personal
identificatiQn code CIP. for instal-ce in the form of an alphanu-
merical sequence univocally assosiated to each holder, is gene-
rated by the ;nformat;on system of the issuer SI and sent to the
apparatu~ for the personali~ation Gf card lO, of which more will
be said in the following The mathematical e~pression stored in
the m;croprocessor of card lO is advantageously formed by an
algorithm of the DES type ~Data Encry~tion Standard), which
allow~ to transcode the parameters associated to the fingerprint
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WO 97/15032 6 PCTAEP95/05015
of one or more fingers of the applicant~ forming therefore a
uniqua featur~ of the same
In ths microprocessor of card 10 thare are also stored, accor-
di.na to a preferred non critical smbodiment, particulars and tax
number of the applicant, as well as the current account number,
compl.ete with the bank co-ordinates, for the domiciliation of
the credit instruments to be issued and negotiated.
Ths credit instrument 1~, which is the mean, for th2 execution
of ths economic transaction throuc~h the ~vstem subiect matter of
this invention, is formed by a support ~referably from paper,
whose scheme is shown in Fi~, 2 and 3. sh~--r~ed, by way of exam-
ple~ e banl~ cheques or drafts: an~how~ said support may also
ke of diffent si~e. as the system of thi~ invention concerns in
claneral all of the credit instruments~ ~5 for instance savings
boo.L~ share and deposit certificates, bzsides the mentioned
personal documents or personal identiflca~.lon documents~ccor
d;ncl to a preferred embodiment. said sup~ort. has the configura-
~.;on of a con~entional chequa, For irlst.-nce from watermarked
parJer, whlch is aut.hentiGated on th~ basis of the data previou-
sly stored in the microprocessor of card 10 In particular7
throuai-l an ap~aratus of which mora will be said in the follo-
win~, a dot coding ~not interpretable at sic~ht~ is provided,
alon~ a ~refi~ed field, on the paper support formin3 the credit
instrument 1~ which coding defines, for i.n_tance, the issuina
date. th~. coda sf tha issuin~ inst;tution and the amount of said
instrumant The same data are also formed along a distinct
field~ e~r~ressed in cryptographis form through a hey made up by
the aforementioned personal identification code stored in card
Rccordin~ to a further characteristic of the invention, the
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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WO 97/15032 7 PCT~EP95/05015
support, forming tha credit instrument or security lr~ is provided
with a security print 14, of any shape and si~e, made up by two
or more ~ones w;.th different light reflection; said zones are
f~rm~rsd bv an alternation of embossed and hollow sectors, circum-
scribzd by approached lines differsntlY oriented by groups
relat;ve,ly to one another Impression l4 as a whole is obtained
n refle_ting or metallic in~, through offset and dry copper-
~late printinrl processes The characteristics of the mentioned
securlt~,~ print with which the support forming the credit inst-
rument lr~ is advanta~eously provided are not described in de-
tail, beirl~ the sub,ject matter of an autonomous patent applica-
tion re~istered in Italy b~ ths sama applicant
for th-~ ;m~leme,ntat;on of the syste.m of this invention, by way
of e~am~ and not critically referred to -~ credl.t instrument to
carr~ out commercial trans3ctions. spec;fic apparatuses are
sup~lie-lH some of which hava alre.-~dy been rmontioned: there are,
in t.~rt,;culat-. a f;rst appar2.t-l. allow;n;~ t.o issuz the persona-
li-ed document~ in thz follc~w;n~ re~erred to as card, and a
second at.~aratus wh~'ch, a~lalnst the, reCOgn;tiQn of the applicant
throu~h the parameters stored in the microprocessor of said
card. a]lows to lssue the credit instrume,nt and to authent;cate
;t un~ocally ~ third apparatus~ descr;br,d ;n detail later on,
validate~ the instrument on its utili~ratiQn. by means of a
tr;anc~ l2,tiQn
Th first apparatus, shown as a scheme. ;n Fi~. l, allQws to
reali-e the, startin~, stage of thz s~strc.sm of this in~entiQr,,
issuin~ the document or personali~ed card lO Said apparatus
comprises a pe,rsonal computer l~ connect_d to the information
system ~l of the issuin~ institution. for instance a bank;,
throu~h a communication line l8; the informatiQn system SI
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26~
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WO 97/15032 8 PCTAEP95/05015
checks throu~h the connection with the ana~raphical file and
current accounts file of the institution or body issuing card
lQ ths existence of the corresponding data (particulars and
~ro~rietary title of ths applicant~ relative to the person
re~uir;n~ said card The apparatus comi~rises also a
reader~sncoder 20 of card 10 to be personalized, an a biometric
identity sensor 22 Ths reader/encoder 20, connected to the
personal computsr 16 and consequently to the information system
C,l throu;1h line l8~ recsivss from the latter ths psrsonal iden-
tif;cation code CIP, the biometric sensor 2~, connected to 07~
ints~rato~ ln the reader-encodsr 2Q, senses and transcodes the
print or fingerprints of th~ applicant, who puts the finger or-
finqer~ in sequencs on a speciaL seat 24 obtained on tl-z sams
sensor ~2 The latt2r is obviou~ly pro~ided with one or more
openincls (not shown~ for the introduct;on and coming out of card
10 to be personali~ed
The a,?~aratu~ schemat;cally shown in Fi~ 2~ which reali~es th~
seconJ stage of the s~stenl subjzc, m-tter of ti;s in~JentiOI-
i~sUi!~~ the cred;t instrument 12 based on the data of card lO,
is su~stantially ~ormed by the same components as the precedin~
aP~ratu~ with the addition of a print,er In detail, said
apparatus comprises a personal computer 26 connected to the
information system SI of the issuing institution through a
communication line 2~ and a software programme SW~, a reader 30
of th!~ ~ersonali~ed smart-card 10 an identity reader or biome-
tric sensor 3~ having a seat 34 where tho applicant puts the
fin~er or f;n~ers, and a printer 36, pre~erably an ink jet
printer with graphic printing modalities ~aid printer prints in
crypto~ra~hied form, on the paper support formin~ the credit
instrument 12 which is inserted in it~ a security code formed on
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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W 097/15032 9 PCT~P95/05015
tl-e basis of ths data existin9 on card 1~, authenticating said
instrument. Printer ~6 is provided with a c~nventional
opening(s~ ~not shown~ for the introduction and coming out of
the cre~;t instrument 12 to be authenticated.
For th2 implementation of the system subject matter of this
invention a third apparatus is provided, 5chematically shown in
Fi,a,. 3 analoaous to the preceding one and provided with further
functionsl being utilized in the last stagg on the utilization
and validat,ion of th2 credit instrument 1~. Said apparatus
comprises a personal comPUter ~Q connzcted to t!-e information
svst,em ~l of the issuin~ institut;on through a communication
line, ~7 and a software proaramme ~W5, a r2ader 44 of smart-card
l,Q, a bl,nmetric identity sensor with a seat 5Q where the appli-
cant r.)ut tl~e finger or fingers, and a printer 48 The latter i~.
provided with a de,vice which provides to the possible invalida-
tion of tl-,e n2gotiated instrument 12
The biom2tric sensor~~ comprised in all the above described
a~aratl.lst~s, is substant.lally nm-~de up b~ a terminal controlled
bv an bullt--ln micr.oprQc~s~or s~eciali ed for- the chec~: of the
identi-~.v based on the biometrical data of the fin~2rs and tho
technolo ~ of the cari. Both th~ built--ln application and the
data re.~ide in an internal P.AM permanentl~ fed by a lithiurn
batter~. the se,curity is ensure,d b~ a built-in microprocessor
and b~ built-in tamp2r proof seCuritY microprocessor, with
secreti.? ~ey-~ indep~ndent and una]t~r-abl~ for the ~S crypto-
~; ~araphy~ permanentl.y fed by the lithium battery
.,t Th~ system for the safe authentication and managsment of re~i-
stered credit instruments and documents subject matter of this
invention is articulated~ as concerns tl~e develo~ment of the
o~eratiOns, according to the following modalitie~
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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WO 97/15032 ~o PCTAEP9S/05015
C~istinctlon is made, as specifie-d above. between three different
o pe ra t ii. n -? s tages:
-- issui.nc? of the personali7ed smart--card 10:
- i.ssu~nc? of the instrument or security 1~ with security apposi--
tiol~;
-- treatment of instrument 12 w;th authentication of the holder.
The first stage is associated with the issue of card 10, which
has r~rsaferably a temporary validity; through ths apparatus
schematically shown in Fic~ card 1('! r o be ps.~.rsonalized is
int roduced, throuc?h a spscial sli t ~ ns t shown ~, in the
read2t ~enCOd5~r 20 NQW, th2 conn2ction i~ m~ s with the infor-ma--
tiOI-l s~.~stem SI o~ ths issuinc? institution t,hrouclh the communica--
tion line 1~31 to record tl~e issuinu operat,;on of c~rd 10 and to
recei~,~e f rom the same system the personal identi f ication code
crP of the clise it. Sald cQde is stored i n thse m;cro,~rcessor of
card ].Q t.-," ths reade. -encod~3r 20 in a proteGted manner, prefera--
b].y i n ~ 3 form of ~n ~lphanum2ricc;~l sequ~?nca ~t the same time~
the ar~nl icant puts t.l-l2 fir,c.2r on ~eat ~ '.~ the biometric sensor
?'~; the print~ or po,sibly sever-z.l prints. cor~responding to a~
many f i nc?2rs, ar:e stored in ths~. micropr-oc2ssor of card 10 in
transcoded and protected form with ths3 r~ersoll_ 1 identi fication
cods CIP Durinc? this sta3e. performed by the biometric sensor
2-', furths3r indications are prefsrably ~;tor-e~l in card 10, such
as, for i nstance, the e>cpi ry dats of th.e s~me card and the
p~rticulars of the client or other data
Followin.-? this operation~ card lCt is un~oc~l] ~ personlli 7ed and
al lol~s to star t the second stac3ss whic?l 1 t:hrou~?h the a,~paratus
schematically sho4~ln ;n Fi~-? ~ caus2s the issuin~-l of the credit
instrument or document 1?, introduced in pr-inter ~;c~. The mentio
ned security print 1~ in metallic or reflectin3 ink is already
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W O 97/15032 ~ PcT/~25s~5ol5
present on ths paper support formin~ said instrument. During
this issuing stags~ through printer 35 a security code is prin-
ted~ for instance of the known type PDF 417, subdivided into two
parts that are not interpretable at siqht~ the first part of
said cod2 inc1udes all the data rel3ting to the release of the
instrument ~for instancs~ data and place of issus, institutior
and branch, document number, etc ). whi].e the second part of the
code com~rise.s th2 same data a5 the f;t~5t ons, s.~pressed in
crypto~t~a~hisd form b~ means of the ke~" formed by the personal
ident.ification code CIP5 which can be univoca11y associated as
such to the person requit-in~ the cred;t instrument 12 The
applicant puts the finger ;n correspondence of 5sat 3~ of the~
biometrlc sensor ~ for the val;dation of h;s own print aaainst
th~-3 one stored in protscted form in card 10 and sensed hy
reader 3~ ~.eader 30 autQnomous1~ provid2s to reading the data
of cat-d 10 through the matl-ematica1 expre~.ion or a1gorithn and
t.hr-~ r,:arsona1 identlfication coda CIP of the apr)1;cant: such code
i.~, th~refQre ut;l;zed as a cryptoarar~l-ic ~:e~ to aenerate th~.~
secur-itv code wh;ch print.er 36~ prints on the paper support
form]ng the credit in~.trument or securit~ or documrnt 1~ ~150
in thi~ casa. the datails of the transaction are recorded
throu-ih the communication line ~0 in the information system SI
of the is~uing institution
Now th2 -a~p1icant has a univoca11y persona1iz~d credit instru-
ment 1?. which he can use in case of naed givin~ his card, a1so
psrsona1.~-ed, to the personn~l. who performs the treatment and
authentication of the sam2 instrum~nt through the third appara-
tus scl-ernatica11y shown in F;a 3
Supposin~ that ths system subj0ct matter of this invention be
1imited to the credit institutions where the two first apparatu-
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WO 97/15032 12 PcT/~l95~rrol5
ses are installsd. also the third apparatus will be installed in
the same institutions or with a branch. The owner of the perso-
nal;~d instrument 1~ introduces preliminarily in reader ~4 of
said a~.~?~ratus his card 10 and at the sama time or immediately
after, r,uts his fin~er on seat ~0 of ths biometric sensor 46,
for the validation of his print against the one stored in pro-
tected form in the microprocessor of the same card In case of
pos;ti;.,~e recognition, reader 44 raads on card 10 the personal
identir;sation code CIP of the owner of instrument 1., which is
adopt.ed as a key to check the consistency between the two parts
of th- s~c~.~rity code, utili~iny the same mathematical expression
of cr~to~raph~ us~d on the issue bf said ins-t.rum~.,nt Ths pori
t:lve r~~~o~nlt;on, based on the univocal aspect oF the finger-
prlnt~ ith the conte:~tual acti~tion of tl-~ other two elements~
c~nfirm~, th~ validlty of doGumsnt 1~ exludin~ any illicit
ut.~ .tion of the sam~s Now ptinter 48 can provide to the~
invalidatlon of instrument 1~, whlle -the parsonnel of the branch
as~i~"s the, sUm of mon~y cDrre~pom~lin~! to ths -v~alue of said
lnstr~rl~nt o~- validates ths authantication of the p~rson The
;nva]jdation stage of ti-~ credit instrument is made by printin~
on the r.~aper support formin~ ths same instrument a writing, for
ir-lstancC "ne~otiated" or "paid" through said printer 48 Through
the communication line 4-~. connected to the information system
SI, also this endin~ sta~e of the transaction is recordad
nne shnuld anticipate that the operations concernin~ the issue
sta~e of card 10 with the interventlon Gf the first apparatus
maY c~m~rts~ also the issue of a further card for a co-holder
whose particulars ars obtained with the same modalities descri-
bed abov_ One should also anticipate that the same apparatus
issuin~ the card may provide also to the renewal of the same~
SIJ~ 111 ~JTE SHEET (RULE 26)
CA 02234577 1998-04-09
W O97/15032 13 PCT~EP95/05015
w;th th~ updating of the particulars on ths client and/or the
issue of a new personalized document
~s can b.~ understood from ths abov2, the sy5tem for the authen-
.;cat.inn and mana~ement of ra~istered credit instruments and
documents sub.ject matter of this inv3ntion provides guarantees
of utrno~,t securit~. in fact, the is5ued instruments can be
exactei.~ only b~ ths le~;timate holder ba5sd on a precise and
univocal chaci~.
Thr_ adval-!tages of said system, which7 as de,cribad above, may be
adopted to prevent the risk connected to th9 circulation of an~y
re~;st.ered crr.~dit instrument or docume~nt. are especially evident
if said ;nstrumer.t attribute~ the nolder t,ha ready ava.ilability
of a ~ en amount of money; in fact, tha same holder can readily
ca~l-, t,l-~~, correspond;ng sum with e~ny body having entered an
a~re~ment; w;th t.he isC.uer~ d;s~o~.ing tharefo,a of cash in hand,
withol.Jt running an~,~ ris~.
~v~n i!! the unlil~;als hypotiles;s of a contem~oraneous loss or
st''al.i!-- oi- th~e p~rson~ ed cred;t Ins.t.t-urnent arld th~ card, the
mnn~3'~ c-~nnot be c~5he~ b~ th;rd part;~s a5 on the chech made
before payin~l~ th2r2 would be no corres~orld2nce between th2
fin~~.,r~ril-lt of the holder and the on.e stored ;n the card micro-
prcc~.3,ss.or
~nyhow~ the invent;on. as described hsr2above and claimed he-
reafter~ has bean proposed by way of exampls~ being obvious that
the s~3me may be su~ceptible of many chang2s and variants, all of
th~rtl f.-clling how3.~er w;th;ng the in~ention cono~pt
For ir,~tance. the apparatus ~or the is3su2 of ths registered
cred;t ;.n~trument or document and the apparatu~, for the related
validatlon, and possibl~,t~ also the first capparatus providing to
issu~n~-l th~ personali~ed card. mi3ht be incorporated in only
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
CA 02234577 1998-04-09
WO 97/1503Z ~4 PCT~EP9S/05015
a~p~aratus; in the same way, the card reader and the biometric
sensor comprised in the second and the third apparatus might be
incorporated in one only station
Eastl~,~. wh;le the system has been ~ro~osed ~y way of example for
a reali~ation within ths bank ciruit~ further Possibilities are
not to be e~cludad in th~s regard: in fact. the basic need oF
havlno. several places a~allable for tha fruition of the system
m~y be satisfied by different bodias. for ;n~tance Post Offices~
Commune~ or local administrations in gener~l
SUBSTITUTE SHEET ~RULE 26)
