Abstract:
The present invention relates to microtags, including microdots, and methods for reading the information contained on such microtags, and coordinating and comparing this information with other data, which may or may not be transmitted for a combined approval. The invention further relates to methods for verifying a person&#39;s identity using microtags. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel type of microtag wherein the identifying indicia contained on the microtag includes biometric indicia such as a fingerprint either in whole or in parts, and may also include nonbiometric information, such as account numbers. This invention also provides a method for reading biometric and nonbiometric information contained on such a microtag, and a method for using the biometric information on the microtag to verify a person&#39;s identity and to validate transactions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/195,618, filed Apr. 7, 2000, and entitled FINGERPRINT MICROTAG AND METHOD OF USE, the benefit of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to microtags, including microdots, and methods for reading the information contained on such microtags, and coordinating and comparing this information with other data, which may or may not be transmitted for a combined approval. The invention further relates to methods for verifying a person&#39;s identity using microtags. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel type of microtag wherein the identifying indicia contained on the microtag includes biometric indicia such as a fingerprint either in whole or in parts, and may also include nonbiometric information, such as account numbers. This invention also provides a method for reading biometric and nonbiometric information contained on such a microtag, and a method for using the biometric information on the microtag to verify a person&#39;s identity and to validate transactions.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    As used herein, the term “microtag” refers to a substrate or substrates having indicia thereon which allows a person to identify the source of an article when the microtag is associated with that article. Examples of indicia include but are not limited to letters, numbers, figures and colors. The indicia contained on microtags generally cannot be read without magnification.  
           [0004]    The term microtag includes “microdots”. Microdots, as the name implies, are usually small discs, often less than about two millimeters in diameter, cut from a substrate, usually film, having a unique information or indicia such as a preselected color or a specific serial number to enable the subsequent finder of the microdot to retrieve information from the microdot and therefore the origin or owner of the article to which the microdot is attached. The terms microtag and microdot are used interchangeably in this application.  
           [0005]    Several microtag technologies are known in the art. Perhaps one of the earliest references in this field is that of Dillon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,734) which discloses a microtag configured as a square having a side dimension in the nature of 0.007 inch.  
           [0006]    The identification system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,928 to Krietemeier et al. uses a plurality of small labels, not microtags per se. Krietemeier discloses small tags which are cut from a strip of plastic but releasably held on a substrate to allow the person applying the tags to individually retrieve a tag from the plastic strip and mount it on the item.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,392 to Loving describes a microtag comprised of several layers in which the layers impart specific preselected characteristics to the microtags, such as buoyancy, enhanced visibility, camouflage, magnetic attraction and controlled biodegradation.  
           [0008]    Microtags are generally used to identify the source or owner of an article to which the microtag is associated. In one application, the microtag is imprinted with a specific serial number and is accompanied by several hundred or even thousands of identical microtags. These microtags are then placed at numerous locations on various items so that one or more of these microtags will later be retrieved and thereby reveal the ownership of the item. The principal concept is that it is virtually impossible to remove all the microtags from an item. In addition, some microtag systems are designed to allow a portion of the microtags to be dislodged during transit to thereby leave a trial of microtags which would provide credible evidence as to the prior locations of the item, thus aiding in the apprehension of the miscreant and any cohorts.  
           [0009]    In another application, selected surface materials are applied to the microtag to impart to the microtag a preselected characteristic. In one embodiment a holographic film having a broad-spectrum holographic effect is affixed to one set of microtags to thereby render the microtags readily visible at a significant distance. Another microtag is encapsulated in a waterproof film, the density of the film being preselected so as to impart predetermined buoyancy to the microtag. A magnetic material affixed to another microtag renders the microtag capable of being magnetized and even recoverable using a magnetic collector. Camouflage-like layers allow for the unobtrusive distribution of the microtags on or in an item without otherwise revealing the presence of the microtags. Certain applications will also benefit from a microtag that will suitably biodegrade over a preselected period of time. These variations in the characteristics of the microtags make them suitable for tagging and identifying various types of substances and articles, including but not limited to soil, sewage, industrial waste, etc.  
           [0010]    From the foregoing it is clear that various attempts have been made to provide a microtag identification system. However, previous microtag systems involve a time lag between retrieval or location of the microtag, determination of the indicia contained on the microtag, and identification of the owner of the property to which the microtag is attached. What is needed in the art is a microtag identification system, which allows on the spot identification of the owner of the property to which the microtag is attached or associated with.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention provides a microtag identification system which allows on-the-spot identification of the owner of a card (identification, credit card, license, single microtag application or any other token or structure susceptible to use with a microtag) to which the microtag is attached or associated with. The present invention uses either a single layer or multi-layer microtag (as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,392 to Loving and incorporated herein by reference). One type of identifying biometric indicia is a fingerprint (with or without additional nonbiometric information) of the owner of the card to which the microtag is associated. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many types of biometric indicia may be used in conjunction with microtags, including, but not limited to: hand prints, facial image, retinal images or even analog representations of DNA. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any type of identifying characteristics or images may be contained on the microtag. The microtag can then be embedded on a piece of plastic, or other surface, and can be used for on-the-spot confirmation that a person presenting a piece of personal identification is the owner (or authorized user) of that identification. It is expected that the microtags and methods of this invention will be particularly useful in securing credit cards, drivers licenses, personal identification cards, access cards, as well as the single microtag applications, etc.  
           [0012]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a person&#39;s fingerprint is obtained and then reduced for application to a microtag using methods of image reduction known in the art. The fingerprint is put on the microtag, possibly along with encrypted information, if the encrypted information is needed. After construction of the microtag, the microtag is affixed to a card that has been associated with the fingerprint. The microtag may be embedded into the card, or attached to the surface of the card in some conventional manner.  
           [0013]    The card containing the fingerprint can then by analyzed on site to confirm that the holder of the card is authorized to access the account (or other desired access site). Merchants would maintain a real time fingerprint analysis device on site, which is able to read both the card and the fingerprint of the cardholder. The reading device is expected to magnify the picture of the fingerprint on the microtag and compare it to the live person&#39;s fingerprint. If the fingerprints fail to match, then the reading device would store the fingerprint so the police would have an actual fingerprint of the person trying to make unauthorized use of the card. In addition, the card company could call the person who owns the card and verify it was stolen immediately while the transaction was being processed. On the other hand, if the fingerprint microtag on the card matches the live person&#39;s fingerprint then access would be granted. Then a representation of the fingerprint on the card, which is possibly from the magnetic strip, is sent in to card issuer (e.g.: VISA and MasterCard). In one embodiment, during a normal credit card transaction, a “hook” is added to the data sent back to the terminal. The hook ties the card to the microtag, to the live person and to the plastic credit card itself. In one embodiment, the fingerprint verification would be encrypted or added to the beginning of a validation chain to initiate or validate an e-chip process.  
           [0014]    Therefore, a primary aspect of this invention provides for improvements in microtags.  
           [0015]    Another aspect of this invention provides improvements in the methods of reading microtags.  
           [0016]    Yet another aspect of this invention is to provide a method for real-time identification of the owner of a card where a microtag is associated.  
           [0017]    These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description in which various embodiments of the invention have been set forth in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1A shows a card having a fingerprint microtag contained thereon;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1B shows a microtag containing a biometric and nonbiometric information;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2A shows a card having a fingerprint microtag contained thereon inserted in the scanner reader;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2B is a top view of a scanner reader of the fingerprint microtag.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is an illustrative verification system used to authenticate the microtag credit cards of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the verification steps that occur on site when a card containing the microtag is presented for a transaction.  
         [0025]    FIGS.  5 - 6  are flow charts of additional verification steps that occur when a card containing the microtag is presented for a transaction. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]    The drawing figures are intended to illustrate the general manner of construction and are not to scale. In the description and in the claims, the terms left, right, front and back and the like are used for descriptive purposes. However, it is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is capable of operation in other orientations than are shown and the terms so used are only for the purpose of describing relative positions and are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 illustrates a card  100  (or other suitable structure for holding a microtag), incorporating features in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Card  100  may be comprised of plastic, metal or any other material suitable for construction of an account access token known in the art. The card  100  may carry account information media  135  such as a magnetic strip  105 , embossed symbols  115  or a smart chip  130 . For purposes of discussion of the present invention the magnetic strip  105 , embossed symbols  115  or smart chip  130  may be used interchangeably when referring to account information media  135 . Furthermore, reference to the account information media  135  may also be used to identify any other suitable readable medium known to be adaptable to carry account identifying information in the present invention. Therefore, in one actual embodiment, the magnetic strip  105  carries account information on at least one account to which a user of card  100  may gain access. Such account information may comprise credit or debit account numbers, a digitally-formatted biometric, PIN authentication information or other information known in the art to be suitable for identifying accounts.  
         [0028]    Card  100  further comprises a cutaway region  145  punched or otherwise formed from and at least partially through card  100 . A transmissive (or possibly reflective or opaque) member  140  occupies cutaway region  145 . For purposes of the present discussion, the term “transmissive” shall be synonymous with the term “nonopaque.” Transmissive member  140  is potentially cellulose-based, but may comprise any suitable transmissive film material known in the art. Alternatively, transmissive member  140  is carried by card  100  at a corner or edge of card  100 . A biometric layer  150  is disposed on a surface or between surfaces of transmissive member  140 . The biometric layer  150  is composed, at least partially, of a material that is opaque or of lower transmissivity than that of transmissive member  140  and defines a biometric. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the biometric  160  defined by layer  150  is, in one actual embodiment, a fingerprint, although the biometric  160  could comprise any biometric susceptible to analog formatting, including but not limited to facial images, hand prints, retinal images, handwriting samples or even analog representations of DNA. As such, an image of the biometric  160  defined by biometric layer  150  may be projected upon a surface by directing light through transmissive member  140 , or by reflecting light back from transmissive member  140  through the biometric layer  150  if the transmissive member  140  is reflective.  
         [0029]    In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, card  100  is created by an issuing entity, such as a bank, credit card company, a license department or passport issuing authority, upon receipt of an application to establish an account or privilege to be accessed by a user. As part of this application process, the user will submit a biometric, possibly a fingerprint, to the issuing entity. The issuing entity, in turn, replicates the submitted biometric to form biometric layer  150  and digitizes the submitted biometric for storage and later comparison with a digitized image of biometric layer  150 , as discussed in further detail below.  
         [0030]    In accordance with the present invention, before receiving a card  100  a customer (user) completes an application (not shown), possibly a credit card application, drivers license application, personal identification card application or other form of application associated with an account or desired access. Such an application would have a designated region for recording a biometric of the user, such as a box on which the applicant must place their thumb or fingerprint. The user may also supply a picture, signature, blood, retinal image, hand print or other biometric information known in the art. The completed application is then sent to the card issuer, licensing department or other appropriate location, for processing.  
         [0031]    In one embodiment, a image is taken with a high-resolution camera of the fingerprint (or other biometric) characteristics. The image may also include additional non-biometric information  165  (possibly encrypted) from the application, or produced by the card issuer. The image is then reduced in size and transferred to microfilm using well-known methods in the art. The microfilm is then either converted into or placed onto a substrate forming a microtag  150 .  
         [0032]    After the microtag  150  is embedded into the card  100 , it is sealed with a laminate. In one embodiment the microtag  150  may be punched out of the film as a {fraction (7/32)}″ microdot and embedded into the card  100  in a single motion. In an actual embodiment, the card  100  comprises a flat (or angled) countersink of {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter with a {fraction (1/8)}″ hole punched in the countersink. In an actual embodiment, the countersink rim is {fraction (5/1000)}″ and glue is placed in the countersink to affix the microtag  150  to the card  100 . Then a clear coating or laminate (transmissive layer  140 ) covers the microtag  150  to protect it from the harsh environment the card  100  will operate in. (Note, transmissive laminates are already used on many credit cards and identification cards.) It will be appreciated that these are merely examples and the microtag might be of any shape or dimensions on the card  100 .  
         [0033]    Assuming the credit application discussed above is approved, the microtag  150  is then embedded onto a customer&#39;s card. The customer&#39;s card may also contain account information media  135  with information corresponding to non-biometric information  165  on the microtag.  
         [0034]    Later the non-biometric information  165  may be used to confirm that the holder of a card is the actual owner of the card or an authorized user. By reading the non-biometric information  165  from a microtag  150  and comparing it to information from the account information media  135 , it is possible to verify that the microtag  150  and account information media  135  both match. In one embodiment, the non-biometric information  165 , the account information and the customer&#39;s information must all match before a transaction will be authorized.  
         [0035]    In another exemplary embodiment, when information is transmitted to a card issuer (e.g., VISA or MasterCard) under normal transaction procedures (such as by phone), an additional series of six or more digits will be added to the transaction that would not come back to the point-of-sale machine. These digits would represent the biometric of the person using the card and would stay in the permanent records of the card issue. Another term for these digits is a “score.” This feature is not currently used in the credit card world but their data streams are capable of doing it. Those digits would be unique to the biometric of the cardholder. If the microtag  150  was a forgery, then the score would not match the cardholder&#39;s biometric. This feature would add an additional layer of security into transactions and would allow the card issuer to track fraudulent attempts to use the card, too.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 2A is a partial upper perspective cross-sectional view of the authorization terminal  200 . As can be seen in FIG. 2A, terminal  200  further comprises a microtag scanner  250  comprising a light source  255  disposed at one end of terminal  200  and adapted to project light through a transmissive region (not shown) of slot  210  and a lens apparatus (not shown) to an image capturing apparatus  260 . Apparatus  260  may comprise a digital camera or scanner but may comprise any suitable imaging device known in the art. Mirrors or prisms (not shown) may optionally be included for directing light from light source  255  to apparatus  260 , thereby enabling variable sizing of terminal  200  and placement of the Light source  255  and apparatus  260 . Light source  255  may comprise a LED but may comprise any suitable light-emitting device known in the art. Preferably, a switch (not shown) is disposed proximate to slot  210  in such manner as to activate light source  255  in response to insertion of card  100  into slot  210 . Terminal  200  further is further coupled to (and possibly part of) a clearing device  300  that communicates with the apparatus  260 , light source  255 , magnetic reader  205 , biometric scanner  265  and microtag scanner  250  via a bus (not shown) or other suitable connecting device. Alternatively, clearing device  300  may be disposed externally to but in communication with the components of terminal  200 .  
         [0037]    The clearing device  300  may be configured to perform a plurality of functions according to the teachings of the present invention. These functions are typically performed by software code modules stored in a memory (not shown) and executing on a CPU (not shown), both of which are conventional components at a clearing device. The functions may also be performed by hardware modules coupled to clearing device  300 , or by a combination of software and hardware modules. Each step of the inventive processes discussed below not requiring manual activity may be performed by clearing device  300 , terminal  200 , and account agency server  350  in response to such code modules.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 2B is an upper perspective view of an authorization terminal  200  in accordance with the present invention. In one actual embodiment the terminal  200  is adaptable to be mounted on any supporting surface involved in a point of sale or financial transaction. Terminal  200  comprises a slot  210  adapted to receive card  100 . Slot  210 , in one exemplary embodiment, comprises a magnetic reader  205  and/or other devices, such as smart card reader  270 , adapted to read information from an account information media  135 . Terminal  200  further comprises a biometric sampler such as a biometric scanner  265  that communicates with other components of terminal  200 . Scanner  265  may be a fingerprint scanner, retinal scanner, hand print scanner, digital camera or other biometric scanner as is known in the art. Terminal  200  optionally further comprises a printer, LED display or LCD display  310  and/or a keypad (not shown).  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 3 illustrates a system in accordance with the present invention for authenticating a transaction using a card  100  having a biometric microtag  150 . The system comprises a clearing device which actually issues the authorization. The clearing device,  300  is in communication with a microtag scanner  260 , a biometric scanner  269 , an account information reader such as magnetic strip reader  290 , or smart card reader  270 , all of which may be on the terminal  200 . The clearing device is also in communication with an account agency server  350 . The clearing device  300  may optionally be in communication with some form of output device such as a display  310 , or a printer (not shown).  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting authentication and/or identification of a user attempting to access an account (or other desired access) using card  100 . At initial step  405 , card  100  is inserted into slot  210  of terminal  200 . Insertion of card  100  into slot  210  triggers a switch that activates light source  255 . Insertion of card  100  into slot  210  enables alignment of transmissive member  140  with light source  255 . Light emitted by source  255  passes through transmissive member  140  and projects an image of biometric layer  150  through a lens to imaging apparatus  260 . At step  410 , apparatus  260  captures the projected image and transmits the projected image to the clearing device  300 . If, for whatever reason, an incomplete or insufficient projected image is so transmitted as determined in decision block  415 , then an error signal may be generated in block  420 , and the process begins again. Otherwise, at block  425 , the clearing device  300  formats the image of the microtag  150  by centering, deskewing, sizing, and cropping the image to a desired size (in one embodiment, 400 pixels by 400 pixels). During formatting, the projected image may then be formatted into a digital image, such as a bitmap, GIF, JPEG, TIFF or other appropriate digital image format. At step  430 , the clearing device  300  “scores” the formatted image, to create an indicator in the form of a first full digital string describing the biometric image  160  on the microtag  150 .  
         [0041]    At step  435 , the first full digital string is stored in temporary memory. At step  430 , the cardholder supplies the same form of biometric stored in biometric layer  150  (i.e. a fingerprint from the finger from which a fingerprint was taken in the application process described above) to scanner  265 . At step  440 , the biometric cardholder is scanned to create a user biometric image and clearing device  300  formats this image to a similar size as described above in step  415 . At step  445 , the clearing device  300  then formats the user biometric image, thereby creating a second full digital string describing the entire user biometric image. At step  450 , the clearing device  300  compares the first and second full digital strings.  
         [0042]    If decision block  455  determines that a predetermined and variable percentage of the second full digital string matches the first full digital string, then, at step  460 , the clearing device  300  isolates a predetermined portion of the first full digital string and stores this isolated indicator in the form of a first “short” digital string in temporary memory. By creating and manipulating short strings, the system of the present invention both speeds up processing by using less information, and actually undermines attempts to reproduce the biometric for fraudulent purposes. For further security, the first short string, and each of the short strings described herein, may be encrypted in a manner known in the art. In the one actual embodiment, the first short string, and each of the short strings described herein, is a variable predetermined number of contiguous digits within the full digital string (possibly as few as 6 digits). However, each short string may alternatively comprise digits selected from a variable predetermined set of positions, either contiguous or non-contiguous, within the full digital string. In yet a further alternative, the short strings may be generated using a conventional hashing routine to produce a short string from a full length string.  
         [0043]    At step  465 , the attempted transaction is allowed to proceed. If decision block  455  determines that there no such match is verified, then (assuming that a maximum number of tries has not been reached as determined in block  470 ) at step  475 , a counter is incremented and the process conditionally returns to step  440 . In one exemplary embodiment the process  400  returns to block  440  up to twenty times or until match verification occurs in decision block  455 . Each scanned image of the user&#39;s biometric is saved in temporary memory during each repetition. If, after a predetermined number of maximum returns to block  440  (e.g., more than twenty), as determined by decision block  470  with no match verification as determined by decision block  455 , then, at block  480 , a decline signal is generated. Then, at step  485 , the scanned images of the user&#39;s fingerprint saved in temporary memory are saved in a permanent memory location and may optionally be transmitted to law enforcement agencies if appropriate. In any case processing of process  400  ends at block  499 .  
         [0044]    In another embodiment of the present invention, as discussed above, an account agency server  350  (or other computing device under the control of the account agency) digitizes the biometric of the cardholder during the process of application for card  100 . Digitization of this biometric yields a third full digital string describing the entire biometric submitted in the application process. The issuing entity isolates a predetermined portion of the third full digital string to create a third short digital string. The third short string is taken from a region of the third full string corresponding to the region of the first full string from which the first short string was taken. Like correspondence should be assumed throughout the discussion herein of short string creation. The third short digital string is stored in the account agency server  350 , preferably at a site under the control of the issuing entity. As is the case with the above-discussed first full digital string, the third full digital string is may be quite large, in one embodiment is my include be many as 1248 digits, however in other embodiments it may have more or less digits. As is the case with the above-discussed first short digital string, the third short digital string may have as few as 6 digits.  
         [0045]    As shown in FIG. 5, the authorization sub-process  500  stars at block  501  and proceeds to step  505  whereupon information pertaining to the account associated with card  100  is read from information medium/media  135 . Alternately, the user removes card  100  from slot  210  and inserts card  100  in an optional device (not shown) adapted to read information medium/media  135 , in communication with terminal  200  and/or clearing device, and known in the art. The user may be prompted to remove card  100  from slot  210  (or the optional reader) by a generated message on a display  310 , an audible signal generated by a speaker (not shown) incorporated into terminal  200 , or other appropriate devices known in the art. At step  510 , the first short digital string is bundled with the account information read at step  505 , and this bundled data is transmitted to the above-discussed account agency server  350  associated with the issuing entity. At step  515 , the account agency server  350  retrieves the third short digital string from a database controlled by the issuing entity and compares the first and third short strings.  
         [0046]    If a predetermined and variable percentage of the first short digital string matches the third short digital string, sub-process  500  proceeds to step  499  and an authentication signal is returned. If no such match is verified in decision block  520 , then, at step  525 , the scanned image of the cardholder&#39;s biometric saved in temporary memory is saved in a permanent memory location and can be transmitted to law enforcement agencies if appropriate, and a record of the failed transaction is logged. Sub-process  500  then returns at block  598  with a declined signal. Alternatively, repeated subsequent derivations of a first short string from the token and comparisons of these first short strings with the third short string may be performed a predetermined number of times. Terminal  200  is then reset for the next transaction. In still another alternative, the second short digital string (corresponding to the user&#39;s biometric and not the microtag stored biometric), could be transmitted to the account agency server  350  and compared with the third short digital string in order to facilitate the above-described process.  
         [0047]    At step  530 , the account agency server  350  evaluates the bundled account information. If the account to which access is desired meets qualifying requirements (e.g., account is not overdrawn, credit limit not exceeded, user is authorized entry, etc.), the process proceeds to step  535 . If the account requirements are not so met, then Sub-process  500  returns at block  598  with a declined signal. If the process is so terminated, then, the temporary memory containing the samples of the live biometric scan and the read account information is will be cleared or reset at the terminal  200  to make it ready for the next transaction.  
         [0048]    Otherwise, if the transaction is allowable, then at step  599 , a verified code or other information indicating acceptance of the transaction is returned (and optionally displayed on display  310 ). The temporary memory containing the samples of the live biometric scan and the read account information is will be cleared or reset at the terminal  200  to make it ready for the next transaction.  
         [0049]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the third short digital string is stored on information medium/media  135 . Terminal  200  is equipped in conventional manner to read data from information medium/media  135 . Accordingly, when card  100  is inserted into slot  210 , terminal  200  reads the third short string from information medium/media  135 . In this embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 6, the process  600  starts at block  601  and proceeds to step  605  whereupon information pertaining to the account associated with card  100  and the third short string are read from information medium/media  135 . Alternatively, the user removes card  100  from slot  210  and inserts card  100  into an optional device adapted to read information medium/media  135 , in communication with terminal  200 , and known in the art. The user may be prompted to remove card  100  from slot  210  (or optional reading device) by a generated message on display  310 , an audible signal generated by a speaker incorporated by terminal  200 , or other appropriate device known in the art. At step  610 , processor  200  compares the first and third short strings.  
         [0050]    If decision block  630  determines that a predetermined and variable percentage of the first short digital string matches the third short digital string, the process proceeds to block  699 , a verified code indicating authorization of the transaction is generated (and optionally displayed on display  310 ). The temporary memory containing the samples of the live fingerprint scan and the read account information may then be cleared or reset.  
         [0051]    If no such match is verified in decision block  620 , then, at step  625 , the scanned image of the user&#39;s biometric saved in temporary memory is saved in a permnanent memory location and can be transmitted to law enforcement agencies if appropriate, and a record of the failed transaction is logged. Sub-process  600  then returns at block  698  with a declined signal. Terminal  200  is then reset for the next transaction. Alternatively, the second short digital string, rather than the first short string, could be likewise compared with the third short digital string in order to facilitate the above-described process.  
         [0052]    In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, a custodian of terminal  200  is satisfied that card  100  has not been forged and the user is the person to whom card  100  has been legitimately issued. Consequently, information pertaining to the account associated with card  100  is read from information medium/media  135  and the transaction is completed with out further authentication. The temporary memory containing the samples of the live fingerprint scan and the read account information is cleared or reset. Terminal  200  is then reset for the next transaction.  
         [0053]    Although the invention has been described in terms of illustrative embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, terminal  200  may incorporate or be used in conjunction with a point-of-sale token reader known in the art. In addition, the above-described system may similarly authorize access to an account by comparing full digital strings rather than short digital strings throughout the entirety of the above-described processes. In addition, during user identification, as illustrated in FIG. 4, short, rather than full, digital strings may be derived from both the first and second full strings and employed for comparison. In addition card  100  may comprise a passport, driver license, or door/zone access card. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited in any way to the illustrative embodiment shown and described but that the invention be limited only by the claims appended hereto.