Patent ID: 7083087

Claim:
A method comprising: configuring at least one server configured to store a plurality of personal control ID's and a plurality of sets of personal data, each of the plurality of personal control ID's being associated with a respective different person and a respective set of personal data entered into the server and controlled by said respective different person; configuring the at least one server also to store a data profile derived from a set of personal data associated with a personal control ID identifying a selected different person and assembled together by the selected different person for use by a selected one of one or more providers identified by a provider ID; positioning a data processor remote from and in communication with the server; positioning a retail point-of-sale (POS) terminal in communication with the data processor, the retail POS terminal adapted to couple via a data communication link to an ID instrument to receive from the ID instrument the personal control ID identifying the selected different person and to send the personal control ID identifying the selected different person to the data processor; configuring the data processor to transmit the personal control ID identifying the selected different person and the provider ID identifying the selected provider to the at least one server; configuring the at least one server to retrieve from the plurality of sets of personal data and transmit to the data processor the data profile derived from a set of personal data associated with the personal control ID identifying the selected different person for use by the selected provider identified by the provider ID; and positioning an output device in connected with the data processor to receive from the data processor the data profile received from said the at least one server and to output the data profile to the selected provider to thereby verify the personal control ID as being associated with a user of the personal control ID at the retail POS prior to proceeding with a retail transaction.