Patent ID: 6871784

Claim:
A method for encoding electronically readable cards having a card surface with visually readable indicia corresponding to an authorized user of said card and an electronically readable digital card data storage medium affixed to said card, comprising the steps of: deriving a digitized first reference data element representative of random microstructure in said data storage medium; deriving a digitized second reference data element representative of a biometric aspect of said authorized user; storing each of said first reference data element and said second reference data element either on said card data storage medium or in an off-card data storage; and verifying by electronically comparing said first reference data element and said second reference data element respectively against a digitized first live data element representative of random microstructure in said data storage medium taken from said card presented at a card transaction site in a course of a card transaction, and against a digitized second live data element having biometric data taken by electronically scanning anatomy of a live person of a card user presenting said card at said transaction site.