WO1994008318A1

WO1994008318A1 - Credit card control system

Info

Publication number: WO1994008318A1
Application number: PCT/CA1993/000398
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary Alexander Greville
Original assignee: Gary Alexander Greville
Priority date: 1992-10-02
Filing date: 1993-10-01
Publication date: 1994-04-14
Also published as: AU4813693A

Abstract

A credit card control system comprises a credit card (13) having a machine readable representation of an authentic signature of the card owner encoded on the card and a machine reader (23) which reads a document signature (19) provided at time of use of the card. The machine reader produces a machine readable conversion of the document signature and compares the machine readable conversion of the document signature to the machine readable representation of the authentic signature on the credit card for making an assessment as to whether or not the card is being used by its owner.

Description

CREDIT CARD CONTROL SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a credit card control system in which a credit card is encoded with a machine readable representation of an authentic signature of the card owner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Credit card fraud is a huge problem resulting in the loss of literally millions of dollars to both the owners and the issuers of different credit cards. One of the prime reasons enabling unauthorized use of a credit card is that only a visual inspection can presently be used to determine whether or not the signature of the person using the card matches up with the signature on the card itself. Many unauthorized card users are able to duplicate the card signature to the extent that such a visual inspection is not sufficient to prevent unauthorized use of the card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a control system specifically for limiting to a great extent unauthorized credit card usage. In particular, the present invention provides a credit card control system which uses a credit card having a machine readable representation of an authentic signature of the card owner encoded on the card. This card can then be read by a machine reader which reads any document signature provided at time of use of the card, produces a machine readable conversion of that document signature and compares the machine readable conversion of the document signature to the machine readable representation of the authentic signature on the credit card. This comparison which is done by the machine rather than by a visual inspection substantially enhances the likelihood of uncovering an unauthentic signature helps to determine whether or not there has been an unauthorized use of the card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in greater detail according to the preferred embodiments of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic of a credit card control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a credit card application form generally indicated at 1. This form includes printed client identification material generally indicated at 3. It also includes a signature area 5. A person applying for the credit card will sign the application form in area 5.

The signature provided by the applicant on the application form is then machine read by a scanner 9. The scanner converts the signature through known technology to a digitized format. It may take several signature attempts on the application form in order to produce a complete digitization of the signature.

Scanner 9 feeds to an encoder 7 which then outputs to a "printer" 11. This printer then prints or produces a digital representation of the signature from the client application form onto a magnetic strip 15 of an otherwise standard credit card 13. For this application, the credit card itself does not need to be signed by the card owner and in fact it is preferable that the card is not signed so that someone attempting an unauthorized use of the card does not have anything in the way of a signature sample.

However, it is to be appreciated that a digitized signature can also be used on a card which does bear the actual signature.

At a service establishment, a person wishing to use the card will sign a document 17 such as a typical bill of sale in the signature area 19. The signature on document 17 is then read by a machine reader 23 of a signature decoder 21 which converts the document signature to a digitized format. Decoder 21 includes a further machine reader 25 which reads the digitized representation of the signature on credit card 13 and compares this digitized signature to the digitized signature from the document signed at the point of sale. If the two digitized signatures compare favorably with one another then the use of the card is authorized by the service establishment.

Again, according to known procedures, the signatures do not necessarily have to be identical in as much as a perso 's signature can vary from one signing to the next. However, what the digitized signature comparer is able to do is to pick up a familiarity between the two signatures which is very difficult to reproduce in an unauthentic signature. Therefore, even though as noted above, it is preferable not to have the signature on the card itself, the control system of the present invention still does work with signed credit cards.

Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A credit card of a credit card control system which includes a machine reader to recognize an authentic signature of the card owner at time of use of the card, said credit card being adapted for use in the system by a machine readable representation of the authentic signature encoded on said card.

2. A credit card control system comprising a credit card having a machine readable representation of an authentic signature of the card owner encoded on said card, and a machine reader which reads a document signature provided at time of use of the card, produces a machine readable conversion of the document signature and compares the machine readable conversion of the document signature to the machine readable representation of the authentic signature on the credit card.