Apparatus for recording a transaction including authenticating an identification card

An apparatus for recording a transaction, said transaction including authenticating an identification card, said card having information in humanly recognizable form and pertaining to an object or other entity to be identified on a first portion of said identification card and a coded representation of an encrypted signal comprising an representation of said information on a second portion, said apparatus comprising:

• a) control means for controlling the operation of said apparatus;
• b) means for reading said coded representation of said signal from said card;
• c) decoding means, responsive to said reading means, for decoding said representation of said signal to provide a decoded signal;
• d) decrypting means for decrypting said decoded signal to provide a decrypted signal;
• e) display means, responsive to said decrypting means, for displaying said representation of said information, whereby
• f) said card can be authenticated by comparison of said information on said first portion with said displayed representation of said information;
• and,
• g) recording means, responsive to said control means for recording data;
• wherein,
• h) said control means is responsive to said decrypting means to control said recording means to record at least a portion of said decrypted signal, and wherein;
• i) said encrypted signal is encrypted using an encryption key, E.sub.i, for a public key encryption system, and a decryption key D.sub.i, corresponding to said key E.sub.i, is encrypted with an encrypted key E.sub.1 for said public key encryption system to form an encryption decryption key E.sub.1 [D.sub.i ] and said encrypted key E.sub.i [D.sub.i ] is appended to said encrypted signal, and said decrypting means further comprises;
• i1) means for decrypting said encrypted decryption key, E.sub.1 [D.sub.i ] with a corresponding decryption key D.sub.1, to recover said decryption key, D.sub.i ;
• and,
• i2) means for decrypting said encrypted signal using said key, D.sub.i.