Identification card verification system and method

A self-verifying identification card system for use with an identification card having an image area, a portrait of a human being disposed in said image area, wherein said portrait contains at least one reference point having optical values, at least one registration feature disposed on said identification card and a first image signature disposed on said identification card which contains information derived from said optical values associated with each reference point, said system comprising:

• one or more scanning means for scanning the identification card and detecting said optical values associated with said at least one reference point in the image area and to read the first image signature;
• a data base containing a second image signature having information derived from optical values associated with at least one reference point in the image area, wherein said data base is adapted to exchange information with one or more computing means;
• one or more computing means containing an algorithm and linked to the scanning means, said computing means being adapted to compare said optical values determined by the scanning means from the image area on the card to information from the first image signature and the second image signature;
• and
• means for indicating the result of the comparisons.

A method of verifying an identification card that has an image area containing an image of a human characteristic, at least one reference point within the image area, at least one registration feature and a first image signature which is derived from optical values associated with said at least one reference point, said method comprising the steps of:

• scanning the identification card for obtaining digital information relating to said image area and said first image signature;
• computing a second image signature from the digital information associated with at least one optical value from said at least one reference point;
• comparing the computed second image signature to the first image signature scanned from the identification card;
• and
• indicating whether the first image signature matches the second image signature.

A method of verifying an identification card that includes an image area having an image of a human characteristic, at least one reference point within the image area, and at least one registration feature indicating the orientation, location and scale of the identification card, said method comprising the steps of:

• scanning the identification card for obtaining digital information;
• computing a first image signature from an optical value associated with said at least one reference point;
• comparing the first image signature to a second image signature which is stored in a data base;
• and
• indicating whether the first image signature matches the second image signature.

A method of verifying an identification card that includes an image area having an image of a human characteristic, at least one reference point within the image area, at least one registration feature which indicates orientation, location and scale of the identification card, and a first image signature derived from optical values associated with said at least one reference point, said method comprising the steps of:

• scanning the identification card for obtaining digital information;
• computing a second image signature from at least one optical value associated with said at least one reference point;
• comparing the computed second image signature to the first image signature scanned from the identification card;
• indicating whether the first image signature matches the second image signature;
• retrieving a third image signature associated with the identification card from a data base;
• comparing the first image signature to the third image signature;
• and
• indicating whether the first image signature matches the third image signature.