GB2116480A - Credit, cash and/or cheque cards or pass cards - Google Patents

Abstract

Identification means, for example credit, cash, cheque, security or pass cards, comprise two discrete identification members 1, 3 which are adapted for use as a pair. The identification members can be stored separately, thus reducing the possibility of both parts being lost or stolen and falling into undesirable hands. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to credit, cash and/or cheque cards or pass cards The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to credit and/or cash and/or cheque cards. The invention has particular application to cards carrying identification for the primary purpose of carrying out financial transactions.

More generally the invention is applicable to security or pass cards carrying magnetic or other coded information.

With the increasing popularity of the above types of cards there is a demand to prevent misuse of the cards should they fall into the hands of a dishonest person. For example a person who loses his credit card or the like or has it stolen may well suffer considerable financial hardship.

Similarly a security or pass card falling into the hands of an unauthorised user would be undesirable.

Accordingly there is a need for a card which is adapted to reduce the possibility of the card being mis-used.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided identification means comprising two discrete identification members which are adapted for use as a pair.

Preferably each identification member comprises a rectangular sheet-like member similar to existing credit/cash/cheque cards and made from a plastics material. Each card carries letters, numbers or other symbols for identifying the owner of the card and for indicating that the cards are to be used as a pair. Each of the two members will carry a code, the code from the two members forming a unique code for the pair of members.

The coding may be magnetic to facilitate reading by automated machines. Providing two discrete members has the advantage that they can be stored separately so reducing the chances of both parts falling into the wrong hands.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a credit card having first and second parts which are separable and which are adapted for use as a pair.

As used herein in connection with the present invention, the term "identification means" is intended to include credit cards, cash cards, cheque cards, security cards and pass cards.

In the following description of the present invention the word "card" is intended to refer generally to both the "idenfification means" and the "credit card" according to the present invention. Also, in the following description of the -present invention the word "part" is intended to refer generally to the "identification members" of the identification means according to the invention and to the "parts" of the credit card according to the invention.

One advantage of the two part construction is that each part can be stored separately, thus reducing the possibility of both parts being lost or stolen and falling into undesirable hands.

Conveniently, one part, say the first part, of the credit card according to the invention may be in the form of a key and adapted for fixing to a key being or the like. The other part may be generally rectangular and similar in shape to existing credit cards. In one embodiment the two parts are provided with mutually corresponding profiled edges such that, when brought into adjoining relation, they fit together to form the card for presentation/identification purposes. The cards may fit together in a jig-saw like manner.

Preferably the owner's signature is present on the card and the inscription field on which the signature is written is carried on both parts of the card, so that the signature is written across the two parts. Thus, if one part falls into the wrong hands the full signature is not known to that person. Identification numbers and letters are formed on the two parts.

Where the card is a plastics material these identification marks may be impressed into the surface or more particularly raised from the surface. Each card or each part of the card may carry the name of the owner and a code number in raised markings. For added security several letters or numbers of a code identifying the particular owner and unique to him/her may be carried by the card in such a way that a portion of the code is carried by one part of the card and another portion of the code by the other part of the card. In this way two halves of different cards could not be offered together to form a valid identification code and it would be virtually impossible for a fake card part to be manufactured with a correct identification code without prior knowledge of that code. Thus it will be seen that the two part construction improves the security of the card to a considerable extent.

The present invention will now be described further hereinafter by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a card according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modification of the card of Figure 1.

In a first aspect of the invention, not illustrated, identification means comprises two discrete identification members. Each member may take the appearance of a conventional credit/cash/cheque card which are generally rectangular in shape and 1 to 2 mm thick. The members are preferably a plastics material which lends itself to having identification marks, be they letters or numerals, impressed or more preferably raised from one surface of the member. The reverse surface is preferably planar. The members may incorporate magnetic coding or a bar coding readable by a light pen. Each member will have means identifying that the members are to be used as a pair and each may carry the owner's name and address. The identification means formed by the pair of members will have a unique code, part of which is carried by one member and part by the other member.This unique code may be the magnetic or bar code, or the raised numerals or a combination thereof.

Each member may be the same shape, or they may be different if this is preferred. The invention is applicable to cash cards, credit cards, cheque cards and security/pass cards. Security/pass cards includes cards for releasing door locks automatically and barriers such as used in car parks.

In operating, the owner of the identification means presents the two identification members together for visual identification purposes. The two members may have on them the signature of the owner or the signature may only be on one member. The first names may be written on one member and the surname on the other. Where the members are to be used in conjunction with an automatic reading machine, the appropriate magnetic or bar coding is provided on the members and both members are presented to the machine for complete identification. The two members may be introduced to a respective reading/receiving aperture simultaneously or placed one after the other into a receiving apparatus for subsequent analysation by the machine before complying with the required direction for access or cash, or before complying with whatever the machine is programmed to do on command, or otherwise.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a card having first and second parts 1, 3 respectively. The card may be a cash card, credit card, cheque card or security card or identification card. In the illustration the first part of the card is key-like in its construction and has a hole 5 for securing it to a key ring. An optical cover 7 is illustrated. This is pivotable about the axis of the hole 5 and is generally U-shaped. The cover serves to protect the body of the first part 1, for example when on a ring with a number of other keys. The body of the first part 1 is preferably a plastics sheet-like material, e.g. approximately 1 mm thick.

The body is generally elongate.

The second part 3 of the card is likewise preferably a sheet-like plastics material approximately 1 mm thick and is generally rectangular in shape. Each of the first and second parts 1, 3 carries information in the form of letters or numerals on one or more inscription fields.

These letters or numerals may be recessed into the inscription surface or raised from it. The information carried by the inscription fields may include one or more of the following: The name of the card owner; his/her address; a bank/card serial number; a unique personal code number; and a signature of the card owner.

The inscription field containing this information may be accommodated wholiy on one of the first and second parts 1,3 or it may be divided between the two parts so that the complete information (sufficient for the purposes for which the card is intended) is not contained on one part alone.

In the illustrated example the inscription field 11 on which the card holder's signature is written is common to both parts 1, 3. Similarly the unique code number contained on the inscription field 13 is made up of letters and symbols some of which are on the first part and some of which are on the second part. Thus the signature and the unique code number are only complete when the two parts are offered together. The remaining information, such as the name and address and a serial number, may be provided on each part of the card in separate inscription fields 9, 1 5. For example the card owner's name, address and bank/card serial number may be contained on the second part 3 in the inscription field 9, whilst the card owner's name and serial number only may be contained on the inscription field 1 5.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 an edge 17 of the second part 3 is complementary in shape to an edge or part of the first part 1. Conveniently, the mutually corresponding edges 17, 1 9 are profiled so that the two parts 1,3 may be brought into inter-engaging communication. The edges may be saw tooth shaped or wedge shaped as illustrated in Figure 1. The shape of the edges 17, 19 may be coded, i.e. the shape may be varied on different cards so as to avoid the parts of different cards being mated incorrectly. Fo: example, a person may have cheque and cash cards which have the same name and signature but different serial and unique code numbers. The first part of the cheque card may be inadvertently mated with the second part of the cash card if the shape of the edges were the same for both cards, with the combination having an invalid unique code number.

In the illustration of Figure 1 the keying effect is arranged such that lateral movement in the direction of the arrow A is hindered when the parts are offered together in the direction of the arrow B. In a modification illustrated in Figure 2 the edges 17, 1 9 have a jig-saw like configuration with co-operating male and female parts 21,23 whereby the parts when offered up are keyed together in both the transverse and longitudinal directions. The parts are separable by movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the card. This configuration may be of advantage where the card has to be used in conjunction with some form of automated identification machine.

The card may include magnetic or light sensitive coding to facilitate its use in such an automated machine.

Any other convenient shape may be employed for the mutually complementary edges 17, 19.

The first part 1 whilst being described as keylike does not necessarily have to be key-like, this being only a preferred form for ease of carriage.

the first part may be card-like, without provision for securing to a key ring. Alternatively, both parts may be adapted for being carried on a split ring.

Claims (12)

1. Identification means comprising two discrete identification members which are adapted for use as a pair.

2. Identification means as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the identification members is made from a plastics material.

3. Identification means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which each identification member comprises a rectangular sheet-like member.

4. Identification means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which one of the identification members is in the form of a key adapted for fixing to a key ring or the like.

5. Identification means as claimed in claim 4, in which the other of the two identification members is generally rectangular in shape.

6. Identification means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the two identification members are provided with mutually corresponding profiled edges such that, when brought into adjoining relationship, they fit together to form the identification means.

7. Identification means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which each of the two identification members carries a code, the code from the two members forming a unique code for the pair of members.

8. Identification means as claimed in claim 7, in which the code is magnetic.

9. Identification means as claimed in claim 7, in which the code comprises letters and/or numbers and/or a person's name, part of said code being carried by one of the identification members and the other part of said code being carried by the other of the identification members.

10. Identification means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, in which a person's signature is present on the identification means with one part of the signature being carried by one of the identification members and the other part of the signature being carried by the other of the identification members.

11. Identification means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, which is in the form of a credit card, cash card, cheque card, security card or pass card.

12. Identification means as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.