GB2327637A

GB2327637A - Vehicle tax disc with barcode or electronic memory

Info

Publication number: GB2327637A
Application number: GB9714538A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Gervais Stephen Willson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-07-11
Filing date: 1997-07-11
Publication date: 1999-02-03
Also published as: GB9714538D0

Abstract

The tax disc 10 includes a visually readable information 11b and validating machine readable information in the form of a barcode 11a (Fig 1) or an electronic memory 15 in a recess between a front paper layer 12 and a rear foil laminate 14 (Fig 2). The machine readable information may be read by an electronic scanner using radio communication.

Description

Title: Validation Means Description of the Invention This invention relates to validation means for official documents or the like.

With colour photocopies, it is now possible to make high quality copies (forgeries) of official documents. It is known for such official documents to include, for example, complex patterns of colour on their surface, but colour photocopiers are now capable of successfully copying even complex patterns.

Particularly where official documents have a monetary value, for example, tax discs for vehicles, such copying leads to substantial fraud. It is therefore desirable to be able to check whether an apparently official document is valid or is a fraudulent copy.

According to a first aspect of the invention I provide validation means for use with a document which comprises visually readable information, the validation means comprising means to store further machine readable information which is retrievable to establish the validity or otherwise of the document.

According to a first embodiment of the first aspect of the invention the means which stores the further information may comprise a machine readable pattern disposed at the surface of the document, such as, for example, a bar code.

According to a preferred second embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the means which stores the further information is contained within the physical body of the document.

The means which stores the further information may comprise an electronic device.

According to a second aspect of the invention I provide a document comprising validation means according to the first aspect of the invention.

Where the document comprises validation means according to the second embodiment of the first aspect of the invention the document may further comprise a first layer bearing the visually readable information, and a second layer attached to said first layer to provide a recess in which the means which stores the further information is contained.

The first layer may for example comprise paper and the second layer comprise foil.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein FIGURE 1 shows a document according to the first aspect of the invention, and FIGURE 2 is an angled perspective side view and cross-section through a document according to the second aspect of the invention.

An official document 10, in this case by way of example a tax disc for a vehicle, is shown comprising a section 1 lib which may contain visually readable information such as details of the vehicle and tax disc expiry date, and a further information storing part gila. The further information storing part ila in this example comprises a bar code, the information of which may be readable only by means of particular machinery available to, for example, traffic wardens. The bar code may for example contain a serial number, and may be printed at the point of issue. The serial number may have relevant information encoded therein such as a vehicle registration number, and an expiry date. To validate the document an, inspecting official can simply scan the bar code to ascertain whether the information carried thereby is consistent with other known information.

Turning now to Figure 2, showing the preferred embodiment, the document comprises a first preferably paper layer 12 providing a visually readable part 13, a second layer 14 comprising foil laminate attached to the first layer 12 and an information storing means 15 disposed between the two layers. The information storing means 15 may comprise for example an electronic circuit comprising an electronic memory in which power may be induced by an information reading device. When the document is issued, the electronic memory may be loaded with appropriate information, for example for a tax disc, the vehicle chassis number, licence number, MOT certificate number and so forth.

Such information is not displayed on the surface of the document 12 and so cannot reproduced if an attempt is made to photocopy the document.

When an official wishes to check the validity of the document, a suitable reading machine such as an electronic scanner may interrogate the information storing means 15 by means of, for example, radio communication, to read the further information stored thereon. If the document is a simple photocopy then no information storing means 15 will be present and so the reading machine will not receive any information, indicating that the document is a copy. If an information storing means 15 is present, the information held thereon can be checked to ascertain whether that information is consistent with the information on the visually readable part or, in the example of a tax disc, with the characteristic details of the vehicle to which the disc is affixed.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A validation means for use with a document, which comprises visually readable information, the validation means comprising means to store further machine readable information which is retrievable to establish the validity or otherwise of the document.

2. A validation means according to Claim 1 wherein the means which stores the further information comprises a machine readable pattern disposed at the surface of the document.

3. A validation means according to Claim 2 wherein the machine readable pattern comprises a bar code.

4. A validation means according to Claim 1 wherein the means which stores the further information is contained within the physical body of the document.

5. A validation means according to Claim 5 wherein the means which stores the further information comprises an electronic device.

6. A document comprising validation means according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

7. A document comprising validation means according to Claim 4 or Claim 5.

8. A document according to Claim 7 wherein the document comprises a first layer bearing the visually readable information and a second layer attached to said first layer to provide a recess in which the means which stores the further the information is contained.

9. A document according to Claim 8 wherein the first layer comprises paper and the second layer comprises foil.

10. A validation means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A document as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.