JPH0552069A - Authentication card and authentication system therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an authentication card using a mark such as a bar code with invisible ink undiscernible by naked eyes such as ultraviolet ink as an authentication code and having security at a low cost and an authentication system using the authentication card. CONSTITUTION:An ID card 8 utilized as an authentication card has a paper base material 81 and a paper print layer 8b, and a transparent bar code 82 is printed on the print layer 8b. The transparent bar code 82 is used as an authentication code. Paper is used as the base material, it can be manufactured at a low cost, and it has security because a transparent invisible mark is used. The ID card 8 is issued by an authentication code registering device 1, the code corresponding to the transparent bar code 82 is stored in a registered content memory device 2. The ID card inserted into the first terminal device 5 is read by a transparent bar code reader, and the code is authenticated by an authenticating device 4. The ID card 8 is erased by an authentication code erasing device 3 after it is utilized for a preset period.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink that fluoresces visible or invisible to incident light such as ultraviolet rays or an infrared ink that fluoresces to incident light such as infrared rays or emits invisible reflected light to humans. The present invention relates to an authentication card having a transparent invisible mark written in ink that cannot be visually recognized by the human eye, and an authentication system using the authentication card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a personal identification card (ID card), a predetermined magnetic mark is stored in a plastic card using a magnetic stripe used for credit cards, bank transaction cards, etc., and a metal key used for security systems, etc. There are known an electronic key, a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) built-in IC card, and a semiconductor memory built-in memory card.

[0003]

Although these ID cards have relatively high security and are suitable for long-term use, they are not used for a long time, for example, hotel stays, rental villa use, and the like. As the ID card, each of the above-mentioned ID cards has the following problems and is not practical. A plastic card using a magnetic stripe may be unusable because its magnetic content is changed because the magnetic stripe part is affected by a strong magnet. Further, the plastic card using the magnetic stripe uses plastic as the base material and the magnetic stripe is applied to the back surface, which increases the price in terms of material cost and processing cost. The electronic key has a problem that it is affected by external magnetism, like a plastic card using a magnetic stripe. If the electronic key is maliciously copied, the entire key must be replaced. The price of IC cards will be higher. Memory cards are not as expensive as IC cards, but the price is still high. The problem common to the ID card and the electronic key described above is that they are not immediately issued. For example, when the ID card is applied to a hotel electronic key that is discarded after use, it cannot be issued each time at the hotel reception.

[0006] Normally, a metal key is used for hotel use, but when the key is copied maliciously,
As a countermeasure, the entire door key must be replaced. Also, as a key suitable for temporary use of the hotel,
The punching pattern is changed for each user, and the key locking / unlocking (unlocking) condition is changed according to the punching pattern,
It is also practiced to use a paper or plastic card having the holes of the punching pattern as a key for a hotel room. However, such paper perforated cards are visible and easily duplicated. Often, it is desired that the user take the card with him to commemorate his stay, and the hotel has handed out the card to commemorate it, but it has a hole and is aesthetically unpleasant. Furthermore, even on the hotel side, conventionally, the perforated card has been merely used as a key for unlocking / locking a room, and it has not yet been used for office management of a hotel using the card.

In view of the above, the present invention has a certain level of security and a personal recognition function in a relatively short period of time, such as a hotel, is difficult to copy, is aesthetically pleasing, and has a certain durability. The purpose is to provide an inexpensive authentication card. It is another object of the present invention to provide an authentication system suitable for issuing such an authentication card easily and in real time, using it as authentication, and erasing it immediately after use.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the authentication card of the present invention has a transparent invisible mark for authentication provided on a paper sheet. Preferably, the transparent invisible mark of the authentication card is used as an electronic key code and the authentication card is used as an electronic key. Further, the authentication system of the present invention stores a registration code corresponding to the transparent invisible mark for authentication and issues a personal authentication card having the transparent invisible mark on a paper sheet, and a transparent invisible mark of the issued authentication card. It has a means for authenticating the validity of the authentication card by reading and checking it against the registration code, and a means for deleting the registration code so as to prohibit the use of the authentication card after the use of the authentication card is completed.

[0007]

Since the authentication card of the present invention uses the transparent invisible mark for authentication, it is invisible to the naked eye, has high security, and is difficult to copy. It is preferable to use this authentication card as an electronic key. In the authentication system of the present invention, first, the use of the authentication card is permitted each time,
The authorized authentication code is registered, and the authentication card is issued to a user such as a hotel guest as an electronic key of a hotel room. A transparent mark reader for reading the transparent invisible mark on the authentication card is provided on the door of the room, and when the registered code is matched, the door is opened and closed using the authentication card. When the use of the authentication card is completed, the authentication card can also be used for account settlement of hotel use, and then the registered code is deleted. Once used, an authentication card with such a transparent invisible mark can no longer be reused.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows the system configuration of an embodiment of the authentication system of the present invention. This authentication system includes an authentication code registration device 1, a registration content storage device 2, an authentication code erasing device 3, an authentication device 4, and first to third terminals using a usage ID card 8 as an embodiment of the present invention. It has devices 5-7. An example of applying this authentication system to a hotel management system will be described. In this case, the usage ID card 8
It can be used as an electronic key for the hotel and a credit card in the hotel. The authentication code registration device 1 and the authentication code deletion device 3 are arranged at the front of the hotel to issue and delete the usage ID card 8. The authentication device 4 performs management control of the first terminal device 5 to the third terminal device 7. For example,
The first terminal device 5 is used as an entrance / exit management device for a room in a hotel. The second terminal device 6 is used as a use settlement device in a store in a hotel, and the third terminal device 7 is used as a use settlement device in a restaurant in a hotel. That is, the second terminal device 6 and the third terminal device 6
The terminal device 7 is used not only for using the ID card 8 of the authentication card of the present invention as an electronic key for a hotel, but also as a usage management device when it is used as a credit card in a hotel.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of the usage ID card 8 used in the above authentication system, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 2A. 1 use ID card 8
Has a base material 8a made of paper, and the base material 8a of this paper is
A printing layer 8b is applied to the top of the printing layer 8b, and the layer 8c of the transparent barcode 82 is applied to a part of the printing layer 8b. Further, as will be described later, finally, a transparent laminating layer 8d as a protective layer is coated. A transparent barcode 82 is applied in the transparent barcode mark area 81. The transparent barcode 82 is drawn as a plurality of barcodes with ultraviolet ink which is invisible to human eyes, and the transparent barcode is read by a transparent barcode reader described later. On the print layer 8b of the usage ID card 8, a hotel room number 83, an insertion direction instruction mark 84, a portion 88 where a picture of a hotel is pictured, and a hotel name 89 are printed in advance. The user signs the user name 85 on the print layer 8b. Further, on the print layer 8b, the stay start date 86 is printed when the use ID card 8 is issued, and the stay end date 87 is printed when the use ends. The map, address, telephone number, etc. of the hotel may be printed in color on the back surface of the base material 8a.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a computer system 10 for realizing the authentication system shown in FIG. The computer system 10 includes a central control unit (CPU) 11,
Bus 12, transparent bar code reader I / F circuits 13 and 14, key control device I / F circuit 15, ROM 16, RAM
17, a hard disk device (HDD) 18, a display device control circuit 19, a CRT display device 20, a transparent bar code reader 21, a key board 22, a printer 23 for printing a date on a card, a laminating device 24 and a printer 25 for receipt printing. Have The receipt printing printer 25 is usually connected to the accounting computer 9A (FIG. 1) already provided, but it is shown in FIG. 3 for the purpose of explaining the present embodiment. The authentication code registration device 1 and the authentication code deletion device 3 are respectively a CPU 11, a bus 12, a transparent bar code reader I / F circuit 13, a ROM 16, a RAM 17, a display device control circuit 19, a CRT display device 20, and a keyboard 2.
2. It is realized by a printer 23 for date printing on a card and a laminating device 24. Registered content storage device 2 is H
It is realized by DD18. The authentication device 4 is the CPU 11,
It is realized by the bus 12, the transparent barcode reader I / F circuit 14, the key control device I / F circuit 15, the ROM 16 and the RAM 17.

As an example of the first terminal device 5, FIG. 4 corresponds to a user ID card operating device 30 provided beside a door 40 of a hotel room, and its main constituent elements are:
The transparent bar code reader 51 and the unlocking / locking device 52 shown in FIG. The user ID card operating device 30 shown in FIG. 4 has a user ID card insertion opening 31 and a green LE.
D valid lamp 33 and red LED invalid lamp 34
have.

Before describing the operation of the authentication system shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the operation of reading the transparent barcode 82 printed in the transparent barcode mark area 81 of the usage ID card 8 will be described. 5 shows a circuit configuration of the transparent barcode reader 21 shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an optical system of the transparent barcode reader 21. The invisible mark reader 21 includes an optical system 210 and a signal processing unit 215. The optical system 210 is a transparent bar code 82 of the usage ID card 8, for example, a light source 212 for projecting ultraviolet light onto an invisible bar code printed with ultraviolet ink, and light from the light source 212 is reflected by the transparent bar code 82. Reflecting mirror 211 for deflecting light, lens 213 with optical filter
And an image sensor 214. Signal processing unit 21
Reference numeral 5 denotes an amplifier circuit 216 that amplifies the signal converted into an electric signal by the image sensor 214, a waveform shaping circuit 217 that performs waveform shaping, a binary processing circuit 218 that binarizes the waveform shaped analog signal, and code conversion. It has a circuit 219. The transparent barcode 82 is drawn as a plurality of barcodes with ultraviolet ink that is invisible to the human eye. The electric signal from the code conversion circuit 219 is input to the CPU 11 via the transparent barcode reader I / F circuit 13 and temporarily stored in the RAM 17.

The first terminal 5 (user I in FIG. 4)
The transparent barcode reader 51 provided in the D card operating device 30) also has the same configuration and operation as the transparent barcode reader 21. Therefore, the transparent barcode 82 read by the transparent barcode reader 51 is also stored in the RAM 17 as an electric signal.

Referring to FIG. 7, the operation of the authentication code registration apparatus 1, that is, the CPU 1 in the computer system 10
The operation of No. 1 will be described. Steps S01 and S02 : Those planning to stay at the hotel (users)
When the user performs the check-in procedure, the usage ID card 8 shown in FIG. 2 is inserted under the check-in sheet. When the user signs on the check-in form, the user name 85 is posted on the usage ID card 8. Steps S03, S04 : The front desk staff member uses the transparent ID barcode reader 21 to insert the user ID card 8 on which the signature is transcribed.
Then, the key board 22 is operated to read the transparent barcode 82 from the transparent barcode reader 21. CP
U11 reads the transparent bar code 82 through the transparent bar code reader I / F circuit 13 and reads the code in the RAM1.
It is temporarily stored in 7, and it is checked whether the code is the same as the code already registered in the HDD 18. If they overlap, the above process is performed again from step S02. The quality of this check is displayed on the CRT display 20 installed at the front. However, since the confirmation operation described in step S04 is a confirmation for preventing duplicate codes from being registered, this operation can be omitted. Step S05 : When the transparent barcode 82 is recognized as a valid transparent invisible mark, the CPU 11 registers the code corresponding to the transparent barcode 82 in the HDD 18. The code registered in the HDD 18 is used not only for authentication as described below but also for hotel use management of the user. Step S06 : C is the completion of registration of the code in the HDD 18.
It is displayed on the RT display 20. Front desk staff use I
Remove the D card 8 from the transparent barcode reader 21,
The date printing printer 23 on the card is operated, and the key board 22 is operated to print the necessary items on the usage ID card 8. This print includes the room number 83 and stay start date 86 determined at that time. Step S07 : When the printing of the date on the card by the printer 23 is completed, the staff member at the front places the usage ID card 8 on the laminating device 24, and the usage ID card 8 is laminated except for the portion 87 of the stay end date. ，
Take protective measures for the printing section and the transparent barcode 82. Step S08 : The clerk at the front handes the user ID card 8 on which the above processing has been performed to the user. From the above, the user ID that the user can use at the hotel
Card 8 has been issued at the hotel front desk.

Next, the door 4 using the usage ID card 8
The control operation of the authentication device 4 (CPU 11) for opening and closing 0 will be described. Step S11 : The CPU 11 is the transparent barcode reader I
Through the / F circuit 14 and the key control device I / F circuit 15, the transparent bar code reader 51 in the user ID card operating device 30 and the unlocking / locking device 52 of the door 40 are monitored. In the CPU 11, the user who has the issued usage ID card 8 uses the usage ID card 8 as a user ID.
It stands by until the user ID card insertion opening 31 of the card operating device 30 is inserted. Step S12 : The CPU 11 reads the transparent barcode 82 via the transparent barcode reader 51 when the usage ID card 8 is inserted into the user ID card insertion slot 31. Step S13 : The CPU 11 checks whether or not the barcode corresponding to the transparent barcode 82 matches the code registered by the authentication code registration device 1 and registered in the HDD 18. Step S15 : If they match, the CPU 11 determines that they are valid, and the green LED of the user ID card operating device 30.
The effective lamp 33 is turned on. Step S14 : If there is no matching code in the HDD 18, the CPU 11 turns on the invalid lamp 34, which is a red LED, and returns to step S11. In this case, the opening / closing control operation of the door 40 is not performed. Step S16 : The CPU 11 waits until the usage ID card 8 is removed from the user ID card insertion slot 31. In this waiting, the user uses the user ID card 8
This is to prevent the card from being left inserted in the card insertion slot 31. Step S17 : When the usage ID card 8 is pulled out from the user ID card insertion opening 31, the CPU 11 reads the locked (locked) state of the unlocking / locking device 52 and the door 40 is locked or unlocked. Determine if. Step S18 : If locked, the CPU 11 instructs the unlocking / locking device 52 to unlock. Thus, the user can operate the knob of the door 40 to enter the room. Step S19 : When the key is unlocked, the CPU 11 instructs the unlocking / locking device 52 to lock. This locks the door 40 key.

As described above, the user uses the usage ID card 8
Can be used as an electronic key for entering and leaving a hotel room. The usage ID card 8 can also be used in the same way as a credit card at a restaurant or a store in a hotel. In this case, for restaurants, shops, etc.,
A transparent barcode reader similar to the transparent barcode reader 21 is provided, and the usage status and the usage amount are stored in the HDD 18 according to the above code.

When the use of the use ID card 8 is finished, it is deleted by the authentication code deleting device 3.
The operation will be described with reference to FIG. Step S21 : When the user checks out, the staff at the front desk keeps the usage ID card 8, inserts it in the transparent barcode reader 21 arranged at the front, and operates the key board 22 to start the erasing process. Step S22 : The transparent barcode reader 21 reads the transparent barcode 82. Step S23 : The CPU 11 determines the usage status of the user,
That is, the charge is calculated by referring to the usage status data of the HDD 18 in which the rank of the room of the hotel, the number of stays, the usage status of the shops in the hotel, the usage status of the restaurant, etc. are stored. The fee is displayed on the CRT display 20,
It is printed as a receipt by the receipt printing printer 25.
However, this receipt may be printed using the existing accounting computer 9A at the hotel. In this case, the accounting computer 9A is connected to the HDD 18 and inputs necessary data. Step S24 : When the payment of the user is completed, the staff at the front desk uses the use ID card 8 for the date printing printer 23.
Then, the stay end date 87 is printed with the use end date. It should be noted that this printing only serves to confirm that the usage ID card 8 has already been used and to commemorate the stay of the user, so this processing may be omitted. Steps S25 and S26 : The front desk clerk returns the user ID card 8 having the stay end date 87 printed by the printer 23 for printing the date on the card to the user as a memorial and operates the key board 22 to operate the CPU 11 To erase the code registered in the HDD 18. As a result, the usage ID card 8 cannot be used effectively thereafter.

As described above, the usage ID card 8 can be used as a hotel electronic key having a certain degree of security and a card equivalent to a credit card in the hotel. This use ID card 8 is a transparent barcode 8 with the naked eye.
2 cannot be recognized, so it cannot be easily duplicated. Also, as mentioned above, it can be issued immediately at the front desk of the hotel,
It is excellent in the immediacy of issuance, and it can be deleted immediately at the front desk after use, which is excellent in the immediacy of deletion. This usage ID card 8 is more portable than an ordinary electronic key. Therefore, the user can always carry it with him when he goes out of the hotel. The map, phone, etc. are printed on the back side, so it is convenient from that side as well. Further, since the base material 8a is made of paper and the printing layer 8b is attached on the paper, printing or type or signature copying is possible. Further, by laminating a laminate layer 8d on these,
Storability is improved. The use ID card 8 can be manufactured at low cost because of the above structure. Furthermore, use ID card 8
After using, can be distributed to the user to commemorate the use. In addition, in the example shown in FIG.
8. The printed portion such as the hotel name 89 and the transparent barcode mark area 81 are arranged at different positions, but they can be overlapped at the same position. As a result, the size of the usage ID card 8 can be reduced and the portability is further improved.

The laminate layer 8d is not only applied to the front surface of the use ID card 8, but only the transparent bar code mark area 81, or the user name 85 to be the printing section, the stay start date 86, the stay end. All the surfaces except the day 87 may be previously laminated, and the process shown as step S07 in FIG. 7 may be omitted. Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the transparent barcode 82 is preliminarily printed in the transparent barcode mark area 81 is shown, but the transparent barcode 82 is changed to, for example, each time the usage ID card 8 is issued. It is also possible to print by thermal transfer using a pigment for a transparent invisible mark. In this case, steps S03 and S04 in FIG. 7 are unnecessary.

In the above embodiments, an example in which the transparent bar code 82 is made of ultraviolet ink has been described. However, as the transparent invisible mark of the present invention, infrared ink that fluoresces infrared rays or emits invisible reflected light is used. You may use.

The case where the authentication system of the present invention is used as a hotel and the authentication card of the present invention is used as an electronic key and a credit card in a hotel has been described above. The present invention is not limited to the above example, and can be used for various other uses such as an authentication card that requires some security in a relatively short period of time. For example, as a usage pattern similar to that of the above-mentioned hotel, it can be used as an electronic key of each vacation villa of a resort area where a plurality of vacation villa groups are gathered and a usage card for restaurants, shops, etc. in the resort area. Alternatively, as another example, the authentication card of the present invention can be used as an authentication card for a meal ticket for employees of a company.

The authentication card of the present invention is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 2 and can be configured as various other cards having a transparent invisible mark. FIG. 10 shows a usage ID card 9 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The cross section of this usage ID card 9 is similar to the cross section shown in FIG.
The illustration is omitted. The use ID card 9 is used as an electronic key for a holiday cottage and as a credit card in a recreation area. In the transparent symbol mark area 91 of the usage ID card 9, a transparent numeral 92 is printed instead of the transparent barcode 82 of the usage ID card 8 shown in FIG. Other villa address 93, insertion direction instruction mark 94, user name 95, use start date 96, use end date 97, villa exterior photo picture 98, villa name 99 are room numbers 83-shown in FIG.
It is the same as the hotel name 89. The authentication system for processing the usage ID card 9 is almost the same as the system configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, but in this example, a transparent numeral 92 is printed instead of the transparent barcode 82. A transparent mark OCR is used in place of the transparent barcode reader 21 and the transparent barcode reader 51 shown in FIG. That is, the OCR reading is performed instead of the barcode reading. The processing after coding the OCR read result is the same as the above-described example. As described above, the authentication card is not limited to the barcode as the transparent invisible mark, and the numbers shown in FIG. 10 or other characters,
I can use symbols to train me.

[0023]

As described above, the authentication card using the transparent invisible mark of the present invention can be effectively used as an authentication card having a certain degree of security for a relatively short period of time. Since the authentication card of the present invention uses the transparent invisible mark for authentication, it cannot be seen with the naked eye and is difficult to copy. Since this mark is transparent, no additional space for attaching the mark is required for the mark. Therefore, the transparent invisible mark can be applied over the printing, and the size of the authentication card can be reduced. An authentication card having such a transparent invisible mark is excellent in immediacy of issuance and deletion. Also, since the base material is paper, it is inexpensive and has sufficient durability for relatively short-term use. Furthermore, the transparent invisible mark does not spoil the aesthetics, does not interfere with reading the information printed on the authentication card, and characters, patterns, etc. can be drawn over the transparent invisible mark. This authentication card having a transparent invisible mark on the paper base material can be manufactured at low cost. An authentication system using the authentication card of the present invention is
It is effective as a system having a certain level of security using the transparent invisible mark.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an authentication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a use ID of an embodiment as an authentication card of the present invention
It is a top view of a card.

3 is a computer system configuration diagram of the authentication system shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing reading of an ID card in a hotel room as an application example of the authentication system of the present invention.

5 is a circuit configuration diagram of an invisible mark reader for reading the transparent invisible mark of the ID card shown in FIG.

6 is a perspective view of an optical system of the invisible mark reader shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process of the authentication code registration device shown in FIG.

8 is a flowchart showing a process of the authentication device shown in FIG.

9 is a flowchart showing a process of the authentication code deleting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 10: Usage ID of another embodiment of the authentication card of the present invention
It is a top view of a card.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Authentication code registration device, 2 ... Registration content storage device,
3 ... Authentication code erasing device, 4 ... Authentication device, 5-7.
-First to third terminal devices, 8, 9 ... Usage ID card,
10 ... Computer system, 11 ... CPU, 12
..Bus, 13 ... Transparent bar code reader I / F circuit,
14 ... Transparent bar code reader I / F circuit, 15 ... Key control device I / F circuit, 16 ... ROM, 17 ... RA
M, 18 ... Hard disk drive (HDD), 19 ...
Display device control circuit, 20 ... CRT display device, 21..transparent bar code reader, 22..keyboard, 23..printer for printing date on card, 24..laminator, 25..for receipt printing Printer, 30..User ID card operating device, 31..User ID card insertion port, 33..effective lamp, 34..invalid lamp, 40 ..
・ Door, 51 ・ ・ Transparent bar code reader, 52 ・ ・ Unlocking / locking device, 8a ・ ・ Base material, 8b ・ ・ Printing layer, 8c ・ ・
Transparent bar code layer, 8d ... Laminate layer, 81 ... Transparent bar code mark area, 82 ... Transparent bar code, 8
3 ... Hotel room number, 84 ... Insertion direction mark,
85 ・ ・ User name, 86 ・ ・ Stay start date, 87 ・ ・ Stay end date, 88 ・ ・ Hotel photo picture, 89 ・ ・ Hotel name,
91 ··· Transparent mark mark area, 92 ··· Transparent number, 93
..Villa address, 94..Insertion direction instruction mark, 95 ..
User name, 96 ... Start date of use, 97 ... End date of use, 98 ... Photograph of villa appearance, 99 ...

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location B42D 15/10 L 9111-2C G06K 7/12 C 8945-5L 19/10 G07F 7/08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An authentication card having a transparent invisible mark for authentication provided on a paper sheet. 2. The authentication card according to claim 1, wherein the transparent invisible mark is used as an electronic key code. 3. A means for storing a registration code corresponding to a transparent invisible mark for authentication and issuing a personal authentication card having the transparent invisible mark on a paper sheet, and reading the transparent invisible mark of the issued authentication card. An authentication system having means for verifying the validity of an authentication card by comparing it with a registration code, and means for deleting the registration code so as to prohibit the use of the authentication card after the use of the authentication card is completed.