The invention also in a further aspect relates to a method to use information carried by an ID-document stored in a data base for verifying purchases made by credit or bank cards.

Forged ID-papers, passports, visas, and the like that permit people to enter countries, areas, buildings and the like are becoming an ever greater problem. Such ID-papers are normally issued in the form of a document that proves the identity of the person carrying the document and therewith legitimises his/her passage or provides proof of the person's identity in some other way. As mentioned, forged ID-papers are relatively commonplace throughout the world and it is more or less im- possible for those checking such papers to ascertain whether or not they are genuine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method which enables the authenticity of an ID- paper, such as an ID-document, an ID-card, a passport, a visa, a pass card or an equivalent, to be verified more eas- ily.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a method in which after having provided an ID-paper with all

necessary identification data, including a photograph of the bearer, the authority or organisation issuing the ID-paper scans the data/information on the ID-paper or document and stores this data/information in a data base, so that when the ID-paper is presented the replica scanned into the data base can be retrieved and compared with the presented ID-paper.

A further object of the invention is to provide an embodiment which enables the information stored in respect of the ID- paper to be retrieved from the data base automatically.

This further object of the invention is achieved by applying a machine-readable identification means on the ID-paper, so that the identity of the ID-paper can be read-in for simpler retrieval of the information on, said replica stored in the data base.

Still another object of the invention is to enable the ID- paper to be marked so that the person responsible for verify- ing the ID-paper can readily see that the ID-paper is stored<BR> ! in its correct state in a data base in which the authenticity of the ID-paper can be checked.

The object is achieved by providing the ID-paper with a mark that cannot be removed without leaving a discernible trace on the paper.

The object of the further aspect of the invention, is to use the information carried by an ID-document stored in a data base to verify the identity of a holder of a credit or bank card.

This further object of the invention is achieved in that with an issuer of a credit or bank card, the registration of an ID-document including a photograph in a data base is regis- tered in connection to a specific credit or bank card, so that when the credit or bank card is drawn in a card termi- nal, a connection is established to the data base in which the ID-document is registered and the photograph is displayed on the terminal.

The invention will now be described in more detail with ref- erence to a non-limiting embodiment illustrated in the accom- panying drawing, which illustrates schematically the various elements used in accordance with the inventive method.

The invention is described initially with reference to an embodiment that concerns the verification of the authenticity of a passport. Passports are issued by police authorities or some equivalent body, where a high degree of precision is placed on the correctness of the information entered into/on the passport. The passport shall then function to confirm that the bearer of the passport is truly the person identi- fied thereby. The issuing authority has the responsibility of checking that the information contained in the passport is correct, and that the photograph placed in the passport re- sembles the person to whom it is issued, at least at the time of issue. The bearer of the passport is then able to travel on the passport and it is expected that persons managing passport controls are able to ascertain that the person of- fering the passport is the same person as that presented in the photograph, and also whether or not the passport has been tampered with in some way.

Passports are forged in different ways. One way is to provide a stolen passport with a new photograph, so that the person shown on the new photograph assumes the identity of the proper owner of the passport. Another way is to substitute other information in a stolen passport with new information that better matches the bearer of the passport but gives the bearer a nationality that is different to his/her true na- tionality so that he or she can pass through a passport con- trol to which he would otherwise be denied entry. Another variant of a forged passport is one where the document is a complete forgery from the outset and thus only externally resembles a correctly issued passport.

As before mentioned, it is difficult for the person examining a passport to distinguish a genuine passport from a forgery, particularly since the quality and the design of passports differ significantly from country to country, and even over the years in one and the same country.

In order to facilitate the verification of the authenticity of a passport, it has been proposed in accordance with the present invention that subsequent to having been placed in order, the passport is scanned so that the information con- tained in the passport, or ID-paper, can be stored in a data base as an exact copy or replica of the passport originally issued. When the passport is then checked at a passport con- trol station, the information on the passport image stored in the data bank can be compared with the information on the document presented, in this case the passport.

Passports include a passport number, which may be used as the identification under which the information is stored in the data base. However, the passport is preferably given a spe-

cific ID-number and is stored under this number in the data base. This specific ID-number is applied to the passport so that the passport control officer is able to enter this num- ber through his computer and check the information on the presented passport with the information stored in the data base. This specific ID-number will preferably have the form of a machine-readable identification carried by the passport, so that instead of needing to enter the number manually the passport control officer need only hold the passport in front of a reader which functions to read the number mechanically.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a passport 1 that in- cludes machine readable identification 2. The passport is presented to the passport control officer 3 who holds the passport 1 in front of the reader 4, which reads the ID- number from the identification 2. The reader 4 is connected to the control officer's computer 5 which, in turn, is con- nected to a data base, or rather to a network of data bases in which copies or replicas of the passport are stored, wherewith the replica of the original passport scanned into the data base or data bases can be displayed on the screen of the control officer's computer 5 and the officer is able to determine readily whether the passport is authentic or not.

Naturally, the passport control officer must use his own judgement in determining whether or not the person shown in the replica is the person presenting the passport. He can be sure, however, that the passport presented is authentic when the replica scanned into the data base coincides with the presented document.

The identification 2 on the passport can be of different designs. For instance, it may have the form of a tag/transponder stuck firmly on or in the passport, so that

the reader 3 will activate the tag/transponder when the pass- port is held in the vicinity of the reader, which will then receive the identification of the tag/transponder, this iden- tification being the ID-number under which the replica of the passport 1 was stored in the data base. The identification can, of course, have a different form. For instance, it may have the form of a bar code that can be read by a bar code reader, a magnetic tape that can be read by a magnetic reader, or letter or digit combination that can be read by an optical reader.

It is suitable to apply the identification 2 to the passport so that it can be seen clearly, such that the passport con- trol officer will be aware that he can readily verify the authenticity of the passport with the aid of the identifica- tion 2. The identification 2 may be affixed on that page of the passport on which remaining identification data is en- tered and in a way which will ensure that a clear trace of the identification will be left if an attempt to remove the identification 2 is made.

The aforedescribed method is not restricted solely to the compilation of a new passport, but can also be applied with an existing passport presented to the issuing authority, which then applies the new identification to the passport and scans in the passport so that its replica can be stored in a data base together with corresponding information relating to newly issued passports.

It has become more common in recent times for different au- thorities, especially those that issue passports, to store information in mutually linked data bases, meaning that there

is no difficulty in creating a function that covers the en- tire world in the present context.

As before mentioned, the invention is not limited to its application in respect of passports, but can be applied in many other areas where it is desired to verify the authentic- ity of a document. Such documents may consist of other types of identification papers used by authorities or companies.

The invention can also be applied to other types of document with which positive verification may be of interest. These documents must be registered in a data base in a"safe"way, although it is normally unnecessary to place the same high security requirements on access in order to verify the genu- ineness of the document.

Should an attempt be made to replace an identification 2 applied to a document in accordance with the invention, the correct replica of the document will not be shown when at- tempting to verify the document. Either no replica will be shown at all or a completely different document will be shown if the identification has been taken from another document.

In the other aspect of the invention the information carried by the ID-document and stored in the data base is used for verifying a purchase made by a credit or bank card. This can be realised in that the bearer of such a credit or bank card requests the issuer of the card to connect a specific credit or bank card to the bearers stored ID-document in the data base. The issuer of the credit or bank card can then organise his control system so that when the card is used in a termi- nal at a sales point the information stored in the data base is retrieved and shown on the terminal. In this way the ID- document, and especially the photograph of the bearer of the

credit or bank card can easily be shown on the terminal, and the sales person can then decide whether it is the correct person in front of him or not.

Also cheques, bank money-orders etc. can also be provided with an identification, such as a barcode, connecting them to the data base in which the ID-document information is stored, so that bank staff also in the similar way on their terminals can receive the stored information, to verify the bearer of the cheque or bank money-order.