Enterprise based issuance of identification cards

Abstract

Methods and associated systems for enterprise-wide issuance of identification cards. A single enterprise server component and a plurality of card issuance machine controller components are distributed over an enterprise network. Each card machine controller component controls one or more devices for the production of identification cards including, for example, embossed and/or digitally encoded information. The single enterprise server component acts as a server to route the card issuance requests to the proper card machine controller component on behalf of client programs at each location used to request the production of an identification card. The enterprise server component further provides enhanced security and encryption to provide requisite security in the exchange of sensitive information in the production of such identification cards. An administrative component, which can be used anywhere on the network, provides centralized management of common data used by the server, card machine controllers and client programs in the production of identification cards. The administrative component also provides for centralized administration of the plurality of PCs, card issuance machines and software components to permit easy re-assignment of future production requests for purposes of management and/or for end user convenience.

1 . A system for issuance of identification cards in an enterprise, said system comprising: 
 a plurality of card issuance components for production of identification cards of different types;    a card issuance controller coupled to said plurality of card issuance components for controlling said plurality of card issuance components to service requests for said production of identification cards, wherein the requests include production of cards of different types including at least two of a debit card, an ATM card, a credit card, a mag stripe card and a smart card;    an enterprise server coupled to said card issuance controller through an enterprise network for managing requests for production of said identification cards, wherein the enterprise server is configured to determine an appropriate card issuance component to produce the card based at least in part on the card type and to transmit production information to an appropriate card issuance controller to produce the card; and    a card issuance client coupled to said enterprise server through the enterprise network for generating requests for said production of identification cards.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said enterprise server includes: 
 a card issuance component queue corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components wherein each request of said requests is entered into one of the card issuance component queues corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components and wherein the enterprise server is configured to monitor the status of each of the card issuance component queues and to transmit production information from the card issuance component queues to the card issuance controller for subsequent production by the card issuance component.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said enterprise server further includes: 
 at least one production queue includes production requests for later production, and wherein card production requests that are in the production queues may be moved to one of the card issuance component queues when ready for production.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an administrative client coupled to said enterprise server through the enterprise network for providing a user interface for managing a network configuration database for said production of identification cards.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said administrative client includes: 
 a graphical user interface element to enable a user to administer aspects of said system wherein said graphical user interface includes iconic representations corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to permit future requests generated by the card issuance client to be directed to different card issuance components or to different production queues using a drag and drop feature.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a card issuance component queue for cards that are ready to be produced, the card issuance component queue corresponding to each of said plurality of card issuance components wherein production requests are selectively entered into said card issuance component queue corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components;    at least one production queue for cards that are to be processed at a later time, the production queue corresponding to one component of said plurality of card issuance components wherein production requests are selectively entered into said production queue corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components, wherein said graphical user interface further includes iconic representations of each said card issuance component queue and of each said production queue.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said graphical user interface is operable to permit an administrative user to route future card production requests to a desired alternate card issuance component queue corresponding to another card issuance component of said plurality of card issuance components or to an alternate production queue corresponding to another card issuance component of said plurality of card issuance components.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a database for centrally storing identification information and related information associated with said request.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a card format database having information regarding types of cards to be produced within the system, wherein the card types include at least two of a debit card, an ATM card, a credit card, a mag stripe card and a smart card.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of queues each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of card issuance components wherein each request of said requests is entered into a selected queue of said plurality of queues corresponding to a selected component of said plurality of card issuance components; and    links stored within a network configuration database associating each of said requests with said queue based at least in part on the type of card identified in each said request.    
   
   
       11 - 16 . (canceled)