Check authorization system

Abstract

A system is disclosed for providing financial status data from a data processing system to a plurality of input units. Operation is based on identification verification, personal history records, and current activity of subjects. Subjects are verified using two classes of identification, one that is characteristic of a subject and another that is arbitrarily assigned. Arbitrary identification signals designate a memory location for a subject's status and characteristic identification. A comparison between recorded and inquiry identification confirms a subject's identity. The system includes apparatus for accepting and recording identifications for first-time subjects. Memory also registers personal history, for example, negative information on subjects which is provided as one form of status data. Records of a subject's recent activity are generated in the memory to indicate another form of status data.

What is claimed is: .[.1. A data-processing system comprising: means for formulating signals representative of an arbitrary identification and a characteristic identification; a memory file; means employing said signals representative of an arbitrary identification to address a location in said memory file for registering signals representative of a characteristic identification; determination means for determining the presence of signals in a location in said memory file representative of a characteristic identification; means for registering said signals representative of a characteristic identification controlled by said determination means upon determining no such signals to be registered in a location in said memory file; means to compare any existing signals from said memory file representing a characteristic identification with signals formulated to represent a characteristic identification, controlled to operate conditionally upon said determination means determining the presence of characteristic identification signals in said memory file; and means to manifest the occurrence of coincidence between signals received by said means to compare..]. .[.2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said characteristic identification comprises a composite characteristic identification formulated from a plurality of individual separate characteristics, and said means for formulating signals includes means for formulating signals representative of said composite characteristic identification from signals representing said individual characteristics..]. .[.3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said locations in said memory further register status signals representing a current status related to number of inquiries, and including means for automatically revising said status signals upon each sensing thereof until a predetermined value is reached..]. .[.4. A data-processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality of inquiry stations for providing a status report on any of plural subjects, each bearing arbitrary identification and characteristic identification, comprising: means for forming input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification and characteristic identification; a memory means having a multitude of storage locations, each for registering a subjects registered characteristic identification and status; means for interrogating said memory means to provide signals representative of a subjects registered characteristic identification and status under control of said signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing such signals are registered; means for registering said input signals representative of a subjects charcteristic identification in a storage location under control of said signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing no such signals are registered; and means for manifesting a subjects status providing the said input characteristic identification signals coincide with the registered characteristic identification signals..]. .[.5. A data processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality of inquiry stations for providing a status report on subjects bearing arbitrary identification and characteristic identification, comprising: means for forming input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification and characteristic identification; a memory means having a multitude of storage locations, each for registering registered signals representative of characteristic identification and status; means for interrogating said memory means to provide said registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification and status, under control of said input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing such registered signals are registered; comparison means for comparing registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification from said memory means with similar input signals from said means for forming signals to verify the validity of a subjects identification upon each of, coincidence of compared signals, and no signals being registered representative of a subjects characteristic identification; and means for manifesting a status for subjects, controlled by the status registered in a storage location of said memory means and said comparison means..]. .[.6. A data-processing system for use in conjunction with a plurality of inquiry stations for providing a status report on any of a plurality of subjects bearing arbitrary identification and characteristic identification, comprising: means for forming input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification and characteristic identification; a memory means having a multitude of storage locations, each for registering registered signals representation of a subjects characteristic identification and status; means for interrogating said memory means to provide said registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification and status under control of said input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing such signals are registered; means for registering said input signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification in a storage location under control of said input signals representative of a subjects arbitrary identification, providing no such signals are registered; comparison means for comparing registered signals representative of a subjects characteristic identification from said memory means with similar input signals from said means for forming signals to verify the validity of a subjects identification; and means for manifesting a status for subjects, controlled by the registered signals representative of status registered in a storage location of said memory means and said comparison means verifying characteristic identification by comparison or detecting absence of prior registration..]. .[.7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for forming input signals includes means for forming composite characteristic identification signals from signals representative of a plurality of physical characteristics of said subject..]. .[.8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said storage locations may register any of a plurality of status signals, and wherein said apparatus includes means for automatically incrementing the registered status signals registered upon each sensing of the related storage location until a predetermined value is reached..]. .[.9. An identification-verifying status-reporting system comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of a characteristic identification and an arbitrary identification for a selected subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations for registered signals representative of a characteristic identification and a status for an individual subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals representative of an arbitrary identification; detection means for determining the presence of registered signals in an addressed storage location; means controlled by said detection means for registering said input signals representative of a characteristic identification in said addressed storage location upon no registered signals being therein; means controlled by said detection means for comparing said input signals representative of said characteristic identification with said registered signals representative of said characteristic identification in said addressed storage location upon signals being therein, to provide a control signal upon the occurrence of signal coincidence; and means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said control signal..]. .[.10. An identification-verifying status-reporting system comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of a characteristic identification and an arbitrary identification for a selected subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations for registered signals representative of a characteristic identification and a status for an individual subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals representative of an arbitrary identification; detection means for determining the presence of registered signals in an addressed storage location; means controlled by said detection means for comparing said input signals representative of said characteristic identification with said registered signals representative of said characteristic identification in said addressed storage location upon signals being therein, to provide a control signal upon the occurrence of signal coincidence; means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said control signal; and means for automatically altering said status signals in each storage location, each time said location is addressed whereby to indicate such occurrence..]. 
     
            A system for verifying the credit status of a subject comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of identification for the subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations, each for registered signals representative of a status for a subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals; means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said input signals; and means for automatically altering said status signals in each storage location by a uniform increment, each time said location is addressed until a predetermined value of said status signals is registered. .Iadd. 12. A system for verifying the credit status of a predetermined subject comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of identification for the subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations, each for registered signals representative of a status for a subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals; means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said input signals; and means for automatically altering said status signals in each storage location by a uniform increment, each time said location is addressed until a predetermined value of said status signals is registered. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. A system for verifying the credit status of a subject, related to number of inquiries, comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of identification for the subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations, each for registered signals representative of a status for a subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals; means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said input signals; and means for automatically altering said status signals in each storage location by a uniform increment, each time said location is addressed until a predetermined value of said status signals is registered. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. A system for veryifying the number-of-inquiries credit status of a subject comprising: input means for forming electrical input signals representative of identification for the subject; memory means having a plurality of storage locations, each for registered signals representative of a status for a subject; means for addressing the storage locations in said memory means under control of said input signals; means for manifesting the status signals from an addressed storage location under control of said input signals; and means for automatically altering said status signals in each storage location by a uniform increment, each time said location is addressed until a predetermined value of said status signals is registered. .Iaddend.