Identity card, information carrier and housing designed for its application

Abstract

An identity card comprises an easy-to-use, more specifically card-shaped, information carrier provided with an electronically readable memory capable of digitally storing personal user data, including data concerning the user's physical features. The information carrier is installed in and can be removed from an input unit of a housing of comfortable dimensions. The housing has been provided with reading equipment which is capable of reading the personal data stored in the memory of the information carrier. Moreover, the housing has been provided with a screen for representing the data read.

1. An identity system comprising:
 a card-shaped information carrier having an electronically readable memory capable of storing a user's personal data in digital form including data concerning physical characteristics of the user;   a housing having (a) an input unit for receiving the information carrier, (b) reading means capable of reading the personal data stored in the memory of the information carrier and (c) representation means for representing the data read; and   a second information carrier having a sheet attached, both information carriers jointly accommodated in the input unit of the housing, and a unique encrypted code stored in both carriers in an electronically readable memory, and means available to establish code correspondence of both information carriers and to signal the difference by means of a representation installation.   
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1  wherein the card-shaped information carrier in addition to an electronically readable memory, also comprises a central processing unit and that the second information carrier only contains an electronically readable memory. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1  wherein the personal data comprise the user's external characteristics in parameters. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1  wherein the personal data have been protected by means of a unique access code. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1  wherein the card-shaped information carrier further comprises further comprises one or more authenticity features. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1  wherein the card-shaped information carrier comprises a central processing unit having means for electric data transfer with a terminal unit of an identification system, and in that the central processing unit, activated by means of an adequate program code from the memory, is capable of comparing the user's external features as stored in the memory to the user's external features recorded on site. 
     
     
       7. The identity system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is approximately the same size as the card-shaped information carrier. 
     
     
       8. A portable information carrier device, comprising:
 a memory to store personal characteristics parameter data of a user; and   processing circuitry executing instructions to compare personal characteristics parameter data derived from externally generated personal characteristics data with the stored personal characteristics parameter data within the portable information carrier device and to provide a result for indicating if the stored personal characteristics parameter data matches the generated personal characteristics parameter data,   wherein personal characteristics parameter data is derived from personal characteristics data utilizing knowledge of a type of characteristic depicted in the personal characteristics data.   
     
     
       9. The portable information carrier device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the generated personal characteristics parameter data and stored personal characteristics parameter data is encrypted. 
     
     
       10. The portable information carrier device of claim 9, wherein encrypted stored personal characteristics parameter data is maintained in the portable information carrier device and cannot be read out of the portable information carrier device. 
     
     
       11. The portable information carrier device of claim 9, wherein encrypted stored personal characteristics parameter data can be read out of the portable information carrier device with an access key or code. 
     
     
       12. The portable information carrier device of claim 8, further comprising:
 an interface to receive externally generated personal characteristics data or personal characteristics parameter data derived from the externally generated personal characteristics data.   
     
     
       13. The portable information carrier device of claim 11, wherein the generated personal characteristics parameter data or the externally generated personal characteristics data is communicated through a wired or wireless medium to the portable information carrier device. 
     
     
       14. The portable information carrier device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry compares the stored personal characteristics parameter data with the derived personal characteristics parameter data and provides a result for indicating that the stored personal characteristics parameter data matches the derived personal characteristics parameter data. 
     
     
       15. The portable information carrier device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry further provides a result for a user detectable indication or a machine readable indication if the stored personal characteristics parameter data matches the derived personal characteristics parameter data. 
     
     
       16. The portable information carrier device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry includes digital logic. 
     
     
       17. The portable information carrier device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry includes digital logic and optionally includes one or more microprocessors. 
     
     
       18. An information carrier device, comprising:
 a memory to store user related personal characteristic parameter data for identifying the user;   integrated circuitry to determine an identity of the user by comparing stored personal characteristics parameter data of the user with personal characteristics parameter data derived from externally generated personal characteristics data and to provide an indication if the identity is the user; and   a sheet attached to the information carrier device, the sheet providing user related information,   wherein personal characteristics parameter data is derived from personal characteristics data utilizing knowledge of a type of characteristic depicted in the personal characteristics data.   
     
     
       19. The information carrier device of claim 18, wherein the stored user related personal characteristic parameter data is encrypted. 
     
     
       20. The information carrier device of claim 18, wherein the information carrier device is a travel document. 
     
     
       21. The information carrier device of claim 18, wherein the sheet includes space for notes, stamps, or photographs. 
     
     
       22. A portable information carrier device, comprising:
 a memory to store personal user data comprising personal characteristic parameter data of the user, characterized in that said personal user data comprises personal characteristic parameter data derived from personal characteristic data of the user; and   processing circuitry which executes instructions to compare derived personal characteristic parameter data derived from externally generated personal characteristic data with said personal characteristic parameter data of the user which is stored in said memory and to provide a result indicating if the stored personal characteristic parameter data matches the externally generated derived personal characteristic parameter data,   wherein personal characteristics parameter data is derived from personal characteristics data utilizing knowledge of a type of characteristic depicted in the personal characteristics data.   
     
     
       23. The portable information carrier device according to claim 22 characterized in that the externally generated personal characteristic data were generated by a camera, and in that the personal characteristic parameter data includes at least one of the following parameters: the eye to eye distance, the enclosed (tri)angle between eyes on the one hand, and nose, mouth or chin on the other hand and the relative position of the ears. 
     
     
       24. The portable information carrier device according to claim 22, wherein the personal user data comprises encrypted data. 
     
     
       25. The portable information carrier device according to claim 22, wherein a portion of the personal user data stored in said memory are protected by an access key or code. 
     
     
       26. The portable information carrier device according to claim 22, wherein the portable information carrier comprises an interface to exchange data with an external identification system. 
     
     
       27. The portable information carrier device according to claim 26, wherein the derived personal characteristics parameter data is communicated through a wireless medium to the portable information carrier device. 
     
     
       28. A travel document, comprising:
 a sheet; and   a portable information carrier device permanently attached to said sheet,   wherein the sheet provides user related information identifying the user and the information carrier device comprises a memory to store personal user data, including personal characteristic data of the user, characterized in that said personal characteristic data comprises personal characteristic parameter data derived from personal characteristic data of the user, and in that the information carrier device comprises processing circuitry which executes instructions to compare derived personal characteristic parameter data derived from externally generated personal characteristic data with said personal characteristic parameter data of the user which is stored in said memory and to provide a result indicating if the stored personal characteristic parameter data matches the externally generated derived personal characteristic parameter data,   wherein personal characteristics parameter data is derived from personal characteristics image data utilizing knowledge of a type of characteristic depicted in the personal characteristics data.   
     
     
       29. The travel document according to claim 28, wherein the externally generated personal characteristic data were generated by a camera, and in that the personal characteristic parameter data includes at least one of the following parameters: the eye to eye distance, the enclosed (tri)angle between eyes on the one hand, and nose, mouth or chin on the other hand and the relative position of the ears. 
     
     
       30. The travel document according to claim 28, wherein the personal user data comprises encrypted data. 
     
     
       31. The travel document according to claim 28, wherein a portion of the personal user data stored in said memory are protected by means of an access key or code. 
     
     
       32. The travel document according to claim 28, wherein the portable information carrier comprises an interface to exchange data with an external identification system. 
     
     
       33. The travel document according to claim 32, wherein the externally generated personal characteristic parameter data is communicated through wireless medium to the portable information carrier device.