A Real Patent?

Verification for human sales transactions Patent: BAR CODE TATTOO
United States Patent 5,878,155 Heeter March 2, 1999
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Method for verifying human identity during electronic sale transactions AbstractA method is presented for facilitating sales transactions by electronic media. A bar code or a design is tattooed on an individual. Before the sales transaction can be consummated, the tattoo is scanned with a scanner. Characteristics about the scanned tattoo are compared to characteristics about other tattoos stored on a computer database in order to verify the identity of the buyer. Once verified, the seller may be authorized to debit the buyer's electronic bank account in order to consummate the transaction. The seller's electronic bank account may be similarly updated.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Inventors: Heeter; Thomas W. (55 Lyerly, Houston, TX 77022) Appl. No.: 709471 Filed: September 5, 1996 Current U.S. Class: 382/115 Intern'l Class: G06K 009/00 Field of Search: 382/115,116,124-127,100,128,133 348/77,15,161 209/3.3,555 356/71 340/825.34 235/379,380,382
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References Cited [Referenced By]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------U.S. Patent Documents3584958 Jun., 1971 Miller et al. 382/126. 4597495 Jul., 1986 Knosby 209/3. 4805223 Feb., 1989 Denyer 382/127. 4995086 Feb., 1991 Lilley et al. 382/124. 5633947 May., 1997 Sibbald 382/124. Primary Examiner: Kelley; Christopher S. Attorney, Agent or Firm: Casperson; John R.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Claims
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What is claimed is:
1. A method of human identification to facilitate electronic sale transactions comprising the steps of: providing identity information about a purchaser on a storage medium, providing skin marking invisible ink, applying said invisible ink to an appendage of said purchaser to form a tattoo on said purchaser, storing characteristics about said tattoo on said storage medium to form stored characteristics about said tattoo, and linking said identity information about said purchaser to said stored characteristics about said tattoo.
2. A method of human identification as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: providing financial information about said purchaser on said storage medium, and linking said financial information about said purchaser to said identity information about said purchaser.
3. A method of human identification as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: providing financial information about said purchaser on said storage medium, and linking said financial information about said purchaser to said stored characteristics about said tattoo.
4. A method of human identification as in claim 2 further comprising the steps of: scanning said tattoo on said purchaser with a scanning device to obtain scanned characteristics of said tattoo on said purchaser, comparing said scanned characteristics to characteristics about other tattoos found on said storage medium in order to determine if said scanned characteristics match said stored characteristics about said tattoo on said purchaser stored on said storage medium, and only if said scanned characteristics match said stored characteristics then providing said linked identity information in order to verify the identity of said purchaser.
5. A method of human identification as in claim 4 further comprising the step of: only if said scanned characteristics match said stored characteristics then providing said linked financial information in order to verify that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate a sales transaction.
6. A method of human identification as in claim 5 further comprising the step of: only upon verification that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate said sales transaction then modifying said stored financial information about said purchaser to reflect a consummated sales transaction.
7. A method of human identification as in claim 3 further comprising the steps of: scanning said tattoo on said purchaser with a scanning device to obtain scanned characteristics about said tattoo, comparing said scanned characteristics to characteristics about tattoos stored found on said storage medium in order to determine if said scanned characteristics match said stored characteristics of said tattoo on said purchaser stored on said storage medium, and only if said scanned characteristics match said stored characteristics then providing said linked financial information in order to verify that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate a sales transaction.
8. A method of human identification as in claim 7 further comprising the step of: only upon verification that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate said sales transaction then modifying said stored financial information about said purchaser to reflect a consummated sales transaction.
9. A method of human identification as in claim 5 further comprising the steps of: providing financial information about a seller on said storage medium, and only upon verification that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate said sales transaction then modifying said stored financial information about said seller to reflect a consummated sales transaction.
10. A method of human identification as in claim 7 further comprising the steps of: providing financial information about a seller on said storage medium, and only upon verification that said purchaser has sufficient funds to consummate said sales transaction then modifying said stored financial information about said seller to reflect a consummated sales transaction.

( I came cross this patent info online)
Some say it's the mark...
Maybe thank God we won't have to carry cash around to trade for things ....