[CrackMonkey] [qotd-request@geomatics.ucalgary.ca: Quote of the day]

[Bryan Fullerton]

----- Forwarded message from Quote of the day <qotd-request at geomatics.ucalgary.ca> -----

 United States Patent  #5,878,155
 Inventors: Heeter; Thomas W. (55 Lyerly, Houston, TX 77022)
 March 2, 1999

 Method for verifying human identity during electronic sale transactions

 Abstract

 A 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.

  - from the abstract from U.S. Patent # 5,878,155.  Look up the patent
    on the U.S. Patent Office Web site and look at the drawings. 
    (http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html)

    [The submitter notes: The second line stops me cold. Doesn't the
    work in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s count as "prior art"?  Bruce
    Schneier, who pointed this out in his newsletter on security,
    suggested much older prior art, "Isn't Revelation 13:16-18 prior
    art?"]

    Submitted by: Mark Hahn
                  Jul. 17, 2000
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-- 
Bryan Fullerton               http://bryanfullerton.com/
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