IP: RE: 1999 patent issued for using barcode tattoos for human identification

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From: "=?us-ascii?Q?Sven_G._Bilen?=" <sbilen () psu edu>
> To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
>  IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0)
> Importance: Normal
>
> Dave,
>
> I think the "prior art" on this one may be close to 2000 years old.  Tell me
> if these lines from Revelations 13 (KJV) don't sound a bit like this "novel"
> patent, particularly its linking the patent's primary usage to commerce
> where without the tattoo you can't complete a transaction:
>
> "16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,
> to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no
> man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast,
> or the number of his name."
>
> Sven G. Bilen, Ph.D.                                      |\_-_/|
> Assistant Professor                                        \___/
> Engineering Design & Graphics and Electrical Engineering   (. .)   --
> --------------------------------------------------------ooO-(_)- /    \ ---
> The Pennsylvania State University                           ''' |  **  |
> 245 Hammond Bldg., University Park, PA 16802-1401               |  **  |
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> sbilen () psu edu    http://www.ecsel.psu.edu/~sbilen                 --
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com
> > [mailto:owner-ip-sub-1 () admin listbox com]On Behalf Of Dave Farber
> > Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 4:04 PM
> > To: ip-sub-1 () majordomo pobox com
> > Subject: IP: 1999 patent issued for using barcode tatoos for human
> > identification
> >
> >
> >
> > > Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 09:40:28 -0800
> > > To: nobody () well com
> > > From: Jim Warren <jwarren () well com>
> > > Subject: 1999 patent issued for using barcode tatoos for human
> > >  identification
> > >
> > > Aside from the comparison of this patent to the numbers tatooed on
> > > prisoners in Hitler's death-camps during World War II more than half a
> > > century ago, and its comparison to the barcode scanning systems
> > that have
> > > been in use for decades to identify everything from cans of soup to
> > > patient tags used in some hospitals and medical records -- one wonders
> > > what kindergarden child working in the US Patent and Trademark Office
> > > concluded that this was a non-obvious and novel "discovery" worthy of a
> > > patent?!
> > >
> > > The US PTO is obviously in need of some adult supervision!
> > >
> > > ===
> > >
> > > http://patents.uspto.gov/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+PATBIB-ALL+0+967198+
> 0+7+25907+OF+1+1+1+PN%2f5878155
> > United States Patent    5,878,155
> > Heeter  Mar. 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.
> >
> > ===
> >
> > --jim, Jim Warren; jwarren () well com
> > Contributing Editor & technology public-policy columnist, MicroTimes
> Magazine
> > Also GovAccess list-owner/editor