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                                        \___/
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>
> > -----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
>
>