Card with integrated fingerprint authentication

• US 10,076,920 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saeid Mohmedi
• Original Assignee: Saeid Mohmedi
• Inventors: Mohmedi, Saeid
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/237,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/313 Fingerprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07354 by biometrically sensitive means, e.g. fingerprint sensitive fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/12; biometrically activated access control G07C9/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0826 Embedded security module
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A card, such as a credit or identification card, including an authenticating element for authenticating the card with a service provider, a fingerprint reader integral with the card for reading a fingerprint provided by a user of the card, and a processing element for comparing the fingerprint provided by the user to a fingerprint of an owner of the card to confirm that the user is the owner. In one variation, there is also provided a means for determining whether an object presented to the fingerprint reader is a finger of the user presenting the card.

Claims

1. A card comprising:

an authentication element for authenticating the card with a service provider via a terminal, the card having a front surface;

a photoplethysmogram device for determining whether a fingerprint provided by a finger of a user is from a live person, the photoplethysmogram device including a light emitting diode for illuminating the skin of the user and a photo diode for measuring changes in light absorption in the finger of the user;

a fingerprint reader integral with the card for reading the fingerprint of the user;

the fingerprint reader including an array of conductive elements that form capacitors when in contact with the finger of the user to generate an array of capacitances;

a processing element for comparing the changes in light absorption with predetermined reference values stored on the card indicative of cardiovascular activity in a finger and for comparing the fingerprint of the user to a fingerprint of an owner of the card to confirm the user is the owner,

wherein the processing element is configured to activate the fingerprint reader to read the fingerprint of the user after confirming, based on the comparison of the changes in light absorption with the predetermined reference values, cardiovascular activity in the finger of the user; and

wherein the photo diode, the light emitting diode, and the fingerprint reader are co-planar with the front surface of the card.

2. The card according to claim 1, wherein upon a condition in which the fingerprint of the user is not confirmed as the fingerprint of the owner of the card, preventing communication between the card and the terminal.

3. The card according to claim 1, wherein the terminal provides power to the card.

4. A system comprising a terminal providing power to a card, wherein the terminal issues commands to the card to scan a fingerprint of a finger of a user and compare it against a fingerprint of an owner stored in memory on the card;

and wherein the terminal receives a signal from the card confirming whether the comparison was successful together with identification information of the owner;

said identification information being signed using a private key of the card,

the card comprising;

a photoplethysmogram device for determining whether the fingerprint provided by the user is from a live person, the photoplethysmogram device including a light emitting diode for illuminating the skin of the user and a photo diode for measuring changes in light absorption in the finger of the user;

a fingerprint reader integral with the card for reading the fingerprint of the user;

the fingerprint reader including an array of conductive elements that form capacitors when in contact with the finger of the user to generate an array of capacitances;

a processing element for comparing the changes in light absorption with predetermined reference values stored on the card indicative of cardiovascular activity in a finger and for and comparing the fingerprint of the user to the fingerprint of the owner of the card to confirm the user is the owner;

wherein the processing element is configured to activate the fingerprint reader to read the fingerprint of the user after confirming, based on the comparison of the changes in light absorption with the predetermined reference values, cardiovascular activity in the finger of the user; and

wherein the photo diode, the light emitting diode, and the fingerprint reader are co-planar with a front surface of the card.