Apparatus and method for authentication and method for registering a person

• US 20030046540A1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nagayama, Keiichi, Nakamura, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Wrongful authentication process is prevented. A passive entry authenticating section compares an identification signal sent from a portable unit with an identification signal previously stored in a storage section. A biometrics authenticating section compares the biometrics information of a user inputted through a sensor section with the biometrics information registered in a biometrics database. A control section authenticates an authorized user when there is agreement in both the identification-signal comparison result and the biometrics-information comparison result, and controls a lock system to unlock the door lock of the automobile.

Claims

1. An authenticating apparatus comprising:

a receiving section for receiving an identification signal of a portable unit transmitted from the portable unit through radio communication;

an identification signal storing section for storing one or more of previously registered identification signals of portable units;

portable-unit authenticating section for comparing a received identification signal with a stored identification signal to confirm whether the both identification signals are in agreement or not;

an information input section for inputting biometrics information;

an information storing section for storing biometrics information on one or more of previously registered persons;

a person authenticating section for comparing input biometrics information with stored biometrics information to confirm whether the both pieces of biometrics information are in agreement or not; and

a determining section for determining whether authentication results of the portable-unit authenticating section and the person authenticating section are respectively authentication results in agreement or not.

2. An authenticating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information storing section stores the biometrics information of the previously registered person and a unique person identification number corresponding to the biometrics information, the portable unit storing the unique person identification number together with the identification signal, the receiving section receiving the unique person identification number together with the identification signal through radio communication from the portable unit, the person authenticating section invoking, from the information storing section, biometrics information corresponding to the unique person identification number received by the receiving section to compare invoked biometrics information with the inputted biometrics information thereby carrying out personal authentication.

3. An authenticating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the personal identification number is classified with a first-kind personal identification number representing an owner of the authenticating apparatus or an appliance incorporating the authenticating apparatus and a second personal identification number representing a user other than the owner, further comprising a registration control section for controlling the information input section and the information storing section in order to register the biometrics information and the personal identification number, the registration control section confirming a previous registration of the first-kind personal identification number and the biometrics information with correspondence and a previous input of the biometrics information corresponding to the first-kind personal identification number from the information input section, to thereafter carry out control for registering the second-kind personal identification number and the biometrics information with correspondence.

4. An authenticating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the registration control section, when the first-kind personal identification number and the biometrics information have been registered with correspondence, carries out control to delete all of the already stored second-kind personal identification numbers and the biometrics information corresponding thereto from the information storing section.

5. A method of authentication comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification signal of a portable unit transmitted from the portable unit through radio communication;

comparing a received identification signal with a previously registered identification signal to confirm whether both identification signals are in agreement or not thereby carrying out authentication of the portable unit;

accepting an input of biometrics information, on the other hand;

comparing inputted biometrics information with previously registered biometrics information to confirm whether the both pieces of biometrics information are in agreement or not thereby carrying out authentication of a person; and

determining whether an authentication result of the portable unit and an authentication result of the person are, both, in agreement or not.

6. A method of authentication according to claim 5, wherein the previously registered biometrics information is stored together with a unique personal identification number corresponding to the biometrics information, the identification signal and unique personal identification number stored within the portable unit being received through radio communication from the portable unit on the other hand, biometric information corresponding to the unique personal identification number obtained by the reception being invoked in the personal authentication and compared with the inputted biometrics information thereby carrying out personal authentication.

7. A method of registering a person to an authenticating apparatus or an appliance using an authenticating method according to claim 6, wherein the personal identification number is classified with a first-kind personal identification number representing an owner of the authenticating apparatus or appliance and a second-kind personal identification number representing a user other than the owner, a previous registration of the first-kind personal identification number and the biometrics in formation with correspondence and a previous input of the biometrics information corresponding to the first-kind personal identification number being confirmed to thereafter register the second-kind personal identification number and the biometrics information with correspondence.

8. A method of registering a person according to claim 7, wherein, when the first-kind personal identification number and the biometrics information are registered with correspondence, the already stored second-kind personal identification numbers and the biometrics information corresponding thereto are all deleted.