Biometric identity check

• US 20040052405A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precise Biometrics AB (Precise Biometrics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Precise Biometrics AB (Precise Biometrics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walfridsson, Krister
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit

Abstract

A portable data carrier comprises a memory with a biometric template which is intended to be compared with a biometric sample for identity check. The biometric template is divided into a private part which is adapted to be exclusively used in the portable data carrier and a public part which is adapted to be transferred to and used in an external processing unit. Moreover, a processing unit for use in biometric identity check is described. The processing unit is adapted to receive a biometric sample and a public part of a biometric template, compare the received public part of the template with the biometric sample, and when a comparison criterion has been satisfied, transfer at least part of the biometric sample to the portable data carrier for further comparison in the data carrier with a private part of the template. A method for recording a biometric template and a biometric identity check is also described.

Claims

1. A portable data carrier, comprising a communication means and a memory with a biometric template which is intended to be compared with a biometric sample for identity check, characterized in that the biometric template is divided into a private part which is adapted to be exclusively used in the portable data carrier and a public part which is adapted to be transferred, with the aid of the communication means, to an external processing unit and be used in the same.

2. A portable data carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication means is adapted to transfer the public part of the template to the processing unit for comparing with the biometric sample and, when a comparison criterion has been satisfied, to receive at least part of the biometric sample for comparing with the private part of the template in the portable data carrier.

3. A portable data carrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the biometric template and the biometric sample consist of digital representations of an individual-specific parameter.

4. A portable data carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the private and public parts of the biometric template each comprise a plurality of private and, respectively, public partial areas of the digital representation of the individual-specific parameter.

5. A portable data carrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the number of private partial areas is larger than the number of public partial areas.

6. A portable data carrier as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein at least one private partial area is located in immediate connection with a public partial area in the biometric template.

7. A portable data carrier as claimed in any one of claims 3-6, wherein the individual-specific parameter is a fingerprint.

8. A portable data carrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the portable data carrier is a smart card.

16. A system for checking of identity, comprising a portable data carrier as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 and a processing unit as claimed in any one of claims 9-15.

9. A processing unit for use in biometric checking of identity, comprising a processor and a communication means, characterized in

that the communication means is adapted to receive a biometric sample and a public part of a biometric template;

that the processor is adapted to compare the received public part of the template with the biometric sample; and

that the communication means is further adapted, when a comparison criterion has been satisfied, to transfer at least part of the biometric sample to the portable data carrier for further comparison on the data carrier.

10. A processing unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the public part of the template comprises a plurality of public partial areas, which are adapted to be compared with a plurality of sample partial areas having essentially corresponding positions in the biometric sample.

11. A processing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least part of the biometric sample which the communication means is adapted to transfer to the portable data carrier is essentially separated from the sample partial areas of the biometric sample which the processor is adapted to compare with the public partial areas of the template.

12. A processing unit as claimed in any one of claims 9-11, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to preprocess the biometric sample before the comparison with the public part of the template.

13. A processing unit as claimed in any one of claims 9-12, further comprising a sensor for recording the biometric sample.

14. A processing unit as claimed in any one of claims 9-13, wherein the biometric template and the biometric sample consist of digital representations of an individual-specific parameter.

15. A processing unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the biometric sample is a fingerprint.

17. A method of producing a biometric template, comprising the steps of

recording a digital representation of a biometric sample which represents an individual-specific parameter;

selecting in the digital representation at least one public part;

selecting in the digital representation at least one private part;

storing the selected public and private parts in a memory in a portable data carrier as a public and a private part of a biometric template, the private part being adapted to be exclusively used in the portable data carrier and the public part being adapted to be used outside the portable data carrier.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the public and the private part each consist of at least one partial area of the digital representation which is selected according to a predetermined public and, respectively, private selection criterion.

19. A method of producing a template as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of

preprocessing the digital representation of the public partial area and the private partial area before storing in the memory of the portable data carrier.

20. A method of producing a template as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the digital representation is a digital image.

21. A method of producing a template as claimed in any one of claims 18-20, wherein the individual-specific parameter is a fingerprint.

22. A method of performing a biometric identity check, comprising the steps of

recording a biometric sample which represents an individual-specific parameter;

comparing in a first unit a public part of a biometric template with the biometric sample to find out whether a first predetermined comparison criterion is satisfied;

selecting, if the first comparison criterion is satisfied, a private part of the biometric sample to a predetermined private selection criterion and transferring the private part to a second unit;

comparing in the second unit the private part of the biometric sample with a private template stored in the second unit to find out whether a second predetermined comparison criterion is satisfied.

23. A method of performing an identity check as claimed in claim 22, wherein the biometric sample is recorded as a digital image.

24. A method of producing a template as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the individual-specific parameter is a fingerprint.