Application-specific biometric templates

• US 20040193893A1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Iridian Technologies, Inc. (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Iridian Technologies, Inc. (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Daugman, John G., Seelen, Ulf Cahn von, Braithwaite, Michael, Scott, Ian, Cambier, James L., Moore, Russell, Glass, Randal
• Application Number:
  US09/860,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193893A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

Disclosed are techniques for transforming a biometric template so that each application uses a unique template format. One transformed template cannot be successfully matched to a second template extracted from the same biologic entity unless the second template is transformed so that its format is identical to that of the first template. Thus a template generated in a format corresponding to application A could not be used to authenticate a user for application B because the enrollment database for application B would have a different format than the enrollment database for application A.

Claims

1. A method for securing access to protected applications, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of predetermined biometric templates;

transforming said predetermined biometric templates to generate a plurality of transformed biometric templates;

storing said transformed biometric templates in a storage;

receiving a first biometric template;

transforming said first biometric template to create a first transformed biometric template;

comparing said first transformed biometric template with said stored transformed biometric templates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming said first biometric template to create a first transformed biometric template further comprises applying a first transforming function to said first biometric template to create said first transformed biometric template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing further comprises determining that said first transformed biometric template is approximately equal to at least one of said plurality of said transformed biometric templates.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising enabling access to a protected application responsive to said comparing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising indexing said plurality of transformed templates by a key.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a second transformed biometric template by applying a second transforming function to said first biometric template.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second transformed biometric template is not approximately equal to said first transformed biometric template created by applying said first transforming function to said first biometric template.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second transformed biometric template created from a second transforming function, wherein said second transformed biometric template is not approximately equal to said first transformed biometric template.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of biometric templates corresponding to one entity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming function comprises:

receiving data unique to a user; and

transforming said data into a transformed biometric format by applying an encoding and transforming function to said data.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said second transforming function further comprises:

receiving said first transformed biometric template in a first format;

transforming said first transformed biometric template in said first format into said second transformed template by applying said second transforming function, creating a second transformed template in a second format.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said second format is not approximately equal to said first format.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a plurality of transforming functions is maintained by a template authority.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one of a plurality of transforming functions is maintained in secret.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for transformation of a transformed template from said first format to said second format.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a transformed template as authorization to convert said first transformed template into said second transformed template.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said first transformed templates in said first format are transformed periodically into a plurality of said second transformed templates of said second format.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein said second transforming function incorporates a secret transformation key.

36. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

19. A system for securing access to protected applications comprising:

a receiver for receiving a biometric template;

computer-executable instructions for;

receiving a plurality of predetermined biometric templates;

transforming said predetermined biometric templates to generate a plurality of transformed biometric templates;

storing said transformed biometric templates in a storage;

receiving a first biometric template;

transforming said first biometric template to create a first transformed biometric template;

comparing said first transformed biometric template with said stored transformed biometric templates; and

a database for storing at least one of a plurality of said transformed templates.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said computer-executable instructions further comprise instructions for determining that said first transformed biometric template is approximately equal to at least one of said plurality of transformed biometric templates.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said computer-executable instructions further comprise instructions for enabling access to a protected application responsive to the comparing.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said computer-executable instructions further comprise creating a second transformed biometric template by applying a second transforming function to said first biometric template.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said second transformed biometric template is not approximately equal to said first transformed biomertic template created by applying a first transforming function to said first biometric template.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a receiver for receiving a second transformed biometric template created from a second transforming function wherein said second transformed biometric template is not approximately equal to said first transformed biometric template.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein a plurality of biometric templates are generated corresponding to one entity.

26. The system of claim 19, further comprising a receiver for receiving data unique to a user.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising computer-executable instructions for transforming said data into a transformed biometric format by applying an encoding and transforming function to said data.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving said first transformed biometric template in a first format; and

computer-executable instructions for transforming said first transformed biometric template in said first format into said second transformed template by applying said second transforming function, creating a second transformed template in a second format.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said second format is not approximately equal to said first format.

30. The system of claim 19, further comprising a template authority.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said template authority maintains said transforming functions in secret.

32. The system of claim 19, further comprising a receiver for receiving a request for transformation of a transformed template from said first format to said second format.

33. The system of claim 19, further comprising a receiver for receiving a transformed template as authorization to convert said first transformed template into said second transformed template.

34. The system of claim 19, further comprising computer-executable instructions for periodically transforming said plurality of said transformed templates in said first format into a plurality of said second transformed templates in said second format.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said second transforming function incorporates a secret key.