Signature authentication device, signature authentication method, and computer program product

• US 20050091500A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Okazaki, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,415,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures

Abstract

A signature authentication device is disclosed. Even when there are variations in an input hand-written signature during the registration of the signature or during the authentication of the signature, the signature authentication device easily registers or authenticates the signature. The signature authentication device allows a user to re-register the signature without a risk that sensitive information stored in a computer is monitored by someone else. A plurality of pieces of authentication signature data for a single user is stored. If comparison for authentication between input signature data and at least a single piece of the plurality of the pieces of the authentication signature data is successful, then the authentication is regarded as successful. During signature registration, the plurality of the pieces of the authentication signature data is stored in a storage unit. The signature authentication device determines whether a predetermined startup unit from among a plurality of startup units for starting up the hand-written signature authentication device has started up the signature authentication device, and deletes the signature information and user information when it is determined that the device is started up by the predetermined startup unit.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A signature authentication device, comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data for one single user;

input means for inputting signature data;

authenticator means for determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated if a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

startup determination means for determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

deleting means for deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

11-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A signature authentication method, comprising:

an input step of inputting signature data;

an authentication step of determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated when a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

a startup determination step of determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

a deleting step of deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

21-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A computer program product for authenticating a signature, comprising computer-executable code for performing:

an input step of inputting signature data; and

an authentication step of determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated if a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

a startup determination step of determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

a deleting step of deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

30-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A signature authentication device, comprising:

storage means for storing user information and signature information for authenticating a signature input through hand-writing;

a plurality of startup means for starting up the signature authentication device;

startup determination means for determining whether predetermined startup means from among the plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

deleting means for deleting the signature information and the user information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

33. A signature authentication device according to claim 32, further comprising sensitive information determination means for determining whether the user information contains sensitive information,

wherein the deleting means deletes the signature information and the sensitive information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

34. A signature authentication device according to claim 32, wherein the predetermined startup means is means for restarting the signature authentication device.

35. A signature authentication device according to claim 32, wherein the startup determination means determines that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means when the startup is initiated by a predetermined combination of buttons.

36. A signature authentication method for controlling a signature authentication device having storage means for storing user information and signature information for authenticating a signature input through hand-writing and having a plurality of startup means for starting the signature authentication device, the method comprising:

a startup determination step of determining whether a startup has been performed by predetermined startup means from among the plurality of startup means; and

a deleting step of deleting the signature information and the user information when it is determined in the startup determination step that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

37. A signature authentication method according to claim 36, further comprising a sensitive information determination step of determining whether the user information contains sensitive information,

wherein the deleting step deletes the signature information and the sensitive information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

38. A signature authentication method according to claim 36, wherein the predetermined startup means is means for restarting the signature authentication device.

39. A signature authentication method according to claim 36, wherein the startup determination step determines that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means when the startup is initiated by a predetermined combination of buttons.

40. A computer-readable computer program product for controlling a signature authentication device having storage means for storing user information and signature information for authenticating a signature input through hand-writing and having a plurality of startup means for starting the signature authentication device, the computer program product comprising computer-executable code for performing:

a startup determination step of determining whether a startup has been performed by predetermined startup means from among the plurality of startup means; and

a deleting step of deleting the signature information and the user information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means in the startup determination step.

41. A computer program product according to claim 40, further comprising computer-executable code for performing a sensitive information determination step of determining whether the user information contains sensitive information,

wherein the deleting step deletes the signature information and the sensitive information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

42. A computer program product according to claim 40, wherein the predetermined startup means is means for restarting the signature authentication device.

43. A computer program product according to claim 40, wherein the startup determination step determines that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means when the startup is initiated by a predetermined combination of buttons.

44. A computer program product according to claim 40, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer-readable medium on which software code portions for performing the steps are stored.

45. A computer program product according to claim 40, wherein the computer program product is directly loadable into the internal memory of a computer.

46-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A signature authentication device, comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data for one single user;

an input device for inputting signature data; and

a processor that compares the input signature data with each piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data and determines that the input signature data is successfully authenticated when a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful,

wherein the processor determines whether a predetermined startup mode from among a plurality of startup modes has been used for starting up the signature authentication device, and wherein the processor deletes predetermined information when it determines that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup mode.

57. A signature authentication device, comprising:

authentication data input means for repeatedly inputting the same user'"'"'s signature to obtain a plurality of signatures of that user;

registration means for registering in storage means a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data, each piece corresponding to a respective one of the signatures input by said authentication data input means;

signature data input means for inputting signature data;

authenticator means for determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated if a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

startup determination means for determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

deleting means for deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

58. A signature authentication method comprising:

an authentication data input means for repeatedly inputting the same user'"'"'s signature to obtain a plurality of signatures of that user;

a registration step of registering in storage means a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data, each piece corresponding to a respective one of the signatures input in the authentication data input step;

a signature data input step of inputting signature data;

an authentication step of determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated when a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

a startup determination step of determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

a deleting step of deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

59. A computer-readable computer program product comprising for authenticating a signature, comprising computer-executable code for performing:

an authentication data input step for repeatedly inputting the same user'"'"'s signature to obtain a plurality of signatures of that user;

a registration step of registering in storage means a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data, each piece corresponding to a respective one of the signatures input in the authentication data input step;

a signature data input step of inputting signature data; and

an authentication step of determining that the input signature data is successfully authenticated if a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful;

a startup determination step of determining whether predetermined startup means from among a plurality of startup means has performed a startup; and

a deleting step of deleting predetermined information when it is determined that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup means.

60. A signature authentication device, comprising:

an authentication data input device for repeatedly inputting the same user'"'"'s signature to obtain a plurality of signatures of that user;

a registration unit for registering in a memory a plurality of pieces of authentication signature data, each piece corresponding to a respective one of the signatures input by said authentication data input device;

a signature data input device for inputting signature data; and

a processor that compares the input signature data with each piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data and determines that the input signature data is successfully authenticated when a comparison between the input signature data and at least one piece of the plurality of pieces of authentication signature data is successful,

wherein the processor determines whether a predetermined startup mode from among a plurality of startup modes has been used for starting up the signature authentication device, and wherein the processor deletes predetermined information when it determines that the startup has been performed by the predetermined startup mode.