Card type device capable of reading fingerprint and fingerprint identification system

• US 20050100197A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kita, Kazunori
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1335 Combining adjacent partial images (e.g. slices) to create a composite input or reference pattern; Tracking a sweeping finger movement
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

A card type device is mounted on a card slot of an electronic appliance. In the card type device, a transparent cylindrical-shaped roller is provided at an edge portion of a housing in such a manner that an outer peripheral plane of this roller is projected from the edge portion. Also, a one-dimensional image sensor is provided inside the roller, while the one-dimensional image sensor acquires one-dimensional fingerprint data of a finger of a user, and this finger abuts against the outer peripheral plane of the roller. Since the finger a butting against the outer peripheral plane of the roller is moved, this roller is rotated, so that one-dimensional fingerprint data which are continuously acquired by the one-dimensional image sensor are synthesized with each other to produce fingerprint data as a two-dimensional image. The synthesized fingerprint data is transmitted to the electronic appliance, and then fingerprint identification is carried out by the electronic appliance.

Claims

1. A card type device connected to an electronic appliance, comprising:

a card type housing having a connection terminal used to be connected to said electronic appliance;

a transparent cylindrical-shaped roller provided at an edge plane of said card type housing, the outer peripheral plane of which is projected from said edge plane;

a one-dimensional image sensor provided inside said roller, for acquiring one-dimensional fingerprint image data of a finger which abuts against the outer peripheral plane of said roller;

fingerprint data synthesizing means for synthesizing two-dimensional fingerprint data from the one-dimensional fingerprint image data which are continuously acquired from said one-dimensional image sensor by rotating said roller by moving the finger abutting against the outer peripheral plane of the roller; and

an interface unit for transmitting/receiving data via said connection terminal between the own card type device and the electronic appliance.

2. A card type device as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said housing is further comprised of an insertion portion which is inserted into a card slot provided on said electronic appliance, and on which said connection terminal is arranged; and

said roller is provided on an edge portion of the housing which is exposed from an insertion port of said card slot.

3. A card type device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

control means for identifying as to whether or not said fingerprint data synthesized by said fingerprint data synthesizing means is made coincident with fingerprint data which has been previously registered, and for outputting an identification result to said electronic appliance.

4. A card type device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

encrypting means for encrypting said fingerprint data based upon a secret encryption key which is specific to said card type device.

5. A card type device as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

said encrypting means is assembled in an LSI (large-scaled integration) chip having an tamper resistant characteristic.

6. A card type device as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said connection terminal owns a structure made based upon the USB (universal serial bus) standard.

7. An identification system arranged by connecting an electronic appliance to a card type device, wherein:

said card type device is comprised of;

a card type housing having a connection terminal;

a transparent cylindrical-shaped roller provided at an edge plane of said card type housing, the outer peripheral plane of which is projected from said edge plane;

a one-dimensional image sensor provided inside said roller, for acquiring one-dimensional fingerprint image data of a finger which abuts against the outer peripheral plane of said roller;

fingerprint data synthesizing means for synthesizing two-dimensional fingerprint data from the one-dimensional fingerprint image data which are continuously acquired from said one-dimensional image sensor by rotating said roller by moving the finger abutting against the outer peripheral plane of the roller; and

an interface unit for transmitting/receiving data via said connection terminal between the own card type device and the electronic appliance; and

wherein;

said electronic appliance is comprised of;

a control unit for identifying as to whether or not said fingerprint data transmitted from said card type device is made coincident with previously-registered fingerprint data, and for restricting operation of said electronic appliance in the case that said control unit judges that said transmitted fingerprint data is not made coincident with said previously-registered fingerprint data.

8. An identification system as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said electronic appliance includes a card slot used to mount the card type device;

a housing of said card type housing is further comprised of an insertion portion which is inserted into said card slot provided on said electronic appliance, and on which-said connection terminal is arranged; and

said roller is provided on an edge portion of the housing which is exposed from an insertion port of said card slot.

9. An identification system as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

said card type device is further comprised of;

encrypting means for encrypting said fingerprint data based upon a secret encryption key specific to said card type device; and

said electronic appliance is further comprised of;

decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted fingerprint data which is transmitted from said card type device based upon a public decryption key corresponding thereto.

10. An identification system as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

said electronic appliance corresponds to an electronic appliance having a wireless communication function, which performs fingerprint identification when user identification required in an electronic commercial transaction using a network is carried out.

11. An identification system as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

said card type device is further comprised of;

control means for identifying as to whether or not said fingerprint data synthesized by said fingerprint data synthesizing means is made coincident with fingerprint data which has been previously registered, and for outputting an identification result to said electronic appliance; and

said electronic appliance controls a function to be executed based upon the identification result.

12. A card type device comprising:

a card type housing;

a transparent cylindrical-shaped roller provided at an edge plane of said card type housing, the outer peripheral plane of which is projected from said edge plane;

a light source provided in an internal hollow portion of said roller, for irradiating a finger which abuts against the outer peripheral plane of said roller;

a one-dimensional image sensor provided in said internal hollow portion of said roller, for acquiring one-dimensional fingerprint image data of the finger which abuts against the outer peripheral plane of said roller;

a SELFOC lens array provided in said internal hollow portion of said roller, for focusing a one-dimensional image of the finger which abuts against the outer peripheral plane of said roller onto said one-dimensional image sensor; and

a holder for holding thereon said light source, said one-dimensional image sensor, and said SELFOC lens array, which is fixed to said card type housing in such a manner that even when said roller is rotated, said holder is not rotated.

13. A card type device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

fingerprint data synthesizing means for synthesizing two-dimensional fingerprint data from the one-dimensional fingerprint image data which are continuously acquired from said one-dimensional image sensor by rotating said roller by moving the finger abutting against the outer peripheral plane of the roller.

14. A card type device as claim in claim 12 wherein:

said SELFOC lens array is constituted in such a manner that a plurality of SELFOC lenses having center axes which are intersected perpendicular to a roller center of said roller are arrayed.

15. A card type device as claimed in claim 12 wherein:

said card type housing is provided with a connection terminal used to connect said card type device to an electronic appliance.

16. A card type device as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said housing is further comprised of an insertion portion which is inserted into a card slot provided on said electronic appliance, and on which said connection terminal is arranged; and

said roller is provided on an edge portion of the housing which is exposed from an insertion port of said card slot.

17. A card type device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

control means for identifying as to whether or not said fingerprint data synthesized by said fingerprint data synthesizing means is made coincident with fingerprint data which has been previously registered, and for outputting an identification result to said electronic appliance.

18. A card type device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

encrypting means for encrypting said fingerprint data based upon a secret encryption key which is specific to said card type device.

19. A card type device as claimed in claim 18 wherein:

said encrypting means is assembled in an LSI (large-scaled integration) chip having an tamper resisrant characteristic.

20. A card type device as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

said connection terminal owns a structure made based upon the USB (universal serial bus) standard.