Design & method for manufacturing low-cost smartcards with embedded fingerprint authentication system modules
First Claim
1. A smartcard apparatus comprising a unitary authentication system module adapted for low cost manufacturing by means of one-step automated insertion into a smartcard body, further comprising a data processing subsystem comprising a fingerprint authentication subsystem including a data processor and a memory, and additionally comprising a power subsystem, a smartcard reader interface subsystem, and an optional communications subsystem.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for designing and manufacturing smartcards containing a low cost, embeddable, fully-integrated, fingerprint authentication system module. In a first preferred embodiment, the smartcard module contains a complete, unitary, autonomous data processing subsystem comprising a consolidated fingerprint authentication sensor including a data processor and memory; a power subsystem; and a smartcard interface subsystem. In a second preferred embodiment, the authentication system module of the present invention additionally contains an optional communication subsystem (e.g., ISO 14443 or other communication subsystem). The very small form factor of the enclosure for embedding the authentication system module provides a system module that is easily installed into an appropriate material substrate such as a smartcard body in a “one pass” automated insertion, saving manufacturing time, cost, and effort. This module can serve in any appropriate embedded application where speed and cost of manufacturing are of paramount importance.
140 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A smartcard apparatus comprising a unitary authentication system module adapted for low cost manufacturing by means of one-step automated insertion into a smartcard body, further comprising a data processing subsystem comprising a fingerprint authentication subsystem including a data processor and a memory, and additionally comprising a power subsystem, a smartcard reader interface subsystem, and an optional communications subsystem.
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7. A method for manufacturing low cost smartcards, comprising the steps of:
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a. manufacturing a unitary authentication system module, and b. inserting said unitary authentication system module into a smartcard body by means of a one pass automated insertion operation to complete manufacturing of said smartcard.
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14. A method for enabling smartcards, comprising the step of authenticating the fingerprint of an enrolled user to enable said smartcard prior to insertion, and the step of inserting said smartcard into said smartcard reader after enablement for “
- contact interface”
. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- contact interface”
Specification