Method and apparatus for networked biometric authentication

• US 20060206722A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: George Z.H. Zhang
• Original Assignee: George Z.H. Zhang
• Inventors: Zhang, George Z.H.
• Application Number:
  US11/292,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A system for using biometric data such as a fingerprint, eye imagery, or the like to permit previously identified persons with his or her biometric data in a database to gain access to a secured site from a location remote from said database. The method and apparatus includes a server which collects biometric data on persons, a remote authentication terminal having a biometric sensing device and an access control device operable when the sensing device and the collected biometric data on a person match.

Claims

1. An apparatus for authentication system comprising:

a server including a microprocessor, a memory, and a biometric information sensing device adapted to collect biometric information of an authorized person;

at least one remote authentication terminal, each including a microprocessor, a memory, a biometric information sensing device, and an access control device; and

a communication channel between said server and said remote authentication terminal.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said server'"'"'s memory contains a main database adapted to store biometric information assigned to authorized persons.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said remote authentication terminal'"'"'s memory contains a subset of said main database of biometric information assigned to authorized persons;

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a communication channel for exchanging the biometric information between said server and said remote authentication terminal.

5. A method of controlling and distributing biometric information comprising the steps of:

collecting biometric information assigned to an authorized person into a server'"'"'s main database;

transferring biometric information from said main database to selected remote authentication terminals for only the persons authorized for each such selected terminal.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 in which the biometric information transferred to each remote authentication terminal is a subset of total biometric information for each person.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 in which a person utilizes a biometric sensing device at a remote terminal, and when the latter biometric information is a match with the collected data, access is provided to an otherwise secure site.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, when upon an unknown person'"'"'s biometric information is collected from the biometric information sensing device, but said remote authentication terminal is unable to find a match in the subset biometric information database in the remote authentication terminal, the information will be transferred to the server for further identification.

9. A method as recited in claim 5, when an unknown person'"'"'s biometric information is matched in the main database in the server, the biometric information can be added to said remote authentication terminal.

10. A method as recited in claim 5, when an unknown person'"'"'s biometric information is not matched in the main database in the server, the biometric information can be added in to a separate database for further investigation or processing.

11. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein upon a malfunction of said transfer of biometric information, said remote terminal will operate as a stand alone authentication system by utilizing such terminal'"'"'s subset of biometric information.