Multi-parameter biometric authentication

• US 20060282671A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellirad Solutions Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Intellirad Solutions Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Burton, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Authenticating an identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user includes receiving from the user biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters. The received biometric data are compared with corresponding authentic biometric data which have previously been obtained from the genuine-user. The user'"'"'s identity is authenticated if the received biometric data meet qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user, including the steps of:

(a) receiving from the user biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters;

(b) comparing the received biometric data with corresponding authentic biometric data; and

(c) authenticating the user'"'"'s identity if the received biometric data meet qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data;

wherein the corresponding authentic biometric data have previously been obtained from the genuine-user.

2. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of biometric parameters include two or more of:

(a) a visual biometric parameter of the user;

(b) an acoustic biometric parameter of the user; and

(c) a genetic biometric parameter of the user.

3. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the received biometric data includes biometric data resulting from detection of a combination of two or more of:

(a) a vocal pattern

(b) a voice characteristic;

(c) a hand geometry;

(d) a facial feature;

(e) a finger or thumb print;

(f) a handwriting pattern;

(g) an eye characteristic; and

(h) collection of a biological sample.

4. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the received biometric data includes biometric data resulting from detection of an eye characteristic and one or more of:

(a) a vocal pattern;

(b) hand geometry;

(c) a facial feature;

(d) a finger or thumb print;

(e) a handwriting pattern; and

(f) collection of a biological sample.

5. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the received biometric data includes biometric data resulting from detection of a hand geometry, a vocal pattern and one or more of:

(a) an eye characteristic;

(b) a facial feature;

(c) a finger or thumb print;

(d) a handwriting pattern; and

(e) collection of a biological sample.

6. A method for authenticating the identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the received biometric data includes biometric data resulting from detection of an eye characteristic and a hand geometry and one or more of:

(a) a vocal pattern;

(b) a facial feature;

(c) a finger or thumb print;

(d) a handwriting pattern; and

(e) collection of a biological sample.

7. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 3 wherein the eye characteristic includes one or more of the following:

(a) an iris response behaviour;

(b) an iris response time;

(c) an iris colouring;

(d) a blink rate;

(d) a blink response;

(e) an eye closure characteristic;

(f) eye opening characteristic; and

(g) an angle of reflective eye tracking.

8. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the received biometric data are provided by the user in response to a prompt for required biometric parameters.

9. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 8 wherein the required biometric parameters are determined based on an environment in which the user is being authenticated.

10. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 8 wherein the required biometric parameters are randomly selected from a larger set of biometric parameters for which there is corresponding authentic biometric data.

11. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the biometric data pertaining to the plurality of biometric parameters must be received from the user substantially simultaneously.

12. A method for authenticating the identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the biometric data pertaining to the plurality of biometric parameters must be received from the user sequentially.

13. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein each biometric data has an associated qualification factor and the method further includes the step of using the qualification factor associated with each of the received biometric data do determine if the qualification criteria have been satisfied.

14. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 13 wherein the biometric data must be received form the user in a pre-defined sequence which is based on the qualification factor associated with each of the biometric data.

15. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 wherein the qualification criteria are adjustable, based on the biometric parameters for which biometric data is received.

16. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 1 further including the step of activating a communication device to provide the user with an indication of an authentication status.

17. A method for authenticating identity of a user according to claim 16 wherein the communication device includes illumination means which are illuminated in one or more colours to provide an intuitive indication of the authentication status.

18. An authentication system for authenticating identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user, the system including:

(a) biometric data receiving means for receiving from the user biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters;

(b) authentic biometric data obtained from the genuine-user;

(c) a processor for comparing the biometric data received from the user with the authentic biometric data; and

(d) authentication status communication means to indicate an authentication status of the user being authenticated;

wherein the user'"'"'s identity is authenticated if the received biometric data meets qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data.

19. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein the biometric data receiving means includes means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to two or more of the following:

(a) a vocal pattern

(b) a voice characteristic;

(c) a hand geometry;

(d) a facial feature;

(e) a finger or thumb print;

(f) a handwriting pattern;

(g) an eye characteristic; and

(h) a biological sample.

20. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein the biometric data receiving means includes means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to an eye characteristic and means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to one or more of the following:

(a) a vocal pattern

(b) a voice characteristic;

(c) a hand geometry;

(d) a facial feature;

(e) a finger or thumb print;

(f) a handwriting pattern; and

(g) a biological sample.

21. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein the authentic biometric data is stored on a mobile data-storage device.

22. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein the authentic biometric data is stored in a remotely accessible secure database.

23. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein the processor is configured to prompt the user to provide biometric data pertaining to a plurality of required biometric parameters.

24. An authentication system according to claim 23 wherein the processor is configured to determine the required biometric parameters automatically, based on an environment in which the user is being authenticated.

25. An authentication system according to claim 23 wherein the processor is configured to randomly selected the required biometric parameters from a larger set of biometric parameters for which there is corresponding authentic biometric data.

26. An authentication system according to claim 18 wherein each biometric data has an associated qualification factor and the processor is configured to use the qualification factor associated with each of the received biometric data to determine if the qualification criteria have been satisfied.

27. An authentication system according to claim 26 wherein the processor is configurable to receive different combinations of biometric data and authenticate identity of the user if the qualification criteria are satisfied.

28. An authentication system according to claim 27 wherein the processor is configurable to require particular biometric data in a pre-defined sequence, based on the associated qualification factors.

29. Authentication apparatus for authenticating identity of a user claiming to be a genuine-user, the authentication apparatus including:

(a) biometric data receiving means for receiving biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters;

(b) biometric data storage, storing authentic biometric data belonging to the genuine-user;

(c) a processor for comparing received biometric data with corresponding stored authentic biometric data; and

(d) authentication status communication means to indicate an authentication status of the user;

wherein the user'"'"'s identity is authenticated if the received biometric data meets qualification criteria when compared with the corresponding authentic biometric data.

30. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the biometric data receiving means includes means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to two or more of the following:

(a) a vocal pattern

(b) a voice characteristic;

(c) a hand geometry;

(d) a facial feature;

(e) a finger or thumb print;

(f) a handwriting pattern;

(g) an eye characteristic; and

(h) a biological sample.

31. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the biometric data receiving means includes means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to the eye and means for obtaining biometric data pertaining to one or more of the following:

(a) a vocal pattern

(b) a voice characteristic;

(c) a hand geometry;

(d) a facial feature;

(e) a finger or thumb print;

(f) a handwriting pattern; and

(g) a biological sample.

32. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the apparatus is a mobile authentication device suitable for authenticating the user at a number of different locations.

33. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the processor is configurable to receive biometric data pertaining to a plurality of biometric parameters in one or more of the following ways:

(a) simultaneously; and

(b) consecutively; and

(c) in response to a prompt given by the authentication apparatus.

34. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein each biometric data has an associated qualification factor and the processor is configurable to use the qualification factor associated with each of the received biometric data to determine if the qualification criteria have been satisfied.

35. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the processor is configurable to receive different combinations of biometric data and determine if the qualification criteria have been satisfied.

36. Authentication apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the authentication status communication means includes intuitive indicators including one or more of the following:

(a) a light emitting diode (LED);

(b) a liquid crystal display (LCD);

(c) an audible tone; and

(d) an audible voice recording.