System and method for nameless biometric authentication and non-repudiation validation

• US 20070175986A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Petrone, James, Merkow, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for authenticating a requestor using a previously-stored biometric print. Records are stored in a database, where each record contains a previously-stored biometric print corresponding to an individual and is disassociated from an identity of the individual. An identifier and a biometric sample are requested from the requester. The identifier is then used to locate one of the plurality of records corresponding to the requestor. The requestor is authenticated if the biometric sample matches the previously-stored biometric print.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to authenticate a requestor using a previously-stored biometric print, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store a plurality of records in a database, each record containing a previously-stored biometric print corresponding to an individual, and being disassociated from an identity of the individual;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to request an identifier from the requestor;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to request a biometric sample from the requestor;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to use the identifier to locate one of the plurality of records corresponding to the requestor; and

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to authenticate the requestor if the biometric sample matches the previously-stored biometric print, whereby an authenticated requestor is permitted to perform a transaction.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to encrypt the identifier, and wherein the fourth computer readable program code means causes the computer to use the encrypted identifier to locate one of the plurality of records containing the previously-stored biometric print.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to hash the identifier, and wherein the fourth computer readable code means causes the computer to use the hashed identifier to locate one of the plurality of records containing the previously-stored biometric print.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store a log of an authentication request.

5. A method for authenticating a requestor using a previously-stored biometric print, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of records in a database, each record containing a previously-stored biometric print corresponding to an individual and being disassociated from an identity of the individual;

requesting an identifier from the requester;

requesting a biometric sample from the requester;

locating, using the identifier, one of the plurality of records corresponding to the requestor; and

authenticating the requestor if the biometric sample matches the previously-stored biometric print, whereby an authenticated requestor is permitted to perform a transaction.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

encrypting the identifier; and

locating the record containing the previously-stored biometric print using the encrypted identifier.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

hashing the identifier based; and

locating the record containing the previously-stored biometric print using the hashed identifier.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

storing a log of an authentication request.

9. A system for authenticating a requestor using a previously-stored biometric print, comprising:

a database for storing a plurality of records, each record containing a previously-stored biometric print corresponding to an individual and being disassociated from an identity of the individual;

a query engine operable to request a user identifier and a biometric sample from the requestor; and

an authentication engine operable to use the identifier to locate one of the plurality of records corresponding to the requestor, and to authenticate the requestor if the biometric sample matches the previously-stored biometric print, whereby an authenticated requestor is permitted to perform a transaction.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

an encryption engine operable to encrypt the identifier, wherein the encrypted identifier is used to locate the record containing the previously-stored biometric print.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a hashing engine operable to hash the identifier, wherein the hashed identifier is used to locate the record containing the previously-stored biometric print.

12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a log database operable to store a log of an authentication request.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to enroll an individual into a biometric authentication system, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to request an identifier from the individual;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create a record in a database at a location indexed by the identifier, the record being disassociated from an identity of the individual;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to request a biometric sample from the individual; and

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store the biometric sample in the record.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to encrypt the identifier, and wherein said second computer readable program code means causes the computer to use the encrypted identifier to determine the location.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to hash the identifier, and wherein said second computer readable program code causes the computer to use the hashed identifier to determine the location.

16. A method for causing a computer to enroll a user in a biometric authentication system, comprising the steps of:

requesting an identifier from the individual;

creating a record in a database at a location indexed by the identifier, the record being disassociated from an identity of the individual;

requesting a biometric sample from the individual; and

storing the biometric sample in the record.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

encrypting the identifier; and

determining the location using the encrypted identifier.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

hashing the identifier; and

determining the location using the hashed identifier.

19. A system for enrolling an individual in a biometric authentication system:

a first query engine operable to request an identifier and a biometric sample from the individual; and

a database server operable to create a record at a location indexed by the identifier, the record being disassociated from an identity of the individual, and to store the biometric sample in the record.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

an encryption device operable to encrypt the identifier,

wherein the encrypted identifier is used to determine the location.

21. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a hashing device operable to hash the identifier, wherein the hashed identifier is used to determine the location.