MEMS-BASED SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20080185436A1
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Laviolette, Kerry D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention is directed to a portable identification object (e.g., ID card), an object recognition system (e.g., card reader system), and a method of identity verification or authentication utilizing the portable identification object and the object recognition system. Illustratively, the ID Card incorporates an optical MEMS that, in a passive aspect, exhibits amplitude modulation, wavelength selectivity and/or optical phase modulation with respect to an input signal provided by the card reader system; and, in an active aspect, exhibits amplitude modulation, wavelength selectivity and/or optical phase modulation with respect to an input signal provided by the card reader system based on specific stimulation of the MEMS. MEMS stimulation may be activated by the card reader system in response to a selective user input (e.g., PIN) and algorithmic processing provided by the card reader system. Resultant signals produced by the MEMS ID card and read by the card reader are compared to results stored in a database. An identity or authentication determination can then be made based on the validity of the comparison.

Claims

1. A portable identification object intended for cooperative engagement with an object reader, comprising:

a base member; and

an optical MEMS disposed in the base member.

2. The portable identification object of claim 1, wherein the optical MEMS is at least one of a passive MEMS, an active MEMS and a combination passive/active MEMS.

3. The portable identification object of claim 2, wherein the passive MEMS includes a plurality of passive components that can at least one of amplitude-modulate, wavelength- or frequency-modulate, and phase-modulate a signal.

4. The portable identification object of claim 3, wherein the plurality of passive components are one of optically reflective structures and optically diffractive structures.

5. The portable identification object of claim 2, wherein the active MEMS includes a plurality of active components that can at least one of amplitude-modulate, wavelength- or frequency-modulate, and phase-modulate a signal.

6. The portable identification object of claim 5, wherein the plurality of active components are one of optically reflective structures and optically diffractive structures.

7. The portable identification object of claim 1, wherein the base member has a form factor substantially similar to that of a credit/debit card.

8. The portable identification object of claim 1, wherein the base member has a form factor substantially similar to that of a key card.

9. An object reader system intended for cooperative engagement with a MEMS-based portable identification object, comprising:

a power supply;

an object reader interface including an input signal source, a MEMS stimulation source and a resultant signal receiver;

a user interface; and

a computing platform operationally interfaced to the power supply, the object reader interface and the user interface.

10. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the input signal source is at least one of an optical source and an electrical source.

11. The object reader system of claim 10, wherein the optical source is at least one of a white light source and a wavelength specific source.

12. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the resultant signal receiver comprises at least one of a direct detection receiver and a coherent detection receiver.

13. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the MEMS stimulation source comprises one of an electrostatic source, an electromagnetic source, an electrostrictive source and a resistive heating source.

14. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the object reader interface further comprises at least one of a MEMS stimulation source modulator and a signal digitizer.

15. The object reader system of claim 14, wherein the MEMS stimulation source modulator is selectively variable, further wherein a selected modulation format is operationally associated with one of a plurality of security algorithms stored in a database of the object reader.

16. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a user display medium, a user data-input component and a restricted access controller.

17. The object reader system of claim 9, wherein the computing platform is further operationally interfaced to at least one of an intra-network and an inter-network.

18. The object reader system of claim 9, further comprising a MEMS-based portable identification object that is readable by the object reader interface.

19. The object reader system of claim 18, wherein the MEMS-based portable identification object includes a base member and an optical MEMS disposed in the base member.

20. The object reader system of claim 19, wherein the optical MEMS is at least one of a passive MEMS, an active MEMS and a combination passive/active MEMS.

21. The object reader system of claim 20, wherein the passive MEMS includes a plurality of passive MEMS device components that can at least one of amplitude-modulate, wavelength- or frequency-modulate and phase modulate an input signal.

22. The object reader system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of passive components are one of optically reflective structures and optically diffractive structures.

23. The object reader system of claim 20, wherein the active MEMS includes a plurality of active components that can at least one of amplitude-modulate, wavelength- or frequency-modulate and phase-modulate an input signal.

24. The object reader system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of active components are one of optically reflective structures and optically diffractive structures.

25. The object reader system of claim 19, wherein the base member has a form factor substantially similar to that of a credit/debit card.

26. The object reader system of claim 19, wherein the base member has a form factor substantially similar to that of a key card.

27. A method of identity verification or authentication, comprising:

providing a portable identification object that includes a base member and an at least one of a passive optical MEMS and an active optical MEMS disposed in the base member;

providing a portable identification object reader having an input signal source;

generating at least one of a resultant amplitude-modulated, a wavelength- or frequency-modulated and a phase-modulated signal from the MEMS;

comparing the resultant modulated signal to a reference indicia; and

determining whether the comparison is sufficient to authenticate identity.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising providing a reflective optical MEMS disposed in the base member.

29. The method of claim 27, comprising providing a diffractive optical MEMS disposed in the base member.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of generating a resultant signal further comprises providing a MEMS stimulation source, and inputting a suitable user PIN via a user interface to activate the MEMS stimulation source.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising executing a signal processing algorithm in response to inputting the suitable user PIN.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising modulating the MEMS stimulation source with a selected modulation format that is associated with one of a plurality of signal processing algorithms.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of determining whether the comparison is sufficient to authenticate identity comprises making an initial verification using the passive optical MEMS and making a full verification using the active optical MEMS.