BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION METHOD AND BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION APPARATUS

• US 20080211627A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Shinzaki, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/285 Selection of pattern recognition techniques, e.g. of classifiers in a multi-classifier system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/87 using selection of the recognition techniques, e.g. of a classifier in a multiple classifier system
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/67 by interactive indications to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/70 Multimodal biometrics, e.g. combining information from different biometric modalities

Abstract

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method comprises, storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with first reference biometric data and second reference biometric data, the users being divided into first and second groups, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the first group being not less than a predetermined level, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the second group being less than the predetermined level, obtaining first biometric data of a user by inputting first biometric information of the user, providing first authentication, obtaining second biometric data of a user by inputting second biometric information of the user when the first authentication indicates presumed matching of the first biometric data with the first biometric reference data of one of the users in the second group and providing second authentication.

Claims

1. A biometric authentication method comprising:

storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with first reference biometric data and second reference biometric data, the users being divided into first and second groups, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the first group being not less than a predetermined level, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the second group being less than the predetermined level;

obtaining first biometric data of a user by inputting first biometric information of the user;

providing first authentication by comparison of the first biometric data with the first reference biometric data;

obtaining second biometric data of a user by inputting second biometric information of the user when said first authentication indicates presumed matching of the first biometric data with the first biometric reference data of one of the users in the second group; and

providing second authentication by comparison of the second biometric data with the second reference biometric data of the users in the second group.

2. The biometric authentication method of claim 1, further comprising changing a threshold of a matching ratio between the first biometric data and the first reference biometric data on the basis of the first authentication.

3. The biometric authentication method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio in the first authentication.

4. The biometric authentication method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio in the second authentication.

5. The biometric authentication method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises plural sets of biometric information of each of the users in association with an environment.

6. The biometric authentication method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises plural types of biometric information of each of the users.

7. A biometric authentication apparatus comprising:

a storage for storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with first reference biometric data and second reference biometric data, the users being divided into first and second groups, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the first group being not less than a predetermined level, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the second group being less than the predetermined level; and

a processor for obtaining first biometric data of a user by inputting first biometric information of the user, providing first authentication by comparison of the first biometric data with the first reference biometric data, obtaining second biometric data of a user by inputting second biometric information of the user when said first authentication indicates presumed matching of the first biometric data with the first biometric reference data of one of the users in the second group and providing second authentication by comparison of the second biometric data with the second reference biometric data of the users in the second group.

8. The biometric authentication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor further comprises changing a threshold of a matching ratio between the first biometric data and the first reference biometric data on the basis of the first authentication.

9. The biometric authentication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor further comprises authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio.

10. The biometric authentication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor further comprises authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio in the second authentication.

11. The biometric authentication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information comprises plural sets of biometric information of each the user in association with an environment.

12. The biometric authentication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information comprises plural types of biometric information of each the user.

13. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer program for controlling an apparatus according to a process comprising:

storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with first reference biometric data and second reference biometric data, the users being divided into first and second groups, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the first group being not less than a predetermined level, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the second group being less than the predetermined level;

obtaining first biometric data of a user by inputting first biometric information of the user;

providing first authentication by comparison of the first biometric data with the first reference biometric data;

obtaining second biometric data of a user by inputting second biometric information of the user when said first authentication indicates presumed matching of the first biometric data with the first biometric reference data of one of the users in the second group; and

providing second authentication by comparison of the second biometric data with the second reference biometric data of the users in the second group.

14. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 13, further comprising authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio in the first authentication.

15. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 13, further comprising authenticating a user, the user having a maximum matching ratio in the second authentication.