ONE TIME PASSWORD GENERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20090161924A1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Feitian Technologies Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Feitian Technologies Company Limited
• Inventors: Yu, Huazhang, LU, Zhou
• Granted Patent: US 8,184,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-time password generating method and an apparatus. The method includes steps of collecting fingerprint images, extracting fingerprint feature data from those fingerprint images, and comparing the fingerprint feature data with one or more pre-stored fingerprint feature templates for authentication. After the authentication is passed, a one-time password is generated by the corresponding fingerprint feature template or a user'"'"'s secret corresponding to the template. The invention also discloses a one-time password apparatus, including a fingerprint collecting unit, a fingerprint feature extracting unit, a storage unit, a comparison unit, a one-time password generating unit, a control unit, and an output unit. By adding fingerprint authentication function to a one-time password generating apparatus, the invention avoids disadvantages such as no user authentication in the present apparatus, only for a single user, and imitation of the apparatus by others when it is lost or theft, as a result, increases security of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A one time password generating method, wherein said method includes steps of:

collecting fingerprint images;

extracting fingerprint feature data;

comparing said fingerprint feature data with one pre-stored fingerprint feature template or more templates separately; and

generating a one time password after a match being found.

2. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, wherein before said step of collecting fingerprint images, the method further including a step of triggering a signal to collect said fingerprint images.

3. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, wherein said comparison being a step of comparing said fingerprint feature extracted with at least one of said fingerprint feature templates pre-stored separately.

4. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, wherein said one time password being generated by said fingerprint feature template or a user'"'"'s secret corresponding to said template.

5. The one time password generating method according to claim 4, wherein said one time password being generated by computing said user'"'"'s secret and a dynamic factor, or by computing said fingerprint feature template'"'"'s value and a dynamic factor with preset password generating algorithm.

6. The one time password generating method according to claim 5, wherein said dynamic factor includes an event and/or a time factor.

7. The one time password generating method according to claim 1 further including a step of evening or merging fingerprint images collected from a plurality of times after said fingerprint images are collected.

8. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, further including a step of selecting an optimal fingerprint image collected from a plurality of times after said fingerprint images are collected.

9. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, wherein said pre-stored fingerprint feature template being one valid user'"'"'s one or more fingerprint feature templates.

10. The one time password generating method according to claim 1, wherein said pre-stored fingerprint feature templates are those from many valid users'"'"' fingerprint feature templates.

11. A one time password generating apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes:

a fingerprint image collecting unit for collecting fingerprint images under control of a control unit;

a fingerprint feature extracting unit for extracting fingerprint feature data from said fingerprint images collected by said fingerprint image collecting unit under control of said control unit;

a storage unit for storing one or more fingerprint feature templates under control of said control unit;

a comparison unit for comparing said fingerprint feature data collected by said fingerprint feature extracting unit with those fingerprint feature templates in said storage unit, and returning a comparison result to said control unit;

said control unit being for starting a one time password generating unit according to said comparison result and sending a one time password to an output unit;

said one time password generating unit being for generating said one time password with a pre-stored one time password generating algorithm under control of said control unit and sending it to said control unit; and

said output unit being for outputting said one time password under control of said control unit.

12. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, further including a trigger unit for sending a signal to said control unit to trigger said fingerprint image collecting unit.

13. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, wherein said output unit includes a screen, a blue-tooth communication interface, or an infrared communication interface.

14. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 13, further including a battery unit for power supply.

15. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, wherein said output unit being a USB communication interface.

16. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 15, wherein said USB communication interface being used as a power supply for the apparatus.

17. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, wherein said fingerprint image collecting unit including an infrared fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint scanner, a CCD, or a CMOS image sensor.

18. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, wherein said storage unit stores one or more fingerprint feature templates corresponding to one valid user.

19. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, wherein said storage unit stores a plurality of said fingerprint feature templates corresponding to more valid users.

20. The one time password generating apparatus of claim 11, further including an input unit for inputting one or more fingerprint feature templates into the apparatus.