PASSWORD GENERATOR

• US 20090282258A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPC Patent Technologies Pty., Ltd. (Charter Pacific Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Microlatch Pty Ltd
• Inventors: BURKE, Christopher John, Murray, David Victor
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3228 One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

A system (100) for providing secure access to a controlled application is disclosed. The system (100) comprises a database (105) of one or more biometric signatures. The system (100) also comprises a first subsystem (116) comprising a biometric sensor (121) for receiving a biometric signal and means for matching the biometric signal against members of the database (105) of biometric signatures to thereby determine an authentication signal. The first subsystem (116) also comprises means for generating a password dependent upon the authentication signal, the password being generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value. The system (100) also comprises a second sub-system (117) comprising means for receiving the password and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password.

Claims

1. A system for providing secure access to a controlled application, the system comprising:

a database of one or more biometric signatures;

a first sub-system comprising;

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

means for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures;

means for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature; and

means for generating a password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, wherein said password is dependent on the determined class of user; and

a second sub-system comprising;

means for receiving the password; and

means for providing access to the controlled application at a level dependent upon said password.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the controlled application is executing on said second sub-system.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the encryption process is a time dependent process.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the encryption process is an event-synchronous process.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-system further comprises means for populating the database of biometric signatures.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the means for populating the database of biometric signatures comprises:

means for receiving a series of entries of the biometric signal, said series being characterised according to at least one of the number of said entries and a duration of each said entry;

means for mapping said series into an instruction; and

means for populating the database according to the instruction.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein the database of biometric signatures comprises signatures in at least one of a system administrator class and a system user class.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the controlled application is an Internet banking website.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is responsive to one of a fingerprint pattern, voice, retinal pattern, iris pattern, face pattern, vein pattern and palm configuration.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the database of biometric signatures is located in the first sub-system.

11. A first sub-system for operating in a system for providing secure access to a controlled application, the system comprising a database of biometric signatures, a second sub-system comprising means for receiving a password, and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password, the first subsystem comprising:

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

means for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures

means for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature; and

means for generating the password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, wherein said password is dependent on the determined class of user associated with said biometric signal.

12. A password generator for providing secure access to a controlled application executing within a system, the system comprising a database of biometric signatures, a sub-system comprising means for receiving the password, and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password, said password generator comprising:

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

a processor for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures, for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature, and for generating the password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, wherein said password is dependent on the determined class of user associated with said biometric signal.

13. A method for providing secure access to a controlled application, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a biometric signal;

matching the biometric signal against members of a database of biometric signatures;

determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature;

generating a password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, said password being dependent on the determined class of user; and

providing access to the controlled application at a level dependent upon said password.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the controlled application is executing on a server.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the encryption process is a time dependent process.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the encryption process is an event-synchronous process.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the database of biometric signatures comprises signatures in at least one of a system administrator class and a system user class.

18. A method for populating a database of biometric signatures in a system for providing secure access to a controlled application, the system comprising said database of biometric signatures, a first subsystem comprising a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal, and means for generating a password capable of granting access to the controlled item, said password being generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, and a second sub-system comprising means for receiving the password, and means for providing access to the controlled item dependent upon said password, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a series of entries of the biometric signal;

determining at least one of the number of said entries and a duration of each said entry;

mapping said series into an instruction; and

populating the database according to the instruction.

19. A method generating a password in a system for providing secure access to a controlled application, the system comprising a database of biometric signatures, a first sub-system comprising means for receiving the password generated by a second sub-system, and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a biometric signal by biometric sensor;

matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures

means for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature; and

generating the password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, wherein said password is dependent on the determined class of user.

20. A computer program product having a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for directing a processor to provide secure access to a controlled application, said computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a biometric signal;

code for matching the biometric signal against members of a database of biometric signatures

code for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature;

code for generating a password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, said password being dependent on the determined class of user; and

code for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon said password.

21. A computer program product having a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for directing a processor to execute a method for populating a database of biometric signatures in a system for providing secure access to a controlled application, the system comprising said database of biometric signatures, a first subsystem comprising a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal, and means for generating a password capable of granting access to the controlled application, and a second sub-system comprising means for receiving the password, and means for providing access to the controlled application dependent upon the password, said program comprising:

code for receiving a series of entries of the biometric signal;

code for determining at least one of the number of said entries and a duration of each said entry;

code for mapping said series into an instruction; and

code for populating the database according to the instruction.

22. A computer program product having a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for directing a processor to generate a password for providing secure access to a controlled application, said computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a biometric sensor by biometric signal;

code for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures;

code for determining a class of user associated with said biometric signal based on the matched biometric signature; and

code for generating the password according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value, said password being dependent on the determined class of user.

23. A system for providing secure access to a software application, the system comprising:

a database of one or more biometric signatures;

a first subsystem comprising;

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

means for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures to thereby determine an authentication signal; and

means for generating a password dependent upon said authentication signal, said password being generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value; and

a second sub-system comprising;

means for receiving the password; and

means for providing access to the software application dependent upon said password.

24. A password generator for providing secure access to a software application executing within a system, the system comprising a database of biometric signatures, a sub-system comprising means for receiving the password, and means for providing conditional access to the software application dependent upon the password, said password generator comprising:

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

a processor for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures to thereby determine an authentication signal, and for generating the password dependent upon said authentication signal, wherein said password is generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value.

25. A method for providing secure access to a controlled application, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a biometric signal;

matching the biometric signal against members of a database of biometric signatures to thereby output an authentication signal;

generating a password dependent upon said authentication signal, said password being generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value; and

providing conditional access to the controlled application dependent upon said password.

26. An apparatus for providing secure access to a controlled application executing within a system, the system comprising a database of biometric signatures, a sub-system comprising means for receiving the password, and means for providing conditional access to the controlled application dependent upon the password, said apparatus comprising:

a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric signal;

a processor for matching the biometric signal against members of the database of biometric signatures to thereby determine an authentication signal, and for generating the password dependent upon said authentication signal, wherein said password is generated according to an encryption process based on a dynamic input value.