Secure User Authentication

• US 20110083018A1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Validity Sensors Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schwab, Frank, Baghdasaryan, Davit, Hattery, Larry, Chan, Philip Yiu Kwong, Kesanupalli, Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US12/731,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083018A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks

Abstract

Biometric information is authenticated by a web-enabled application that identifies a biometric sensor installed in a client device. The authentication procedure reads biometric information associated with a user and compares the biometric information with a biometric template associated with that user. If the biometric information matches the biometric template, the authentication procedure retrieves credentials associated with the user and communicates those credentials to a requesting process.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating biometric information via the internet, the method comprising:

identifying a biometric sensor installed in a client device with a web-enabled application;

reading biometric information associated with a user;

comparing the biometric information with a biometric template associated with the user;

if the biometric information matches the biometric template;

retrieving credentials associated with the user based on the biometric information; and

communicating the credentials to a requesting process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the biometric information with a plurality of biometric templates associated with the biometric sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting process is configured in a software application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting process is executing on a device containing a biometric sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting process is executing on a remote device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the credentials prior to communicating the credentials to a requesting process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved credentials are plaintext credentials.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved credentials represent a one-time use password.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved credentials are communicated to a web server in the form of a challenge-response.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved credentials include an RSA signature.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-enabled application is a web browser extension.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-enabled application is a web browser plug-in.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is initiated in response to the user accessing a web site that supports biometric authentication.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining whether the user is enrolled with the web site being accessed.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a secure connection between the client device and a web server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the retrieved credentials include an authentication token, and further comprising communicating the authentication token and a user identifier from the client device to the web server via the secure connection.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the authentication token is a shared secret.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the biometric sensor releasing an authentication token if the biometric information matches the biometric template.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the authentication token is a one time password.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the authentication token is an RSA signature.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the authentication token includes plaintext user credentials.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating the authentication token to a web server.

23. A method comprising:

reading fingerprint information from a user'"'"'s finger in contact with a fingerprint sensor;

authenticating the fingerprint information;

if the fingerprint information is associated with a valid user;

retrieving credentials associated with the user;

determining a unique identifier associated with the fingerprint sensor; and

communicating the credentials and the unique identifier to a requesting process.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein authenticating the fingerprint information includes comparing the fingerprint information read from the user'"'"'s finger with a fingerprint template.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein authenticating the fingerprint information includes comparing the fingerprint information read from the user'"'"'s finger with a plurality of fingerprint templates associated with the fingerprint sensor.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising decrypting the retrieved credentials associated with the user.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the retrieved credentials associated with the user are plaintext credentials.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the retrieved credentials associated with the user include a one-time use password derived from the retrieved credentials.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the retrieved credentials associated with the user include an RSA signature.

30. A method of accessing a web site that supports biometric authentication, the method comprising:

determining whether a biometric sensor is installed in the device accessing the web site;

determining whether a user has enrolled the biometric sensor with the web site;

if the device accessing the web site has an installed biometric sensor and the user has enrolled the biometric sensor;

reading biometric information from the user via the biometric sensor;

comparing the biometric information read from the user with a biometric template; and

retrieving credentials associated with the user if the biometric information read from the user matches the biometric template.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the biometric information includes fingerprint characteristics associated with the user'"'"'s finger.