Self-authenticating identification card with fingerprint identification

• US 5,623,552 A
• Filed: 08/15/1995
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uniqard LLC
• Original Assignee: Cardguard International Incorporated
• Inventors: Lane, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US08/515,151
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 235/380, 235/492, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/073 with continuous movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A self-authenticating identification card includes a fingerprint sensor for authenticating the identity of a user. An ID card memory permanently stores information related to a fingerprint of the card user. An on-card authenticator compares information related to a sensed fingerprint with the stored fingerprint information and produces an authentication signal if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information. An audio generator is preferably included in the card for transmitting a predetermined audio signal to a speaker if a match is sensed. A second memory, in the form of a programmable magnetic stripe, may be included on the card for storing account information related to the card user. A magnetic stripe programmer is then used for loading predetermined account information into the programmable magnetic stripe if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information. Account information is automatically cleared from the programmable magnetic stripe after a predetermined elapsed time.

Claims

1. An identification card for a card user comprising:

a substrate;

fingerprint sensing means, carried by the substrate, for sensing information related to a fingerprint;

memory means internal to said substrate and electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means, for storing information related to a fingerprint of the card user;

activation means, electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means and said internal memory means, for initiating internal storage of the information related to a fingerprint of the card user upon activation thereof for a first time;

controller means internal to said substrate and responsive to said activation means, for independently programming said internal memory means with the information related to a fingerprint of the card user by generating an internal control signal to initiate transfer of the information related to a fingerprint of the card user to said internal memory means for storage therein, upon activation of said activation means for the first time;

verification means, electrically connected to said internal memory means, for indicating that the information related to a fingerprint of the card user has been successfully stored in said internal memory means upon activation of said activation means for the first time; and

authentication means, responsive to said fingerprint sensing means, said internal memory means and said activation means, for comparing information related to a sensed fingerprint with the stored fingerprint information of the card user and for producing an authentication signal if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information of the card user.

2. An identification card according to claim 1 wherein said verification means comprises a visual display for visually indicating that the information related to a fingerprint of the identification card user has been successfully stored in said memory means.

3. An identification card according to claim 1 wherein said verification means comprises a speaker for audibly indicating that the information related to a fingerprint of the identification card user has been successfully stored in said memory means.

4. An identification card according to claim 1 further comprising a visual display, responsive to said authentication signal, for visually indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

5. An identification card according to claim 1 further comprising a speaker, responsive to said authentication signal, for audibly indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

6. An identification card according to claim 5 further comprising audio generating means, electrically coupled to said speaker and responsive to said authentication signal, for transmitting a predetermined audio signal to said speaker if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

7. An identification card according to claim 1 further comprising second memory means an said substrate for storing account information related to the card user.

8. An identification card according to claim 7 wherein the second memory means is a programmable magnetic stripe, the card further comprising:

magnetic stripe programming means, coupled to said programmable magnetic stripe and responsive to said authentication signal, for loading predetermined account information into said programmable magnetic stripe if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

9. An identification card according to claim 8 further comprising clearing means for automatically clearing account information from said programmable magnetic stripe after a predetermined elapsed time.

10. A self-authenticating identification card for a card user comprising:

a substrate;

fingerprint sensing means, carried by the substrate, for sensing information related to a fingerprint;

memory means internal to said substrate and electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means, for internally storing information related to a fingerprint of the card user;

activation means, responsive to said fingerprint sensing means, for initiating internal storage of the information related to a fingerprint of the card user upon activation thereof;

controller means internal to said substrate and responsive to said activation means, for independently programming said internal memory means with the information related to a fingerprint of the card user by generating an internal control signal to initiate transfer of the information related to a fingerprint of the card user to said internal memory means for storage therein upon activation of said activation means; and

authentication means, electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means and said internal memory means, for comparing information related to a sensed fingerprint with the stored fingerprint information of the card user in said internal memory means, and for producing an authentication signal if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

11. An identification card according to claim 10 further comprising a visual display, responsive to said authentication signal, for visually indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

12. An identification card according to claim 10 further comprising a speaker, responsive to said authentication signal, for audibly indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

13. An identification card according to claim 12 further comprising audio generating means, electrically coupled to said speaker and responsive to said authentication signal, for transmitting a predetermined audio signal to said speaker if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

14. An identification card according to claim 10 further comprising second memory means on said substrate for storing account information related to the card user.

15. An identification card according to claim 14 wherein the second memory means is a programmable magnetic stripe, the card further comprising:

magnetic stripe programming means, coupled to said programmable magnetic stripe and responsive to said authentication signal, for loading predetermined account information into said programmable magnetic stripe if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

16. An identification card according to claim 15 further comprising clearing means for automatically clearing account information from said programmable magnetic stripe after a predetermined elapsed time.

17. A method of using an identification card comprising the steps of:

sensing information related to a fingerprint which is impressed upon a fingerprint sensor of the identification card;

independently generating at least one control signal internal to the identification card to transfer the sensed fingerprint information internally from the fingerprint sensor to an internal identification card memory and electronically store the sensed fingerprint information in the internal identification card memory; and

producing a verification signal indicating that the sensed fingerprint information has been successfully electronically stored in the internal identification card memory.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the step of producing a verification signal comprises the step of displaying a visual verification signal on the card for indicating that the sensed fingerprint information has been successfully electronically stored in the internal identification card memory.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the step of producing a verification signal comprises the step of generating an audible verification signal on the card for indicating that the sensed fingerprint information has been successfully electronically stored in the internal identification card memory.

20. A method according to claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

sensing information related to a second fingerprint which is impressed upon the fingerprint sensor of the identification card;

comparing the information related to the second fingerprint with the information related to the electronically stored fingerprint which is stored in the internal identification card memory; and

producing an authentication signal on the card if the information related to the second fingerprint matches the electronically stored fingerprint information.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the step of producing an authentication signal comprises the step of displaying a visual authentication signal on the card if the information related to the second fingerprint matches the electronically stored fingerprint information.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein the step of producing an authentication signal comprises the step of generating an audible authentication signal on the card if the information related to the second fingerprint matches the electronically stored fingerprint information.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the step of generating an audible authentication signal comprises the step of audibly transmitting a predetermined coded audio signal from the card if the information related to the second fingerprint matches the electronically stored fingerprint information.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the step of producing an authentication signal is followed by the step of loading predetermined account information into a programmable magnetic stripe on the identification card if the information related to the second fingerprint matches the electronically stored fingerprint information on the card.

25. A method according to claim 24 further comprising the step of clearing account information from the programmable magnetic stripe after a predetermined elapsed time.

26. A self-authenticating identification card for a card user comprising:

a substrate;

a programmable magnetic stripe on said substrate;

fingerprint sensing means, carried by said substrate, for sensing information related to a fingerprint;

memory means internal to said substrate and electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means, for storing information related to a fingerprint of the card user;

activation means, electrically connected to said fingerprint sensing means and said internal memory means, for initiating internal storage of the information related to a fingerprint upon activation thereof;

controller means internal to said substrate and responsive to said activation means, for independently programming said internal memory means with the information related to a fingerprint by generating a control signal internal to said substrate to control transfer of the information related to a fingerprint to said internal memory means for storage therein, upon activation of said activation means;

verification means, electrically connected to said internal memory means, for indicating that the information related to a fingerprint of the card user has been successfully stored in said internal memory means upon said activation of said activation means;

authentication means, responsive to said fingerprint sensing means, said internal memory means and said activation means, for comparing information related to a sensed fingerprint with the stored fingerprint information of the card user and for producing an authentication signal if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information; and

magnetic stripe programming means, carried by said substrate and electrically connected to said programmable magnetic stripe and responsive to said authentication signal, for loading predetermined account information into said programmable magnetic stripe if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information and for clearing account information from said programmable magnetic stripe after a predetermined elapsed time.

27. An identification card according to claim 26 wherein said verification means comprises a visual display for visually indicating that the information related to the fingerprint of the identification card user has been successfully stored in said memory means and for visually indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

28. An identification card according to claim 26 wherein said verification means further comprises a speaker for audibly indicating that the information related to a fingerprint of the identification card user has been successfully stored in said memory means and for audibly indicating that the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.

29. An identification card according to claim 28 further comprising audio generating means, electrically connected to said speaker and responsive to said authentication signal, for transmitting a predetermined audio signal to said speaker if the sensed fingerprint information matches the stored fingerprint information.