Fingerprint recognition system

• US 6,125,192 A
• Filed: 04/21/1997
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digital Persona
• Original Assignee: Digital Persona
• Inventors: Bjorn, Vance C., Belongie, Serge J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHTA, BHAVESH M
• Application Number:
  US08/837,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124-127, 382/318, 382/319, 382/130, 382/288, 382/115, 382/116, 382/100, 356/71, 340/825.34, 380/23-25
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• 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: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1347 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• 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 method and apparatus for fingerprint recognition is provided. A fingerprint is detected on a sensor. The fingerprint is digitized. A digitized background is subtracted from the fingerprint, resulting in a difference print. The difference print is matched with a database of fingerprint templates.

Claims

1. A method of recognizing a fingerprint comprising:

detecting the fingerprint;

digitizing the fingerprint;

subtracting a digitized background from the fingerprint, resulting in a difference print;

receiving a nonce from a digital system;

generating a hash including the differential print and the nonce;

sending the hash and the differential print to the digital system; and

processing the difference print.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a background; and

digitizing the background, resulting in the digitized background.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initializing a fingerprint recognition system when the fingerprint recognition system is initially turned on;

detecting a first background when the fingerprint recognition system is being initialized;

digitizing the first background; and

detecting a new background after the fingerprint is detected; and

digitizing the new background.

4. A fingerprint detection system comprising:

a computer system including a processor, the computer system generating a nonce for security;

a universal serial bus coupled to the processor;

a fingerprint sensor coupled to the universal serial bus, the fingerprint sensor for detecting a fingerprint, generating a hash including the fingerprint and the nonce, and securely transmitting the fingerprint and the nonce to the processor for analysis.

5. The fingerprint detection system of claim 4, further comprising:

a token including fingerprint data and other data, wherein the token is enabled or disabled based on whether a match is established between the fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor and fingerprint data stored on the token.

6. The fingerprint detection system of claim 4, wherein the fingerprint sensor further comprises:

a sensing unit for obtaining a fingerprint image and a background image;

a digitizer for digitizing the fingerprint image and the background image; and

a subtractor for subtracting a background image from the fingerprint image thereby generating a differential image.

7. The fingerprint detection system of claim 6, wherein the fingerprint sensor further comprises a security unit for establishing secure communication with the computer system.

8. The fingerprint detection system of claim 7, wherein the secure communication comprises one or more of the following:

encrypted communication, communication including a digital signature, or coded communication.

9. The fingerprint detection system of claim 6, wherein the computer system further comprises:

a database including fingerprint data; and

a comparator for comparing the differential image received from the fingerprint sensor with the fingerprint data in the database.

10. The fingerprint detection system of claim 9, further comprising a learning unit for adding fingerprints to the database and for updating the fingerprint data in the database with information from the fingerprint image if a match is found.

11. The fingerprint detection system of claim 4, wherein the computer system compares the differential image to the fingerprint data, and the fingerprint sensor performs the match.

12. The fingerprint detection system of claim 4, wherein the computer system auto-launches an application in response to a validation of the fingerprint.

13. The fingerprint detection system of claim 4, wherein the sensor automatically captures the fingerprint image based on a quality of the fingerprint on the sensor.

14. The fingerprint detection system of claim 13, wherein the fingerprint sensor captures a plurality of prints and compares the plurality of prints to determine a time to automatically capture the fingerprint image.

15. A sensor comprising:

a sensing unit for obtaining a background image and a fingerprint image;

a digitizer for digitizing the images;

a subtractor for subtracting the background image from the fingerprint image, thereby generating a differential image;

a security unit for receiving a nonce from the digital system and generating a hash including the differential print and the nonce; and

a connection to a digital system for sending the hash and the differential print a device.

16. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the

security unit is further for establishing secure communication between a sensor and a device to which the sensor is coupled.

17. The sensor of claim 16, wherein the security unit includes an auto-launcher to auto-launch an application in response to validating the fingerprint image.

18. The sensor of claim 15, further comprising a decision making unit for matching the fingerprint image and determining whether the fingerprint image matches another print.

19. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the connection is a universal serial bus connection for connecting the sensor to the device.

20. The fingerprint detection system of claim 15, wherein the sensor automatically captures the fingerprint image based on a quality of the fingerprint on the sensor.

21. The fingerprint detection system of claim 20, wherein the fingerprint sensor captures a plurality of prints and compares the plurality of prints to determine a time to automatically capture the fingerprint image.

22. A method comprising the steps of, in a sensor:

capturing and digitizing a background print;

capturing and digitizing a current fingerprint;

subtracting the background print from the current fingerprint, thereby generating a differential print;

receiving a nonce from the digital system;

generating a hash including the differential print and the nonce; and

sending the hash and the differential print to a digital system for matching.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of capturing the current fingerprint image comprises the steps of:

detecting time to capture the fingerprint based on a quality of the fingerprint on the sensor; and

capturing the fingerprint when the fingerprint quality is optimal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of capturing the current fingerprint image comprises the steps of:

detecting a first fingerprint image;

detecting a second fingerprint image a short time after detecting the first fingerprint image;

comparing an area of the first fingerprint image with an area of the second fingerprint image; and

if the area of the second fingerprint image is smaller than the area of the first fingerprint image, capturing the first fingerprint image as the current fingerprint image.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of executing a security handshake with the digital system for establishing a security protocol.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of executing the security handshake comprises the steps of:

receiving a digital certificate from the sensor indicating the sensor'"'"'s identity;

validating the digital certificate using a public key of the sensor;

encrypting a random number with the public key of the sensor and sending the random number to the sensor as a session key.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the hash includes the nonce, the differential print, and a sensor signature.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of, in the digital system:

decoding the secure representation of the differential print;

establishing a preliminary match between the differential print and a fingerprint in a database;

sending the preliminary match to the sensor; and

receiving a final decision from the sensor.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

updating the template of the fingerprint in the database if the final decision was a match.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of, in the digital system:

storing the fingerprint in the database as identity information if the final decision was a match; and

associating access to a file or program with the identity information, such that the file or program may be auto-launched using the fingerprint.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of associating access comprises altering a boot sector of the file or program to require the fingerprint in order to load.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of associating access comprises

requesting a password for the file or program;

associating the password with the fingerprint; and

when the file or program is launched, releasing the password on fingerprint validation.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein the sensor is coupled to a digital system using a Universal Serial Bus.