Apparatus and method for providing an authentication system based on biometrics
First Claim
1. A security verification apparatus for controlling access to at least one program on a computer from a keyboard, comprising:
- a scanner that scans a field;
a memory;
a processor coupled to said scanner and memory, said processor comparing the scanned field with a field stored in said memory;
said processor being operable in a first mode wherein access to the computer via the keyboard is inhibited when the scanned field does not match the stored field, said processor being operable in a second mode, wherein the keyboard is coupled to the computer so that the at least one program on the computer is accessible via said keyboard when the scanned field matches the stored field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling access to at least one program on a computer by verifying data entered through a scanner with data stored on a token such as a card, while isolating the entered data from the computer. The apparatus includes a scanner, a memory and a processor coupled to the scanner and memory. When activated, the scanner scans a field which the processor compares with a field stored in the memory. The processor is operable in a first mode wherein access to the computer via a keyboard is inhibited when the scanned field does not match the stored field. The processor is operable in a second mode, wherein the keyboard is coupled to the computer so that the at least one program on the computer is accessible via the keyboard when the scanned field matches the stored field. Various embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A security verification apparatus for controlling access to at least one program on a computer from a keyboard, comprising:
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a scanner that scans a field;
a memory;
a processor coupled to said scanner and memory, said processor comparing the scanned field with a field stored in said memory;
said processor being operable in a first mode wherein access to the computer via the keyboard is inhibited when the scanned field does not match the stored field, said processor being operable in a second mode, wherein the keyboard is coupled to the computer so that the at least one program on the computer is accessible via said keyboard when the scanned field matches the stored field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
a port that receives data from the keyboard, said processor reads the data from the card and compares the data from the keyboard with the data from the card, said processor being operable in the first mode if the entered data does not match the stored data, said processor being operable in a second mode, wherein the keyboard is coupled to the computer so that the at least one program on the computer is accessible via said keyboard when the data from the keyboard matches the data from the card.
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9. A method for controlling access to at least one program running on a computer via a keyboard, comprising:
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(a) providing a verification device having a scanner;
(b) scanning a field;
(c) comparing the scanned field with a stored field;
(d) providing access through a keyboard to at least one program on the computer if said scanned field matches said stored field;
otherwise denying access through the keyboard to the at least one program on the computer.- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
(e) providing a connector having a first port, a second port and a third port; and
(f) connecting the first port to the computer, the second port to a keyboard and the third port to the verification device, so that the keyboard and the computer are coupled to the verification device.
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11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
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(g) receiving data from the keyboard;
(h) reading data from the card;
(i) comparing the data from the keyboard to the data from the card;
(j) granting access to the at least one program on the computer if the scanned field matches the stored field and if the data from the keyboard matches the data from the card; and
(k) otherwise denying access to the at least one program on the computer.
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12. The method of claim 9, wherein in (b), the field is a biometric and in (c), the field is a metric.
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13. The method of claim 9, wherein (g) comprises:
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(g.1) providing a signal indicating that said verification device is ready to receive data from the keyboard; and
(g.2) receiving the data from the keyboard.
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14. The method of claim 10, wherein (j) comprises the block of:
granting access to the at least one program on the computer if the data from the keyboard matches the data from the card by coupling the computer to the keyboard.
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15. The method of claim 10, wherein (k) comprises the block of:
denying access to the at least one program on the computer if the data from the keyboard does not match the data from the card by ensuring that the keyboard is de-coupled from the computer.
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16. A system for verifying access authorization to at least one program on a computer, comprising:
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a keyboard;
a card that contains verification data;
a verification device having a scanner that scans a field, said verification device compares the scanned field to a field stored on the card, said verification device being operable in a first mode wherein access to the at least one program on the computer via the keyboard is inhibited, said verification device being operable in a second mode, wherein the keyboard is coupled to the computer so that the computer is accessible via said keyboard when the scanned field matches the stored field. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification