Smart card with integrated fingerprint reader

• US 6,325,285 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baratelli, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/439,648
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/487, 235/492, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07354 by biometrically sensitive means, e.g. fingerprint sensitive fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/12; biometrically activated access control G07C9/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts

Abstract

The improved smart card of the present invention preferably comprises a CPU, memory, and a fingerprint reader including a sensing surface. Preferably, the sensing surface is located along a surface of the smart card so that a user'"'"'s thumb is naturally positioned over the sensing surface when the card is inserted into a write/read unit or other suitable card reader. When an individual inserts the smart card into a write/read unit, the smart card creates an electrical representation of the individual'"'"'s fingerprint and compares the acquired representation to a stored fingerprint representation in the card'"'"'s memory. If the acquired representation matches the stored representation, the card is enabled, and the user is given access to information and/or services that require cooperation of the smart card.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising:

a smart card housing having at least one surface,

a sensing surface positioned in substantially the same plane as the surface of the housing;

a fingerprint processor for generating a representation of a fingerprint of a finger located on the sensing surface;

a memory containing a stored representation of a fingerprint;

a comparator located within the smart card housing for comparing the generated representation to the stored representation and adapted to output an indication of a result of the comparison between the generated representation and the stored representation;

a sensor for determining whether a finger placed on the sensing surface is attached to a living person;

wherein;

the indication is used to enable the smart card; and

an image of the authorized individual is stored in the memory, and wherein access to the image is granted only if the card is enabled.

2. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

3. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card is adapted to be inserted into a write/read unit connected to a computer, and wherein access to programs or data on the computer is granted if the card is enabled.

4. The smart card of claim 3, wherein the computer is connected to at least one other electronic device, and wherein access to resources of the other electronic device is granted if the card is enabled.

5. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the generated and stored representations are representations of a thumbprint.

6. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the sensing surface is positioned such that a user'"'"'s thumb is naturally positioned over the sensing surface as the user inserts the smart card into a smart card reader.

7. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the stared representation is collected during an initialization process.

8. The smart card of claim 7, wherein the smart card recognizes the first time that it is inserted into a write/read unit and transmits a signal to the write/read unit to trigger the initialization process.

9. The smart card of claim 7, wherein the smart card is programmed to permit only a single initialization process during the smart card'"'"'s lifetime.

10. The smart card of claim 9, wherein the portion of the memory that stores the fingerprint representation is disabled so that it may not be written to again.

11. The smart card of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts.

12. The smart card of claim 11, wherein the electrical contacts are arranged in a manner that satisfies international smart card standard ISO 7816.

13. The smart card of claim 11, wherein the electrical contacts comprise end connectors.

14. A smart card comprising:

a smart card housing having at least one surface;

a sensing surface positioned in substantially the same plane as the surface of the housing;

a fingerprint processor for generating a representation of a fingerprint of a finger located on the sensing surface;

a memory containing a stored representation of a fingerprint;

a comparator located within the smart card housing for comparing the generated representation to the stored representation and adapted to output a first indication of the result of the comparison between the generated representation and the stored representation;

wherein;

the memory contains at least a second stored fingerprint representation;

the comparator is adapted to compare the generated representation to the second stored representation and to output a second indication of the result of the comparison between the generated representation and the second stored representation; and

the first indication is used to enable a first set of resources that require the smart card and the second indication is used to enable a second set of resources that require the smart card.