Use of biometrics as a methodology for defining components for ECC encryption

• US 6,330,674 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Reeves, Drue A., Novoa, Manny, Angelo, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/163,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 713/200
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3066 involving algebraic varieties, e.g. elliptic or hyper-elliptic curves
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

A method for defining the elliptic curve for purposes of elliptic curve encryption using biometrics such as a fingerprint to define the elliptic curve equation'"'"'s coefficients.

Claims

1. A method of defining the components for an encryption algorithm, comprising the steps of:

measuring a biometric; and

using the biometric to define mathematical parameters for an encryption algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said biometric is a fingerprint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said biometric is the iris of an eye.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said biometric is a naturally occurring ellipse.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption algorithm is elliptic curve cryptography.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption algorithm is a public key cryptosystem.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption algorithm is a secret key cryptosystem.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption algorithm is fast elliptic algorithm.

9. A method of secure communication, comprising the steps of:

reading a smart card; and

measuring a biometric;

using said biometric to define cryptographic parameters;

using said cryptographic parameters for secure communication.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said biometric is a fingerprint.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said biometric is the iris of an eye.

12. A method of defining the components for elliptic curve encryption, comprising the steps of:

measuring a biometric; and

using a naturally occurring shape from said biometric as the ellipse for elliptic curve cryptography.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said biometric is a fingerprint.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said biometric is the iris of an eye.

15. A system for secure communication, comprising:

at least one system processor;

at least one biometric sensor; and

at least one signal interface for interfacing to a portable data module;

wherein said system processor is programmed to communicate with said portable data module using a secure communication algorithm which is dynamically defined, at least in part, by features obtained through said biometric sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said portable data module is a smart card.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said portable data module does not contain a sequenced processor at all.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said biometric sensor is a fingerprint reader.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said secure communication algorithm is elliptic curve cryptography.