Biometric authorization and registration systems and methods

• US 6,421,943 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IDComm, Inc., Weapons Safety Devices Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IDComm, Inc.
• Inventors: Halter, Ernest, Caulfield, H. John
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/561,464
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 42/700.1, 42/700.4, 42/700.5, 42/700.6, 42/700.8, 42/701.1
• US Class Current: 42/70.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

Biometric authorization and registration systems and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system preferably comprises a firearm that includes a biometric authorization system, a plurality of training computers, and a server. In the preferred embodiment, the server and the training computer interact to train the biometric authorization system in the firearm to accurately and reliably discriminate between the authorized user and unauthorized users. The server utilizes a training algorithm that takes into account biometric information of not only the authorized user of firearm, but also those of a large number of unauthorized users. Such biometric information is utilized to compute one or more discriminants and thresholds for such discriminant(s), which are then transmitted to the biometric authorization system in the firearm. If the user is allowed to operate the firearm a predetermined percentage of the time, the discriminant thresholds are fixed. If not, the server adjusts the thresholds, and the process is repeated. In another aspect of the present invention, the system may be utilized to uniquely register the firearm with the authorized user. Similar training algorithms are also disclosed for training biometric authorization systems in devices other than firearms.

Claims

1. A system for programming a biometric authorization system in a first firearm utilized to discriminate between an authorized user of the first firearm and unauthorized users of the first firearm, comprising:

a) means for collecting and storing a large number of unauthorized user web prints by having the unauthorized users grasp a firearm;

b) means for collecting and storing at least one authorized user web print by having the authorized user grasp a firearm;

c) means for training one or more discriminants for the at least one authorized user web print and at least some of the unauthorized user web prints;

d) means for computing one or more discriminant thresholds based on the step of training the discriminants; and

e) means for transmitting to the first firearm the one or more trained discriminants and one or more discriminant thresholds.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the one or more discriminant thresholds and transmitting the adjusted thresholds to the first firearm in response to receiving a message indicating that the authorized user is unable to operate the first firearm a predetermined percentage of the time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for collecting and storing authorized user web prints collects and stores a series of web prints from the authorized user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a server that is constructed so as to be remotely connected to the first firearm via a communications network.

5. A method of programming a biometric authorization system in a first firearm to discriminate between an authorized user of the first firearm and unauthorized users of the first firearm, comprising:

a) collecting and storing at a computer a large number of unauthorized user web prints from the unauthorized users by having the unauthorized users grasp a firearm;

b) collecting and storing at the computer at least one authorized user web print from the authorized user by having the authorized user grasp a firearm;

c) training at the computer one or more discriminants for the at least one authorized user web print and at least some of the unauthorized user web prints;

d) calculating at the computer one or more discriminant thresholds based on the step of training the discriminants; and

e) transmitting from the computer to the first firearm the one or more trained discriminants and discriminant thresholds.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of adjusting the one or more discriminant thresholds and transmitting the adjusted thresholds to the first firearm in response to receiving information that the authorized user is unable to operate the first firearm a predetermined percentage of the time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of collecting and storing at least one authorized user web print includes the step of collecting and storing a series of web prints from the authorized user.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of computing one or more discriminants comprises the steps of:

(a) training a first discriminant;

(b) determining whether the first trained discriminant sufficiently discriminates between the series of authorized user web prints and the unauthorized user web prints; and

(c) if the first trained discriminant does not sufficiently discriminate between the series of authorized user web prints and the unauthorized user web prints, training a further discriminant.

9. A method of programming a biometric authorization system in a first firearm to discriminate between an authorized user of the first firearm and unauthorized users of the first firearm, comprising:

a) collecting and storing at a computer a large number of unauthorized user web prints from the unauthorized users by having the unauthorized users grasp a firearm;

b) collecting and storing at the computer at least one authorized user web print from the authorized user by having the authorized user grasp a firearm;

c) training at the computer one or more discriminants for the at least one authorized user web print and at least some of the unauthorized user web prints;

d) calculating at the computer one or more discriminant thresholds based on the step of training the discriminants;

e) transmitting from the computer to the first firearm the one or more trained discriminants and thresholds;

f) allowing the authorized user to attempt to operate the first firearm;

g) if the authorized user is not allowed to operate the first firearm a predetermined percentage of the time, adjusting the one or more thresholds at the computer and transmitting the thresholds from the computer to the first firearm;

h) repeating steps e-g until the authorized user is allowed to operate the first firearm the predetermined percentage of the time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer is a server that is remotely connected to the first firearm via a communications network.

11. A firearm comprising:

means for storing one or more trained discriminants and associated one or more discriminant thresholds, the discriminants formed by analysis of the authorized user biometric information and a large number of unauthorized user biometric information;

means for sensing biometric information;

means for computing one or more discriminant values based on the sensed biometric information and the trained discriminants;

means for comparing the computed one or more discriminant values with the stored one or more discriminant thresholds; and

means for authorizing or not authorizing the use of the firearm.

12. A method of uniquely associating a first firearm with an authorized user comprising:

a) collecting and storing at a computer a large number of unauthorized user web prints from the unauthorized users by having the unauthorized users grasp a firearm;

b) receiving at the computer authorized user information and first firearm information;

c) collecting and storing at the computer at least one web print from the authorized user by having the authorized user grasp a firearm;

d) training at the computer one or more discriminants for the at least one authorized user web print and at least some of the unauthorized user web prints;

e) calculating at the computer one or more discriminant thresholds based on the step of training the discriminants;

f) transmitting from the computer to the first firearm the one or more discriminants and thresholds;

g) electronically associating at the computer the user and first firearm information with the at least one authorized user web print.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer is a server that is remote from the user and the first firearm.