Method and apparatus for histological and physiological biometric operation and authentication

• US 6,483,929 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HALO Wearables LLC
• Original Assignee: Tarian LLC
• Inventors: Murakami, Rick V., Pettit, Matthew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHTA, BHAVESH M
• Application Number:
  US09/642,459
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/116, 382/117, 382/118, 382/124-125, 382/128, 600/26, 340/5-1-, 356/71, 235/382
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1341 Sensing with light passing through the finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward a device for biometric authentication. The device comprises an infra red signal transmitter, signal receiver, memory module, and processing module. The signal transmitter transmits infrared energy toward a user. The infrared energy is partly absorbed and partly reflected by the user'"'"'s body. The infra red signal receiver collects partly reflected infrared energy. The memory module stores the data, and the processing module processes and compares the reflected infrared energy and stored data for use in biometric authentication.

Claims

1. A method for creating unique, internal, physiological biometric markers comprising:

transmitting a high frequency infrared energy signal toward a user to measure a trait of an internal, non-volitional physiological process occurring within the user, wherein said trait is unique and inherently specific to the user;

receiving a reflected infrared signal from the transmitted infrared energy; and

analyzing said infrared signal to identify at least one trait of said physiological process that is unique to the user.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of layering said at least one trait of the reflected signal.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising analyzing the reflected signal for repeatability.

4. A method of biometric identification comprising the steps of:

transmitting infrared energy toward a user to measure at least one trait of an internal, nonvolitional physiological process occurring within the user, wherein said trait is unique and inherently specific to said user, said infrared energy being partly absorbed and partly reflected by said user'"'"'s body;

collecting a portion of said partly reflected infrared energy;

processing said portion of said reflected infrared energy to create a biometric profile based on said trait that is unique to said user;

storing said biometric profile in machine memory to create an authenticating biometric profile; and

subsequently determining authentication of the user by employing said authenticating biometric profile and comparing it against a similar profile of an individual seeking authentication.

5. A method for generating biometric markers comprising the steps of:

transmitting infrared energy toward a user to measure at least one trait of an internal physiological process occurring within the user, wherein said trait is unique and inherently specific to said user, said infrared energy being partly absorbed and partly reflected by said user'"'"'s body;

collecting a portion of said partly reflected infrared energy;

processing said portion of said reflected infrared energy to define at least one biometric marker that is unique to said user.

6. A device for biometric authentication comprising:

an infra red signal transmitter capable of transmitting infrared energy toward a user to measure at least one trait of an internal physiological process, wherein said at least one trait is unique and inherently specific to said user, said infrared energy being partly absorbed and partly reflected by said user'"'"'s body;

an infra red signal receiver capable of collecting a portion of said partly reflected infrared energy;

a memory module capable of storing data related to said infrared energy collected by said receiver wherein said data are related to said at least one trait of said internal physiological process that is unique to said user; and

a processing module capable of processing and comparing said reflected infrared energy and stored data for use in biometric authentication based upon said at least one trait of said internal physiological process.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said infrared signal transmitter transmits signals into dermal and subdermal tissues of the user.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said infrared signal receiver is an infrared photoreceptor.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein said reflected infrared energy is transmitted at a high energy audio frequency.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein said partly-reflected infrared energy is filtered using a band pass filter.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein said party-reflected infrared energy collected by said infrared signal receiver is digitized.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein said internal physiological process is a hemodynamic process.

13. A method of detecting a unique biometric marker for biometric identification comprising the steps of:

transmitting energy toward a user to measure a hemodynamic process, said energy being partly absorbed and partly reflected by said users body;

collecting a portion of said partly reflected energy;

processing said collected reflected energy to identify at least one trait of said hemodynamic process that is substantially unique to said user.