Integrated circuit card with fingerprint verification capability

• US 6,547,130 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ming-Shiang Shen
• Original Assignee: Ming-Shiang Shen
• Inventors: Shen, Ming-Shiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/366,976
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/487, 235/492, 902/2, 902/3, 902/26, 705/26, 705/51, 705/54, 705/58, 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 382/125, 382/127, 382/224, 713/186, 713/176, 713/200, 713/201, 713/185
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

An integrated circuit card is accessed by a card reader that is capable of establishing a communications link with a host computer. The integrated circuit card includes a card body, a memory device mounted on the card body, a fingerprint sensor mounted on the card body, a card reader interface circuit mounted on the card body, and a processing unit mounted on the card body and connected to the memory device, the fingerprint sensor and the card reader interface circuit. The memory device stores fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of an assigned user, and card information therein. The fingerprint sensor scans a fingerprint of a holder of the card body, and generates fingerprint scan data. The card reader interface circuit is activable so as to communicate with the card reader. The processing unit receives the fingerprint scan data from the fingerprint sensor, and compares the fingerprint scan data with the fingerprint reference data in the memory device to verify if the holder of the card body is the assigned user. The processing unit activates the card reader interface circuit for exchanging the card information with the host computer via the card reader upon verifying that the holder of the card body is the assigned user.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit card adapted to be accessed by a card reader that is capable of establishing a communications link with a hose computer, said integrated circuit card comprising:

a card body;

a memory device, mounted on said card body, for storing fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of an assigned user, and for storing card information therein;

a fingerprint sensor mounted on said card body and adapted to scan a fingerprint of a holder of said card body and to generate fingerprint scan data;

a card reader interface circuit mounted on said card body and activable so as to communicate with the card reader; and

a processing unit mounted on said card body and connected to said memory device, said fingerprint sensor and said card reader interface circuit, said processing unit receiving the fingerprint scan data from said fingerprint sensor and comparing the fingerprint scan data with the fingerprint reference data in said memory device to verify if the holder of said card body is the assigned user, said processing unit activating said card reader interface circuit for exchanging the card information with the host computer via the card reader upon verifying that the holder of said card body is the assigned user,

wherein the fingerprint reference data includes a plurality of scan line data, each of which describes fingerprint characteristics in a respective scanning line of the fingerprint of the assigned user,

said processing unit further transmitting a segment of the fingerprint reference data stored in said memory device to the host computer upon verifying that the holder of the card body is the assigned user, the transmitted segment of the fingerprint reference data including chosen ones of the scan line data being selected according to one of date and time of the exchange of the card information with the host computer, and

wherein the transmitted segment of the fingerprint reference data is compared with fingerprint reference data stored in the host computer.

2. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fingerprint sensor includes an m×

n array of scan cells that defines a fingerprint scanning area.

3. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fingerprint scan data includes a plurality of scan line data obtained by scanning corresponding lines of said array of scan cells.

4. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lines of said array of scan cells are scanned in a row direction of said array.

5. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lines of said array of scan cells are scanned in a column direction of said array.

6. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said scan cells generates a first logic signal upon detection of a ridge in the fingerprint of the holder of said card body, and a second logic signal upon detection of a valley in the fingerprint of the holder of said card body.

7. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a function key set mounted on said card body and connected to said processing unit, said function key set being operable so as to select the card information that is exchanged with the host computer.

8. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display unit mounted on said card body and connected to and controlled by said processing unit for displaying the card information that is exchanged with the host computer thereon.

9. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the card information that is exchanged with the host computer includes a credit card number.

10. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the card information that is exchanged with the host computer includes a bank account number.

11. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the card information that is exchanged with the host computer includes an assigned user identification card number.

12. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory device is a flash memory.

13. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scan line data of said fingerprint reference data is of a fingerprint scanning area having columns and rows from said scanned fingerprint of said assigned user, and wherein each said scan line data is numbered.

14. The integrated circuit card as claimed in claim 13 wherein each said numbered scan line data corresponds to a line selected from the group consisting of an even scanning line in the column direction of the fingerprint scanning area, an odd scanning line in the column direction, an even scanning line in the row direction, and an odd scanning line in the row direction.