Method and apparatus for non-intrusive biometric capture

• US 6,572,014 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francis Lambert
• Original Assignee: Francis Lambert
• Inventors: Lambert, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US09/721,483
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/380, 235/376, 235/379, 235/382.5, 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 382/125, 382/126, 382/127
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0336 Mouse integrated fingerprint sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer peripheral device for providing a computer system with user input data and user biometric data includes an event sensing portion for detecting a user action and for converting the user input into a data first stream, the user action of a type appropriate for the computer peripheral device, a biometric acquisition portion for acquiring biometric data from the user at substantially a same time the event sensing portion detects the user action, and for converting the biometric data into a second data stream, and a processor coupled to the event sensing portion and the biometric acquisition portion for reversibly encoding the first data stream and the second data stream to form a third data stream, and for providing the third data stream to a computer system or a network.

Claims

1. A method for transparently monitoring usage of a computer system coupled to a display and to a user pointing device comprises:

running a first program and a second program on the computer system;

receiving a series of movement signals of a user from the user pointing device, the series of movement signals adapted to be used to control a cursor on the display;

receiving a user identification request from the second program;

transmitting biometric capture signals to the user pointing device in response to the user identification request from the second program;

receiving biometric data signals of the user from the user pointing device in response to the user identification request, the biometric data signals adapted to be used to identity the user; and

storing the biometric data signals of the user in a user log in a memory,

wherein the first program is not inhibited from running while awaiting receiving the biometric data signals of the user.

2. The method of claim 1

wherein the user pointing device is coupled to the computer system via a signal path, and

wherein the series of movement signals of the user and the biometric data signals of the user are both transmitted via the signal path.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal path comprises wires.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

receiving a series of movement signals of a user from the user pointing device and receiving biometric data signals of the user from the user pointing device occur at substantially the same time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a series of movement signals of a user from the user pointing device and receiving biometric data signals of the user from the user pointing device occur at different times.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising after storing the biometric data signals of the user in a user log in the memory:

receiving an additional user identification request from the second program;

transmitting additional biometric capture signals to the user pointing device in response to the additional user identification request from the program;

receiving additional biometric data signals of a current user from the user pointing device in response to the additional biometric capture signals, the biometric data signals adapted to be used to identify the current user; and

storing the additional biometric data signals of the current user in the user log in the memory.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an identity of the user in response to the biometric data signals.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

determining whether the user is authorized to run the first program in response to the biometric data signals from the user;

and thereafter

inhibiting the first program from running when the user is not authorized to run the first program.

9. A method for providing in-session authentication of users with a computer system comprises:

sending a series of signals to a user input device to initiate biometric capture with the user input device;

receiving biometric data of a user from the user input device in response to the series of signals;

determining an identity of the user in response to the biometric data;

determining whether the user is authorized to begin a user-session in response to the identity of the user;

initiating the user-session when the user is authorized to begin the user-session;

thereafter during the user-session the method includes;

sending an additional series of signals to the user input device to initiate biometric capture with the user input device;

receiving biometric data of a current user of the user input device from the user input device in response to the additional series of signals;

determining an identity of the current user in response to the biometric data; and

storing the identity of the current user in a user log;

wherein the user-session is maintained while determining the identity of the current user and while storing the identity of the current user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the user-session is maintained after sending the additional series of signals to the user input device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising restoring the user-session when the current user is authorized to maintain the user-session.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein storing the identity further storing the identity of the user in the user log.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving input data of the user from the user input device at substantially the same time as receiving biometric data of the current user.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the biometric data is selected from the group:

finger print, voice print, palm print, face print.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving a password from the user, wherein

determining the identity of the user comprises determining an identity of the user in response to the biometric data and to the password.

16. The method of claim 9 further

comprising terminating the user-session when the current user is not authorized to maintain the user-session.

17. An computer program product for a computer system for authenticating a user during a computer system session including a processor comprises:

code that directs the processor to receive event data of a user from a user input device;

code that directs the processor to send a series of signals to the user input device to initiate biometric capture with the user input device;

code that directs the processor to receive biometric data of the user from the user input device in response to the series of signals;

code that directs the processor to determine an identity of the user in response to the biometric data;

code that directs the processor to determine whether the user is authorized to begin a user-session in response to the identity of the user;

code that directs the processor to initiate the user-session when the user is authorized to begin the user-session;

thereafter during the user-session;

code that directs the processor to send an additional series of signals to the user input device to initiate biometric capture with the user input device;

code that directs the processor to receive biometric data of current user of the user input device from the user input device in response to the additional series of signals; and

code that directs the processor to determine an identity of the current user in response to the biometric data;

wherein the codes reside on a tangible media;

wherein the user-session is maintained while determining the identity of the current user.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to receive event data of the current user from the user input device; and

code that directs the processor to process the event data of the current user from the user input device;

wherein the processor processes the event data of the current user while the processor determines the identity of the current user.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising code that directs the processor to store the identity of the user and the identity of the current user in the tangible media.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the biometric data is selected from the group:

finger print, voice print, palm print, face print.

21. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

code that directs the processor to receive a password from the user;

wherein

the code that directs the processor to determing the identity of the user comprises code that directs the processor to determine the identity of the user in response to the biometric data and to the password.

22. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the user input device is coupled to the computer system via a communication path;

and

wherein event data from the user input device and the biometric data are received from the user input device are comminicated along the communication path.

23. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising

code that directs the processor to determine whether the current user is authorized to maintain the user-session in response to the identity of the current user;

and

code that directs the processor to terminate the user-session if the current user is not authorized to maintain the user-session.