Data transmission apparatus having a fingerprint reader and method thereof

• US 6,636,144 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hirakawa, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US09/527,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.53, 340/5.1, 340/5.22, 340/5.52, 340/5.8, 340/5.83, 382/116, 382/124, 379/93.03
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24162 Biometric sensor, fingerprint as user access password
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25092 Customized control features, configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25099 Detect configuration I-O and select needed program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2638 Airconditioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2655 Cd player
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints

Abstract

A storage unit contains previously stored control data for controlling an electrical device and a fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s finger in association with each other. The fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger is acquired by a fingerprint image input unit and a fingerprint feature extraction unit. The control data is read from the storage unit in accordance with the acquired fingerprint feature. The read control data is transmitted to the electrical device, thereby controlling the electrical device.

Claims

1. A data transmission apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit for storing at least a first and a second fingerprint features per one user and transmission data for at least a first and a second commands associated with said first and second fingerprint features, respectively, said first and second commands being different from each other;

a fingerprint reader for acquiring the fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger; and

a transmitter for reading out the commands from said storage unit in accordance with the acquired fingerprint feature as transmission data and transmitting the transmission data to the electrical device.

2. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical device is controlled based on the transmission data.

3. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storage unit has a plurality of tables for the electrical device, and each of the tables stores the control data in accordance with the fingerprint feature.

4. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a table selector for selecting one of the tables according to an electrical device to be controlled;

and

wherein said transmitter reads out the stored control data from the selected one of tables in accordance with the acquired fingerprint feature as the transmission data and transmitting the transmission data to the electrical device which corresponds to the selected one of tables.

5. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the tables stores the data for controlling one of a television, a video cassette recorder, an audio system and an air conditioner in association with the fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger.

6. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fingerprint reader has an input unit for inputting an image of a fingerprint of the user'"'"'s finger and an extraction unit for extracting the fingerprint feature based on the input image of the fingerprint.

7. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transmitter comprises a comparator for comparing the extracted fingerprint feature by said extraction unit of said fingerprint reader with the stored fingerprint feature in said storage unit.

8. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a register for registering a non-stored control data for controlling an electrical device in said storage unit in association with fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger.

9. The data transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said register over-writes the non-stored control signal on the stored control data.

10. A method of transmitting control data for controlling an electrical device, the method comprising:

acquiring a fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s finger;

selecting control data from a storage unit in accordance with the acquired fingerprint feature, wherein said storage unit stores at least a first and a second fingerprint features per one user and transmission data for at least a first and a second commands associated with said first and second fingerprint features, respectively, said first and second commands being different from each other; and

transmitting the control data read out from said storage unit to an electrical device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electrical device is controlled based on the control data.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

inputting an image of a fingerprint of the user'"'"'s finger; and

extracting the fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger based on the input image of the fingerprint.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said storage unit stores the control data in association with fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s finger.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising;

comparing the extracted fingerprint feature with the stored fingerprint feature in the storage unit.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of tables which are included in said storage unit and are prepared for electrical devices, each of tables storing the control data for controlling a corresponding electrical device; and

reading out the control data from the selected one of tables in accordance with the acquired fingerprint feature.

16. A remote controller for controlling an electrical device, comprising:

a storage unit for storing a first control data and a second control data, wherein the first control data for controlling a first electrical device corresponds to a first fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s first finger and the second control data for controlling a second electrical device corresponds to a second fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s second finger;

a fingerprint reader coupled to said storage unit, for acquiring one of the first and second fingerprint features, whereby reading out the first control data when the first fingerprint feature is acquired, and the second control data when the second fingerprint feature is acquired; and

a transmitter coupled to said fingerprint reader, for transmitting the first control data when the first fingerprint feature is acquired by said fingerprint reader, and transmitting the second control data when the second fingerprint feature is acquired by said fingerprint reader.

17. The remote controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the electrical device is controlled based on one of the first and second control data.

18. The remote controller as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a data receiver for receiving a third control data for controlling the electrical device;

a register coupled to said data receiver and said storage unit, for registering the third control data in said storage unit, wherein the third control data is associated with a third fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s third finger.

19. The remote controller as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a data receiver for receiving a third control data for controlling the electrical device;

a register coupled to said data receiver and said storage unit, for over-writing the third control data on the first control data stored in said storage unit, wherein the first control data is associated with the first fingerprint feature.

20. The remote controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the electrical device is one of a television, a video cassette recorder, an audio system and an air conditioner.

21. The remote controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein said fingerprint reader comprises:

an scanner for obtaining an image of a fingerprint of at least one of the user'"'"'s first and second fingers; and

an extraction unit for extracting at least one of the first and second fingerprint features based on the image obtained by said scanner.

22. A remote controller, comprising:

a storage unit having a first table and a second table, wherein the first table stores first control data for controlling a first electrical device, wherein the first control data is associated with a first fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s first finger, and the second table stores a second control signal for controlling a second electrical device, wherein the second control data is associated with a second fingerprint feature of the user'"'"'s second finger;

a first table selector for selecting one of the first and second tables;

a fingerprint reader coupled to said storage unit and said first table selector, for acquiring one of the first and second fingerprint feature, whereby reading out the first control data from the first table of said storage unit when the first table is selected by said first table selector and the first fingerprint feature is acquired, and reading out the second control data from the second table of said storage unit when the second table is selected by said first table selector and the second fingerprint feature is acquired; and

a transmitter for transmitting one of the first control data and the second control data, which is read out from one of the tables of said storage unit by said fingerprint reader.

23. The remote controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first electrical device is controlled based on the first control data when the first control data is transmitted from said transmitter, and the second electrical device is controlled based on the second control data when the second control data is transmitted from said transmitter.

24. The remote controller as claimed in claim 22, further comprising;

a second table selector for selecting one of the first and second tables;

a data receiver for receiving a third control data for controlling one of the first and second electrical devices;

a register coupled to said second table selector, said data receiver and said storage unit, for registering the third control data in association with a third fingerprint feature of a user'"'"'s third finger, wherein the third control data is stored in the first table of said storage unit when the first table is selected by said second table selector and stored in the second table of said storage unit when the second table is selected by said second table selector.

25. The remote controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first and second electrical devices are different from each other and each are one of a television, a video cassette recorder, an audio system and an air conditioner.

26. The remote controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein said fingerprint reader comprises:

an scanner for obtaining an image of a fingerprint of at least one of the user'"'"'s first and second fingers; and

an extraction unit for extracting at least one of the first and second fingerprint features based on the image obtained by said scanner.