Method of personal verification for computer system, computer system, and recording medium

• US 6,724,919 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Kazuhiro, Katayama, Yoshihiro, Nakashima, Takayuki, Mizuhiki, Shunichi, Yamashita, Naoya, Jitsuishi, Yasuyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Timothy M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US09/597,263
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 382/110, 382/115, 382/117, 382/118, 382/144, 382/149, 382/151, 382/159, 382/171, 382/172, 382/190, 382/195, 382/209, 382/216, 382/217, 382/218, 382/219, 382/220, 382/224, 382/278, 382/282, 382/284, 382/287, 382/291, 382/294, 382/295, 382/303, 382/305, 358/537, 358/538, 358/452, 340/3.25, 340/5.27, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.54, 713/186, 902/3, 902/4
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

According to present invention, there is provide a method of verification for a computer system, the method comprising the steps of acquiring a face image of a user at any time of a user operation, verifying whether the acquired face image coincides with any one of pre-registered face images, and executing a preset process where the acquired face image coincides with the any one of the pre-registered face images.

Claims

1. A method of verification for a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a face image of a user at a time of a user operation;

verifying whether the acquired face image coincides with any one of pre-registered face images;

determining whether identification information corresponding to the acquired face image coincides with identification information, which is obtained immediately before the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image where the acquired face image coincides with the any one of the pre-registered face images; and

executing a preset process where the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image does not coincide with the identification information, which is obtained immediately before the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image.

2. A method of verification according to claim 1, wherein said pre-registered face images correspond to program names of programs to be executed, and

where the verifying step verifies that the acquired face image coincides with one of said pre-registered face images, the executing step executes one of said programs according to the program name corresponding to said verified one of the pre-registered face images.

3. A method of verification according to claim 1, wherein said acquiring step acquires the face image of the user by means of a camera which is built in the computer system or a camera which is externally attached to the computer system.

4. A method of verification according to claim 1, wherein said pre-registered face images correspond to personal files including program names of programs to be executed, and

where the verifying step verifies that said acquired face image coincides with one of said pre-registered face images, the executing step executes a process according to a content of one of said personal files which corresponds to said verified one of the pre-registered face images.

5. A method of verification according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing identification information for a user who is authorized to use the computer system in a management data base;

creating a personal data base in which processes which are to be executed and flags, respectively provided corresponding to the processes which are to be executed, for indicating that corresponding process is active or not are stored; and

setting an address of the personal data base in the management data base such that the address of the personal data base is associated with the identification information.

6. A method of verification according to claim 5, wherein the executing step includes:

obtaining the address of the personal data base which is set in the management data base, the address of the personal data base being associated with the any one of the identification information, where the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image does not coincide with identification information which is obtained immediately before the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image,

retrieving the personal data base which is indicated by the obtained address of the personal data base set in the management data base to obtain the process which is to be executed, and

executing the obtained process which is to be executed, the obtained process being associated with the flags which indicate that corresponding process is active.

7. A computer system comprising:

means for acquiring a face image of a user;

means for processing verification of the user by extracting features of the acquired face image;

means for determining whether identification information corresponding to the acquired face image coincides with identification information which is obtained immediately before the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image where the verification of the user is confirmed; and

means for executing a preset process where the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image does not coincide with the identification information which is obtained immediately before the identification information corresponding to the acquired face image.

8. A computer system according to claim 7, wherein said processing means checks the verification of the user by verifying whether the feature of the acquired face image coincides with any one of pre-registered features of face images,

said pre-registered features of face images correspond to program names of programs to be executed, respectively, and

where the verification of the user is confirmed by said processing means, said execution means executes the program according to the program name corresponding to said verified pre-registered face image.

9. A computer system according to claim 7, wherein the face image acquired by means of a camera which is built in said computer system or is externally attached to said computer system.

10. A computer system according to claim 7, further comprising a data base for storing pre-registered features of face images associated with personal files including program names of programs to be executed,

wherein said processing means checks the verification of the user by verifying whether said acquired face image coincides with any one of the pre-registered features of face images stored in the data base, and

where said processing means verifies that said acquired face image coincides with any one of the pre-registered features of face images, said execution means executes a process stored in a personal file corresponding to said one of the pre-registered features of face images.

11. A computer system according to claim 10, wherein each of said personal files includes at least one of a text message and a sound message.

12. A computer system according to claim 10, further comprising

means for storing address of the personal file which is associated with any one of the pre-registered features of face images,

wherein the executing means executes the process stored in the personal file by referring to the address of the personal file stored in the storing means.

13. A computer system according to claim 12,

wherein the personal file stores flag indicating whether or not the process stored therein is active or not, and the executing means only executes the process being associated with the flag which indicates that corresponding process is active.

14. A computer system according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for presenting a selection screen of image components to be synthesized into the acquired face image; and

means for synthesizing one of the image components selected from the selection screen into the acquired face image.

15. A computer system comprising:

means for acquiring a face image of a user;

means for processing verification of the user by extracting features of the acquired face image;

means for executing a preset process where the verification of the user is confirmed by the process means;

means for determining whether or not the acquired current face image coincides with a previous face image obtained immediately before the acquired face image; and

means for preventing execution of the preset process when the acquired face image coincides with the previous face image.

16. A computer system according to claim 15, wherein the determining means determines whether identification information corresponding to the acquired current face image coincides with identification information corresponding to the acquired previous face image obtained immediately before the acquired current face image.

17. A computer system according to claim 16, wherein the executing means executes the preset process where the identification information corresponding to the acquired current face image does not coincide with the identification information corresponding to the acquired previous face image obtained immediately before the acquired current face image.

18. A computer system according to claim 15, wherein the processing means checks the verification of the user by verifying whether the feature of the acquired face image coincides with any one of pre-registered features of face images,

said pre-registered features of face images correspond to program names of programs to be executed, respectively, and

wherein the verification of the user is confirmed by said processing means, said execution means executes the program according to the program name corresponding to said verified pre-registered face image.

19. A computer system according to claim 15, further comprising a data base for storing pre-registered features of face images associated with personal files including program names of programs to be executed,

wherein said processing means checks the verification of the user by verifying whether said acquired face image coincides with any one of the pre-registered features of face images stored in the data base, and

wherein said processing means verifies that said acquired face image coincides with any one of the pre-registered features of face images, said execution means executes a process stored in a personal file corresponding to said one of the pre-registered features of face images.

20. A computer system according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for presenting a selection screen of image components to be synthesized into the acquired face image; and

means for synthesizing one of the image components selected from the selection screen into the acquired face image.

21. A computer system according to claim 19, further comprising

means for storing address of the personal file which is associated with any one of the pre-registered features of face images,

wherein the executing means executes the process stored in the personal file by referring to the address of the personal file stored in the storing means.

22. A computer system according to claim 21,

wherein the personal file stores a flag indicating whether or not the process stored therein is active, and the executing means only executes the process being associated with the flag which indicates that corresponding process is active.