Secure system and method for accessing files in computers using fingerprints

• US 6,910,132 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bhattacharya, Prabir
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEL JALIL, NEVEEN
• Application Number:
  US09/662,298
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 713/201, 713165-166, 713/200, 713/202, 705/56, 380/4, 382/115, 382/124, 382/125, 382/126, 382/312, 709/225
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

The user'"'"'s fingerprint is analyzed by the pattern matching module which draws upon pre-stored fingerprint data that may be encrypted. The pattern matching module work in conjuntion with an authorization module and resource access module to ascertain a user'"'"'s authorization level or security level and then give the user access to only those computer resources for which he or she has been granted authorization. The system preferably employs inter-modular encryption so that the system can be distributed across a network if desired.

Claims

1. A secure computer resource access system, comprising:

a fingerprint reading device for reading fingerprints of human users;

a store of fingerprint data corresponding to a plurality of different users;

an authorization system coupled to said reading device and configured to access said store and to associate an authorization level with a user based on the user'"'"'s fingerprint;

an access mechanism that defines a plurality of different authorization levels associated with a plurality of file resources, said access mechanism including at least one fingerprint matching module having a first secure interface to said fingerprint device and at least one authorization module having a second secure interface to said fingerprint matching module and a third secure interface to at least one resource access module;

said access mechanism being responsive to said authorization system to control how a user can interact with said computer resource based on said associated authorization level; and

a decryption service module in data communication with each of the fingerprint matching module, the authorization module and the resource access module and operable to provide decryption services thereto.

2. The access system of claim 1 wherein said fingerprint reading device is integral with a pointing device of a computer system.

3. The access system of claim 1 wherein said fingerprint reading device is integral with a keyboard device of a computer system.

4. The access system of claim 1 wherein said store of fingerprint data employs a data structure for storing said fingerprint data in an encrypted format.

5. The access system of claim 4 wherein said encrypted format is protected by a software key.

6. The access system of claim 1 wherein said authorization system communicates with said store of fingerprint data across an encrypted channel.

7. The access system of claim 1 wherein said authorization system communicates with said store of fingerprint data across a computer network.

8. The access system of claim 1 wherein said access mechanism controls file access within a computer system.

9. The access system of claim 1 wherein said access mechanism controls network access within a computer system.

10. The access system of claim 1 wherein said access mechanism controls record access within a computer system.

11. The access system of claim 1 wherein said access mechanism controls resource access within a computer system.

12. The access system of claim 1 wherein said access mechanism controls feature access within a computer system.

13. The access system of claim 1 wherein each one of said first secure interface, said second secure interface and said third secure interface comprising:

a encryption sub-module encrypting outgoing information from a given secure interface;

a decryption sub-module decrypting incoming information received by said given

secure interface.