Personal choice biometric signature

• US 7,035,443 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jacob Y. Wong
• Original Assignee: Jacob Y. Wong
• Inventors: Wong, Jacob Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Samir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/150,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1347 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A biometric method and system for personal authentication using sequences of partial fingerprint signatures provides a high security capability to various processes requiring positive identification of individuals. This approach is further enhanced by employing a frequency domain technique for calculating a Similarity Index of the partial fingerprint signatures. In a baseline usage, the sequential partial fingerprint sequence techniques augments sentinel systems for gaining access to restricted areas, and when used in combination with financial cards, offer a unique and greatly simplified means for authenticating or identifying individuals. A highly automated technique initially obtains a reference set of linear partial fingerprint signatures which serve as reference data against which later proffered candidate data in the form of at least two linear partial fingerprint signatures are compared for authentication. The particular two candidate signatures used and the sequence in which they are submitted are selected with the user'"'"'s consent and serve as a PIN-like unique personal code. In an advanced embodiment, a pair of proximity sensors located along each of the linear tracks used for developing the linear partial signatures produce finger sensing signals which compensate for finger movement speeds and hence significantly improves the calculated Similarity Index values. The use of only partial fingerprint data greatly allays the concerns of widespread fingerprint dissemination by many individuals.

Claims

1. A biometric method of authenticating the identity of an individual employing a preselected sequence of linear partial fingerprint signatures comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a reference set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said reference set, and storing an electronic representation of the reference set and their associated total scan times in a comparison means, said reference set derived from two or more scans taken across predetermined paths on an individual'"'"'s fingerprint;

(b) generating a candidate set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said candidate set, and applying an electronic representation of the candidate set and their associated total scan times to a comparison means, said candidate set derived from at least two scans taken across correspondingly predetermined paths on that individual'"'"'s fingerprint, the particular two of said at least two scans and the sequence of their application to said comparison means being selected so as to serve as a personal code; and

(c) providing said comparison means for comparing each of said linear signatures of said reference set with each of the corresponding linear signatures of said candidate set based on conforming the total scan times of corresponding linear signatures, and for providing an affirmative response for a successful comparison and a negative response for an unsuccessful comparison.

2. The biometric method of claim 1 wherein said generating step includes providing a single element optical sensing device and said at least two scans are taken while said individual'"'"'s fingerprint is moved across said sensing device.

3. The biometric method of claim 2 wherein said generating step further includes providing two pairs of proximity sensors, each pair positioned along a linear signature taking path including said single element optical sensing device such that said sensing device is disposed between said sensor pair for producing said total scan time measurements.

4. The biometric method of claim 1 wherein said generating step is accomplished by carrying out a timed series of sample data points to produce said candidate set of linear signatures, said data points taken at uniformly spaced time intervals and said comparison means includes total scan time measuring and conforming means such that the number of sample data points in said generated candidate set may be adjusted with respect to said obtained reference set in said comparison means to compensate for finger movement speed by using said total scan time measurements.

5. The biometric method of claim 1 wherein said comparing means is included in a microprocessor embedded within an identification/credit card.

6. The biometric method of claim 1 wherein said affirmative response is one or more responses selected from a group including an alphanumeric visual indicator, a color-coded visual indicator and a signal for controlling an external control unit.

7. A biometric system for authenticating the identity of an individual employing a preselected sequence of linear partial fingerprint signatures comprising:

(a) means for obtaining a reference set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said reference set, and for storing an electronic representation of the reference set and their associated total scan times in a comparison means, said reference set derived from two or more scans taken across predetermined paths on an individual'"'"'s fingerprint;

(b) means for generating a candidate set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said candidate set, and for applying an electronic representation of the candidate set and their associated total scan times to a comparison means, said candidate set derived from at least two scans taken across corresponding predetermined paths on that individual'"'"'s fingerprint, the particular two of said at least two scans and the sequence of their application to said comparison means being selected so as to serve as a personal code; and

(c) said comparison means for comparing each of said linear signatures of said reference set with the corresponding linear signatures of said candidate set based on conforming the total scan times of corresponding linear signatures, and for providing an affirmative response for a successful comparison and a negative response for an unsuccessful comparison.

8. The biometric system of claim 7 wherein said means for generating includes a single element optical sensing device and said at least two scans are taken while said individual'"'"'s fingerprint is moved across said sensing device.

9. The biometric system of claim 8 wherein said means for generating further includes two pairs of proximity sensors, each pair positioned along a linear signature taking path including said single element optical sensing device such that said sensing device is disposed between said sensor pair for producing said total scan time measurements.

10. The biometric system of claim 7 wherein said comparison means is included in a microprocessor embedded within an identification/credit card.

11. A biometric method of authenticating the identity of an individual employing a reselected sequence of linear partial fingerprint signatures comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a reference set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said reference set, and storing an electronic representation of the reference set and their associated total scan times in a comparison means, said reference set derived from two or more scans taken across predetermined paths on an individual'"'"'s fingerprint;

(b) generating a candidate set of linear partial fingerprint signatures and a total scan time measurement associated with each linear signature in said candidate set, and applying an electronic representation of the candidate set and their associated total scan times to a comparison means, said candidate set derived from at least two scans taken across correspondingly predetermined paths on that individual'"'"'s fingerprint, the particular two of said at least two scans and the sequence of their application to said comparison means being selected so as to serve as a personal code;

(c) said generating step further including providing a single element optical sensing device and said at least two scans are taken while said individual'"'"'s fingerprint is moved across said sensing device;

(d) said generating step further including providing two pairs of proximity sensors, each pair positioned along a linear signature taking path including said single element optical sensing device such that said sensing device is disposed between said sensor pair for producing said total scan time measurements;

(e) providing a said comparison means for comparing each of said linear signatures of said reference set with each of the corresponding linear signatures of said candidate set based on conforming the total scan times of corresponding linear signatures, and for providing an affirmative response for a successful comparison and a negative response for an unsuccessful comparison; and

(f) wherein said affirmative response is one or more responses produced by a multipurpose indicator providing outputs selected from a group including an alphanumeric visual indication, a color-coded visual indication and a signal for controlling an external control unit.