Method, device and system for biometrically authenticating a person

• US 7,165,716 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security GmBH (Giesecke & Devrient GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
• Inventors: Muller, Robert, Stephan, Elmar, Modl, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US10/030,163
• Time in Patent Office: 2,373 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 902/2, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/21 Design or setup of recognition systems or techniques; Extraction of features in feature space; Blind source separation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/70 using pattern recognition or machine learning optical pattern recognition or electronic computations therefor G06V10/88
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for biometric authentication of a person are proposed. Since the detection of biometric data never matches 100 percent, authentication is already effected when the detected data exceed a defined threshold value in comparison to stored reference data. In order to increase security, the invention provides that information about the person'"'"'s individual properties influencing the biometric data is stored and taken into account in the authentication process. For example, the threshold value is set low upon comparison of a fingerprint only if the person has exceptionally dry or moist skin. On the other hand, the sensor for detecting the biometric data of the fingerprint can also be set to be more sensitive or less sensitive depending on the stored information.

Claims

1. A method for biometric authentication of a person, comprising a reference data detection phase and a verification phase, the method comprising the steps of:

in the reference data detection phase,

detecting biometric data of a person and storing the detected biometric data as reference data,

determining at least one parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences sensory detection of said biometric data, and storing the determined parameter to be taken into account in at least one of the following method steps of the verification phase,

in the verification phase,

redetecting the person'"'"'s biometric data,

comparing the redetected biometric data for a match with the reference data, and

authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determined parameter is taken into account in the step of authenticating the person.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the defined threshold value is dependent on the determined parameter.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determined parameter is taken into account in the step of redetecting the biometric data.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the determined parameter is used for adjusting a sensor system for redetecting the biometric data.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized by an additional step of adapting a sensor system for redetecting the biometric data to environmental conditions prevailing at the time of redetection.

7. A chip card comprising a first memory area with a person'"'"'s biometric data as reference data and a second memory area with a parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences the sensory detection of said biometric data.

8. The chip card according to claim 7, comprising a third memory area with information on the environmental conditions prevailing during detection of the biometric data contained in the first memory area.

9. A system comprising

a chip card having a first memory area with a person'"'"'s biometric data as reference data and a second memory area with a parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences the sensory detection of said biometric data,

a first device for detecting a person'"'"'s biometric data, and

a second device for comparing the reference data stored in the first memory area of the chip card for a match with the person'"'"'s detected biometric data and authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value, at least one of the devices being coupled with the parameter stored in the second memory area of the chip card.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the second memory area of the apparatus with the determined parameter and the device for authenticating the person are coupled by the defined threshold value depending on the determined parameter.

11. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the second memory area with the determined parameter and the device for detecting the person'"'"'s biometric data are coupled by the determined parameter being taken into account during adjustment of a sensor system for detecting the biometric data.

12. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the system contains an activity filter which is variable in dependence on the determined parameter.

13. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the system contains an activity filter which is variable in dependence on the degree of the match between the redetected biometric data and the stored reference data.

14. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that the device for detecting the person'"'"'s biometric data includes a sensor system which is variably adjustable to the environmental conditions prevailing during detection of the person'"'"'s biometric data depending on the information stored in the third memory area of the apparatus.

15. A method for biometric authentication of a person, comprising a reference data detection phase and a verification phase, the method comprising the steps of:

in the reference data detection phase,

detecting biometric data of a person and storing the detected biometric data as reference data,

determining at least one parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences sensory detection of said biometric data, and storing the determined parameter to be taken into account in at least one of the following method steps of the verification phase,

in the verification phase,

redetecting the person'"'"'s biometric data,

comparing the redetected biometric data for a match with the reference data, and

authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value;

wherein the determined parameter is taken into account in the step of authenticating the person and the defined threshold value is dependent on the determined parameter.

16. A method for biometric authentication of a person, comprising a reference data detection phase and a verification phase, the method comprising the steps of:

in the reference data detection phase,

detecting biometric data of a person and storing the detected biometric data as reference data,

determining at least one parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences sensory detection of said biometric data, and storing the determined parameter to be taken into account in at least one of the following method steps of the verification phase,

in the verification phase,

redetecting the person'"'"'s biometric data,

comparing the redetected biometric data for a match with the reference data, and

authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value;

wherein the determined parameter is taken into account in the step of redetecting the biometric data and used for adjusting a sensor system for redetecting the biometric data.

17. A method for biometric authentication of a person, comprising a reference data detection phase and a verification phase, the method comprising the steps of:

in the reference data detection phase,

detecting biometric data of a person and storing the detected biometric data as reference data,

determining at least one parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences sensory detection of said biometric data, and storing the determined parameter to be taken into account in at least one of the following method steps of the verification phase,

in the verification phase,

redetecting the person'"'"'s biometric data,

comparing the redetected biometric data for a match with the reference data, and

authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value;

wherein the person is granted limited possibilities of activity depending on the determined parameter.

18. A method for biometric authentication of a person, comprising a reference data detection phase and a verification phase, the method comprising the steps of:

in the reference data detection phase,

detecting biometric data of a person and storing the detected biometric data as reference data,

determining at least one parameter based on at least one individual property of the person that specifically influences sensory detection of said biometric data, and storing the determined parameter to be taken into account in at least one of the following method steps of the verification phase,

in the verification phase,

redetecting the person'"'"'s biometric data, and

comparing the redetected biometric data for a match with the reference data,

authenticating the person if the match reaches a degree above a defined threshold value;

wherein the person is granted limited possibilities of activity depending on the degree of the match between the redetected biometric data and the stored reference data.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the environmental conditions prevailing during detection of the biometric data as reference data are stored and taken into account when a sensor system is adapted upon redetection of the biometric data to the environmental conditions prevailing at the time of redetection.