System for biometric security using a smartcard

• US 7,451,924 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Salow, Glen, Bonalle, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US11/859,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20080011830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 235/370, 235/487, 235/492, 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/5.52
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a biometric sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a biometric sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a biometric sensor. The device for verifying samples compares the biometric samples with information stored on databases.

Claims

1. A smartcard transaction system configured with a biometric security device, said system comprising:

a smartcard configured to communicate with a reader, wherein said reader and said biometric security device are configured to communicate with a host;

an integrated circuit device disposed within said smartcard and configured to communicate with said reader, said integrated circuit device comprising a common application and a second application, said second application being configured to store travel-related information associated with a cardholder;

said second application comprising a common file structure and a partner file structure, wherein said partner file structure provides write access to a field within said partner file structure for a first partnering organization and denies write access to said field for a second partnering organization, and said common file structure provides write access for said first partnering organization and said second partnering organization to a field in said common file structure;

said biometric security device comprising a biometric sensor configured to communicate with said system and detect a proffered biometric sample, and wherein said proffered biometric sample accesses said common file structure and said partner file structure;

a verification device configured to verify said proffered biometric sample to facilitate access to said common file structure;

wherein after verification by said verification device, said common application is configured to transfer common data to facilitate said transaction, and said second application is configured to transfer said travel-related information, information related to said common file structure and information related to said partner file structure to facilitate said transaction;

a first enterprise data collection unit associated with a first enterprise, said first enterprise data collection unit configured to store update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said first enterprise;

a second enterprise data collection unit associated with a second enterprise, said second enterprise data collection unit configured to store update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said second enterprise;

an access point configured to interface with said smartcard and said first and second enterprise data collection units;

a card object database system coupled to said first and second enterprise data collection units and configured to store said smartcard information in accordance with said update transactions and said pending transactions, wherein said smartcard information includes a card object having an application;

an update logic system configured to route said smartcard information from said first and second enterprise data collection units to said access point in order to effect synchronization of said smartcard information associated with said smartcard and said card object database system;

wherein said verification device activates said update logic system upon verification of said proffered biometric sample;

an update logic system coupled to an enterprise data synchronization interface, said update logic system configured to securely route card information between said enterprise data synchronization interface and said enterprise data collection units, said enterprise data synchronization interface coupled to an enterprise network configured to communicate with said access point;

further comprising a secure support client server configured to communicate with said access point, said secure support client server further configured to adaptively provide communication functionality in accordance with the communication functionality available at said access point; and

a personalization system comprising;

a security server;

a key system associated with an application, said key system configured to communicate with said security server and to supply a key in response to a request from said security server;

a personalization utility configured to receive said card object and to communicate with said security server;

said personalization utility further configured to add said key to said card object, a card management system, said card management system configured to accept a card request and communicate said card request to said personalization utility; and

a gather application module configured to communicate with said card management system and gather application information from a first database and a second database in accordance with said card request, wherein said first database is associated with said first enterprise, and said second database is associated with said second enterprise.

2. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said partner file structure includes card-holder preferences relating to at least one of rental cars, hotel reservations, and air travel.

3. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured to use data representing said proffered biometric sample as at least one of:

a private key and a public key to facilitate encryption security associated with said transaction.

4. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said transaction includes providing access to a room using said information related to said partner file structure.

5. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, further including a comparison device configured to compare said proffered biometric sample with a stored biometric sample, wherein said stored biometric sample comprises a registered biometric sample and wherein said registered biometric sample is associated with at least one of:

personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information.

6. The smartcard transaction system of claim 5, wherein different registered biometric samples are associated with a different one of:

personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information.

7. The smartcard transaction system of claim 6, wherein said registered biometric sample is primarily associated with a first user account, wherein said first account comprises personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information, and wherein a biometric sample is secondarily associated with a second user account, wherein said second account comprises personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information, where said second user account is different than said first user account.

8. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said biometric sensor is configured to provide a notification upon detection of said proffered biometric sample, and wherein said notification is at least one from the group of:

a notification to a security vendor, a notification to a store employee, and a notification to a primary account holder that said primary account is being accessed.

9. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said biometric sample is associated with a preset transaction limitation comprising at least one of a maximum transaction amount, minimum transaction amount, maximum number of transactions within a time period, maximum number of transactions, use by certain merchants, temporal limitation, geographic limitation, and use of non-monetary funds.

10. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said system is further configured to use said data representing said proffered biometric sample as at least one of:

a message authentication code, asymmetric encryption algorithm, a symmetric encryption algorithm, a private key and a public key to secure at least one of;

user data and transaction data.

11. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said biometric sample comprises at least one from the group of:

a retinal scan, an iris scan, a fingerprint scan, a hand print scan, a hand geometry scan, a voice print scan, a vascular scan, a facial scan, an ear scan, a signature scan, a keystroke scan, an olfactory scan, an auditory emissions scan, and a DNA scan.

12. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said biometric sensor comprises at least one from the group of:

a retinal scan sensor, an iris scan sensor, a fingerprint sensor, a hand print sensor, a hand geometry sensor, a voice print sensor, a vascular sensor, a facial sensor, an ear sensor, a signature sensor, a keystroke sensor, an olfactory sensor, an auditory emissions sensor, and a DNA sensor.

13. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said proffered biometric sample is associated with a first plurality of financial accounts and a first set of rules related to said transaction, and a second biometric sample is associated with a second plurality of financial accounts and a second set of rules related to said transaction, wherein said first plurality of financial accounts include different financial accounts than said second plurality of financial accounts.