Authentication device, system and methods

• US 7,542,945 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanmina-SCI Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanmina-SCI Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Jimmy, Gardner, Terry W., Mills, Ron, Thompson, Gregory K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II; Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter; John M
• Application Number:
  US10/346,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,330 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/51, 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/128 Check-book balancing, updating or printing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0027 Details of drawer or money-box

Abstract

System terminal integrated with biometric sensor, such as a fingerprint sensor. Transaction terminal such as a point of sale system, automated teller machine (ATM) or other system. The system may include a touch screen display. Also, logic to process sales transactions may be included. The transaction terminal may include a cash drawer. The system authenticates users based on data from the sensor, and can regulate access, for example to a cash drawer, based on the authentication. Also described is a sensor module, security system, and method of operating a transaction terminal.

Claims

1. A point of sale transaction terminal for operation by an employee user to process sales comprising:

a display including a touch screen;

a sensor physically and securely integrated into the display, the sensor receiving information from a human fingerprint from the employee user;

a cash drawer positioned within the transaction terminal for access by the employee user while using the transaction terminal;

means for logging on the user at the point of sale transaction terminal;

means for starting a sales application after logging on the user;

means for receiving transaction data from the sales application;

authentication means for receiving a request from the sales application and for authenticating the user using a fingerprint from the sensor means in response to the reguest;

cash drawer opening means for opening the cash drawer in response to the authentication means;

means for recording the transaction data and fingerprint data from sensor and for transmitting the recorded data to a memory.

2. The transaction terminal of claim 1,

wherein the sensor comprises a solid state capacitive sensor.

3. The transaction terminal of claim 1,

wherein the sensor yields an image having a density of at least 500 dots per inch (dpi).

4. The transaction terminal of claim 1,

wherein the access control logic does not communicate with the sales transaction processing logic;

and

wherein the access control logic includes programmable logic, and the system includes bios instructions to cause the programmable logic to allow access to the cash drawer in response to a determination by the access control logic that a user is authenticated; and

wherein the access control logic comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

5. The transaction terminal of claim 1,

wherein the access control logic consists entirely of hardware.