Removable swipe-imaging device and method for identifying same

• US 7,724,923 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Activcard Ireland, Limited (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Hamid, Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIEW, ALEX KOK SOON
• Application Number:
  US10/173,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20030053665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,897 Days
• Field of Search: 382/195
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification

Abstract

A removable swipe-imaging device and a method for identifying the device are disclosed. The removable swipe-imaging device is for limiting access to protected area to authorized individuals. The removable swipe-imaging device comprises a sensing pad with an integrated processor for processing sensed biometric image data; the processor comprising an encoding circuit for encoding the sensed biometric image data in response to a challenge received from a host processor, the encoded sensed image data for being transmitted to the host processor and decoded based on the challenge. The method for identifying the device comprises the steps of: providing a biometric sample to the sensor; capturing a biometric image indicative of the biometric sample for generating biometric image data; generating a challenge, the challenge stored in a storage medium in communication with a host processor; providing the generated challenge to the imaging sensor; encoding the biometric image data within the sensor in dependence upon the challenge; and, transmitting the encoded biometric image data to the host processor.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a biometric sample at the sensor, wherein the sensor comprises a swipe contact imager, and wherein receiving a biometric sample comprises receiving a swipe of a fingertip across the swipe contact imager;

capturing a biometric image indicative of the biometric sample;

generating biometric image data indicative of the biometric image, wherein the biometric image data comprises a sequence of bits having bit values;

receiving a challenge from a processor;

encoding the biometric image data based at least in part on the challenge, wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises evaluating a majority of the bit values of the bits of the biometric image data based at least in part on the received challenge; and

transmitting the encoded biometric image data to the processor for authentication of the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a challenge comprises receiving a challenge having data indicative of at least an encoding operation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a time value from a timing device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises inserting data indicative of the time value within the encoded biometric image data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the time value is a first time value and wherein receiving a challenge comprises receiving a challenge that comprises a second time value for use in determining compatibility between the inserted data and the first time value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining compatibility comprises evaluating whether a difference between the first time value and the second time value is within predetermined limits.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the processor is a first processor and wherein determining compatibility is for ensuring synchronization between the first processor and a second processor associated with the sensor.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises determining an encoding operation based on the time value.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the time value is a first time value and wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises determining further challenge data within the sensor based on the first time value, the further challenge data being determined independently by the processor based on a second time value retrieved thereby other than from the sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises reversibly encoding the biometric image data.

11. A device for generating encoded biometric image data in response to a challenge provided by a first processor that is to receive the biometric image data for authentication of the device, the device comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a challenge from the first processor for use in authenticating the device and provide a response to the first processor;

a sensing pad configured to sense a biometric information sample, wherein the sensing pad comprises a swipe contact imager; and

a second processor electrically coupled to the sensing pad, the second processor configured to—

encode the biometric image data in response to the challenge received at the transceiver from the first processor, wherein the biometric image data is generated from the biometric information sample, wherein the biometric image data comprises a sequence of bits having bit values, and wherein encoding the biometric image data comprises evaluating a majority of the bit values based at least in part upon the received challenge; and

provide the encoded biometric image data to the transceiver for transmission to the first processor for authentication of the device.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the second processor comprises a plurality of individual encoding circuits, the plurality of individual encoding circuits for independent use in dependence upon the challenge.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising a sensor clock configured to generate a sensor time value associated with the biometric image data, the sensor time value being different for different biometric image data, and wherein the second processor comprises a circuit configured to encode the sensor time value within the encoded biometric image data.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising a sensor clock configured to generate a sensor time value associated with the biometric image data, the sensor time value being different for a different biometric image data, and wherein the second processor comprises individual encoding circuits responsive to the sensor time value for encoding the sensed biometric image data based on the sensor time value, wherein some sensor time values result in activation of different individual encoding circuits from others.

17. The device of claim 11, further comprising a sensor clock configured to generate a sensor time value associated with the biometric image data, the sensor time value being different for different biometric image data, and wherein the second processor comprises a circuit for encoding in a fashion indicative of the sensor time value, wherein the sensor time value and a time value associated with the first processor are for use in verifying synchronization of the sensing pad and the first processor.

18. The device of claim 11, further comprising a mating connector configured to facilitate engaging with an apparatus.

15. A biometric authentication system, comprising:

an imaging device; and

a first processor comprising—

a challenge generator configured to generate a challenge upon reception of data indicative of an imminent use of the imaging device;

a first transceiver configured to transmit the challenge to the imaging device and receive encoded biometric image data from the imaging device; and

a storage medium configured to store the challenge;

wherein the imaging device comprises—

a second transceiver configured to receive the challenge from the first processor;

a sensing pad configured to sense a biometric information sample; and

a second processor electrically coupled to the sensing pad, wherein the

second processor is configured to—

receive the sensed biometric information sample;

generate biometric image data from the sensed biometric information sample, wherein the generated biometric image data comprises a sequence of bits having bit values;

encode the generated biometric image data based at least in part on the received challenge, wherein encoding the generated biometric image data comprises evaluating a majority of the bit values of the bits based at least in part on the received challenge; and

provide the encoded biometric image data to the second transceiver for transmission to the first processor for authentication of the imaging device.

16. The biometric authentication system of claim 15, wherein the first processor further comprises a clock configured to generate a time value and assign the time value to the challenge, the time value being different for a subsequent challenge.

19. A biometric authentication system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage medium electrically coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform an authentication method, the authentication method comprising—

generating a challenge;

storing the challenge;

transmitting the challenge to a sensor;

receiving encoded biometric image data from the sensor, wherein the biometric image data, prior to being encoded, is generated from a biometric image sample received from a user and comprises a sequence of bits having bit values, and wherein the encoded biometric image data is produced by evaluating a majority of the bit values based at least in part on the challenge;

decoding the encoded biometric image data based on the challenge;

performing one of authorizing the sensor and failing to authorize the sensor using the challenge; and

performing one of authenticating the user and failing to authenticate the user using the decoded biometric image data.