Identification system and method of operating same

• US 8,098,129 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Falck, Thomas, Maass, Henning
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US11/719,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 340/5.73, 340/825.69, 340/573.1, 342/357.07, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 341/33, 307/149, 382/115, 455/553.1, 455/41.1, 345/156, 345/157, 345/163
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00555 comprising means to detect or avoid relay attacks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An identification system which is not prone to man-in-the-middle attacks and which is capable of intra-body communication includes at least one wearable electronic key (1). The electronic key includes an intra-body communication interface (IBCI) and a storage device (DB) in which user identification data (ID) are stored, and an authentication server (AS) for verification of a user'"'"'s fingerprint. At least one reader (2) has an intra-body communication interface (IBCI) and a fingerprint reader.

Claims

1. An identification system for intra-body communication, comprising:

at least one wearable electronic key including;

a key intra-body communication interface for communicating over a user'"'"'s body,

a memory in which a user'"'"'s identification data and a stored fingerprint template of at least one fingerprint of the user are stored, and

an authentication server programmed to compare a candidate fingerprint template received over the user'"'"'s body with the stored fingerprint template and in response to the received and stored fingerprint templates matching, sending the user'"'"'s identification over the user'"'"'s body; and

at least one reader including;

a fingerprint reader which reads a fingerprint of a candidate finger and generates the candidate fingerprint template therefrom, and

a reader intra-body communication interface over which the candidate fingerprint template is sent to the wearable electronic key and the user'"'"'s identification is received.

2. The identification system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication server is further programmed to encrypt the user'"'"'s identification data.

3. The identification system according to claim 1, wherein the memory of the wearable electronic key stores fingerprint templates for at least two fingers of the user and the authentication server sends an indication of which stored finger template matches the candidate fingerprint template along with the user'"'"'s identification data.

4. A wearable electronic key for use in an identification system, the electronic key comprising:

an intra-body communication interface which sends and receives communications via a wearer'"'"'s body;

a storage device which stores a wearer ID and at least one wearer fingerprint template; and

a verification server which compares a candidate fingerprint template received from a reader via the intra-body communication interface and, in response to the candidate fingerprint template matching the wearer fingerprint template, sending the wearer ID via the intra-body communication interface to the reader.

5. A reader for use in an identification system, the reader comprising:

an intra-body communication interface which is touched by a user to be authenticated; and

a fingerprint sensor which senses a fingerprint of a finger touching the intra-body communication interface and generates an electronic fingerprint template thereof, the electronic fingerprint template being sent via the intra-body interface to a wearable electronic key of the user;

the intra-body communication interface further receiving a user ID in response to the wearable electronic key authenticating the electronic fingerprint template.

6. A method of operating an identification system which includes at least one wearable electronic key and at least one reader, the method comprising:

a) generating a fingerprint template of a user using a fingerprint sensor of a reader;

b) transmitting the fingerprint template from the reader to a wearable electronic key over a body of the user;

c) verifying the transmitted fingerprint template within the wearable electronic key;

d) transmitting identification data of the user from the wearable electronic key over the user'"'"'s body to the reader in response to verification of the transmitted fingerprint template within the wearable electronic key.

7. The method of operating an identification system according to claim 6, further including:

encrypting data transmitted over the user'"'"'s body.

8. The method of operating an identification system according to claim 6, wherein in step c), the finger of the user corresponding to the transmitted fingerprint template is determined and wherein in step d), additional data associated with each finger of the user is transmitted with the identification data.

9. A method of providing authorized information comprising:

storing a fingerprint template on a wearable electronic key;

detecting a fingerprint with a reader and generating a candidate fingerprint template from the detected fingerprint;

transmitting the candidate fingerprint template to the electronic key via intra-body communication;

verifying within the electronic key the candidate fingerprint template is the same as the stored fingerprint template; and

transmitting authorized information from the electronic key to the reader via intra-body communication upon successful verification.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information is encrypted.

11. The method of claim 9, further including:

determining which finger has been detected.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

transmitting different information depending on which finger was detected.