Collation device and collation method for authenticating users

• US 8,116,565 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mariam, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICE, ELISA M
• Application Number:
  US11/270,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/242 Division of the character sequences into groups prior to recognition; Selection of dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification

Abstract

A reading unit supplies card information that has been read from a card to a management unit by way of a read-out unit. The management unit assigns a high order of priority to card information that has been newly read and stores the card information to which this order of priority has been given in a memory unit. A fingerprint scanner supplies input fingerprint information to a selection unit by way of a generation unit. The selection unit, upon receiving the input fingerprint information, supplies this input fingerprint information to a collation unit and further, selects a plurality of items of registered fingerprint information that are stored in the memory unit starting in order with items having the highest order of priority. The collation unit, upon receiving the input fingerprint information, collates this input fingerprint information with the registered fingerprint information in the order selected by the selection unit, and determines whether registered fingerprint information that matches the input fingerprint information is present within the plurality of items of registered fingerprint information.

Claims

1. A collation device comprising:

a reading unit for reading registered identification information and specific information that are recorded on a portable recording medium;

a storage unit for, each time said reading unit reads said registered identification information and said specific information, successively storing said registered identification information and said specific information that have been read in association with each other so that said registered identification information and said specific information can be distinguished registered identification information and specific information that are already stored in said storage unit, such that said storage unit stores a plurality of items of registered identification information and specific information;

an acquisition unit for acquiring input identification information from a user;

a collation/determination unit for, when said acquisition unit acquires said input identification information without said reading unit reading said registered identification information and specific information, collating the input identification information with the plurality of items of registered identification information that are stored in said storage unit, determining whether registered identification information that matches said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information, and supplying the specific information that has been stored in said storage unit in association with the registered identification information when registered identification information matching said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information; and

a storage management unit for assigning an order of priority to registered identification information that has been read by said reading unit and successively storing the registered identification information to which an order of priority has been given in said storage unit;

wherein said collation/determination unit comprises;

a selection unit for, when said acquisition unit acquires said input identification information, selecting a plurality of items of registered identification information that have been stored in said storage unit starting in order with items having the highest order of priority; and

a collation unit for collating said input identification information with said registered identification information in the order that has been selected by said selection unit and determining whether registered identification information that matches said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information.

2. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein said storage management unit gives the highest order of priority to registered identification information that has been newly read by said reading unit.

3. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein, when said collation unit has determined that registered identification information that matches said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information, said storage management unit determines the order of priority of registered identification information in accordance with the times that the registered identification information matches the input identification information.

4. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein, when said reading unit newly reads said registered identification information and when capacity for storing this registered identification information that has been read is not available in said storage unit, said storage management unit deletes registered identification information having the lowest order of priority from said storage unit and stores the registered identification information that has been newly read in said storage unit.

5. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein said portable recording medium is a card-type.

6. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit is volatile memory.

7. The collation device according to claim 6, wherein said volatile memory is RAM.

8. The collation device according to claim 1, wherein said registered identification information is registered fingerprint information, and said input identification information is input fingerprint information.

9. A collation method that is performed in a collation device that collates registered identification information that has been recorded on a portable recording medium with input identification information that has been inputted from a user and that has a storage unit for storing said registered identification information;

said collation method comprising;

using a processor of the collation device to carry out the steps of;

a reading step for reading registered identification information and specific information that have been recorded on said portable recording medium;

a storing step for, each time said registered identification information and said specific information of said portable recording medium are read, successively storing said registered identification information and said specific information that have been read in association with each other in said storage unit so that said registered identification information and said specific information can be distinguished registered identification information and specific information that are already stored in said storage unit, such that said storage unit stores a plurality of items of registered identification information and specific information;

an acquisition step for acquiring said input identification information from said user;

a collation/determination step for, when said input identification information is acquired without reading said registered identification information and specific information, collating the input identification information with the plurality of items of registered identification information that have been stored in said storage unit, determining whether registered identification information that matches said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information, and supplying the specific information that has been stored in said storage unit in association with the registered identification information when registered identification information matching said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information; and

an assigning step for assigning an order of priority to said registered identification information;

wherein;

said storing step includes successively storing in said storage unit registered identification information to which said order of priority has been given; and

said collation/determination step includes;

a selection step for, when said input identification information is acquired, selecting a plurality of items of registered identification information that are stored in said storage unit starting in order with items having the highest order of priority; and

a collation step for collating said input identification information with said registered identification information in the order of selection determined in said selection step and determining whether registered identification information that matches said input identification information is present among said plurality of items of registered identification information.

10. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said assigning step includes assigning the highest order of priority to registered identification information that has been newly read in said reading step.

11. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said assigning step includes, when registered identification information that matches said input identification information is determined to be present among said plurality of items of registered identification information in said collation step, determining the order of priority of the registered identification information according to the times that the registered identification information matches the input identification information.

12. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said storage step includes, when registered identification information is newly read in said reading step and when capacity is not available in said storage unit for storing the registered identification information that has been read, deleting registered identification information that has the lowest order of priority from said storage unit and then storing the registered identification information that has been read in said storage unit.

13. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said portable recording medium is a card-type recording medium.

14. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said storage unit is volatile memory.

15. The collation method according to claim 14, wherein said volatile memory is RAM.

16. The collation method according to claim 9, wherein said registered identification information is registered fingerprint information, and said input identification information is input fingerprint information.