Biometric identification device with smartcard capabilities

• US 8,186,580 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1PerfectID, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Privaris, Inc.
• Inventors: Cannon, Charles, Reigle, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung
• Application Number:
  US12/251,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20090095810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0091 the circuit comprising an arrangement for avoiding intrusions and unwanted access to data inside of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/02 Access control comprising means for the enrolment of users
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device integrates a smartcard reader with a biometric authentication component to provide secured access to electronic systems. The device allows for an individual to insert a smartcard into an aperture in the physical enclosure of the BPID Security Device, allowing the smartcard and the BPID Security Device to electronically communicate with each other. The smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device is based on a custom application specific integrated circuit that incorporates smartcard terminals, such that the BPID Security Device can communicate directly with an inserted smartcard. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device is based on a commercial off-the-shelf microprocessor, and may communicate with a commercial off-the-shelf microprocessor smartcard receiver using a serial, USB, or other type of communication protocol. The device allows for enrolling a user'"'"'s credentials onto the smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device. The device also allows for authenticating an individual using the smartcard-enabled BPID Security Device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a biometric sensor configured to receive a biometric input;

a physical enclosure with an aperture, the physical enclosure configured to receive a smartcard through the aperture;

a smartcard reader coupled to the physical enclosure, the smartcard reader being coupled to a smartcard when the smartcard is received in the physical enclosure through the aperture, the smartcard reader being configured to read information from and write information to the smartcard when the smartcard is coupled to the smartcard reader; and

a processor disposed within the physical enclosure, the processor coupled to the biometric sensor and the smartcard reader, the processor configured to output a biometric template to the smartcard when the biometric input is authenticated by the processor based on the biometric template and when the smartcard is received in the physical enclosure through the aperture such that the biometric template is authenticated by the smartcard.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physical enclosure is tamper-evident.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physical enclosure is tamper-resistant.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aperture of the physical enclosure is oriented such that when the physical enclosure receives the smartcard through the aperture, an external surface of the smartcard is visible.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smartcard reader and the processor are implemented on an application-specific integrated circuit such that communications between the smartcard reader and the processor are secure and tamper-resistant.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smartcard reader and the processor are configured to communicate using serial communications.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smartcard reader and the processor are configured to communicate using a Universal Serial Bus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biometric template is a first biometric template, the apparatus further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store the first biometric template,

the processor being configured to produce a second biometric template based on the biometric input and configured to authenticate the second biometric template based on the first biometric template, the processor configured to authenticate the biometric input when the second biometric template is authenticated.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing configured to receive at least a portion of a smartcard;

a biometric sensor coupled to the housing, the biometric sensor configured to receive a biometric input;

a memory coupled to the housing, the memory configured to store a biometric template; and

a processor disposed within the housing, the processor coupled to the biometric sensor and the memory, the processor configured to send to the smartcard an identifier associated with the smartcard when the biometric input is authenticated by the processor based on the biometric template and when at least the portion of the smartcard is received within the housing such that the apparatus is authenticated by the smartcard based on at least one of the identifier or the biometric template, the processor configured to inhibit communication with the smartcard when the smartcard has not been previously enrolled with the processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to produce a biometric template based on the biometric input.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to authenticate a biometric input based on the biometric template.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to produce the identifier based on a serial number of the smartcard.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to inhibit the biometric template from being output outside of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to send to the smartcard the biometric template such that the biometric template is authenticated by the smartcard based on a biometric template stored at the smartcard.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to produce the biometric template.

16. A method, comprising:

storing, at a personal identification device, a biometric template of a user such that the biometric template is inhibited from being output from the personal identification device;

receiving, at the personal identification device, a smartcard associated with the user;

authenticating, at the personal identification device, a biometric input of the user based on the biometric template of the user; and

outputting electronic data stored at the smartcard after the receiving smartcard is received at the personal identification device and after the authenticating biometric input of the user is authenticated at the personal identification device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

producing, at the personal identification device, the biometric template of the user.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending, from the personal identification device, to the smartcard an identifier associated with the smartcard when the biometric input of the user is authentic such that the smartcard is configured to authenticate the personal identification device based on the identifier.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

authenticating, at the personal identification device, the smartcard based on a serial number of the smartcard before the outputting.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving from the smartcard a biometric template of the user; and

authenticating the biometric template of the user received from the smartcard based on the biometric template of the user stored at the personal identification device.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending, from the personal identification device, to the smartcard the biometric template when the biometric input of the user is authentic such that the smartcard is configured to authenticate the user based on the biometric template.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

verifying that the smartcard has been previously enrolled with the personal identification device before the outputting.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving from the smartcard electronic data of the user after the authenticating.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the biometric template is a first biometric template, the authenticating includes:

producing, at the personal identification device, a second biometric template based on the biometric input; and

authenticating, at the personal identification device, the second biometric template based on the first biometric template.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a personal identification device, a smartcard;

receiving, at the personal identification device, from the smartcard, a biometric template of the user; and

verifying the smartcard has been previously enrolled with the personal identification device based on a serial number associated with the smartcard;

after the verifying, authenticating, at the personal identification device, the biometric template of the user based on a stored biometric template of the user; and

prompting the smartcard to transmit electronic data stored at the smartcard when the biometric template of the user is authentic, the stored biometric template being stored at the personal identification device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving, at the personal identification device, a biometric input of the user; and

authenticating, at the personal identification device, the biometric input of the user received at the personal identification device based on one of the stored biometric template or the biometric template received from the smartcard before the authenticating the biometric template.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

producing, at the personal identification device, the stored biometric template before the authenticating.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

sending to the smartcard an identifier associated with a serial number associated with the smartcard such the identifier is authenticated by the smartcard.