Method and apparatus for secure access, payment and identification

• US 8,271,397 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Secure Registry LLC
• Original Assignee: Universal Secure Registry LLC
• Inventors: Weiss, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/168,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 705/76, 726/5, 726 28- 30
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 : Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 : Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 : using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 : Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication

Abstract

According to one aspect, the invention provides a system for authenticating identities of a plurality of users. In one embodiment, the system includes a first handheld device including a wireless transceiver which is configured to transmit authentication information, a second device including a wireless receiver, where the second device is configured to receive the authentication information.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating identities of a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a first handheld device including;

a biometric sensor programmed to receive a biometric input provided by a user of the first handheld device;

a processor coupled to the biometric sensor, the processor programmed to authenticate the user of the first handheld device based on the biometric input; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor and programmed to transmit via a network a first wireless signal including a first portion of biometric information of the user of the first handheld device; and

a second device including;

a processor;

a user interface coupled to the processor included in the second device and including a display, the user interface configured for operation by a user of the second device; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor included in the second device; and

a memory coupled to the processor included in the second device and configured to store respective biometric information for a first plurality of users wherein the respective biometric information includes a second portion of biometric information of the first plurality of users, respectively, wherein the first plurality of users includes the user of the first handheld device;

wherein the first wireless transceiver is programmed to transmit the first portion of biometric information of the user of the first handheld device to the second device via the network,

wherein the processor included in the second device is configured to form a combined biometric for display on the display included in the second device by combining the first portion of biometric information of the user of the first handheld device with a second portion of biometric information of the user of the first handheld device which is included in the biometric information for the first plurality of users, and

wherein the combined biometric is employed by the user of the second device to authenticate an identity of the user of the first handheld device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first handheld device includes a memory coupled to the processor included in the first handheld device and configured to store respective biometric information for a second plurality of users,

wherein the respective biometric information includes a second portion of biometric information of the second plurality of users, respectively;

and

wherein the respective biometric information for the second plurality of users includes a second portion of the biometric information of the user of the second device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless transceiver included in the second device is programmed to transmit via the network the first portion of biometric information of the user of the second device to the first handheld device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first handheld device includes a user interface coupled to the processor included in the first handheld device and including a display,

wherein the processor included in the first handheld device is configured to form a combined biometric for display on the display included in the first handheld device by combining the first portion of biometric information of the user of the second handheld device with a second portion of biometric information of the user of the second handheld device which is included in the biometric information for the second plurality of users, and

wherein the combined biometric is employed by the user of the first handheld device to authenticate an identity of the user of the second device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the second device includes a biometric sensor coupled to the processor and programmed to receive a biometric input provided by the user of the second device, and

wherein the processor included in the second device is programmed to authenticate the user of the second device based on the biometric input provided by the user of the second device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second device includes a handheld device with the display included in the second device.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising a secure system including a database, the database configured to store the biometric information of the second plurality of users,

wherein the wireless transceiver included in the first handheld device is configured to receive from the secure system a first signal including updated biometric information of the second plurality of users.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the database is configured to store biometric information of the first plurality of users, wherein the wireless transceiver included in the second device is configured to receive from the secure system a second signal that includes updated biometric information of the first plurality of users.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein updated biometric information of the second plurality of users is periodically communicated from the secure system to the first handheld device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the combined biometric includes a digital image of the user of the first handheld device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor included in the first device is programmed to disable a further operation of the first device where the authentication of the user of the first handheld device based on the biometric input of the first device is unsuccessful.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first handheld device includes a user interface coupled to the processor included in the first handheld device, and

wherein the authentication of the user of the first handheld device includes an authentication of a PIN entered by the user of first handheld device with the user interface of the first handheld device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver included in the first handheld device employs any one of a Bluetooth wireless communication and near field communication to communicate the first portion of the biometric information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first handheld device includes a mobile phone.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first handheld device is employed by the user of the first handheld device to provide an electronic ID that can be employed to authenticate the identification of the user of the first handheld device for a financial transaction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the financial transaction includes any one of a credit card transaction, a debit card transaction, a funds transfer and check cashing.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first handheld device is employed by the user of the first handheld device to provide an electronic ID for an action that requires a government issued form of identification.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the action includes gaining access to any one of an information technology network and a physical facility.

19. A method of authenticating an identity of a first entity, comprising the acts of:

authenticating, by a first handheld device, a user of the first handheld device as the first entity based on a biometric input provided by the user to the first handheld device;

receiving with a second device, first authentication information of the first entity wirelessly transmitted from the first handheld device, the first authentication information including a first portion of biometric data of the first entity;

retrieving from a memory included in the second device a second portion of biometric data of the first entity from biometric information for a first plurality of users stored in the memory;

combining, with the second device, the first portion of the biometric data and the second portion of the biometric data;

authenticating with the second device the identity of the first entity based upon the authentication information and the combination of the first portion of the biometric data and the second portion of the biometric data of the first entity;

receiving with the first handheld device, second authentication information of a second entity associated with the second device, the second authentication information wirelessly transmitted from the second device and including a first portion of biometric data of the second entity;

retrieving from a memory included in the first handheld device a second portion of biometric data of the second entity from biometric information for a second plurality of users stored in the memory of the first handheld device;

combining, with the first device, the first portion of the biometric data of the second entity and the second portion of the biometric data of the second entity; and

authenticating with the first device the identity of the second entity based upon the second authentication information and the combination of the first portion of the biometric data and the second portion of the biometric data of the second entity.