Biometrics authentication method and client terminal and authentication server used for biometrics authentication

• US 8,320,640 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kenta, Hirata, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Wenpeng
• Assistant Examiner(s): Niu, Feng
• Application Number:
  US12/760,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 382/125, 382/218, 382/128, 382224-228, 382/305, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 713/186, 713/168, 713/182, 715/716, 726/5, 726/1, 726/19
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/242 Division of the character sequences into groups prior to recognition; Selection of dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/53 Measures to keep reference information secret, e.g. cancellable biometrics

Abstract

In a biometrics authentication system inputting biometric information and outputting a user ID, speedup of 1:N matching on the side of server is achieved when cancelable biometrics authentication is realized in which matching is carried out. During registration, similarity of a feature to a dummy feature is searched and the feature is transformed by using a transform parameter corresponding to a nearest neighboring dummy feature. The transformed feature and a group ID are transmitted to the server and the server registers the transformed feature at the group in a DB. During authentication, like the registration process, similarity search of a feature is carried out and the feature is transformed by using transform parameter corresponding to a nearest neighboring dummy feature. The transformed feature and group ID are transmitted to the server. The server executes 1:1 matching between a template a the group in the DB and the transformed feature.

Claims

1. A biometrics authentication method in which

a client terminal, comprising at least one computer, is configured to transform a feature for authentication extracted from biometric information of an individual with the help of a transform parameter to obtain a transformed feature for authentication and to transmit it to an authentication server,

the authentication server includes a database adapted to store a plurality of transformed features for registration and information specifying the individual by making the correspondence between them and searches said database to specify an individual corresponding to a transformed feature for registration which is the most similar to the transformed feature for authentication,

said client terminal is configured to store in a database on the client side in advance dummy features on basis of which the feature for registration and the feature for authentication of the biometric information are classified into any of a plurality of groups, an index for identifying the group and transform parameters corresponding to the respective dummy features;

and

said authentication server includes a database for transformed features for registration adapted to store the transformed feature for registration transformed from the feature for registration with help of the transform parameter and information for identifying the individual from which extraction of the feature for registration originates while classifying them into any of said plural groups on the basis of said index,

wherein, during a process for registration of the biometric information, said biometrics authentication method comprises in said client terminal the steps of;

extracting, via the at least one computer, a feature for registration from biometric information acquired from an individual;

searching, via the at least one computer, said database on the client side to specify one dummy feature for registration similar to the feature for registration;

transforming, via the at least one computer, the feature for registration by using a transform parameter corresponding to the specified dummy feature for registration and preparing a transformed feature for registration; and

transmitting, via the at least one computer, to said authentication server the transformed feature for registration, an index for registration adapted to specify a group of the specified dummy feature for registration and information for specifying the individual from which extraction of the feature for registration originates,

said biometrics authentication method comprises in said authentication server the step of;

registering, via the at least one computer, at a group corresponding to said index for registration in said database for transformed feature for registration, the received transformed feature for registration and the information specifying the individual while making the correspondence between them; and

wherein said plural features for registration extracted in advance are divided, via the at least one computer, into a plurality of groups pursuant to a predetermined criterion and a centroid calculated from features for registration contained in one group is set, via the at least one computer, as said dummy feature corresponding to said group.

2. A biometrics authentication method based on the biometric information registered in accordance with the method for registration of biometric information as recited in claim 1,

said biometrics authentication method comprising in said client terminal during a process for authentication the steps of:

extracting, via the at least one computer, a feature (y) for authentication from biometric information acquired from an individual;

searching, via the at least one computer, said database on the client side to specify one dummy feature for authentication similar to the feature for authentication; and

transforming, via the at least one computer, the feature for authentication by using a transform parameter corresponding to the specified dummy feature for authentication and preparing a transformed feature for authentication; and

transmitting, via the at least one computer, to said authentication server the transformed feature for authentication and an index for authentication adapted to identify a group of specified dummy features for authentication, and

said biometrics authentication method comprising in said authentication server the steps of;

searching, via the at least one computer, a group corresponding to the index (i) for authentication in the database for transformed feature for registration to specify a transformed feature which is the most similar to the transformed feature for authentication;

specifying the individual having the correspondence with the specified transformed feature for registration; and

transmitting, via the at least one computer, to said client terminal the information concerning the specified individual.

3. A biometrics authentication method according to claim 2, wherein in specifying one dummy feature similar to the feature for registration and in specifying one dummy feature for authentication similar to the feature for authentication in said client terminal, Locality-Sensitive Hashing or Approximating and Eliminating Search Algorithm is used.

4. A client terminal, comprising at least one computer, used for biometrics authentication in which a transformed feature for registration obtained by transforming a feature for registration extracted from biometric information of an individual with the help of a transform parameter is transmitted via the at least one computer to an authentication server and registered therein,

wherein

a dummy feature based on which a feature for registration and a feature for authentication of biometric information are classified into any of a plurality of groups, an index for identifying said group, transform parameters corresponding to respective dummy features are memorized in a database on the client side;

the feature for registration is extracted, via the at least one computer, from biometric information acquired from an individual;

said database on the client side is searched to specify one dummy feature for registration similar to the feature for registration;

a transformed feature for registration is prepared, via the at least one computer, by transforming the feature for registration by the use of the transform parameter corresponding to the specified dummy feature for registration; and

the transformed feature for registration, the index for registration adapted to identify a group of the specified dummy feature for registration and information for specifying the individual from which extraction of the feature for registration originates are transmitted, via the at least one computer, to said authentication server; and

wherein

said plural features for registration extracted in advance are divided , via the at least one computer, into a plurality of groups pursuant to a predetermined criterion and

a centroid calculated from features for registration contained in one group is set, via the at least one computer, as said dummy feature corresponding to said group.

5. A client terminal used for biometrics authentication according to claim 4, wherein

a feature for authentication is extracted, via the at least one computer, from biometric information acquired from an individual;

said database on the client side is searched, via the at least one computer, to specify one dummy feature for authentication similar to the feature for authentication;

the specified feature for authentication is transformed, via the at least one computer, by using the transform parameter corresponding to the specified dummy feature for authentication to prepare a transformed feature for authentication;

the transformed feature for authentication and an index for authentication adapted to identify the specified group of dummy features for authentication are transmitted, via the at least one computer, to said authentication server; and

information concerning the specified individual is received, via the at least one computer, from said authentication server.

6. A client terminal used for biometrics authentication according to claim 4, wherein in specifying one dummy feature for registration similar to the feature for registration, Locality-Sensitive Hashing or Approximating and Eliminating Search Algorithm is used.