Associating a biometric reference template with an identification tag

• US 8,508,339 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Griffin, Phillip H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US13/584,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.82, 340/5.81, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 713/185, 713/186, 235/384
• US Class Current: 340/5.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints

Abstract

A method and system for associating a biometric reference template with an identification tag for a physical object. A processor of a computer system ascertains that an attribute included in the identification tag is signed with a digital signature. The attribute includes a privacy policy identifier which identifies a privacy policy pertaining to the identification tag. The identification tag is embedded in or attached to a physical object. The identification tag includes a first biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies biometric data pertaining to a person. The biometric reference template includes a second biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies the biometric data. The processor confirms that the digital signature matches a signature stored in a database of the computer system. The processor verifies that the first biometric reference template identifier matches the second biometric reference template identifier.

Claims

1. A method for associating a biometric reference template with an identification tag for a physical object, said method comprising:

ascertaining, by a processor of a computer system, that an attribute comprised by the identification tag is signed with a digital signature, said attribute comprising a privacy policy identifier which identifies a privacy policy pertaining to the identification tag, said identification tag embedded in or attached to a physical object, said identification tag comprising a first biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies biometric data pertaining to a person, said biometric reference template comprising a second biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies the biometric data;

said processor confirming that the digital signature matches a signature stored in a database of the computer system; and

said processor verifying that the first biometric reference template identifier matches the second biometric reference template identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag further comprises a unique tag identifier for identifying the physical object, and wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the unique tag identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the unique tag identifier and the biometric reference template.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the biometric data, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to said verifying and in response to a request by the person to access the physical object, said processor determining that a biometric sample provided by the person in conjunction with the request to access the physical object matches the biometric data comprised by the biometric reference template; and

in response to said verifying, said processor granting the person access to the physical object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises a biometric type indicator that indicates a type of the biometric data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the first biometric reference template identifier and the physical object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag is a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tag.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the physical object is a vehicle, and wherein the person is an owner of the vehicle.

9. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable physically tangible storage device having a computer readable program code stored therein, said program code configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for associating a biometric reference template with an identification tag for a physical object, said method comprising:

said processor ascertaining that an attribute comprised by the identification tag is signed with a digital signature, said attribute comprising a privacy policy identifier which identifies a privacy policy pertaining to the identification tag, said identification tag embedded in or attached to a physical object, said identification tag comprising a first biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies biometric data pertaining to a person, said biometric reference template comprising a second biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies the biometric data;

said processor confirming that the digital signature matches a signature stored in a database of the computer system; and

said processor verifying that the first biometric reference template identifier matches the second biometric reference template identifier.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the identification tag further comprises a unique tag identifier for identifying the physical object, and wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the unique tag identifier.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the unique tag identifier and the biometric reference template.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the biometric data, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to said verifying and in response to a request by the person to access the physical object, said processor determining that a biometric sample provided by the person in conjunction with the request to access the physical object matches the biometric data comprised by the biometric reference template; and

in response to said verifying, said processor granting the person access to the physical object.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises a biometric type indicator that indicates a type of the biometric data.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the identification tag further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the first biometric reference template identifier and the physical object.

15. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code configured to be executed by the processor via the memory to implement a method for associating a biometric reference template with an identification tag for a physical object, said method comprising:

said processor ascertaining that an attribute comprised by the identification tag is signed with a digital signature, said attribute comprising a privacy policy identifier which identifies a privacy policy pertaining to the identification tag, said identification tag embedded in or attached to a physical object, said identification tag comprising a first biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies biometric data pertaining to a person, said biometric reference template comprising a second biometric reference template identifier that uniquely identifies the biometric data;

said processor confirming that the digital signature matches a signature stored in a database of the computer system; and

said processor verifying that the first biometric reference template identifier matches the second biometric reference template identifier.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the identification tag further comprises a unique tag identifier for identifying the physical object, and wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the unique tag identifier.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the unique tag identifier and the biometric reference template.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises the biometric data, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to said verifying and in response to a request by the person to access the physical object, said processor determining that a biometric sample provided by the person in conjunction with the request to access the physical object matches the biometric data comprised by the biometric reference template; and

in response to said verifying, said processor granting the person access to the physical object.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the biometric reference template further comprises a biometric type indicator that indicates a type of the biometric data.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the identification tag further comprises an association type component which specifies a type of association between the first biometric reference template identifier and the physical object.