Biometric authentication method and biometric authentication apparatus

• US 8,797,140 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Shinzaki, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US12/041,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,346 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.82, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 382/116, 382/115
• US Class Current: 340/5.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/285 Selection of pattern recognition techniques, e.g. of classifiers in a multi-classifier system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/87 using selection of the recognition techniques, e.g. of a classifier in a multiple classifier system
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/67 by interactive indications to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/70 Multimodal biometrics, e.g. combining information from different biometric modalities

Abstract

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method comprises, storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with first reference biometric data and second reference biometric data, the users being divided into first and second groups, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the first group being not less than a predetermined level, the quality of the first reference biometric data of each of the users in the second group being less than the predetermined level, obtaining first biometric data of a user by inputting first biometric information of the user, providing first authentication, obtaining second biometric data of a user by inputting second biometric information of the user when the first authentication indicates presumed matching of the first biometric data with the first biometric reference data of one of the users in the second group and providing second authentication.

Claims

1. A biometric authentication method comprising:

storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with reference fingerprint image data of each of users and second reference biometric data of the users;

obtaining fingerprint image data of a user;

determining an image data quality of the obtained fingerprint image data;

providing fingerprint authentication by comparison of fingerprint image data with the reference fingerprint image data when the image data quality of the obtained fingerprint image data determined by the determining is not less than a certain threshold level;

obtaining second biometric data of the user by inputting second biometric information of the user when the image data quality of the first biometric fingerprint image data determined by the determining is less than the certain threshold level;

providing second biometric authentication by comparison of the obtained second biometric data with the stored second reference biometric data of the users; and

dividing the users to a first group and a second group based on qualities of the first reference biometric data of the users, qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the first group being larger than qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the second group;

wherein the fingerprint authentication is performed at a higher speed than the second biometric authentication.

2. The biometric authentication method according to claim 1, wherein

the image quality of the fingerprint image data is evaluated by clear of a ridge of the fingerprint image.

3. The biometric authentication method according to claim 1, wherein the biometric authentication is a vein authentication.

4. The biometric authentication method according to claim 1 comprising:

obtaining first reference biometric data of users for the first biometric authentication;

obtaining second reference biometric data of the users for the second biometric authentication; and

obtaining a biometric data of a user,

wherein the quality of biometric data for the first biometric authentication is a quality of biometric data of the user, the first biometric authentication and the second biometric authentication based on the quality of biometric data of the user being selectively executed,

wherein the first biometric authentication is executed using the first reference biometric data of the users divided to the first group, and the second biometric authentication is executed using the second reference biometric data of the users divided to the second.

5. The biometric authentication method according to claim 1, wherein the second biometric data includes vein data of the user.

6. A biometric authentication apparatus comprising:

a fingerprint authentication unit that provides authentication by comparison of fingerprint image data with the reference fingerprint image data;

the biometric authentication apparatus characterized by a storing unit that stores information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with reference fingerprint image data of each of users and reference biometric data;

a fingerprint unit that obtain image data of a user;

an image data quality determining unit that determines quality of the obtained fingerprint image data by evaluating a clear condition in a ridge line of the obtained fingerprint image data;

a fingerprint authentication unit that provides fingerprint authentication by comparison of fingerprint image data with the reference fingerprint image data when the image data quality of the obtained fingerprint image data determined by the determining unit is not less than a predetermined level;

a biometric data unit that obtains biometric data of the user by inputting second biometric information of the user when the image data quality of the fingerprint image data determined by the determining is less than the predetermined level;

a second authentication unit that provides biometric authentication by comparison of the obtained biometric data with the stored reference biometric data of the users; and

a dividing unit that divides the users to a first group and a second group based on qualities of the first reference biometric data of the users, qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the first group being larger than qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the second group;

wherein the fingerprint authentication is performed at a higher speed than the second biometric authentication.

7. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the image quality of the fingerprint image data is evaluated by clear of a ridge of the fingerprint image.

8. The biometric authentication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the biometric authentication provided by the second authentication unit is a vein authentication.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer program for controlling an apparatus according to a process comprising:

providing fingerprint authentication by comparison of fingerprint image data with the reference fingerprint image data;

the process characterized by

storing information corresponding to a plurality of users in association with reference fingerprint image data of each of users and reference biometric data;

obtaining fingerprint image data of a user;

determining an image data quality of the obtained fingerprint image data by evaluating a clear condition in a ridge line of the obtained fingerprint image data;

providing fingerprint authentication by comparison of fingerprint image data with the reference fingerprint image data when the image data quality of the obtained fingerprint image data determined by the determining is not less than a predetermined level;

obtaining biometric data of the user by inputting biometric information of the user when the image data quality of the fingerprint image data determined by the determining is less than the predetermined level;

providing biometric authentication by comparison of the obtained biometric data with the stored reference biometric data of the users; and

dividing the users to a first group and a second group based on qualities of the first reference biometric data of the users, qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the first group being larger than qualities of first reference biometric data of users divided to the second group;

wherein the fingerprint authentication is performed at a higher speed than the second biometric authentication.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein

the image quality of the fingerprint image data is evaluated by clear of a ridge of the fingerprint image.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the biometric authentication is a vein authentication.