Dynamic information radio-frequency identification (RFID) card with biometric capabilities

• US 8,816,819 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kim, Moon J.
• Original Assignee: Kim, Moon J.
• Inventors: Kim, Moon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US13/033,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20120218079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.83, 340/5.61, 340/10.4, 340/539.13, 340/542, 340/5.51, 340/5.53, 340/5.65, 340/5.67, 340/5.82
• US Class Current: 340/5.83
• 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: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0725 the arrangement being a circuit for emulating a plurality of record carriers, e.g. a single RFID tag capable of representing itself to a reader as a cloud of RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07354 by biometrically sensitive means, e.g. fingerprint sensitive fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/12; biometrically activated access control G07C9/25

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention implement dynamic elements within a RFID card. Specifically, the embodiments update card information dynamically, using a biometric image scanner (e.g., for scanning a fingerprint passively). The scanner is activated only when a user intends to use it with a designated reader by bringing the RFID card within the reader RF field range, thus preventing unauthorized reader'"'"'s RFID scan. Even if an unauthorized reader comes into contact with the RFID card, the reader cannot read the user'"'"'s biometric information, unless the user holds the card for use by the reader. Thus, unauthorized biometric information scanning is effectively prevented. The medium owned and controlled by the user collects a biometric fingerprint image for safety and security. When a card is swiped by the user, the biometric imaging array sensor captures user fingerprints and transfers the corresponding image data to a verification system to match and track user biometric information with a predefine accuracy, and track changes of repeated uses.

Claims

1. A dynamic information radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, comprising:

a RFID card medium comprising;

a RFID chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling RFID-based authentication of the user;

a smart chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling further authentication of the user based on data stored in the smart chip; and

a fingerprint scanner positioned on the card medium for receiving an analog fingerprint reading from a user, and for authentication, at a reader, of the user based on the analog fingerprint reading, the fingerprint scanner comprising;

a sensor array for capturing the analog fingerprint reading as analog fingerprint image data, the sensor array comprising a series of addressable sensor elements in a column-row format;

a controller for processing the analog fingerprint image data into digital fingerprint image data; and

an RF block and an antenna for communicating the digital biometric image data to the reader for the authentication.

2. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 1, the sensor array being coupled to a set of decoders for decoding the analog fingerprint reading.

3. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 1, the RFID card medium further comprising a credit card.

4. A dynamic information radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, comprising:

a RFID card medium comprising;

a smart chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling further authentication of the user based on data stored in the smart chip;

a RFID chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling RFID-based authentication of a user; and

a fingerprint scanner positioned on the card medium for receiving an analog fingerprint reading from the user, wherein the fingerprint scanner is configured to communicate an analog fingerprint reading as analog fingerprint image data to a reader for authentication at the reader, the fingerprint scanner comprising;

a sensor array for capturing the analog fingerprint image data, the sensor array comprising a series of addressable sensor elements in a column-row format;

a controller for processing the analog fingerprint image data into digital fingerprint image data; and

an RF block and an antenna for communicating the digital fingerprint image data for authentication.

5. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 4, the sensor array being coupled to a set of decoders for decoding the analog fingerprint reading.

6. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 4, the RFID card medium further comprising a credit card.

7. A dynamic information radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, comprising:

a RFID card medium;

a RFID chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling RFID-based authentication of a user;

a smart chip positioned in the RFID card medium for enabling further authentication of the user based on data stored in the smart chip; and

a fingerprint scanner positioned on the card medium for receiving an analog fingerprint reading from the user, and for authenticating the user based on the analog fingerprint reading, wherein the fingerprint scanner comprises;

a sensor array for capturing analog fingerprint image data, and wherein the sensor array comprises a series of sensor elements arranged in a column-row format, and wherein the fingerprint scanner is configured to communicate the fingerprint reading as analog fingerprint image data to a reader for authentication at the reader;

a controller for processing the analog fingerprint image data into digital fingerprint image data; and

an RF block and an antenna for communicating the digital fingerprint image data for authentication.

8. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 7, the sensor array being coupled to a set of decoders for decoding the analog fingerprint reading.

9. The dynamic information RFID card of claim 7, the RFID card medium further comprising a credit card.