Smart card for passport, electronic passport, and method, system, and apparatus for authenticating person holding smart card or electronic passport

• US 8,918,900 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IVI Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: IVI Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Tamio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, John B
• Application Number:
  US10/832,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,893 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/185, 713/186, 726 2- 9
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A smart card authenticates a cardholder. The smart card includes a substrate, a sensor module, a wireless transceiver module, and a power circuit. The sensor module includes (a) a biometric sensor adapted to detect biometric information from a person'"'"'s body, (b) a processor unit adapted to authenticate the person in response to the detected biometric information and generate an authentication signal representing an authentication result, and (c) a memory adapted to store biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card. The wireless transceiver module transmits signals received from the processor unit and receives a wirelessly-transmitted power signal. The power circuit generates at least one supply voltage from the received power signal and provides the supply voltage to the sensor module. An electronic passport is embedded with the smart card, and a terminal module is used for wirelessly transmitting power to and receiving signals from the electronic passport.

Claims

1. A smart card for authenticating a person holding the smart card, the smart card comprising:

a substrate;

a sensor module provided on the substrate, the sensor module including;

a biometric sensor that detects biometric information from the person'"'"'s body and coincidentally confirms whether the person holding the smart card is alive;

a processor unit that is coupled to the biometric sensor and authenticates the person in response to the detected biometric information and coincidentally confirming the person holding the smart card is alive, generates an authentication signal representing an authentication result, and encrypts the authentication signal; and

a memory that is coupled to the processor unit and stores biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card;

a wireless transceiver module coupled to the processor unit, the wireless transceiver module comprising;

a signal antenna that is coupled to the processor unit and wirelessly transmits the encrypted authentication signal received from the processor unit; and

a power antenna that is coupled to a power circuit and receives a wirelessly-transmitted power signal; and

the power circuit that is provided on the substrate and generates at least one supply voltage from the received power signal and provides the supply voltage to the sensor module.

2. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the memory includes:

a random access memory (RAM); and

a one-time programmable read only memory (PROM).

3. The smart card of claim 2, wherein the one-time PROM comprises at least one of an erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and a flash memory, wherein a rewritable function of the PROM is disabled.

4. The smart card of claim 1, the power circuit includes:

a rectifier coupled to the power antenna; and

a regulator coupled to the rectifier.

5. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver module includes a plurality of power antennas, and wherein the power circuit includes a plurality of regulator circuits, each of the regulator circuits coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of power antennas.

6. The smart card of claim 5, wherein the, plurality of power antennas are formed as an etched or printed pattern on a plastic or paper material.

7. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver module is capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves, ultrasonic waves, optical waves or infrared waves.

8. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor includes a fingerprint sensor adapted to detect fingerprint patterns.

9. The smart card of claim 8, wherein the fingerprint sensor is adapted to read the surface profile of a finger.

10. The smart card of claim 9, wherein the fingerprint sensor is adapted to measure the surface profile of finger mechanically, the fingerprint sensor including one of:

a pressure sensing cell array or scanner;

a micro electro mechanical (MEM) array or scanner;

a mechanical stress array or scanner;

a distance measuring cell array or scanner;

an elasticity measuring array or scanner; and

a micro switch array or scanner.

11. The smart card of claim 9, wherein the fingerprint sensor is adapted to measure a temperature profile of a skin of a finger.

12. The smart card of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint sensor includes an infrared detector array or scanner.

13. The smart card of claim 9, wherein the fingerprint sensor includes a thinned silicon substrate adapted to detect and digitize fingerprint patterns.

14. The smart card of claim 13, wherein the thinned silicon substrate has a thickness less than about 200 microns.

15. The smart card of claim 14, wherein the thinned silicon substrate is backed up with a mechanical stiffener that includes a hard polymer.

16. The smart card of claim 8, wherein the biometric information to be stored in the memory includes fingerprint templates of the specific individual.

17. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card is flexible.

18. The smart card of claim 17, wherein the biometric sensor comprising a polymer material as an insulator, a substrate, or both.

19. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor includes a genetic information detector adapted to detect a genetic information of the person.

20. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor includes an image capture device.

21. The smart card of claim 1, wherein said biosensor is adapted to sense one or more of an oxygen level, a carbon dioxide level, a temperature, a moisture level, an infrared reading, a voice, a brainwave, an electrocardiogram reading, an electromagnetic field, an enzyme level, and/or Chi.

22. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the biosensor includes at least one of:

an elasticity sensor adapted to detect elasticity of a member in contact therewith; and

a blood flow sensor adapted to detect a blood flow in a body part in contact therewith.

23. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the biosensor includes a bio-response detector adapted to capture a reflex response of the person to a given stimulus.

24. The smart card of claim 23, wherein the reflex response includes a change in an iris aperture in response to light intensity illuminated thereon.

25. The smart card of claim 24, wherein the biosensor includes:

an image sensor adapted to capture an image of the iris; and

a light emitter adapted to illuminate an eye of the person.

26. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further includes an indicator coupled to the processor unit and adapted to indicate the authentication result.

27. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further includes a control interface coupled to the processor unit and adapted to receive an external control signal and configure the processor unit.

28. The smart card of claim 27, wherein the control interface'"'"'s connections to the external control signal are disabled after an initial configuration of the processor unit.

29. The smart card of claim 28, wherein the control interface'"'"'s connections to the external control signal are permanently disabled by a physical disconnection after the initial configuration.

30. The smart card of claim 28, wherein the initial configuration includes writing the biometric information of the specific individual to the memory.

31. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit includes an encryption circuit adapted to encrypt signals generated by the processor unit.

32. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit includes an authentication circuit adapted to compare the detected biometric information with the biometric information stored in the memory, and adapted to generate the authentication signal.

33. The smart card of claim 32, wherein the authentication circuit is implemented using one or more of hardware, software, and firmware.

34. The smart card of claim 32, wherein the memory is further adapted to store personal information of the specific individual.

35. The smart card of claim 34, wherein the personal information includes at least one of:

personal identification information; and

personal information related to a purpose or usage of the smart card.

36. The smart card of claim 34, wherein the processor unit further includes a retrieval circuit adapted to retrieve the stored personal information from the memory if the detected biometric information is determined to match the stored biometric information.

37. The smart card of claim 36, wherein the processor unit further generates a personal information signal representing the personal information of the specific individual, the personal information signal being transmitted via the wireless transceiver module.

38. The smart card of claim 32, wherein the processor unit further includes an interface circuit coupled to the authentication circuit, the interface circuit adapted to convert a signal received from authentication unit into a signal suitable for wireless transmission.

39. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card is adapted to be embedded in a passport.

40. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card is a card-type electronic passport.

41. The smart card of claim 40, further comprising a card surface layer provided on the substrate, the biometric sensor being visibly arranged on the card surface layer, the card surface layer containing desired information related to the passport.

42. The smart card of claim 1, further comprising a display provided on the substrate, the display coupled to the processor unit, the display adapted to display a photographic image including the specific individual'"'"'s face if the person is authenticated.

43. The smart card of claim 42, wherein the display is further adapted to display a signature of the specific individual if the person is authenticated.

44. The smart card of claim 42, wherein the display is activated by the authentication signal representing a positive result.

45. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the authentication circuit configured to generate the authentication signal that represents the authentication result, the dual mode interface circuit being adapted to receive the authentication result and wirelessly transmit the authentication result.

46. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the authentication circuit including an encryption circuit configured to encrypt the authentication signal for provision to the interface circuit.

47. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the interface being configured to receive an encrypted signal, representing a first encrypted version of the authentication result, from the authentication circuit, decrypt the encrypted signal, and provide a second encrypted version of the authentication result for wireless transmission.

48. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a first processor and a second processor, the first processor configured to receive detected biometric information and encrypt the detected biometric information, the second processor configured to receive the encrypted biometric information, decrypt the encrypted biometric information, and generate the authentication signal representing the authentication result.

49. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the processor unit includes a first processor configured to extract data from the detected biometric information and provide an encrypted form of the extracted data for a second processor that is configured to transmit a representation of the extracted data.

50. A method for authenticating a person holding a smart card, the smart card including a sensor module provided on a substrate of the smart card, the sensor module including a biometric sensor, a processor unit, and a memory, the method comprising:

receiving a power signal via a power antenna of a wireless transceiver module provided on the substrate;

generating at least one supply voltage from the power signal and supplying the supply voltage to the sensor module;

detecting, using the biometric sensor, biometric information from the person'"'"'s body;

comparing the detected biometric information and biometric information stored in the memory;

confirming, using the biometric sensor and coincidentally with the detecting, that the person holding the smart card is alive;

generating an authentication signal representing a result of the comparing and that the person holding the smart card is confirmed to be alive;

encrypting the authentication signal; and

transmitting, wirelessly, the encrypted authentication signal via a signal antenna of the wireless transceiver module.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the sensor module further includes an indicator, the method further comprising indicating the result of the comparing by the indicator.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the indicating includes indicating the result using at least one light emitting diode (LED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD).

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the detecting includes detecting fingerprint patterns of the person.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the comparing includes comparing the fingerprint patterns with fingerprint templates stored in the memory.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the detecting includes capturing an image of the person, wherein the image includes at least one of a face, an ear, an iris, and a retina.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the detecting includes detecting at least one of oxygen, carbon dioxide, a temperature, moisture, and an infrared radiation.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the detecting includes at least one of:

detecting elasticity of a member in contact with the biosensor;

detecting a blood flow in a body part in contact with the biosensor.

58. The method of claim 50, wherein the detecting includes capturing a reflex response of the person to a given stimulus.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the reflex response includes a change in an iris aperture in response to light intensity illuminated thereon.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising illuminating an eye of the person.

61. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

supplying an external control signal via a control interface so as to configure the sensor module;

supplying, via the control interface, biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card, and storing the biometric information in the memory; and

disabling connections to the control interface after the supplying the external control and the storing the biometric information in the memory.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the disabling includes physically disconnecting external access to the control interface.

63. The method of claim 61, further comprising storing in the memory personal information of the specific individual.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the personal information includes at least one of:

personal identification information; and

personal information related to a purpose or usage of the smart card.

65. The method of claim 63, further comprising:

retrieving the stored personal information from the memory if the detected biometric information is determined to match the biometric information template;

generating a personal information signal representing the retrieved personal information; and

transmitting the personal information signal via the wireless transceiver module.

66. The method of claim 50, wherein the smart card is embedded in a passport, and the specific individual associated with the smart card is a person to which the passport is issued.

67. The method of claim 50, further comprising initializing the sensor module in response to a predetermined level of an increasing supply voltage after the supply voltage was shut down.

68. The method of claim 50, wherein encrypting the authentication signal comprises:

converting the authentication signal into a transmission signal for wireless transmission; and

encrypting the transmission signal.

69. An apparatus for authenticating a person holding a passport, the apparatus comprising:

means for storing biometric information of a specific individual associated with the passport;

means for detecting biometric information from the person'"'"'s body and coincidentally confirming whether the person is alive;

means for authenticating the person in response to the detected biometric information and coincidentally confirming the person holding the smart card is alive, for generating an authentication signal representing an authentication result, and for encrypting the authentication signal;

means for wirelessly transmitting signals received from the means for authenticating, the means being configured to transmit the encrypted authentication signal;

means for receiving a wirelessly-transmitted power signal; and

means for generating from the received power signal a supply voltage sufficient to power the means for detecting, the means for authenticating, and the means for wirelessly transmitting.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the means for authenticating includes means for comparing the detected biometric information with the stored biometric information.

71. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the sensor module further includes means for indicating the authentication result.

72. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the means for detecting includes means for detecting fingerprint patterns of the person.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the means for authenticating includes means for comparing the fingerprint patterns with fingerprint templates stored in the means for storing.

74. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the means for detecting includes means for capturing an image of the person, wherein the image includes at least one of a face, an ear, an iris, and a retina.

75. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the means for detecting if the person is alive includes at least one of:

means for detecting oxygen;

means for detecting carbon dioxide;

means for detecting a temperature;

means for detecting moisture; and

means for detecting an infrared radiation.

76. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising:

means for supplying an external control signal via a control interface so as to configure the sensor module;

means for supplying, via the control interface, biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card, and for writing the biometric information in the means for storing; and

means for disabling connections to the control interface after supplying the external control and writing the biometric information.

77. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising means for storing personal information of the specific individual.

78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the personal information includes at least one of:

personal identification information; and

personal information related to a purpose or usage of the smart card.

79. The apparatus of claim 77, further comprising:

means for retrieving the stored personal information if the detected biometric information is determined to match the biometric information template; and

means for generating a personal information signal representing the retrieved personal information, the personal information signal being transmitted via the means for wirelessly transmitting.

80. A system for authenticating a person holding a passport, the system comprising:

a smart card embedded in the passport, the smart card including;

a substrate;

a sensor module provided on the substrate, the sensor module including a biometric sensor that detects biometric information from the person'"'"'s body and coincidentally confirms whether the person holding the smart card is alive;

a processor unit that is coupled to the biometric sensor and authenticates the person in response to the detected biometric information and coincidentally confirming the person holding the smart card is alive, generates an authentication signal representing an authentication result, and encrypts the authentication signal;

a memory that is coupled to the processor unit and stores biometric information of a specific individual associated with the smart card;

a wireless transceiver module that is coupled to the processor unit and has;

a signal antenna that is coupled to the processor unit and wirelessly transmits the encrypted authentication signal; and

a power antenna that is coupled to a power circuit and receives a wirelessly-transmitted power signal; and

the power circuit provided that is on the substrate and generates a supply voltage from the received power signal and provides a supply voltage to the sensor module; and

a terminal module, including an antenna that transmits a power signal to the smart card and receives a signal transmitted from the wireless transceiver module of the smart card.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the signal antenna is placed on a proximity position on a loop or trace of the antenna of the terminal module when the smart card is placed on the terminal module.

82. The system of claim 80, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the authentication circuit configured to generate the authentication signal that represents the authentication result, the dual mode interface circuit being adapted to receive the authentication result and wirelessly transmit the authentication result.

83. The system of claim 80, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the authentication circuit including an encryption circuit configured to encrypt the authentication signal for provision to the interface circuit.

84. The system of claim 80, wherein the processor unit comprises an authentication circuit and an interface circuit, the interface being configured to receive an encrypted signal, representing an encrypted version of the authentication result, from the authentication circuit, decrypt the encrypted signal, and provide an encrypted version of the authentication result for wireless transmission.

85. The system of claim 80, wherein the processor includes a first processor and a second processor, the first processor configured to receive detected biometric information and encrypt the detected biometric information, the second processor configured to receive the encrypted biometric information, decrypt the encrypted biometric information, and generate the authentication signal representing the authentication result.

86. The system of claim 80, wherein the processor unit includes a first processor configured to extract data from the detected biometric information and provide an encrypted form of the extracted data for a second processor that is configured to transmit a representation of the extracted data.