Personal authentication apparatus system and method

• US 9,659,423 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

Abstract

A target authentication device includes an electrode to detect an electrical signal associated with a user of the device. The electrical signal represents an authentication code for the device. An authentication receiver module is coupled to the electrode. The module receives the electrical signal from the electrode and determines whether the electrical signal matches a predetermined criterion to authenticate the identity of the user based on the electrical signal. An authentication module is also disclosed. The authentication module includes one electrode to couple an electrical signal associated with a user to a user of a target authentication device, the electrical signal represents an authentication code for the device. An authentication transmission module is coupled to the electrode. The authentication transmission module transmits the electrical signal from the electrode. A method of authenticating the identity of a user of a target authentication device also is disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one electrode configured to detect an encoded electrical signal associated with a user of a target authentication device, wherein the encoded electrical signal has been encoded by a transmission circuit physically and electrically associated with the user, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to encode at least one physiological signal associated with the user detected by the transmission circuit with an authentication code stored in the transmission circuit to generate the encoded electrical signal, wherein the encoded electrical signal is a transbody conductive signal transmitted by the transmission circuit to the target authentication device, and wherein a body of the user acts as a conduction medium; and

an authentication receiver module comprising a decoder, wherein the authentication receiver module is coupled to the at least one electrode;

wherein the authentication receiver module is configured to receive the encoded electrical signal from the at least one electrode, to decode the encoded electrical signal by the decoder to obtain the at least one detected physiological signal and the authentication code, and to authenticate an identity of the user based on the at least one detected physiological signal and the authentication code.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transbody conductive communication module to receive the encoded electrical signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a physiological sensing module to receive the at least one detected physiological signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the physiological sensing module is configured to receive a biometric signature derived from the at least one detected physiological signal, and wherein the authentication receiver module compares the biometric signature to a baseline biometric signature to authenticate the identity of the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the baseline biometric signature is based on a source external to the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encoded electrical signal comprises information regarding a medication associated with the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a compare module to compare the decoded authentication code with predetermined criteria.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission circuit comprises an encoding module configured to encode the at least one detected physiological signal with the authentication code to generate the encoded electrical signal, and wherein the encoding module is configured to transmit the encoded electrical signal to the authentication receiver module, and wherein the decoded electrical signal is compared to an expected result dependent on mathematical properties of the encoded electrical signal and the authentication code.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the authentication receiver module is configured to transition the target authentication device from a locked state to an unlocked state when the decoded authentication code matches predetermined criteria and the at least one detected physiological signal matches stored physiological signals associated with the user.

9. A module, comprising:

at least one electrode configured to couple an encoded electrical signal associated with a user to a target authentication device, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to receive the encoded electrical signal that is associated with the user; and

an authentication transmission module coupled to the at least one electrode, wherein the authentication transmission module is configured to encode at least one physiological signal associated with the user detected by a transmission circuit, physically and electrically associated with the user, with an authentication code stored in the transmission circuit to generate the encoded electrical signal, and to transmit the encoded electrical signal as a transbody conductive signal from the transmission circuit to the target authentication device to authenticate an identity of the user based on the at least one detected physiological signal corresponding to stored physiological signals associated with the user and the authentication code meeting predetermined criteria;

wherein the encoded electrical signal comprises information regarding a medication associated with the user.

10. The module of claim 9, wherein the encoded electrical signal is configured to initiate an administration of the medication to the user.

11. The module of claim 9, further comprising a transbody conductive communication module to transmit the encoded electrical signal as the transbody conductive signal to the target authentication device.

12. The module of claim 11, wherein the transbody conductive communication module comprises an event marker system.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the event marker system is ingestible.

14. The module of claim 11, wherein the transbody conductive communication module comprises an implantable body-associated device.

15. The module of claim 9, wherein the authentication transmission module comprises a body-associated device.

16. The module of claim 15, wherein the body-associated device is removably attachable to a skin surface of the user.

17. The module of claim 15, wherein the body-associated device is implantable below the skin of the user.

18. The module of claim 15, wherein the body-associated device is configured to authenticate a challenge-response authentication.

19. The module of claim 15, wherein the body-associated device is configured such that removal from the body renders the body-associated device inoperable.

27. The module of claim 9, wherein the target authentication device transitions from a locked state to an unlocked state when the authentication code matches predetermined criteria and the at least one detected physiological signal matches stored physiological signals associated with the user.

20. A method comprising:

detecting, by at least one electrode, an encoded electrical signal associated with a user of a target authentication device, wherein the encoded electrical signal has been encoded by a transmission circuit physically and electrically associated with the user, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to encode at least one physiological signal associated with the user detected by the transmission circuit with an authentication code stored in the transmission circuit to generate the encoded electrical signal, wherein the encoded electrical signal is a transbody conductive signal transmitted by the transmission circuit to the target authentication device, and wherein a body of the user acts as a conduction medium;

receiving, by an authentication receiver module coupled to the at least one electrode, the encoded electrical signal from the at least one electrode;

decoding, by a decoder, the encoded electrical signal to obtain the at least one detected physiological signal and the authentication code; and

determining, by a processor, whether the decoded electrical signal matches a predetermined criterion to authenticate an identity of the user based on the at least one detected physiological signal and the authentication code.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving, by a transbody conductive communication module, the encoded electrical signal.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving, by a physiological sensing module, at least one physiological signal.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

deriving a biometric signature from the at least one detected physiological signal;

storing the biometric signature in a memory;

generating a baseline biometric signature based on the stored biometric signature;

comparing, by the authentication receiver module, the biometric signature to the baseline biometric signature; and

authenticating the identity of the user when the biometric signature matches the baseline biometric signature.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the encoded electrical signal comprises information regarding a medication associated with the user, the method further comprising initiating an administration of the medication to the user based on the encoded electrical signal.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising comparing, by a compare module, the decoded authentication code with a predetermined criteria.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising transitioning the target authentication device from a locked state to an unlocked state when the decoded authentication code matches predetermined criteria and the at least one detected physiological signal matches stored physiological signals associated with the user.