RFID tag and method of user verification

• US 20050173521A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernhard P. Knutsen, David E. Schloemer, Michael E. Coughlin
• Original Assignee: Bernhard P. Knutsen, David E. Schloemer, Michael E. Coughlin
• Inventors: Knutsen, Bernhard P., Schloemer, David E., Coughlin, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0334 Ergonomic shaped mouse for vertical grip, whereby the hand controlling the mouse is resting or gripping it with an attitude almost vertical with respect of the working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0336 Mouse integrated fingerprint sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An identification tag (100) facilitates use of a secure computer system (300). The tag (100) is adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s wrist and includes an identification and registration circuit (102) that includes an identification component (106), an affiliation component (110), and a light-emitting diode (112). The computer system includes an RF identification tag registration device (302) operable to acquire user physical information and communicate the physical information to a computer (202), wherein the computer verifies that a valid user is wearing the tag (100). The identification and registration device (302) ensures that the physical information communicated to the computer pertains to the user wearing the tag by comparing pulse signals acquired from the user'"'"'s hand and wrist as the device (302) is acquiring physical information. The computer (202) uses the identification information and the affiliation information to log the user into and out of the system (300), and to associate the identification information with a particular user.

Claims

1. A method of verifying a user for access to a secure system or location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring identification information from an identification tag worn by the user;

(b) acquiring biometric information corresponding to the user including finger pulse information and wrist pulse information; and

(c) if the identification information is valid and if the finger pulse information matches the wrist pulse information, granting access to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is acquired by interrogating an RF identification component that is embedded in the tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag is worn by the user on the user'"'"'s wrist.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wrist pulse information is acquired from a sensor coupled with the tag.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the finger pulse information is acquired from a sensor that is not coupled with the tag.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the identification information is not valid or if the finger pulse information does not match the wrist pulse information, denying access to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is validated by matching the identification information with information stored in a memory of a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information and biometric information is acquired for each user access.

9. A method of verifying a user for access to a secure system or location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring identification information from an identification tag worn by the user;

(b) acquiring biometric information corresponding to the user for each attempted user access, the biometric information including fingerprint information; and

(c) if the identification information is valid and the fingerprint information corresponds to the identification information for each attempted user access, granting access to the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the identification information is acquired by interrogating an RF identification component that is embedded in the tag.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fingerprint information is acquired from a sensor that is not coupled with the tag.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

(d) if the identification information is not valid or if the fingerprint information does not correspond to the identification information, denying access to the user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the identification information is validated by matching the identification information with information stored in a memory of a computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fingerprint information corresponds to the identification information when the fingerprint information matches information related to the identification information stored in the memory of the computer.

15. A method of verifying a user for access to a secure system or location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) confirming communication with an identification tag worn by a user by sensing an infrared signal emitted from an LED coupled with the tag;

(b) acquiring identification information from the tag;

(c) acquiring biometric information corresponding to the user; and

(d) if the communication is confirmed, the identification information is valid, and the biometric information corresponds to the identification information, granting access to the user

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identification information is acquired by interrogating an RF identification component that is embedded in the tag.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the biometric information is acquired from a sensor that is not coupled with the tag.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

(e) if the communication is not confirmed, the identification information is not valid, or if the biometric information does not correspond to the identification information, denying access to the user.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the biometric information corresponds to the identification information when the biometric information matches information related to the identification information stored in the memory of a computer.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication is confirmed only if the tag emitting the infrared signal is in close proximity to a registration device.