METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BIOMETRIC KEYBOARD

• US 20090134972A1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: WU, MARIO T. JR., Rice, Larry, Guo, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.820
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp

Abstract

A method for training a computing system using keyboard biometric information. The method includes depressing two or more keys on a keyboard input device for a first sequence of keys. The method then determines a key press time for each of the two or more keys to provide a key press time characteristic in the first sequence of keys. The method also determines a flight time between a first key and a second key to provide a flight time characteristic in the first sequence of keys, the first key being within the two or more keys. The method includes storing the key press time characteristic and the flight time characteristic for the first sequence of keys, and displaying indications associated with the first sequence of keys on a display device provided on a portion of the keyboard input device.

Claims

1. A method for training a computing system using keyboard biometric information, the method comprising:

depressing two or more keys on a keyboard input device for a first sequence of keys;

determining a key press time for each of the two or more keys to provide a key press time characteristic in the first sequence of keys;

determining a flight time between a first key and a second key to provide a flight time characteristic in the first sequence of keys, the first key being within the two or more keys;

storing the key press time characteristic and the flight time characteristic for the first sequence of keys; and

displaying indications associated with the first sequence of keys on a display device provided on a portion of the keyboard input device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a keyboard identifier using a computing system coupled to the keyboard input device; and

processing the keyboard identifier to determine if the keyboard identifier is compatible with the computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user to set a first error margin for the key press time characteristic and a second error margin for the flight time characteristic for the first sequence of keys; and

storing the first and second error margins.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is matrix display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is capable of displaying at least 32 characters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard input device further comprises a wireless device which allows the keyboard input device to interface with the computing system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard input device is stand alone having an independent power source, the independent power source comprising a battery, the computer input device being free of an AC adapter.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device.

9. A keyboard input device, the keyboard input device comprising:

a housing;

a processing unit within the housing;

a plurality of input keys coupled to the processing unit;

a display device coupled to the processing unit; and

one or more computer memories coupled to the processing unit, the one or more computer memories including;

one or more codes directed to determining a key press time for each of a first sequence of keys pressed by a user to provide a key press time characteristic for each of the first sequence of keys;

one or more codes directed to determining a key flight time for each pair of consecutive keys in the first sequence of keys to provide a key flight time characteristic for the first sequence of keys; and

one or more codes directed to displaying on the display device indications associated with the key press time characteristic and the key flight time characteristic of the first sequence of keys.

10. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the one or more computer memories further comprises:

one or more codes directed to providing a keyboard identifier to a computing system;

one or more codes directed to providing, to the computing system, information derived from the key press time characteristic and the key flight time characteristic of the first sequence of keys; and

one or more codes directed to displaying on the display device indications whether the keyboard identifier is compatible with the computing system.

11. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the one or more computer memories further comprises:

one or more codes directed to prompting the user to set a first error margin for the key press time characteristic and a second error margin for the flight time characteristic for the first sequence of keys; and

one or more codes directed to storing the first and second error margins.

12. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device.

13. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the display device is matrix display device.

14. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the display device is capable of displaying at least 32 characters.

15. The keyboard input device of claim 9, wherein the first sequence of keys is associated with a password.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the keyboard input device further comprises a wireless device which allows the keyboard input device to interface with the computing system.

17. A method for secure operation of a computing system using a biometrics keyboard, the method comprising:

providing a database of user keyboard behavior biometric information;

authenticating a user to use the biometrics keyboard;

establishing secure connection with the computing system;

probing the computing system to determine if a connection with the computing system is compromised;

if the connection is compromised, disabling the connection with the computing system;

sampling user keyboard behavior biometric information;

determining if the sampled user keyboard behavior biometric information is within an allowable tolerance;

disabling the connection with the computing system, if the sampled user keyboard behavior biometric information exceeds the allowable tolerance; and

displaying indications associated the sampled user keyboard behavior biometric information a display device provided on a portion of the keyboard input device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein authenticating a user to use the biometrics keyboard further comprises:

prompting the user to enter a user ID and a user password;

deriving biometric behavioral information from the entered user ID and user password;

comparing the derived biometric behavioral information with the database to determine if the derived biometric behavioral information is within an allowable tolerance;

disabling the connection with the computing system, if the derived biometric behavioral information exceeds the allowable tolerance;

displaying indications associated the sampled user keyboard behavior biometric information a display device provided on a portion of the keyboard input device; and

tightening the tolerance, if the derived biometric behavioral information is within the allowable tolerance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein disabling the connection to the computing system further comprises:

disconnecting the keyboard from the computing system; and

displaying indications associated with the disconnection on a display device provided on a portion of the keyboard input device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising incorporating the sampled user keyboard behavior biometric information to improve database accuracy.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the display device is matrix display device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the display device is capable of displaying at least 32 characters.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the first sequence of keys is associated with a password.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the keyboard input device further comprises a wireless device which allows the keyboard input device to interface with the computing system.