SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY INITIATING BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION FOR ENHANCED SECURITY OF ACCESS CONTROL TRANSACTIONS

• US 20160277396A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactilis Pte. Limited
• Original Assignee: Tactilis Sdn. Bhd. (Tactilis Pte. Limited)
• Inventors: Gardiner, Michael, Canzi, Adriano
• Granted Patent: US 10,229,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• 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

Abstract

A method and system of selectively initiation biometric security based on thresholds is described. The method includes retrieving an access security level associated with an access domain and an access permission level associated with an electronic portable transaction device, comparing the access security level and access permission level, and, if the access security level exceeds the access permission level, initiating a biometric authentication process.

Claims

1. A method of selectively initiating biometric authentication in an access control system, comprising:

(a) digitally collecting a user'"'"'s fingerprint as a template in a program within a portable access control device;

(b) comparing an access permission level associated with the portable access control device to an access security level associated with an access domain; and

(c) initiating a biometric authentication process using the fingerprint template if the access security level associated with the access domain is higher than the access permission level associated with the electronic portable transaction device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable access control device is a smart card or a mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the access permission level comprises a numerical value representing a security clearance level of a plurality of security clearance levels and the access security level comprises a numerical value representing a security clearance level of the plurality of security clearance levels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed at the portable access control device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving an indication of the access security level from a fixed access control device associated with the access domain.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of initiating a biometric authentication comprises requesting a user to enter biometric data via a biometric scanner of the portable access control device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of initiating a biometric authentication comprises requesting a user to enter biometric data via a biometric scanner coupled to a fixed access control device associated with the access domain.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps (a) and (b) are performed at a fixed access control device associated with the access domain.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the access domain is a controlled access point in a facility and the fixed access control device is located at the controlled access point.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a request to access the access domain from the portable access control device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an indication of the access permission level from the portable access control device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the access control device comprises a biometric scanner and the step of initiating a biometric authentication comprises requesting a user to input biometric data via the biometric scanner of the access control device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the access domain may be one or more of a facility, an area within a facility, a computer, a computer network, or a combination thereof.

14. A portable access control device, comprising:

a processing module configured to execute a program configured to;

(a) digitally collect a user'"'"'s fingerprint as a template within the portable access control device;

(b) receive an indication of an access security level associated with an access domain from a fixed access control device associated with the access domain;

(c) initiate a biometric authentication process using the fingerprint template if the access security level associated with the access domain is higher than an access permission level associated with the portable access control device; and

(d) a memory configured to store the program.

15. The portable access control device of claim 14, wherein the portable access control device is a smart card.

16. The portable access control device of claim 15, wherein the processing module and the memory are part of the smart card.

20. The portable access control device of claim 15, wherein the smart card further comprises a biometric authentication module.

21. The portable access control device of claim 14, wherein the portable access control device comprises a transceiver configured to engage in wireless data communication with the fixed access control device.

22. The portable access control device of claim 14, wherein the portable access control device further comprises a biometric authentication module.

23. The portable access control device of claim 14, wherein the fixed access control device comprises a data storage device configured to store data indicative of the access permission level associated with the portable access control device, and the processing module is further configured to receive an indication of the access permission level.

17. The portable access control device of 16, further comprising a data storage device for storing data indicative of the access permission level, wherein the data storage device is part of the smart card.

18. The portable access control device of 17, wherein the data storage device and the memory comprise the same component.

19. The portable access control device of 15, wherein the smart card further comprises a set of contact pads configured to engage with a set of contact pads at the fixed access control device.

24. A fixed access control device comprising:

a processing module configured to execute a program configured to;

(a) digitally collect a user'"'"'s fingerprint as a template within a portable access control device;

(b) receive an indication of an access permission level associated with the portable access control device,

(c) initiate a biometric authentication process using the fingerprint template if the access permission level associated with the portable transaction device is higher than an access security level associated with an access domain; and

(d) a memory configured to store the program.