Smart card with fingerprint image pass-through

• US 6,182,892 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, Steve H., Tellez, Mark B., Angelo, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Felten, Daniel S
• Application Number:
  US09/047,915
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 902/1, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/454
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence

Abstract

A fingerprint authentication methodology in which a smart card with a credit card form factor is used to transmit the imprint of a fingerprint to a live-scan device. Use of a credit card form avoids direct contact of the imprint with the live-scan device, reducing wear and tear on the live-scan device. Use of a “smart” card to store an imprint template enables the owner of user to maintain control of the print.

Claims

1. A security token, comprising:

a portable module having non-volatile memory containing an imprint template and an electrical interface that allows said imprint template to be read from said module;

an imprint platen on one side of said module which allows light to pass through to illuminate an imprint on said platen;

an offset optical path from said platen to an image port on the outside of said module which allows an image of an illuminated imprint on said platen to pass to said image port;

an electro-optical material which controls the transmission of light from a light source such that a portion or portions of said imprint image are transmitted at a time.

2. The security token to claim 1, wherein said optical path comprises a fiber optic bundle.

3. The security token in claim 2, wherein said fiber optic bundle is coupled to, and transmits light through, an index matching doping material to illuminate said imprint.

4. The security token in claim 2, wherein said fiber optic bundle is coupled to, and transmits light through, a transmissive substrate and a waveguide hologram to illuminate and image said imprint.

5. The security token in claim 1, wherein said optical path comprises gradient index optical elements.

6. The security token of claim 1, wherein said optical path comprises:

one or several fold mirrors; and

an array of beam splitter optical elements comprising an electro-optical material that are configured to transmit light or reflect light in a sequence so as to transmit a portion of said imprint image at a time.

7. The security token of claim 1, wherein said electro-optic material is a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is generally opaque when electrically charged and generally transmissive when electrically neutral.

8. The security token of claim 1, wherein said image port is sized so as to allow only a portion of said imprint image to pass through at a time.

9. A method of fingerprint authentication, comprising:

inserting a portable module into a live-scan device;

illuminating, imaging, and transmitting a fingerprint on an imprint platen on one side of said module through an offset optical path to an image port; and

electrically transmitting imprint authentication data from said module;

wherein said optical path includes a electro-optical material which controls the transmission of light from a light source such that a portion or portions of said imprint image are transmitted at a time; and

optically transmitting said image through the image port to the fingerprint reader input of said live-scan device for comparison to said authentication data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said illumination and imaging are accomplished using a light transmissive substrate and waveguide hologram.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said optical path comprises a fiber optic bundle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said optical path comprises gradient index optical elements.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said electro-optic material is a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is generally transmissive when electrically neutral, but all or portions of the LCD may be turned generally opaque by applying an electrical charge.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said image portions are generated via an array of beam splitter optical elements comprising an electro-optical material such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is generally transmissive when electrically neutral, but may be turned generally opaque by applying an electrical charge, wherein said array of optical elements is configured to transmit light or reflect light in a sequence so as to transmit a portion of said imprint image at a time.

15. A security token, comprising:

a portable module having non-volatile memory containing an imprint template and an electrical interface that allows said imprint template to be read from said module;

an imprint platen on one side of said module which allows light to pass through to illuminate said imprint;

an offset optical path comprised of fiber optics from said platen to an image port on the outside of said module which allows an image of an illuminated imprint on said platen to pass to said image port;

wherein said fiber optic bundle is coupled to, and transmits light through, a transmissive substrate and a waveguide hologram to illuminate and image said imprint.

16. The security token of claim 15, further comprising an electro-optical material which controls the transmission of light from a light source such that a portion or portions of said imprint image are transmitted at a time.

17. The security token of claim 16, wherein said electro-optic material is a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is generally opaque when electrically charged and generally transmissive when electrically neutral.