Authentication apparatus using a display/fingerprint reader

• US 6,879,710 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Harada, Kouichi, Hinoue, Sadahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hesseltine, Ryan J.
• Application Number:
  US09/517,163
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 340 552- 554, 340 574- 583, 340/5.86, 345/157, 345/163, 345172-178, 707/511
• US Class Current: 382/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus which is provided with a fingerprint verification function with a high security and a high operability. When a fingerprint is inputted from a fingerprint reading surface of a display/fingerprint reading unit, a fingerprint data sensing control unit reads fingerprint data and coordinate data, and stores the data into a storage unit. The fingerprint data is verified against fingerprint data previously registered and stored in a storage unit, to determine whether or not there is a matching fingerprint. In an information processing apparatus, a fingerprint verification function is thus implemented. Further, based on the coordinate data related to fingerprint input, the operation of the information processing apparatus is controlled. Accordingly, with such simple control as coordinate designation by touching the fingerprint reading surface with a finger at the time of fingerprint verification, the operation of the information processing apparatus can be controlled.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

fingerprint verification means for verifying a fingerprint read from a fingerprint reading surface against previously stored fingerprints of authorized users,

the information processing apparatus further comprising;

display means having a display surface with orthogonal coordinates set thereon;

coordinate designating means for designating coordinates related to fingerprint reading on the display surface;

secret number acquiring means for acquiring a secret number based on said designated coordinates, said acquiring occurs concurrently with said fingerprint reading on the display surface;

secret number identifying means for verifying the acquired secret number against a previously stored secret number;

control means for controlling an operation based on designated coordinates and a result of the secret number verification;

menu execution level area setting means for setting an area associated with an execution level of a menu; and

menu execution level area designation judging means for judging based on designated coordinates whether a set menu execution level area is designated or not,

wherein when a menu execution level area is designated and there is a match in fingerprint, the control means executes a menu at an execution level associated with an authorized user having the matching fingerprint among execution levels previously set for the respective users, as well as an execution level of the designated menu execution level area.