Security check provision

• US 7,424,135 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Gifford, Maurice M, Seal, Christopher H, McCartney, David John
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter; Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US11/058,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 382115-118, 382124-127, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 902/3, 713/186
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

Security check method and apparatus reduces problems that can arise if the user security data set becomes known by unauthorized persons. To address this problem only part of the user data set is recorded in insecure sections of the system. For example, a security check preventing unauthorized remote access to a shared computer is provided by capturing a user data set representing a user'"'"'s iris, operating the user'"'"'s personal computer to select only a portion of the captured data set requested by the shared computer and transmitting the portion along a telecommunications line. The shared computer derives partial data sets from stored user data sets using a similar selection to that used by personal computer and compares the partial data set it has derived with the partial data set transmitted by the personal computer in deciding whether to grant access. Point-of-sale devices and cards recording only partial user data sets are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of at least one from among elements of the user entire biometric data set so that said user partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the user entire biometric data set, the selection of the at least one element to obtain the user partial biometric data set from among elements of the user entire biometric data set being determined based on position(s) of respective storage location(s) of the at least one element from among elements of the user entire biometric data set;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising at least one element selected from elements of an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user so that said authorized person partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set, without encoding any of the remaining elements in said authorized person entire biometric data set, said authorized person entire biometric data set being stored at an authentication apparatus, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set and the selection of the at least one element to generate the authorized person partial biometric data set from the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set being determined based on position(s) of respective storage location(s) of the at least one element from among the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set;

a comparator operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generator operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparator.

2. A terminal according to claim 1 wherein said user partial biometric data acquisition device comprises:

a user entire biometric data set acquisition device; and

one or more processors;

wherein said user entire biometric data set acquisition device is operable to capture a user entire biometric data set and is directly connected to said one or more processors which are operable to select at least one element from said user entire biometric data set to obtain a user partial biometric data set.

3. A portable device for use in enabling a user to pass a security check, the portable device comprising a storage medium for storing an authorized person partial biometric data set comprising at least one element selected from among elements of an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with the user so that said authorized person partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set, without encoding any of the remaining elements in the authorized person entire biometric data set, wherein the selection used in generating the authorized person partial biometric data set from the authorized person entire biometric data set is related to a selection used in generating a user partial biometric data set from a user entire biometric data set in a security check terminal and the selection of the at least one element to generate the authorized person partial biometric data set from the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set being determined based on position(s) of respective storage location(s) of the at least one element from among the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set, the security check terminal being operable to compare the user partial biometric data set with the authorized person partial biometric data set and generate a signal indicative of whether the user is an authorized person to pass the security check on the basis of the comparison of the user partial biometric data set with the authorized person partial biometric data set, the user partial biometric data set being obtained from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user and the obtaining of the user partial biometric data set involving the selection of at least one element from among elements of the user entire biometric data set so that said user partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the user entire biometric data set, the selection of the at least one element to obtain the user partial biometric data set from among elements of the user entire biometric data set being determined based on position(s) of respective storage location(s) of the at least one element from among elements of the user entire biometric data set.

4. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of at least one from among elements of the user entire biometric data set so that said user partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the user entire biometric data set;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising at least one element selected from elements of an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user so that said authorized person partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set, without encoding any of the remaining elements in said authorized person entire biometric data set, said authorized person entire biometric data set being stored at an authentication apparatus, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set;

a comparator operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generator operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparator;

wherein the selection of at least one element from the user entire biometric data set to obtain the user partial biometric data set is automatically altered by the user partial biometric data acquisition device between two separate attempts by the user to pass the security check.

5. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of at least one from among elements of the user entire biometric data set so that said user partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the user entire biometric data set;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising at least one element selected from elements of an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user so that said authorized person partial biometric data set includes at least one but not all of the elements of the authorized person entire biometric data set, without encoding any of the remaining elements in said authorized person entire biometric data set, said authorized person entire biometric data set being stored at an authentication apparatus, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set;

a comparator operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generator operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparator;

wherein the selection of at least one element from the user entire biometric data set to obtain the user partial biometric data set is automatically altered by the user partial biometric data acquisition device based on a time that the user attempts to pass the security check.

6. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set which is formed by M number of bits; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of N of the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set where N is a number less than M, the selection of the N bits obtained for the user partial biometric data set of the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set being determined based on positions of respective storage locations of the N bits within the M bits;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising a selection of Y of the X bits forming an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user where Y is a number less than X, without encoding any remaining part in said authorized person entire biometric data set, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set and the selection of the Y bits of the authorized person partial biometric data set of the X bits forming the authorized person entire biometric data set is determined based on positions of the respective storage locations of the Y bits within the X bits;

a comparison circuit operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generating circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparison circuit.

7. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set which is formed by M number of bits; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of N of the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set where N is a number less than M;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising a selection of Y of the X bits forming an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user where Y is a number less than X, without encoding any remaining part in said authorized person entire biometric data set, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set;

a comparison circuit operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generating circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparison circuit;

wherein the selection of N bit(s) from the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set to obtain the user partial biometric data set is automatically altered by the user partial biometric data acquisition device so that the N bit(s) selected in one user attempt to pass the security check are different from the N bit(s) selected in another user attempt to pass the security check.

8. A security check terminal comprising:

a user partial biometric data acquisition device operable to;

(a) obtain, from a user attempting to pass the security check, a user entire biometric data set which is formed by M number of bits; and

(b) obtain a user partial biometric data set from the user entire biometric data set without obtaining additional biometric data from the user, the obtaining of said user partial biometric data set involving a selection of N of the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set where N is a number less than M;

a reader operable to read an authorized person partial biometric data set stored on a portable device for use in enabling said user to pass said security check, said authorized person partial biometric data set comprising a selection of Y of the X bits forming an authorized person entire biometric data set associated with said user where Y is a number less than X, without encoding any remaining part in said authorized person entire biometric data set, wherein the selection used in generating said authorized person partial biometric data set from said authorized person entire biometric data set is related to the selection used in generating said user partial biometric data set from said user entire biometric data set;

a comparison circuit operable to compare said user partial biometric data set with said authorized person partial biometric data set; and

an authenticity signal generating circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of whether said user is an authorized person on the basis of the comparison made by said comparison circuit;

wherein the selection of N bit(s) from the M bits forming the user entire biometric data set to obtain the user partial biometric data set is automatically altered by the user partial biometric data acquisition device based on a time that the user attempts to pass the security check.