Enhanced identification appliance for verifying and authenticating the bearer through biometric data

• US 7,849,619 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Qelikishi Limited LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bell, H. Clark, Penuela, Oswaldo, Mosher, Walter W. Jr., Marcus, Samuel D. Y., Wang, David E., Beigel, Michael L., Tuttle, John Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US11/060,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 406/33, 340/573.1, 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 40/633
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses

Abstract

An enhanced identification appliance, such as a wristband, bracelet, patch, headband, neckband, ankleband, legband, card, sticker, or other wearable appliance, may have a biometric, chemical, optical, heat, pressure, humidity, electromagnetic, and/or acoustic sensor, various opto-electronics and/or various security features such as tamper-evident and tamper-resistant features. The sensors may obtain wearer-related information such as a fingerprint, retina, iris, blood, DNA, genetic data, voice pattern, temperature and other characteristic. Security features include a fastener on the identification appliance, which indicates whether the appliance has been attached to a wearer and if so, enables circuit functions. If one tampers with the appliance, circuit functions may be disabled, certain data erased, and/or evidence of tampering made apparent. The appliance may monitor the location or determine the identity of vehicle passengers for an airplane, train, boat, bus, etc. Alternatively, the identification band may contain a person'"'"'s immigration status.

Claims

1. An identification appliance adapted to provide information about a person, the identification appliance comprising:

a structure adapted to be worn by or attached to the person, the structure comprising an elongate portion having first and second opposing ends;

a circuit disposed in or on the structure, the circuit adapted to receive biometric information about the person from a source external to the identification appliance;

a first connector comprising a first electrical node coupled to the circuit;

a second connector comprising a second electrical node coupled to the circuit, wherein the first and second connectors are sized for removable attachment with one another such that the circuit is activated when first and second connectors are attached and the circuit is deactivated when the first and second connectors are detached; and

a data storage device adapted to store the biometric information;

wherein the circuit is further configured to erase the biometric information stored on the data storage device in response to disengagement of the first and second connectors and configured to store biometric information on the data storage device in response to re-engagement of the first and second connectors after said disengagement.

2. The identification appliance of claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a memory and the circuit is adapted to erase the biometric information in the memory if the circuit determines that the identification appliance has been tampered with.

3. The identification appliance of claim 1 wherein the data storage device is adapted to store the biometric information and additional information associated with the person.

4. The identification appliance of claim 1, wherein the biometric information is received via radio frequency communications from a source external to the identification appliance.

5. The identification appliance of claim 1, further comprising a jack for receiving a physical communication medium configured to carry data representative of the biometric information to the identification appliance.

6. The identification appliance of claim 1, wherein the biometric information comprises digital data representative of one or more of a photograph, a fingerprint, a retina, an iris, a face, or a DNA of the person.

7. A method comprising:

providing a structure adapted to be attached to a person, the structure comprising first and second opposing ends configured for engagement in order to secure the structure to the person, wherein the structure comprises a circuit configured to receive and store biometric information about the person when the circuit is in an active state;

engaging the first and second ends of the structure such that a first electrical contact positioned in the first end of the structure electrically contacts a second electrical contact positioned in the second end of the structure, wherein electrical contact of the first and second electrical contacts causes the circuit to be in the active state; and

disengaging the first and second ends of the structure such that the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are not in electrical contact, wherein the lack of electrical contact of the first and second electrical contacts causes the circuit to erase the biometric information about the person and causes the circuit to be in an inactive state;

re-engaging the first and second ends of the structure such that the first electrical contact positioned in the first end of the structure electrically contacts the second electrical contact positioned in the second end of the structure, wherein electrical contact of the first and second electrical contacts causes the circuit to be in the active state, and wherein the biometric information about the person is not stored on the structure in response to said re-engaging.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the active state the biometric information is selectively transmitted to authorized requesting devices.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the biometric information is transmitted to an authorized requesting device in response to receiving a request for the biometric information from the authorized requesting devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the circuit is configured to store new biometric information received from an external device after re-engaging the first and second ends of the structure.

11. A system for identifying a person comprising:

attachment means for attaching an identification apparatus to a person, the attachment means comprising

a circuit configured to receive and store biometric information about the person when the circuit is in an active state, and

first and second connectors configured for engagement in order to secure the identification apparatus to the person, wherein in response to engagement of the first and second connectors, the circuit is in the active state, and in response to disengagement of the first and second connectors, the circuit erases the biometric information about the person and causes the circuit to be in an inactive state;

wherein the circuit is further configured to return to the active state in response to re-engagement of the first and second connectors after the circuit has been placed in the inactive state in response to disengagement of the first and second connectors, such that the circuit is configured to store new biometric information received from an external device after returning to the active state.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the attachment means comprises a first connector and a second connector configured for engagement with one another in order to attach the identification apparatus to the person, wherein the first connector comprises a first electrical contact and the second connector comprises a second electrical contact.

13. An identification appliance comprising:

a structure adapted to be coupled to a person;

a circuit disposed in or on the structure and configured to receive biometric information about the person;

first and second connectors sized for removable attachment with one another and configured so that the circuit is activated when first and second connectors are attached and the circuit is deactivated when the first and second connectors are detached; and

a memory configured to store the biometric information;

wherein the circuit is configured to erase at least the biometric information stored on the memory in response to detachment of the first and second connectors and to receive biometric information for storage on the memory after re-engagement of the first and second connectors.

14. The identification appliance of claim 13, wherein the first connector comprises a first electrical contact and the second connector comprises a second electrical contact.

15. The identification appliance of claim 13, wherein the structure comprises an elongate portion having first and second opposing ends, and an attachment portion extending substantially perpendicular from the first end of the elongate portion.