Systems and methods for biometric identification using the acoustic properties of the ear canal

A method for biometric identification, said method comprising the steps of:

• enrolling an individual to obtain reference data;
• transmitting signals s(t) into an ear canal of the individual;
• detecting response signals f(t) from the ear canal of the individual in response to the transmitting signals step;
• and
• comparing the response signals f(t) with the previously obtained signals emitted from the ear canal of the individual to verify the identity of the individual.

A system for biometric identification, said system comprising:

• acquisition means for storing biometric information from an ear canal of an individual;
• source means for transmitting source signals into an ear canal of the individual;
• recording means for recording response signals emitted from the ear canal of the individual;
• and
• verification means for verifying that the response signals match the biometric information from the ear canal of the individual to verify the identity of the individual.

A method for verifying/recognizing the identity of an individual by characterizing the acoustic properties of the ear canal as a biometric, said method comprising the steps of:

• enrolling the individual by characterizing the acoustic properties of an ear canal of the individual, wherein said enrolling step comprises the steps of:
• acquiring reference data from the ear canal of the individual by emitting source signals s.sub.1 (t) as a function of time t into the ear canal of the individual and detecting response signals f.sub.1 (t) as a function of time that are generated in response to the source signals s(t);
• extracting reference feature vector data from the reference data;
• and
• storing the reference feature vector data;
• and
• verifying the identity of the individual by determining whether the individual has previously been enrolled during said step of enrolling the individual, wherein said verifying step comprises the steps of:
• acquiring newly-acquired data from the ear canal of the individual by emitting source signals s.sub.2 (t) as a function of time t into the ear canal of the individual and detecting response signals f.sub.2 (t) as a function of time that are generated in response to the source signals s.sub.2 (t);
• extracting newly-extracted feature vector data from the newly-acquired data;
• and
• recognizing a pattern in the newly-extracted feature vector data to determine if the individual has previously been enrolled.

A system for characterizing an individual by characterizing the acoustic properties of the ear canal as a biometric, said system comprising:

• transmitting means for transmitting a first signal into the ear canal of the individual;
• receiving means for receiving a second signal characteristic of an individual in response to the first signal;
• and
• means for characterizing the individual by characterizing the acoustic properties of the ear canal as a biometric based on the second signal.

A system for remote access biometric identification, said system comprising:

• enrollment means, located at a first location, for enrolling the individual by characterizing the acoustic properties of an ear canal of the individual and for generating and transmitting source signals s(t) into an ear canal of an individual;
• receiving means, located at a second location, for receiving said source signals s(t) and for detecting and transmitting response signals f(t) to the first location, the response signals f('t) being generated in response to source signals s(t);
• and
• verifying means, located at the first location, for receiving response signals f(t) and for verifying the identity of the individual.

A system for remote access biometric identification, said system comprising:

• source means, located at a first location, for emitting source signals s(t) into an ear canal of an individual, the ear canal generating response signals f(t) in response to source signals s(t);
• detecting means, located at the first location, for detecting the response signals f(t);
• extracting means, located at the first location, for extracting features from the response signals f(t);
• transmitting means, located at the first location, for transmitting the features to a second location;
• and
• comparing means, located at the second location, for receiving the features and for comparing the features against reference features that characterize the individual.