US 6,041,410 A · Personal identification fob

Abstract

Apparatus, and a method for its use, for automatically verifying the identity of a person seeking access to a protected property, such as a car, room, building or automatic teller machine. The apparatus, which is disclosed in the form of a handheld fob (14), includes a sensor (16) for reading biometric data, such as a fingerprint image, from the person (12), and a correlator (28) for comparing the sensed data with a previously stored reference image (32) and for determining whether there is a match. If there is a match, the fob (14) initiates an exchange of signals with the "door" (10) that protects the property. Specifically, the fob (14) generates a numerical value, such as a cyclic redundancy code, from the stored reference image (32), encrypts the numerical value, and transmits it to the door (10) as confirmation of the person's identity. For further security, the person (12) registers this numerical value at each door (10) to which access is desired. Upon receipt of identity confirmation from the fob (14), the door (10) compares the received numerical value with the one stored during registration, before granting access.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A personal Identification fob for automatically verifying the identity of a user seeking to use the fob for access to a protected property, the fob comprising:

a sensor, for reading fingerprint data identifying a user seeking access to a protected property;
a memory for storing a reference fingerprint image of the user during an enrollment procedure and for holding the reference image for future use;
an image correlator, for comparing the stored reference image with a fingerprint image of the user seeking access, as obtained from the sensor, and for determining whether the two images match;
and
means for securely communicating identity confirmation to a door that provides access to the protected property upon receipt of the identity confirmation, wherein the means for securely communicating identity confirmation includes
means for generating a numerical value from the stored reference fingerprint image, including means for generating a cyclic redundancy code from the stored reference fingerprint image,
encryption logic, for encrypting the numerical value, and
a transmitter for sending the encrypted numerical value to the door, together with user identification data,
wherein the door provides the desired access to the protected property upon confirming that the transmitted numerical value is the same as one previously provided by the user during a registration procedure.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Personal identification fob

Life of this patent

Personal identification fob

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6