Security access method and apparatus

A portable biometric device for use by a person having been designated with predefined data stored in a central controller, and corresponding to biometric characteristics of the person, wherein the central controller is operative for selectively accessing any one of a plurality of devices and/or services, exclusive of any other one of the plurality of the devices and/or services, for permitting access to said device or service in response to receiving a signal being representative of one of the biometric characteristics of the designated person, the portable biometric device comprising:

• a biometric sensor for reading a biometric characteristic having been chosen and made available for reading by a person;
• a digital encoder for encoding a reading of the biometric characteristic, from the biometric sensor, to provide an encoded description of the biometric characteristic;
• a processor for encrypting the encoded description to provide an encrypted description in accordance with a predefined encryption key;
• a wireless transceiver for transmitting the encrypted description to the central controller;
• whereby the central controller is responsive to the biometric characteristic having been made available to the biometric sensor by said designated person for accessing one of the devices or services, said one device or service associated with the biometric characteristic and wherein another device or service from the plurality of devices and/or services is associated with another different biometric characteristic.

A method for permitting access to functions of at least a device, comprising the steps of:

• assigning a plurality of different biometric characteristics of a person, each to different access codes, an access code relating to a function of the at least one device;
• providing to a portable biometric device operable to read a biometric characteristic presented thereto and to provide biometric data based on a read biometric characteristic, a biometric characteristic of an individual;
• processing the biometric data to determine an access code associated therewith;
• transmitting an information signal of the access code via wireless transmission to the device;
• and,
• in response to receipt of the information signal including the access code performing the function on the device.

A method for permitting access to functions of a device, comprising the steps of:

• assigning a plurality of different biometric characteristics of a person, each to different access codes, an access code relating to a function of the at least one device;
• providing a biometric characteristic of an individual to a portable biometric device operable to read a biometric characteristic presented thereto and to provide biometric data based on a read biometric characteristic;
• processing the biometric data to provide security data;
• transmitting an information signal of the security data via wireless transmission to the device;
• and,
• in an instance wherein information signal is representative of security data corresponding to one of the assigned ones of the plurality of biometric characteristics, causing the respective function to be executed on the respective device.

A portable biometric device, for use by a designated person in combination with a secure entity and or a secure service, which is accessible via a plurality of portals, each of which is exclusively operable in response to a corresponding authorization code, comprising:

• a biometric sensor for reading a biometric characteristic of a person dependent upon the person presenting said biometric characteristic to the biometric sensor;
• a digital encoder for encoding a reading of the biometric characteristic, from the biometric sensor, to provide an encoded description of the biometric characteristic;
• a processor responsive to the encoded description of the presented biometric characteristic for determining if the biometric characteristic is predesignated for access via a predesignated one of the plurality of portals, and if so, selecting the authorization code for unlocking said predesignated one of the portals;
• a wireless transceiver for transmitting the selected authorization code to the secure entity and or service;
• whereby said designated person, exclusive of an other person, is able to choose which of the plurality of portals is to be unlocked for their access.

A portable biometric device for use by a person having been designated with predefined data stored in a central controller, and corresponding to biometric characteristics of the person, wherein the central controller is operative for selectively unlocking any one of a plurality of portals, exclusive of any other one of the plurality of portals, for permitting access into and or egress from a secure entity in response to receiving a signal being representative of one of the biometric characteristics of the designated person, the portable biometric device comprising:

• a biometric sensor for reading a biometric characteristic having been chosen and made available for reading by a person;
• a digital encoder for encoding a reading of the biometric characteristic, from the biometric sensor, to provide an encoded description of the biometric characteristic;
• a processor for processing the encoded description to provide secure data relating to the encoded description;
• a wireless transceiver for transmitting the secure data to the central controller;
• whereby the central controller is responsive to the biometric characteristic having been made available to the biometric sensor by said designated person for unlocking one of the portals.

A security system for securing an entity and or a service from indiscriminate access, the security system comprising:

• a central controller for permitting access, via a portal of a plurality of portals, to the secure entity and or service, contingent upon a representation of a biometric characteristic having been transmitted thereto and substantially matching with a preregistered data, of a plurality of preregistered data being representative of biometric characteristics including said transmitted biometric characteristic, and, for selecting, from within said plurality of portals, a portal being associated with said matched preregistered data;
• and
• at least one portable biometric device including a wireless transmitter for transmitting a representation of a biometric characteristic having been made available by a person;
• whereby a designated person is permitted entry and or egress via the selected portal in accordance with having made the designated biometric characteristic available to portable biometric device.

A security system for securing an entity and or a service from indiscriminate access, the security system comprising:

• a plurality of portals each being locked by a respective one of a plurality of locks, each lock being exclusively responsive to reception of one of a plurality of authorization codes for unlocking the portal;
• at least one portable biometric device comprising:
• a biometric sensor for reading a biometric characteristic of a person dependent upon the person presenting said biometric characteristic to the biometric sensor;
• a digital encoder for encoding a reading of the biometric characteristic, from the biometric sensor, to provide an encoded description of the biometric characteristic;
• a processor responsive to the encoded description of the biometric characteristic for determining if the biometric characteristic is one of a similar plurality of biometric characteristics predesignated for access via respective one of the plurality of portals, and if so, selecting the authorization code for unlocking said predesignated one of the portals;
• a wireless transceiver for transmitting data;
• wherein one of the encoded description of the biometric characteristic and the selected authorization code is for transmission via the wireless transceiver, and
• whereby upon presentation of the predesignated biometric characteristic associated with a portal a receiver associated with which is within range of the wireless transceiver, the portal is unlocked.

A method for providing access to a secure entity or service by a designated person, via one of plurality of portals, each of which functions to open in response to a unique authorization signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• initiating a portable biometric device with a plurality of predefined data representative of a plurality of biometric characteristics, each of which is associated with a unique authorisation code designated for access via a respective one of the plurality of portals;
• capturing biometric information of an individual representative of a biometric characteristic in response a person presenting said information to the portable biometric device;
• comparing the captured biometric information with said plurality of predefined data and;
• if a substantial match with a one of the predefined data is detected, transmitting the unique authorization code from the portable biometric device, whereby the respective portal is unlocked exclusive of any other portal in the plurality of portals.

A method for permitting entry and or egress exclusively via one of a plurality of portals of a secure entity and or a secure service, comprising the steps of:

• providing each person in a population of designated persons with a portable biometric device operable to read a biometric characteristic presented thereto;
• assigning a plurality of biometric characteristics of each designated person to respective portals of the plurality of portals;
• and
• subsequently, dependent upon a designated person presenting their portable biometric device with a biometric characteristic, transmitting a wireless information signal;
• and
• in an instance wherein the wireless information signal is representative of information corresponding substantially to one of the assigned ones of the plurality of biometric characteristics, causing the respective portal to be exclusively available for entry and/or egress.