Patent ID: 6547130
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
An integrated circuit card adapted to be accessed by a card reader that is capable of establishing a communications link with a hose computer, said integrated circuit card comprising:a card body; a memory device, mounted on said card body, for storing fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of an assigned user, and for storing card information therein; a fingerprint sensor mounted on said card body and adapted to scan a fingerprint of a holder of said card body and to generate fingerprint scan data; a card reader interface circuit mounted on said card body and activable so as to communicate with the card reader; and a processing unit mounted on said card body and connected to said memory device, said fingerprint sensor and said card reader interface circuit, said processing unit receiving the fingerprint scan data from said fingerprint sensor and comparing the fingerprint scan data with the fingerprint reference data in said memory device to verify if the holder of said card body is the assigned user, said processing unit activating said card reader interface circuit for exchanging the card information with the host computer via the card reader upon verifying that the holder of said card body is the assigned user, wherein the fingerprint reference data includes a plurality of scan line data, each of which describes fingerprint characteristics in a respective scanning line of the fingerprint of the assigned user, said processing unit further transmitting a segment of the fingerprint reference data stored in said memory device to the host computer upon verifying that the holder of the card body is the assigned user, the transmitted segment of the fingerprint reference data including chosen ones of the scan line data being selected according to one of date and time of the exchange of the card information with the host computer, and wherein the transmitted segment of the fingerprint reference data is compared with fingerprint reference data stored in the host computer.