Abstract:
The invention discloses a method for authorized-user verification, which allows a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user. The method includes: the host-end system sending a secret code to the user-end apparatus; the user-end apparatus scanning at least one biometric characteristic of the holder, generating encrypted data according to the secret code and the biometric characteristic, and sending the encrypted data to the host-end system; the host-end system decrypting the encrypted data to generate a decrypted secret code and a decrypted biometric characteristic, checking whether the decrypted secret code matches the secret code, and further checking whether the decrypted biometric characteristic matches a pre-stored biometric characteristic of the authorized user when the decrypted secret code matches the secret code.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to identity verification of an authorized user, and more particularly, to an authorized-user verification method applying biometric characteristics and secret codes, and related authorized-user verification apparatus. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In recent years, non-contact communication utilizing radio signals has become a fast developing technical field, wherein near field communication (NFC) technology is applied in more and more transaction modes. NFC is a communication at short range, and the transaction utilizing NFC is therefore called an NFC transaction. For example, VISA finance cards and smart cards utilized in the Taipei rapid transit system are examples of NFC transaction applications. 
         [0005]    However, the NFC transaction is still limited to transactions that involve a small amount of money. In addition to misgivings of security such as risks of data being divulged during the NFC transaction (for example, the data might be copied by criminals), the main misgiving is that the system is not able to verify whether the user of the transaction is an authorized user, and when the transaction carrier is stolen, there exists a risk of losing money. All of these security problems will increase the misgivings of the users and merchants when they use an NFC transaction. Therefore, some people in academic circles and in the industry are devoted to providing a thoroughly considered transaction method in order to increase the transaction security of the NFC transaction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]    It is therefore one of the objectives of the present invention to provide a method for a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user, and related authorized-user verification apparatus. 
         [0007]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for authorized-user verification, which allows a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user, is disclosed. The method includes: the host-end system sending a secret code to the user-end apparatus; the user-end apparatus scanning at least one biometric characteristic of the holder; the user-end apparatus generating encrypted data according to the secret code and the biometric characteristic; the user-end apparatus sending the encrypted data to the host-end system; the host-end system decrypting the encrypted data to generate a decrypted secret code and a decrypted biometric characteristic; the host-end system checking whether the decrypted secret code matches the secret code; and the host-end system further checking whether the decrypted biometric characteristic matches a pre-stored biometric characteristic of the authorized user to determine whether the holder is the authorized user if the decrypted secret code matches the secret code. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for authorized-user verification, which allows a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user, is further disclosed. The method includes: the host-end system sending a secret code to the user-end apparatus; the user-end apparatus scanning a biometric characteristic of the holder; the user-end apparatus checking whether the biometric characteristic matches a pre-stored biometric characteristic, the pre-stored biometric characteristic being stored in the user-end apparatus; the user-end apparatus generating encrypted data according to the secret code and a key value stored in the user-end apparatus if the biometric characteristic matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic; the user-end apparatus sending the encrypted data to the host-end system; the host-end system decrypting the encrypted data to generate a decrypted secret code and a decrypted key value; the host-end system checking whether the decrypted secret code matches the secret code; and the host-end system further checking whether the decrypted key value matches a pre-stored key value of the authorized user to determine whether the holder is the authorized user if the decrypted secret code matches the secret code. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, an authorized-user verification apparatus, which allows a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user, is disclosed. The authorized-user verification apparatus includes: a transceiver, for receiving a secret code from the host-end system and send encrypted data to the host-end system; a biometric characteristic sensor, for scanning at least one biometric characteristic of the holder; and an encryption module, coupled to the transceiver and the biometric characteristic sensor, for generating the encrypted data according to the secret code and the biometric characteristic; wherein the host-end system determines whether the holder is the authorized user according to the encrypted data. 
         [0010]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, an authorized-user verification apparatus, which allows a host-end system to determine whether a holder of a user-end apparatus is an authorized user, is further disclosed. The authorized-user verification apparatus includes: a transceiver, for receiving a secret code from the host-end system and send encrypted data to the host-end system; a biometric characteristic sensor, for scanning a biometric characteristic of the holder; a security apparatus, for storing a pre-stored biometric characteristic and a key value of the authorized user; an identification module, coupled to the biometric characteristic sensor and the security apparatus, for determining whether the biometric characteristic matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic; and an encryption module, coupled to the identification module, the security apparatus, and the transceiver, for generating the encrypted data according to the secret code and the key value when the biometric characteristic matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic; wherein the host-end system determines whether the holder is the authorized user according to the encrypted data. 
         [0011]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a transaction system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an example of a flow chart executed by the transaction system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a transaction system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an example of a flow chart executed by the transaction system shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a transaction system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the transaction system  100  includes a user-end apparatus  120  and a host-end system  140 , wherein the user-end apparatus  120  is utilized to verify an authorized user, and the user-end apparatus  120  can be a portable electronic apparatus. The user-end apparatus  120  includes a transceiver  122 , a biometric characteristic sensor  124 , and an encryption module  126 , and the host-end system  140  includes a host  160  and a database server  180 . 
         [0017]    The NFC transceiver is an example of the transceiver  122 , and the NFC transceiver can allow the user-end apparatus  120  and the host  160  to perform communication according to an NFC protocol. The communication is performed via a network between the host  160  and the database server  180  (the network has security above a certain level). The radio frequency identity (RFID) can be an example of the NFC protocol mentioned above. 
         [0018]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is an example of a flow chart executed by the transaction system  100  when a holder of the user-end apparatus  120  wants to carry out the transaction. The host-end system  140  will be able to determine whether the holder is an authorized user via the flow chart. The flow chart includes the following steps: 
         [0019]    Step  205 : The host  160  generates a secret code RC randomly and sends the secret code RC to the transceiver  122  of the user-end apparatus  120 ; wherein, the secret code RC can be a default value or a value generated according to a specific operation. In a preferred embodiment, the secret code RC can be a random value changing with time. 
         [0020]    Step  210 : The biometric characteristic sensor  124  scans a biometric characteristic BC of the holder. For example, the biometric characteristic BC can be fingerprints, voiceprints, retinas, face characteristics, or other biometric characteristics of the holder. In a preferred embodiment, the biometric characteristic sensor can scan more than one biometric characteristic. 
         [0021]    Step  215 : The encryption module  126  generates encrypted data ED according to the secret code RC and the biometric characteristic BC; wherein, the encryption module can generate the encrypted data ED according to more than one or two kinds of the biometric characteristic BC. 
         [0022]    Step  220 : The user-end apparatus  120  sends the encrypted data ED to the host  160  via the transceiver  122 . 
         [0023]    Step  225 : The host  160  decrypts the received encrypted data ED to generate a decrypted secret code DRC and a decrypted biometric characteristic DBC. 
         [0024]    Step  230 : The host  160  checks whether the decrypted secret code DRC matches the secret code RC generated before. If the decrypted secret code DRC does not match the secret code RC, then it means that the preliminary verification fails, and the flow enters step  235 ; if the decrypted secret code DRC matches the secret code RC, then it means that the preliminary verification succeeds, and the flow enters step  240 . 
         [0025]    Step  235 : Entering this step means that the preliminary verification fails, and at this time the transaction system  100  executes emergency measures of the preliminary verification failure such as going back to step  205  in order to restart the flow chart, announcing that the transaction fails, or executing other emergency measures. 
         [0026]    Step  240 : Entering this step means that the preliminary verification succeeds, and at this time the host-end system  140  will further check whether the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC matches a pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC of the authorized user to determine whether the holder is the authorized user; wherein, when the encrypted data ED is generated by more than two kinds of the biometric characteristic BC, the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC will also have a corresponding amount. In this example, the step  240  includes sub-step  241 , sub-step  242 , sub-step  243 , and sub-step  244 . In the sub-step  241 , the host  160  sends the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC and transaction data to the database server  180 . In the sub-step  242 , the database server  180  checks whether the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC stored in the database server  180 ; If the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC does not match the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, then the flow enters sub-step  243 ; if the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, then the flow enters sub-step  244 . In the sub-step  243 , since it is checked that the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC does not match the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, the host-end system  140  determines that the holder is not the authorized user, and the database server  180  will report back the failed transaction result and the verification result to the host  160  (or execute other emergency measures). In the sub-step  244 , since it is checked that the decrypted biometric characteristic DBC matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, the host-end system  140  can determine that the holder is the authorized user, and the database server  180  can report back the transaction result and the verification result to the host  160 . 
         [0027]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a transaction system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the transaction system  300  includes a user-end apparatus  320  and a host-end system  340 , wherein the user-end apparatus  320  is utilized to verify an authorized user, and the user-end apparatus  320  can be a portable electronic apparatus. The user-end apparatus  320  includes a transceiver  321 , a biometric characteristic sensor  322 , a security apparatus  323 , an identification module  324 , and an encryption module  325 , and the host-end system  340  includes a host  360  and a database server  380 . For example, the security apparatus  323  can be a SIM card or an IC. 
         [0028]    The NFC transceiver is an example of the transceiver  321 , and the NFC transceiver can allow the user-end apparatus  320  and the host  360  to perform communication according to an NFC protocol. The communication is performed via a network between the host  360  and the database server  380  (the network has security above a certain level). The radio frequency identity (RFID) can be an example of the NFC protocol mentioned above. 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is an example of a flow chart executed by the transaction system  300  when a holder of the user-end apparatus  320  wants to carry out the transaction. The host-end system  340  will be able to determine whether the holder is an authorized user via the flow chart. The flow chart includes the following steps: 
         [0030]    Step  405 : The host  360  generates a secret code RC randomly and sends the secret code RC to the transceiver  321  of the user-end apparatus  320 ; wherein, the secret code RC can be a default value or a value generated according to a specific operation. In a preferred embodiment, the secret code RC can be a random value changing with time. 
         [0031]    Step  410 : The biometric characteristic sensor  322  scans a biometric characteristic BC of the holder. For example, the biometric characteristic BC can be fingerprints, voiceprints, retinas, face characteristics, or other characteristics of the holder. 
         [0032]    Step  415 : The identification module  324  determines whether the biometric characteristic BC matches a pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC stored in the security apparatus  323 ; wherein, the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC is the biometric characteristic of the authorized user, and an unauthorized user is not able to change the data stored in the security apparatus  323 . If the biometric characteristic BC does not match the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, then it means that the user verification fails, and the flow then enters step  420 ; if the biometric characteristic BC matches the pre-stored biometric characteristic PBC, then it means that the user verification succeeds, and the flow then enters step  425 . 
         [0033]    Step  420 : When entering this step, it means that the user verification fails, and at this time the transaction system  300  executes emergency measures of the user verification failure such as going back to step  405  in order to restart the flow chart, announcing that the transaction fails, or executing other emergency measures. 
         [0034]    Step  425 : The encryption module  325  generates encrypted data ED according to the secret code RC and a key value KV of the security apparatus  323 . 
         [0035]    Step  430 : The user-end apparatus  320  sends the encrypted data ED to the host  360  via the transceiver  321 . 
         [0036]    Step  435 : The host  360  decrypts the received encrypted data ED to generate a decrypted secret code DRC and a decrypted key value DKV. 
         [0037]    Step  440 : The host  160  checks whether the decrypted secret code DRC matches the secret code RC generated before. If the decrypted secret code DRC does not match the secret code RC, then it means that the secret code verification fails, and the flow then enters step  445 ; if the decrypted secret code DRC matches the secret code RC, then it means that the secret code verification succeeds, and the flow then enters step  450 . 
         [0038]    Step  445 : Entering this step means that the secret code verification fails, and at this time the transaction system  300  executes emergency measures of the secret code verification failure such as going back to step  405  in order to restart the flow chart, announcing that the transaction fails, or executing other emergency measures. 
         [0039]    Step  450 : Entering this step means that the secret code verification succeeds, and at this time the host-end system  340  will further check whether the decrypted key value DKV matches a pre-stored key value PKV of the authorized user to determine whether the holder is the authorized user. In this example, the step  450  includes sub-step  451 , sub-step  452 , sub-step  453 , and sub-step  454 . In sub-step  451 , the host  360  sends the decrypted key value DKV and transaction data to the database server  380 . In sub-step  452 , the database server  380  checks whether the decrypted key value DKV matches the pre-stored key value PKV stored in the database server  380 ; If the decrypted key value DKV does not match the pre-stored key value PKV, the flow then enters sub-step  453 ; if the decrypted key value DKV matches the pre-stored key value PKV, the flow then enters sub-step  454 . In the sub-step  453 , since it is checked that the decrypted key value DKV does not match the pre-stored key value PKV, the host-end system  340  determines that the holder is not the authorized user, and the database server  380  will report back the failed transaction result and the verification result to the host  360  (or execute other emergency measures). In the sub-step  454 , since it is checked that the decrypted key value DKV matches the pre-stored key value PKV, the host-end system  340  can determine that the holder is the authorized user, and the database server  380  can report back the transaction result and the verification result to the host  360 . 
         [0040]    As the secret code generation, the biometric characteristic scan, and the data encryption/decryption are applied in the flow chart of each embodiment mentioned above, the transaction system according to the embodiments of the present invention is able to prevent the user-end apparatus from being embezzled by the unauthorized users, and prevent the transaction data from being copied by criminals. In other words, the transaction system according to the embodiments of the present invention is able to provide better security for performing the NFC transaction. 
         [0041]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the apparatus and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.