Patent EA-002737-B1 (EA)
Title: Fingerprint collation
Inventor: TAMORI TERUHIKO
IPC: G06Q20/00
Filed: 1997-08-05
Abstract: 1. An electronic money transaction system comprising: an input/output device (10) including a various kind of electric appliances for inputting/outputting the amount of money to be transmitted/received; a fingerprint identifying apparatus (4) for identifying a user of the system; and a money conversion module (2) connected to said input/output device for converting monetary values to electric values and vice versa; wherein the fingerprint identifying apparatus (4) is connected to the money conversion module (2). 2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fingerprint identification apparatus comprises: memory means for storing fingerprint data reading means for reading a fingerprint; and comparison means for determining if the fingerprint read by said reading means matches with a fingerprint data stored in said memory means. 3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the money conversion module includes an E2PROM, in particular a RAM. 4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the money conversion module includes a flash RAM. 5. The system in accordance with claim I, wherein the money conversion module includes a RAM such as a FRAM. 6. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 5, wherein money conversion module is incorporated in a non-contact card. 7. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 6, wherein money conversion module serves as a transaction center and comprises an automatic processing interruption timer for returning the transaction to a condition which existed prior to an interruption, and normally ending the transaction after the transaction experienced the interruption and it lasted for a predetermined period of time. 8. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 7, including a power source for and coupled to the money conversion module by a transfer wire. 9. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 8, wherein the money conversion module includes currency rates for various countries, and wherein an electronic currency value serves as a common currency. 10. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 9, wherein the money conversion module does not change a total amount even if a transfer transaction between said money conversion modules is interrupted at any time during an electronic transaction. 11. The system in accordance with claims 1 through 8 wherein the money conversion module comprises a monetary value system for a specified application such as a credit card system, an electronic bill system, or a pachinko card system. 12. The system in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 11, wherein the cards, such as IC cards, have a built-in fingerprint identification apparatus. 13. The system in accordance with claims 11 or 12, wherein the IC card includes a storage portion for storing said various types of data so that it is possible to input or output said types of data in said IC card. 14. The system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said fingerprint identifying apparatus is incorporated in said IC card. 15. The system in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 14, wherein, upon transferring said various types of data, fingerprint data of a person who sends said various types of data is added by a main part to said various types of data. 16. The system in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 15, wherein said fingerprint data which is added by the main part to said various types of data contains confirmation data which confirms that said fingerprint data which is added to said various types of data is data which is read from a fingerprint reading apparatus. 17. The system in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 16, wherein said fingerprint identifying apparatus senses indentations of a fingerprint by means of pressure changes and reads said fingerprint. 18. The system in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 16, wherein said fingerprint identifying apparatus senses indentations of a fingerprint by means of light reflection and reads said fingerprint. 19. An identification method of a user in a system utilizing fingerprints comprising the steps of: matching a fingerprint which was previously stored in a memory against a fingerprint which is inputted to a sensor which reads fingerprints by means of pressure, and executing a predetermined operation when the fingerprints match each other. 20. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein said predetermined operation involves locking and unlocking anything which can be locked and unlocked by a conventional key, such as a house, a door of a car, a door of a strongbox, a door of a hotel, an attache case, an arcade game machine, and game equipment including pachinko machines, or restricting access to or operation of various types of equipment such as a cellular phone, electric home appliances such as a television set, security for a computer such as a personal computer, a car, an electric calculator, a bicycle, etc. 21. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein said predetermined operation is an identification operation for identifying a user of a passport, a driver's license, a certificate of seal-impression, a medical record used in a hospital, etc. 22. The method in accordance with any one of claims 19 through 21, comprising the step of mounting said sensor in an IC card. 23. The method in accordance with any one of claims 19 through 22, comprising the step of transmitting fingerprint data by means of the fingerprint matching apparatuses by contactless data transfer means, such as an electromagnetic wave (radio) or an optical communication (infrared LED), etc. 24. The method in accordance with any one of claims 19 through 22, comprising the step of generating a protection code by the fingerprint sensor. 25. The method in accordance with any one of claims 19 through 24, comprising the steps of storing and tracing back an inputted fingerprint which does not match a fingerprint previously stored in the memory. 26. A system for identifying a user comprising: a pressure-type fingerprint sensor; a memory for storing fingerprints in advance; a main part, which compares a fingerprint impressed on said fingerprint sensor with fingerprints stored in the memory; and a processing portion which encodes and decodes data and creates data which is unique to the user and functions as an ID for the user. 27. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said sensor is mounted in an IC card. 28. The system in accordance with claims 26 or 27, wherein said fingerprint sensor generates a protection code. 29. The system in accordance with any one of claims 26 through 28, wherein an inputted fingerprint which does not match a fingerprint previously stored in the memory is stored and traced back. 30. An information transmission method for use in a system for transmitting data which comprises fingerprint sensors, comprising the steps of:  individually reading fingerprints by each of the fingerprint sensory-creating coding keys from the read fingerprints; and  encoding and decoding data with said coding keys. 31. The method in accordance with claim 30, wherein identification data of sensors is added to said coding keys.