Patent Publication Number: US-6907134-B1

Title: Personal identification device and method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a personal identification device and method for executing personal identification by employing living body characteristics such as a finger print, a voice print, a face-image or the like, and more particularly to an improved personal identification device and method for executing personal identification by specifying living body characteristics to be used for personal identification based on the identification condition data stored in a portable storage media such as an IC card or the like carried by a user. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   It is well known to use a personal identification device for executing personal identification by employing living body characteristics such as a finger print, a voice print, a face-image or the like, which is employed in a car navigation, a notebook personal computer, an electronic note, and various mobile machines. The conventional personal identification device previously stores therein the data representing plural living body characteristics (hereinafter called as “bio-data”), such as finger print data of a specific finger, voice print data, and face-image data of a user. As the device is actuated, it compares the previously stored bio-data with the bio-data taken from the user to execute personal identification, whereby unauthorized use by another person is prevented. 
   The conventional personal identification device, however, is designed for a single living body characteristic item. A conventional finger print identification terminal is designed only for identification by a finger print; a conventional voice print identification terminal is designed only for identification by a voice print; and an image identification terminal is designed only for identification by a face. Thus, a conventional personal identification device designed for such a single living body characteristic item sometimes cannot be used by a handicapped person or an injured person to execute precise personal identification. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a personal identification device and method capable of executing personal identification employing a plurality of living body characteristics with high security in accordance with the need by users. 
   According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a personal identification device for executing personal identification by employing living body characteristics of a user which includes an identification condition data reader for reading identification condition data specifying at least one living body characteristic stored in a portable storage media carried by the user for the personal identification, a living body characteristic detector for detecting from the user the living body characteristic data corresponding to the identification condition data read by the identification condition data reader, and an identifier for performing personal identification by comparing the living body characteristic data detected by the living body characteristic detector with the living body characteristic data of users previously obtained, whereby the personal identification employing plural living body characteristic data in accordance with the need by users may be performed and high security is realized. 
   According to a modification of the personal identification device of the first aspect, the portable storage media stores therein an identification algorithm for personal identification employing the living body characteristic data together with the living body characteristic data, and the identifier performs the personal identification by transferring the living body characteristic data detected from the user by the living body characteristic detector to the portable storage media, whereby personal identification may be performed even when an identification algorithm for living body characteristic data does not exist in the device itself. 
   According to another modification of the personal identification device of the first aspect, the portable storage media stores therein the living body characteristic data, the identification condition reader reads the living body characteristic data from the portable storage media together with the identification condition data, and the identifier performs the personal identification by comparing the living body characteristic data detected from the user by the living body characteristic detector with the living body characteristic data read from the portable storage media, whereby the device itself is not necessary to store any living body characteristic data to be compared and the personal identification employing plural living body characteristic data may be performed with large degrees of freedom. 
   According to a second aspect of this invention, there is provided a personal identification apparatus for performing personal identification by employing living body characteristics of a user having a central device, and a plurality of personal identification terminals each of which includes an identification condition data reader for reading identification condition data specifying at least one living body characteristic data stored in a portable storage media carried by a user, a living body characteristic detector for detecting from the user the living body characteristic corresponding to the identification condition data read by the identification condition data reader, an identifier for performing personal identification by comparing the living body characteristic detected by the living body characteristic detector with the living body characteristic data of users obtained previously, and a communicator for communicating with the central device, whereby the personal identification employing plural living body characteristic data in accordance with the need by users may be performed by a central management. 
   According to a modification of the personal identification apparatus of the second aspect of this invention, the center device stores and manages the living body characteristic data for each user, revises the living body characteristic data for each user stored and managed by communication with each of the personal identification terminals, and generally controls identification results of users from the personal identification terminals, whereby centralized management also may be performed for the living body characteristic data used for personal identification. 
   According to a third aspect of this invention, there is provided a personal identification method for detecting living body characteristics of a user to compare the detected characteristics with the living body characteristic data previously obtained about the user to execute personal identification, which includes the steps of storing identification condition data specifying at least one living body characteristic for personal identification into a portable storage media to be carried by the user and detecting living body characteristic data corresponding to the identification condition data read from the portable storage media from the user to execute the personal identification, whereby the personal identification employing plural living body characteristic data is performed in accordance with the need of the users and high security is realized. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description provided in conjunction with the following figures, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a personal identification device according to a preferred embodiment of this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is one example of information stored in an IC card shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is another example of information stored in the IC card shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing a personal identification operation in the personal identification device of FIGS.  1  and  2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring, now, to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a personal identification device  100  for performing personal, identification employing data representing plural living body characteristics of a user (bio-data), such as finger print data of a particular finger, voice print data, and image data of a face of the user, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. It includes a CCD sensor for  20  taking finger print data of a particular finger of a user, a microphone  30  for taking voice print data of the user, and a video camera  40  for taking image data of the face of the user. The device  100  further includes an input-and-display panel  10  to enter and display various information and an insertion opening  50  for insertion of the IC card  200  that functions as a portable storage media carried by the user. 
   The personal identification device  100  of this embodiment is designed to store identification condition data specifying at least one living body characteristics for personal identification into the IC card  200  carried by the user and detect the living body characteristics from the user corresponding to the identification condition data read from the IC card  200 . The identification condition data is the data that specifies living body characteristics (hereinafter called “bio”) used for personal identification, and read from the IC card  200  by the personal identification device  100  to determine the bio for performing personal identification of the user based on the identification condition data. In the personal identification device  100 , there are, by way of example only, and not by way of limitation, set four kinds of bio usable for personal identification including a finger print of a particular finger of a user, a voice print, an image of a face, and signature. The identification condition data is the data showing selection of one or more among the four kinds of bio. 
     FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the personal identification device  100  of this embodiment which includes the input-and-display panel  10 , the CCD sensor  20 , the microphone  30 , and the video camera  40  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and further includes a peripheral controller  60 , an IC card read-and-writer (IC card R/W)  70 , a memory  80 , and a central processing unit (CPU)  90 . The peripheral controller  60  is connected with a central device  300  through a line  301  by cable or wireless. 
   The input-and-display panel  10  is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD)  10 - 1  and a touch panel  10 - 2  mounted on the liquid crystal display  10 - 1 , thereby providing a display function and an input function for various information. The CCD camera  20  is connected with the peripheral controller  60  to read finger print data based on the finger print of a particular finger of a user as one bio used by the personal identification device  100  under the control by the peripheral controller  60 . The microphone  30  is connected with the peripheral controller  60  to take voice print data corresponding to the voice print of the user as one bio used by the personal identification device  100  under the control by the peripheral controller  60 . The video camera  40  is connected with the peripheral controller  60  to take image data corresponding to a face of the user as one bio used by the personal identification device  100  under the control by the peripheral controller  60 . 
   The peripheral control unit  60  is connected with the CCD camera  20 , the microphone  30 , the video camera  40 , the IC card R/W  70 , the CPU  90 , and the input-and-display panel  10  to control the entry of the finger print data, the voice print data and the image data of face by the CCD camera  20 , the microphone  30  and the video camera  40 , the read-and-write operation of the data from the IC card  200  by the IC card R/W  70 , and the information input and display operation by the input-and-display panel  10 , respectively. 
   The peripheral control unit  60  is also connected with the central device  300  through the line  301  to transmit and receive various data by communication with the central unit  300 . The central device  300  manages the storage of the bio data for each user, revises the bio data for each user to be stored and managed by communication with the personal identification device  100 , and generally controls results of the identification of the users by the device  100 . 
   The memory  80  stores therein a control program to operate the CPU  90 , and various information to control the personal identification device  100 . The CPU  90  is connected with the peripheral controller  60  and the memory  80  generally to control the operations of the respective portions of the personal identification device  100  through the peripheral controller  60  based on the information stored in the memory  80 . 
     FIG. 3  shows one example of the information stored in the IC card  200  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  which stores therein a bio execution condition table  201 , a finger print bio mounting table  202 , a voice print bio mounting table  203 , a face bio mounting table  204 , finger print data  205 , voice print data  206 , and face data  207 . The bio execution condition table  201  stores therein the above-described identification condition data. The finger print bio mounting table  202 , the voice print bio mounting table  203 , and the face bio mounting table  204  respectively store therein the data for mounting and dismounting the finger print data  205 , the voice print data  206 , and the face data  207 . These data consist of two values of, [1] representing mounting of the corresponding bio data and [0] representing dismounting of the corresponding bio data. 
   The finger print data  205  is finger print data corresponding to the finger print of a particular finger of a user which is previously taken and registered from the user. The voice print data  206  is voice print data corresponding to the voice print of the user which is previously taken and registered from the user. The face data  207  is image data corresponding to the face image of the user that is previously taken and registered from the user. 
     FIG. 4  shows another example of the information stored in the IC card  200  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The IC card  200  in the construction of  FIG. 4  stores therein a bio execution condition table  201 , a finger print bio mounting table  202 - 1 , a voice print bio mounting table  203 - 1 , a face bio mounting table  204 - 1 , a finger print identification algorithm  205 - 1 , finger print data  205 , a voice print identification algorithm  206 - 1 , voice print data  206 , a face identification algorithm  207 - 1 , and face data  207 . Thus, the IC card  200  stores therein the finger print identification algorithm  205 - 1 , the voice print identification algorithm  206 - 1 , and the face identification algorithm  207 - 1 , in addition to the data construction of FIG.  3 . 
   The bio execution condition table  201  of  FIG. 4  stores therein the above-described identification condition data. The finger print bio mounting table  202 - 1 , the voice print bio mounting table  203 - 1 , and the face bio mounting table  204 - 1  respectively store therein the data for mounting or dismounting the finger print data  205 , the voice print data  206  and the face data  207 , and the data representing if an identification process should be performed within the IC card  200 . 
   These data consist of three values, [1] representing mounting of the corresponding bio data, [0] representing dismounting of the corresponding bio data, and [−1] representing that the identification process employing the corresponding bio should be performed within the IC card  200 . 
   The finger print identification algorithm  205 - 1 , the voice print identification algorithm  206 - 1 , and the face identification algorithm  207 - 1  respectively represent a finger print identification algorithm, a voice print identification algorithm and a face identification algorithm which employ finger print data, voice print data and image data corresponding to a face. 
   The finger print data  205  is finger print data corresponding to a finger print of a particular finger of a user which is previously taken and registered from the user. The voice print data  206  is voice print data corresponding to a voice print of the user which is previously taken and registered from the user. The face data  207  is image data corresponding to a face image of the user that is previously taken and registered from the user. 
   Thus, the IC card  200  in the construction of  FIG. 4  stores therein algorithms for finger print identification, voice print identification and face identification to execute finger print identification, voice print identification and face identification within the IC card  200 . 
     FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing a personal identification operation in the personal identification device  100  wherein the data stored in the IC card  200  has the construction of FIG.  4 . 
   Upon starting the personal identification operation, it is inquired if the IC card  200  held by the user is installed into the insertion opening  50  in a step  101 . If the card  200  is not installed, a NO response is produced in step  101  and the sequence returns to step  101  to wait the installation of the IC card  200  into the insertion opening  50  of the personal identification device  100 . 
   If it is confirmed in the step  101  that the IC card  200  held by the user has been installed into the opening  50 , an YES response is produced in the step  101  and the data within the card  200  is read by the IC card R/W  70  in a step  102 . A guide as to the bio to be used for personal identification is displayed by the input-and-display panel  10  based on the contents of the bio execution condition table  201  in the data read from the IC card  200  in a step  103 . Then, bio identification data is obtained from the user by driving the CCD sensor  20  for taking finger print data of a particular finger of the user, the microphone  30  for taking voice print data from the user, and the video camera  40  for taking image data of a face of the user in a step  104 . 
   The sequence moves to an inquiry step  105  in which it is inquired if the bio mounting table shows internal designation, viz., the identification of the bio should be executed within the IC card  200 , referring to the finger print bio mounting table  202 - 1 , the voice print bio mounting table  203 - 1 , and the face bio mounting table  2041  among the data read from the IC card  200 . 
   In this embodiment, if the contents of the finger print bio mounting table  202 - 1  shows [1], it shows mounting of the finger print bio data. If the contents show [0], it shows dismounting of the finger print bio data. If the contents show [−1], it shows that the identification process employing the finger print bio should be executed within the IC card  200 . 
   If the contents of the voice print bio mounting table  203 - 1  show [1], it shows mounting of the voice print bio data. If the contents show [0], it shows dismounting of the voice print bio data. If the contents show [−1], it shows that the identification process employing the voice print bio should be executed within the IC card  200 . 
   If the contents of the face bio mounting table  204 - 1  shows [1], it shows mounting of the face bio data. If the contents show [0], it shows dismounting of the face bio data. If the contents shows [−1], it shows that the identification process employing the face bio should be executed within the IC card  200 . 
   Unless the bio mounting table shows internal designation, viz., the identification of the bio is judged not to be executed within the IC card  200  in the step  105 , a NO response is applied to a step  106  in which the identification operation is executed by driving the identification algorithm at a terminal side, viz., at the personal identification device  100 . 
   If the bio mounting table shows internal designation, viz., the identification of the bio is judged to be executed within the IC card  200  in the step  105 , a YES response is applied to a step  109  in which the bio identification data obtained from the user is transferred to the IC card  200 . Then, the identification operation is executed by driving the identification algorithm at the IC card  200  in a step  110 , and the result of the identification is applied to the terminal, viz., the personal identification device  100  in a step  111 . 
   The sequence moves to an inquiry step  107  in which it is inquired if the plural designations have been finished in the bio-mounting table, viz., the identification operation employing all designated bio has been finished. Unless plural designations have been finished in the bio mounting table, viz., unless the identification operation employing all designated bio has been finished, a NO response is produced in step  107  to be applied to the step  103  to repeat the operation from step  103  to step  107 . 
   If it is confirmed in the step  107  that the plural designations have been finished in the bio mounting table, viz., the identification operation employing all designated bio has been finished, a YES response is applied to a step  108  in which the result of the identification is displayed by the input-and-display panel  10 , and the sequence is finished. 
   The operation of the personal identification device  100  has been described above wherein the data stored in the IC card  200  employs the construction of FIG.  4 . When the data stored in the IC card  200  employs the construction of  FIG. 3 , all identification operations are executed in the personal identification device  100 , and the operation of step  105  and the operation from the step  109  to step  111  is omitted. 
   The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice or the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.