Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20030115473?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-07-11 10:39:50
Document Index: 733952080

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 4', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 1', 'art 4', 'art 31', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 32', 'art 31', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 2', 'art 5']

Patent US20030115473 - Biometrics authentication system and method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA biometrics authentication method includes: conducting authentication of a user by a method other than biometrics authentication; registering and storing biometrics data regarding a user; determining whether or not biometrics authentication can be conducted by referring to stored biometrics data; conducting...http://www.google.com/patents/US20030115473?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20030115473 - Biometrics authentication system and methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20030115473 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/101,848Publication dateJun 19, 2003Filing dateMar 21, 2002Priority dateDec 14, 2001Publication number10101848, 101848, US 2003/0115473 A1, US 2003/115473 A1, US 20030115473 A1, US 20030115473A1, US 2003115473 A1, US 2003115473A1, US-A1-20030115473, US-A1-2003115473, US2003/0115473A1, US2003/115473A1, US20030115473 A1, US20030115473A1, US2003115473 A1, US2003115473A1InventorsMasahiko Sugimura, Naoki Sashida, Hiroki Kitagawa, Masaki WatanabeOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (13), Classifications (11), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBiometrics authentication system and methodUS 20030115473 A1Abstract A biometrics authentication method includes: conducting authentication of a user by a method other than biometrics authentication; registering and storing biometrics data regarding a user; determining whether or not biometrics authentication can be conducted by referring to stored biometrics data; conducting biometrics authentication; and outputting an authentication result as to whether the user is authenticated, wherein biometrics data on the user is registered and stored only in the case where the user is authenticated by the method other than the biometrics authentication, and biometrics authentication is conducted only in the case where it is determined that biometrics authentication can be conducted. Images(7) Claims(18)
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0030] Hereinafter, the biometrics authentication system of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the biometrics authentication system of the embodiment according to the present invention. [0031] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an authentication information input part for inputting information to be required for authenticating a user. The authentication information input part includes, for example, not only input media such as a keyboard and a mouse, but also input equipment of biometrics data such as a camera and a fingerprint scanner, and a driver, a program, and the like for controlling these pieces of equipment. [0032] Various methods can be considered for obtaining biometrics data. According to the most general method, a user is requested to input biometrics data and actively conducts an input operation. This method needs to be conducted, for example, in the case of obtaining biological information peculiar to a user such as a fingerprint, and so on. [0033] There is also a method for obtaining biometrics data while notifying a user of that biometrics data is being obtained or without such notification. This method is effective with respect to biometrics data that is not required to be actively input by a user, such as face picture data, and does not put a burden on a user for registration. [0034] In a case where service used by a user is accompanied by input of biometrics data, a method is conceivable in which data input during use of the service is directly registered. According to this method, in the case where communication is required between a user and a system providing the service, a user's uttered voice, a user's face picture, and the like are obtained automatically. Thus, it is possible to collect biometrics data without putting a burden on a user for registration of biometrics data. An example of such service includes voice portal service, face-to-face service through a TV telephone, and so on. [0035] Reference numeral 2 denotes a first authenticating part for authenticating a user by a general authentication method other than biometrics authentication. For example, a method using a password, a method using a digital certificate, and the like may be used. However, the present invention is not particularly limited thereto. [0036] Reference numeral 3 denotes a biometrics data registering part for registering and storing biometrics data (biological information) of a user. As biometrics data, a picture, a voice, and the like recorded in an analog data format or in a digital data format, or a feature value for authentication extracted from the data may be used. There is no particular limit to a recording medium for storing the data. For example, a general storage apparatus and the like can be used. [0037] Biometrics data (biological information) of a user may be obtained at any of the following timings: biometrics data is obtained after a user is authenticated by the first authenticating part; biometrics data is obtained before a user is authenticated by the first authenticating part; and biometrics data is obtained when a user is authenticated by the first authenticating part. The first and second timings are predicated on that a user is not changed between a timing at which a user is authenticated and a timing at which biometrics data is obtained. The third timing has an advantage that it is ensured that a user is not changed between a timing at which a user is authenticated and biometrics data is obtained. [0038] Reference numeral 4 denotes a biometrics authentication possibility determining part. The biometrics authentication possibility determining part 4 refers to the biometrics data registering part 3, and determines whether or not authentication (hereinafter, referred to as �biometrics authentication�) using biometrics data can be conducted in accordance with the state of the stored biometrics data. [0039] More specifically, the biometrics authentication possibility determining part 4 determines that biometrics data sufficient for authenticating a user has been accumulated in the case where a FRR and a FAR are converged in a predetermined range as shown in FIG. 2. [0040] Generally, in the case where a user is authenticated based on the similarity of biometrics data, when a threshold value with respect to the similarity is represented by a horizontal axis, and a FRR (a rate at which a user is rejected erroneously) and a FAR (a rate at which a cheater is accepted erroneously) are represented by a vertical axis, a graph as shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. [0041] As shown in FIG. 2, when the threshold value with respect to the similarity is set to be a small value, the FRR is decreased, while the FAR is increased. In contrast, when the threshold value with respect to the similarity is set to be a large value, the FAR is decreased, while the FRR is increased. Therefore, it is desirable to set the threshold value of the similarity at an appropriate value in accordance with the importance of two error rates. [0042] In the case where the threshold value of the similarity is adjusted, and the FRR and the FAR fall in a range set by a system administrator, it is determined that biometrics data sufficient for authenticating a user has been accumulated. [0043] It is also conceivable that the above-mentioned determination is based on the distribution and spread of biometrics data (digital data input through a device or a feature value for authentication extracted therefrom). [0044] For example, there are a method for checking the variety of phonemes in registered data in the case of speaker authentication based on voice data, a method for detecting the face direction from registered data in the case of face picture authentication and checking the variety of the face direction, and the like. [0045] Reference numeral 5 denotes a second authenticating part for authenticating a user based on biometrics data accumulated in the biometrics data registering part 3. Biometrics authentication in the second authenticating part 5 may be authentication with respect to one kind of biometrics data, or a combination of authentication with respect to a plurality of kinds of biometrics data. [0046] For example, the following is possible: in the authentication information input part 1, face picture data and voice date are simultaneously obtained, and in the biometrics authentication possibility determining part 4, data determined to be usable for authenticating a user is successively subjected to an authentication operation. [0047] Reference numeral 6 denotes an authentication result output part for presenting an authentication result to a user. There is no particular limit to an output method. The authentication result may be displayed on a display apparatus or output as a voice using a loudspeaker or the like. [0048] Furthermore, a system may be configured so that a user can select an authentication system, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a biometrics authentication system of an embodiment according to the present invention in which an authentication system can be selected. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a determination notifying part, and 32 denotes a selection information receiving part. [0049] The determination notifying part 31 notifies a user of a determination result in the biometrics authentication possibility determining part 4 as to whether the biometrics authentication can be conducted. As a notification method, in addition to the method of directly outputting the determination result to the authentication result output part 6, notification through electronic mail or the like can be considered. [0050] The selection information receiving part 32 receives information indicating which authentication system is used by a user. More specifically, when a user confirms in the determination notifying part 31 that the second authenticating part 5 can be used, based on the determination result in the biometrics authentication possibility determining part 4 as to whether the biometrics authentication can be conducted, the user can select either one of an authentication system using only the first authenticating part 2, an authentication system using only the second authenticating part 5, or an authenticating system using both the authenticating parts. [0051] Next, a processing flow of a program for realizing a biometrics authentication system of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing processing of a program for realizing the biometrics authentication system of the embodiment according to the present invention. [0052] In FIG. 4, first a user inputs information that includes biometrics data and is required for authenticating the user (Operation 401). Such an input operation may be intentionally or unintentionally conducted by a user. [0053] Next, authentication using an authentication system other than biometrics authentication, such as a password system and a digital certificate system, is conducted (Operation 402). In the case where the user is not authenticated (Operation 403: No), such an authentication result is output (Operation 407). [0054] In the case where the user is authenticated (Operation 403: Yes), the input biometrics data is registered and stored (Operation 404). It is determined whether or not biometrics authentication can be conducted (Operation 405). This determination is conducted by referring to the registered biometrics data to determine whether or not biometrics data is accumulated to such a degree that biometrics authentication is conducted sufficiently, or by referring to the previous determination result. [0055] In the case where it is determined that biometrics authentication can be conducted (Operation 405: Yes), biometrics authentication is conducted (Operation 406), and an authentication result is output (Operation 407). [0056] As described above, in the present embodiment, biometrics data verified to be the one of a user can be collected efficiently without putting a large burden on the user, and biometrics data sufficient for flexibly addressing the change in use environment of a user and the change in state of a user can be collected. [0057] Next, the case where the biometrics authentication system of the present embodiment is applied to electronic government service will be described by way of an example. Herein, the �electronic government service� refers to service which allows a user to access a public organization such as a city hall from a home terminal, and to conduct official procedures such as application, authentication, issuance, and browsing, while communicating with an operator. Thus, in this example, biometrics authentication is conducted using face picture data. [0058]FIG. 5 is an image view showing a service providing terminal and a screen displayed at the terminal used for the above-mentioned service. At the service providing terminal shown in FIG. 5, in addition to a keyboard, input media for collecting biometrics data such as a camera and a microphone are disposed. On the display screen, a TV telephone panel for communicating with an operator, an operation panel for inputting information for service selection and procedures, and a password are disposed. The display screen is not particularly limited to the present example. An unattended system requiring no operator may be used. [0059] Hereinafter, a flow of processing of introducing face picture authentication in the case where a user desires a shift from password authentication to face picture authentication will be described. Herein, the processing will be described in the case where a user accesses service for the purpose of issuance of a resident's card. [0060] First, when a user starts communicating with an operator by inputting a user ID, a TV telephone image on a user side is accumulated as biometrics data during communication. When authentication based on a password is conducted in the course of an issuance procedure, the accumulated picture data is registered as face picture data of the user, and the user receives a resident's card. [0061] Then, regarding the registered face picture data of the user, a variation in a face direction (e.g., minimum 75�), and a variation in time of obtaining data (e.g., night and daytime) are checked. It is assumed in this stage that it is determined that sufficient biometrics data has not been registered. [0062] In the case where the user accesses the service regarding another case at a later date, authentication based on a password is conducted again, and registration of face picture data is continued. At this point, when it is determined that face picture data sufficient for authenticating a face picture has been registered, face picture authentication becomes effective at the subsequent accesses. [0063] More specifically, in the case where the user accesses the service regarding another case at a further later date, the user is authenticated by face picture authentication without inputting a password, and can receive desired service. [0064] The biometrics authentication system of the present embodiment according to the present invention can use voice data as well as face picture data. For example, the biometrics authentication system of the present embodiment is also applicable to voice portal service and the like through a mobile phone. Herein, the voice portal service provides a user with interactive service utilizing voice recognition. Various services including browsing through a time table and a bank transfer are considered. [0065] It may also be considered that a palm print peculiar to each user is used as biometrics authentication data. For example, the biometrics authentication system is applicable to a system that introduces palm print authentication into unlocking of a door. More specifically, a palm print scanner is built in a door knob so that a palm print can be scanned when a user grasps the door knob. Because of this, in the same way as in electronic government service, a user can automatically unlock a door only by grasping a door knob without unlocking the door, after several times of unlocking by the user. [0066] The biometrics authentication system is also applicable to log-in to a general computer. Thus, the biometrics authentication system is applicable to all the systems requiring authentication of a user. [0067] A program for realizing the biometrics authentication system of the embodiment according to the present invention may be stored in a storage apparatus 61 provided at the end of a communication line and a recording medium 64 such as a hard disk and a RAM of a computer 63, as well as a portable recording medium 62 such as a CD-ROM 62-1 and a flexible disk 62-2, as shown in FIG. 6. In execution, the program is loaded, and executed on a main memory. [0068] Examples of a recording medium storing registered biometrics data and the like accumulated by the biometrics authentication system of the embodiment according to the present invention may include a storage apparatus 61 provided at the end of a communication line and a recording medium 64 such as a hard disk and a RAM of a computer 63, as well as a portable recording medium 62 such as a CD-ROM 62-1 and a flexible disk 62-2, as shown in FIG. 6. For example, the recording medium is read by a computer 63 when the biometrics authentication system of the present invention is used. [0069] As described above, in the biometrics authentication system of the present invention, biometrics data verified to be the one of a user can be collected efficiently without putting a large burden on the user, and biometrics data sufficient for flexibly addressing the change in use environment of a user and the change in state of a user can be collected. [0070] The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed in this application are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not limiting. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7272380 *Jan 21, 2004Sep 18, 2007Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.User authentication method and apparatusUS7562218 *Aug 17, 2004Jul 14, 2009Research In Motion LimitedMethod, system and device for authenticating a userUS7921209Nov 20, 2008Apr 5, 2011Research In Motion LimitedApparatus and method for integrating authentication protocols in the establishment of connections between computing devicesUS8079079 *Jun 29, 2005Dec 13, 2011Microsoft CorporationMultimodal authenticationUS8312290 *Jan 22, 2008Nov 13, 2012Industrial Technology Research InstituteBiometric method and apparatus and biometric data encryption method thereofUS8370639 *Jun 16, 2005Feb 5, 2013Sensible Vision, Inc.System and method for providing secure access to an electronic device using continuous facial biometricsUS8412950 *Dec 17, 2008Apr 2, 2013Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Defining classification thresholds in template protection systemsUS8533329Mar 14, 2011Sep 10, 2013Blackberry LimitedApparatus and method for integrating authentication protocols in the establishment of connections between computing devicesUS20060288234 *Jun 16, 2005Dec 21, 2006Cyrus AzarSystem and method for providing secure access to an electronic device using facial biometricsUS20100115611 *Jan 8, 2010May 6, 2010Fujitsu LimitedMethod, device, and system for judging user authenticationUS20100306550 *Dec 17, 2008Dec 2, 2010Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Defining classification thresholds in template protection systemsUS20130114865 *Dec 20, 2012May 9, 2013Sensible Vision, Inc.System and Method for Providing Secure Access to an Electronic Device Using Facial BiometricsEP1715461A2 *Apr 19, 2006Oct 25, 2006Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corp.Automated teller machine* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification713/186International ClassificationH04L9/32, G06T1/00, G06F21/20, G06F21/00, G06T7/00, G07C9/00Cooperative ClassificationG06F21/32, G07C9/00158European ClassificationG06F21/32, G07C9/00C2DLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJul 24, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: FUJITSU LIMITED, JAPANFree format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF THE FIRST ASSIGNOR S LAST NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDEDAT REEL 012716 FRAME 0202;ASSIGNORS:SUGIMURA, MASAHIKO;SASHIDA, NAOKI;KITAGAWA, HIROKI;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:013118/0712Effective date: 20020314Mar 21, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: FUJITSU LIMITED, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SUGIMARA, MASAHIKO;SASHIDA, NAOKI;KITAGAWA, HIROKI;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:012716/0202Effective date: 20020314RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google