Patent ID: 7257714

Claim:
An electronic data storage medium adapted to be accessed by a data terminal, said electronic data storage medium comprising: a non-volatile memory device for storing a data file and fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of a person authorized to access the data file; a fingerprint sensor adapted to scan a fingerprint of a user of said electronic data storage medium and to generate fingerprint scan data; an input/output interface circuit activable so as to establish communication with the data terminal; a processing unit connected to said non-volatile memory device, said fingerprint sensor and said input/output interface circuit, means for controlling said processing unit in a programming mode, where said processing unit activates said input/output interface circuit to receive the data file and the fingerprint reference data from the data terminal, and to store the data file and the fingerprint reference data in said non-volatile memory device, and means for controlling said processing unit in a data retrieving mode, which is performed subsequent to the programming mode, where said processing unit receives the fingerprint scan data from said fingerprint sensor, compares the fingerprint scan data with the fingerprint reference data in said non-volatile memory device to verify if the user of said electronic data storage medium is authorized to access the data file stored in said non-volatile memory device, and activates said input/output interface circuit to transmit the data file to the data terminal upon verifying that the user of said electronic data storage medium is authorized to access the data file stored in said non-volatile memory device.