Patent ID: 8392965

Claim:
A machine-implemented method, comprising: receiving, by a smart card, a request to activate the smart card for security services; acquiring, by the smart card, multiple biometric readings in accordance with an access policy accessed and evaluated on the smart card, wherein the multiple biometric readings comprise a first biometric reading, a second biometric reading, and a third biometric reading, wherein the first biometric reading and the second biometric reading comprise fingerprints of a user of the smart card, wherein the third biometric reading comprises one or more of a skin temperature of the user of the smart card, a blood oxygen level for the user of the smart card, a heartbeat for the user of the smart card, a particular finger position of the user of the smart card when placed on a biometric scanner, a voice print for the user of the smart card, a facial scan of the user of the smart card, a retinal scan for one or more eyes of the user of the smart card, or a sample DNA analysis of the user of the smart card, and wherein the third biometric reading is selected based on the access policy stored on the smart card; comparing, by the smart card, the biometric readings against threshold values predefined in the access policy stored on the smart card, wherein comparing further includes identifying lower values for the access level when the readings fall below the predefined threshold value but above a minimum threshold value, wherein the lower values provide more constrained or limited access to the security services than the minimum threshold value; setting, by the smart card, an access level for the security services of the smart card based on the comparison; and erasing select information from the smart card when the user of the smart card unsuccessfully makes a predetermined number of attempts to gain access to the smart card.