JPH0240781A - Individual identifying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and surely identify an individual by collating a fingerprint which is stored in a card and a fingerprint of a card possessor which is read by a fingerprint reading means whose shape is like a push-button. CONSTITUTION:When a card possessor inserts a card 1 into a card reading means 2, an enciphered fingerprint code which is stored in the inside of the card 1 and a cipher key are read out. Subsequently, when the card possessor pushes a push-button 5 with a finger 4, a lamp 8 is lighted, and a light beam of the lamp 8 goes into a prism 5a of the push-button 5 and reflected. By photographing a reflected light by a camera 11, a fingerprint of the card possessor is detected, and a feature of the fingerprint is extracted by a feature extracting means 13. Next, by an enciphering means 14, feature data of the fingerprint is enciphered by the cipher key, and whether the card possessor is an exact card owner or not can be discriminated by a discriminating means 15.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention is applicable to more advanced financial transactions such as cash withdrawals and access control to important areas within a company (for example, a computer room or a safe). Personal identification (verification) using recognition methods
This relates to a personal identification system that performs.

2. Description of the Related Art At present, magnetic stripe cards (hereinafter abbreviated as M/S cards) are widely used as a method for identifying a specific individual. For example, an M/S card used in a bank's cash withdrawal machine stores a personal identification code for identifying the person carrying the card as a valid card holder.

In other words, the withdrawal machine reads the inserted card, then asks the cardholder to enter a PIN code, and compares the entered PIN code with the PIN code read from the card to confirm that the cardholder is legitimate. It determines whether the card is a card holder and performs subsequent transactions. In this method, the PIN code uses a relatively simple combination of numbers (for example, 4 digits) so that the person in question can memorize it.

The above-mentioned method allows for relatively easy identification and is therefore widely used.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above system has the following problems. First of all, since the PIN code relies on a person's memory, only a relatively easy PIN code can be set. If you set a complicated pin code to increase security and forget it, the card will become unusable. Second, because the code is simple, it can easily be used for crimes. For example, in the case of an M78 card, its pin code can be easily read by reading the magnetic pattern on the magnetic stripe. In addition, the birthday or phone number of the person or family member is often set as a PIN code so that it can be easily memorized, and this can also be easily deciphered, allowing third parties to conduct financial transactions freely. This results in the creation of crime.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a highly secure personal identification system that does not require the card holder to memorize a personal identification code.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the personal identification system of the present invention includes a fingerprint reading means in the shape of a push button, a fingerprint stored on the card, and a card holder read by the fingerprint reading means. The device is equipped with a discriminating means for determining whether or not the card holder is a legitimate card holder by comparing the card holder's fingerprint with the card holder's fingerprint.

Function The present invention has the above-described structure, and when the card holder presses a push button with a designated finger without inputting a PIN code, the fingerprint of the card holder is read and compared with the fingerprint stored on the card. , it is not necessary for the card holder to memorize a PIN code, and since it uses an individual's unique characteristics (fingerprints), it is impossible for others to misuse it.

Embodiment Hereinafter, a personal identification system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a personal identification system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a card that stores a code that is an encrypted fingerprint of the card holder as personal information and an encryption key for encrypting the code. In this embodiment, a well-known IC card as card 1 will be explained as an example. Reference numeral 2 denotes a card reading means for reading the stored contents of the card 1.

3 is a fingerprint reading means for reading 40 fingerprints of fingers specified by the card holder. 6 is a push button with a built-in prism 6a. The push button 6 is fixed to the main body 7 via a spring 6. 8 is a lamp as a light source for reading fingerprints. A switch 9 is closed when the push button 5 is pressed, and is connected in series between the lamp 8 and the power source 1o. 11 is a camera that photographs the light emitted from the prism 6a. 12 is an AD conversion means for converting the signal from the camera 11 into a digital value. Reference numeral 13 denotes a feature extracting means for extracting the features of the fingerprint from the signal of the AD converting means 12. Reference numeral 14 denotes an encryption means for encrypting the data from the feature extraction means 13 based on the encryption key read by the card reading means 9 2. Reference numeral 16 denotes a determining means that compares and verifies the fingerprint data read by the card reading means 2 and the output data of the encryption means 14.

The operation of the personal identification system configured as described above will be explained below using FIG. 1.

First, the card bearer inserts the card 1 into the card reading means 2. Then, the card reading means 2 reads out the encrypted fingerprint code and encryption key stored inside the card 1. The encrypted fingerprint code here refers to a code that is encrypted according to the encryption algorithm of the encryption key when the fingerprint code is registered at the time of card issuance. Next, the card bearer is prompted to press the push button 6. This is guidance using displays and audio. Next, when the card bearer presses the push button 6 with his finger 4, the linked switch 9 is turned on, the lamp 8 and the power source 1° form a closed loop, and the lamp 8 lights up. The light from the lamp 8 enters the prism 6a of the push button 6 and is reflected. The reflection at this prism changes depending on the fingerprint, and the light is not totally reflected at the portion where the fingerprint contacts the prism 6a (the ridge of the fingerprint), but is totally reflected at the other portions. By photographing this reflected light with the camera 11, the fingerprint of the card holder can be detected. Since this push button 6 is fixed to the main body 7 via a spring 6, it can be pressed as if pressing a normal switch. A fingerprint photographed by a camera 11 is divided into each pixel, and the shading thereof is converted into a digital value by an AD conversion means 12. Next, the feature extraction means 13 extracts the features of the fingerprint from this digital value. A generally well-known method for extracting this feature is a method of extracting position and direction data of a point where a ridge terminates (end point) and a point where the ridge separates (branch point).

The amount of data in this case is approximately 1 to 1 byte, and it is sufficiently practical if an IC card (memory capacity of 2 to 8 bytes) is used as the card 1. Next, the encryption means 14 encrypts the fingerprint characteristic data according to the encryption key read by the card reading means 2. By comparing and verifying the encrypted fingerprint data of the card holder with the fingerprint data stored in the card 1, the determining means 16 determines whether the card holder is a legitimate card holder. do.

If it is determined to be legitimate, subsequent financial transactions and door opening/closing are performed. Further, if it is determined that it is inappropriate, no further action will be taken.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the fingerprint reading means 3 in the shape of a push button, the encryption means 14 for encrypting fingerprint data based on the encryption key stored in the card 1, and the card 1 By providing a discriminating means 16 for comparing and collating the fingerprint data stored in the fingerprint data and the fingerprint data read by the fingerprint reading means 3, it is no longer necessary to memorize a password as in the past, making it extremely easy and reliable. Identification becomes possible. Also, when checking a fingerprint, it can be easily done as if pressing a normal button, so anyone can easily check the fingerprint without having the dark impression that it is a crime.

Furthermore, even if the fingerprint data on the card were to be taken out, it would be impossible to forge or misuse it because it is encrypted. In addition, the cardholder can decide which finger to register the fingerprint code on, so if the cardholder is forced to identify the fingerprint due to threats, for example, pressing the push button with a finger other than the registered finger will prevent the verification results from mismatching. It can demonstrate extremely high safety.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a personal identification system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 1 is a card, 2 is a card reading means, and 3 is a fingerprint reading means, which is the same as the structure of the first embodiment. The difference from the configuration of the first embodiment is that an encryption means 14 and a discrimination means 16 are provided within the card 1.

The operation of the personal identification system configured as described above will be explained below. The fingerprint data whose features are extracted by the fingerprint reading means 3 is sent as is from the card reading means 2 to the card 1. The fingerprint data is encrypted by the encryption means 14 in the card 1 based on the encryption key in the memo IJIa. This data and the encrypted fingerprint data in the memory 1a are compared and collated by the determining means 15. The result is sent back to the card reading means 2.

As described above, the encryption means 14 and the discrimination means 15 are connected to the card 1.
By providing the encryption key and fingerprint data inside the card 1, the encryption key and fingerprint data will not be exposed to the outside of the card 1, making it possible to obtain a more secure personal identification system.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention uses a push-button-shaped fingerprint reading means to compare the fingerprint stored on the card with the fingerprint of the card holder read by the fingerprint reading means. By providing a discriminating means for discriminating whether or not a card holder is a legitimate card holder, it becomes unnecessary to memorize a password code as in the past, and extremely easy and reliable identification becomes possible. Also, when checking a fingerprint, it is as easy as pressing a normal button, so there is no negative impression that fingerprints are a crime, and anyone can easily check the fingerprint.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a personal identification system in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a personal identification system in another embodiment of the present invention. 1...Card, 2...Card reading means, 3...Fingerprint reading means, 6...Discrimination means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A personal identification system for determining whether or not a card bearer is a legitimate card holder, which includes a card storing the fingerprint of the legitimate card holder, a card reading means for reading the card, and a shape of a push button. a fingerprint reading means, and a determining means for comparing the fingerprint stored on the card with the fingerprint of the card holder read by the fingerprint reading means to determine whether or not the card holder is a legitimate card holder. A personal identification system comprising: