MXPA99010365A - Information recorder/processor and equipment/system controller both provided with fingerprint sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

A thin and light-weight compact information recorder/processor having a user identifying function and an equipment/system controller which can limit, control or manage the operation and functions of a system or equipment based on the information characteristic of the user after identifying the user by the user's fingerprint. The equipment/system controller is provided with a pressure-input thin fingerprint sensor, a memory for registering and storing users'fingerprints in advance, and a fingerprint correlating section which correlates newly input fingerprint data with the registered ones. Personal information characteristic of each user whose fingerprint data are registered is also stored in the memory. When the agreement between the newly input fingerprint data and the registered one is confirmed by the fingerprint correlation of the fingerprint correlating section, the operation and functions of the equipment or system are limited or controlled based on the personal information.

Description

"REGISTRATION / INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICES AND MACHINE / SYSTEM CONTROL DEVICES, EQUIPPED WITH DIGITAL FOOTPRINT SENSORS " TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to information recording / processing devices and machine / system control devices that are equipped with fingerprint sensors.

ANTECEDENT TECHNIQUE Certain systems and machines require highly restricted operation and administration where unauthorized use will be impeded and the secrecy of the information being handled will be ensured. The identity of the people who operate the system / machine (referred to below simply as users) becomes an important factor.

Traditionally, certain codes, passwords, ID numbers, etc. have been used, which are specific to the user. However, long code numbers are difficult to remember, while short ones are easily deciphered, and passwords and ID numbers are always at risk of being discovered by other people. Even with the codes that are not completely immune to be deciphered by other people, and it is generally considered that a flawless and perfect method can not be found. In recent years, however, the "fingerprints", with which each person is born and that have the characteristics of being unique for each person and permanent, are attracting greater attention as a means to identify a person, a method that does not It has the inconveniences mentioned above. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Number 6-274759 (274759/1994) and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Number 10-21400 (21400/1998) describe fingerprint matching systems that compare an input of a fingerprint by a user of the system or a machine with pre-registered fingerprints of authorized users and allow the user to operate the device if there is an equalization that confirms the identity of the user. This type of user identification system based on fingerprints that is effective enough for many applications. The detection or reading of the fingerprint however is carried out optically in conventional fingerprint matching systems, that is, the light is made to shine in the fingerprint and the reflected light is received by photoelectric elements such as the CCDs and converted into electrical signals. These systems are easily affected by the presence of sweat, dirt, moisture, etc. and also by external light in the case of outdoor applications, in addition to having other problems such as limitations in the environment and mode of application and difficulty in miniaturization due to the requirement of a light source, a mirror, a prism, etc. Currently, there is a tendency for many systems and devices to provide enhanced performance with a greater number of functions, and for the user to be one or several persons that include the owner, depending on the application. This has made it desirable to select or limit the functions or change the specific details of the processing or administration depending for example on the age of the authorized user or the current status of other users. To do this with conventional systems and machines, the user or persons other than the user have to adjust or change the desired conditions, depending on the requirement either before operating the system or during its operation, which is quite annoying. If data about the use of the system or machine by each user is available, this is often very convenient for administration, but is required for these conventional systems, separate operation or processing.

EXHIBITION OF THE INVENTION The first object of the present invention is to provide a thin information registration / processing device, lightweight and compact that has a user identification function, noting the availability of thin fingerprint detectors that are different from conventional optical type detectors. A second object is to provide a machine / system control device that can verify the identity of the user with the help of a fingerprint and limit or control the operation or functions of the system / related machine or handle it, depending on the footprint digital offered for verification. In the present invention, to achieve the first object described above, a thin fingerprint sensor that detects fingerprints and a conversion unit that converts fingerprint data detected by the sensor into digital electrical signals are provided. in a first flat information recording / processing device. In addition to this, the flat information recording / processing device can be provided with a thin fingerprint sensor that detects fingerprints, a memory unit that stores the fingerprint data that is detected by fingerprint sensor as registered fingerprint data, and a fingerprint matching unit that is equal to the recorded fingerprint data stored in the memory unit with the offered fingerprint data detected by the fingerprint sensor. In addition, a thin fingerprint sensor that detects fingerprints, a memory unit that stores the fingerprint data that is detected by the fingerprint sensor as registered fingerprint data, and a fingerprint equalizer unit that matches or matches the fingerprint data recorded in the memory unit with the offered fingerprint data detected by the fingerprint sensor that it can provide in the flat type information recording / processing device and the structured system in such a manner that when there is an equalization of the fingerprint, an output signal indicates that there is an equalization.

To achieve the second object, the device or system is provided with a fingerprint sensor that detects fingerprints, a fingerprint matching unit that matches the pre-recorded fingerprint data stored in the memory unit in the data of the fingerprint. provided fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor, and a control mechanism that controls the operation or function of the machine or system based on the specific information about the user identified by the fingerprint, when there is a fingerprint match digital. Alternatively, the machine or system is equipped with a fingerprint sensor that detects fingerprints, a first memory unit that stores the fingerprint data that is detected by the fingerprint sensor as the fingerprint data registered, a fingerprint equalizer unit that matches the pre-registered fingerprint data and the memory unit, with the fingerprint data offered detected by the fingerprint sensor, and a control mechanism which controls the operation or the machine or system function of the information base specifies near the identified user through the fingerprint, when there is a fingerprint match.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 (a) illustrates a driver's license that is an example of an information recording / processing device, which is a first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 1 (b) illustrates a reading / writing device laptop that reads the information stored in the license and writes new information in it. Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of an example of a thin fingerprint sensor used in the newly invented information recording / processing device and the machine / system control device. Figure 3 is a functional diagram of the license and the portable read / write device that shows its functional configuration. Figure 4 is a side view of a car illustrating the concept of a drive system that is an example of the second mode of application of the present invention. Figure 5 is a functional diagram of the car's drive system. Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the car drive system of Figure 5, (a) is the flow chart of the door unhooking function, and (b) is the flow chart of the function of vehicle speed control.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION We will now explain the present invention with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 (a) shows the external appearance of a conductor lie which is an example of an information recording / processing device which is a first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 1 (b) shows the external appearance of a portable read / write device that reads the information stored in the license or writes information in it. The driver's license 1, which is the information recording unit, has an IC memory embedded in the case 11 which is preferably made of plastic, a piece of its surface has a terminal 12 exposed to connect to an external terminal, and has a fingerprint detector module 13 through which the owner's fingerprint is supported. The portable read / write device 2, which is the information processing unit, is in the power of a person (such as a police officer) with the authority to inspect or modify the information in the license, and the top surface The front of the plastic box 21 has a slot 22 into which the license 1 is inserted. The central upper part of this box has a liquid crystal display unit 23 which presents the information stored in the license or the information to be written in the same, the back of the box has the keys 24 used for inspection, reading or writing of the license information, and the rear end of the box has a fingerprint sensor module 25 for admitting the fingerprints. Modules 13 and 25 of the digital edge sensor have thin surface pressure input panels, for example, of the type described in Japanese Patent Number 2,557,795, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This surface pressure input panel can preferably be an active matrix type display system where thin film transistors (TFTs) drive the liquid crystals. The panel has a configuration of the type shown in Figure 2, with a pressure sheet 100, preferably formed by vapor deposition of a conductive film 100a on the back side of the insulating film made of a material such as PET (terephthalate polyethylene), which is placed over a circuit board 200. The circuit board 200 preferably has an amorphous silicon film which is formed in a base plate 200a of the insulator preferably made of glass, ceramics, etc., a number of TFTs (thin film transistors) 200b, consumer wires 200c and gate wires 200d formed by a well-known photo-lithographic technique, and conductive contact plates 200e, manufactured from ITO (indium-tin oxide) for example , formed by vapor deposition. The consumer wires 200c and the gate wires 200d are placed in a matrix pattern and function as scanning electrode wires when a scan signal is applied, as will be explained later. Because the appropriate space for the consumer wires 200c and the gate wires 200d is 20-100 microns for the detection of the fingerprint, a number of unit detection elements with the consumption and gate of each TFT connected with the consumer wire 200c and the gate wire 200d, respectively, and the source connected to the conductive contact plate 200e are preferably formed in the circuit board 200. The consumer wires 200c and the gate wires 200d are respectively joined together the sites A and B of the isolation base plate 200a that are connected in an external circuit connector not shown in the Figure, as will be known to those skilled in the art. A panel with an area of 15 x 15 millimeters for pressing the tip of the finger and the thickness of 1 millimeter has been prepared and used in the fingerprint sensor module in the structure described above. When a finger is placed on this surface pressure sensor panel and the panel is lightly depressed, the electrically conductive contact plate 200e of the unit sensing element positioned exactly below or almost below a shoulder of the fingerprint is electrically connected to the conductive film 100a on the back side of the pressure sheet 100. However, the electrically conductive contact plate 200e of a unit sensing element exactly below or near a fingerprint valley is not electrically connected to the conductive film 100a. Therefore, when the resistance in the x-direction is connected to the consumption wires 200c and a resistor in the direction and is connected to the gate wires 200d and scan signals are applied in sequence from each resistor during certain separate times, the elevations and valleys in the position of each unit detection element can be detected and therefore the pattern of the fingerprint can be detected as a whole. Figure 3 is a functional diagram of the license 1 and the portable read / write device 2 showing the functional configuration. The license 1 has an A memory where the data of the digital finger of the owner can be stored preferably and a memory B where the address, name, sex and date of birth of the owner, the category of the license, the history of accidents (nature of accidents and places and data in which they occurred) and the current points are noted, etc. which are specific to the owner of the license can be kept preferential. The memories A and B are preferably IC memories. The specific information about the owner of the preference license is stored in the memory B before issuing the license 1. In addition to the presentation unit 23 mentioned above, the keys 24 and the fingerprint sensor module 25, the device 2 of portable reading / writing has a C 26 memory, which stores the fingerprint data of a person (a police officer, for example) who is authorized to inspect or rewrite the information in the license, a unit 27 of equalization wherein the data of the fingerprint offered and the data of the pre-registered fingerprint are compared, and a buffer 28 in which the data taken from the license 1 is temporarily stored. Now we will explain the way in which the license system described above is used. Police officers who are most likely to use portable reading / writing device 2 in the course of carrying out their registration service of their fingerprint data and keeping it in memory C. Now, if it occurs in traffic accident , the police officer dealing with the accident connects the power source (not shown in the Figure) of the portable read / write device 2 and admits his fingerprint data by pressing his finger on the module 25 of the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint equalizer unit 27 then compares the fingerprint offered with the fingerprint data in the C memory, and if there is a match the officer confirms it is an authorized person, and adopts the waiting condition, allowing the presentation unit 23 and keys 24, etc. they can work. With the portable read / write device in this condition, the officer requests to see the driver's license, inserts it into the slot 22 of the read / write device 2 as indicated by the broken line in Figure 2, and instructs the driver placing his finger on the fingerprint sensor 13 of the license 1. In this manner, the fingerprint data of the driver is taken into the buffer 28 of the read / write device 2. The portable read / write device 2 reads the data of the driver's fingerprint from the memory A and the specific information about the driver of the memory B through the connection terminal 12 of the license 1, temporarily stores the data in this intermediate memory 28, and compares the data of the fingerprint offered through the fingerprint sensor 13 and that reading from the memory A in the matching unit 27, and verifies the identity of the owner and presents the specific information about the owner in the liquid crystal display unit 23 if there is an equalization. The police officer admits specific details about the accident using the codes 24 and updates the point record, etc. This new information is presented in the presentation unit 23 and stored in the memory B of the license 1. In the example described above, a liquid crystal drive panel was used as the fingerprint sensor module. However, a piezoelectric sensor panel in which the frequency of the piezoelectric film changes depending on the pattern of the fingerprint (Japanese Patent Number 2,557,796), a magnetic sensor panel on which the magnetic resistance changes (Japanese Patent Number 2,520,848) , a system in which the contact resistance changes (Japanese Patent Number 2,069,288), a system in which the resistance changes by distortion and other thin surface pressure input sensor panels can be used. The method described in Japanese Patent Number 2, 030,279, which employs the microprocessing technology usually used to produce semiconductor devices, can be employed to prepare the fingerprint sensor module. In the aforementioned example, the fingerprint equalizer unit and the display unit are provided in the portable read / write device. But these can be provided in the license itself so that personal information about the license owner can be presented in the presentation unit at the time of matching the fingerprints. In that case, the power source and other necessary circuits need to be built into the license. In the description provided above, we have used a license as an example of a portable card. However, the present invention can be applied with a similar effect to other cards and notebooks, such as a citizenship card issued by a country or a local government, pension books, safety certificates, health certificates, passports, library cards, credit cards, etc. Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram of a car driving system which is a machine / system control device of the second mode of application of the present invention. The car drive system consists of a remote controller 3, a photocell 4a to receive the infrared light installed on the outside of the side door of the car driver, the data entry keys 4b installed inside the dashboard of the car , and a control circuit 4c fixed below the console. The photocell 4a which is intended to receive the data from the remote controller 3, the data entry keys 4b, and the control circuit 4c constitute the vehicle speed control circuit. Figure 5 is a functional diagram showing the configuration of the circuits of the driving system of the car. The remote controller 3 has a fingerprint sensor module 31 that detects the fingerprint data when a finger is placed thereon, a fingerprint data processing unit 32 that extracts the characteristic point called minute detail of the fingerprint digital from the detected fingerprint data, and a transmission unit 33 that sends the minute data in the form of an infrared beam and also an integrated battery for the power supply. In addition to the liquid crystal impeller type panel shown in Figure 2, piezoelectric, magnetic, contact resistance type panels or thin surface pressure input sensor panels can be used as the fingerprint sensor module 31 as explained above for the first mode of application of the invention. Due to these particularities, a remote controller that is significantly smaller, thinner and lighter in weight than conventional optical type fingerprint sensors can be created. On the other hand, the receiving unit 4 of the main body of the car receives, through the photocell 4a, the infrared beam transmitted by the remote controller 3 and sends the same as an electrical signal to the control circuit 4c. The control circuit 4c has its components, a fingerprint registration memory 41 which is a non-volatile memory like E2PROM which remembers the detailed data of the driver's fingerprint (or drivers), a fingerprint equalizer unit 42. comparing an offered fingerprint with the fingerprints stored in the fingerprint registration memory 41, a personal information memory 43 that recalls the driver-specific information (name, sex, age, license number, license category, limit of higher speed, etc.) and a vehicle speed controller 44 which monitors the revolutions per minute of the engine, the degree to which the accelerator has been depressed and the speed of the vehicle, and that sends the acceleration signal, and an acceleration decision unit 45 that decides whether acceleration is allowed or not, based on the driver's specific personal information. The personal information of each driver and the detailed data of their fingerprint are recorded beforehand through the data entry keys 4b. Now we will explain the operation of the drive system of the car that has the structure described above. Figure 6 shows a flow chart illustrating the operation of the car drive of this system. Figure 6 (a) is the flow chart of the door unhooking action and 6 (b) is the flow chart of the vehicle speed control function.

At the beginning of the driving, the driver places his finger on the module 31 of the fingerprint sensor while pointing towards the remote controller 3 on the photocell 4a receiving the door on the driver's side of the car (S-1). When the finger is placed in the sensor module, the power supply to the remote controller 3 starts automatically, and the transmission unit 33 of the remote controller 3 transmits the tiny fingerprint data in the form of an infrared beam (S -2) . When the receiving photocell 4a is in the car door, the power source of which it is always connected receives the infrared beam, and the energy is supplied to the fingerprint registration memory 41 and the fingerprint equalizer unit 42. and at the same time the minute dot data is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the fingerprint equalizer unit 42 of the control circuit 4c. The fingerprint equalizer unit 42 reads the minute fingerprint data of the registered drivers kept in the fingerprint registration memory 41 (S-3) and compares them with the detailed data of the fingerprint received from the controller 3 Remote (S-4). If there is an equalization, the system assumes that the driver has authenticated (S-5) and sends the signal of the door hooks to the door release mechanism 6, and then the door on the driver's side disengages (S- 6). The system is made so that when the door is disengaged, power is supplied to the entire control circuit 4c and the personal information stored in the memory 43 about the driver who has authenticated by matching the fingerprint is read in the unit 45 of acceleration decision (Fl). When the engine is started after this, the energy is supplied to the vehicle speed controller 44 of the control circuit 4c and the vehicle starts to operate through the normal driving procedures. While the car is running, the revolutions per minute of the engine, the speed of the car, and the degree to which the accelerator has been applied are detected and fed to the vehicle speed controller 44 (F-2), and the vehicle speed controller 44 sends a calculated acceleration signal of this information, using a predetermined formula or table. The acceleration decision unit 45 sends a vehicle speed limiting signal when the vehicle speed signal output of the speed controller 44 exceeds the driving speed limit set for that driver (for example, the upper limit can be set at 70 kilometers per hour for a driver A who is 60 years or older) (F-3 and F-4). This speed limit signal is conducted to an electronic fuel injection control device and the vehicle speed is maintained below the limit (at no more than 70 kilometers per hour) by reducing the amount of fuel injected into the engine (F -5) . If the speed of the car is less than 70 kilometers per hour, it is increased by a regular throttle controller (F-6). Thus, in the mode of applying the present invention, after verification of the fingerprint, not only does the door not disengage but the car's speed is automatically controlled to less than a certain predetermined level based on the Personal information about the user to whom the fingerprint belongs. Therefore, the system is free from an annoying process of having to readjust the upper driving speed limit each time. In Mode 2 described above for applying the present invention, the fingerprint registration memory 41 which is used to store the fingerprints of the drivers, and the fingerprint equalizer unit 42 are placed in the control circuit 4c in the car. But alternatively they can be placed in a distant controller 3 and the equalization can be carried out in the remote controller. In addition to the example described above, the following applications are possible examples to limit or control the operation of the machines or systems after the verification of the person through a fingerprint. (1) Applications in which access or limiting or controlling functions are limited: Personal computers, Internet communication devices, multi-media terminals, digital broadcast receiver decoders, digital recording devices, videotape recorders , digital cameras, copiers, gaming machines, portable terminals, home telephones and electronic clinical graphics (2) Applications in which data is collected or memorized and treated differently depending on the identity of the person: telephones, gaming machines, distributors of cash, ATMs, automatic coin operated dealers, domestic bank systems, billiard game card terminals, money-related electronic equipment (electronic cash dispensers, electronic balance and presentation machines, electronic wallets and electronic security boxes) ), and terminals P YOU. In newly invented electronic information recording / processing devices and machine and system control devices equipped with non-optical thin-surface pressure input type fingerprint sensors, the user is verified by fingerprint matching. As such, they have a number of advantages, including improved security such as preventing unauthorized use or impersonation by people resorting to theft or fraud, eliminating the risk of forged passwords, the need to remember a code or ID, or the risk of being decoded by computers, etc., unlike conventional devices that use code numbers, passwords, or IDs. In addition to this, newly invented devices have the advantages that will be mentioned below. (1) In newly invented information recording / processing devices equipped with fingerprint sensors of the thin surface pressure input type, the fingerprint sensor itself is very thin, lightweight and compact. As such, it is convenient as a portable device. If they can be incorporated in the CIs, they can be used in citizen or social security cards issued by the national or local government, the retiree's books, health security card, passports, library cards, credit cards and other cards and similar records. Even if this card is lost, there is no risk of it being used by an unauthorized person. Even though these are not as thin as IC cards, because they are small in size, light in weight and compact, they can be used in remote controllers or terminals of various electronic devices and consumer devices. If a presentation unit is provided on the card, notebook or terminal described above, the data stored inside can be freely used at any time by the user or by authorized persons, off the line. (2) In the newly invented machine / information control device equipped with a fingerprint sensor of the thin surface pressure input type, the fingerprint sensor itself is extremely thin, lightweight and compact. As such, the sensor can be implemented without modifying the design or structure of the device. Another main advantage is that the access to the machine or system operated by a user can be limited, the functions and operations of the system can be limited or controlled and the collection and administration of data about the use of the system can be automatically accommodated , all in relation to individual information such as sex, age, the organization to which the specified person belongs through the fingerprint, etc. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the conditions of use separately or check the data each time. (3) The fingerprint sensor used in Mode 2 of applying the present invention need not be a fingerprint sensor of the thin-surface pressure input type in certain applications (game machines placed in game centers and distributors of cash in banks, for example) as long as it serves for the objects of the identification of the user and collection and storage of data.

Industrial Applicability The present invention can also be effectively used in a portable small light weight unit such as a card, terminal, etc. on devices that require user verification. After checking the user, the operation or functions of the device can be limited or controlled.

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS 1. A flat information recording / processing device characterized in that it has a thin sensor for detecting fingerprints and a conversion unit that converts the fingerprint data detected by the fingerprint sensor into digital electrical signals.
2. 2. A flat information recording / processing device characterized in that it has a thin sensor for detecting fingerprints, a memory unit that stores the fingerprint data detected by the sensor as a registered fingerprint data, and a unit fingerprint equalizer that compares the newly detected fingerprint data with the recorded fingerprint data stored in memory.
3. 3. A flat information recording / processing device that is characterized in that it has a thin sensor for detecting fingerprints, a memory unit that stores the fingerprint data detected by the sensor as the registered fingerprint data, and a fingerprint equalizer unit that compares the newly detected fingerprint data with the recorded fingerprint data stored in the memory and outputs a "Yes" signal when there is an equalization of the fingerprints in the comparison.
4. 4. A flat information recording / processing device described in one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 and characterized in that it has a second memory unit in which specific information about each user is stored.
5. 5. A flat information recording / processing device described in one of the preceding claims 1 to 4 wherein the fingerprint sensor is a sensor of the type of surface pressure input.
6. 6. A flat information recording / processing device having a portable information recording unit equipped with this sensor for detecting fingerprints, a first memory unit that stores the fingerprint data detected by the sensor as the data of registered fingerprint and a second memory unit in which user-specific information is maintained, and an information processing unit that is equipped with a fingerprint matching unit that compares the newly detected fingerprint data with the data of the registered fingerprint stored in the first memory unit, and a presentation unit that presents the user-specific information stored in the aforementioned second memory unit and the information processing unit that can present the aforementioned information in the previous presentation when there is a fingerprint matching them. The information recording / processing unit described in claim 6 above in which the information processing unit is capable of reading, writing and rewriting the information stored in the second memory unit of the data recording unit. information. The information recording / processing unit described in claim 6 or 7 above wherein the information processing unit is further equipped with a second thin fingerprint sensor for detecting fingerprints and a third memory unit storing the fingerprint data detected by the second fingerprint sensor as a registered fingerprint data. 9. A machine / system control device that is characterized in that it has a fingerprint sensor for detecting fingerprints, a fingerprint matching unit that compares the detected fingerprint data by the above-mentioned sensor with the data of pre-registered fingerprint, and a control mechanism that controls the function or operation of the machine / system according to the user-specific information specified by the fingerprint where there is a fingerprint match. 10. A machine / system control device that is characterized in that it has a fingerprint sensor for detecting fingerprints, a first memory unit that stores the fingerprint data detected by the sensor as a registered fingerprint data, a fingerprint equalizer unit that compares the detected fingerprint data with the above-mentioned sensor with the fingerprint data registered digital stored in the memory unit, and a control mechanism that controls the functions or operation of the machine / system according to the user-specific information specified by the fingerprint, when there is a fingerprint match. 11. A machine / system control device as specified in claim 9 or 10 above, wherein the user-specific information is age. 12. A machine / system control device as specified in claim 9, 10 or 11 above, wherein the fingerprint sensor is a fingerprint sensor of the surface pressure input type.