WO1990005965A1

WO1990005965A1 - Process for identifying a person for access, on the one hand, to a computer installation, and, on the other hand, to premises and/or computer-controlled equipment, on the basis of the person's characteristic odour

Info

Publication number: WO1990005965A1
Application number: PCT/SE1989/000640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric HULTÅKER
Original assignee: Hultaker Eric
Priority date: 1988-11-15
Filing date: 1989-11-09
Publication date: 1990-05-31
Also published as: AU4516089A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for identifying a person for access to a computer installation, for instance a computer installation belonging to a company, an institution or an authority, as well as to its premises or to establishments for secret activity or to buildings, premises, storerooms etc. set aside for one or several persons, as well as to equipment and installations, for instance telephone installations, weapons etc. The invention is characterised in that the person's characteristic odour is sensed by at least one sensor, the output signal of which is used for identification of a possibly authorized person for access and possibly also registration, by means of the computerised control function. The output signal is compared with a control value entered into the computerised control function, and, in case of correspondence with said value, the identification is approved. For access to be granted, it may also be required for a sensor to confirm that the print emanates from live skin.

Description

Process for identifying a person for access, on the one hand, to a computer installation, and, on the other hand, to premises and/or computer- controlled equipment, on the basis of the person's characteristic odour

The present invention relates to a process for identifying a person for access to, on the one hand, A computer installation, for instance a computer installation belonging to a company, an institution or an authority, on the other hand to premises or establishments for secret activity belonging to a company, an institution or an authority, or to buildings, premises or storerooms set aside for one or several authorized persons, and/or to equipment or installations, for instance telephone installations, weapons etc. Control functions as well as equipment/ installations can be computerised or controlled in another way.

So far, use has as a rule been made of authorization cards, code cards or similar devices in order to identify persons for access, but this has entailed certain disadvantages, such as a risk of cards being stolen, forgeries, manipulations etc., or quite simply the loss of cards.

It is well known and a considerable problem that unauthorized and also authorized operators and end users have been able to utilise, inter alia, computer installations belonging to companies, authorities or institutions for undesirable purposes, for instance in order fraudulently to carry out different types of measure in said installations such as executing

accountancy transactions of improper type, transferring resources to and from as well as between different accounts or making payments, obtaining details concerning information, data and facts of various kinds stored/ recorded in the computer, including various companies', authorities' or institutions' plans, research, development, planning, inventions, drawings, design documentation, technology, etc. It is intended to prevent the possibility of such actions occurring. Under certain circumstances also an authorized person (operator or end user of a computer installation) can use the computer in a non-authorized manner, without the identity of the person concerned being revealed.

II is also intended to be able to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access, inter alia so-called "hackers", thus obtaining an opportunity for using a computer or a computer system and its terminals/data equipment in an unlawful or unauthorized manner, partly in accordance with the above paragraph and partly with a view to damaging one or several computer installations inter alia by implementing instructions and routines, erasing and/or adding misleading information (inter alia by the so-called data virus). The damage may be intentional or unintentional.

It is also necessary to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to establishments, premises or storerooms and/or from using equipment or installations, for instance weapons, telephone installations etc.

The invention is intended to solve these and other problems by means of a process characterised in that the characteristic odour of a person is sensed by a sensor, the output signal of which is used for identifying persons and as a code for the computer, advantageously jointly with a regular code for the purpose of access to the computer installation and/or other installations and equipment, whereby the output signal is compared with data concerning the odour of the person concerned entered into the memory of the computer installation, this phase of the identification being, in case of correspondence, approved so that other/normal user checks can be carried out. Such a scent/odour is distinctive for different persons in the same way as are fingerprints, and implies in principle that the odour/gas emanating from a person can be identified in a sensor, which furnishes a signal/report, advantageously in digital form, corresponding to the sensed value/composition of odours of said gas. It is accordingly possible to cause, at the start of the computer installation' s control programme, operators and end users to identify themselves in a sensor, for instance of gas chromatographic type.

With the proposed embodiment of the invention, the output signal from the sensor is used both for identification and for registration by means of a computer-controlled control function, whereby the output signal is compared with a control value entered into the computer-controlled control function, the identification being approved in case of correspondence with said control value and access being granted, in the course of which the person is registered. With a further proposed embodiment of the invention, the sensor or a parallel sensor checks also that the odour print is produced by live skin of an authorized person, in order to prevent the use of other than live skin, i. e. to prevent the use of a dummy treated with/containing perfume, liquid or a material having the same odour composition as the authorized person in question, which may be attempted without that person's knowledge or presence. As a result, a further barrier to access/abuse is obtained.

With a further embodiment, the sensor's/sensors' output signal (odour - possibly coded odour composition) is compared with a reference code for the person concerned entered/programmed in the control system's computer. The sensor/sensors also signal whether the scent/odour print emanates from live skin by pressing a part of the body such as a finger against the input/ reading section of the sensor/sensors. If the odour print emanates from live skin and not from a dummy, and if the scent/odour of the person concerned corresponds to the scent/odour composition registered in the computer memory, the computer signals approval of the identification. The authorized person can then make use of the computer installation and/or proceed into the locations to which the authorization refers and/or use the locations, the equipment and the installations which said person is entitled/authorized to use. If the identification of the person concerned is not approved, the latter is barred.

Within the scope of the following patent claims the invention can be varied in many ways. Within the scope of the inventive idea use can possibly be made of characteristics of the same type as scent/odour.

Claims

1. Process for identifying a person for access to a computer installation, for instance a computer installation belonging to a company, an institution or an authority and/or a company's, an institution's or an authority' s establishments for secret activity or to buildings, premises and storerooms set aside for one or several authorized persons, and/or to a computer-controlled equipment or installation, for instance a telephone installation, weapons etc., characterised in that the person's characteristic odour is sensed by at least one sensor, the output signal of which is used for identifying a possibly authorized person for access, whereby the output signal is compared with a control value entered into the computerised control function and in that, in case of correspondence, this phase of the identification is approved and other/normal user controls can take place.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterised in that an output signal from the sensor is used both for identification and for registration by means of the computerised control function, whereby the output signal is compared with a control value entered into the computerised control function and the identification is, in case of correspondence with said control value, approved, access is authorized and the user is registered.

3. Process according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the sensor also senses live skin and that its output signal accordingly comprises a parameter for live skin notification to the computer installation and in that such a massage concerning live skin identification is required for access.