Electronic data storage medium with fingerprint verification capability

Abstract

An electronic data storage medium is adapted to be accessed by a data terminal, and includes a processing unit connected to a memory device that stores a data file and security reference data possessed by a person authorized to access the data file, and an input-output interface circuit activable so as to establish communication with the data terminal. The processing unit is operable selectively in a programming mode and a data retrieving mode. The electronic data storage medium also includes a function key set for manually switching the electronic data storage medium between the programming mode and the data retrieving mode.

1 . An electronic data storage medium adapted to be accessed by a data terminal motherboard, said electronic data storage medium comprising: 
 a non-volatile memory device for storing data file and fingerprint reference data obtained by scanning a fingerprint of a person authorized to access the data file, wherein the data file and fingerprint reference data are stored and located in different sectors of said non-volatile memory device, wherein said non-volatile memory device is a flash memory, which includes both single-level-cell (SLC) and multi-level-cell (MLC) flash memory devices;    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 motherboard, wherein said input/output interface circuit is a card reader interface circuit which comprises of a Universal Serial Bus interface circuit;    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, wherein said processing unit activates said input/output interface circuit to receive the data file and the fingerprint reference data from the data terminal motherboard and to store the data file and the fingerprint reference data in said non-volatile memory device;    means for controlling said processing unit in a data retrieving mode, which is performed subsequent to the programming mode, wherein 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 motherboard 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; and    a card body usable as a substrate on which said non-volatile memory device, said fingerprint sensor, said input/output interface circuit, and said processing unit are mounted and packaged as a subsystem of a data terminal.