Portable device having biometrics-based authentication capabilities

Abstract

Apparatus and method for implementing biometrics-based authentication. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a portable device. Specifically, in one embodiment, the portable device includes a microprocessor, a non-volatile memory coupled thereto, and a biometrics-based authentication module controlled by the microprocessor. Preferably, the biometrics technology used is fingerprint authentication technology. The authentication module is capable of registering a fingerprint upon first use of the portable device, storing an encoded version of the fingerprint in the non-volatile memory. Subsequently, the authentication module can read a person's fingerprint and reliably determine whether the fingerprint matches the registered fingerprint stored in the non-volatile memory. If a match is found, access to information in the non-volatile memory is granted to that person; otherwise, access is denied. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide a highly convenient, secured and reliable method and system for user authentication and access control which was not achievable in prior art password-based authentication approaches.

1 . A portable device comprising:
 a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug configured to enable the portable device to be directly connected to a USB socket of a computer;   a non-volatile memory having a capacity of at least eight megabytes, wherein at least a portion of the non-volatile memory is inaccessible without authentication; and   an authentication module configured to perform a password-based authentication and a biometrics-based authentication such that the portable device is authenticated when the password-based authentication and the biometrics-based authentication are successful.   
     
     
         2 . The portable device of  claim 1  further comprising a fingerprint module structurally integrated with the portable device. 
     
     
         3 . The portable device of  claim 1  wherein the biometrics-based authentication comprises comparing captured fingerprint data with stored fingerprint data. 
     
     
         4 . The portable device of  claim 3  wherein the stored fingerprint data is an encrypted template. 
     
     
         5 . A method of authenticating with a portable device comprising:
 communicating with a computer, wherein the portable device, having a non-volatile memory with a capacity of at least eight megabytes and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug configured to enable the portable device to be directly connected to a USB socket of the computer, is communicatively-linked with the computer;   receiving a biometric input;   performing a biometrics-based authentication using the biometric input;   receiving a password input;   performing a password-based authentication using the password input; and   providing access to at least a portion of the non-volatile memory if the biometrics-based authentication and the password-based authentication are successful.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the biometric input is a fingerprint image. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the biometrics-based authentication includes comparing the biometric input to stored biometric data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the password-based authentication includes comparing the password input to stored password data. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a portable device including   a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug configured to enable the portable device to be directly connected to a USB socket of a computer, and   a biometrics module configured to obtain biometric input;   a restricted resource that is inaccessible without authentication; and   an authentication engine configured to perform a password-based authentication and a biometrics-based authentication using the biometric input such that the portable device is authenticated when the password-based authentication and the biometrics-based authentication are successful.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the restricted resource is at least a portion of a non-volatile memory in the portable device, the non-volatile memory having a capacity of at least eight megabytes. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the restricted resource is at least a portion of a non-volatile memory of the computer. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the restricted resource is a software program on the computer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the restricted resource is a resource accessible to via the computer when the password-based authentication and the biometrics-based authentication are successful. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the authentication engine is located in the portable device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the authentication engine is located in the computer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the biometric input is fingerprint data. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the biometric input is iris data.