Hand geometry biometrics on a payment device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using multiple biometrics in a transponder-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a biometric sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a transponder configured with a biometric sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a biometric sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing multiple biometric samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An RFID reader comprising:
 an RF transponder configured to:
 transmit an interrogation signal including an authorization code to a fob, and 
 receive the authentication code, encrypted at the fob, and a fob identification code from the fob; 
   a protocol sequence controller configured to command the RF transponder to provide an uninterrupted interrogation signal until a presence of the fob is detected; and   a device authentication circuit configured to authenticate the fob when the presence of the fob is detected.   
     
     
         2 . The RFID reader of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol sequence controller is further configured to command the device authentication circuit to authenticate the fob when the fob is detected as being present. 
     
     
         3 . The RFID reader of  claim 2 , wherein the device authentication circuit authenticates the fob by providing the fob with the authorization code via the RF transponder. 
     
     
         4 . The RFID reader of  claim 3 , wherein the protocol/sequence controller is further configured to determine whether a response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authorization code or is a signal requiring authentication. 
     
     
         5 . The RFID reader of  claim 4 , wherein the protocol/sequence controller is further configured to activate the authentication circuit to authenticate the fob, in response to a determination that the response from the fob is a signal requiring authentication. 
     
     
         6 . The RFID reader of  claim 4 , wherein the protocol/sequence controller commands the RFID reader to retrieve a security key from a database to enable recognition of the signal to authenticate the fob, in response to a determination that the response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authorization code. 
     
     
         7 . The RFID reader of  claim 6 , wherein the protocol/sequence controller further commands the RFID reader to:
 decrypt the encrypted authentication code using the security key, and   compare the decrypted authentication code to the authentication code transmitted from the RFID reader to the fob to authenticate the fob.   
     
     
         8 . The RFID reader of  claim 1 , wherein the fob is configured to be operable in an inclusive mode by a switch, wherein the inclusive mode permits an RF transponder of the fob to be responsive to interrogation. 
     
     
         9 . A method to authorize a transaction, comprising:
 transmitting, by an RFID reader, an uninterrupted interrogation signal until a presence of a fob is detected; and   in response to the presence of the fob being detected, the RFID reader:
 transmitting a fob authentication code to the fob; and 
 verifying the fob based on the fob authentication code and a received response from the fob. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the RFID reader receiving the response from the fob. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the verifying the fob includes determining whether the response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authentication code is a signal requiring authentication. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the verifying the fob further includes, in response to a determination that the response from the fob is a signal requiring authentication, activating an authentication circuit to authenticate the fob. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the verifying the fob further includes, in response to a determination that the response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authorization code, retrieving a security key to enable recognition of the signal to authenticate the fob. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the protocol/sequence controller further commands the RFID reader to:
 decrypt the encrypted authentication code using the security key, and   compare the decrypted authentication code to the authentication code transmitted from the RFID reader to the fob to authenticate the fob.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fob is configured to be operable in an inclusive mode by a switch, wherein the inclusive mode permits an RF transponder of the fob to be responsive to interrogation. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause an RFID reader to perform operations to authorize a transaction, comprising:
 transmitting, by an RFID reader, an uninterrupted interrogation signal until a presence of a fob is detected;   in response to the presence of the fob being detected, the RFID reader:
 transmitting a fob authentication code to the fob; and 
 determining whether a response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authentication code, or is a signal requiring authentication. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising in response to a determination that the response from the fob is a signal requiring authentication, activating an authentication circuit to authenticate the fob. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising in response to a determination that the response from the fob is in response to the RFID reader provided authorization code, retrieving a security key to enable recognition of the signal to authenticate the fob. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein a protocol/sequence controller further commands the RFID reader to:
 decryp the encrypted authentication code using the security key, and   compare the decrypted authentication code to the authentication code transmitted from the RFID reader to the fob to authenticate the fob.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the fob is configured to be operable in an inclusive mode by a switch, wherein the inclusive mode permits an RF transponder of the fob to be responsive to interrogation.