used to encode the information signals which are then PERSONAL AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM stored on the portable storage medium.
The invention further provides a method and apparaB ACKGROUND OF INVENTION tus for verifying the identity of a person using a portable
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for 5 stora.Sef medium on w}lic,h enfded personal identifica
storing information corresponding to personal identifi- ?on information signals have been stored. The personal
cation features on a portable storage medium and read- features. °f the perSOn t0, be ldentlfied are Se"Sed and
ing the information from the portable storage medium Prefnt "formation signals corresponding to the sensed
to verif a ers n's identit features are derived. Then a characteristic scramble key
°^fn y a Perso" s 1 en 1 J' . io is developed from the present information signals and a
The use of credit cards and charge plates requires a c ± ^ c ■ J ■ ■ ,
c u- -j i.- u -a * first set of comparison encoded information signals
means of positive identification which will prevent , \ ,. ,. ?,
. r ... T ..... ., .. c ■, .-c ■ stored on the portable storage medium are sensed and
counterfeiting. In addition, the necessity of identifying , , , . , v, , ^ °. . ,, , , .
c ° ^' . ° decoded with the characteristic scramble key devel
persons for access to secured areas requires positive , r . . - .. •
r, ^.j. ^. . , oped trom the present mformation signals. A second set
identification to prevent impersonation. Personal recog- ... 5 • • , J J? <.u J Jj
. it_ ., \ , .r .. , . .. . . 15 of comparison signals are derived from the decoded
nition is the ideal method of identification, but it is lm- ■ r _ r.. ., , , . c ^ ^ r
. , c information signals and compared to the first set of
practical except m a few situations. comparison signals to verify identity of the person.
An automatic personal verifier system described m Development of a characteristic scramble key from
U.5>. Pa . No. J.7811U, comprises a coherent optical ^ naJ ... Qf ^ n
seeking access and
matched-filter correlator. It computes the two d.men- 2Q usg Qf ^ ... k for encodin and decoding sional cross correlation function between the present eg ntg unauthorized access to a protected fingerprint and a fingerprint previously encoded on an facfli Theft of thg atus which ovides the identification card. If these fingerprints match, a bright scramble k onIy enables the on to read his spot of light is generated at the output of the optical sonal identifiCation card. Therefore, other identification system. If the prints fail to match, a random low-mten- 25 cards C£mnot be fead nQr can accegs be ined b usi sity light pattern is generated. Whenever the correlated identification cards belonging to other people, peak exceeds a preset threshold, a green light is turned xhis invention can utilizej for example, personal feaon and a relay is closed. The relay closure is typically tures such as flngerPrints, speech and faces. In addition used to energize a door-lock solenoid. Each identifica- hoiograms> scrambled magnetic recording systems or a tion card m the automatic personal verifier system con- 30 Ught modulating system can be used. tains a small photographic film chip. The image re- Qther features and advantages of the invention will corded on this film chip is a coded version of the bear- be apparent from the following description of the preer's fingerprint. Any person seeking entrance to a facil- ferred embodiments, and from the claims, ity protected by this automatic personal verifier system For a fuU understanding of the present invention, must deposit a fresh oil fingerprint on a special window. 35 reference should now be made to the following detailed As previously mentioned, the system correlates the description of preferred embodiments of the invention fresh fingerprint with the stored fingerprint. If they wd t0 the accompanying drawings, match a green light is energized and the door is unlatched. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Although the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 40 piG. 1 is a schematic representation, partly in sec3,781,113 provides some level of security, each person tion, of apparatus for generating and storing scrambled using the system and having the associated apparatus information, corresponding to a personal feature, on a including the key to descramble the information fixed portable storage medium, wherein the personal features on the identification card, can read any confidential are derived from fingerprints and the storage medium is information stored on every identification card. 45 an identification card being made comprising a holo
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION grai?'
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation, partly in secIt is accordingly an object of the present invention to tion, of apparatus for verifying the identity of a person provide a method and apparatus for personal identifica- usmg an identification card made in accordance with tion which can not be circumvented by unauthorized 50 FIG. 1 on which encoded personal identification inforpersons. mation signals derived from fingerprints have been
It is a further object of the present invention to pro- stored by means of a hologram, vide a method and apparatus for a personal authentica
tion system in which scrambled information corre- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED sponding to the user's personal features are stored on a 55 fc.MBODlM.bN 1 £> portable storage medium. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be It is a further object of the present invention to pro- described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawvide a method and apparatus for a personal authentica- ings.
tion system in which the portable storage medium can Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for storing inforbe used to verify the identity of a person. The present 60 mation uses a basic coherent light input in the form of a invention provides a personal authentication system in laser 1, which directs light beam 2 to beam splitter 3 and which scrambled information corresponding to a per- also to slide 4 which has on it a photograph of the finson's personal features is stored on a portable storage gerprint to be used in generating the holographic image medium. To accomplish this storage the personal fea- stored on identification card 5. The beam splitter 3 tures of a person are first sensed. Then information 65 directs reference laser beam 6 to mirror 7 and then to signals corresponding to the sensed personal features encoder 8 which will be described in more detail below, are derived and a characteristic scramble key is devel- The reference beam passing through encoder 8 imoped from the information signals. This scramble key is pinges on card 5 superimposing the object beam 11,
