EP0786745A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Enhanced security fingerprint sensor package and related methods
Assignee: Authentec Inc
•
Filing: 1997-01-15
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A fingerprint sensor package includes a tamper-resistant housing, a fingerprint sensor mounted in the housing, an encryption output circuit mounted within the housing and operatively connected to the fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor package may include a processor operatively connected between the fingerprint sensor and the encryption circuit. The package includes a reference fingerprint memory for storing reference fingerprint information. The processor has the capability to determine if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint. A removing circuit is provided for removing reference fingerprint information from the reference fingerprint storage means responsive to tampering.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl W. Mccalley
- 👤 Dale R. Setlak
- 👤 Steven D. Wilson
- 👤 Nicolaas W. Van Vonno
- 👤 Charles L. Hewitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/044; G06F21/00; G06F21/70; G06F21/86; G06F3/0445; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/12; G06V40/13; G06V40/1306; G06V40/60; G06V40/67; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/00174; G07C9/00563; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/26; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/37; H; H10; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/10; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/751; H10W90/756
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A fingerprint sensor package comprising: a tamper-resistant housing; a fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing; and encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint, with a processor operatively connected between said fingerprint sensor and said encrypting output means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in Claim 2 wherein reference fingerprint storage means for storing reference fingerprint information, and said processor comprises reference fingerprint matching means for determining if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in Claim 3 wherein removing means for removing reference fingerprint information from said reference fingerprint storage means responsive to tampering.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said fingerprint sensor comprises an integrated circuit having an outer surface portion for receiving a finger adjacent thereto, and said housing includes an opening therethrough in registry with the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in Claim 4 wherein sealing means for sealing an interface between the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit and adjacent housing portions, preferably in which said sealing means comprises a bead of sealing material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in Claim 5 wherein said housing comprises a plastic material, and the sealing means comprises a hermetic seal between the plastic material and adjacent portions of the integrated circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said integrated circuit comprises an outermost silicon nitride layer, in which said integrated circuit comprises an outermost layer including one of silicon carbide and diamond, and said fingerprint sensor comprises an electric field fingerprint sensor, and preferably said electric field fingerprint sensor comprises: an array of electric field sensing electrodes; a dielectric layer adjacent said electric field sensing electrodes, said dielectric layer for receiving a finger adjacent thereto; and drive means for applying an electric field drive signal to said electric field sensing electrodes and adjacent portions of the finger so that said electric field sensing electrodes produce a fingerprint image signal with a finger electrode exposed on an outer surface of said housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fingerprint sensor package comprising: a tamper-resistant housing; a fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing; reference fingerprint storage means positioned within said g for storing reference fingerprint information; a processor operatively connected to said fingerprint sensor and said reference fingerprint storage means for determining if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint, and removing means for removing reference fingerprint information from said reference fingerprint storage means responsive to tampering.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
A fingerprint package as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 or 8 including encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said processor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint, and said fingerprint sensor comprising an integrated circuit having an outer surface portion for receiving a finger adjacent thereto, and said housing including an opening therethrough in registry with the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
149 words
A fingerprint sensor package comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough; a fingerprint sensor mounted in said housing and comprising an integrated circuit having an outer surface portion for receiving a finger adjacent thereto and with said integrated circuit being positioned so that the outer surface portion is aligned in registry with the opening of said housing; and sealing means positioned to seal an interface between the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit and adjacent housing portions, in which said sealing means comprises a bead of sealing material, with said housing comprising a plastic material, and sealing means comprises a hermetic seal between the plastic material and adjacent portions of the integrated circuit, including encrypting output means mounted within said housing and operatively connected to said fingerprint sensor for generating an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint, and a processor operatively connected to said fingerprint sensor.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for making and securely operating a fingerprint sensor package of a type including a fingerprint sensor, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the fingerprint sensor within a tamper-resistant housing; generating within the tamper-resistant housing an encrypted output signal related to a sensed fingerprint from the fingerprint sensor, storing reference fingerprint information within the housing and determining within the tamper-resistant housing if a sensed fingerprint matches a stored reference fingerprint.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
120 words
A method as claimed in Claim 11 including the steps of removing reference fingerprint information from within the tamper-resistant housing responsive to tampering, forming an integrated circuit fingerprint sensor having an outer surface for receiving a finger adjacent thereto; mounting the integrated circuit fingerprint sensor within a housing having an opening therethrough so that the opening is in registry with the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit; and sealing an interface between the outer surface portion of the integrated circuit and adjacent housing portions, with the step of mounting comprising molding a plastic material surrounding the integrated circuit, and the step of sealing comprises hermetically sealing an interface between the plastic material and adjacent portions of the integrated circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3859633A
Cited
US3893080A
Cited
US4210899A
Cited
US4185270A
Cited
US4151512A
Cited
US4140272A
Cited
US4353056A
Cited
US4525859A
Cited
US4947443A
Cited
US5040224A
Cited
US4993068A
Cited
US5325442A
Cited
US5337357A
Cited
US5436972A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.