JP7569826B2 - Fingerprint authentication IC card - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to IC cards equipped with a fingerprint authentication function that determines whether or not the IC card's functions are being utilized, in IC cards used in payment and transaction means such as widely used bank cards, credit cards, electronic money cards, and transportation pass cards, or IC cards used as proof of eligibility to receive services or as a means of controlling access to gates, such as employee ID cards, student ID cards, driver's licenses, and health insurance cards with key functions.

IC cards are carried by individuals on a daily basis as a means of payment, transactions, and access control, and while the added value of these cards is increasing with the increase in services, currently, the only methods of verifying whether the owner is the rightful owner (a person with the authority to use the card) are by having the IC card in hand, providing a signature, providing a PIN number, or checking the photograph printed on the card.

Figure 1 shows an example of the structure of a commonly used contactless IC card. As shown in this figure, it is composed of an antenna coil 2 that runs along the side of the IC card 1, and an IC chip (Secure Element, hereafter referred to as SE chip 3) that operates by receiving power from electromagnetic induction of the antenna coil 2. A unique ID code specific to the card is recorded in this SE chip 3, which can be transmitted to the outside when power is supplied, making it possible to identify the card. Figure 2 shows an example of the structure of the SE chip 3.

In order to protect the rights of the legitimate owner of an IC card from damage caused by a malicious third party who may "impersonate" the legitimate owner if the IC card is lost or stolen, the IC card is equipped with a fingerprint identity verification function, which allows users to operate the IC card with only one hand as in the conventional usage method without imposing a cumbersome operational burden on the user due to the incorporation of a new identity verification function, and also allows the user to use the service safely. (See Patent Documents 1 and 2)

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the structure of an IC card with fingerprint authentication (hereafter referred to as a fingerprint card). In this example, the WPR (wireless power regulator) 4 receives power from the antenna coil 21, starts the MCU (micro control unit) 8, reads the cardholder's fingerprint from the fingerprint sensor 9, and compares it with the registered fingerprint data recorded inside the MCU 8. If the comparison is successful, the ASW 5 (analog switch) is connected (turned ON), and the SE chip 31 is activated. In other words, after it has been confirmed that the card is the legitimate holder, it functions as a normal IC card. Patent Document 3 provides a detailed description of the operation of a contact IC card.

However, when using fingerprints to identify an individual, the accuracy of the match can vary because the fingerprint itself can be distorted or altered by external influences. Specifically, a finger with a registered fingerprint may be incompatible with fingerprint matching due to trauma, burns, skin disease, or alteration by chemicals, and it may become impossible to use the services that are normally provided using IC cards.

For example, in the case of IC cards (employee ID cards) used in time attendance management systems or IC cards (student ID cards) used in attendance management systems, a failure in fingerprint matching can cause congestion in front of the IC card reader device (R/W), causing inconvenience to others behind.

In technology that uses biometric characteristics to verify a person's identity, it cannot be said that there are no individuals who do not have the characteristics in question, or that the characteristics may be lost due to some kind of accident, so some other means must be used to supplement the identity verification method. Specifically, in the case of fingerprint matching technology, it is possible to register the fingerprints of multiple fingers so that if one finger is damaged, matching can be performed using other fingers.

In addition, measures have been adopted to absorb changes in fingerprints due to seasonal fluctuations and not impair the accuracy of fingerprint matching by always recording fresh fingerprint data as the registered fingerprint by replacing the old registered fingerprint data registered in the storage device of a specified device with newly collected matching data each time a fingerprint is matched, but the effectiveness of these measures is extremely limited.

JP 2010-128600 A JP 2012-238126 A JP 2018-156548 A

As mentioned above, there is a limit to how much fingerprint feature data can be used to complement fingerprint matching, since biometric features are bound to vary widely. In fact, people with hereditary congenital fingerprint agenesis are born without fingerprints. There are also cases where finger or hand eczema worsens in the winter, making it impossible to collect fingerprints.

It is hoped that by supplementing such situations with other means of identity verification, a fair usage environment can be provided.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a solution for cases where a person is legitimate but is unable to register a valid fingerprint and have it matched.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises the following means.
That is, we provide a conventional contactless fingerprint card equipped with a second SE chip and an antenna coil. When a contactless fingerprint card with two SE chips is brought close to a terminal device equipped with a card reader, the added second SE chip always transmits the recorded ID code when it receives power. For convenience of explanation, we call this ID code ID2.

On the other hand, if the fingerprint matching is successful, the conventional SE chip receives power from the antenna coil connected (turned ON) by the control MCU and sends out an ID code (this ID is called ID1).

If fingerprint matching is not successful and the set time limit is exceeded, only ID2 is sent from the terminal device to the backyard system that provides the service, along with a message notifying the user that a timeout has occurred.

The personal information database of the backyard system records the two ID codes, ID1 and ID2, of the IC card held by the user along with the user's personal information. For example, the personal information record is searched for from the received ID2, and a one-time password is sent to the personal mobile phone number 203 recorded there. After receiving it, the user operates the keyboard equipped on the terminal device to input the one-time password sent. The one-time password entered from the keyboard of the terminal device is verified by the backyard system, and the user can be recognized as the legitimate person. In other words, by following the above procedure, a gap in fingerprint authentication can be made up for by authentication using a one-time password.

1) In an IC card that contains two SE chips that exist independently and do not interfere with each other, a means for adjusting the IC card so that one SE chip is simply connected to the antenna coil, and the other SE chip is controlled to be connected to the antenna coil (turned ON) and function only when the user is recognized as a legitimate holder of the IC card by the fingerprint authentication function built into the IC card.

2) When the IC card is brought close to the card reader of the terminal device, the SE chip, which is not under the control of fingerprint authentication, is first powered by electromagnetic induction from the connected antenna coil and transmits the recorded ID code (ID2) to the terminal device. The terminal device, which receives ID2, starts measuring time to monitor the timeout period. Meanwhile, the control MCU, powered by another antenna coil, performs fingerprint verification of the cardholder, and if successful, activates the other SE chip to transmit the recorded ID code (ID1) to the terminal device. If the terminal device receives two ID codes (ID1 and ID2) before the timeout period is reached, it sends a message to the backyard system that "the legitimate cardholder has submitted a legitimate IC card."
In contrast, when the terminal device is unable to receive ID1 before the fingerprint matching is timed out due to a delay, the terminal device may send a message to the backyard system stating that "only ID2 was received and the timed out occurred."

3) The backyard system that receives the above message, when it receives the former message "The legitimate holder has submitted the legitimate IC card", starts providing the service, and when it receives the latter message "Only ID2 was received and a timeout occurred", searches for the individual's record in a pre-constructed personal information database using ID2 as a key and sends a one-time password to the registered mobile phone. Or, a means for sending a one-time password that can be sent using an email address specified by the user instead of a mobile phone owned by the individual.

4) A means for a user to receive a one-time password via SMS on a mobile phone or email address on another online terminal, enter the one-time password sent from the keyboard on the terminal device, and verify the identity of the user by checking the code against the personal information database of the backyard system via the terminal device.

The lack of fingerprint authentication can be made up for by recording and storing a personal information database in the built-in memory as a "closed, complete system" that does not use a back-yard system or require communication with the outside world, and by carrying out the following authentication using a standalone terminal device.

1') When an IC card with the two SE chips built in is brought close to the electromagnetic field emitted by the terminal device, the second SE chip is activated and the built-in ID code (ID2) is sent unconditionally, which is read by the terminal device. When the MCU of the terminal device receives ID2, it reserves the fact that the card has been brought close and that one of the ID codes recorded on the card is "ID2", and starts measuring the elapsed time using a timer inside the terminal device.

2') Meanwhile, the MCU that controls the first SE chip starts up and performs a fingerprint match against the card holder. If the match is successful, the MCU starts up the first SE chip and sends the ID code "ID1" stored inside to the terminal device.

3') If two ID codes (ID1 and ID2) are received before the timer reaches a timeout, and the user cannot be authenticated as a legitimate holder who has presented a legitimate IC card, a timeout interrupt is transmitted to the MCU that controls the terminal device before ID1 is received, and the MCU prompts the user through the display device to enter the PIN number that the user has memorized using the keyboard on the terminal device. The value entered by the user is compared with the user's recorded PIN number searched for by ID2 in a personal information database held in internal memory, thereby achieving and complementing authentication of users who could not achieve fingerprint authentication for legitimate reasons.

4') Instead of the aforementioned method of verifying a PIN entered by the user from a keyboard, a means of authenticating a user by capturing a facial image of the user using a camera module equipped in the terminal device and verifying this with facial image data previously recorded in a personal information database searched for using ID2 held by the MCU of the terminal device.

The present invention provides a fingerprint authentication function to IC cards used for payment and transactions such as bank cards, credit cards, electronic money cards, and transportation pass cards, as well as IC cards for accessing services such as employee ID cards, student ID cards, driver's licenses, and health insurance cards with key functions, to prevent them from being lost or stolen and being "spoofed" and misused. However, even if matching becomes difficult due to deterioration of the finger that is the source of the fingerprint data registered on the IC card, it is possible to provide a complementary means of authentication that allows users to enjoy services provided by the IC card.

A diagram showing an example of the structure of a commonly used contactless IC card FIG. 2 shows an example of the internal structure of the SE chip shown in FIG. 1. Block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication A block diagram showing an example of the structure of a "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication having two SE chips and an antenna coil for each" that is applied to an embodiment. A schematic diagram of a terminal device equipped with a "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication having two SE chips and an antenna coil on each" and a card reader, which is applied to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a terminal device applied to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the terminal device, the backyard system, the personal information database recorded therein, and the mobile phone of the card holder, which are applied to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a terminal device applied to an embodiment;

The following describes two preferred embodiments for implementing the IC card with fingerprint authentication according to the present invention and the method for supplementing authentication when fingerprint matching is no longer successful.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication having two SE chips, each equipped with an antenna coil" that is applied to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram that shows a schematic image of the operation when the contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication is brought close to the card reader 105 of the terminal device 100 as shown in Figure 6.

As is clear from Figure 4, the antenna coil 22 and the SE chip 32 connected to it exist independently on the IC card. Here, "independently" means that, as shown in Figure 5, when the card is brought close to the electromagnetic field 102 emitted by the antenna coil 101 of the card reader 105 of the terminal device 100, the SE chip 32 is activated by the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil 32, and the built-in ID code (ID2) is sent unconditionally and received by the terminal device 100. In other words, it is not influenced by the antenna coil 21.

In other words, the "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication" of the present invention can be considered equivalent to a card in which two different IC cards are combined onto a single card.

When the terminal device 100 receives ID2, it recognizes that the card has been brought close and that one of the ID codes recorded on the card is "ID2", and starts measuring the elapsed time T0 using the timer 103 inside the terminal device 100 (S101).

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the antenna coil 21 and the SE chip 31 are disconnected by the analog switch ASW5, so when the card is brought close to the electromagnetic field 102 emitted by the card reader 105 of the terminal device 100, it is not the SE1 chip 31 that is activated by the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil 21, but rather the MCU8 that controls the ON/OFF of the SE1 chip 31 that is activated first.

The activated MCU 8 collects the fingerprint of the card holder via the fingerprint sensor 9 and compares it with the registered fingerprint information 81 recorded inside. If the comparison is successful, the analog switch 5 is connected (turned ON), causing the SE1 chip 31 to start operating for the first time and to transmit the ID code "ID1" recorded inside the SE1 chip 31 to the terminal device 100.
If the terminal device 100 receives two ID codes (ID1 and ID2) before the elapsed time T0 of the timer 103 reaches a timeout, it sends a message to the backyard system 300 stating that "the legitimate holder has submitted a legitimate IC card" (S101). In contrast, if the terminal device 100 receives a timeout interrupt notification S102 from the timer 103 before receiving ID1, it sends a message S102 to the backyard system 300 stating that "only ID2 was received and a timeout occurred." There are no particular restrictions on the communication methods S100, S101, and S102 between the terminal device 100 and the backyard system 300, and any communication method can be used.

When the backyard system 300 receives the message S101, which indicates that the legitimate holder has submitted a valid IC card, it starts providing the service, and when it receives the message S102, which indicates that only ID2 was received and a timeout occurred, it searches the pre-constructed personal information database 200 for the individual's record using "ID2" 202 as a key, as shown in Fig. 7, and sends a one-time password (OTP) to the mobile phone number 203 recorded there (S103). Alternatively, it is also possible to notify the user of the OTP using an email address specified by the user, rather than to the individual's mobile phone 400.

A user who receives a one-time password (OTP) S103 via SMS (Short Message Service) on the mobile phone 400 or to the email address of another online terminal inputs the one-time password sent from the keyboard 107 on the terminal device 100 S104, and the code is sent to the backyard system 300 via the terminal device 100 for verification, thereby achieving and complementing authentication by confirming the identity of the user through a different method for identity verification, for users who could not achieve fingerprint authentication for valid reasons.

In Example 2, unlike the first embodiment, the backyard system 300 is not used, and the personal information database 200 is recorded and stored in the external memory 220 built into the terminal device 100, so that the terminal device 100 operates as a standalone system, implementing a "closed, complete system" that does not require communication with the outside.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the card is brought close to the electromagnetic field 102 emitted by the antenna coil 101 of the card reader 105 of the terminal device 100, the SE chip 32 is activated by the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil 32, and the built-in ID code (ID2) is unconditionally sent and received by the terminal device 100. When the MCU 110 of the terminal device 100 receives ID2, it retains the fact that the card has been brought close and that one of the ID codes recorded on the card is "ID2", and starts measuring the elapsed time T0 using the timer 103 inside the terminal device 100 (S101).

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, when the card is brought close to the electromagnetic field 102 emitted by the card reader 105 of the terminal device 100, the MCU 8 is activated first due to the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil 21.

The activated MCU8 collects the fingerprint of the card holder via the fingerprint sensor 9 and compares it with the registered fingerprint information 81 recorded inside. If the comparison is successful, the analog switch 5 is connected (turned ON), causing the SE1 chip 31 to start operating for the first time and transmitting the ID code (ID1) recorded inside the SE1 chip 31 to the terminal device 100.

If the terminal device 100 receives two ID codes (ID1 and ID2) before the elapsed time T0 of the timer 103 reaches a timeout, it authenticates the user as a legitimate holder who has presented a genuine IC card.

On the other hand, when a timeout interrupt notification S102 is sent from the timer 103 to the MCU 110 before ID1 is received, the MCU 110 prompts the user through the display device 106 to input the PIN number memorized by the user using the keyboard 107 on the terminal device 100. The value input by the user is compared with the PIN number 205 recorded in the personal information database searched for from ID2 held by the MCU 110, and authentication is realized and supplemented by identity confirmation using a different method for users who could not achieve fingerprint authentication for valid reasons.

Instead of the method of verifying the PIN entered by the user from the keyboard as described above, it is also possible to authenticate the user by capturing a facial image of the user using the camera module 104 provided in the terminal device 100 and verifying this with facial image data previously recorded in a personal information database searched for using ID2 held by the MCU 110.

While the embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to provide a complementary method of authentication as described above, on the other hand, according to the present invention, it is also possible to implement a usage form according to the security level, such as using the ID code of the SE chip that is not related to fingerprint matching for normal identification such as an employee ID or student ID, while using the ID code of the SE chip that only works when fingerprint authentication is successful for access control, for example, as a key to a secret room.

1...IC card,
2...Antenna coil,
3... SE (Secure Element) chip installed in IC card 4... WRP (Wireless Power Regulator)
5...ASW (Analog Switch)
6...SW (Switch)
7...TRF (Tuned Radio Frequency), analog front end and data framing reader system device 8...MCU (micro control unit) installed in the IC card
9...FP Sensor, fingerprint reading sensor 21...Antenna coil 22 mounted on a contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication...Second antenna coil 31 mounted on a "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication" applied to the embodiment...SE chip 32 mounted on a contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication...Second SE chip 100 mounted on a "contactless IC card with fingerprint authentication" applied to the embodiment...Terminal device 101 equipped with a card reader (R/W) for contactless IC cards...Antenna coil 102 of a card reader (R/W) for contactless IC cards mounted on a terminal device...Image diagram 103 of an electromagnetic field emitted from an antenna coil of a terminal device...Timer 104 built into a terminal device that monitors the time allowed for authentication by fingerprint matching on an IC card...Camera module 105 mounted on a terminal device...Card reader (R/W) for contactless IC cards mounted on a terminal device
106: Display device mounted on the terminal device 107: Keyboard mounted on the terminal device 110: MCU (micro control unit) that controls the entire terminal device
111: A wired/wireless communication control unit for communication with the outside of the device mounted on the terminal device 112: An interface device for a device module mounted on and connected to the terminal device 113: An interface device for an external storage device mounted on and connected to the terminal device 122: A wireless communication module for communication with the outside of the device mounted on the terminal device. Wi-Fi, wireless LAN, etc. 200: An example of a "personal information database" recorded in a backyard system connected to the terminal device 201: ID code (ID1) of the SE1 chip of the IC card distributed to this user
202: ID code (ID2) of the SE2 chip of the IC card distributed to this user
203: A mobile phone number designated in advance by the user as a destination of a one-time password (OTP) 204: Face image data of the user 205: A personal identification number designated in advance by the user for emergency use 220: An external storage device mounted or built into the terminal device. Examples include an HDD and an SSD.

Claims (2)

An IC card with two built-in SE chips that exist independently and do not interfere with each other, one of which stores an ID code ID2 based on a pre-constructed personal information database and is always connected to an antenna coil. When the IC card is brought close to a card reader, it receives power from the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil, starts up, and transmits the ID2 ID code, while the other SE chip is connected to the associated antenna coil and starts up only when the user is recognized as the legitimate holder of the IC card by the fingerprint authentication function built into the IC card, and is controlled to transmit the ID1 IC code stored inside. An identity verification and authentication method using an IC card with fingerprint authentication, which has two built-in SE chips that exist independently without interfering with each other, in which one of the SE chips has an ID code ID2 stored therein, which is determined from a pre-constructed personal information database, and is always connected to an antenna coil, and when the IC card is brought close to a card reader, it is powered by the induced electromotive force of the antenna coil, starts up, and transmits the ID2 ID code, while the other SE chip is connected to the associated antenna coil and starts up only when the user is recognized as a legitimate holder of the IC card by a fingerprint authentication function built into the IC card, and is controlled to transmit the IC code ID1 stored therein,
The IC card is brought close to a card reader of a terminal device and ID2 written on one of the SE chips is transmitted to the terminal device. The terminal device, upon receiving ID2, starts measuring time using a built-in timer 100 to monitor the timeout period. ID1 stored in the other SE chip is transmitted to the terminal device only if fingerprint matching is successful. If the terminal device 100 receives two ID codes (ID1 and ID2) before the timeout period, it sends a message to the backyard system 300 saying that "the legitimate holder has submitted a legitimate IC card." On the other hand, if the terminal device 100 receives a timeout interrupt notification before receiving ID1, it sends a message to the backyard system 300 saying that "only ID2 was received and the timeout period has expired." The authentication method is characterized in that the identity of the person is confirmed by searching and matching a personal information database 200 previously constructed on the backyard system using "ID2" as a key.

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