Biometric Access Control With External Admin Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biometrics-based control devices face challenges in being easy to install, configure, and manufacture while maintaining security, as they often require complex user interfaces and are costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A tamper-resistant biometrics-based control device with a biometric sensor, user database, processor, and communication interface that applies an administrator authentication condition, allowing secure access to a user database only when biometric data matches registered administrator data, and can be configured using external devices like smartphones or basic keyboards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a biometrics-based control device uses a complex user interface for configuration and installation, then security is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external device as an intermediary for configuration and installation tasks. The control device communicates with an external device (such as a smartphone or computer) which provides the complex user interface functionality. This allows the control device itself to remain simple while still enabling secure configuration through the intermediary's interface, resolving the contradiction between security and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the user interface functionality from the control device and places it in a separate external device. By taking out the complex interface requirements from the main control unit, the control device can maintain high security through biometric authentication while the interface complexity is handled externally, reducing manufacturing costs and device complexity
2Ease of operation
If a biometrics-based control device includes integrated user interface components, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the external device universal by allowing it to serve multiple purposes: it acts as both a configuration interface and a biometric authentication device. The external device can be a smartphone or computer that users already possess, eliminating the need for the control device to include dedicated expensive interface components while maintaining ease of operation through familiar devices
Solution Approach 2:
The external device serves as an intermediary that provides configuration capabilities without being integrated into the control device itself. This mediation allows users to configure the system using familiar devices they already own, improving ease of operation while avoiding the high manufacturing costs of integrating specialized interface components into the control device
3Ease of operation
If a biometrics-based control device allows external device access to user database, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary biometric authentication before allowing any external device access to the user database. The control device requires successful biometric verification as a prerequisite for establishing communication links or allowing configuration operations. This preliminary security check ensures that even though external devices can access the database for configuration, they can only do so after proven authorization, maintaining security while enabling ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by continuously monitoring authentication status and communication link states. The control device verifies biometric data and authentication credentials, providing feedback on whether access should be granted or denied. This feedback mechanism ensures that external device access to the user database is tightly controlled and only permitted when security conditions are met, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and security
Data Source
AI summary
A biometrics-based control device includes a biometric sensor that acquires biometric data from a person. A user database contains biometric data items, whereby a biometric data item characterizes an authorized user. A processor causes the biometrics-based control device to execute a control action if biometric data acquired through the biometric sensor corresponds with a biometric data item in the user database. The biometrics-based control device establishes a communication link with an external device through a communication interface. The biometrics-based control device applies an administrator authentication condition for allowing the external device to access the user data base if the user database comprises at least one biometric data item that belongs to an administrator class. The administrator authentication condition consists of an acquisition of biometric data through the biometric sensor that corresponds with a biometric data item in the user database that belongs to the administrator class.