Biometric Authentication Device with Integrated Fingerprint Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile devices lack effective methods to securely access and protect sensitive data, as existing password-based security schemes are vulnerable to brute force attacks and can be bypassed, while strong encryption requires long passwords that inconvenience users.
Innovation Solution
A biometric authentication system that integrates a biometric sensor, such as a fingerprint reader, into a key or button of a data storage device, allowing users to authenticate and decrypt data quickly and securely, with a liveness check via a temperature sensor to prevent unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If strong encryption is used to protect data, then security is improved, but password length increases causing user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard/password entry system with a biometric authentication system using fingerprint sensors. The fingerprint reader captures and verifies the user's biometric data, eliminating the need for long passwords while maintaining strong encryption security. This substitution resolves the contradiction by using biological identification instead of manual password input.
2Ease of operation
If biometric authentication is integrated into the key, then authentication and data access are combined in one step improving usability, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the biometric authentication function with the existing key/button structure. The fingerprint sensor is integrated directly into the key surface, allowing the same component to serve both as a physical input device and a biometric scanner. This merging reduces the need for separate authentication hardware while achieving single-step access.
Solution Approach 2:
The key is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a mechanical input device and a biometric authentication sensor. The fingerprint reader is embedded within the key structure, enabling the single component to perform multiple functions: physical pressing for input and fingerprint scanning for authentication, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If temperature sensor is added for liveness check, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor is merged with the fingerprint sensor array, sharing the same physical space and processing circuitry. The liveness detection function is integrated into the existing authentication workflow, adding thermal verification without requiring a completely separate sensor system. This combining approach minimizes the increase in device complexity while achieving enhanced security.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides enhanced security by ensuring only authorized users can access encrypted data, reducing the inconvenience of long passwords and improving usability by combining authentication and data access in a single step, while maintaining strong encryption.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor to determine a presence of the user
Data Source
Figure 1A~1F
Figure 1G~2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A biometric sensor device, a portable electronic device including an actuatable biometric input device, and method of biometric authentication that includes an input device that generates a signal or completes a circuit when actuated, and a biometric reader that reads a biometric of a user when the user actuates the input device to generate the signal or complete the circuit. An authentication section authenticates the biometric read on the biometric reader to generate one of a data access allowance function based on authentication of the biometric input to the actuatable biometric input device and a data access prevention function based on non-authentication of the biometric input to the actuatable biometric input device. The data access allowance function permits data to be accessed at the data access interface, and the data access prevention function prevents reading and/or access to data anywhere on the data storage and access device.