Patent Application
20060136734
This invention relates generally identification badges that identify employees and other people who are permitted to access restricted access areas.
Identification badges such as employee identification cards, hospital identification badges, secure identification cards and the like are commonly used in locations such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, sports arenas, government buildings and the like. Typically such identification badges are provided in the form of a card having a user identification image, the name of the user and/or information identifying the issuer of the card. Traditionally, such a badge has been presented to security guards, co-workers and others as indicia that a user is authorized to take certain actions or enter certain areas.
More recently such identification badges have been adapted for use with automatic access control systems. In a typical access control system, the identification badge is used to provide indicia of identity in a machine readable form. Accordingly, identification badges often have some form of identification information in a machine-readable form such as a stripe of a magnetic material having machine readable data encoded thereon. Such machine-readable data is difficult to duplicate and provides a convenient way for an automatic access control system to quickly determine an identity for the user.
Increasingly, such identification badges also incorporate radio frequency identification transponders having data stored therein. The data stored in such radio frequency identification transponders is read by a co-designed transceiver in the access control system that communicates with the transponders by way of radio frequency signals. The use of transponder-equipped badges facilitates the identification process in that identification data can be read automatically using a convenient proximity style reader.
While identification cards of the types described above are difficult to counterfeit and convenient for use with typical access control systems, there still remains a risk that an unauthorized person can obtain the card and attempt to use it to engage in acts that the unauthorized person is not permitted to perform such as entering a restricted area. Conventionally, the presence of the user image is intended to mitigate against such a risk in that people in a restricted area will typically recognize that the person is not authorized in the facility. However, such a situation may exist for an unacceptable period of time before detection. Further, there is a risk that an unauthorized person can use the badge for purposes unrelated the purpose of the badge such as a form of identification for a check or as a form of identification for ordering items or for obtaining content.
Thus, what is needed is an identification badge that is more difficult for unauthorized persons to use or misuse.
In one aspect of the invention, an identification display device is provided. The identification display device has a display, and a non-volatile memory having image content depicting a user stored therein. An authentication control system has a user input system that is adapted to sense a user input and an authentication controller, to generate an authentication signal when the user makes an appropriate authentication input. A display controller is adapted to cause the display to present an identifying image only in response to the authentication signal.
In another aspect of the invention, an identification display device is provided. The active identification badge has a display, a non-volatile memory having identification data and a communication circuit adapted to transmit identification data to an authentication control system and to receive an authentication signal from said authentication control system. A display controller is adapted to cause the display to present an identifying image only in response to the authentication signal.
In still another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for operating an identification device having a display. In accordance with the method, a user input is sensed and an authentication signal is generated when the user input corresponds to a stored user input; an identification image is presented when the authentication signal is detected.
In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, an identification display device 20 is provided that is suitable for use with an identification badge.
Referring to
Display 22 can take a variety of forms. For example, display 22 can comprise a convention liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting display (OLED), or a polymer light emitting display (PLED).
Examples of such OLEDs and PLEDs are described in the following United States Patents, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,745 to Forrest et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,160 to Forrest et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,026 to Forrest et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,893 to Bulovic et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,219 to Thompson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,916 to Tang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,401 to Thompson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,803 to Forrest et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,538 to Burrows et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,543 to Bulovic et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,573 to Tang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,630 to Burrows et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,357 to Tang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,226 to Forrest et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,223 to Hung et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,115 to Thompson et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,980 to Burrows et al.
Alternatively, display 22 can comprise a non-volatile bi-stable cholesteric display device. Such a non-volatile cholesteric display 22 provides reflective picture elements that have at least two states and that can be transitioned from one state to at least one other state to form images. Once an image is formed, the image will remain on the display for extended periods of time without the application of additional energy to the display. Thus, such a non-volatile type of display can be used advantageously to provide images on display 22 without requiring that such identification display device 20 provide a power supply with sufficient storage capacity for maintaining the image.
Such a non-volatile cholesteric type display 22 can comprise for example, a reflective passive-matrix display. Such a reflective passive matrix display can be employed advantageously in the present invention because they do not require energy for light emission and are well-suited to low-cost control and manufacturing methods. One such display using bi-stable cholesteric materials is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,811 entitled “Liquid Crystalline Light Modulating Device and Material” issued Aug. 1, 1995. Such displays can be made on flexible substrates and with low-cost roll-to-roll or continuous manufacturing methods thereby reducing cost and providing useful attributes in an interactive display application. In this way, each identification display 20 can be made inexpensively and in a form factor that can be conveniently collected and stored in a manner that is consistent with conventional practices.
Memory 24 can comprise volatile, and non-volatile types of memory and can include multiple components some of which can include volatile read-write memory (e.g. RAM) along with non-volatile memories, such as a read-only memory (e.g. ROM), or a non-volatile read-write memory (e.g. Flash Memory). Such multiple components can comprise separate structures or can be manufactured as an integrated circuit.
In one embodiment, a locking memory 40 is provided for storing an identifying image, a user identification data, and/or authentication data in a manner that makes it difficult to alter such an image or data. In one embodiment, locking memory 40 comprises a conventional non-volatile programmable read-only memory or a write-once memory. In this embodiment, data can be written to the programmable read-only memory or to the write-once memory but, once written, such data cannot be erased, deleted or modified. In this way, the read-only memory provides a reliable record of data stored therein.
In another embodiment, locking memory 40 comprises a non-volatile read-write memory having a memory interface 42 that permits data to be read or written only where appropriate authorizations or codes are supplied to the write-once memory. In this embodiment, data written to locking memory 40 can be associated with identification display device 20 in a manner that cannot be modified without appropriate authorizations.
In still another embodiment, locking memory 40 can comprise a conventional non-volatile read-write memory having data stored therein in an encoded or encrypted fashion that is readable by display controller 26, but that is difficult for a conventional user of identification display device 20 to understand or reprogram properly. Various well-known encoding or encryption schemes can be used for this purpose.
In yet another embodiment, locking memory 40 can also incorporate at least a part of display 22. In this regard, display 22 can be formed at from imaging elements such as patterns of OLED or other light emitting picture elements that are applied to display 22 in an imagewise fashion so that when power is applied to such imaging elements, these imaging elements will only present an image of the user. Optionally, other portions of display 22 can be provided with imaging elements that are applied in a consistent fashion and that are adapted so that a pixellated or segmented image can be presented thereby. Examples of displays or display portions that can be formed in this way include organic light emitting diode displays (OLEDs) and polymer light emitting diode displays (PLEDs) formed for example from materials that are described in any of the U.S. Patents cited above.
Display controller 26 can be a programmable controller such as a microprocessor, microcontroller or programmable analog device. Alternatively display controller 26 can be of a type that is not programmable. In certain embodiments, display controller 26 can include a memory interface and display driver. Such a non-programmable embodiment of display controller 26 can be implemented for example with an application specific integrated circuit, a state machine or hard-wired logic circuit. Such an alternative construction provides a low-cost and low-power display controller 26 that can perform the functions described herein.
In the embodiment of
Input system 32 can take many forms including, but not limited to, user input controls 44, an audio system 46, sensors 48 and/or combinations thereof.
User input controls 44 comprise devices such as electrical switches, transducers or other devices, and associated circuits that receive a user input and provide a user input signal to display controller 26 so that display controller 26 can use the signals in operating identification display device 20. User input controls 44 also provide a user input signal to authentication controller 34 for use in determining whether a user has made an appropriate authentication action. User input controls 44 can comprise, for example, a touch screen input, a touch pad input, a simple switch, a variable control, a 4-way switch, a 5-way switch, a 6-way switch, an 8-way switch, or any other multi-way switch structure, a stylus system, a trackball system, and a joystick system.
Similarly, audio system 46 can be incorporated into identification display device 20 to record audio signals provided by a user. Such recoded audio signals can be provided to authentication controller 34 so that authentication controller 34 can make an authentication determination. A wide variety of efficient, low cost, audio capture methods and circuits are well-known and enabling devices are commercially available. Optionally, an audio system 46 can be further adapted to convert audio signals into an audible form.
Sensors 48 can include light sensors, position sensors, orientation sensors, accelerometers, image capture systems, biometric sensors such as fingerprint scanners or retinal scanners, and other sensors known in the art that can be used to detect conditions in the environment surrounding identification display device 20 and/or conditions relevant to a user of the identification display device 20 and to convert this information into a user input signal that can be used by display controller 26 in governing operation of identification display device 20 and/or authentication controller 34 in making authentication determinations.
Various optional circuits and systems that can usefully be incorporated in an identification display device 20 are also shown in
An optional communication circuit 54 is provided for enabling communication between identification display device 20 and an external device such as an access control system 60. Communication circuit 54 can take a variety of forms, for example it can comprise any of a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, transcoder, or any other device adapted to encode and decode data for exchange during communication with other devices such as external circuitry 52 or with an access control system. Where appropriate, a communication access port 56 can be provided to facilitate such communication that provides access to areas outside of a body 58 of identification display device 20.
Communication circuit 54 can be implemented in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, communication circuit 54 can comprise a wireless communication circuit that uses radio frequency, optical or other known wireless communication circuits and systems to establish a wireless communication path with, for example, access control system 60. Examples of such wireless communication systems include, but are not limited, to circuits and systems that communicate in ways that that conform to wireless communication standards such as the so-called “Wi-Fi” and so-called “Bluetooth” standards established and described at Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers standards 802.11a and 802.11b. Alternatively communication circuit 54 can be adapted to communicate using infrared technology using protocols established by the infrared data association (IrDA). Such protocols include, but are not limited to the serial infrared protocol (SIR) and other protocols developed by the IrDA. Communication circuit 54 can also be adapted to communicate with radio frequency transmitters and receivers that are adapted to exchange data with passive or active radio frequency transponders of the type that are often found in access control systems 60.
In such wireless embodiments, access port 56 provides, for example, an antenna for use in radio frequency communication, or light transmitting and sensing areas adapted to optically exchange data, such as an infrared or other optical interface system known in the art.
In other embodiments, communication circuit 54 can be adapted for communication with another device using a direct electrical, magnetic or optical path between access port 56 and an access control system 60. In such embodiments access port 56 can comprise, for example, a serial or parallel port, or a networked interface to a computer network or the Internet or a magnetic stripe. One example embodiment of a communication circuit of this type is a communication circuit 54 that is adapted to enable communication using hardware and protocols that are consistent with the EIA/TIA-232-E standard entitled “Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Circuit-Termination Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data Interchange” prepared by the Electronic Industry Association and the Telecommunications Industry Association. Other example embodiments of a communication circuit 54 of this type include circuits and systems that conform to the standards set for the universal serial bus standard, and the IEEE 1394 (so-called “Firewire”) standard. Communication circuit 54 can also comprise circuits and systems that comply with other standards or that comply with proprietary standards. Communication circuit 54 can be adapted to communicate with magnetic stripe readers and the like using appropriate transducers, and/or other appropriate circuitry.
In still another embodiment, communication circuit 54 can optionally be adapted to exchange data with a portable memory device such as a removable memory card that can be held by access port 56 of identification display device 20 and moved to an access port 56 of another interactive display device so that data can be exchanged using the removable memory card as an intermediary.
In yet another alternative embodiment, a direct link between display controller 26, authentication controller 34 and an external device, such as access control system 60, can be established without the use of communication circuit 54 by using optional external interface 50, as described above.
An optional power switch 62 is provided to activate or deactivate the identification display device 20.
In the embodiment shown in
Any embodiment shown, an authentication process is initiated automatically upon activation. However, in other embodiments, the authentication process (step 72) can be initiated only upon demand or request by user of identification display device 20, such a demand or request can be made, for example, using input system 32.
During the authentication process, a user is provided with an opportunity to make some authentication input to verify that the user is authorized to use the identification display device 20 and this action is sensed (step 74). In one embodiment of the invention, the user actuates a user input control 44 to enter passwords, pass codes, text data graphics symbols drawings markings and the like. In another embodiment, the user can provide audio passwords such as a spoken word or other sound that is detectable by audio system 46. In still another embodiment, a user can take some other action that can be sensed by sensors 48. For example, a user can vary the position, orientation, or configuration of identification display device 20, or perform some other act that can be sensed by an accelerometer position sensing system. In another example, a user can position identification display device 20 so that sensors 48, such as image capture systems, and biometric sensors, such as fingerprint scanners or retinal scanners, can scan the user to obtain biometric data.
Input system 32 provides a user input signal to authentication controller 34 based upon the user input signals. Authentication controller 34 compares the user input signal to authentication data that is stored in non-volatile memory 24 (step 76). Where the user input signal corresponds to stored authentication data, authentication controller 34 provides an authentication signal to display controller 26 (step 78). In response to the authentication signal, display controller 26 causes display 22 to present an identification image (step 80).
Display controller 26 is further adapted to determine when an end of authentication exists (step 82) and to cease presentation when the end of authentication condition is determined (step 84).
Display controller 26 is further adapted to determine that an end of authorization condition exists (step 80) and to cause display 22 to cease presenting the identifying image when display controller 26 (step 82) when such a determination is made (step 82). There are a variety of ways in which display controller 26 can determine that an end of authentication condition exists. In a simple embodiment, each authentication is active only for a period of time and the authentication simply expires at the end of that period of time. In another embodiment of the invention, sensors 48 can be adapted to sense when the identification display device 20 is separated from a user or is held by another person. For example, sensors 48 can be adapted to sense identification display device 20 is worn on a lanyard or holster proximate to the body of a user such as by sensing body temperature of the user. Where sensor 48 senses temperature below that of the body temperature of the user, an end of authorization condition can be determined. In an example such as the one described above wherein identification display device 20 is activated by a radio frequency signal, the absence of such a signal can be detected by communication circuit 54 and an end of authentication signal can be transmitted to device controller 26 by communication circuit 54. Such an arrangement is useful in that it provides an identification display device 20 that displays identification information only while the identification display device 20 is located in an area in which it will be used for intended purposes.
As noted above, identification display devices 20 are typically used in environments wherein they provide identification data to an access control system. In one embodiment of the invention, shown in
In yet another alternative embodiment of the invention authentication controller 34 is adapted to use signals from an access control system during the authentication process (step 72).
One example of this is shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment of
Communication circuit 54 senses the signal from transmitter 124 and transmits a responsive signal bearing the identification data. A receiver 124 receives the responsive signal and provides it to controller 122. Reader controller 122 then initiates an authentication process wherein reader device 102 senses a user input action by the user. Reader device 102 can sense the user input action by way of a reader device input system 128 having controls 130 operable by a user, an audio system (not shown) adapted to convert sounds made by a user into a user input signal, or other sensors (not shown) such as those described above and that can be used to sense physical characteristics of the user, or environmental conditions from which a user input can be sensed. In the embodiment illustrated, controller 122 is adapted to transmit data representing the user input along with user identification data to a remote database device 140. Remote database device 140 obtains authentication data from a storage device 142 using the user identification data, compares the user input action data to the stored authentication data, and, where a correspondence is found therebetween remote database device 230 transmits an authentication signal to reader device 102. Reader controller 122 causes reader transmitter 124 to transmit the authentication signal to communication circuit 54. Communication circuit 54 transmits the authorization signal to display controller 26 which causes display controller 26 to cause an identification image to be presented on display 20. The authentication signal can comprise an identification image which can be prestored in remote database device 140. Optionally an image capture system 136 can be provided in reader device 102 so that a current image of the authenticated user can be captured and provided an authentication image on display 22. The authentication signal can also comprise any other type of signal that causes display controller 26 to cause an identification image to be presented on display 22.
In another embodiment of this type reader device 102 can have a reader controller 122 that is adapted to receive the user input action and to determine whether the action corresponds to stored authentication data associated with the user. Data associating the user with stored authentication data can be obtained by reader controller 122 from a remote database such as remote database device 140, or from a local memory 138 in the reader device 102. In one embodiment, such authentication data is stored in a locking memory 40 of identification display device 20.
In this embodiment display controller is further adapted to cause the display to cease presenting the identifying image when the display controller determines that an end of authorization condition exists. In an access control system 60 of the one illustrated in
It will be appreciated that it is useful to minimize the thickness of identification display device 20 to mimic, as closely as possible, conventional identification tokens for example, cards, photographic prints, paper media and the like. To this end, the components such as non-volatile memory 12, display controller 26, and switch 60 that are used in various embodiments of identification display device 20 can be assembled on a back 162 or face 160 of a display 22 as shown in the embodiment shown in
In certain embodiments, display controller 26 and non-volatile memory 24 can be combined into a single integrated circuit and/or potted together, for example, using a protective resin to provide a small, low-cost circuit. Any protective material applied to the circuitry can be applied after the image content and interaction data is written to non-volatile memory 24.
In operation, a full range of information can be written into the non-volatile memory 12 before assembly of identification display device 20 or afterward. Alternatively, a purchaser of identification display device 20 can personalize the image content and/or interaction data, for example by transmitting personalization data through the external interface 50, or communication circuit 54. Such personalization data can include, for example, information identifying the issuer of the identification device, and corporate logos, return if found information, audio, and video signals.
It will be appreciated that the identifying image can comprise a digital image such as a digital still image, a sequence of digital still images, a video clip, text, graphics, symbols, steganographically encoded information and/or any other form of information that can be presented using display 22.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is related to U.S. Ser. No. (Attorney Docket No. 87059 entitled AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD in the name of Telek et al. filed concurrently herewith. Reference is made to commonly assigned, co-pending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 10/797,683, entitled INTERACTIVE DISPLAY DEVICE, filed Mar. 9, 2004 in the name of Cok.
