Brad, yesterday you wrote: "In order to enroll fingerprints on a smart card, you must scan them first." Not according to this.
ORLANDO, FL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1997--SGS-THOMSON
Microelectronics (NYSE: STM) today demonstrated the first working
prototype of a microchip that can directly register the pattern of a
human fingertip, detecting variations in the electrical currents
running along the ridges and valleys of the skin. The prototype was
demonstrated at the CardTech/SecurTech Conference in Orlando.
SGS-THOMSON's patented electronic fingerprint imaging sensor, the subject of a technical paper presented earlier this year at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), differs
substantially from existing technologies. Through direct physical
contact, the sensor array `grabs' a fingerprint pattern without
using an optical or mechanical adaptor such as a scanner or camera. When the finger is placed onto the chip's silicon surface, the
capacitive sensors register the fingerprint pattern by interacting
with electric field variations produced by the skin's ridges and
valleys. The chip then creates an electrical representation of a
fingerprint.
Compared to other sensing approaches currently available, this
technology offers superior greyscale image quality and a direct
route to the digital information used in the personal identification
process.
"This offers a new dimension in the arena of biometrics which is
emerging as a key technology for security and identification,"
according to Alan Kramer, director of the Innovative Systems Design
Group of SGS-THOMSON's Central R&D Division. "Some of the security applications for this electronic fingerprint imaging sensor include PC access, electronic security for internet transactions, physical identification for access to automobiles and buildings, Person
Identification Number (PIN) replacement, as well as applications in
the smartcard, appliance and portable electronics fields."
"While other companies are also working in the field of
electronic fingerprint imaging, we believe SGS-THOMSON was the first to demonstrate a working model," continued Kramer. "SGS-THOMSON's Central R&D Division has been working over the last several years on silicon sensors that can generate fingerprint images through direct contact. We hope to roll-out the first products based on this technology by next year."
Compared to alternate personal identification methods such as
infrared and retinal scans, the electronic fingerprint technology
provides heightened security, ease-of-use and cost benefits. This
compact one-chip solution is smaller in size and ultra-low power
compared to optical methods, consuming less than 1mW at 5V. It also generates higher image quality than most other identification
methods, including technologies based on heat. Since the chip's
pixels are on a pitch of more than 25 micron, it can be easily
integrated into standard CMOS technology, the digital microprocessing common to desk top computers, to keep costs low.
SGS-THOMSON is committed to recognizing the importance of full security analysis and works with customers to demonstrate that its
physical, personal and procedural security measures meet the
appropriate security target.
SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics is a global independent
semiconductor company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and on the Bourse de Paris. It designs, develops, manufactures, and
markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and
discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic
applications, including telecommunications systems, computer
systems, consumer products, automotive products, and industrial
automation and control systems. |
