Abstract: A method of power optimisation in an RFID device includes harvesting power from a radio-frequency excitation field using an antenna, powering a biometric authentication unit and an RFID communication module using the harvested power from the antenna; monitoring the voltage of the power supplied to the biometric authentication unit, and controlling a clock speed of a processing unit of the biometric authentication unit based on the monitored voltage by operating the processing unit at a higher clock speed when a high voltage level is detected and at a lower clock speed when a low voltage level is detected.

Abstract: A biometrically authorisable device 102 comprises: a biometric sensor 130 for obtaining biometric data from a user; a control system 114, 128 for controlling the device, wherein the control system 114, 128 is arranged to provide access to one or more protected functions of the device 102 in response to identification of an authorised user via the biometric sensor 130; and an internal power source for powering the biometric sensor 130 and the control system 114, 128; wherein the control system 114, 128 is able to place the device 102 into a zero-power standby mode when the device 102 is not in use; and wherein the device comprises a movement sensor 16 for reactivating the device 102, the movement sensor 16 generating an electrical voltage in response to movements of the device 102 and the device 102 being arranged to reactivate in response to an electrical voltage relating to one or more types of movements of the device 102.

Abstract: A biometric device such as a payment card includes a fingerprint sensor 15 having a sensing area for reading biometric data. A programming unit 1 is configured to engage the sensing area of the fingerprint sensor 15. The biometric device is configured to detect non-fingerprint data presented to the sensing area by the programming unit 1 and to process the non-fingerprint data as a command.

Abstract: A passive, one-time password device may include a fingerprint authentication engine and a wireless communication module. The device may be passive, and therefore powered only by energy harvested from a radio-frequency (RF) excitation field. The device also may be configured to use the wireless communication module to wirelessly communicate a one-time password responsive to verifying the identity of a bearer of the device using the fingerprint authentication engine.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing biometric RFID devices includes producing a plurality of identical biometric identification devices that are each adapted to receive at least two different types of RFID module, and installing a respective RFID module into each of the devices corresponding to a selected RFID protocol.

Abstract: A method of power optimisation in an RFID device includes harvesting power from a radio-frequency excitation field using an antenna, powering a biometric authentication unit and an RFID communication module using the harvested power from the antenna; monitoring the voltage of the power supplied to the biometric authentication unit, and controlling a clock speed of a processing unit of the biometric authentication unit based on the monitored voltage by operating the processing unit at a higher clock speed when a high voltage level is detected and at a lower clock speed when a low voltage level is detected.

Abstract: A fingerprint sensor system includes a fingerprint area sensor 130 having an array of pixels and a fingerprint processor 128 for processing a signal from the fingerprint area sensor 130. A process for calibration of this system comprises: determining a gain matrix of pixel gain values by performing a scan of the fingerprint area sensor 130 when it is presented with a homogenous target that covers all of the pixels; determining an offset noise matrix of pixel offset noise values by performing a scan of the fingerprint area sensor 130 when nothing is presented to the fingerprint area sensor 130; and arranging the fingerprint processor 128 to store the information from the gain matrix and the offset noise matrix as calibration information and to use this calibration information to correct fingerprint data obtained from the fingerprint area sensor 130 during later use of the fingerprint sensor 130.

Abstract: An RFID device includes an antenna, a passive RFID communication module and a passive biometric authentication module. The passive RFID communication module is configured to transmit data to an RFID reader without the use of encryption where, the RFID device is configured such that initially power is supplied only to the passive biometric authentication module until the biometric authentication module 120 has verified the identity of a user, whereupon power is supplied to the passive RFID communication module 110 to permit communication, thus the RFID device is thus less vulnerable to sniffing attacks than conventional unencrypted RFID tags because the device will hold its data securely until an authorized biometric identifier is presented to it.

Abstract: A fingerprint authorisable device 102 comprising: a fingerprint sensor assembly 130 including a fingerprint sensor 26 and a conductive bezel 30; a control system 114, 128 for controlling the device 102 by providing access to one or more functions of the device 102 in response to identification of an authorised user; and an electrocardiograph electrode 142; wherein the electrocardiograph electrode 142 and the conductive bezel 30 of the fingerprint sensor assembly 130 are arranged for use as two electrodes for obtaining an electrocardiograph signal between two hands of the user; and wherein the control system 114, 128 is arranged to provide access to one or more functions of the device 102 based on fingerprint data from the fingerprint sensor 26 and/or based on the electrocardiograph signal.

Abstract: A biometrically authorisable device may include a biometric sensor for obtaining biometric data from a user, a control system for controlling the device, wherein the control system is arranged to provide access to one or more protected functions of the device in response to identification of an authorised user via the biometric sensor, and a movement sensor. The device may be arranged to go into a dormant mode in response to certain movements of the device detected by the movement sensor. The certain movements may be types or combinations of movements associated with a potential theft or loss of the device. The control system may be arranged to require re-identification of the authorised user via the biometric sensor after the device has been put into the dormant mode and before subsequent use of the one or more protected functions of the device, thereby enhancing the security of the device.

Abstract: A passive RFID device may include a fingerprint authentication engine having a processing unit and a fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint authentication engine is capable of performing both an enrolment process and a matching process on a fingerprint of a finger presented to the fingerprint scanner.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing biometric RFID devices includes producing a plurality of identical biometric identification devices that are each adapted to receive at least two different types of RFID module, and installing a respective RFID module into each of the devices corresponding to a selected RFID protocol.

Abstract: A biometric authorised smartcard 102 comprises: a biometric sensor 130; a control system 114, 128 for controlling operation of the smartcard 102; and a graphical user interface 18 for displaying alphanumeric information to a user of the smartcard 102. The smartcard 102 has one or more protected feature(s) that are accessible to a user identified via the biometric sensor 130 and the graphical user interface 18 displays information in response to interaction of the user with the biometric sensor 130. The information can be used to guide enrolment of a user via the biometric sensor 130 and/or to aid the interaction of the user with the biometric sensor 130 during biometric authorisation after enrolment.

Abstract: The present application relates to overcoming some of the physical problems associated with putting a biometric sensor into the body of an electronic card, such as a smart card. A disclosed method of manufacturing an electronic card including a biometric sensor may include providing a preformed card body including a circuit having contacts for connection to a biometric sensor, the contacts being embedded within the preformed card body, removing material from the preformed card body to form a cavity in the preformed card body to expose the contacts, coating walls of the cavity with an adhesive epoxy, and connecting a biometric sensor to the contacts using an conductive epoxy. Also disclosed is an electronic card including a biometric sensor manufactured by this method.

Abstract: The present application relates to overcoming some of the physical problems associated with putting a biometric sensor into the body of an electronic card, such as a smart card. A disclosed method of manufacturing an electronic card including a biometric sensor may include providing a preformed card body including a circuit having contacts for connection to a biometric sensor, the contacts being embedded within the preformed card body, removing material from the preformed card body to form a cavity in the preformed card body to expose the contacts, coating walls of the cavity with an adhesive epoxy, and connecting a biometric sensor to the contacts using an conductive epoxy. Also disclosed is an electronic card including a biometric sensor manufactured by this method.