KR20010067730A - Method for authenticating a user in a picture telephone - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a user authentication method of a video telephone terminal, and stores face information of a user's face captured in a memory. Then, it is determined whether the image authentication request signal generated by inputting the image authentication button located in the video telephone terminal is the signal defined by the image authentication key. If the image authentication request signal is a signal that is not defined as the image authentication key in the determination step, outputting a window for inputting a password to the user, and if a password authorized by the user is provided, authenticating whether the user is a party user. do. Photographing a face image of a user using a camera when the image authentication request signal is a signal defined by an image authentication key in the determining step; The image information of the user's face photographed by the camera and the user's face information pre-stored in the memory are read, and the two image information are compared to verify whether the user is a legitimate user, and the mode is switched to the callable mode. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the hassle of remembering and always inputting the password at the time of transmission, to make a call using the videophone terminal more quickly, and to prevent theft of the videophone terminal by the exposure of the password.

Description

METHOOD FOR AUTHENTICATING A USER IN A PICTURE TELEPHONE}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for authenticating a user of a video telephone terminal, and more particularly, to a method of authenticating a user by reading a face image of a user and analyzing the read image when using a video telephone.

In general, a video telephone is a terminal capable of making a call between a calling user and a called user while watching a counterpart image, and having a camera that accepts an image input, and which not only processes image data but also processes audio data simultaneously.

In other words, the video phone has the advantage of being able to make a call while watching the video of the called user as well as a voice call only. Accordingly, a wider frequency bandwidth is required and the telephone use price is expensive, and there is no problem on the called user side. On the calling user side, there is a great need for authenticating whether the user is an authorized user.

In more detail, in the case of a video phone that is currently widely distributed in Korea, a user authentication method is included in order to reduce the theft damage caused by others when the video phone is lost or rented. Such a user authentication method is illustrated in FIG. 1. As described above, the user inputs a predetermined password to authenticate the user.

In more detail with reference to FIG. 1, when a user switches a video telephone (eg, a wired video telephone or a mobile video telephone) to a dial-enabled mode, for example, when the mobile video telephone is a flip type, the user can make a call by opening a flip. The mode is switched to, and in the case of a folder type, the folder is switched to the outgoing mode by opening the folder. In the case of a wired video telephone, the receiver is switched to the outgoing mode (step 201).

In this state, when the password is input using the key input button of the video telephone, it is determined whether the input password is the same as the permitted number, that is, the preset number (step 202).

If the password is not authorized in the determination step 202, an error message is output and a window for inputting a password is output (step 203), and again, it is determined whether the password is an authorized number (step 202). On the other hand, if the password is permitted in the determination step 202, the state is switched to the dialing mode and the user can make a call using the telephone (step 204).

However, the above-described method is cumbersome that the user must enter the password every time he wants to remember and send the password, and when the password is exposed to other people, anyone who knows the number can use the terminal. There was.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art, the purpose of which is to read the image of the face of the user when using a video phone, by analyzing the read image to authenticate whether the authorized user, It is to provide a user authentication method of a video telephone terminal that can remember the password, to eliminate the hassle of always input, and to prevent the theft of the video telephone terminal by the exposure of the password.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for authenticating a user of a video telephone terminal, the method comprising: storing face information of a user face image captured in a memory; Determining whether an image authentication request signal generated by inputting an image authentication button located in the video telephone terminal is a signal defined by an image authentication key; Photographing a face image of a user using a camera when the image authentication request signal is a signal defined by an image authentication key in the determining step; And reading the image information of the user's face photographed by the camera and the user's face information previously stored in the memory and comparing the two image information to authenticate whether the user is a legitimate user.

1 is a detailed flowchart of a user authentication method of a conventional video telephone terminal;

2 is a block diagram illustrating a user authentication method of a video telephone terminal according to the present invention;

3 is a detailed flowchart of a user authentication method of a video telephone terminal according to the present invention;

4A is a view showing a dialog window for inputting an encryption key according to the present invention on a monitor;

4B is a view showing an error message on a monitor according to the present invention;

4C is a view showing a message for capturing a user image on a monitor according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: input unit 20: authentication unit

30: memory 40: camera

50: monitor

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail an embodiment according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 2, a block diagram for performing a user authentication method of a video telephone terminal according to the present invention, the input unit 10, the authentication unit 20, the memory 30, the camera 40 and And a monitor 50.

The input unit 10 is a key input button provided in a video telephone (e.g., a wired video telephone and a mobile video telephone), and an image authentication request for defining an image authentication key for a user to talk to a called terminal (not shown). The input control is performed so that the signal can be provided to the authenticator 20, and also captures the user's own authentication password and the user's face image (for example, through a camera mounted on the video telephone. Input control is performed such that the learned face information can be provided to the authenticator 20. Subsequently, when the image authentication procedure of the authentication unit 20 is completed and the transmission mode becomes available, the input unit 10 inputs the telephone number of the called terminal in this transmission mode.

The authentication unit 20, which may be implemented as a microprocessor, may provide the memory 30 with the user's authentication password and user's face information provided by the input control of the input unit 10, and may be provided from the input unit 10. It is determined whether the image authentication request signal is a signal defined by the image authentication key, that is, a signal arbitrarily defined when the video telephone is manufactured. If the signal is not defined by the image authentication key, as shown in FIG. 4A, a password (encryption key) is determined. A window for inputting is provided to the monitor 50, and when the password input from the input unit 10 is an authorized number, the user is controlled to switch to the authentication, that is, the transmission possible mode. On the other hand, if the signal is defined by the image authentication key, as shown in Fig. 4C, "to capture the user's face, see the camera correctly." A dialog window is output to the monitor 50 and the camera 40 is controlled to capture a face image of the user.

After receiving the image information of the user's face photographed by the camera 40, the authentication unit 20 reads the user's face information previously stored in the memory 30 to the two image information, that is, the camera 40. Image information of the user's face photographed by the user and the face information of the user read from the memory 30 are compared to control the user to be authenticated, that is, to switch to the callable mode only when the authorized user (the two image information are the same user). .

The memory 30 stores a user's authentication password and user's face information provided from the authentication unit 20, and the camera 40 captures image information of the user's face and provides the authentication information to the authentication unit 20. A password input window and image information of a user's face are displayed at 50 in accordance with the authentication procedure of the authenticator 20.

A user authentication method of a video telephone terminal according to the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described in more detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the user sets the user's own authentication password to the memory 30 linked to the authentication unit 20 using the input unit 10 (step 301), and then the user captures his or her face image. (step 302), the authentication unit 20 inputs the face information to the authentication unit 20 (for example, currently learning (photographing) his / her face through a camera mounted on the video phone). The user's face information provided by the input control of 10) is stored in the memory 30 (step 303).

After the user's face information is stored in the memory 30, the user uses the input unit 20 to define an image authentication key (e.g., " * ") for defining an image authentication key to make a call with a called terminal (not shown). "0", "0" key button). Then, the image authentication request signal corresponding to the input of the image authentication button is provided to the authentication unit 20 (step 304).

Thereafter, the authenticator 20 determines whether the image authentication request signal provided from the input unit 10 is a signal defined by the image authentication key, that is, a signal arbitrarily defined when the video telephone is manufactured (step 305).

If the signal is not defined as the image authentication key in the determination step 305, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the monitor 50 is provided with a window for inputting a password (password key), the monitor 50 authenticates. According to the authentication procedure of the section 20, a window for inputting a password is output for the user to confirm (step 306).

When the user inputs his or her password through the password input window using the input unit 10, the authentication unit 20 is a password in which the password input from the input unit 10 is already set in the memory (30) In step 307, it is checked whether or not the licensed number is the same.

If the password is not authorized in the check step 307, an error message is displayed on the monitor 50 as shown in Fig. 4B (step 308). On the other hand, if the password is the authorized number in the check step 307, control to authenticate as a party user, i.e., switch to a callable mode (step 309).

On the other hand, if the signal defined by the image authentication key in the determination step 305, as shown in Figure 4c, outputs a dialog window "to capture the user's face, see the camera correctly" to the monitor 50 At the same time, the camera 40 is controlled to photograph the face image of the user (step 310). Then, the camera 40 is a procedure for performing the authentication procedure by the authenticator 20, and photographs the image information of the user's face and provides it to the authenticator 20 (step 311).

After receiving the image information of the user's face photographed by the camera 40, the authentication unit 20 reads the user's face information previously stored in the memory 30 to the two image information, that is, the camera 40. Image information of the user's face photographed by the user and the face information of the user read from the memory 30 are compared to determine whether the user is an authorized user (two image information are the same user) (step 312).

If the two image information is not the same in the determination step 312, an error message is output (step 313), and it is returned to the step 305 of determining whether the image authentication request signal is a signal defined by the image authentication key. On the other hand, if the two image information is the same in the determination step 312, it is controlled to authenticate to the party user (step 314), that is, to switch to the callable mode (step 315).

Therefore, when the user authenticates the image authentication procedure by the authenticator 20 and becomes the available mode, the user inputs the telephone number of the called terminal using the input unit 10 to connect the call path to the called terminal, and then the image. At the same time you will be making calls in real time.

Therefore, when using a video telephone, the present invention reads a face image of a user, analyzes the read image, and authenticates whether the user is an authorized user. It is possible to make a call using the video telephone terminal, and also to prevent the theft of the video telephone terminal by the exposure of the password. In particular, the authentication method according to the face recognition according to the present invention and the authentication method by inputting the password are performed in parallel. There is an effect that can compensate for the shortcomings of the password authentication method by face recognition vulnerable to various changes.

Claims (4)

In the user authentication method of a video telephone terminal, Storing face information of capturing the user's face image in a memory; Determining whether an image authentication request signal generated by inputting an image authentication button located in the video telephone terminal is a signal defined by an image authentication key; Photographing a face image of a user using a camera when the image authentication request signal is a signal defined by an image authentication key in the determining step; And verifying whether the user is a legitimate user by reading image information of the user face photographed by the camera and face information of the user previously stored in the memory and comparing the two image information. User Authentication Method of Video Telephone Terminal. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image authentication request signal is not defined as an image authentication key in the determination step. And outputting a window for inputting a password to the user, and authenticating whether the user is a party user if a password authorized by the user is provided. The method of claim 1, wherein the two image information, And image information of the user's face photographed by the camera and the user's face information read from the memory. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating whether the user is a party user, And controlling the user to make a call by switching the video telephone terminal to an outgoing possible mode.