Man-machine interface for controlling access to electronic devices

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein describes a man-machine interface device for controlling access to electronic devices. The man-machine interface device comprises an electronic display unit including a transparent finger touch sensor region that is seated above the display apparatus, which is responsible for determining the presence and absence of a finger and for generating fingerprint images when a finger is detected. The man-machine interface device also includes a controller unit that is coupled to the display apparatus, the finger touch sensor region, and at least one electronic device. The method of the invention describes a process for authenticating individuals and verifying their security privileges to access sensitive data, based on a finger-touch selection of an icon presented on the display apparatus of the man-machine interface device.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a memory disposed within the housing, the memory configured to store a plurality of biometric templates and a plurality of security privileges, each biometric template from the plurality of biometric templates being associated with a security privilege from the plurality of security privileges;   a touch screen coupled to the housing, the touch screen configured to receive an icon selection input at a location of the touch screen; and   a processor disposed within the housing, the processor operatively coupled to the memory and the touch screen, the processor configured to permit access to a function associated with the location of the touch screen when (1) the icon selection input is associated with a biometric template from the plurality of biometric templates, and (2) a security privilege from the plurality of security privileges is associated with the function and that biometric template.