Biometric system for replacing password or pin terminals

1. A method for adjusting a digitized fingerprint of a user, comprising:

providing a computer network with a terminal;

providing the terminal with a fingerprint reader;

reading using the fingerprint reader a standard pattern selected from a group consisting of an oval pattern, a triangular pattern, a square pattern, and a hexagonal pattern to generate a read pattern for the fingerprint reader;

generating a transformation coefficient for the fingerprint reader by comparing a digital electronic copy of the selected standard pattern with the read pattern;

storing the transformation coefficient at the terminal or a central computer connected to the computer network; and

adjusting the digitized fingerprint of the user by using the transformation coefficient to generate an adjusted fingerprint of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the digitized fingerprint comprises adjusting the digitized fingerprint by a scaling factor corresponding to the stored transformation coefficient.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the adjusted fingerprint to scan a central fingerprint database connected to the computer network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the computer network with the terminal includes providing the computer network with an automated teller machine.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transformation coefficient is a ratio of the read pattern and the selected standard pattern.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising granting access to a bank account corresponding to the user if there is a match between the adjusted fingerprint and a database of stored fingerprints based on a comparison between the adjusted fingerprint and the database of stored fingerprints.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein granting access to the bank account further comprises using a magnetic card reader in conjunction with the fingerprint reader.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the magnetic card reader contains information regarding a bank account number associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transformation coefficient is stored at a central computer associated with the computer network.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transformation coefficient is stored at the terminal.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering the adjusted fingerprint with a database of stored fingerprints.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transformation coefficient relates to at least one characteristic of the fingerprint reader.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining a fingerprint of the user via a touch-screen.