Method for authenticating a user on client equipment

1. A method of authenticating a user on client equipment ( 2 ), the user being equipped with a personal terminal ( 1 ), the method comprising implementing by data processing means ( 21 ) in said client equipment ( 2 ) the following steps:

(a). When said user's personal terminal ( 1 ) is in proximity to said client equipment ( 2 ), receiving from the terminal ( 1 ) and temporarily storing on data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ) of authentication data transmitted by the terminal ( 1 ) in a same credential comprising:

a reference biometric data item of the said user; and

at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item encapsulated within the reference biometric data item;

stored on the data storage means ( 12 ) in the terminal ( 1 );

(b). Identifying said user via biometric recognition from a candidate biometric data item of the user and the reference biometric data item(s) stored on the data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 );

(c). Once said user has been identified, using at least one alphanumeric authentication data item of the identified user stored on the data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ), for authentication of said user.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises identifying, among the reference biometric data item(s) stored on the data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ), the reference biometric data item matching with the candidate biometric data item of the user.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step (b) comprises comparing the candidate biometric data item with every reference biometric data item stored on the data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ).

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the candidate biometric data item and a reference biometric data item match if a distance between the candidate biometric data item and the reference biometric data item according to a given comparison function is less than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one alphanumeric authentication data item used in step (c) is the one associated with said reference biometric data item matching with the candidate biometric data item of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step (d) of deleting said reference biometric data and at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item from the data storage means ( 22 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ).

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein step (d) is implemented in accordance with a predetermined time pattern.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said terminal ( 1 ) is determined as being in proximity and step (a) is carried out when a short-range wireless connection is established between the terminal ( 1 ) and the client equipment ( 2 ), in particular a Bluetooth Low Energy or Ultra-Wide Band connection.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprises generating the candidate biometric data item from a biometric trait of the user furnished by biometric acquisition means ( 23 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ).

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises implementing, by data processing means ( 11 ) in the terminal ( 1 ), a preliminary step (a0) of obtaining at least one alphanumeric authentication data item of the user and generating the reference biometric data item from a reference biometric trait of the user.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step (a0) comprises encrypting said reference biometric data item and at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item with a public key of the client equipment ( 2 ), the step (a) comprising a decryption thereof by the data processing means ( 21 ) in the client equipment ( 2 ) with a private key of the client equipment ( 2 ).

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item comprises a user password or a hash value of a user password.

13. A non-transitory computer program product comprising coding instructions for the execution of a method according to claim 1 for authentication of a user on client equipment ( 2 ), when said method is executed on a computer.

14. A storage means readable by a piece of computer equipment, on which storage means a computer program product comprises coding instructions for the execution of a method according to claim 1 for authentication of a user on client equipment ( 2 ).

15. Client equipment ( 2 ) comprising data storage means ( 22 ) and data processing means ( 21 ), wherein said data processing means ( 21 ) are configured to:

When a user's personal terminal ( 1 ) is in proximity to said client equipment ( 2 ), receiving from the terminal ( 1 ) and temporarily storing on the data storage means ( 22 ) authentication data transmitted in a same credential comprising:

a reference biometric data item of the said user; and

at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item encapsulated within the reference biometric data item;

stored on the data storage means ( 12 ) in the terminal ( 1 );

Identifying said user via biometric recognition from a candidate biometric data item of the user and the reference biometric data item(s) stored on the data storage means ( 22 );

Once said user has been identified, using at least one alphanumeric authentication data item of the identified user stored on the data storage means ( 22 ) for authentication of said user.

16. An assembly comprising client equipment ( 2 ) according to claim 15 , and at least one user personal terminal ( 1 ) comprising data storage means ( 12 ) storing:

a reference biometric data item of the said user; and

at least one alphanumeric user authentication data item.