Key with integral biometric input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10223513-B2
Application number	US-201715425644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 5, 2010
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A key integrates with a biometric input device. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a fingerprint scanner may be integral with a spacebar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving input from a multi-functional input device of a computing device;
determining whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
as a result of determining to process the input as biometric data, processing the input by comparing the input to a stored biometric template.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuation of the multi-functional input device comprises a depression event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing comprises authenticating the biometric data.

6. A computing device comprising:
a multi-functional input device;
a processor configured to:
receive input from the multi-functional input device;
determine whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
process the input according to the determining, wherein, upon determining to process the input as biometric data, the processor is configured to process the input by comparing the input to a stored biometric template.

7. The computing device of claim 6 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

8. The computing device of claim 6 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

9. The computing device of claim 6 wherein the actuation of the multi-functional input device comprises a depression event.

10. The computing device of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to process the input as biometric data by authenticating the biometric data.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor in a computing device having a multi-functional input device, cause the processor to:
receive input from the multi-functional input device;
determine whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
process the input according to the determining, wherein, upon determining to process the input as biometric data, the instructions cause the processor to process the input by comparing the input to a stored fingerprint template.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the actuation of the multi-functional input device comprises a depression event.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the Instructions cause the processor to process the input as biometric data by authenticating the biometric data.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Salter Timothy Ryan
• Mesaros Mark David

Classifications

• H04M1/23

  Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof (by improving visibility H04M1/22) · CPC title

• H03M11/02

  Details · CPC title

• H04M1/67

  by electronic means · CPC title

• H04M1/675

  the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip · CPC title

• H04M1/66

  with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling (verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32) · CPC title