Apparatus and method for authenticating object in electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12174928-B2
Application number	US-202318201435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2023
Priority date	Jul 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device comprises an antenna array, a wireless communication module electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to form directional beams through the antenna array, at least one processor operatively connected to the wireless communication module; and a memory operatively connected to the at least one processor. The memory stores instructions causing the at least one processor to perform a plurality of operations comprising: transmitting a sequence of first directional beams having a first beam width to scan first regions having a first size through the antenna array, receiving a sequence of first reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the first directional beams from an object through the antenna array, transmitting a sequence of second directional beams having a second beam width narrower than the first beam width to scan second regions, which are included in the first regions and have a second size smaller than the first size, through the antenna array based on at least a portion of the received sequence of the first reflected waves, receiving a sequence of second reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the second directional beams from the object through the antenna array, and authenticating the object based on at least a portion of the sequence of the second reflected waves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a camera;
an antenna array;
a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the antenna array and configured to form directional beams through the antenna array;
a sensor configured to sense an intensity of illumination; and
at least one processor operatively connected to the camera, the wireless communication circuit, and the sensor;
memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein execution by the at least one processor causes the electronic device to:
identify brightness around the electronic device through the sensor,
perform a first object authentication operation through the antenna array and the wireless communication circuit when a sensed brightness is equal to or lower than a set level, and
perform a second object authentication operation through the camera, the antenna array and the wireless communication circuit when the sensed brightness is higher than the set level, and
wherein the first object authentication operation transmits a sequence of first directional beams having a first beam width to scan first regions having a first size through the antenna array, receives a sequence of first reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the first directional beams from an object through the antenna array, transmits a sequence of second directional beams having a second beam width narrower than the first beam width to scan second regions, which are included in the first regions and have a second size smaller than the first size, through the antenna array based on at least a portion of the received sequence of the first reflected waves, receives a sequence of second reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the second directional beams from the object through the antenna array, and authenticates the object based on at least a portion of the sequence of the second reflected waves.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second object authentication operation acquires at least one image through the camera, recognizes the object in the at least one image, transmits a sequence of at least one directional beam in a direction of the object through the antenna array, receives a sequence of reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the at least one directional beams from the object through the antenna array, and authenticates the object based on the recognized object and at least a portion of the sequence of the reflected waves generated by the reflection of the sequence of the at least one directional beams.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate facing a first direction, a second plate facing a direction opposite the direction faced by the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate; and
a display exposed through a first part of the first plate; and
wherein the camera comprises an image sensor disposed to face the first direction, and the at least one processor is configured to include the first regions in a view angle of the image sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions by the at least one processor causes the electronic device to activate a number of antennas selected from the antenna array in order to determine the first beam width or the second beam width.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions by the at least one processor causes the electronic device to determine a relative distance or a direction between the object and the electronic device based on the sequence of the first reflected waves.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the electronic device to:
determine the second regions based on the received sequence of the first reflected waves.

7. A method of authenticating an object by an electronic device, the method comprising:
sensing a brightness lower than a set level around the electronic device through a sensor;
responsive to sensing the brightness lower than the set level, performing a first object authentication operation through an antenna array and a wireless communication circuit; and
sensing the brightness is higher than or equal to the set level around the electronic device through the sensor;
responsive to sensing the brightness higher than or equal to the set level, performing a second object authentication operation for authenticating the object through an image acquired by a camera and signals received through the antenna array and the wireless communication circuit,
wherein the first object authentication operation comprises:
transmitting a sequence of first directional beams having a first beam width to scan first regions having a first size through the antenna array;
receiving a sequence of first reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the first directional beams from an object through the antenna array;
transmitting a sequence of second directional beams having a second beam width narrower than the first beam width to scan second regions, which are included in the first regions and have a second size smaller than the first size, through the antenna array based on at least a portion of the received sequence of the first reflected waves;
receiving a sequence of second reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the second directional beams from the object through the antenna array; and
authenticating the object based on at least a portion of the sequence of the second reflected waves.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second object authentication operation comprises:
acquiring the image through the camera;
recognizing the object in the image;
transmitting a sequence of at least one directional beam in a direction of the object through the antenna array;
receiving a sequence of reflected waves generated by reflection of the sequence of the at least one directional beams from the object through the antenna array; and
authenticating the object based on the recognized object and at least a portion of the sequence of the reflected waves from the at least one directional beam.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transmitting of the sequence of the first directional beams comprises activating a number of antennas selected from the antenna array in order to determine the first beam width, and the transmitting of the sequence of the second directional beams comprises activating a larger number of antennas than the number of antennas selected from the antenna array in order to determine the first beam width in order to determine the second beam width.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transmitting of the sequence of the second directional beams comprises:
determining a relative distance and/or a direction between the object and the electronic device based on the sequence of the first reflected waves;
generating the sequence of the second directional beams to be transmitted to the second regions included in the first regions based on the determined distance or direction; and
transmitting the generated sequence of the second directional beams.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first object authentication operation further comprises setting the first regions to be included within a view angle of the camera and guiding the object to be positioned in the first regions.

12. The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising:
determining the second regions based on the received sequence of the first reflected waves.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Min Hyunkee
• Choi Bokun
• Choi Jongmu
• Lee Sunkee

Classifications

• G01S7/41

  using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section · CPC title

• G01S13/867

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title

• H01Q21/00

  Antenna arrays or systems (arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00) · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• G06V40/16

  Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions · CPC title