Methods and devices for precluding processing of biometric sensor samples to prevent false sensor authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12475740-B2
Application number	US-202318121934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2023
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

An electronic device includes a biometric sensor. One or more processors of the electronic device or a pre-processor of the biometric sensor detect actuation of the biometric sensor. The one or more processors or the pre-processor can then determine whether at least one predefined condition is occurring concurrently with actuation of the biometric sensor. Where it is, the one or more processors or pre-processor can preclude the biometric sensor from processing received biometric data samples while the predefined condition is occurring. Illustrating by example, the one or more processors or pre-processor can discard the biometric data samples while the biometric sensor remains operational.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, with a pre-processor of a biometric sensor, actuation of a biometric sensor of the electronic device; determining, by the pre-processor of the biometric sensor, whether at least one predefined condition is occurring concurrently with the actuation of the biometric sensor of the electronic device; and when the at least one predefined condition is occurring concurrently with the actuation of the biometric sensor of the electronic device, precluding, by the pre-processor of the biometric sensor, processing of a plurality of biometric data samples received by the biometric sensor during the actuation of the biometric sensor in response to determining the at least one predefined condition is occurring concurrently with the actuation of the biometric sensor while allowing the biometric sensor to remain operational; wherein:
the biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor;
the electronic device comprises a first device housing coupled to a second device housing by a hinge such that the first device housing is pivotable about the hinge relative to the second device housing between an axially displaced open position and a closed position; and
the at least one predefined condition comprises the first device housing and second device housing being pivoted to the closed position.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a power button.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the power button is positioned on a side of the electronic device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined condition further comprises the actuation of the fingerprint sensor occurring for less than a predefined minimum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined condition further comprises the actuation of the fingerprint sensor occurring for more than a predefined maximum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined condition further comprises motion of the electronic device in three-dimensional space exceeding a predefined maximum electronic device motion threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, with the pre-processor of the fingerprint sensor, another actuation of the fingerprint sensor of the electronic device; determining, by the pre-processor of the fingerprint sensor, whether the at least one predefined condition is still occurring concurrently with the another actuation of the fingerprint sensor of the electronic device; and when the at least one predefined condition fails to still occur concurrently with the another actuation of the fingerprint sensor of the electronic device, processing another plurality of biometric data samples received by the fingerprint sensor during the another actuation of the fingerprint sensor in response to determining the at least one predefined condition fails to still occur concurrently with the another actuation of the fingerprint sensor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the precluding maintains one or more processors of the electronic device in a low-power or sleep mode of operation while:
the fingerprint sensor is in an active mode of operation; and the electronic device is in a locked state.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising waking the one or more processors of the electronic device when the processing of the another plurality of biometric data samples authenticates a source of the another plurality of biometric data samples as an authorized user of the electronic device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one predefined condition further comprises: the fingerprint sensor receiving the plurality of biometric data samples for one of:
less than a predefined minimum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold; or
more than a predefined maximum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one predefined condition further comprises the first device housing and second device housing being pivoted to the closed position.

12 . An electronic device, comprising:
a first device housing coupled to a second device housing by a hinge such that the first device housing is pivotable about the hinge relative to the second device housing between an axially displaced open position and a closed position; and a fingerprint sensor carried by one of the first device housing or the second device housing and comprising a pre-processor, wherein the pre-processor discards at least some fingerprint sensor data samples received by the fingerprint sensor when the fingerprint sensor is actuated while the first device housing and second device housing are in the closed position and at least one predefined condition is occurring.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one predefined condition comprises the fingerprint sensor receiving the at least some fingerprint sensor data samples for one of:
less than a predefined minimum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold; or more than a predefined maximum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the pre-processor causes the at least some fingerprint sensor data samples to be processed to authenticate a source of the at least some fingerprint sensor data samples as an authorized user of the electronic device when the first device housing and the second device housing are either:
pivoted to the axially displaced open position when the at least some fingerprint sensor data samples are received; or pivoted to the closed position with the at least some fingerprint sensor data samples are received during a duration that is between the predefined minimum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold and the predefined maximum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising one or more processors, wherein the pre-processor discards at least some fingerprint sensor data samples received by the fingerprint sensor only when the one or more processors are in a low-power or sleep mode of operation.

16 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one predefined condition comprises motion of the electronic device in three-dimensional space exceeding a predefined maximum electronic device motion threshold.

17 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is situated on a minor surface of the first device housing.

18 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, by a fingerprint sensor, a touch event occurring at the fingerprint sensor; capturing, by the fingerprint sensor, fingerprint sensor data samples in response to detecting the touch event; determining, with one or more sensors of the electronic device, whether a first device housing is pivoted about a hinge relative to a second device housing to an axially displaced open position or a closed position; determining, with a pre-processor of the fingerprint sensor, the fingerprint sensor data samples are received during a duration that is between a predefined minimum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold and a predefined maximum fingerprint sensor actuation duration threshold; and discarding the fingerprint sensor data samples when the first device housing and the second device housing are pivoted to the closed position

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Gupta Ranjeet
• Khosla Rakshit

Classifications

• G06V40/13

  Sensors therefor · CPC title

• G06V40/172 Primary

  Classification, e.g. identification · CPC title

• G06V40/60 Primary

  Static or dynamic means for assisting the user to position a body part for biometric acquisition · CPC title