Detecting attempts to defeat facial recognition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12517992-B2
Application number	US-202217931668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2022
Priority date	Jul 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A device may select an individual that is a candidate for authentication by facial recognition. The device may identify a facial area of the individual and an area of exposed skin of the individual. The device may obtain a first temperature associated with the facial area of the individual and a second temperature associated with the area of exposed skin of the individual. The device may determine, based on the first temperature and the second temperature, whether an appearance of the facial area of the individual is likely altered by a face-altering technology. The device may selectively perform facial recognition on the facial area of the individual based on whether the appearance of the facial area of the individual is likely altered by the face-altering technology.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
selecting, by a device, a facial area for authentication based on: a request to access an account, a request to access a physical area, or a credential; identifying, by a device, the facial area and an area of exposed skin using machine learning, wherein the area of exposed skin is not associated with the facial area; obtaining, by the device, a first temperature associated with the facial area and a second temperature associated with the area of exposed skin; and selectively performing, by the device, facial recognition on the facial area based on determining whether the first temperature is outside of a threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature, wherein the first temperature being within the threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature indicates that an appearance of the facial area is likely not altered by face-altering technology, wherein the face-altering technology includes: a mask, a facial prosthetic, a bandage, or one or more facial features of an individual that are obscured, wherein the first temperature being outside of the threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature indicates that the appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology, and wherein selectively performing the facial recognition comprises: performing authentication using the facial recognition when the first temperature is within the threshold difference in the temperature range with respect to the second temperature, and performing authentication using a technique that does not include the facial recognition when the first temperature is outside of the threshold difference in the temperature range with respect to the second temperature.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a characteristic of the facial area; determining, based on determining whether the first temperature is outside of the threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature, whether an appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology based on the characteristic; and wherein selectively performing, by the device, the facial recognition on the facial area comprises:
selectively performing, by the device, the facial recognition on the facial area based on whether the appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting an individual that is a candidate for authentication based on a proximity of the individual to a transaction device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the first temperature and the second temperature comprises:
obtaining the first temperature and the second temperature from a temperature sensor.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining data identifying an actual level of moisture of the facial area; and wherein selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area comprises:
selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area based on a comparison of the actual level of moisture to an estimated level of moisture.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the facial area is selected for authentication based on the credential; and
further comprising: selecting an individual that is a candidate for authentication by the facial recognition based on the credential associated with the individual.

7 . A device, comprising:
one or more memories; and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, configured to: select a facial area for authentication based on: a request to access an account, a request to access a physical area, or a credential; identify the facial area and an area of skin using machine learning, wherein the area of skin is not associated with the facial area; obtain a first temperature associated with the facial area and a second temperature associated with the area of skin; and selectively perform facial recognition on the facial area based on determining whether the first temperature is outside of a threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature, wherein the first temperature being within the threshold difference in the temperature range with respect to the second temperature indicates that an appearance of the facial area is likely not altered by face-altering technology, wherein the face-altering technology includes: a mask, a facial prosthetic, a bandage, or one or more facial features of an individual that are obscured, and wherein the first temperature being outside of the threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature indicates that the appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology, and wherein the one or more processors, when selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area, are configured to: perform authentication using the facial recognition when the first temperature is within the threshold difference in the temperature range with respect to the second temperature, and perform authentication using a technique that does not include the facial recognition when the first temperature is outside of the threshold difference in the temperature range with respect to the second temperature.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine that the facial area is likely not altered by face-altering technology; and wherein the one or more processors, when selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area, are configured to:
perform authentication using the facial recognition.

9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine that the facial area is likely altered by face-altering technology; and wherein the one or more processors, when selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area, are to:
perform authentication using a technique that does not include the facial recognition.

10 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
obtain data identifying an actual level of moisture of the facial area; and wherein the one or more processors, when selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area, are to:
selectively perform the facial recognition on the facial area based on a comparison of the actual level of moisture to an estimated level of moisture.

11 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine, based on determining whether the first temperature is outside of the threshold difference in temperature range with respect to the second temperature, whether an appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology; and wherein the one or more processors, when selectively performing the facial recognition on the facial area, are to:
selectively perform the facial recognition on the facial area based on whether the appearance of the facial area is likely altered by the face-altering technology.

12 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors, when obtaining the first temperature and the second temperature, are configured to:
obtain the first temperature and the second temperature from a temperature sensor.

13 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
select an individual that is a candidate for authenti

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Mossoba Michael
• Edwards Joshua
• Benkreira Abdelkadar M'Hamed

Classifications

• G06V10/82

  using neural networks · CPC title

• G06V10/764

  using classification, e.g. of video objects · CPC title

• G06V40/172

  Classification, e.g. identification · CPC title

• G06V40/40

  Spoof detection, e.g. liveness detection · CPC title

• G06F21/45

  Structures or tools for the administration of authentication · CPC title