System and methods for managing a system wake event for an information handling system based on user presence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12561426-B2
Application number	US-202318098204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2023
Priority date	Jan 18, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for managing system wake events within an information handling system (IHS) located in a multi-user environment. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein improve system security within an IHS located within a multi-user environment by: (a) monitoring user presence of one or more users present within a field of view (FOV) of the IHS during a system wake event, and (b) waking the IHS in a secure operating mode or a non-secured operating mode, based on the user(s) present with the FOV during the system wake event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An information handling system (IHS), comprising:
a sensor configured to obtain biometric data from at least one user present within a field of view (FOV) of the sensor; a non-transitory memory configured to store: a first set of program instructions; and a trusted multi-user (TMU) database containing biometric data corresponding to one or more trusted users, wherein the TMU database comprises biometric data corresponding to an authenticated user of the IHS for an active system session; a processing device configured to execute the first set of program instructions during a system wake event to: detect user presence of one or more users present within the FOV of the sensor; and compare biometric data obtained from the one or more users with biometric data stored within the TMU database to determine if the one or more users includes the authenticated user or another user, which is not the authenticated user; a non-transitory computer readable storage device configured to store a second set of program instructions; a host processor configured to execute the second set of program instructions during the system wake event to secure the active system session, before turning on a display screen of the IHS, when the comparison of the biometric data obtained from the one or more users with the biometric data stored within the TMU database determines that the one or more users includes another user, which is not the authenticated user; and the host processor is further configured to execute the second set of program instructions during the system wake event to turn on the display screen of the IHS, without securing the active system session, when the comparison of the biometric data obtained from the one or more users with the biometric data stored within the TMU database determines that the one or more users only includes the authenticated user.

2 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the first set of program instructions during the system wake event to:
generate a TMU status for each user of the one or more users by comparing the biometric data obtained from each user with the biometric data stored within the TMU database, wherein the TMU status generated for each user identifies the user as: (a) a trusted user, if the biometric data obtained from the user matches the biometric data corresponding to one of the trusted users included within the TMU database, or (b) an untrusted user, if the biometric data obtained from the user does not match the biometric data corresponding to the one or more trusted users included within the TMU database.

3 . The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the first set of program instructions during the system wake event to:
determine a vulnerability state based on the TMU status generated for each user of the one or more users; and
generate a notification containing the vulnerability state.

4 . The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the host processor is coupled to receive the notification from the processing device, and wherein the host processor is further configured to execute the second set of program instructions during the system wake event to secure the active system session, based on the vulnerability state contained within the notification, before the display screen of the IHS is turned on.

5 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the host processor is configured to execute the second set of program instructions during the system wake event to secure the active system session by:
configuring the IHS to enter a secure operating mode before the display screen of the IHS is turned on.

6 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage device is further configured to store an operating system (OS) having OS settings, and wherein the host processor is configured to execute the second set of program instructions during the system wake event to secure the active system session by:
modifying one or more of the OS settings to configure the IHS in a secure operating mode before the display screen of the IHS is turned on.

7 . The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein said modifying the one or more of the OS settings configures the IHS in the secure operating mode by entering a secured OS container.

8 . The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein said modifying the one or more of the OS settings configures the IHS in the secure operating mode by deleting one or more of: credentials, tokens and cookies used for persistent authentication of the authenticated user.

9 . The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein said modifying the one or more of the OS settings configures the IHS in the secure operating mode by minimizing or closing any windows, which were previously opened during the active system session.

10 . The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein said modifying the one or more of the OS settings configures the IHS in the secure operating mode by disconnecting a network port, which was previously connected during the active system session.

11 . A method for managing a system wake event for an information handling system (IHS), the method comprising:
detecting user presence of a first user present within a field of view (FOV) of the IHS during an active system session, wherein the first user is an authenticated user of the active system session, and wherein the authenticated user is enrolled as a trusted user in a trusted multi-user (TMU) database, which stores biometric data corresponding to one or more trusted users; detecting initiation of a system wake event, wherein the system wake event is initiated after the active system session is locked or the IHS is placed in a low power state; wherein in response to detecting the initiation of the system wake event, the method further comprises: detecting user presence of one or more users present within the FOV of the IHS; comparing biometric data obtained from the one or more users with biometric data stored within the TMU database to determine if the one or more users includes a second user, which is not the authenticated user; and securing the active system session, before a display screen of the IHS is turned on, when said comparing determines that the one or more users includes the second user; and completing the system wake event and turning on the display screen of the IHS without securing the active system session when said comparing determines that the one or more users only includes the authenticated user.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising enrolling the authenticated user as a trusted user in the TMU database and storing biometric data corresponding to the authenticated user within the TMU database during authentication of the first user.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said securing the active system session comprises configuring the IHS to enter a secure operating mode before the display screen of the IHS is turned on.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the IHS comprises an operating system (OS) having OS settings, and wherein said securing the active system session comprises modifying one or more of the OS settings to configure the IHS in a secure operating mode before the display screen of the IHS is turned on.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said modifying the one or more of the OS settings configures the IHS in the secure operating mode by entering a secured OS container.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Alpay Waldman Banu
• Alfano Keith M
• Phelps Mandy C
• Reddy Karun P
• Hamlin Daniel L

Classifications

• G06F1/3231

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G06F21/53 Primary

  by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine · CPC title