Embedded authentication systems in an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9134896-B2
Application number	US-201314142657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2013
Priority date	Sep 24, 2007
Publication date	Sep 15, 2015
Grant date	Sep 15, 2015

Abstract

This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a touchscreen display;
one or more processors;
memory; and
one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
while a respective function of the device is in a locked state:
displaying a user interface that includes an unlock element, wherein the unlock element is displayed at a first location on the touchscreen display;
detecting a gesture that includes movement of a finger contact toward the first location on the touchscreen display, the gesture providing input to the fingerprint sensor;
identifying, based on the input from the fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture; and
determining whether the gesture meets unlock criteria based on:
the movement of the finger contact toward the first location; and
the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture; and

in response to detecting the gesture:
in accordance with a determination that the gesture meets the unlock criteria, unlocking the respective function; and
in accordance with a determination that the gesture does not meet the unlock criteria, maintaining the respective function in the locked state.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the user interface moves in response to detecting the gesture.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the finger contact is detected at a location of a moveable user interface object; and
the device includes instructions for, in response to detecting the gesture, moving the moveable user interface object towards the first location.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the unlock element includes displayed instructions to move the finger contact towards the first location on the touchscreen display.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gesture includes movement of the finger contact across the touchscreen display from left to right.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gesture includes movement of the finger contact over the fingerprint sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the unlock element is displayed at a location of the fingerprint sensor.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the device is configured for use by a plurality of different users including a first user and a second user; and
the device includes instructions for, when the gesture meets the unlock criteria:
in accordance with a determination that the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture corresponds to a fingerprint of the first user, unlocking a first set of other functions, besides the respective function, that are associated with the first user and are not associated with the second user; and
in accordance with a determination that the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture corresponds to a fingerprint of the second user, unlocking a second set of other functions, besides the respective function, that are associated with the second user and are not associated with the first user without unlocking the first set of other functions.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein:
the first set of other functions includes access to personal contacts of the first user; and
the second set other functions includes access to personal contacts of the second user.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the touchscreen display has a first density of capacitance sensing components; and
the fingerprint sensor includes a region of the touchscreen display that has a second density of capacitance sensing components that is higher than the first density of capacitance sensing components.

11. A method, comprising:
at an electronic device with a fingerprint sensor and a touchscreen display:
while a respective function of the device is in a locked state:
displaying a user interface that includes an unlock element, wherein the unlock element is displayed at a first location on the touchscreen display;
detecting a gesture that includes movement of a finger contact toward the first location on the touchscreen display, the gesture providing input to the fingerprint sensor;
identifying, based on the input from the fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture; and
determining whether the gesture meets unlock criteria based on:
the movement of the finger contact toward the first location; and
the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture; and

in response to detecting the gesture:
in accordance with a determination that the gesture meets the unlock criteria, unlocking the respective function; and
in accordance with a determination that the gesture does not meet the unlock criteria, maintaining the respective function in the locked state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the user interface moves in response to detecting the gesture.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the finger contact is detected at a location of a moveable user interface object; and
the device includes instructions for, in response to detecting the gesture, moving the moveable user interface object towards the first location.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the unlock element includes displayed instructions to move the finger contact towards the first location on the touchscreen display.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gesture includes movement of the finger contact across the touchscreen display from left to right.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gesture includes movement of the finger contact over the fingerprint sensor.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the unlock element is displayed at a location of the fingerprint sensor.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the device is configured for use by a plurality of different users including a first user and a second user; and
the device includes instructions for, when the gesture meets the unlock criteria:
in accordance with a determination that the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture corresponds to a fingerprint of the first user, unlocking a first set of other functions, besides the respective function, that are associated with the first user and are not associated with the second user; and
in accordance with a determination that the fingerprint that corresponds to the finger contact used to perform the gesture corresponds to a fingerprint of the second user, unlocking a second set of other functions, besides the respective function, that are associated with the second user and are not associated with the first user without unlocking the first set of other functions.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the first set of other functions includes access to personal contacts of the first user; and
the second set other functions includes access to personal contacts of the second user.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the touchscreen display has a first density of capacitance sensing components; and
the fingerprint sensor includes a region of the touchscreen display that has a second density of capacitance sensing components that is higher than the first density of capacitance sensing components.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs compris

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Fadell Anthony
• Hodge Andrew
• Schell Stephan
• Caballero Ruben
• Dorogusker Jesse Lee
• Zadesky Stephen
• Sanford Emery

Classifications

• G06F21/36

  by graphic or iconic representation · CPC title

• H04L63/104

  Grouping of entities · CPC title

• H04L9/3231

  Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861) · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• H04W88/02

  Terminal devices · CPC title