Embedded authentication systems in an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9953152-B2
Application number	US-201615357873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 24, 2007
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

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 display;
one or more image sensors;
one or more processors;
memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, on the display, a respective user interface that includes an obscured version of first information;
while displaying the obscured version of the first information on the display:
capturing image data from the one or more image sensors; and
detecting one or more attributes of a user's face from the captured image data;

in response to detecting the one or more attributes of the user's face from the captured image data:
in accordance with a determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data authorizes the user, replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with an unobscured version of the first information; and
in accordance with a determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data does not authorize the user, maintaining display of the obscured version of the first information on the display.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
prior to displaying the respective user interface, receiving a request to display the respective user interface; and
in response to receiving the request, displaying the respective user interface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, while displaying the obscured version of the first information, displaying unobscured text in the respective user interface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a plurality of separate information items that include obscured text.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a blurred version of corresponding unobscured information.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the respective user interface is a user interface for displaying information about personal contacts of a user of the device; and
replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with the unobscured version of the first information includes providing access to the information about the personal contacts.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, prior to detecting the one or more attributes of the user's face, displaying a notice instructing the user to authenticate before accessing the unobscured version of the first information.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
prior to detecting the one or more attributes of the user's face, one or more respective objects in the respective user interface are not selectable; and
the one or more programs include instructions for, in response to detecting the one or more attributes of the user's face from the captured image data:
in accordance with the determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data authorizes the user, enabling selection of the one or more respective objects; and
in accordance with the determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data does not authorizes the user, forgoing enabling selection of the one or more respective objects.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a blurred version of the first information.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a hidden version of the first information.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image sensors includes a visible light image sensor.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image sensors includes an image sensor that detects light outside the visible light spectrum.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more image sensors includes an infra-red image sensor.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image sensors includes a visible light image sensor and an infra-red image sensor.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein
the captured image data includes data from the visible light image sensor and data from the infra-red image sensor; and
detecting the one or more attributes includes detecting a first attribute from the visible light image sensor and a second attribute from the infra-red image sensor.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image sensors includes a three-dimensional capture device to capture depths of the user's facial features.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the captured image data comprises depth data for the user's face.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein detecting the one or more attributes includes detecting a third attribute from the depth data.

19. The device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
detecting the user's face is opposite the one or more image sensors, wherein capturing the image data occurs in response to detecting the user's face.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an ultra-violet sensor, a scanning laser, an ultrasound sensor, or a combination thereof.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes comprises a three-dimensional contour of the user's eye sockets, chin, nose, or a combination thereof.

22. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a light source operative to emit infrared light to be reflected by the user's eye and captured by the one or more sensors.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display and one or more image sensors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, on the display, a respective user interface that includes an obscured version of first information;
while displaying the obscured version of the first information on the display:
capturing image data from the one or more image sensors; and
detecting one or more attributes of a user's face from the captured image data;

in response to detecting the one or more attributes of the user's face from the captured image data:
in accordance with a determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data authorizes the user, replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with an unobscured version of the first information; and
in accordance with a determination that the one or more attributes from the captured image data does not authorize the user, maintaining display of the obscured version of the first information on the display.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
prior to displaying the respective user interface, receiving a request to display the respective user interface; and
in response to receiving the request, displaying the respective user interface.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, while displaying the obscured version of the first information, displaying unobscured text in the respective user interface.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a plurality of separate inform

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F21/32 Primary

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

• H04W88/02

  Terminal devices · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

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

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• H04L63/0861

  using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231) · CPC title