Fingerprint enrollment and matching with orientation sensor input

• US 10,146,981 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sezan, Muhammed Ibrahim, Sheng, Tao, Remedios, Alwyn Dos, Burns, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Mariam, Daniel G
• Application Number:
  US15/262,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20170076132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 382115, 382124, 382209, 382305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/10 Recognition assisted with metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/50 Maintenance of biometric data or enrolment thereof

Abstract

Techniques for associating environmental information with fingerprint images for fingerprint enrollment and matching are presented. The techniques may include capturing, using a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device, one or more images of a fingerprint. The techniques may include analyzing the one or more images to obtain fingerprint information associated with the fingerprint. The techniques may include obtaining, via an orientation sensor of the mobile device, environmental information indicating an orientation of the mobile device associated with the capturing of the one or more images. The techniques may additionally include generating, using the fingerprint information, an enrollment template for the fingerprint. The techniques may include associating the enrollment template with the environmental information. The techniques may include storing the enrollment template and the environmental information in a memory of the device, wherein the stored enrollment template is associated with the environmental information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

capturing, using a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device, one or more first images of a first fingerprint;

analyzing the one or more first images to obtain fingerprint information associated with the first fingerprint;

obtaining, via an orientation sensor of the mobile device, first environmental information indicating a first orientation of the mobile device

generating, using the fingerprint information and the first environmental information, an enrollment template for the first fingerprint; and

storing the enrollment template among a plurality of enrollment templates in a memory of the mobile device,

wherein the fingerprint information of the stored enrollment template is associated with the first environmental information; and

wherein the stored enrollment template is selected from the plurality of enrollment templates based on second environmental information indicating a second orientation of the mobile device when the mobile device captures one or more second images of a second fingerprint, the selected enrollment template being retrieved to determine a degree of similarity between the first fingerprint and the second fingerprint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first environmental information includes orientation information that indicates the first orientation of the mobile device when the one or more first images are captured.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the enrollment template comprises storing the enrollment template in a database, wherein enrollment templates stored in the database are indexed by environmental information including the first environmental information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing, using the fingerprint sensor of the mobile device, the one or more second images of the second fingerprint;

obtaining, via the orientation sensor of the mobile device, the second environmental information indicating the second orientation of the mobile device; and

searching, using the second environmental information, for the stored enrollment template.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first environmental information and the second environmental information additionally indicates at least one of:

a temperature;

a location;

a humidity level;

an ambient light level;

or

a time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes, for obtaining at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information, at least one of an accelerometer, orientation sensor, angular rate sensor, gyroscope, magnetometer, location sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, ambient light sensor, camera, microphone, or humidity sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prompting, by the mobile device, a user to present a finger at an indicated orientation in relation to the mobile device for capturing at least one of the one or more first images or the one or more second images and at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fingerprint information is associated with orientation information based on the first orientation of the mobile device and the indicated orientation prompted to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prompting, by the mobile device, a user to orient the mobile device at a preferred orientation for capturing the at least one of the one or more first images or the one or more second images and at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored enrollment template to be retrieved based on a degree of similarity between the first orientation and the second orientation.

11. A mobile device, comprising:

a fingerprint sensor;

an orientation sensor;

a memory; and

processing logic configured to;

capture, using the fingerprint sensor, one or more first images of a first fingerprint;

analyze the one or more first images to obtain fingerprint information associated with the first fingerprint;

obtain, via the orientation sensor, first environmental information indicating a first orientation of the mobile device associated with the capturing of the one or more first images;

generate, using the fingerprint information and the first environmental information, an enrollment template for the first fingerprint; and

store, in the memory, the enrollment template among a plurality of enrollment templates,

wherein the fingerprint information of the stored enrollment template is associated with the first environmental information; and

wherein the stored enrollment template is selected from the plurality of enrollment templates based on second environmental information indicating a second orientation of the mobile device when the mobile device captures one or more second images of a second fingerprint, the selected enrollment template being retrieved to determine a degree of similarity between the first fingerprint and the second fingerprint.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first environmental information includes orientation information that indicates the first orientation of the mobile device when the one or more first images are captured.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein storing the enrollment template comprises storing the enrollment template in a database, wherein enrollment templates stored in the database are indexed by environmental information including the first environmental information.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further includes, for obtaining at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information, at least one of an accelerometer, orientation sensor, angular rate sensor, gyroscope, magnetometer, location sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, ambient light sensor, camera, microphone, or humidity sensor.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processing logic is further configured to:

display, via a display of the mobile device, a prompt for a user to present a finger at an indicated orientation in relation to the mobile device for capturing at least one of the one or more first images or the one or more second images and at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the processing logic is further configured to:

associate the fingerprint information with orientation information based on the first orientation of the mobile device and the indicated orientation prompted to the user.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processing logic is further configured to:

display, via a display of the mobile device, a prompt for a user to orient the mobile device at a preferred orientation for capturing the at least one of the one or more first images or the one or more second images and at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions executable by one or more processors, the computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configures the one or more processors to:

capture, using a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device, one or more first images of a first fingerprint;

analyze the one or more first images to obtain fingerprint information associated with the first fingerprint;

obtain, via an orientation sensor of the mobile device, first environmental information indicating a first orientation of the mobile device associated with the capturing of the one or more first images;

generate, using the fingerprint information and the first environmental information, an enrollment template for the first fingerprint; and

store the enrollment template among a plurality of enrollment templates in a memory of the mobile device, wherein the fingerprint information of the stored enrollment template is associated with the first environmental information,

wherein the stored enrollment template is selected from the plurality of enrollment templates based on second environmental information indicating a second orientation of the mobile device when the mobile device captures one or more second images of a second fingerprint, the selected enrollment template being retrieved to determine a degree of similarity between the first fingerprint and the second fingerprint.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the first environmental information includes orientation information that indicates the first orientation of the mobile device when the one or more first images are captured.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein storing the enrollment template includes storing the enrollment template in a database, wherein enrollment templates stored in the database are indexed by environmental information including the first environmental information.

21. A method, comprising:

capturing, using a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device, one or more images of a fingerprint;

obtaining, via an orientation sensor of the mobile device, first environmental information indicating a first orientation of the mobile device associated with the capturing of the one or more images;

retrieving, from a memory of the mobile device and based on the first orientation of the mobile device indicated in the first environmental information, an enrollment template from a plurality of enrollment templates, the enrollment template being associated with second environmental information indicating a second orientation of the mobile device; and

authenticating a user of the mobile device based on the one or more images and the retrieved enrollment template.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first environmental information includes orientation information that indicates the first orientation of the mobile device when the one or more images are captured.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the authenticating the user of the mobile device comprises:

determining whether the one or more images correspond to the enrollment template; and

upon determining that the one or more images corresponds to the enrollment template, authenticating the user of the mobile device to access a function of the mobile device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

upon determining that the one or more images does not correspond to an enrollment template of the plurality of templates, denying the user access to the function of the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

selecting the enrollment template from the plurality of enrollment templates based on determining a similarity between the first environmental information and the second environmental information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the selecting includes determining that the second environmental information corresponding to the enrollment template has a higher degree of similarity to the first environmental information than other environmental information corresponding to other enrollment templates of the plurality of enrollment templates.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first environmental information and the second environmental information additionally contain information indicative of at least one of:

a temperature;

a location;

a humidity level;

an ambient light level;

or

a time.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the information indicative of at least one of the temperature, the location, the humidity level, the ambient light level, or the time is captured when the one or more images are captured.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the determining the similarity is based on a tolerance wherein the tolerance is based at least one of the first environmental information or the second environmental information.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

characterizing an environment of the mobile device when the one or more images are captured;

determining whether the characterized environment indicates that the mobile device is located in an environment hostile to accurate fingerprint imaging; and

upon determining that the characterized environment indicates that the mobile device is located in an environment hostile to accurate fingerprint imaging, relaxing the tolerance.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the characterized environment indicating that the mobile device is located in an environment hostile to accurate fingerprint imaging indicates that the mobile device is located within an automobile.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of enrollment templates comprises is a first enrollment template;

associated with a third orientation and a second enrollment template associated with a fourth orientation

wherein the method further comprises;

selecting, based on a relationship between the third orientation and the fourth orientation, the first enrollment template over the second enrollment template to authenticate the user.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the first environmental information further indicate a state of movement of the mobile device;

and

wherein the enrollment template is retrieved based on at least one of the first orientation or the state of movement of the mobile device indicated in the first environmental information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the orientation is associated with a first weight and the state of movement is associated with a second weight;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining contextual information of the mobile device associated with the capturing of the one or more images;

updating at least one of the first weight or the second weight based on the contextual information; and

selecting, based on the updated at least one of the first weight or the second weight, one of the orientation or the state of movement as a condition of a search for the enrollment template; and

searching for the enrollment template based on selected condition.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first weight is increased based on the context information indicating that mobile device is at a predetermined location when capturing the one or more images of the fingerprint.