Electronic device for authenticating based on biometric data and operating method thereof

• US 10,149,161 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Wooyoung, Kim, Hakjoo, Park, Sangho, Park, Yong-Jun, Lee, Gwiho, Jwa, Ho-Dong
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US15/426,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a device and method for performing authentication using biometric data in an electronic device. The electronic device can include a memory for storing biometric authentication information about one or more external electronic devices and one or more identification information corresponding to each of the one or more external electronic devices, the one or more external electronic devices including sensors configured to acquire biometric data corresponding to the biometric authentication information, and a processor. The processor can be configured to receive a request related with authentication, to select at least one external electronic device from among the one or more external electronic devices in relation with the authentication, to transmit a request for authentication to the at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the at least one external electronic device from among the one or more identification information, and to perform the authentication based at least on authentication information received from the at least one external electronic device and the biometric authentication information.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store biometric authentication information of a plurality of external electronic devices and a plurality of identification information respectively corresponding to the plurality of external electronic devices, the plurality of external electronic devices comprising sensors configured to acquire biometric data corresponding to the biometric authentication information; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

detect an input for an authentication,

select at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices for the authentication,

transmit a request for the authentication to the at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of identification information, and

perform the authentication, based at least on authentication information received from the at least one external electronic device and the biometric authentication information,

wherein the authentication information is obtained, by the at least one external electronic device, from a user after the at least one external electronic device receives the request for the authentication.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine one or more external electronic devices corresponding to accounts for performing the authentication among the plurality of external electronic devices, and select the at least one external electronic device from among the determined one or more external electronic devices.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine one or more external electronic devices having short-range communication coupling available from among the plurality of external electronic devices, and

select the at least one external electronic device from among the determined one or more external electronic devices.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

attempt short-range communication coupling with the selected at least one external electronic device, and

select a previously non-selected external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices as the at least one external electronic device when the short-range communication with the selected at least one external electronic device fails, based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

select a previously non-selected another at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices when the authentication information is not received from the selected at least one external electronic device, based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication, and

transmit the request for the authentication to the another at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the another at least one external electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

select, when it is determined that the authentication fails, a previously non-selected another at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication, and

perform the authentication based on authentication information received from the another at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the another at least one external electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to select the at least one external electronic device, using information which is registered to an account to perform the authentication, when the information satisfies a designated condition.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to select, based on a designated order, the at least one external electronic device when the information satisfies another designated condition.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the registered information comprises at least one of the latest time information at which an external electronic device connects to the electronic device, a frequency at which the external electronic device connects to the electronic device, information representing whether the external electronic device is a master device, and sensor type information of the external electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine an order of priority of the plurality of external electronic devices through the registered information, and

select the at least one external electronic device based on the priority order.

11. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

storing biometric authentication information of a plurality of external electronic devices and a plurality of identification information respectively corresponding to the plurality of external electronic devices, the plurality of external electronic devices comprising sensors configured to acquire biometric data corresponding to the biometric authentication information;

detecting an input for an authentication;

selecting at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices for the authentication;

transmitting a request for the authentication to the at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of identification information; and

performing the authentication, based at least on authentication information received from the at least one external electronic device and the biometric authentication information,

wherein the authentication information is obtained, by the at least one external electronic device, from a user after the at least one external electronic device receives the request for the authentication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting comprises:

determining one or more external electronic devices corresponding to accounts for performing the authentication from among the plurality of external electronic devices; and

selecting the at least one external electronic device from among the determined one or more external electronic devices.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting comprises:

determining one or more external electronic devices having short-range communication coupling available from among the plurality of external electronic devices; and

selecting the at least one external electronic device from among the determined one or more external electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

attempting short-range communication coupling with the selected at least one external electronic device; and

selecting a previously non-selected external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices as the at least one external electronic device when the short-range communication coupling fails, based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting the request for the authentication comprises:

selecting a previously non-selected another at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices when the authentication information is not received from the selected at least one external electronic device, based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication; and

transmitting the request for the authentication to the another at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the another at least one external electronic device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the authentication comprises:

selecting, when it is determined that the authentication fails, a previously non-selected another at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices, based on information that is registered to an account to perform the authentication; and

performing the authentication based on authentication information received from the another at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the another at least one external electronic device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting the at least one external electronic device comprises, selecting the at least one external electronic device using information which is registered to an account to perform the authentication, based on identifying that the information satisfies a designated condition.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting the at least one external electronic device comprises selecting, based on a designated order, the at least one external electronic device when the information satisfies another designated condition.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the registered information comprises at least one of the latest time information at which an external electronic device connects to the electronic device, a frequency at which the external electronic device connects to the electronic device, information representing whether the external electronic device is a master device, and sensor type information of the external electronic device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a program when executed by a processor of an electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform the operations of:

storing biometric authentication information of a plurality of external electronic devices and a plurality of identification information respectively corresponding to the plurality of external electronic devices, the plurality of external electronic devices comprising sensors configured to acquire biometric data corresponding to the biometric authentication information;

detecting an input for an authentication;

selecting at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of external electronic devices in relation with the authentication;

transmitting a request for the authentication to the at least one external electronic device, using at least one identification information corresponding to the at least one external electronic device from among the plurality of identification information; and

performing the authentication, based at least on authentication information received from the at least one external electronic device and the biometric authentication information,

wherein the authentication information is obtained, by the at least one external electronic device, from a user after the at least one external electronic device receives the request for the authentication.