Method and apparatus for connecting between electronic devices using authentication based on biometric information

• US 10,425,409 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Gwiho, Kim, Hakjoo, Park, Sangho, Park, Yong-Jun, Park, Jong-Hoon, Son, In-Jun, Lee, Yang Soo, Chang, Moonsu, Jwa, Ho-Dong, Choi, Wooyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Getachew, Abiy
• Application Number:
  US15/436,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20170244703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1359 Extracting features related to ridge properties; Determining the fingerprint type, e.g. whorl or loop
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1376 Matching features related to ridge properties or fingerprint texture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• 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: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing a connection between electronic devices using authentication based on biometric information are provided. The electronic device includes: a first communication circuit to support NFC; a second communication circuit to support non-NFC; a biometric sensor; a memory to store first authentication information corresponding to an external device; and a processor. The processor is configured to: acquire connection information related to a connection with the external device from the external device using the first communication circuit in response to NFC tagging between the electronic device and the external device; establish a communication connection with the external device using the second communication circuit based on at least the connection information; receive a request for authentication information from the external device in response to the communication connection being established; acquire biometric information corresponding to a user of the electronic device using the biometric sensor in response to the request; authenticate the user based on at least the biometric information; when the authenticating succeeds, generate second authentication information based on at least the first authentication information; and transmit the second authentication information to the external device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication circuit configured to support Near Field Communication (NFC);

a second communication circuit configured to support non-NFC;

a biometric sensor;

a memory configured to store first authentication information corresponding to an external device; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

acquire connection information related to a connection with the external device from the external device using the first communication circuit in response to NFC tagging between the electronic device and the external device;

establish a communication connection with the external device using the second communication circuit based on at least the connection information;

receive a request for authentication information from the external device in response to the communication connection being established;

acquire biometric information corresponding to a user of the electronic device using the biometric sensor in response to the request;

authenticate the user based on at least the biometric information;

when the authenticating succeeds, generate second authentication information based on at least the first authentication information; and

transmit the second authentication information to the external device, and

wherein the external device connected with the electronic device is configured to;

determine a use state of the external device in response to communication being established with the electronic device;

determine a security level corresponding to the determined use state;

transmit the request corresponding to the determined security level to the electronic device;

receive the second authentication information from the electronic device;

decrypt the second authentication information based on a key value of the electronic device which is pre-stored;

authenticate the user of the electronic device based on the second authentication information; and

perform an operation related to a function of the external device or an operation related to a user information input based on at least a part of the second authentication information or the use state.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second authentication information comprises information for the external device to authenticate the user for the external device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the request for the authentication information comprises the first authentication information generated by the external device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first authentication information comprises random data generated by the external device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the memory is configured to store a key value, and

wherein the processor is configured to generate the second authentication information by encrypting the first authentication information based on at least the key value.

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

determine a type of the request for the authentication information; and

generate one of first control data or second control data based on the determined type.

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

determine a security level of the requested authentication information based on the determined type;

generate the first control data based on the random data when the security level is a first security level; and

generate the second control data based on the random data and user information when the security level is a second security level.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to include at least one of:

account information, approval information, or biometric information in the second control data as the user information based on user authentication based on the biometric information.

9. A method of operating an electronic device, the operating method comprising:

acquiring connection information related to a connection with an external device from the external device in response to Near Field Communication (NFC) tagging between the electronic device and the external device;

establishing a communication connection with the external device based on at least the connection information;

receiving a request for authentication information from the external device in response to the communication connection being established;

acquiring biometric information corresponding to a user of the electronic device using a biometric sensor in response to the request;

authenticating the user based on at least the biometric information;

when the authenticating succeeds, generating second authentication information based on at least the first authentication information; and

transmitting the second authentication information to the external device, and

wherein the establishing the communication connection with the external device further comprises;

determining, by the external device, a use state of the external device in response to communication being established with the electronic device;

determining, by the external device, a security level corresponding to the determined use state;

transmitting, by the external device, the request corresponding to the determined security level to the electronic device;

receiving, by the external device, the second authentication information from the electronic device;

decrypting, by the external device, the second authentication information based on a key value of the electronic device which is pre-stored;

authenticating, by the external device, the user of the electronic device based on the second authentication information; and

performing, by the external device, one of an operation related to a function of the external device or an operation related to a user information input based on at least a part of the second authentication information or the use state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second authentication information comprises information used for the external device to authenticate the user for the external device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for the authentication information comprises the first authentication information generated by the external device, and

wherein the first authentication information comprises random data generated by the external device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating the second authentication information comprises generating the second authentication information by encrypting the first authentication information based on at least a key value stored in a memory.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating the second authentication information comprises:

determining a type of the request for the authentication information; and

generating one of first control data or second control data based on the determined type.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the generating the second authentication information comprises:

determining a security level related to the requested authentication information based on the determined type;

generating the first control data based on the random data when the security level is a first security level; and

generating the second control data based on the random data and user information when the security level is a second security level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the generating the second control data comprises including at least one of:

account information, approval information, or biometric information in the second control data as the user information based on user authentication based on the biometric information.

16. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes an electronic device to perform operations comprising:

acquiring connection information related to a connection with an external device;

establishing a communication connection with the external device based on at least the connection information;

receiving a request for authentication information from the external device;

acquiring biometric information corresponding to a user of the electronic device using a biometric sensor;

authenticating the user based on at least the biometric information;

when the authenticating succeeds, generating second authentication information based on at least the first authentication information; and

transmitting the second authentication information to the external device, and

wherein the establishing the communication connection with the external device further comprises;

determining, by the external device, a use state of the external device in response to communication being established with the electronic device;

determining, by the external device, a security level corresponding to the determined use state;

transmitting, by the external device, the request corresponding to the determined security level to the electronic device;

receiving, by the external device, the second authentication information from the electronic device;

decrypting, by the external device, the second authentication information based on a key value of the electronic device which is pre-stored;

authenticating, by the external device, the user of the electronic device based on the second authentication information; and

performing, by the external device, one of an operation related to a function of the external device or an operation related to a user information input based on at least a part of the second authentication information or the use state.