System for and method of finger initiated actions

• US 20050169503A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Russo, Anthony P., Howell, Mark J., Tsuchiya, Marcia
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A device for and method of performing a task associated with fingerprint data is disclosed. The method comprises reading fingerprint data, matching the read fingerprint data to stored fingerprint data, the stored fingerprint data having an associated task, and performing the task. The associated task is part of a chain of tasks that are automatically executed when the read fingerprint data is matched to the stored fingerprint data. Preferably, at least one task has associated user profile data that is used to perform the task. An electronic device that can be controlled in accordance with the present invention includes, but is not limited to, a telephone, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and a remote controlled device.

Claims

1. A method of performing a task on an electronic device, the method comprising:

a. matching read biometric data to stored biometric data, the stored biometric data having a corresponding task comprising a first chain of tasks; and

b. automatically performing the corresponding task on the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task is selected from a plurality of tasks that the electronic device is configured to perform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task has optional parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically performing a task comprises retrieving user profile data corresponding to a user and the task, and using the user profile data to perform the task.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user profile data comprises a telephone number and the corresponding task comprises dialing the telephone number.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user profile data comprises login information for accessing a host system and the corresponding task comprises transmitting the login information to the host system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task comprises accessing a resource over a network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein a task in the first chain of tasks comprises encrypting the login information before transmitting the login information to the host system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task comprises an interactive task.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the corresponding task comprises executing a computer game.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the corresponding task comprises remotely controlling a remote-controlled system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task comprises a non-inherent function of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task further comprises a second chain of tasks.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first chain of tasks and the second chain of tasks are performed in parallel.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading biometric data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein reading biometric data comprises reading data captured during a finger placement on a fingerprint image sensor.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein reading biometric data comprises reading data captured during a finger swipe over a fingerprint image sensor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein matching biometric data to stored biometric data comprises identifying a direction of the finger swipe, a first direction having the corresponding task and a second direction having a different corresponding task.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein matching biometric data to stored biometric data comprises determining whether a threshold number of points of read fingerprint data coincide with a number of points of stored fingerprint data.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is portable.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the electronic device is hand held.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a personal computer.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a personal digital assistant.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a telephone.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a remote controller, a security system, a television set, an audio player, and a game device.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored biometric data is an ordered set of biometric data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the ordered set of biometric data is a permutation of biometric data.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the ordered set of biometric data is a combination of biometric data.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding task relates to a context of an application executing on the electronic device.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored biometric data corresponds to one set of stored biometric data from a plurality of sets of stored biometric data from a plurality of users.

33. An electronic device comprising:

a. a biometric sensor for reading biometric data;

b. a memory storing a plurality of stored biometric data each having a corresponding task identifier used to perform a corresponding task, at least one task comprising a chain of tasks; and

c. a processor coupled to both the biometric sensor and the memory, the processor configured to match read biometric data with stored biometric data and to automatically perform a corresponding task on the electronic device.

34. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint image sensor.

35. The electronic device of claim 34, wherein the fingerprint image sensor is a placement sensor.

36. The electronic device of claim 34, wherein the fingerprint image sensor is a swipe sensor.

37. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the swipe sensor is configured to detect a direction of a swipe, a first direction having a first task identifier and a second direction having a second task identifier.

38. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the memory is further configured so that a task identifier also has user profile data corresponding to a user and the task.

39. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the task identifier has optional parameters.

40. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the corresponding task relates to a context of an application executing on the electronic device.

41. The electronic device of claim 38, wherein the electronic device further comprises a telephone operatively coupled to the processor, the user profile data comprises a telephone number, and the corresponding task comprises dialing the telephone number on the telephone.

42. The electronic device of claim 38, wherein the electronic device further comprises a link to a network, the user profile data comprises a resource locator, and the corresponding task comprises connecting the electronic device to a host identified by the resource locator and accessible over the network.

43. The electronic device of claim 42, wherein the link comprises a wireless transmitter.

44. The electronic device of claim 43, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

45. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the fingerprint image sensor comprises a thermal sensor.

46. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the fingerprint image sensor comprises an optical sensor.

47. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the fingerprint image sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

48. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein the fingerprint image sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

49. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to execute two tasks in parallel.

50. The electronic device of claim 33, further comprising a personal computer.

51. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the electronic device is portable.

52. The electronic device of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is hand held.

53. The electronic device of claim 52, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

54. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the electronic device is a remote controller.

55. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein stored biometric data comprises an ordered set of biometric data.

56. The electronic device of claim 55, wherein the ordered set of biometric data comprises a permutation of biometric data.

57. The electronic device of claim 55, wherein the ordered set of biometric data comprises a combination of biometric data.

58. A method of initializing an electronic device, the method comprising:

a. reading biometric data;

b. storing the biometric data; and

c. mapping the stored biometric data to a chain of tasks that are automatically performed on an electronic device.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising storing user profile data for a task.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the stored biometric data comprises an ordered set of biometric data.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the ordered set of biometric data is a permutation of biometric data.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the ordered set of biometric data is a combination of biometric data.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein reading biometric data comprises reading fingerprint images corresponding to a plurality of users.

64. A method of performing a task on an electronic device, the method comprising:

a. reading biometric data;

b. matching the read biometric data to one of a plurality of stored biometric data, the one of the plurality of stored biometric data having a corresponding task selected from a pool of tasks, the pool of tasks comprising a first task performed by launching a computer program; and

c. automatically performing the corresponding task on the electronic device.