System and Method for Providing Secure Access to an Electronic Device Using Facial Biometrics
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Abstract
A facial biometric recognition system and method (100) for providing security for an electronic device (101) includes a digital camera (105) having a field of view for providing facial biometric images at a predetermined interval from a user of the electronic device (101). A processor (109) is associated with the electronic device (101) for comparing the facial biometric images to biometric image data stored in a database (107). The facial biometric images are continuously compared (111) to those stored in the database (107) or to facial image tracking (113) for providing substantially continuous authentication when the user physically moves about, the camera'"'"'s field of view. The invention may be used with devices such as a personal computer (PC), mobile telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or gaming device and provides an efficient means by which to secure information on the device without the need for complex biometric security devices.
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Citations
117 Claims
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1-49. -49. (canceled)
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50. A facial biometric recognition system for providing security for an electronic device comprising:
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a digital camera having a field of view for providing a plurality of facial biometric images from a user of the electronic device; a database for storing facial biometric image data after user authentication; at least one processor associated with the electronic device for executing the steps of; comparing the plurality of facial biometric images to biometric image data stored in the database; updating the database with a new image if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user is later authenticated; identifying prominent facial features of the user; tracking the prominent facial features for providing continuous authentication when physically moving about the field of view of the digital camera; and granting the user operational access to the electronic device during continuous authentication. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for providing security for an electronic device using facial biometric information comprising the steps of:
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using a plurality of facial biometric images provided from a digital imaging device; utilizing at least one processor for authenticating the identity of the user; storing digital imaging information about the user in a database; updating the database with a new image if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user is later authenticated; identifying prominent facial features of the user after authentication; providing continuous user authentication when the user physically moves about a field of view of the digital imaging device by tracking the prominent facial features without providing a facial comparison between biometric images; and disabling utility of the electronic device if no user authentication is made within a predetermined time period or granting user operational access to the electronic deice during continuous authentication. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A system for providing electronic biometric security for an electronic device comprising:
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a camera for providing a plurality of digital images; a database located in the electronic device for storing digital image information; at least one microprocessor performing the steps of; authenticating user identity based on entry of a password; storing information in the database from at least one digital image of an authenticated user; updating the database with a current image if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user is later authenticated; identifying prominent facial features of the user; tracking the user using the prominent facial features while in a field of view of the camera for providing substantially continuous authentication; and continuing user access to the electronic device as long as the user remains authenticated within a field of view of the camera. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. An electronic device using facial biometric security for providing access to the electronic device comprising:
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a digital camera for providing a plurality of user images; a memory for storing at least one of the plurality of user images after the user has entered valid authentication credentials; a microprocessor for comparing the plurality of user images with the at least one image stored in the memory for providing user authentication; and wherein the microprocessor performs the steps of; granting access to the electronic device when the user is authenticated; identifying prominent facial features of the user; and tracking the user using the prominent facial features when physically moving about the field of view of the digital camera for providing a substantially continuous authentication without comparing user images between user images from the digital camera and those stored in memory. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A method for providing security for a user of a personal computer (PC) using facial biometrics comprising the steps of:
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receiving from a digital camera a plurality of substantially real-time facial biometric images of a user; manually entering first authentication credentials for providing access to the PC; enrolling the user with at least one first stored image into a database if the first authentication credentials are valid; updating the database with a second stored image if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user is later authenticated; identifying prominent facial features of the user; tracking the prominent facial features for providing substantially continuous authentication while the user remains substantially within a field of view of the digital camera; and allowing the user continued access to the PC as long as the user remains authenticated or locking the user from the PC if authentication is lost. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:
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using a plurality of facial biometric images provided from a digital imaging device; utilizing at least one processor for authenticating the identity of the user; storing digital imaging information about the user in a database; identifying prominent facial features of the use; providing continuous user authentication when the user physically moves about a field of view of the digital imaging device by tracking the prominent facial features without comparing facial biometric images; and allowing the user continued access of the electronic device as long as the user remains authenticated or disabling utility of the electronic device if no user authentication is made within a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117)
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Specification