METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20130160109A1
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/048 Protective parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0846 having multiple detectors for performing different types of detection, e.g. using radiometry and reflectometry channels
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/34 using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1696 the I/O peripheral being a printing or scanning device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means

Abstract

A method and device for user authorization is presented herein. The authorization device may be integrated in a display interface configured to receive an infrared input signal. The device may include a means for converting the infrared signal into an electric signal. The device may further include a processor configured to analyze the electrical signal. The processor may further be configured to provide an authorization of a user based on the analysis of the electrical signal.

Claims

1. A method of authorization comprising:

receiving an infrared input signal via a display interface;

converting the infrared input signal to an electrical signal;

analyzing the electrical signal; and

authorizing a user based on the analyzing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of converting the infrared input signal into the electric signal is performed using a pyroelectric, or a pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pyroelectric, or the pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material is integrated in the display interface.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the pyroelectric and piezoelectric based material comprises piezoelectric plastic.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the piezoelectric plastic is Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pyroelectric, or the pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material is transparent or semi-transparent.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of analyzing further comprises compiling an image mapping of thermal differences induced by a surface interaction made by the user with regards to the display interface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the image mapping is representative of a biometric parameter of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of analyzing and authorizing are performed during a restricted access function.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of analyzing and authorizing are performed during menu navigation.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a touch sensing signal indicative of a location of the surface interaction, and the step of analyzing further comprises determining the location of the surface interaction.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer program comprising program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the analyzing and authorizing steps of a method according to claim 1, stored on a computer-readable medium or carrier wave.

12. A device for authorization comprising:

a display interface configured to receive an infrared input signal;

means for converting the infrared signal into an electrical signal;

an internal or external processor configured to analyze the electrical signal produced as a result of the infrared input signal; and

the processor further configured to provide an authorization of a user based on the analysis of the electric signal.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the means for converting is integrated in the display interface.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the means for converting is a pyroelectric, or a pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material comprises piezoelectric plastic.

16. The device of Claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric plastic is Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the pyroelectric, or the pyroelectric and piezoelectric, based material is transparent or semi-transparent.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to compile an image mapping of thermal differences induced by a surface interaction made by the user on the display interface.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the image mapping is representative of a biometric parameter of a user.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the authorization is provided during a restricted access function.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the authorization is provided during menu navigation.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the means for converting further comprises a means for receiving a touch sensing signal indicative of a location of the surface interaction, and the processor is further configured to determine the location of the surface interaction.

23. The device of claim 12, wherein the display interface is a component of a multimedia device.

24. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is a mobile telephone, media player, PDA, computer, security display panel, or camera.