SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO MEDIA CONTENT BY DETECTING ONE OR MORE USER FINGERPRINTS

• US 20130263253A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Organization Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Weintraub, Michael Alan, Garrett, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,075,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

A system includes a media content processing subsystem and user input device having a plurality of control surfaces each configured to cause the input device to transmit at least one command to the media content processing subsystem. The input device is configured to acquire an image of a fingerprint of a finger touching the control surface and cause the processing subsystem to execute the command in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to the acquired fingerprint image.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media content processing subsystem; and

an input device comprising a plurality of control surfaces each configured to cause said input device to transmit at least one command to said processing subsystem;

wherein said input device is configured to acquire an image of a fingerprint of a finger touching one of said control surfaces and cause said processing subsystem to execute a command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device is further configured to acquire another image of a fingerprint of a finger touching another of said control surfaces and cause said processing subsystem to execute another command corresponding to said another of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said another acquired fingerprint image.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage medium configured to store a database of one or more fingerprint images each having a corresponding user profile; and

an image processor;

wherein said image processor is configured to

determine whether said acquired fingerprint image matches one of said fingerprint images within said database; and

if said acquired fingerprint matches one of said fingerprint images within said database, select a user profile that corresponds to said one of said fingerprint images within said database as said user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said image processor is located within said input device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said image processor is located within said processing subsystem.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device further comprises:

at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem configured to acquire said image of said fingerprint of said finger touching said one of said control surfaces.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises a distinct fingerprint scanning subsystem for each of a plurality of said control surfaces.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises:

a transmission source configured to illuminate a surface of said finger touching said one of said control surfaces; and

an image sensor configured to optically acquire said image of said fingerprint while said surface of said finger is illuminated by said transmission source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said one of said control surfaces comprises a translucent body configured to allow passage of said light therethrough such that said light reflects off of said surface of said finger.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises:

a plurality of conductor plates;

a plurality of integrator circuits electrically coupled to said plurality of conductor plates; and

a processor configured to control an operation of said integrator circuits;

wherein said processor is configured to cause said integrator circuits and said conductor plates to capacitively acquire said image of said fingerprint.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image comprises at least one setting configured to customize an interaction between a user and said processing subsystem.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one setting comprises at least one of a whitelist specifying at least one accessible media content instance, a blacklist specifying at least one restriction corresponding to at least one media content instance, and at least one display setting.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to communicate with a media content processing subsystem;

a plurality of control surfaces each configured to cause said transmitter to transmit at least one command to said processing subsystem; and

at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem;

wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem is configured to acquire an image of a fingerprint of a finger touching one of said control surfaces and cause said processing subsystem to execute a command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem is further configured to acquire another image of a fingerprint of a finger touching another of said control surfaces and cause said processing subsystem to execute another command corresponding to said another of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said another acquired fingerprint image.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a storage medium configured to store a database of one or more fingerprint images and one or more corresponding user profiles; and

an image processor;

wherein said image processor is configured to

determine whether said acquired fingerprint image matches one of said fingerprint images within said database; and

if said acquired fingerprint matches one of said fingerprint images within said database, select a user profile that corresponds to said one of said fingerprint images within said database as said user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises a distinct fingerprint scanning subsystem for each of a plurality of said control surfaces.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises:

a transmission source configured to illuminate a surface of said finger touching said one of said control surfaces; and

an image sensor configured to optically acquire said image of said fingerprint while said surface of said finger is illuminated by said transmission source.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said one of said control surfaces comprises a translucent body configured to allow passage of said light therethrough such that said light reflects off of said surface of said finger.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises:

a plurality of conductor plates;

a plurality of integrator circuits electrically coupled to said plurality of conductor plates; and

a processor configured to control an operation of said integrator circuits;

wherein said processor is configured to cause said integrator circuits and said conductor plates to capacitively acquire said image of said fingerprint.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image comprises at least one setting configured to customize an interaction between a user and said processing subsystem.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said at least one setting comprises at least one of a whitelist specifying at least one accessible media content instance, a blacklist specifying at least one restriction corresponding to at least one media content instance, and at least one display setting.

22. A method comprising:

providing an input device comprising a plurality of control surfaces each configured to cause said input device to transmit at least one command to a processor that is configured to provide access to at least one media content instance;

acquiring an image of a fingerprint of a finger touching one of said control surfaces; and

executing a command as indicated by said one of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a database of one or more fingerprint images and one or more corresponding user profiles;

determining whether said acquired fingerprint image matches one of said fingerprint images within said database; and

selecting a user profile that corresponds to said one of said fingerprint images within said database as said user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image if said acquired fingerprint matches one of said fingerprint images within said database.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of acquiring said image of said fingerprint comprises optically acquiring said image of said fingerprint.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of acquiring said image of said fingerprint comprises capacitively acquiring said image of said fingerprint.