SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISCERNING EYE SIGNALS AND CONTINUOUS BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION

• US 20150326570A1
• Filed: 05/09/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eyefluence, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Publicover, Nelson George, Marggraff, Lewis James
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/197 Matching; Classification
• 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: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 : Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 : using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for substantially continuous biometric identification (CBID) of an individual using eye signals in real time. The apparatus is included within a wearable computing device with identification of the device wearer based on iris recognition within one or more cameras directed at one or both eyes, and/or other physiological, anatomical and/or behavioral measures. Verification of device user identity can be used to enable or disable the display of secure information. Identity verification can also be included within information that is transmitted from the device in order to determine appropriate security measures by remote processing units. The apparatus may be incorporated within wearable computing that performs other functions including vision correction, head-mounted display, viewing the surrounding environment using scene camera(s), recording audio data via a microphone, and/or other sensing equipment.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method for providing substantially continuous biometric identification of a user wearing a headgear comprising a plurality of cameras oriented towards an eye of the user from different angles, comprising:

analyzing one or more images from the cameras to identify an iris of the eye;

selecting a first camera from the plurality of cameras providing a desired view of the iris based on the one or more images;

analyzing an image from the first camera to identify features of the iris;

identifying the user based at least in part on the features of the iris; and

authorizing the user to perform one or more actions upon confirming the user'"'"'s identity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first camera is selected based at least in part on a shape of the iris identified in images from the first camera.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first camera is selected based at least in part on the shape of the iris identified in images from the first camera being closer to substantially circular the share of the iris identified in images from other cameras.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first camera is selected based at least in part on lighting contrast in images from the first camera.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising, after authorizing the user to perform one or more actions:

analyzing another image from the first camera to identify features of the iris; and

confirming the identity of the user based at least in part on the features of the iris from the another image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps are repeated substantially continuously.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps are repeated periodically.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps are repeated when a predetermined action is selected by the user that requires confirmation of identity before performing the predetermined action.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first camera is selected because a large enough portion of the iris is identifiable from the image to satisfy a minimum stringency threshold needed to identify the user.

11. (canceled)

12. A method for providing substantially continuous biometric identification of a user wearing a headgear comprising a plurality of cameras oriented towards an eye of the user from different angles, comprising:

analyzing one or more images from the cameras to identify an iris of the eye;

selecting images from multiple cameras from the plurality of cameras providing desired views of the iris;

creating a composite irisCode from the selected images;

identifying the user based at least in part on the composite irisCode; and

authorizing the user to perform one or more actions upon confirming the user'"'"'s identity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selected images provide images of the iris from multiple angles, and wherein creating the composite irisCode comprises selecting portions of the iris from the selected images and combined the portions of the iris into a composite image of the iris.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein creating the composite irisCode further comprises rotating one or more of the selected images to align the images of the iris in the selected images into a common axis before combining the portions of the iris.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after authorizing the user to perform one or more actions:

analyzing additional images from the cameras;

creating a new composite irisCode from the additional images; and

confirming the identity of the user based at least in part on the new composite irisCode.

16-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A system for providing substantially continuous biometric identification of a user, comprising:

a headgear configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a detector mounted on the headgear such that the detector is oriented towards the user'"'"'s eye when the headgear is worn;

a display is mounted on the headgear such that the display is viewable by the user when the headgear is worn; and

a processing unit operatively coupled to the detector and electronic display to;

analyze one or more images from the detector to identify features of an iris of the eye;

identify the user based at least in part on the features of the iris;

authorize the user to perform one or more actions via the display upon confirming the user'"'"'s identity; and

modifying an opacity of the display to preserve security of information presented on the display to the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify one or more regions on the display where secure information is presented and modify the regions to render the regions substantially opaque while the secure information is presented.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit is configured to render the entire display substantially opaque when the user'"'"'s identify is associated with a predetermined threshold security authorization to protect secure information subsequently presented on the display.

21-50. -50. (canceled)