METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
First Claim
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1. A method of carrying out biometric authentication of a speaker, the method comprising:
- receiving a voice data signal comprising data corresponding to a voice of the speaker;
performing a biometric authentication algorithm on the voice data signal, the biometric authentication algorithm comprising a comparison of one or more features in the voice data signal with one or more stored templates corresponding to a voice of an authorised user, and being configured to generate a biometric authentication score;
receiving a control signal comprising an indication of one or more of a false acceptance rate and a false rejection rate;
determining one or more thresholds based on the one or more of the false acceptance rate and the false rejection rate; and
comparing the biometric authentication score with the one or more threshold values to determine whether the speaker corresponds to the authorised user.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus in which a biometric authentication score generated as the result of a biometric authentication algorithm is compared to a threshold value that can be dynamically varied as required to provide a variable level of security. For example, the threshold value may be varied in dependence on the semantic content of a voice signal, and/or the context in which the voice signal was acquired. Authentication of the signal may be initiated in parallel with speech recognition, such that the appropriate threshold value is only determined after authentication has already begun.
39 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of carrying out biometric authentication of a speaker, the method comprising:
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receiving a voice data signal comprising data corresponding to a voice of the speaker; performing a biometric authentication algorithm on the voice data signal, the biometric authentication algorithm comprising a comparison of one or more features in the voice data signal with one or more stored templates corresponding to a voice of an authorised user, and being configured to generate a biometric authentication score; receiving a control signal comprising an indication of one or more of a false acceptance rate and a false rejection rate; determining one or more thresholds based on the one or more of the false acceptance rate and the false rejection rate; and comparing the biometric authentication score with the one or more threshold values to determine whether the speaker corresponds to the authorised user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A biometric authentication system for authentication of a speaker, comprising:
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a biometric signal processor, configured to perform a biometric authentication algorithm on a voice data signal, the voice data signal comprising data corresponding to a voice of the speaker, the biometric authentication algorithm comprising a comparison of one or more features in the voice data signal with one or more stored templates corresponding to a voice of an authorised user, and being configured to generate a biometric authentication score; an input, configured to receive a control signal comprising an indication of one or more of a false acceptance rate and a false rejection rate; logic circuitry configured to determine the one or more threshold values based on the one or more of the false acceptance rate and the false rejection rate; and comparison logic, for comparing the biometric authentication score with the one or more thresholds to determine whether the speaker corresponds to the authorised user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method in an electronic device, comprising:
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acquiring a voice data signal corresponding to a voice of a user of the electronic device; initiating a speech recognition algorithm to determine a content of the voice data signal; determining a security level associated with the content of the voice data signal; determining a context of the electronic device when the voice data signal was acquired; and providing an indication of one or more thresholds to a biometric authentication system, for use in determining whether the user is an authorised user of the electronic device, wherein the indication of one or more thresholds is determined in dependence on the security level associated with the content and the context of the electronic device when the voice data signal was acquired, and wherein the context is determined in dependence on one or more of;
a geographical location of the electronic device;
a velocity of the electronic device;
an acceleration of the electronic device;
a level of noise in the voice data signal;
one or more peripheral devices to which the electronic device is connected; and
one or more networks to which the electronic device is connected. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A signal processor, for use in an electronic device, the signal processor comprising:
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an input, configured to receive a voice data signal corresponding to a voice of a user of the electronic device; a speech recognition interface, for initiating a speech recognition algorithm to determine a content of the voice data signal; logic circuitry, for determining a security level associated with the content of the voice data signal, and for determining a context of the electronic device when the voice data signal was acquired; and an output interface, for providing an indication of one or more thresholds to a biometric authentication system, for use in determining whether the user is an authorised user of the electronic device, wherein the indication of one or more thresholds is determined in dependence on the security level associated with the content and the context of the electronic device when the voice data signal was acquired, and wherein the context is determined in dependence on one or more of;
a geographical location of the electronic device;
a velocity of the electronic device;
an acceleration of the electronic device;
a level of noise in the voice data signal;
one or more peripheral devices to which the electronic device is connected; and
one or more networks to which the electronic device is connected. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification