System and method for providing secure access to an electronic device using continuous facial biometrics
First Claim
1. A facial biometric recognition system for providing security for an electronic device comprising:
- 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 first facial biometric image data after a first user authentication using a password entered using a keyboard associated with the electronic device;
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;
granting the user operational access to the electronic device;
updating the database with second facial biometric image data that is more recent in time than the first facial biometric image data if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user provides a second user authentication by entry of a password entered on the keyboard;
identifying prominent facial features of the user; and
tracking the prominent facial features when physically moving about the field of view of the digital camera for providing continuous user authentication.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
63 Claims
-
1. A facial biometric recognition system for providing security for an electronic device comprising:
-
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 first facial biometric image data after a first user authentication using a password entered using a keyboard associated with the electronic device; 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; granting the user operational access to the electronic device; updating the database with second facial biometric image data that is more recent in time than the first facial biometric image data if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user provides a second user authentication by entry of a password entered on the keyboard; identifying prominent facial features of the user; and tracking the prominent facial features when physically moving about the field of view of the digital camera for providing continuous user authentication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for providing security for an electronic device using facial biometric information comprising the steps of:
-
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 using a first user authentication by using at least one password entered using a keyboard associated with the electronic device; 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 using a second user authentication by entry of at least one password entered on the keyboard; 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 disabling utility of the electronic device if no user authentication is made within a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A system for providing electronic biometric security for an electronic device comprising:
-
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 first password; storing information in the database from at least one real-time digital image of an authenticated user; utilizing a previously authenticated image in the database if the real-time digital images stored over a series of frames in a memory cannot be used to provide authentication of the user; 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 continuous authentication; and continuing user access to the electronic device as long as the user remains authenticated. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. An electronic device using facial biometric security for providing access to the electronic device comprising:
-
a digital camera for providing a plurality of real-time user images; a database for storing at least one of the plurality of user images after the user has entered first valid authentication credentials such that a biometric image that has been stored the longest time and has resulted in the least success in authentication is the first replaced; 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; utilizing a previously authenticated image in the database if the real-time digital images stored over a series of frames in memory cannot be used to provide authentication of the user; 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 continuous authentication without comparing user images. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A method for providing security for a user of a personal computer (PC) using facial biometrics comprising the steps of:
-
receiving from a digital camera a plurality of substantially real-time facial biometric images of a user stored in memory; manually entering first authentication credentials using a password entered using a keyboard 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 using second authentication credentials entered using a password entered with the keyboard; replacing a biometric image in the memory from one in the database that has been stored the longest time and has resulted in the least success in authentication; identifying prominent facial features of the user; tracking the prominent facial features for providing substantially continuous authentication while the user remains 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. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:
-
using a plurality of facial biometric images provided from a digital imaging device input into a memory; utilizing at least one processor for authenticating the identity of the user using a first user authentication having a password entered from a keyboard; storing digital imaging information about the user in a database; 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 by comparing a real-time image from the digital camera with one stored in the database and updating the database with a new image if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user is later authenticated using a second user authentication entered using a password on the keyboard; replacing a biometric image in the memory from one in the database that has been stored the longest time and has resulted in the least success in authentication; and disabling utility of the electronic device if no user authentication is made within a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
-
Specification