Systems and methods for controlling access to media content by detecting one or more user fingerprints

• US 8,408,456 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/566,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/375, 235/382.5, 235/472.01, 382/124, 382/127
• US Class Current: 235/382
• 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 configured to transmit to, communicate with, and receive a signal or data stream containing a media content instance from, a media content provider; 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, each of said control surfaces selectively transmitting a fingerprint of a finger touching said control surface to said input device;

wherein said input device is configured to acquire an image of a fingerprint of a finger touching one of said control surfaces, to determine a command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces, allow a pre-determined time period to pass after acquiring said fingerprint image before acquiring a subsequent fingerprint image, and cause said processing subsystem to execute, within said pre-determined time period, said command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces in accordance with a user profile that corresponds to said acquired fingerprint image;

wherein said input device includes at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem configured to acquire said image of said fingerprint of said finger touching said one of said control surfaces, analyze a quality of said fingerprint image acquired based at least in part on whether said quality is acceptable for a particular application associated with said one of said control surfaces through which said fingerprint image was acquired to determine whether said fingerprint image is acceptable for further processing and adjust settings and reacquire said fingerprint image if said fingerprint image is unacceptable for further processing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device is further configured to acquire said subsequent image of a fingerprint of a finger touching another of said control surfaces, to determine a command corresponding to said 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 subsequent 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 at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem comprises a distinct fingerprint scanning subsystem for each of a plurality of said control surfaces.

7. The system of claim 1, 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.

8. The system of claim 7, 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.

9. The system of claim 1, 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.

10. 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.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said at least one setting comprises a whitelist specifying at least one accessible media content instance, wherein only media content instances specified by the whitelist are accessible.

12. The system of claim 1, the user profile causing execution of the command in accordance with criteria selected from the group of criteria consisting of (a) permitting the user access to the media content instance, (b) restricting the user from accessing the media content instance, (c) providing a customized display of the media content instance and (d) providing a customized program guide.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a media content processing subsystem configured to transmit to, communicate with, and receive a signal or data stream containing a media content instance from, a media content provider;

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

at least one fingerprint scanning subsystem;

a plurality of control surfaces each configured to cause said transmitter to transmit at least one command to said processing subsystem, each of said control surfaces selectively transmitting a fingerprint of a finger touching said control surface to said input device; and

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, analyze a quality of said fingerprint image acquired to determine whether said fingerprint image is acceptable for further processing based at least in part on whether the quality is acceptable for a particular application associated with the one of the control surfaces through which the fingerprint image was acquired, adjust settings and reacquire said fingerprint image if said fingerprint image is unacceptable for further processing, and allow a pre-determined time period to pass after acquiring said fingerprint image before acquiring a subsequent fingerprint image; and

wherein said transmitter is configured to determine a command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces, and cause said processing subsystem to execute said command, within said pre-determined time period, 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 said subsequent image of a fingerprint of a finger touching another of said control surfaces, and said transmitter is further configured to 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 subsequent 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 a whitelist specifying at least one accessible media content instance, wherein only media content instances specified by the whitelist are accessible.

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 media content processor that is configured to provide access to at least one media content instance through transmission to, communication with, and reception of a signal or data stream from, a media content provider, wherein said input device can acquire a fingerprint of a finger touching each of said plurality of control surfaces;

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

analyzing a quality of said fingerprint image acquired to determine whether said fingerprint image is acceptable for further processing based at least in part on whether the quality is acceptable for a particular application associated with the one of the control surfaces through which the fingerprint image was acquired;

adjusting at least one setting and reacquiring said fingerprint image if said fingerprint image is unacceptable for further processing;

allowing a pre-determined time period to pass after acquiring said fingerprint image before acquiring a subsequent fingerprint image;

determining a command corresponding to said one of said control surfaces; and

executing a command, within said pre-determined time period, 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.