Method and apparatus for eye-scan authentication using a liquid lens

• US 8,971,590 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Britz, David Michael, Miller, II, Robert Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): MARIAM, DANIEL G
• Application Number:
  US14/283,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/117
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• 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: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing authentication using an adaptive liquid lens are disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, the method receives a request for authentication from a mobile endpoint device of a user, wherein the request comprises a first retinal image of the user captured using an adaptive liquid lens of the mobile endpoint device. The method obtains a second retinal image of the user, wherein the second retinal image is a stored retinal image of the user. The method authenticates the first retinal image against the second retinal image. In another embodiment, the method captures a first retinal image of a user via a mobile endpoint device of the user, wherein the mobile endpoint device comprises an adaptive liquid lens. The method then sends a request for authentication from the mobile endpoint device over a network, wherein the request comprises the first retinal image.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating a first retinal image, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a request for authentication from a mobile endpoint device of a user over a network, wherein the request comprises the first retinal image of the user captured using an adaptive liquid lens and a second lens of the mobile endpoint device, wherein the first retinal image of the user comprises a near-field image;

obtaining a second retinal image of the user, wherein the second retinal image is a stored retinal image of the user;

authenticating the first retinal image against the second retinal image; and

forwarding authentication information of the user to a third party merchant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a positive response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication is successful; and

providing a negative response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication has failed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second lens comprises a fixed camera lens, wherein the adaptive liquid lens and the fixed camera lens are used to perform near field imaging.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile endpoint device comprises a mobile phone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user is a subscriber of a network service provided by a service provider of the network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the authenticating is performed by the service provider.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the authenticating is performed by a third party.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile endpoint device uses infrared radiation for illumination of a retina of the user in capturing the first retinal image.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for authenticating a first retinal image, the operations comprising:

receiving a request for authentication from a mobile endpoint device of a user over a network, wherein the request comprises the first retinal image of the user captured using an adaptive liquid lens and a second lens of the mobile endpoint device, wherein the first retinal image of the user comprises a near-field image;

obtaining a second retinal image of the user, wherein the second retinal image is a stored retinal image of the user;

authenticating the first retinal image against the second retinal image; and

forwarding authentication information of the user to a third party merchant.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a positive response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication is successful; and

providing a negative response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication has failed.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second lens comprises a fixed camera lens, wherein the adaptive liquid lens and the fixed camera lens are used to perform near field imaging.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the mobile endpoint device comprises a mobile phone.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the user is a subscriber of a network service provided by a service provider of the network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the authenticating is performed by the service provider.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the authenticating is performed by a third party.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the mobile endpoint device uses infrared radiation for illumination of a retina of the user in capturing the first retinal image.

17. A method for authenticating a first retinal image, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a request for authentication from a mobile endpoint device of a user over a network, wherein the request comprises the first retinal image of the user captured using an adaptive liquid lens and a second lens of the mobile endpoint device, wherein the first retinal image of the user comprises a near-field image;

obtaining, by the processor, a second retinal image of the user, wherein the second retinal image is a stored retinal image of the user;

authenticating, by the processor, the first retinal image against the second retinal image; and

forwarding, by the processor, authentication information of the user to a third party merchant.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing, by the processor, a positive response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication is successful; and

providing, by the processor, a negative response to the mobile endpoint device when the request for authentication has failed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the user is a subscriber of a network service provided by a service provider of the network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authenticating is performed by the service provider.