Electronic device switchable to a user-interface unlocked mode based upon spoof detection and related methods

• US 9,471,764 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Coons, David D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Luu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Jahangir
• Application Number:
  US13/553,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1- 5, 726/16, 726 26- 30, 716/4, 716/16, 716/17, 716/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1382 Detecting the live character of the finger, i.e. distinguishing from a fake or cadaver finger

Abstract

An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor and a processor being switchable between a user-interface locked mode and a user-interface unlocked mode. The processor may cooperate with the finger biometric sensor to acquire spoof detection data based upon an object being placed adjacent the finger biometric sensor, and determine whether the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger. The processor may also switch from the user-interface locked mode to the user-interface unlocked mode when the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger, and cooperate with the finger biometric sensor to acquire biometric matching data. The processor may further perform finger matching based upon the acquired biometric matching data and stored biometric enrollment data.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a finger biometric sensor; and

a processor configured to

cooperate with said finger biometric sensor to acquire spoof detection data based upon an object being placed adjacent said finger biometric sensor,

determine whether the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger based upon at least one of complex impedance data, spatial alignment data, and light polarization data,

maintain a user-interface locked mode upon determining that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a spoof,

switch from the user-interface locked mode to a user-interface unlocked mode upon determining that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger, the user-interface locked mode permitting limited functionality while the electronic device remains locked,

subsequent to the switching, cooperate with said finger biometric sensor to acquire biometric matching data of a user,

perform finger matching based upon the acquired biometric matching data and stored biometric enrollment data, and

enable at least one additional function of the electronic device upon determining that the biometric matching data of the user matches the stored biometric enrollment data.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the acquired biometric data comprises acquired fingerprint data, and wherein the stored biometric enrollment data comprises stored fingerprint data.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a user input device coupled to said processor;

and wherein said processor, when in the user-interface unlocked mode, is to perform a corresponding device function responsive to said user input device.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 wherein said user input device comprises a finger-operated input device carrying said finger biometric sensor.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a finger-operated input device carrying said finger biometric sensor;

and wherein said processor is further configured to switch from the user-interface locked mode to the user-interface unlocked mode further based upon operation of said finger-operated input device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said finger biometric sensor is responsive to at least one of static contact and sliding contact.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled to said processor.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a finger biometric sensor carried by said housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing;

a user input device carried by said housing; and

a processor coupled to said wireless transceiver and said user input device, and configured to

cooperate with said finger biometric sensor to acquire spoof detection data based upon an object being placed adjacent said finger biometric sensor,

determining whether the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger based upon at least one of complex impedance data, spatial alignment data, and light polarization data,

maintain a user-interface locked mode upon determining that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a spoof,

switch from the user-interface locked mode to a user-interface unlocked mode upon determining that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger, the user-interface locked mode permitting limited functionality while the electronic device remains locked,

perform a corresponding device function responsive to said user input device when in the user-interface unlocked mode,

subsequent to the switching, cooperate with said finger biometric sensor to acquire biometric matching data of a user,

perform finger matching based upon the acquired biometric matching data and stored biometric enrollment, and

enable at least one additional function of the electronic device upon determining that the biometric matching data of the user matches the stored biometric enrollment data.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8 wherein the acquired biometric data comprises acquired fingerprint data, and wherein the stored biometric enrollment data comprises stored fingerprint data.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8 wherein said user input device comprises a finger-operated input device carrying said finger biometric sensor.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to switch from the user-interface locked mode to the user-interface unlocked mode further based upon operation of said finger-operated input device.

12. A method of switching using an electronic device comprising a finger biometric sensor and a processor coupled thereto, the method comprising:

cooperating, using the processor, with the finger biometric sensor to acquire spoof detection data based upon an object being placed adjacent to the finger biometric sensor;

determining, using the processor, whether the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger based upon at least one of complex impedance data, spatial alignment data, and light polarization data;

maintaining a user-interface locked mode upon determining, using the processor, that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a spoof;

switching from the user-interface locked mode to a user-interface unlocked mode upon determining, using the processor, that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger, the user-interface locked mode permitting limited functionality while the electronic device remains locked;

subsequent to the switching, cooperating, using the processor, with the finger biometric sensor to acquire biometric matching data of a user;

performing, using the processor, finger matching based upon the acquired biometric matching data and stored biometric enrollment data; and

enabling, using the processor, at least one additional function of the electronic device upon determining that the biometric matching data of the user matches the stored biometric enrollment data.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the acquired biometric data comprises acquired fingerprint data, and wherein the stored biometric enrollment data comprises stored fingerprint data.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising using the processor, when in the user-interface unlocked mode, to perform a corresponding device function responsive to a user input device.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the user input device comprises a finger-operated input device carrying the finger biometric sensor.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the processor switches from the user-interface locked mode to the user-interface unlocked mode further based upon operation of a finger-operated input device carrying the finger biometric sensor.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium for an electronic device comprising a finger biometric sensor and a processor coupled thereto, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a processor coupled to a finger biometric sensor to perform operations comprising:

cooperating with the finger biometric sensor to acquire spoof detection data based upon an object being placed adjacent to the finger biometric sensor;

determining whether the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger based upon at least one of complex impedance data, spatial alignment data, and light polarization data;

maintaining a user-interface locked mode upon determining, using the processor, that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a spoof;

switching from the user-interface locked mode to a user-interface unlocked mode upon determining that the acquired spoof detection data is representative of a live finger, the user-interface locked mode permitting limited functionality while the electronic device remains locked;

subsequent to the switching, cooperating with the finger biometric sensor to acquire biometric matching data of a user;

performing finger matching based upon the acquired biometric matching data and stored biometric enrollment data; and

enabling at least one additional function of the electronic device upon determining that the biometric matching data of the user matches the stored biometric enrollment data.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the acquired biometric data comprises acquired fingerprint data, and wherein the stored biometric enrollment data comprises stored fingerprint data.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to perform, when in the user-interface unlocked mode, a corresponding device function responsive to a user input device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the user input device comprises a finger-operated input device carrying the finger biometric sensor.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to switch from the user-interface locked mode to the user-interface unlocked mode further based upon operation of a finger-operated input device carrying the finger biometric sensor.