Device configuration for multiple users using remote user biometrics

• US 9,600,304 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: DiVincent, Michael, Hollopeter, Nicole J., Caballero, Ruben
• Primary Examiner(s): HERZOG, MADHURI R
• Application Number:
  US14/161,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1- 7, 726 16- 21, 726 26- 33, 713182-186
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• 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: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

An electronic device receives data associated with at least one biometric detected by a sensor of a remote control device. The biometric may be at least one fingerprint, retinal scan, facial image, and/or any other biometric. A profile for a user associated with the data is determined out of a number of possible profiles based on the data. The electronic device is then configured in one or more ways according to the determined user profile. Such configuration may include any way that the electronic device may be personalized and/or otherwise altered. In this way, an electronic device may provide a personalized experience for a number of different users without burdening and/or annoying the respective users.

Claims

1. A system for configuring electronic devices based on remotely received user biometrics, comprising:

at least one remote control device, comprising;

at least one sensor that detects at least one biometric; and

at least one electronic device that is configured to receive at least one instruction from the at least one remote control device;

wherein;

the at least one electronic device receives data associated with the at least one biometric, determines the data associated with the at least one biometric is not recognized, polls devices to identify devices used by a user on a local network to recognize the data associated with the biometric, receives information from one of the devices that recognizes the data associated with the at least one biometric, and configures the at least one electronic device according to a profile that is associated with the information out of a plurality of possible profiles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one touch sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one biometric comprises at least one fingerprint.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device receives additional data associated with the at least one additional biometric, determines an additional profile that is associated with the additional data out of the plurality of possible profiles, and reconfigures the at least one electronic device according to the additional profile.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one electronic device comprises at least one of providing access to at least one file, providing access to at least one application, preventing access to the at least one file, preventing access to the at least one application, altering the presentation of at least one user interface, enabling at least one hardware component, enabling at least one software component, disabling the at least one hardware component, disabling the at least one software component, altering a way with which the at least one user interface is interacted with, modifying at least one presentation setting, altering functionality of the at least one hardware component, altering functionality of the at least one software component, organizing storage of the at least one file, or organizing storage of the at least one application.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device reconfigures the at least one electronic device according to an additional profile out of the plurality of possible profiles upon the occurrence of at least one reconfiguration event.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one reconfiguration event comprises the expiration of at least one timer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the at least one biometric comprises at least one of the at least one biometric, at least one hash value derived from the at least one biometric, or at least one identifier associated with the at least one biometric.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional electronic device wherein the at least one remote control device transmits biometric information regarding the at least one biometric to the at least one additional electronic device, receives the data in response from the at least one additional electronic device, and transmits the data to the at least one electronic device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional electronic device wherein the at least one electronic device transmits biometric information regarding the at least one biometric received from the at least one remote control device to the at least one additional electronic device and receives the data in response from the at least one additional electronic device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote control device transmits the data to the at least one electronic device only if the at least one remote control device recognizes the at least one biometric.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one electronic device comprises configuring at least one of at least one favorite, at least one contact, at least one calendar entry, at least one datebook entry, or at least one email database entry.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one electronic device comprises configuring at least one recommendation provided by the at least one electronic device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of possible profiles includes at least one of at least one generic profile that is not associated with a particular user or at least one default profile.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote control device transmits at least one instruction to at least one additional electronic device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device receives at least one request for at least one operation that is not permitted according to the profile, prompts for entry of at least one additional biometric associated with an additional profile according to which the at least one operation is permitted, and permits the at least one operation if additional data associated with the at least one additional biometric is received.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the at least one electronic device comprises configuring automatic user authentication for at least one service that is utilizable via the at least one electronic device by providing authentication information to a provider of the at least one service;

and

wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of an application service account, a video or music download account, or a video or music on demand account.

18. An electronic device that is configured to receive an instruction from a remote control device, comprising:

a communication component that receives data associated with a biometric detected by sensor of the remote control;

a non-transitory storage medium; and

a processing unit that;

determines the data associated with the biometric is not recognized;

polls devices to identify devices used by a user, and on a local network, to recognize the data associated with the biometric;

receives information from one of the devices that recognizes the data associated with the biometric; and

configures the electronic device according to the information.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a communication component that is configured to receive an instruction from a remote control device;

a non-transitory storage medium; and

a processing unit that;

receives data associated with a biometric detected by a sensor of the remote control device;

determines the data associated with the biometric is not recognized;

polls devices to identify devices used by a user on a local network to recognize the data associated with the biometric;

receives information from one of the devices that recognizes the data associated with the biometric; and

configures the electronic device according to the information.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the biometric is a sequence of biometrics and each of the sequence of biometrics are a same type of biometric.