System and method for providing secure access to an electronic device using facial biometrics

• US 20060288234A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensible Vision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sensible Vision Incorporated
• Inventors: Brostoff, George, Azar, Cyrus
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2139 Recurrent verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/772 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. averaging or distorting patterns; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• 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: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

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.

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;

at least one processor associated with the electronic device for comparing the plurality of facial biometric images to biometric image data stored in a database; and

wherein the plurality of facial biometric images are continuously compared to those stored in the database for providing substantially continuous authentication when the user physically moves about the field of view.

2. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein the electronic device tracks facial movement of the user while providing the plurality of real-time facial biometric images.

3. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of facial biometric images are in substantially real time.

4. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of facial biometric images include time stamps.

5. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein the database is created using the plurality of real-time facial biometric images after the user has been authenticated using authentication credentials.

6. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 5, wherein the authentication credentials include both a user name and password.

7. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 5, wherein the authentication credentials include other forms of biometric authentication.

8. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein a previously stored image is used in the at least one processor if current facial biometric images cannot be used to provide authentication of the user.

9. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein a second password is used before using a previously stored image.

10. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein a display of the electronic device is disabled when no authentication is made between the real time facial biometric images and those stored in the database.

11. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 10, wherein disablement of the display is delayed for a predetermined time period if use of a peripheral device has been detected.

12. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is one from the group of a mouse, keyboard or touch screen.

13. A facial biometric recognition system as in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one from the group of personal computer, personal digital assistant, mobile telephone or gaming device.

14. A method for providing security for an electronic device using facial biometric information comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of facial biometric images from a digital imaging device;

comparing the facial biometric images from the digital imaging device to facial biometric images previously stored in a database;

providing a continuous user authentication between the facial biometric images from the camera and those stored in the database;

disabling utility of the device if no comparison is made within a predetermined time period; and

re-enabling utility of the device when a comparison is again authenticated.

15. A method for providing security as in claim 14, wherein the facial biometric images from the camera are provided in substantially in real time.

16. A method for providing security as in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

programmatically identifying the facial features of the user by the digital imaging device.

17. A method for providing security as in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

automatically enrolling a user in the database based on the plurality of real-time facial biometric images.

18. A method for providing security as in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

accessing the electronic device by manually entering first authentication credentials; and

creating the database using the plurality of facial biometric images from the digital imaging device after the electronic device has been accessed.

19. A method for providing security as in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

providing a time stamp for each of the real-time facial biometric images.

20. A method for providing facial biometric security as in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a facial biometric image stored in the database having an earlier time stamp; and

updating the database with the biometric image having the earlier time stamp if the real-time facial biometric images cannot be used to authenticate a user within a predetermined time period.

21. A method for providing facial biometric security as in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

utilizing second authentication credentials independent of the first authentication credentials before updating the database.

22. A method for providing security as in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

delaying the step of disabling if any activity is detected from a peripheral device.

23. A method for providing security as in claim 22, wherein the peripheral device is one from the group of keyboard, mouse and touch screen.

24. A method for providing security for a personal computer (PC) using facial biometrics comprising the steps of:

receiving from a digital camera associated with the PC a plurality of substantially real-time facial biometric images of a user;

comparing at least one of the plurality of facial biometric images from the digital camera to facial biometric images stored in a database;

manually entering first authentication credentials into the PC;

enrolling the user with at least one first stored image into the database if the first authentication credentials are valid; and

continuously authenticating a user using the facial biometric images from the digital camera and the at least one first stored image.

25. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 24, wherein the PC tracks movement of the user'"'"'s face.

26. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

updating the database with a second stored image if no authentication between the facial biometric image from the digital camera and the at least one first stored image is achieved within a predetermined time period.

27. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

updating the at least one first stored image in the database after manually entering second authentication credentials into the PC.

28. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

disabling a predetermined functionality of the PC if authentication has not been achieved within a predetermined time period.

29. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 28, wherein the step of disabling includes providing a substantially non-functional display.

30. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 28, further comprising the step of:

delaying disablement of the display if use of a peripheral device associated with the PC is detected.

31. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 30, wherein the peripheral device is a keyboard.

32. A method for providing security for a PC as in claim 30, wherein the peripheral device is a mouse.

33. A system for providing electronic biometric security for an electronic device comprising:

a camera for providing a plurality of time stamped digital images;

a database for storing at least one first image of the plurality of time stamped images;

a microprocessor for comparing the plurality of digital images from the camera and the at least one first image in the database for providing user authentication; and

wherein the database is updated with at least one second image having a time stamp before the at least one first image if the user has not been authenticated within a predetermined time period.

34. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 33, wherein the face of the user is detected for providing authentication.

35. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 33, wherein the user is automatically enrolled in the database when entering valid authentication credentials to the electronic device.

36. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 33, wherein the electronic device is disabled if authentication is not achieved within a predetermined time period.

37. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 36, wherein the electronic device is disabled by providing a substantially non-functional display.

38. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 37, wherein disablement of the device is delayed for a predetermined time period if the user of a peripheral device associated with the electronic device is detected.

39. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 38, wherein the peripheral device includes one from the group of a mouse, keyboard or touch screen.

40. A system for providing electronic security as in claim 33, wherein the electronic device is one from the group of personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular telephone or gaming device.

41. An electronic device using facial biometric security for providing access comprising:

a digital camera for providing a plurality of user images;

a memory for storing at least one of the plurality of user images;

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 at least one of the plurality of user images is automatically stored in the memory after the user has entered valid authentication credentials.

42. An electronic device as in claim 41, wherein the user'"'"'s face is tracked during movement.

43. An electronic device using facial biometric security as in claim 41, wherein the plurality of user images include time stamps.

44. An electronic device as in claim 43, wherein the memory is updated with the user image having a previous time stamp if the user is not authenticated within a predetermined time period and is validated using authentication credentials.

45. An electronic device as in claim 44, wherein the authentication credentials include at least one password.

46. An electronic device as in claim 41, wherein the functionality of the device is disabled if the user is not authenticated within a predetermined time period.

47. An electronic device as in claim 46, wherein disablement is delayed if a peripheral device associated with the electronic device is detected as in use.

48. An electronic device as in claim 47, wherein the peripheral device is one from the group of mouse, keyboard or touch screen.

49. An electronic device as in claim 41, wherein the electronic device is one of a personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular telephone or gaming device.