GAIT-BASED AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM

• US 20130200996A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonomous ID Canada Inc
• Original Assignee: Autonomous ID Canada Inc
• Inventors: Gray, Todd D., Valiyani, Sameer, Polotski, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/00 Comparing elements, i.e. elements for effecting comparison directly or indirectly between a desired value and existing or anticipated values
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/25 Recognition of walking or running movements, e.g. gait recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

Systems and methods for authenticating users based on their gait. A sensor module with multiple sensors is placed inside a user'"'"'s shoe and biometric data is gathered from the sensors when the user takes a step. The data gathered from each of the sensors is then received by a data processing module. The data is processed and compared with a stored signature from an authenticated user. If the processed data does not match the stored signature within predetermined limits, then the user using the system is not authenticated. An alarm may then be generated. If, on the other hand, there is a match, the user is authenticated and this authenticated result can be used to give the user access to restricted resources.

Claims

1. A method for determining if a user of a device is an authenticated user, said device having a plurality of sensors for biometric data, the method comprising:

a) selecting two of said plurality of sensors

b) gathering data from each sensor selected in step a)

c) correlating data gathered from said two sensors such that data points gathered at similar instances are matched with one another to result in data pairs

d) determining at least one characteristic loop from said data pairs, each characteristic loop being a loop formed when said data point pairs are plotted

e) retrieving signature characteristic data, said signature characteristic data being derived from data resulting from biometric data from said authenticated user

f) determining a signature characteristic loop from said signature characteristic data

g) comparing characteristics of said at least one characteristic loop determined in step d) with characteristics of said signature characteristic loop determined in step f)

h) in the event a comparison of said characteristics compared in step g) produces results not within predetermined limits, determining that said user is not said authenticated user

i) in the event a comparison of said characteristics compared in step g) produces results within predetermined limits, determining that said user is said authenticated user.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said device is an insole for gathering data regarding an individual'"'"'s gait.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein step d) comprises determining multiple characteristic loops using multiple sets of data gathered from sensors selected in step a) and averaging said multiple characteristic loops to result in an average loop.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said average loop is compared to said signature characteristic loop in step f)

5. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of applying a filter to data gathered from said sensors prior to producing said data point pairs.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said characteristic compared in step f) includes at least one of:

a length of said loops

a width of said loops

an angle of said loops with a given axis

a direction of propagation of said loops

an area of said loops

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein said insole is removable from a shoe worn by a user.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein said user is granted access to restricted resources in the event said user is said authenticated user.

8. A system for authenticating a user of said system, the system comprising:

a sensor module comprising at least one sensor for gathering gait-based biometric data from said user

a data storage module for storing data relating to a signature loop, said signature loop being a loop resulting from a plot of data pairs derived from data gathered from said sensor module when an authenticated user used said system

a data processing module for receiving data from said sensor module, said data processing module being for determining characteristic loops from said data received from said sensor module and for comparing characteristics of said characteristic loops with characteristics of said signature loop

wherein

said user is authenticated when said characteristics of said characteristic loops are within predetermined limits of said characteristics of said signature loops.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said sensor module comprises an insole for use with said user'"'"'s shoe.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one sensor detects and measures a force applied to said sensor module by a foot of a user as said user is walking.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said at least one sensor detects and measures at least one of roll, pitch, or yaw of a user'"'"'s foot as said user is walking.

12. A system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one sensor detects a force applied to different areas of said sensor module by said user'"'"'s foot as said user is walking.

13. A system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, each sensor being for detecting and measuring an amount of force applied to different areas of said sensor module by said user'"'"'s foot.

14. A system according to claim 9 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a strain gauge configured and adapted to measure forces applied to different areas of said insole by said user'"'"'s foot.

15. A system according to claim 9 wherein said insole is removable from a user'"'"'s shoe.

17. A system according to claim 8 wherein said user is granted access to restricted resources in the event said user is authenticated.