Method and apparatus using biometric sensors for controlling access to a wireless communication device

• US 7,088,220 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/600,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.54, 340/5.8, 340/5.74, 340/5.82, 455/411, 455/563, 713/186, 382/115, 382/116, 704/273
• US Class Current: 340/5.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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 9/3231 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data

Abstract

A wireless communication device (300) and corresponding system therein uses a plurality of biometric sensors (206, 208, 210) for assessing the identity of a user requesting access to a feature or service provided via the wireless communication device (300). A method comprises collecting (410) a biometric sample from one of the sensors and enabling the feature or service (414) when the sample matches a known sample (412) corresponding to the user. Preferably a sensor will be selected, based on evaluating whether a corresponding predetermined condition exists (406), from a list of the plurality of sensors that is prioritized according to accuracy and ease of use of the sensor.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device arranged and constructed to enable a function when an identity of a user is confirmed, the wireless communication device comprising:

a plurality of biometric devices, each of the plurality of biometric devices for assessing the identity of the user, and

a controller, coupled to the plurality of biometric devices, for selecting one of the plurality of biometric devices when a corresponding predetermined condition is present,

wherein the corresponding predetermined condition comprises one of a time of day, a date, an interval, and situation circumstances and wherein the situation circumstances comprise one of ambient light, temperature, and ambient noise and a corresponding biometric sensor comprises, respectively, a camera, a skin sensor, and a microphone;

wherein the controller enables the function when the identity of the user is confirmed by the one of the plurality of biometric devices.

2. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein;

the function comprises one of access to the wireless communication device, a feature, a content, an application, and a service provided by the wireless communication device.

3. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of biometric devices comprises a sensor for one of fingerprint recognition, hand recognition, retinal scan, iris recognition, signature recognition, face recognition, and voice recognition.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the user may override the controller selection of one of the plurality of biometric devices and select a second biometric device to confirm the identity of the user.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 where the one of the plurality of biometric devices is selected from a list that is arranged hierarchically according to a characteristic of the each of the plurality of biometric devices.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7 wherein the characteristic for arranging the list is one of an ease of confirming the identity of the user and a reliability of confirming the identity of the user.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

a keypad for entering a password when none of the plurality of biometric sensors is selected,

wherein the controller is operable to enable the function when the password matches a known password.

4. A wireless communication device arranged and constructed to enable a function when an identity of a user is confirmed, the wireless communication device comprising:

a plurality of biometric devices, each of the plurality of biometric devices for assessing the identity of the user; and

a controller, coupled to the plurality of biometric devices, for selecting one of the plurality of biometric devices when a corresponding predetermined condition is present;

wherein the controller enables the function when the identity of the user is confirmed by the one of the plurality of biometric devices;

wherein a first biometric device has a higher reliability in assessing the identity of the user and is selected when the corresponding predetermined condition indicates a suitable operating environment.

6. A wireless communication device arranged and constructed to enable a function when an identity of a user is confirmed, the wireless communication device comprising:

a plurality of biometric devices, each of the plurality of biometric devices for assessing the identity of the user; and

a controller, coupled to the plurality of biometric devices, for selecting one of the plurality of biometric devices when a corresponding predetermined condition is present;

wherein the controller enables the function when the identity of the user is confirmed by the one of the plurality of biometric devices and wherein the controller is operable to limit a number of times a second biometric device may be used to confirm the identity of the user before a first biometric device must be used to confirm the identity of the user.

10. A system for authorizing the use of a feature on a wireless communication device comprising:

a plurality of biometric sensors, each for collecting a sample corresponding to a user biometric; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of biometric sensors for;

collecting a first sample from one of the plurality of biometric sensors, the one of the plurality of biometric sensors selected when a corresponding predetermined condition is present; and

authorizing the use of the feature when the first sample corresponds to a known sample, wherein a first biometric sensor must be used to authorize the use of the feature after a predetermined number of consecutive uses of a second biometric sensor to authorize the use of the feature.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the one of the plurality of biometric sensors comprises a sensor for recognition of one of a fingerprint, a hand, a retina, an iris, a signature, a face, and a voice.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising a biometric sensor selected by the controller according to the corresponding predetermined condition and an other biometric sensor selected by the user, wherein the user overrides the controller and the first sample is collected from the other sensor.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the feature comprises one of a local function supported on the wireless communication device and a remote function accessed via a network.

14. A method for enabling a feature on a wireless communication device comprising:

collecting a biometric sample corresponding to a user from one of a plurality of biometric sensors, the one of the plurality of biometric sensors selected when a corresponding predetermined condition is present; and

enabling the feature when the biometric sample corresponds to a known sample,

wherein the collecting further comprises;

selecting a first biometric sensor when a predetermined condition is present, the predetermined condition indicating a suitable operating environment for the first biometric sensor, thereby resulting in more accuracy when matching the biometric sample to the known sample.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein collecting the biometric sample further comprises:

evaluating the predetermined condition corresponding to one of the plurality of biometric sensors;

selecting one of the plurality of biometric sensors when the predetermined condition exists; and

collecting the biometric sample using the one of the plurality of biometric sensors.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein enabling the feature further comprises:

enabling the use of the feature using one of a password and a token when the predetermined condition is not present.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the using the token further comprises using one of a smart card, a magnetic stripe card, a radio frequency tag and a key.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the collecting further comprises:

selecting the one of the plurality of biometric sensors using a preferred order corresponding to one of accuracy of collecting the biometric sample and ease of collecting the biometric sample.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined condition includes an uncertainty parameter for selecting a second biometric sensor even when all other of a plurality of predetermined conditions are present.