Automatic configuration of devices based on biometric data

• US 8,027,518 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Alles, David Sebastien, Roup, Oliver R., Holmdahl, Todd E., Baker, Nicholas R., Wong, Curtis G., Drucker, Steven, Alkove, James M., Allard, James E., Finger, James C., Sloo, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire; Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US11/767,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.52, 340/825.69, 382/115
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can obtain biometric data from a user as the user interacts with a device. Based upon the obtained biometric data, the architecture can determine an identity of the user and automatically apply settings associated with that particular user to the device. The settings can relate to a physical configuration of the device (or aspects, features, and/or peripherals of the device), as well as to a data set employed by the device (or components of the device). As such, a user of the device can benefit from enhanced efficiency, utility, and/or convenience.

Claims

1. A system operatively coupled to a device, the system automatically configures the device based on identity detection, comprising:

an intelligence component that selects a type of verifiable identification input based upon a size of a set of potential users or based upon a uniqueness of the verifiable identification input with respect to the set of potential users;

an identity component that determines an identity of a user of a device based upon the verifiable identification input associated with the user; and

a configuration component that retrieves settings associated with the user and applies the settings to the device; and

wherein the intelligence component automatically infers the settings associated with the user based on a probabilistic or statistical-based analysis of user information stored in a data store.

2. The system of claim 1, the verifiable identification input is a biometric of the user of the device.

3. The system of claim 2, the biometric is at least one of a fingerprint, a hand geometry, a hand vein pattern, a palm pattern, a grip configuration or dynamic, a hand thermogram, or a keystroke dynamic.

4. The system of claim 2, the biometric is at least one of a facial thermogram, a facial feature, a retinal feature, or an iris feature.

5. The system of claim 2, the biometric is at least one of a voice pattern, an odor or pheromone, a sweat pore or salivary excretion, a heart rate, a blood pressure, or DNA.

6. The system of claim 1, the device is at least one of a game controller, media player, camera, or key fob.

7. The system of claim 1, the device is an input or output device configured to provide virtual reality (VR) overlays and the device is at least one of an earpiece, a headset, or an eyepiece.

8. The system of claim 1, the device is a controller device.

9. The system of claim 1, the settings are associated with a physical configuration of the device.

10. The system of claim 1, the settings are associated with a data set employed by the device.

11. The system of claim 1, the intelligence component selects the type of verifiable identification input based upon features included with the device.

12. The system of claim 1, the configuration component retrieves the settings from a data store that is remote from the device.

13. A method for configuring a device based upon detecting identity, comprising:

inferring a type of biometric to employ for determining an identity of a user of the device based on universality, uniqueness, and permanence of the biometric;

receiving the biometric from the user of the device;

employing the biometric for determining the identity of the user of the device; and

applying a configuration to the device based upon settings associated with the user of the device, the settings associated with the user of the device are automatically inferred based on a probabilistic or statistical-based analysis of user information stored in a data store.

14. The method of claim 13, the act of applying relates to a physical configuration of the device.

15. The method of claim 13, the act of applying relates to a multimedia library employed by the device.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

retrieving the settings from a local data store that is local to the device;

or

retrieving the settings from a remote data store that is remote from the device.

17. The method of claim 13, universality comprises how common it is for the biometric to be extant in one or more given users, uniqueness comprises how distinguishing the biometric is between various users, and permanence comprises how well the biometric withstands change over time.

18. A method for modifying an arrangement associated with a device in accordance with an identity of a user of the device, the method comprising:

obtaining multiple types of biometrics from the user of the device;

selecting a one of the multiple types of biometrics for establishing the identity of the user of the device, the selecting based on a size of a set of potential users and a uniqueness of the selected biometric with respect to the set of potential users;

utilizing the selected biometric for establishing the identity of the user of the device; and

adapting the device in accordance with settings associated with the user of the device, the settings associated with the user of the device are automatically inferred based on a probabilistic and statistical-based analysis of user information stored in a data store.