IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,250,795

Granted Patent B2

US 9,250,795 · App. 14/142,661 · Granted Feb 2, 2016

Embedded authentication systems in an electronic device

Inventors: Anthony Fadell (Portola Valley, CA); Andrew Hodge (Palo Alto, CA); Stephan Schell (Cupertino, CA); Ruben Caballero (San Jose, CA); Jesse Lee Dorogusker (Los Altos, CA); Stephen Zadesky (Portola Valley, CA); Emery Sanford (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F3/0488 G06F3/04883 G06F21/316 G06F21/32 G06F21/36 G06K9/00013 H04L63/08 H04L63/0861 H04L63/104

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,250,795
App. No.: 14/142,661
Granted: Feb 2, 2016
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).

Claims (87)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a fingerprint sensor; one or more processors; memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for

displaying, on the display, a respective user interface that includes an obscured version of first information;

while displaying the obscured version of the first information on the display, detecting a finger input on the fingerprint sensor; and

in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

in accordance with a determination that the finger input includes a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with an unobscured version of the first information; and

in accordance with a determination that the finger input does not include a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, maintaining display of the obscured version of the first information on the display.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

prior to displaying the respective user interface, receiving a request to display the respective user interface; and

in response to receiving the request, displaying the respective user interface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, while displaying the obscured version of the first information, displaying unobscured text in the respective user interface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a plurality of separate information items that include obscured text.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a blurred version of corresponding unobscured information.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the respective user interface is a user interface for displaying information about personal contacts of a user of the device; and

replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with the unobscured version of the first information includes providing access to the information about the personal contacts.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, prior to detecting the finger input, displaying a notice instructing the user to authenticate before accessing the unobscured version of the first information.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the notice includes displayed instructions for the user to place a fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

prior to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor, one or more respective objects in the respective user interface are not selectable; and

the one or more programs include instructions for, in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

in accordance with the determination that the finger input includes a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of the authorized user, enabling selection of the one or more respective objects; and

in accordance with the determination that the finger input does not include a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, forgoing enabling selection of the one or more respective objects.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a button on the device.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a blurred version of the first information.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a hidden version of the first information.

14. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a fingerprint sensor and a display:

displaying, on the display, a respective user interface that includes an obscured version of first information;

while displaying the obscured version of the first information on the display, detecting a finger input on the fingerprint sensor; and

in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

prior to displaying the respective user interface, receiving a request to display the respective user interface; and

in response to receiving the request, displaying the respective user interface.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

while displaying the obscured version of the first information, displaying unobscured text in the respective user interface.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a plurality of separate information items that include obscured text.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a blurred version of corresponding unobscured information.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the respective user interface is a user interface for displaying information about personal contacts of a user of the device; and

replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with the unobscured version of the first information includes providing access to the information about the personal contacts.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

prior to detecting the finger input, displaying a notice instructing the user to authenticate before accessing the unobscured version of the first information.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the notice includes displayed instructions for the user to place a fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

prior to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor, one or more respective objects in the respective user interface are not selectable; and the method further comprises:

in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

in accordance with the determination that the finger input includes a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of the authorized user, enabling selection of the one or more respective objects; and

23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a button on the device.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a blurred version of the first information.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a hidden version of the first information.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display and a fingerprint sensor, cause the device to:

display, on the display, a respective user interface that includes an obscured version of first information;

while displaying the obscured version of the first information on the display, detect a finger input on the fingerprint sensor; and

in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

in accordance with a determination that the finger input includes a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, replace display of the obscured version of the first information with an unobscured version of the first information; and

in accordance with a determination that the finger input does not include a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, maintain display of the obscured version of the first information on the display.

28. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, further cause the device to:

prior to displaying the respective user interface, receive a request to display the respective user interface; and

in response to receiving the request, display the respective user interface.

29. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, further cause the device to:

while displaying the obscured version of the first information, display unobscured text in the respective user interface.

30. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a plurality of separate information items that include obscured text.

31. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the obscured version of the first information includes a blurred version of corresponding unobscured information.

32. The medium of claim 27 , wherein:

the respective user interface is a user interface for displaying information about personal contacts of a user of the device; and

replacing display of the obscured version of the first information with the unobscured version of the first information includes providing access to the information about the personal contacts.

33. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, further cause the device to:

prior to detecting the finger input, display a notice instructing the user to authenticate before accessing the unobscured version of the first information.

34. The medium of claim 33 , wherein the notice includes displayed instructions for the user to place a fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor.

35. The medium of claim 27 , wherein:

prior to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor, one or more respective objects in the respective user interface are not selectable; and

the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, further cause the device to:

in response to detecting the finger input on the fingerprint sensor:

in accordance with the determination that the finger input includes a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of the authorized user, enable selection of the one or more respective objects; and

in accordance with the determination that the finger input does not include a fingerprint that matches a fingerprint of an authorized user, forgo enabling selection of the one or more respective objects.

36. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a button on the device.

37. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display.

38. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a blurred version of the first information.

39. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the obscured version of the first information is a hidden version of the first information.

Continuity (3)

Continuation 12207374 · Sep 9, 2008

Provisional Application 60995200 · Sep 24, 2007

Related Publication 20140112555A1 · Apr 24, 2014