USER AUTHENTICATION USING IRIS SECTOR

1 . A method for performing iris authentication for a user comprising:

capturing an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region;

identifying a plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image;

determining a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the iris region;

selecting one or more sectors from the plurality of sectors of the iris region based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the iris region, the selected one or more sectors being fewer in number than the plurality of sectors of the iris region; and

comparing the selected one or more sectors to one or more registered iris data records.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the selected one or more sectors to the one or more registered iris data records comprises:

comparing sector identifier(s) of the selected one or more sectors to sector identifier(s) of sectors of irises associated with the one or more registered iris data records.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising

responsive to detecting a match of sector identifier(s) between the selected one or more sectors and at least one registered iris data record, comparing computer vision (CV) features of the selected one or more sectors of the iris region to CV features of the at least one registered iris data record.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more registered iris data records comprises a shortened data record generated based on one or more sectors from a plurality of sectors of an iris region of a registered user.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector is generated using CV features computed for the each sector.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector comprises a count of number of CV features computed for the each sector.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector comprises a measure of density of CV features computed for the each sector.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the each sector of the plurality of sectors has a shape of an annulus segment.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the each sector of the plurality of sectors has a shape of a rectangle.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors cover less than the entirety of the iris region.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors include overlapping sectors.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors include sectors of different sizes.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors of the iris region is identified using a facial feature of the user as a reference point.

14 . A method for performing iris authentication for a user comprising:

capturing an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region;

identifying a first plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image, the first plurality of sectors corresponding to a first size or size range;

identifying a second plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image, the second plurality of sectors corresponding to a second size or size range smaller than the first size or size range;

determining a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the first plurality of sectors;

selecting one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the first plurality of sectors;

comparing the selected one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records;

responsive to detecting a match based on comparing the selected one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records,

determining a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the second plurality of sectors;

selecting one or more sectors from the second plurality of sectors based on the determined measure of distinctiveness of the each sector of the second plurality of sectors; and

comparing the selected one or more sectors from the second plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records.

15 . An apparatus for performing iris authentication for a user comprising:

one or more image sensors configured to capture an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region; and

one or more processing units configured to:

identify a plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image;

determine a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the iris region;

select one or more sectors from the plurality of sectors of the iris region based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the iris region, the selected one or more sectors being fewer in number than the plurality of sectors of the iris region; and

compare the selected one or more sectors of the iris region to one or more registered iris data records.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processing units are configured to compare the selected one or more sectors of the iris region to the one or more registered iris data records by:

comparing sector identifier(s) of the selected one or more sectors of the iris region to sector identifier(s) of sectors of irises associated with the one or more registered iris data records.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to:

responsive to detecting a match of sector identifier(s) between the selected one or more sectors and at least one registered iris data record, compare computer vision (CV) features of the selected one or more sectors of the iris region to CV features of the at least one registered iris data record.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more registered iris data records comprises a shortened data record generated based on one or more sectors from a plurality of sectors of an iris region of a registered user.

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more image sensors comprise an image sensor in a visual sensor system, and the one or more processing units comprise a dedicated processing unit in the visual sensor system.

20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector is generated using CV features computed for the each sector, the determined measure of distinctiveness comprising a count of number of CV features computed for the each sector.

21 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector is generated using CV features computed for the each sector, the determined measure of distinctiveness comprising a measure of density of CV features computed for the each sector.

22 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the each sector of the plurality of sectors has a shape of an annulus segment.

23 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the each sector of the plurality of sectors has a shape of a rectangle.

24 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sectors cover less than the entirety of the iris region.

25 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sectors include overlapping sectors.

26 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sectors include sectors of different sizes.

27 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sectors of the iris region is identified using a facial feature of the user as a reference point.

28 . An apparatus for performing iris authentication for a user comprising:

one or more image sensors configured to capture an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region; and

one or more processing units configured to:

identify a first plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image, the first plurality of sectors corresponding to a first size or size range;

identify a second plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image, the second plurality of sectors corresponding to a second size or size range smaller than the first size or size range;

determine a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the first plurality of sectors;

select one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the first plurality of sectors; and

compare the selected one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records;

wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to, responsive to detecting a match based on comparing the selected one or more sectors from the first plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records:

determine a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the second plurality of sectors;

select one or more sectors from the second plurality of sectors based on the determined measure of distinctiveness of the each sector of the second plurality of sectors; and

compare the selected one or more sectors from the second plurality of sectors to one or more registered data records.

29 . A system for performing iris authentication for a user comprising:

means for capturing an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region;

means for identifying a plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image;

means for determining a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the iris region;

means for selecting one or more sectors from the plurality of sectors of the iris region based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the iris region, the selected one or more sectors being fewer in number than the plurality of sectors of the iris region; and

means for comparing the selected one or more sectors to one or more registered iris data records.

30 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions therein for execution by one or more processing units, comprising instructions to:

capture an image of an eye of the user, the image including an iris region;

identify a plurality of sectors of the iris region within the image;

determine a measure of distinctiveness for each sector of the iris region;

select one or more sectors from the plurality of sectors of the iris region based on the determined measure of distinctiveness for the each sector of the iris region, the selected one or more sectors being fewer in number than the plurality of sectors of the iris region; and

compare the selected one or more sectors to one or more registered iris data records.