SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SECURE FACE AUTHENTICATION

1 . A first device for authenticating a user using facial recognition for a second device, the first device comprising:

a memory; and

a processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the second device, and a camera, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive a reference facial image of the user from the second device;

receive a first facial image of the user from the camera;

perform facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image; and

send an indication to the second device indicative of whether the first facial image was a match for the reference facial image; and

wherein the first device is configured to operate without an operating system.

2 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image independent of the second device.

3 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the second device is inoperable for the user until the user is authenticated based on the indication.

4 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the facial recognition before a booting process of the second device.

5 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to periodically perform the facial recognition after the booting process of the second device.

6 . The first device of claim 1 :

wherein the first facial image comprises an image of the user in a raw Bayer format; and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image, both in the raw Bayer format.

7 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the second device is at least one of: a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, an automobile, or a key fob for an automobile.

8 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry comprises a convolution neural network (CNN) configured to perform the facial recognition.

9 . The first device of claim 8 :

wherein the CNN is configured to be trained for facial recognition in an initial training mode; and

wherein the CNN is configured to perform the facial recognition in an inference mode following the training mode.

10 . The first device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more tamper resistant features.

11 . A system comprising:

the first device of claim 1 ; and

the second device of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises:

a motherboard including a basic input/output system (BIOS) circuitry; and

the camera;

wherein the first device is integrated in the second device between the BIOS circuitry and the motherboard;

wherein the processing circuitry of the first device is configured to:

receive, via encrypted communications, the reference facial image of the user from the BIOS circuitry; and

send, via encrypted communications, the indication to the BIOS circuitry indicative of whether the first facial image was a match for the reference facial image.

12 . The system of claim 11 :

wherein either of the first device or the BIOS circuitry determines whether the match was sufficient to authenticate the user.

13 . The system of claim 11 :

wherein the second device comprises an operating system; and

wherein the first device is configured to operate independent of the operating system of the second device.

14 . A method for a first device to authenticate a user of a second device using facial recognition, comprising:

operating the first device without an operating system;

receiving a reference facial image of the user from the second device;

receiving a first facial image of the user from a camera;

performing facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image; and

sending an indication to the second device indicative of whether the first facial image was a match for the reference facial image.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the performing facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image is performed independent of the second device.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second device is inoperable for the user until the user is authenticated based on the indication.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the performing facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image is performed before a booting process of the second device.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising periodically performing the facial recognition after the booting process of the second device.

19 . The method of claim 14 :

wherein the first facial image comprises an image of the user in a raw Bayer format;

wherein the reference facial image comprises an image of the user in a raw Bayer format; and

wherein the performing the facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image comprises performing the facial recognition using the first facial image and the reference facial image, where both images are in the raw Bayer format.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second device is at least one of: a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, an automobile, or a key fob for an automobile.

21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first device comprises a convolution neural network (CNN) for performing the facial recognition.

22 . The method of claim 21 :

wherein the CNN is configured to be trained for facial recognition in an initial training mode; and

wherein the CNN is configured to perform the facial recognition in an inference mode following the training mode.

23 . A computing device comprising:

an operating system;

a camera configured to capture a facial image of a user; and

a secure facial recognition circuitry coupled to the camera and configured to perform facial recognition using the facial image and a reference facial image, wherein the facial recognition is performed independent from the operating system.