GESTURE AUTHENTICATION USING A SMART RING

1 . A method performed by a smart ring for enabling multi-factor authentication, the method comprising:

performing a first authentication operation by:

collecting, by one or more sensors of the smart ring, body movement representing a candidate movement, wherein the candidate movement corresponds to ring movement while a candidate is wearing the smart ring;

comparing, by a processor in the smart ring, the candidate movement to a known authentication movement for a known user to determine whether the candidate movement corresponds to the known authentication movement;

when the candidate movement is determined to correspond to the known authentication movement, generating, by the processor in the smart ring, a first signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon a first authentication factor; and

transmitting the first signal to a second device, wherein the second device controls access to a resource;

performing a second authentication operation by:

detecting, by the one or more sensors of the smart ring, contact between the smart ring and a component external to the smart ring, wherein the contact, as detected, represents a second authentication factor;

in response to detecting the contact between the smart ring and the component, generating, by the processor in the smart ring, a second signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon the second authentication factor; and

transmitting the second signal to the second device; and

when the second device receives the first signal and the second signal, causing the second device to grant the candidate access to the resource.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource performs a cryptographic operation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is a physical resource.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the known authentication movement is a user gait.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

collecting, by the one or more sensors of the smart ring, initial body movement of the known user while the smart ring is operating in an enrollment mode; and

determining the known authentication movement for the known user based at least in part upon the initial body movement.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the known authentication movement is at least one of a wave, a thumbs-up, a pointing, or a sequence of taps.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting the contact comprises:

detecting the contact between the smart ring and the component external to the smart ring while the candidate is wearing the smart ring.

8 . A smart ring for enabling multi-factor authentication, the smart ring comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by a user;

one or more sensors included in the housing; and

a processor included in the housing and configured to:

perform a first authentication operation by:

collecting, by the one or more sensors of the smart ring, body movement representing a candidate movement, wherein the candidate movement corresponds to ring movement while a candidate is wearing the smart ring;

comparing, by a processor in the smart ring, the candidate movement to a known authentication movement for a known user to determine whether the candidate movement corresponds to the known authentication movement;

when the candidate movement is determined to correspond to the known authentication movement, generating, by the processor in the smart ring, a first signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon a first authentication factor; and

transmitting the first signal to a second device, wherein the second device controls access to a resource;

perform a second authentication operation by:

detecting, by the one or more sensors of the smart ring, contact between the smart ring and a component external to the smart ring, wherein the contact, as detected, represents a second authentication factor;

in response to detecting the contact between the smart ring and the component, generating, by the processor in the smart ring, a second signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon the second authentication factor; and

transmitting the second signal to the second device; and

when the second device receives the first signal and the second signal, cause the second device to grant the candidate access to the resource.

9 . The smart ring of claim 8 , wherein the resource performs a cryptographic operation.

10 . The smart ring of claim 8 , wherein the resource is a physical resource.

11 . The smart ring of claim 8 , wherein the known authentication movement is a user gait.

12 . The smart ring of claim 8 , further comprising:

collecting, by the one or more sensors of the smart ring, initial body movement of the known user while the smart ring is operating in an enrollment mode; and

determining the known authentication movement for the known user based at least in part upon the initial body movement.

13 . The smart ring of claim 8 , wherein the known authentication movement is at least one of a wave, a thumbs-up, a pointing, or a sequence of taps.

14 . The smart ring of claim 8 , wherein:

detecting the contact between the smart ring and the component external to the smart ring while the candidate is wearing the smart ring.

15 . A smart ring for enabling multi-factor authentication, the smart ring comprising:

a means for housing configured to be worn by a user;

one or more means for sensing included in the means for housing; and

a means for processing included in the means for housing and configured to:

perform a first authentication operation by:

collecting, by the one or more of the means for sensing of the smart ring, body movement representing a candidate movement, wherein the candidate movement corresponds to ring movement while a candidate is wearing the smart ring;

comparing, by the means for processing in the smart ring, the candidate movement to a known authentication movement for a known user to determine whether the candidate movement corresponds to the known authentication movement;

when the candidate movement is determined to correspond to the known authentication movement, generating, by the means for processing in the smart ring, a first signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon a first authentication factor; and

transmitting the first signal to a means for controlling access to a resource;

perform a second authentication operation by:

detecting, by the one or more of the means for sensing of the smart ring, contact between the smart ring and a component external to the smart ring, wherein the contact, as detected, represents a second authentication factor;

in response to detecting the contact between the smart ring and the component, generating, by the means for processing in the smart ring, a second signal indicating that the candidate has been authenticated as the known user based at least in part upon the second authentication factor; and

transmitting the second signal to the means for controlling access to the resource; and

when a second device receives the first signal and the second signal, cause the means for controlling access to the resource to grant the candidate access to the resource.

16 . The smart ring of claim 15 , wherein the means for controlling access to the resource controls access to a cryptographic operation.

17 . The smart ring of claim 15 , wherein the means for controlling access to the resource controls access to a physical resource.

18 . The smart ring of claim 15 , wherein the known authentication movement is a user gait.

19 . The smart ring of claim 15 , further comprising:

collecting, by the one or more means for sensing of the smart ring, initial body movement of the known user while the smart ring is operating in an enrollment mode; and

determining the known authentication movement for the known user based at least in part upon the initial body movement.

20 . The smart ring of claim 15 , wherein the known authentication movement is at least one of a wave, a thumbs-up, a pointing, or a sequence of taps.