Controlled access to functionality of a wireless device
Various embodiments of the invention may be used to verify that a person being authorized by biometric techniques to use a device is a living person and not some form of recording intended to spoof the system. Some embodiments may try to cause a change in a measured biometric feature, and compare images taken before and after the change to verify the change occurred. In some embodiments, multiple stages of verification may be used, either to increase the difficulty of spoofing the security system, or to provide different levels of security for different levels of access to the device's functionality.
1. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors;
a touchscreen coupled to the one or more processors;
a camera coupled to the one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory machine-readable media comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a request to access at least part of the apparatus's functionality;
perform face authentication based on a first input from the camera, to determine if a person attempting to access the at least part of the functionality has been approved to do so;
perform liveness verification, based on a second input from the camera, to determine whether the second input is from a living person corresponding to the person; and
grant access to the at least part of the functionality only if both the face authentication and the liveness verification are successful;
the liveness verification to:
prompt the person to blink; and
use the camera to take a picture of at least a part of a face of the person.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-transitory machine-readable media further comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to prompt the person via text directions on the touchscreen.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the prompt is to request rotation of a head of the person.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-transitory machine-readable media further comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive the request after the apparatus has entered a low power mode.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-transitory machine-readable media comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide different levels of security.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-transitory machine-readable media comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide different levels of access to the functionality.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a request to conduct a financial transaction.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a radio for wireless communications.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a sensor to sense movement.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera is to take a still picture.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera is to take a moving picture.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the picture comprises a frame from a moving picture.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a handheld user device.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a phone.
15. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed enable a system to:
receive a request to access at least part of functionality of the system;
perform face authentication based on a first input from a camera, to determine if a person attempting to access the at least part of the functionality has been approved to do so;
perform liveness verification, based on a second input from the camera, to determine whether the second input is from a living person corresponding to the person; and
grant access to the at least part of the functionality only if both the face authentication and the liveness verification are successful;
the liveness verification to:
prompt the person to blink; and
use the camera to take a picture of at least a part of a face of the person.
16. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to prompt the person via text directions on a touchscreen.
17. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to provide different levels of security and different levels of access to the functionality of the system.
18. A wireless device comprising:
a processor;
a touch-sensitive display screen adapted on a first side of the wireless device;
a camera having a lens adapted on the first side of the wireless device;
at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed enable the wireless device to:
receive a request to access at least a portion of functionality of the wireless device;
perform face authentication based on a first input from the camera, to determine if a person attempting to access the at least portion of the functionality has been approved to do so;
perform liveness verification, based on a second input from the camera, to determine whether the second input is from a living person corresponding to the person; and
grant access to the at least portion of the functionality only if both the face authentication and the liveness verification are successful;
the liveness verification to:
prompt the person to blink; and
use the camera to take a picture of at least a part of a face of the person.
19. The wireless device of claim 18 , wherein the wireless device comprises a phone.
20. The wireless device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one non-transitory comprises readable storage medium comprises a flash memory.