Granted Patent B2

US 12,669,918 · App. 18/638,256 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Inventors: Benjamin J. Pope (Woodside, CA); Daniel W. Jarvis (Sunnyvale, CA); Nicholas G. Merz (Menlo Park, CA); Scott A. Myers (Saratoga, CA); Michael A. Cretella (San Jose, CA); Michael Eng (San Jose, CA); James H. Foster (Oxford, GB); Terry L. Gilton (Cupertino, CA); Myra Haggerty (San Mateo, CA); Byron B. Han (San Jose, CA); M. Evans Hankey (San Francisco, CA); Steven P. Hotelling (Santa Cruz, CA); Brian R. Land (Woodside, CA); Stephen Brian Lynch (Portola Valley, CA); Paul Meade (Los Alto Hills, CA); Mushtaq A. Sarwar (Santa Clara, CA); John P. Ternus (Los Altos Hills, CA); Paul M. Thompson (San Jose, CA); Marcel Van Os (Santa Cruz, CA); John A. Wright (Hillsboro, IL)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F3/0484A63F13/2145A63F13/218A63F13/42A63F13/537A63F13/837G06F1/1626G06F1/1671G06F1/169G06F3/0481G06F3/0488G06F3/04883G06F3/04897G06V40/12G06F3/1431G06F2200/1614

Abstract

Claims (111)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a display;

a fingerprint sensor;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

obtaining fingerprint-verification criteria associated with a first user for controlling verification of fingerprints, including:

receiving a criteria-adjustment input from the first user indicating a modification to a set of criteria of the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to receiving the criteria-adjustment input, replacing one or more criteria of the set of criteria with corresponding modified criteria in the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

detecting a first input corresponding to a first application, wherein the first application is associated with a first restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the first input; and

determining first fingerprint-verification information for the first input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the first input and fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

in response to detecting the first input:

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, performing the first restricted operation for the first application; and

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, forgoing performing the first restricted operation for the first application;

detecting a second input corresponding to a second application, wherein the second application is associated with a second restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the second input;

determining second fingerprint-verification information for the second input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the second input and the fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to detecting the second input;

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, performing the second restricted operation for the second application; and

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, forgoing performing the second restricted operation for the second application.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the same fingerprint-verification criteria is used to process fingerprints for multiple different respective inputs.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes information identifying a matching fingerprint determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein respective operation-specific authorization criteria are met when the matching fingerprint is a fingerprint associated with a user authorized to perform a respective restricted operation.

5 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein determining the respective fingerprint verification information includes:

identifying minutia points in a respective input;

comparing the minutia points identified in the respective input with minutia points in a plurality of candidate fingerprints; and

selecting a respective candidate fingerprint with a highest number of matching minutia points as the matching fingerprint.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes:

information identifying a best matching fingerprint of a plurality of previously registered fingerprints, wherein the best matching fingerprint is identified in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria; and

a fingerprint match confidence value indicative of a confidence of a match between a respective input and the best matching fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint match confidence value is determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein respective operation-specific authorization criteria are met when:

the best matching fingerprint is associated with a user authorized to perform the respective restricted operation; and

the confidence value is above a confidence threshold associated with the respective restricted operation.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein:

the first restricted operation is associated with a first confidence threshold; and the second restricted operation is associated with a second confidence threshold different from the first confidence threshold.

9 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein determining the respective fingerprint verification information includes:

identifying minutia points in the respective input;

comparing the minutia points identified in the respective input with minutia points in a plurality of candidate fingerprints; and

selecting a respective candidate fingerprint with a highest number of matching minutia points as the best matching fingerprint.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that a first number of minutia points in the respective input match corresponding minutia points in the best matching fingerprint, assigning a first confidence value to the best matching fingerprint; and

in accordance with a determination that a second number of minutia points in the respective input match corresponding minutia points in the best matching fingerprint, assigning a second confidence value to the best matching fingerprint, wherein:

the second number of minutia points is greater than the first number of minutia points; and

the second confidence value indicates a closer match between the respective input and the best matching fingerprint than is indicated by the first confidence value.

11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a physical button;

the device determines respective fingerprint-verification information in response to detecting respective fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor; and

the device performs a respective restricted operation in response to detecting activation of the physical button.

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display and a fingerprint sensor, the one or more programs including instructions for:

obtaining fingerprint-verification criteria associated with a first user for controlling verification of fingerprints, including:

receiving a criteria-adjustment input from the first user indicating a modification to a set of criteria of the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to receiving the criteria-adjustment input, replacing one or more criteria of the set of criteria with corresponding modified criteria in the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

detecting a first input corresponding to a first application, wherein the first application is associated with a first restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the first input; and

determining first fingerprint-verification information for the first input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the first input and fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

in response to detecting the first input:

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, performing the first restricted operation for the first application; and

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, forgoing performing the first restricted operation for the first application;

detecting a second input corresponding to a second application, wherein the second application is associated with a second restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the second input;

determining second fingerprint-verification information for the second input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the second input and the fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to detecting the second input;

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, performing the second restricted operation for the second application; and

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, forgoing performing the second restricted operation for the second application.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the same fingerprint-verification criteria is used to process fingerprints for multiple different respective inputs.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes information identifying a matching fingerprint determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes:

information identifying a best matching fingerprint of a plurality of previously registered fingerprints, wherein the best matching fingerprint is identified in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria; and

a fingerprint match confidence value indicative of a confidence of a match between a respective input and the best matching fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint match confidence value is determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a physical button;

the device determines respective fingerprint-verification information in response to detecting respective fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor; and

the device performs a respective restricted operation in response to detecting activation of the physical button.

17 . A method, comprising:

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

obtaining fingerprint-verification criteria associated with a first user for controlling verification of fingerprints, including:

receiving a criteria-adjustment input from the first user indicating a modification to a set of criteria of the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to receiving the criteria-adjustment input, replacing one or more criteria of the set of criteria with corresponding modified criteria in the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

detecting a first input corresponding to a first application, wherein the first application is associated with a first restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the first input; and

determining first fingerprint-verification information for the first input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the first input and fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user;

in response to detecting the first input:

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, performing the first restricted operation for the first application; and

in accordance with a determination that the first fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the first restricted operation, forgoing performing the first restricted operation for the first application;

detecting a second input corresponding to a second application, wherein the second application is associated with a second restricted operation;

identifying fingerprint features of the second input;

determining second fingerprint-verification information for the second input based at least in part on:

a comparison between the fingerprint features of the second input and the fingerprint features of one or more previously registered fingerprints of the first user; and

the fingerprint-verification criteria associated with the first user; and

in response to detecting the second input;

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information meets authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, performing the second restricted operation for the second application; and

in accordance with a determination that the second fingerprint-verification information does not meet the authorization criteria for the second restricted operation, forgoing performing the second restricted operation for the second application.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the same fingerprint-verification criteria is used to process fingerprints for multiple different respective inputs.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes information identifying a matching fingerprint determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein respective fingerprint-verification information includes:

information identifying a best matching fingerprint of a plurality of previously registered fingerprints, wherein the best matching fingerprint is identified in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria; and

a fingerprint match confidence value indicative of a confidence of a match between a respective input and the best matching fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint match confidence value is determined in accordance with the fingerprint-verification criteria.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the fingerprint sensor is integrated into a physical button;

the device determines respective fingerprint-verification information in response to detecting respective fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor; and

the device performs a respective restricted operation in response to detecting activation of the physical button.

Continuity (6)

References Cited (400)