Biometric apparatus and method for touch-sensitive devices

Abstract

A touch sensor is configured to sense a contact event occurring between a body part of a user and the touch sensor. The touch sensor is configured to produce contact data in response to the sensed contact event. A processor is coupled to the touch sensor and memory. The processor is configured to store in the memory a sequence of data frames each comprising contact data associated with a different portion of the user's body part. The processor is further configured to generate biometric signature data using the sequence of data frames.

1 . A method, comprising:
 sensing a contact event occurring between a body part of a user and a touch sensor;   storing, for the contact event, a sequence of data frames each comprising contact data associated with a different portion of the user's body part; and   generating biometric signature data using the sequence of data frames.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the data frames comprises spatial dimensions corresponding to the geometry of a portion of the user's body part. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of data frames defines a time-dependent pattern of geometry for different portions of the user's body part. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of data frames comprises a sequence of geometric images for the contact event. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the data frames comprises:
 an involuntary spatial component associated with a contact pattern that evolves during the contact event; and   an involuntary time component associated with the manner in which the contact pattern changes over time during the contact event.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring pressure exerted at different locations of the touch sensor by the user's body part during the contact event; and   generating the biometric signature data using the sequence of data frames and the measured pressure.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event other than a synchronous clock signal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event, the triggering event comprising exceeding a predetermined total mass count threshold, the total mass count corresponding to an area of the touch screen covered by a portion of the body part at a particular time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event, the triggering event comprising filling of a designated segment of the touch sensor to a predetermined level. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric signature data is generated during an enrollment process, and the method further comprises:
 sensing a subsequent contact event occurring between the body part of the user and the same or different touch sensor;   storing, for the subsequent contact event, a sequence of subsequent data frames each comprising contact data associated with a different portion of the user's body part;   generating a contact pattern using the subsequent sequence of data frames; and   validating or invalidating the contact pattern using the biometric signature data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to performing a user-selected function, verifying the biometric signature data of the user; and   performing the user-selected function only upon successful verification of the biometric signature data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a mobile electronic device. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a touch sensor configured to sense a contact event occurring between a body part of a user and the touch sensor, the touch sensor configured to produce contact data in response to the sensed contact event; and   a processor coupled to the touch sensor and memory, the processor configured to store in the memory a sequence of data frames each comprising contact data associated with a different portion of the user's body part, the processor further configured to generate biometric signature data using the sequence of data frames.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the data frames comprises spatial dimensions corresponding to the geometry of a portion of the user's body part. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sequence of data frames defines:
 a time-dependent pattern of geometry for different portions of the user's body part; or   a sequence of geometric images for the contact event.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the data frames comprises:
 an involuntary spatial component associated with a contact pattern that evolves during the contact event; and   an involuntary time component associated with the manner in which the contact pattern changes over time during the contact event.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure resulting from the contact event, the processor further configured to measure pressure exerted at different locations of the touch sensor by the user's body part during the contact event and generate the biometric signature data using the sequence of data frames and the measured pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event other than a synchronous clock signal. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event, the triggering event comprising exceeding a predetermined total mass count threshold, the total mass count corresponding to an area of the touch screen covered by a portion of the body part at a particular time. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each frame of data is captured in response to a triggering event, the triggering event comprising filling of a designated segment of the touch sensor to a predetermined level. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled)