US2019065918A1PendingUtilityA1

Fingerprint authorisable device

40
Assignee: ZWIPE ASPriority: Mar 2, 2016Filed: Mar 1, 2017Published: Feb 28, 2019
Est. expiryMar 2, 2036(~9.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Kim Kristian Humborstad
G06K 19/0718G06F 21/32G06K 19/0719G06F 3/0488
40
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Claims

Abstract

A fingerprint authorisable device may include a fingerprint sensor for obtaining fingerprint data from a user's finger or thumb, and a control system for controlling the device. The control system may be arranged to provide access to one or more functions of the device in response to identification of an authorised fingerprint and the control system further may include a fingerprint failure feature in which a non-fingerprint authorisation can act to at least partially replace the fingerprint authorisation such that the control system may be arranged to provide access to at least some of the one or more functions of the device when a user is identified via the non-fingerprint authorisation. The non-fingerprint authorisation may require an interaction with the fingerprint authorisable device by the user, the interaction including one or more action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
I claim: 
     
         1 . A fingerprint authorisable device comprising:
 a fingerprint sensor for obtaining fingerprint data from a user's finger or thumb, and a control system for controlling the device;   wherein the control system is arranged to provide access to one or more functions of the device in response to identification of an authorised fingerprint,   wherein the control system further includes a fingerprint failure feature in which a non-fingerprint authorisation can act to at least partially replace the fingerprint authorisation such that the control system is arranged to provide access to at least some of the one or more functions of the device when a user is identified via the non-fingerprint authorisation, and   wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation requires an interaction with the fingerprint authorisable device by the user, the interaction including one or more action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor.   
     
     
         2 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor include one or more of a stationary contact with the sensor, a moving contact with the sensor, a time period of contact with the sensor, a direction of movement of contact with the sensor, a number of contacts with the sensor, or a time period where there is no contact with the sensor. 
     
     
         3 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation requires a combination of different actions. 
     
     
         4 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the action(s) include a sequence with parallel and/or perpendicular movements, or more complex movements defined by the user, such as a rotating contact or a circular movement. 
     
     
         5 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the actions detected by the fingerprint sensor include a time period of one or more contacts, a number of contacts and/or the spacing in between contacts. 
     
     
         6 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control system is arranged to enrol an authorised user by obtaining fingerprint data via the fingerprint sensor. 
     
     
         7 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control system has an enrolment mode in which a user may enrol their fingerprint via the fingerprint sensor with the fingerprint data generated during enrolment being stored on the memory, and wherein the control system is arranged to prompt the user for enrolment of a non-fingerprint authorisation code in addition to fingerprint enrolment and/or in the event of a failure to enrol the user. 
     
     
         8 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device is a portable device 
     
     
         9 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device is a smartcard. 
     
     
         10 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device is a fingerprint authorisable RFID card. 
     
     
         11 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device is a single-purpose device. 
     
     
         12 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation includes interactions with the fingerprint sensor and interactions with one or more further sensor such as one or more button, capacitive sensor or accelerometer, for example. 
     
     
         13 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an accelerometer for sensing movements of the device, wherein the control system is arranged to identify movements of the device based on the output of the accelerometer, and wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation includes a combination of one or more action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor as well as a movement sensed by the accelerometer. 
     
     
         14 . A fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor are able to prompt the control system to switch between different modes of multiple operating modes of the device. 
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling a fingerprint authorisable device having a fingerprint sensor for obtaining fingerprint data from a user's finger or thumb, and a control system for controlling the device; the method comprising:
 providing access to one or more functions of the device in response to identification of an authorised fingerprint; and   alternatively or additionally providing access to at least some of the one or more functions of the device when a user is identified via a non-fingerprint authorisation as a part of a fingerprint failure feature of the control system in which a non-fingerprint authorisation can act to at least partially replace the fingerprint authorisation;   wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation requires an interaction with the fingerprint authorisable device by the user, the interaction including one or more action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor.   
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  comprising use of the device of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the fingerprint failure feature is utilised in the event that a user is unwilling or unable to provide fingerprint data for use in a fingerprint authorisation. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the fingerprint failure feature is utilised in the event that fingerprint authorisation of an enrolled user is unsuccessful. 
     
     
         19 . A computer programme product comprising instructions that, when executed on a control system in a fingerprint authorisable device as claimed in  claim 1 , will cause the control system to:
 provide access to one or more functions of the device in response to identification of an authorised fingerprint; and   alternatively or additionally provide access to at least some of the one or more functions of the device when a user is identified via a non-fingerprint authorisation as a part of a fingerprint failure feature of the control system in which a non-fingerprint authorisation can act to at least partially replace the fingerprint authorisation;   wherein the non-fingerprint authorisation requires an interaction with the fingerprint authorisable device by the user, the interaction including one or more action(s) detected via the fingerprint sensor.   
     
     
         20 . A method of adapting a fingerprint authorisable device in order to provide a fingerprint failure feature, wherein the fingerprint authorisable device comprises a fingerprint sensor for obtaining fingerprint data from a user's finger or thumb, and a control system for controlling the device; the method comprising installing a computer programme product as claimed in  claim 19  on the fingerprint authorisable device 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)

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