Distance as security feature

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for authorizing an object, the method comprising: a) receiving at least one reflected image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially irradiated by electromagnetic radiation, and, at least one reflected image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially irradiated by electromagnetic radiation; b) determining a distance of the object from the image generating unit and / or the illumination source on the basis of the at least one reflected image, and c) determining whether the distance is within or outside a working range of an authentication process, and i)-receiving a result of the authentication process of the object, and-based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the object to access the resource, or ii)-based on the distance being outside the working range, denying the object to access the resource.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for authorizing a user; a usage distance obtained by the method as described herein for allowing a user to access a resource and / or providing a suggestion to the user; a computer program element having instructions which, when executed on a processing device, are configured to perform the steps of the method as described herein; a device for authorizing a user; and a system for authorizing a user. Background Art

[0002] Authentication (e.g., facial authentication) is widely used, but only in certain application areas. In authentication, a visual representation of an object is usually generated and analyzed using a trained model such as a neural network. Such models usually ensure sufficient accuracy within a limited operating range. Operation outside the ideal range can lead to more misclassifications, which may eventually lead to security issues, such as in the case where facial recognition is used for access control. Therefore, a solution is desired to improve the functionality of authentication systems. Summary of the invention

[0003] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for authorizing an object, the method comprising:

[0004] a) receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially illuminated by electromagnetic radiation, and,

[0005] b) determining a distance of the object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source based on the at least one reflected image, and,

[0006] c) determine whether the distance is within or outside the operating range of the certification process, and,

[0007] i) - receiving the result of the authentication process of the object, and,

[0008] - based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource,

[0009] or

[0010] ii) - Based on the distance being outside the working range, the object is denied access to the resource.

[0011] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and / or system for authorizing an object, the system comprising:

[0012] a) a receiving unit for receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a part of the object when the object is illuminated by electromagnetic radiation and / or receiving a result of an authentication process of the object,

[0013] b) a processor configured to determine, based on the reflected image, at least one distance of the object from a device generating the reflected image and / or from an illumination source, and to determine whether the distance is within or outside a working range of the authentication process, and,

[0014] i) based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource,

[0015] or

[0016] ii) Deny the object access to the resource based on the distance being outside the working range.

[0017] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and / or system for authorizing an object, the system comprising:

[0018] a) a receiving unit for receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a part of the object when the object is illuminated by electromagnetic radiation and / or receiving a result of an authentication process of the object,

[0019] b) a processor configured to determine whether the distance is within or outside a working range of the authentication process based on the at least one reflected image, and,

[0020] i) based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource,

[0021] or

[0022] ii) Deny the object access to the resource based on the distance being outside the working range.

[0023] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to the use of distances obtained by the methods disclosed herein to allow a subject to access a resource and / or to provide recommendations to the subject associated with an authentication process.

[0024] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a computer program element having instructions which, when executed on a processing device, are configured to perform the steps of a method as disclosed herein.

[0025] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer-readable data medium storing a computer program comprising instructions for performing the steps of the method as described herein.

[0026] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for authorizing an object, the method comprising:

[0027] a) receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially illuminated by electromagnetic radiation, and,

[0028] b) determining whether the distance is within or outside a working range of the authentication process based on the at least one reflected image, and,

[0029] i) - receiving the result of the authentication process of the object, and,

[0030] - based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource,

[0031] or

[0032] ii) - Based on the distance being outside the working range, the object is denied access to the resource.

[0033] The method and apparatus of the present disclosure allow for simple, reliable, reusable, repeatable and secure authentication of objects. In addition, the possibility of quickly checking the prerequisites for reliable authentication is disclosed. Today, due to the widespread implementation of authentication (such as facial authentication), authentication must be fast and the hardware requirements required should be low. For example, facial authentication is based on a facial image of an object attempting to access a device or system. The authentication process requires prerequisites, such as images of sufficiently high quality, to ensure the accuracy of the authentication process. In an authentication process involving an image of the object, an image representing at least a portion of the authorized object with the desired image quality may deceive the authentication process. The image quality is determined by the hardware used and the use case itself. When performing image-related authentication, the distance from the object to the device plays a significant role in the quality of the generated image and the quality of the underlying authentication process. The authentication process must meet the requirements for obtaining proof and be trustworthy to the object. The authentication process must be secure to prevent deception. Deception exploits weaknesses in the authentication system to gain access. In image-based authentication, too large or too small a distance may result in erroneously allowing unauthorized objects to access resources, thereby bringing serious security issues. Thus, a working range can be specified as a measure of the range of distances over which a secure authentication process can be performed. Thus, determining the distance of an object from the device while performing authentication using standard equipment and received images increases the accuracy of authenticating the object. By doing so, more information is gained from the information received from the object. This is particularly advantageous because time is saved, more resources are not required to generate the information, and the security of the authentication is increased. Thus, the present disclosure describes a fast, secure, and simple authentication.

[0034] Example

[0035] In the following, the terms used herein and / or the technical field of the present disclosure will be summarized by way of definitions and / or examples. Where examples are given, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples.

[0036] In an embodiment, authorization may refer to the process of allowing an object to access a resource. Authorizing an object may include authenticating the object. In particular, an authenticated object may be allowed to access a resource. Authentication may be part of authorizing an object. Authentication may refer to proving a claim, preferably proving an object's claim. The claim may be related to the identity of the object. Authentication may include biometric information, certified documents, and the like. Biometric information may be information related to the appearance of the object. Biometric information may be associated with information related to fingers, face, hands, irises, lips, and the like. Certified documents may be documents certified by government agencies, educational institutions, administrative offices, and the like. An object may prove his / her identity by providing biometric information. In some embodiments, authentication may be at least one of facial authentication, fingerprint authentication, and iris authentication.

[0037] In an embodiment, the authentication process may include actions performed to authenticate an object. The authentication process may include comparing information related to the object initiating the authentication process with information related to a registered user. A registered user may be an authorized user. An object may be authorized to access. Examples of information related to an object may include biometric information or a password. A password may include a numerical value, a letter, or a graphical pattern. Authentication may be image-based.

[0038] In an embodiment, determining the match score may include determining an authentication result.

[0039] In an embodiment, the object manager is for any object. The object may include a living organism, such as a human or an animal. The object may be authenticated. In particular, the object may be authenticated based on at least one reflected image. Preferably, the object may be a user.

[0040] In an embodiment, an authorized user may be a user who is allowed to access a resource.

[0041] In an embodiment, the method disclosed herein may further include and / or the authentication process may include one or more of the following:

[0042] - receiving an image of at least a portion of the object;

[0043] - Generate a low-level representation of the image; and

[0044] - determining a matching score between the low-level representation of the image and the low-level representation template;

[0045] - providing an authentication result associated with the match score. The image of at least a portion of the object may be and / or may include biometric information. For example, the image may be an image of at least a portion of the face of the object. Thus, the biometric information may be associated with a portion of the object, in particular a portion of a living organism.

[0046] In an embodiment, the authentication result may indicate whether the authentication of the object is successful. If the object can pass the authentication, the authentication result may be positive. A positive authentication result may refer to a matching score exceeding a threshold. If the object cannot pass the authentication, in particular if the object initiating the authentication process may be a person other than a registered user, the authentication result may be negative. A negative authentication result may refer to a matching score equal to or below a threshold. The threshold may be a predetermined value. The threshold may be selected based on the desired reliability required for the authentication process. The authentication result may indicate whether a reflected image of at least a portion of the object can be matched with a template, in particular a template associated with a registered user. The authentication result may be the result of determining a matching score between a template and an image of the object, in particular at least one reflected image and a template (in particular a template associated with a registered user).

[0047] In an embodiment, the matching score may indicate the similarity between the low-level representation of the image and the low-level representation template. The low-level representation may include at least one feature vector. The feature vector may indicate features associated with the reflected image. The template vector may indicate features associated with the template, in particular the template of the registered user. The low-level representation template may include at least one template vector. The feature vector and / or the template vector may include an n-dimensional vector. The vector may include at least one numerical value, preferably n numerical values. The matching score may indicate the distance between the feature vector and the template vector. In an example, the matching score may be obtained by determining the vector product of the feature vector and the template vector. The vector product may be a dot product.

[0048] In an embodiment, the working range may specify at least one upper boundary and / or at least one lower boundary of the distance of the object from the camera and / or the illumination source.The working range may be associated with an authentication process.

[0049] The working range may comprise at least one value. The value may be a numerical value, in particular a positive numerical value. The indication of the working range may be received, in particular before determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process. The indication of the working range may be suitable for determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process. The indication of the working range may be suitable for comparing the distance with the working range.

[0050] In an embodiment, a reflection image as used herein may not be limited to an actual visual representation of an object. Instead, a reflection image includes data generated based on electromagnetic radiation reflected by an object illuminated by electromagnetic radiation. The reflection image may include at least one pattern. The reflection image may include at least one pattern feature. The reflection image may be included in a larger reflection image. The larger reflection image may be a reflection image that includes more pixels than the reflection image included therein. Dividing the reflection image into at least two parts may produce at least two reflection images. The at least two reflection images may include different data generated based on light reflected by an object illuminated by light, for example, one of the at least two reflection images may represent a nose of a living organism, and the other of the at least two reflection images may represent a forehead of a living organism. The reflection image may be suitable for determining a feature contrast of at least one pattern feature. The reflection image may include a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels may include at least two pixels, preferably more than two pixels. In order to determine the feature contrast, at least one pixel associated with the reflection feature and at least one pixel not associated with the reflection feature may be suitable. In particular, the term "reflection image" as used herein may refer to any data based on which an actual visual representation of the imaged object may be constructed. For example, the data may correspond to an assignment of a color or grayscale value for an image position, wherein each image position may correspond to a position in or on the imaged object. For example, the reflected image or data referred to herein may be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or four-dimensional, wherein a four-dimensional image is understood to be a three-dimensional image that evolves over time, and similarly, a two-dimensional image that evolves over time may be considered a three-dimensional image. If the data is digital data, the reflected image may be considered to be a digital image, wherein the image position may then correspond to a pixel or voxel of an image and / or image sensor. When generating the reflected image, the living organism may be irradiated with light (ultimately RGB light or preferably IR flood and / or patterned light). The electromagnetic radiation may be patterned electromagnetic radiation. The patterned electromagnetic radiation may include at least one pattern. The patterned light may be projected onto the living organism. The patterned electromagnetic radiation may include patterned coherent electromagnetic radiation.

[0051] In an embodiment, a pattern may refer to any known or predetermined arrangement of pattern features including at least one arbitrary shape. The pattern may include at least one pattern feature. The pattern may include an arrangement of periodic or non-periodic pattern features. The pattern may be at least one of the following: at least one quasi-random pattern; at least one Sobol pattern; at least one quasi-periodic pattern; at least one dot pattern, in particular a pseudo-random dot pattern; at least one line pattern; at least one stripe pattern; at least one checkerboard pattern; at least one triangle pattern; at least one rectangular pattern; at least one hexagonal pattern or a pattern including further convex mosaics. The pattern may be an interference pattern generated by coherent electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object (e.g., reflected from the outer surface of the object or reflected from the inner surface of the object). Patterns typically appear in diffuse reflections of coherent electromagnetic radiation (such as laser light). In the pattern, the spatial intensity of the coherent electromagnetic radiation may vary randomly due to interference of coherent wavefronts. The pattern feature is at least a portion of the pattern. The pattern feature may at least partially include symbols of arbitrary shapes. The symbol may be any of the following: at least one dot; at least one line; at least two lines, such as parallel lines or crossing lines; at least one dot and one line; at least one arrangement of periodic pattern features; at least one pattern of arbitrary shape.

[0052] In an embodiment, the distance of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source may be determined based on at least one reflected image. The reflected image may include information associated with the distance. In the art, there are known methods for determining distance based on images, such as "depth of focus", "depth from focus" or triangulation. The distance may be determined by "depth of focus", "depth from focus (DFD)", triangulation, photon depth ratio (DPR) or a combination thereof. Different methods for determining the distance may provide different advantages, depending on the use case known in the art. Therefore, a combination of at least two methods may provide a more accurate result, thereby improving the reliability of the authentication process including distance determination. The distance obtained according to at least two methods may include at least two distance values. At least two distance values ​​may be combined by using at least one recursive filter and / or using a real function (such as an arithmetic mean or a geometric mean, a polynomial (preferably, a polynomial of up to the eighth order in at least two distance values).

[0053] In an embodiment, the method as described herein may further include determining the distance based on at least one reflection by using one or more of focus depth, defocus depth, triangulation, photon depth ratio, determining the distance based on the distance between at least two spatial features based on the floodlight image, and combinations thereof. Determining the distance of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source based on a reflected image may include one or more of the following techniques: focus depth, defocus depth, triangulation, photon depth ratio, determining the distance based on measuring the distance between at least two spatial features in the floodlight image, and combinations thereof. Spatial features may be represented by vectors. A vector may include at least one numerical value. Examples of spatial features of a face may include at least one of the following: a nose, an eye, an eyebrow, a mouth, an ear, a chin, a forehead, irregularities such as wrinkles, scars, cheeks (including cheekbones), etc. Other examples of spatial features may include fingers, nails, etc.

[0054] In an embodiment, determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process based on at least one reflected image may include determining the distance based on at least one reflection using one or more of focus depth, defocus depth, triangulation, photon depth ratio, determining the distance based on the distance between at least two spatial features based on the flood light image, and combinations thereof.

[0055] The systems and / or devices may be configured to perform the steps of the methods as described herein.

[0056] In an embodiment, determining the distance of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source based on at least one reflected image may include one or more of: a photon depth ratio, triangulation, determining the distance based on a distance between at least two spatial features based on a flood image, and a combination thereof.

[0057] In an embodiment, determining the distance of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source based on at least one reflected image may be based on measuring the distance between at least two spatial features in the flood image and comparing the distance between the at least two spatial features in the flood image with a reference. The distance between the at least two spatial features associated with the object may indicate the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit. The distance between the at least two spatial features associated with the object may be related to the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit. The distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit may be determined based on the relationship between the distance between the at least two spatial features associated with the object in the flood image and the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit. Determining the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit may be determined based on a reference. The reference may include the distance between the at least two spatial features associated with the object and the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit. Thus, determining the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit may include referencing the distance between the at least two spatial values ​​associated with the object in the flood image with a predetermined distance between the at least two spatial values ​​associated with the object. For example, at a distance of 1 m from the camera, the distance between a person's eyes may be about 5 cm, while in a flood image, the distance between the eyes may be 1 cm. Based on this information, the distance of the person from the camera can be determined. The relationship between the distance of the object from the illumination source and / or the image generation unit and the distance between at least two spatial features associated with the object can be obtained by using optical equations or by interpolating between several distance values.

[0058] In an embodiment, the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source may be determined based on the at least one reflection image by using a model.

[0059] In an embodiment, the method disclosed herein may further include determining the distance based on the at least one reflected image by using a model.

[0060] In an embodiment, the distance of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source may be determined based on determining a distance between at least two spatial features in a flood image. The model may be trained with a training data set comprising at least one flood image and distances associated with objects at least partially shown in the flood image. In an embodiment, the model may implement a relationship between the distance between at least two spatial features associated with an object in a flood image and the distance of the object from an illumination source and / or an image generation unit.

[0061] In an embodiment, determining the distance may refer to measuring the distance.

[0062] It should be noted that the order of the method steps is not fixed to the order given in the text but may be changed.

[0063] In an embodiment, determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process based on at least one reflected image may include determining the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source based on the at least one reflected image, and / or determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process.

[0064] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined by the defocus depth. The defocus depth may include optimizing at least one blur function f a The fuzzy function f a The blur kernel or point spread function is a function of the detector's response to illumination from an object. Specifically, the blur function can model the blurriness of an out-of-focus object. At least one blur function f a The distance may be a function or a composite function consisting of at least one function from the group consisting of: Gaussian, Symgine function, cylindrical function, square function, Lorentz function, radial function, polynomial, Hermite polynomial, Zernike polynomial, Legendre polynomial. The distance may be referred to as the longitudinal coordinate z. The longitudinal coordinate z DFD The distance to the image can be determined by using at least one convolution-based algorithm (e.g., a through-focus depth algorithm). To obtain the distance to the image, the through-focus depth algorithm estimates the degree of defocus of the object. The longitudinal coordinate z DFD By optimizing at least one fuzzy function f a The fuzzy function can be optimized by changing at least one parameter of the fuzzy function. The image can be a fuzzy image i b , especially the blurred reflection image. The longitudinal coordinate z can be obtained according to the blurred image i b and the fuzzy function f a By changing the parameter σ of the blur function, the longitudinal coordinate z DFD The blurred image i can be minimized b and the fuzzy function f a with at least one additional image i' b The difference between the convolutions is determined.

[0065] min‖(i′ b *f a (σ(z))-i b )‖,

[0066] σ(z) is a set of distance-dependent blur parameters. The other image may be blurred or sharp. As used herein, the term "sharp" or "sharp image" refers to the blurred image with maximum contrast. The blurred image i can be obtained by convolution with a known blur function. b At least one additional image is generated. Thus, the longitudinal coordinate z can be obtained using a defocus depth algorithm. DFD .

[0067] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined by a photon depth ratio. The photon depth ratio may be based on a combination of a measure of intensity associated with a first position in the image and a second measure of intensity associated with a second position. The DPR may be based on a quotient of a measure of intensity associated with a first position in the image and a second measure of intensity associated with the second position. Preferably, the first position may be a position other than the second position. The measure of intensity may include, but is not limited to, intensity, absorbance, extinction, relative intensity, such as by correlating the final intensity with the initial intensity, etc. The quotient of at least one first measure of intensity associated with a first position in the image and at least one second measure of intensity associated with a second position may be related to the distance. The quotient of the first measure of intensity associated with a first position in the image and the second measure of intensity associated with a second position may be suitable for determining the distance. The distance may be independent of the size of the object in the object plane within at least one measurement range. The quotient of a measure of intensity associated with a first position in an image and another measure of intensity associated with a second position includes one or more of the following: at least the first measure and / or at least the second measure divided; at least a multiple of the first measure and / or at least the second measure divided; at least a linear combination of the first measure and / or at least the second measure divided. The electromagnetic radiation used for irradiation may be associated with at least one beam profile. The measure of intensity may further include at least one information related to at least one beam profile of a beam associated with the electromagnetic radiation. The beam profile may be one of a trapezoidal beam profile, a triangular beam profile, a conical beam profile, and a linear combination of a Gaussian beam profile. In addition, the first measure of intensity may include information of a first region of the beam profile, and the second measure of intensity may include information of a second region of the beam profile. The first region of the beam profile and the second region of the beam profile may be adjacent or overlapping regions. The measure of intensity may be obtained by integrating the intensity of a region in at least one reflected image. The first measure of intensity associated with a first position in an image may be obtained by integrating the intensity of at least one region associated with the first position in at least one reflected image. The second measure of intensity associated with the second location in the image may be obtained by integrating the intensity of at least one region associated with the second location in the at least one reflected image.

[0068] In an embodiment, determining the distance may be associated with determining a first region of the beam profile and a second region of the beam profile. The first region of the beam profile may include substantially edge information of the beam profile, and the second region of the beam profile may include substantially center information of the beam profile. The edge information may include information related to the number of photons in the first region of the beam profile, and the center information may include information related to the number of photons in the second region of the beam profile. Determining the distance based on a quotient may include dividing the edge information and the center information, dividing the edge information and a multiple of the center information, or dividing a linear combination of the edge information and the center information. The quotient Q may be expressed as

[0069]

[0070] where x and y are the lateral coordinates in the image, A1 and A2 are the areas of the beam profile, and E(x, y, z o ) indicates the distance z between the objects o Other embodiments are disclosed in EP17797964A2017-11-17, which are included herein by reference.

[0071] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined by triangulation. The triangulation may be based on trigonometric equations. The trigonometric equations may be used to determine the distance. The triangulation may be based on at least one reflected image and a baseline. The baseline may refer to a distance between an illumination source and an image generating unit. The baseline may be received. In particular, the baseline may be received together with the at least one reflected image.

[0072] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined based on a combination of photon depth ratio and triangulation.

[0073] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined based on a combination of photon depth ratio, triangulation, and depth from defocus.

[0074] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined based on a combination of DPR and DFD. To this end, the distance is determined by DPR and DFD, and at least two distance values ​​may be combined.

[0075] In an embodiment, the illumination can be achieved by using a projector or an illumination source that emits a light pattern onto a part of a living organism. The illumination source may include at least one light source. The illumination source may include multiple light sources. The illumination source is suitable for irradiating the object. The illumination source may include an artificial illumination source, in particular at least one laser source and / or at least one incandescent lamp and / or at least one semiconductor light source, such as at least one light emitting diode, in particular an organic and / or inorganic light emitting diode. As an example, the light emitted by the illumination source may have a wavelength of 300 to 1100nm, in particular 500 to 1100nm. Additionally or alternatively, light in the infrared spectrum range, such as light in the range of 780nm to 3.0μm, may be used. In particular, light in a portion of the near-infrared region for which silicon photodiodes are applicable (in particular in the range of 700nm to 1100nm) may be used. Using light in the near-infrared region allows the light to be undetectable or only weakly detected by the human eye, and still be detectable by a silicon sensor, in particular a standard silicon sensor. The illumination source may be suitable for emitting light of a single wavelength. In other embodiments, the illumination may be suitable for emitting light having multiple wavelengths, thereby allowing additional measurements to be performed in other wavelength channels. The light source may be or may include at least one multi-beam light source. For example, the light source may include at least one laser source and one or more diffractive optical elements (DOEs). The illumination source may include at least one line laser. The line laser may be suitable for sending a laser line, such as a horizontal or vertical laser line, to the object. The illumination source may include multiple line lasers. For example, the illumination source may include at least two line lasers, which may be arranged so that the illumination pattern includes at least two parallel lines or crossed lines. The illumination source may include at least one light projector, which is suitable for generating a point cloud, so that the illumination pattern may include multiple point patterns. The illumination source may include at least one mask, which is suitable for generating an illumination pattern from at least one beam generated by the illumination source.

[0076] In an embodiment, a processor may refer to any logic circuit configured to perform the basic operations of a computer or system, and / or generally refers to a device configured to perform calculations or logical operations. In particular, a processor or computer processor may be configured to process basic instructions that drive a computer or system. The processor may be a semiconductor-based processor, a quantum processor, or any other type of processor configured to process instructions. As an example, a processor may be or may include a central processing unit ("CPU"). The processor may be a ("GPU") graphics processing unit, a ("TPU") tensor processing unit, a ("CISC") complex instruction set computing microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing ("RISC") microprocessor, a very long instruction word ("VLIW") microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets or multiple processors implementing instruction set combinations. The processing device may also be one or more special processing devices, such as an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"), a field programmable gate array ("FPGA"), a complex programmable logic device ("CPLD"), a digital signal processor ("DSP"), a network processor, etc. The methods, systems, and devices described herein may be implemented as software in a DSP, microcontroller, or any other auxiliary processor, or as hardware circuits in an ASIC, CPLD, or FPGA. It should be understood that the term processor may also refer to one or more processing devices, such as a distributed processing device system located on multiple computer systems (e.g., cloud computing), and is not limited to a single device unless otherwise specified.

[0077] In an embodiment, the receiving unit may include one or more of the following: a serial or parallel interface or port, USB, Centronics port, FireWire, HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, RFID, Wi-Fi, USART or SPI, or an analog interface or port (such as one or more of ADC or DAC), or a standardized interface or port to other devices.

[0078] In an embodiment, allowing an object to access a resource may include allowing the object to perform at least one operation with a device and / or system. A resource may be a device, a system, a function of a device, a function of a system, and / or an entity. Additionally and / or alternatively, allowing an object to access a resource may include allowing an object to access an entity. An entity may be a physical entity and / or a virtual entity. A virtual entity may be, for example, a database. A physical entity may be an area with limited access. An area with limited access may be one of the following: a secure area, a room, an apartment, a vehicle, a portion of the aforementioned instance, and the like. The device and / or system may be locked. The device and / or system may only be unlocked by an authorized user. The device and / or system may be adapted to compare information associated with an object initiating an authentication process with information associated with an authorized user. Information associated with an authorized user may be generated during a registration process. A user who has undergone a registration process may be referred to as a registered user. Information associated with an authorized user generated during a registration process may be stored in a memory of the device and / or system. Information associated with an authorized user may include a low-level representation template. The low-level representation template may be stored in a memory. The device and / or system may be adapted to perform at least one action.

[0079] In an embodiment, memory may refer to physical system memory, which may be volatile, nonvolatile, or a combination thereof. Memory may include nonvolatile mass storage, such as physical storage media. Memory may be a computer-readable storage medium (such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, non-disk storage (such as solid state disk) or any other physical tangible storage medium, which may be used to store the desired program code device in the form of computer executable instructions or data structures and may be accessed by a computing system. In addition, memory may be a computer-readable medium (also referred to as a transmission medium) that carries computer executable instructions. Further, after arriving at various computing system components, the program code device in the form of computer executable instructions or data structures may be automatically transferred from the transmission medium to the storage medium (and vice versa). For example, a computer executable instruction or data structure received by a network or data link may be buffered in a RAM in a network interface module (e.g., "NIC"), and then ultimately transferred to a computing system RAM and / or a storage medium with lower volatility at a computing system. Thus, it should be understood that storage media may be included in computing components that also (or even primarily) utilize transmission media.

[0080] In an embodiment, a wireless communication protocol may be used. The wireless communication protocol may include any known network technology, such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS / HSPA, LTE technology using standards such as 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G, and the wireless communication protocol may further include a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi).

[0081] In an embodiment, the image generation unit may be suitable for generating at least one image, in particular a reflected image. The image generation unit may include a camera. The camera may specifically refer to, but is not limited to, a device having at least one imaging element, which is configured to record or record spatially resolved one-dimensional, two-dimensional or even three-dimensional optical data or information. The camera may be a digital camera. As an example, the camera may include at least one camera chip, such as at least one CCD chip and / or at least one CMOS chip configured to record images. The camera may be or may include at least one near-infrared camera and / or an RGB camera. In addition, in addition to at least one camera chip or imaging chip, the camera may include further elements, such as one or more optical elements, for example one or more lenses.

[0082] In an embodiment, the device and / or system may be suitable for performing the steps of the method as described herein. The device may be a non-fixed device or may be integrated into a non-fixed device. The term "non-fixed device" may specifically refer to, but is not limited to, a mobile electronic device, more specifically a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone, a smart phone, or a smart watch. Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device may also refer to a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or other types of portable computers. In some embodiments, the device may be a server, a database, a cloud computing environment, etc. In other embodiments, the first device may be integrated into a fixed device and / or may be a fixed device. Such a fixed device may be movable by human access, such as, for example, an object, a POA, a building, a vehicle, a B-pillar, etc. with a gate, a column, or similar restricted access. The system may include at least two devices. The device and / or the system may include an image generation unit and / or an irradiation source.

[0083] In an embodiment, a computer-readable data medium may refer to any suitable data storage device or computer-readable memory having one or more groups of instructions (e.g., software) stored thereon, which embody any one or more of the methods or functions described herein. Instructions may also reside completely or at least partially in a main memory and / or processor during the execution of instructions by a computer, main memory, and processing device that may constitute a computer-readable storage medium. These instructions may be further sent or received over a network via a network interface device. Computer-readable data media include, for example, a hard drive, a USB storage device, a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-ray disc on a server. A computer program may include all functions and data required to perform a method according to the present disclosure, or an interface may be provided to enable each part of the method to be processed on a remote system (e.g., a cloud system). The term non-transient may mean that the purpose of a data storage medium is to permanently store a computer program, particularly without the need for permanent power supply.

[0084] These and other objects are solved by the subject-matter of the independent claims and will become apparent on reading the following description. The dependent claims relate to embodiments of the invention.

[0085] The steps of the method can be performed in different orders. The order is not limited by the order of the steps of the method.

[0086] In an embodiment, the distance of an object from an illumination source and / or an image generating unit can be determined during a user's registration process. The registration process can be suitable for generating a template. The template can be a low-level representation template. The template can be stored after being generated by the device. The registration process can be performed before authentication can be performed. The registration process can be a precedent process for at least one authentication process. The registration process can be performed at least once for each user. The registration process faces the same problems as the authentication process. The registration process generates a template for later authentication, and the template will determine the accuracy and precision of the authentication object. Therefore, a fast, reliable and reusable registration process is essential. Determining the distance of an object from an illumination source and / or an image generating unit provides a simple way to ensure that the quality of the template matches the requirements of the template. In addition, the scope of work of the authentication process also applies to the registration process.

[0087] An exemplary registration process may include:

[0088] - providing and / or generating a template image of at least a portion of an object, such as a fingerprint feature or a facial feature;

[0089] - generating a low-level representation template from a template image; and

[0090] -Stores low-level representation templates.

[0091] The low-level representation template may be associated with a lower dimensionality than the template image. The low-level representation template may be obtained by reducing the dimensionality of the template image. Thus, generating the low-level representation template from the template image may comprise providing the template image to an encoder configured to receive an image, in particular the template image, and reduce the dimensionality of the received image, in particular the template image. Reducing the dimensionality of the received image, in particular the template image, may refer to generating the low-level representation template from the template image.

[0092] In an embodiment, the low-level representation of the image may be associated with a lower dimension than the image. The low-level representation image may be obtained by reducing the dimensionality of the image. Thus, generating the low-level representation image from the image may include providing the image to an encoder configured to receive the image and reduce the dimensionality of the received image. Reducing the dimensionality of the received image may refer to generating the low-level representation image from the image.

[0093] In an embodiment, a portion of the system and / or device may be connected via a wired and / or wireless connection. An example of a wireless connection may implement a wireless communication protocol.

[0094] In an embodiment, determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process may include determining the distance based on the at least one reflected image and / or comparing the distance to the working range. Determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process may include determining whether the distance can be included in the working range. The working range may specify at least two boundaries.

[0095] In an embodiment, a model may be used to determine the distance. Preferably, the model may be based on a training data set. More preferably, the model may be trained based on the training data set. The use of training data allows the method to be customized to the details of a specific installation without having to determine the settings in detail.

[0096] In embodiments, identification may include authentication.

[0097] In an embodiment, determining the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source based on the at least one reflection image may refer to measuring the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source based on the at least one reflection image.

[0098] In an embodiment, the distance may be determined by using a model.

[0099] In an embodiment, determining the distance based on the reflected image may include one or more of depth of focus, depth through focus, triangulation, photon depth ratio, and combinations thereof.

[0100] In an embodiment, the model is adapted to determine an output based on an input. The model may be a mechanistic model, a data driven model, or a hybrid model. Preferably, the mechanistic model reflects the physical phenomenon in a mathematical form, for example, including a first principle model. The mechanistic model may include a set of equations that describe the interaction between an object and electromagnetic radiation.

[0101] Preferably, the data-driven model can be a classification model. The classification model can include at least one machine learning architecture, and model parameters. For example, the machine learning architecture can be or can include one or more of the following: linear regression, logistic regression, random forest, piecewise linear, nonlinear classifier, support vector machine, naive Bayes classification, nearest neighbor, neural network, convolutional neural network, generative adversarial network, support vector machine or gradient boosting algorithm, etc. In the case of a neural network, the model can be a multi-scale neural network or a recurrent neural network (RNN), such as but not limited to a gated recurrent unit (GRU) recurrent neural network or a long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network. If the model can be a classification model, determining the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source based on at least one reflection image, and determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process can refer to determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process based on the at least one reflection image. The classification model can be trained based on a training data set, and the training data set includes at least one reflection image, and an indication of whether the distance of the object associated with the at least one reflection image is within or outside the working range.

[0102] The data-driven model can be trained based on training data. As used herein, the term "training" also means learning, is a broad term, and will be given its ordinary and conventional meaning for those skilled in the art and is not limited to special or custom meanings. Training can also include parameterization. The term can specifically refer to, but is not limited to, the process of building a model, in particular determining and / or updating the parameters of the model. Updating the parameters of the classification model can also be referred to as retraining. The training involved in this article can include retraining. The classification model can be at least partially data-driven. The classification model can be trained based on training data. The training data can include at least one reflection image and at least one distance, preferably, the distance can be associated with the reflection image. Training the data-driven model can include providing training data to the model. The training data can include at least one training data set. During training, the data-driven model can be adjusted to achieve the best fit with the training data, for example, associating at least one input value with at least one expected output value in the best fit. For example, if the neural network is a feedforward neural network (such as CNN), a back propagation algorithm can be applied to train the neural network. In the case of RNN, a gradient descent algorithm or a back propagation over time algorithm can be used to achieve the training purpose.

[0103] In an embodiment, the training data set may include at least one input and at least one expected output. The training data set may include at least one reflection image and a distance (particularly a distance associated with the at least one reflection image). In particular, the training data set may include a plurality of reflection images and a plurality of distances.

[0104] A training model may include or may refer to a calibration model, but is not limited to a calibration model. A model may be suitable for measuring expected values, such as target values ​​and / or reference values. A model may be referred to as a measurement system, for example, for measuring target values ​​and / or reference values.

[0105] In an embodiment, the authentication process may use a model.

[0106] In an embodiment, the authentication process and / or methods described herein may be performed by a mobile device.

[0107] In an embodiment, the authentication process may be based on biometric information. Biometric information may be information that is easily obtained from an authorized user. Further, biometric information is advantageous because it is likely not to be forgotten by the user. Recovering a password is prone to errors and security issues compared to using biometric information that the user automatically carries with him. Ultimately, biometric information is considered unique because the body is based on a unique genome.

[0108] In an embodiment, denying a subject access to a resource may be based on the distance being outside the working range of the authentication process and / or the authentication result being negative.

[0109] In an embodiment, feedback may be provided to the subject based on determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process. The feedback may include user-related information and / or process-related information. The user-related information may include information selected for the user involved in the process. According to an embodiment, the user-related information includes:

[0110] User guidance to navigate the user through the process,

[0111] Required user action,

[0112] User-specific information based on the user's current status, in particular a request for authentication information to be entered by the user, and / or user indication.

[0113] User guidance for navigating a user through a process may include instructions. Instructions may be associated with explanations. Explanations may be suitable for explaining a process to a user. An example may be suggesting that a user change the distance between him or her and the device. Required user action may be an action that a user must perform in order to continue the process. Examples may be selecting an option from among several options, entering additional information (such as authentication information), etc. User representation may be suitable for representing the physical appearance of a user. An example may be a representation of a user's face during a facial authentication process.

[0114] For example, transparency of the user during the execution of a process (e.g., a facial authentication process) is improved by representing the user (e.g., during illumination), wherein the representation can be an image of the user recorded with an RGB or IR camera, an Animoji generated from image data obtained by illuminating light through an active illumination source and generating at least one image with a camera. In addition, the advantage of the user representation is that other error sources, such as grease or dust on the display, can be identified in addition to the improved transparency of the user.

[0115] Process-related information includes information selected to perform the process.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the process-related information includes:

[0117] information associated with the type of process,

[0118] Upcoming events related to the process, and / or

[0119] Displays highlighted parts of the device involved in the process.

[0120] The information associated with the process type refers to the name or symbolic representation of the process. An exemplary name of a process may be an authentication process, a payment process, etc. An upcoming event associated with a process may be a subsequent process or the termination of the process or application upon completion of the process. Portions of the display device may be highlighted with a symbol, representation, or text regarding a portion of the display device. In an exemplary scenario, the camera may be highlighted with the aid of text, a camera symbol near the camera, or above the camera. In other scenarios, the fingerprint sensor may be highlighted by representing the fingerprint in an area where the user's finger needs to be placed.

[0121] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the method described herein may be repeated in response to the distance being outside the working range of the authentication process. The steps to be repeated may include at least one of the following: receiving at least one reflected image, the at least one reflected image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially illuminated by electromagnetic radiation; determining the distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source based on the at least one reflected image, or determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process. Feedback may be advantageous because the user can make adjustments based on the feedback received, and the process can be repeated. By doing so, the user experience is improved and the efficiency of the process is also improved.

[0122] If the distance may be outside the working range, the user may wish to authenticate again. Therefore, a workflow can be implemented to restart the authentication, including determining the distance. This saves time and, in the case of battery-powered devices, also saves energy.

[0123] In an embodiment, it can be determined whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process before providing the result of the authentication process, in particular based on the at least one reflection image.

[0124] In an embodiment, the at least one reflected image may be received and / or generated in response to receiving an unlock request initiated by the subject.

[0125] In an embodiment, more than one distance may be determined for more than one location in the reflected image, and the object may be allowed to access resources within the working range based on the more than one distance. This may be beneficial to further improve the accuracy of authenticating the object, because a portion of the object may be within the working range, while another portion may not be within the working range. Therefore, more than one distance value may be determined to ensure better functioning.

[0126] In embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation may include patterned electromagnetic radiation and / or may be in the infrared range. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0127] In the following, the present disclosure will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings and the present disclosure, the same reference numerals are intended to refer to the same or similar elements, components and / or parts.

[0128] Figure 1a and Figure 1b Example embodiments of an apparatus 101 and a system 102 for authorizing an object are shown.

[0129] Figure 2 An example embodiment of a method 200 for authorizing an object is presented.

[0130] Figure 3 Example embodiments of authentication objects are presented.

[0131] Figure 4 An example embodiment of a method 400 for authorizing an object is presented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0132] The following embodiments are merely examples for implementing the methods, systems, or application devices disclosed herein and should not be considered limiting.

[0133] Figure 1a An example embodiment of a device 101 for authorizing an object is shown. The device may be a mobile device, such as a smartphone, a laptop, a smart watch, a tablet computer, etc., and / or a non-mobile device, such as a desktop computer, a server, an authentication point (such as a door, etc.). The device may be suitable for performing the following steps: Figures 2 to 4 The device may be a user device. The device includes a receiving unit 116 and a processor 114. The device may further include an image generating unit 115 and / or a display 113. The receiving unit 116 may receive at least one reflected image from the image generating unit 115. The at least one image may be provided to the processor 114 via the receiving unit 116. The receiving unit 116 may use a wireless communication protocol. The processor 114 may be adapted to allow access to the object. The display 113 may be used to provide information to the object. The display may include a graphical user interface. The display 113 may be adapted to initiate an authentication process. In response to initiating the authentication process, the receiving unit 116 may receive an unlock request. In response to the unlock request, the distance of the object from the device may be determined, and the authentication process may be initiated. The authentication process may be performed by the processor 114. The processor 114 may determine the result of the authentication process and / or may determine whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process. Based on the result of the authentication process and the determination of whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process, the processor 114 may be adapted to allow the object to access the resource. The processor 114 may allow the object to access the resource by performing at least one action. The object may request an action. The object may request an action via a graphical user interface. The object may initiate an authentication process by requesting at least one action.

[0134] The display 113 may display access authorization, access denial, feedback, etc. The display 113 may be used to inform the subject of the authentication process and / or the registration process. The device 101 may be a display device. The imaging unit may be adapted to generate an image, in particular a reflection image, which shows at least a part of the object when the object is irradiated by electromagnetic radiation. The processor 114 may be connected to the receiving unit 116.

[0135] Figure 1bAn example embodiment of a system 102 for authorizing an object is shown. The system 102 may be Figure 1a The system 102 may include an alternative to the device 101 described in Figure 1a Components of device 101 described in . The components of device 101 can be distributed along the computing resources of the system.

[0136] System 102 can be a distributed computing environment. In this example, the distributed cloud computing environment can include the following computing resources: (multiple) devices 101, data storage devices 120, applications 121, (multiple) servers 122, and databases 123. Cloud computing environment 102 can be deployed as a public cloud 124, a private cloud 126, or a hybrid cloud 128. Private cloud 124 can be owned by an organization, and only members of the organization with appropriate access rights can use private cloud 126, so that the data in the private cloud is at least confidential. In contrast, data stored in public cloud 126 can be open to anyone through the Internet. Hybrid cloud 128 can be a combination of private cloud 124 and public cloud 126, and some of the data can be kept confidential while other data can be publicly available. The components of the distributed computing environment can perform at least one step of the method described herein. In a non-limiting example, device 101 can generate an image. Alternatively or in addition, the reflected image may be received from the database 123 and / or the data storage device 120 and / or the cloud 124 to 128 by a processor configured to perform the steps of the method. The processor may be the server 122 or the cloud 124 to 128, or may be included therein. The application 121 may include a processor for performing the steps of the method. Figures 2 to 4 The steps of the method are described in the context of instructions.

[0137] Figure 2An example embodiment of a method 200 for authorizing an object is shown. The method may be performed by a device and / or system as described in the context of FIG. 1 . At least one reflected image is received, the at least one reflected image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is illuminated by electromagnetic radiation. The object may be illuminated by an illumination source and / or the at least one reflected image may be generated by an image generation unit. The reflected image may be pre-processed prior to receiving. The pre-processing may include performing at least one of image enhancement techniques. The image enhancement techniques may refer to scaling, cropping, rotating, blurring, distorting, shearing, resizing, folding, changing contrast, changing brightness, etc. For a non-exhaustive list of image enhancement techniques, TOMM CREYNOLDS and DAVID BLYTHE, “Advanced Graphics Programming Using OpenGL—A volume in The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics” (2005) ISBN 9781558606593, https: / / doi.org / 10.1016 / B978-1-55860-659-3.50030-5. Preprocessing can include identifying at least a portion of a reflected image relating to an object. Preprocessing can further include altering and / or removing data not related to the object. Additionally, preprocessing can further include generating at least two partial images from at least one image. The reflected image can be a partial image.

[0138] At least one distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source is determined based on the reflected image 220. The image generation unit and / or the illumination source may be part of a device or system. Thus, the distance between the object and the device or system may be determined. The distance may include a numerical value. The distance may be comparable to a working range.

[0139] The distance is determined to be within or outside the working range of the authentication process. The authentication process may specify the working range. The working range may include at least two values. The working range may be process-specific. The working range may be selected so that sufficient results are obtained for the authentication process. The numerical value associated with the working range and the numerical value associated with the distance may be compared. The distance may include a numerical value within or outside the range determined by the at least two values ​​associated with the working range. If the numerical value associated with the distance is equal to the at least two numerical values ​​associated with the working range or is less than at least one of the at least two numerical values ​​associated with the working range or is greater than at least one of the at least two numerical values ​​associated with the working range, the distance may be within the working range. The result of determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process may include a Boolean value. The distance may be within the working range, resulting in a positive Boolean value. The distance may be outside the working range, resulting in a negative Boolean value.

[0140] The authentication process may be performed in parallel with determining the distance, before determining the distance, or after determining the distance. The authentication process may be a facial authentication process, a fingerprint authentication process, a process including the iris of the user's eyes, etc. For this purpose, corresponding information may be received from the object. Preferably, an image associated with information related to the object may be received and compared with a template. Based on the comparison of the received information with the template, a match or mismatch result may be obtained. A positive authentication result may be obtained if the template matches the information related to the object. A negative authentication result may be obtained if the template does not match the information related to the object. The result of the authentication process may be provided. A positive result may refer to the object being authenticated. A negative result may refer to the object not being authenticated. The object not being authenticated may refer to the object not being authorized, for example, to unlock and / or use a device, access a system, or receive information (particularly personal information or confidential information). Receive the result of the authentication process 240 of the object. The result of the authentication process may be received. Based on the result of the authentication process, the object may be allowed to access a resource.

[0141] Based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, the object is allowed to access the resource 250. The distance within the working range and the positive result of the authentication process can allow the object to access. The distance outside the working range can deny the object access to the resource. The object can be allowed to access resources such as functions of the device and / or system. An instance of a function of a device and / or system can be an action that initiates the device and / or system. The object can be allowed to access personal information and / or confidential information. In an example, the device can be unlocked after the object is authorized, as described herein. In another example, the object can request access to the function of the device, such as launching an application on the device, or data stored on the device or data to be retrieved using the device can be provided to the object. In yet another example, the object can attempt to access information of the cloud system, and the object can be authenticated in advance.

[0142] As an alternative to steps 240 and 250, the object may be denied access to resource 260 based on the distance being outside the working range. Denying the object may lead to another authentication process. The denied object may be a deceptive object, such as a mask. Denying the object may be independent of the result of the authentication process. Denying the object may be based on the result of the authentication process and / or the determined distance being outside the working range. The authentication process may not be initiated based on the distance being outside the working range. By doing so, time and resources are saved because the process can be conducted more efficiently.

[0143] Figure 3 An example embodiment of an authentication object 310 is shown. The object 310 can be irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, preferably patterned electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, the patterned electromagnetic radiation can include a pattern with pattern features 320 (such as dots). The pattern can be projected onto the object. The electromagnetic radiation can be emitted by an irradiation source 330. The electromagnetic radiation can be reflected from the object, in particular the skin of the object. A reflected image can be generated based on the reflected electromagnetic radiation received by an image generation unit 340. The image generation unit 340 can generate an image, in particular a reflected image. The image generation unit 340 and the irradiation source can be part of a device 350 as described in the context of FIG. 1. The device can perform authentication and / or distance determination based on the generated image. 350 can be another example embodiment of a system for authenticating an object.

[0144] Figure 4 An example embodiment of a method 400 for authorizing an object is shown. Figure 2 As described in the context of , receiving at least one reflected image. Figure 2 As described in the context of , receiving a distance 420 of an object from an image generation unit and / or an illumination source based on a reflected image. Figure 2, whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process 430. Feedback 440 can be provided to the subject based on whether the distance is within or outside the working range. The distance may be outside the working range of the authentication process. In response to the distance being outside the working range, a repetition of the steps of receiving at least one reflected image, determining the distance, and determining whether the distance is within or outside the working range of the authentication process can be triggered. The subject can be notified of the process. Feedback 440 can be provided to the subject. The feedback provided to the subject can include that the process may be repeated and / or that the distance is outside the working range. In some embodiments, if the distance is greater than the upper boundary of the working range, information can be provided to the subject, or if the distance is less than the upper boundary of the working range, information can be provided to the subject. Based on the distance information related to the working range, suggestions can be provided to the subject. The suggestion can be, for example, "move closer to the camera" or "increase the distance between the device and you." By providing feedback to the subject, the subject is notified of the ongoing process, allowing it to react accordingly. Another reflected image can be received, and another distance of the object from the image generation unit and / or the illumination source can be determined based on the reflected image, and as in Figure 2 As described in the context of , it can be determined whether the other distance is within or outside the working range 450. Figure 2 460, the result of the authentication process of receiving the object is described in the context of . The authentication process can be performed based on the information received with the first reflection image or based on the information received with the second reflection image. In an example, the authentication process can be a facial authentication process, and the authentication can only be performed when the distance is within the working range. Therefore, the facial authentication process can be performed based on the second at least one reflection image. Figure 2 As described in the context of , based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, the object is allowed to access the resource 470. The distance within the working range may refer to any distance determined based on the reflected image. The distance within the working range may be the first distance, the second distance, or any other distance as described above. Alternatively, the object may be denied access to the resource based on the authentication result and / or the distance being outside the working range, as in Figure 2 described in the context of.

[0145] An example embodiment of a method for authorizing an object may be as described in Figure 3 as described in the context of .

[0146] The disclosure is also described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and examples. However, other variations may be understood and implemented by those skilled in the art and those practicing the claimed invention through study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the claims. It is particularly noteworthy that any of the steps presented may be performed in any order, i.e., the invention is not limited to a particular order of the steps. Furthermore, there is no requirement that different steps be performed in one place, i.e., each step may be performed at one part of the system and / or multiple parts of the device.

[0147] As used herein, "determining" also includes "initiating or causing determination", "generating" also includes "initiating and / or causing generation", and "providing" also includes "initiating or causing determination, generation, selecting, sending and / or receiving". "Initiating or causing performance of an action" includes any processing signal that triggers a computing node or device to perform a corresponding action.

[0148] In the claims and the description, "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to an advantageous embodiment.

[0149] Any disclosure and embodiments described herein are related to the above-listed methods, systems, devices, computer program elements, and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any embodiment and example are also applicable to all other embodiments and examples, and vice versa.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for authorizing an object, the method comprising: include: a) receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a portion of the object when the object is at least partially illuminated by electromagnetic radiation, and, b) determining whether the distance is within or outside a working range of the authentication process based on the at least one reflected image, and, i) - receiving the result of the authentication process for the object, and, - based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource, or ii) - Based on the distance being outside the working range, the object is denied access to the resource.

2. The method according to claim 1, in, Determining whether the distance is within or outside an operating range for the authentication process may include determining the distance based on the at least one reflected image and comparing the distance to the operating range.

3. The method according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising determining the distance based on the at least one reflected image by using a model.

4. The method according to claims 1 to 3, in, The authentication process is based on biometric information.

5. The method of claims 1 and 4, further comprising determining the distance based on the at least one reflection by using one or more of depth of focus, depth through focus, triangulation, photon depth ratio, determining the distance based on a distance between at least two spatial features based on a flood image, and combinations thereof.

6. The method according to claims 1 to 5, in, Feedback is provided to the subject based on determining whether the distance is within or outside of an operating range for the authentication process.

7. The method according to claims 1 to 6, in, In response to the distance being outside the working range of the authentication process, steps a) to c) are repeated at least once.

8. The method according to claims 1 to 7, in, The at least one reflected image is received and / or generated in response to receiving an unlock request initiated by the subject.

9. The method according to claims 1 to 8, in, The method further comprises and / or the authentication process comprises at least one of the following: - receiving an image of at least a portion of the object; - generating a low-level representation of the image; and - determining a matching score between the low-level representation of the image and the low-level representation template; -Providing an authentication result associated with the match score.

10. The method according to claims 1 to 9, in, More than one distance is determined for more than one location in the reflected image, and the subject is allowed access to a resource within the working range based on the more than one distance.

11. The method according to claims 1 to 10, in, The distance is determined to be within the operating range of the authentication process based on determining whether the distance is within or outside the operating range of the authentication process before providing results of the authentication process or before generating the low-level representation of the reflected image.

12. The method according to claims 1 to 11, in, The electromagnetic radiation comprises patterned electromagnetic radiation and / or is in the infrared range.

13. Use of the distance obtained by the method claims 1 to 12 for allowing an object to access a resource and / or providing a suggestion to the object associated with an authentication process.

14. A computer program element having instructions which, when executed on a processing device, are configured to perform the steps of the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A device and / or system for authorizing an object, the system include: a) a receiving unit for receiving at least one reflection image showing at least a part of the object when the object is illuminated by electromagnetic radiation and / or receiving a result of an authentication process of the object, b) a processor configured to determine whether the distance is within or outside a working range of the authentication process based on the at least one reflected image, and, i) based on the result of the authentication process being positive and the distance being within the working range of the authentication process, allowing the subject to access the resource, or ii) Deny the object access to the resource based on the distance being outside the working range.

Images