Face Authentication for Video Communication Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user authentication methods in video communication systems are limited in effectively managing multiple users and ensuring secure access, particularly in detecting and verifying face regions within acquired image data.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for user authentication that includes a camera, face detection unit, feature extraction unit, and user authentication unit, which detect and compare face regions in acquired image data with pre-registered information to permit access to video communication services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If face detection and recognition is performed to authenticate users, then security and accuracy of user authentication is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser authentication securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the authentication process into distinct modules: face detection unit, feature extraction unit, and user authentication unit. Each module handles a specific task, making the overall complex system manageable and maintainable while achieving high authentication security through coordinated operation of these segmented components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary face detection and feature extraction before final authentication comparison. Face regions are detected and features are extracted in advance, preparing data for the authentication comparison step, which reduces processing time during actual authentication while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If multiple face regions are detected and compared with pre-registered information, then accuracy of user authentication is improved, but processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveface recognition accuracyVSAvoidauthentication processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects multiple face regions beyond what might be strictly necessary, comparing each detected face against pre-registered information. This excessive detection approach ensures that all possible users are identified and authenticated, improving accuracy by eliminating false negatives, while the system manages the computational load through efficient feature extraction and comparison algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If face feature information is extracted and compared with pre-registered data, then reliability of authentication is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential feature information from detected face regions, separating the critical authentication data from the rest of the image data. This extraction process isolates the key characteristics needed for reliable authentication while reducing the amount of data that needs to be processed and stored, thereby managing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses pre-registered face feature information as reference copies for comparison with detected faces. Instead of storing and processing complete original face images, the system works with extracted feature copies, which maintains authentication reliability while significantly reducing data processing complexity and storage requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2502435B1Method for user authentication, and video communication apparatus and display apparatus thereof
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2502435B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2502435B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2502435B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for user authentication. According to an emboidment, the invention provides a method for user authentication in a video communication apparatus, the video communication apparatus including a user authentication unit, the method comprising: receiving image data of a plurality of users; detecting a face region of each of the plurality of users by using the received image data; performing, by the user authentication unit, a user authentication by comparing face feature information corresponding to each of the detected face regionswith pre-registered face feature information; and permitting, by the user authentication unit, an access to a video communication service by a user corresponding to at least one of the detected face regions using the user authentication result.