Fingerprint Reader Secure Wake-Up for Power-Constrained Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information handling systems face challenges in providing secure access, as password and biometric data storage is vulnerable to theft and malware, and authentication systems continue to consume power even in sleep states, leading to battery depletion in portable devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a fingerprint-based wake-up method where a fingerprint reader is powered while the system is in a low power state, allowing for secure authentication and activation of the device only when a valid fingerprint is detected, thus conserving battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the authentication system remains powered on to enable quick resumption from sleep state, then the system can provide fast wake-up and authentication, but the battery power is continuously depleted over time
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into two parts: a minimal authentication subsystem (fingerprint sensor and controller) that remains powered during sleep state, and the main system components that are fully powered down. This segmentation allows the minimal subsystem to enable fast wake-up while the main system consumes no power during sleep, resolving the contradiction between wake-up speed and battery consumption.
2Ease of operation
If password and biometric data are stored on system memory for authentication, then the authentication process can be performed, but the stored data is vulnerable to theft and modification by malware and viruses
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication data (passwords and biometric templates) are extracted from the main system memory and stored in a dedicated secure storage subsystem with hardware-level security protections. This extraction removes the vulnerability to malware and viruses that affect general system memory, while maintaining authentication capability through the secure subsystem.
3Ease of operation
If the entire authentication system is powered on during sleep state to enable quick resumption, then wake-up authentication is available, but the system consumes excessive battery power
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the authentication system have different power states during sleep: the fingerprint sensor and controller remain powered to maintain authentication availability, while the authentication database and processing components are powered down to reduce consumption. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between authentication availability and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method provides power to a fingerprint reader while the remaining components of the information handling system are held in a low power, non-operating state. Placement of a finger across the fingerprint reader is detected with the information handling system in the non-operating state. A fingerprint is read and a corresponding fingerprint image is generated. The fingerprint image is buffered and an embedded controller is triggered to start an authentication device having a secure storage. The fingerprint image is compared to a fingerprint template contained in the secure storage. In response to the fingerprint image matching the fingerprint template, the authentication device signals the embedded controller to activate a user authenticated wake-up cycle to provide power to the other components of the information handling system such that the information handling system activates an operating system and enters a fully powered and user authenticated, operational state.