Fingerprint Sensor Gesture Path Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Password-based protection for electronic devices is vulnerable to attacks and time-consuming for users, especially as password length increases for improved security.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a fingerprint sensor adjacent to the touchscreen display in electronic devices, allowing for gesture recognition and fingerprint authentication as a background process, where the fingerprint sample is captured incidentally during device usage, enabling secure functions without explicit user prompts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If password length is increased to improve security, then device security is improved, but time required for authentication input is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice securityVSAvoidtime required for authentication input

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/password-based authentication system with a biometric fingerprint sensor system. The fingerprint sensor captures and analyzes fingerprint patterns to authenticate users, eliminating the need for time-consuming password typing while maintaining strong security. This substitution of authentication mechanisms directly resolves the contradiction between security strength and authentication time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If password-based protection is used to prevent unauthorized access, then device security is improved, but vulnerability to attacks increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice securityVSAvoidvulnerability to attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the vulnerable password-based system with a biometric fingerprint authentication system. Fingerprint sensors analyze unique physical characteristics of users, making it extremely difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access through observation or guessing. This biometric approach fundamentally changes the security paradigm from vulnerable password-based protection to robust biometric verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If fingerprint sensor is added to enable biometric authentication, then authentication security is improved, but device complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the fingerprint sensor into the existing touchscreen display structure, allowing the same hardware component to serve multiple functions: gesture recognition for user interaction and fingerprint authentication for security verification. This multi-functionality approach reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving enhanced authentication security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9020567B2Authentication using fingerprint sensor in gesture path

Publication Date: 2015.04.28 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

Methods and devices for obtaining a fingerprint sample due to incidental contact with a fingerprint sensor when performing a gesture are described. In one aspect, an electronic device includes a touchscreen display and a fingerprint sensor adjacent the touchscreen display. One or more processors are associated with instructions that cause a fingerprint sample to be obtained and that cause a gesture to be detected. The gesture is characterized by input representing movement that is directed at or from the fingerprint sensor. The input is received, at least in part, at an end of the touchscreen display that is nearest the fingerprint sensor.