Wearable Biometric Authentication Power Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Biometric authentication using acoustic characteristics in wearable devices requires high power consumption, posing a challenge for reducing energy usage in these devices.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a wearing determination unit and an operation mode controlling unit to switch between operation modes, allowing biometric authentication only when the device is worn, thereby reducing power consumption by restricting authentication processing when not in use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If biometric authentication based on acoustic characteristics is continuously performed, then authentication security is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs biometric authentication periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The operation mode controlling unit switches between a first operation mode where authentication is not executable and a second operation mode where authentication is executable, based on triggering events such as wear detection or user requests, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining security when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on real-time conditions. The wearing determination unit detects whether the wearable device is being worn, and the operation mode controlling unit accordingly switches between authentication-disabled and authentication-enabled modes, making the authentication process adaptive to actual usage scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If biometric authentication processing is always executable, then user convenience is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions (wearing detection, mode switching) before enabling authentication processing. The wearing determination unit detects wear status and the operation mode controlling unit pre-switches to the appropriate mode, so authentication is ready when needed but not actively consuming power during non-use periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables authentication processing periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. Authentication is activated only when triggered by specific events such as wear detection or user requests, balancing convenience with power conservation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12189453B2Information processing device, wearable device, information processing method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 NEC CORP

AI summary

Provided is an information processing device including a wearing determination unit configured to determine whether or not a user wears a wearable device that emits a sound wave to perform a biometric authentication based on acoustic characteristics toward a part of a head of the user and an operation mode controlling unit configured to switch, based on a result of a determination by the wearing determination unit, an operation mode of the wearable device between a plurality of operation modes including a first operation mode in which a process for the biometric authentication is not executable and a second operation mode in which a process for the biometric authentication is executable.