Apple patents eye-area scans that use 3D shadows for security
Apple describes a system that uses cameras and lights to capture 3D details of the area around your eyes, including shadows and surface texture. This data can be used to verify your identity either alongside your iris scan or as a replacement for it.
In the filing’s own words
Methods and apparatus for using periocular region features in a biometric authentication process are disclosed. The periocular region features may be represented by 3D characteristics included in captured data. Also, additional biometric surface information of the periocular region, such as color, reflectivity, etc. may be included in captured data. A periocular region authentication process may use such periocular region information to augment iris information, or as an alternative to iris information. In some embodiments, a trained machine learning model may be used to improve performance of a periocular region biometric authentication process by reducing computational workload.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system comprising: one or more illumination sources; one or more camera configured to capture reflected light from the one or more illumination sources that has been reflected off of one or more biometric aspects of a periocular region of a user, wherein the reflected light comprises information about shadows which comprises information about 3D characteristics of the biometric aspect of the periocular region; and a processor configured to: receive input from the one or more camera comprising the information about the shadows which comprises the information about the 3D characteristics of the one or more biometric aspects of the periocular region; determine, based on the received input comprising the information about the shadows which comprises the information about the 3D characteristics, one or more 3D characteristics for the one or more biometric aspects of the periocular region; and perform a periocular region user authentication process using biometric surface information that comprises the determined one or more 3D characteristics, wherein the periocular region user authentication process comprises comparing the biometric surface information to a stored biometric template.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Using periocular region features for biometric authentication
- Patent number
- US12762217B1
- Application number
- 18625876
- Filed
- Apr 3, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 13, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 21/32 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.