User-authentication gestures

Abstract

This document relates to user-authentication gestures. One example can capture multiple biometric features when a user-authentication gesture is performed as a device authentication attempt. The example can compare values of the multiple biometric features to previous values stored for the user. The example can further unlock the computing device in an instance where the values of the multiple biometric features satisfy a similarity threshold relative to the previous values.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A device comprising:
 one or more movement sensors configured to sense movement of the device;   at least one processor; and   at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:   obtain current movement data reflecting movement of the device when a user performs a current instance of a gesture;   perform a comparison of the current movement data to stored movement data for the gesture; and   perform an action in response to the current instance of the gesture, provided the comparison indicates the current movement data matches the stored movement data.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more movement sensors are configure to sense displacement of the device. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , the one or more movement sensors comprising one or more accelerometers. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more movement sensors are configure to sense rotation of the device. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , the one or more movement sensors comprising one or more gyroscopes. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the action involves unlocking the device. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 not perform the action in response to the current instance of the gesture when the comparison indicates the current movement data does not match the stored movement data.   
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 obtaining current movement data reflecting movement of a device when a user performs a current instance of a gesture using the device;   performing a comparison of the current movement data to stored movement data reflecting one or more previous instances when the gesture was performed; and   performing an action in response to the current instance of the gesture, provided the comparison indicates same user performed the current instance of the gesture and the one or more previous instances of the gesture.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 obtaining the stored movement data from an accelerometer of the device when the one or more previous instances of the gesture are performed; and   obtaining the current movement data from the accelerometer of the device when the current instance of the gesture is performed.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 obtaining the stored movement data from a gyroscope of the device when the one or more previous instances of the gesture are performed; and   obtaining the current movement data from the gyroscope of the device when the current instance of the gesture is performed.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 determining a personalized similarity threshold for a particular user that performs multiple previous instances of the gesture; and   determining whether the particular user is the same user that performs the current instance of the gesture using the personalized similarity threshold.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 calculating the personalized similarity threshold based at least on variability in the stored movement data for different previous instances when the particular user performed the gesture.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , the action comprising authenticating the user that performs the current instance of the gesture. 
     
     
         34 . A device comprising:
 one or more movement sensors configured to sense movement of the device; and   a processor configured to:
 obtain a current movement signature from the one or more movement sensors reflecting movement of the device when a current instance of a gesture is performed using the device; 
 performing a comparison of the current movement signature to a previous movement signature reflecting one or more previous instances when the gesture was performed by a particular user; 
 based at least on the comparison, make a determination whether the particular user that performed the one or more previous instances of the gesture also performed the current instance of the gesture; 
 in a first instance when the determination indicates that the particular user that performed the one or more previous instances of the gesture also performed the current instance of the gesture, perform an action on the device; and 
 in a second instance when the determination indicates that the particular user that performed the one or more previous instances of the gesture did not perform the current instance of the gesture, refrain from performing the action on the device. 
   
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34 , the action comprising unlocking the device. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 34 , the one or more movement sensors comprising a gyroscope. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 34 , the one or more movement sensors comprising an accelerometer. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 34 , the one or more movement sensors comprising an accelerometer and a gyroscope. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 34 , further comprising a display. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the display is touch sensitive.