Methods and apparatus for authentication in an electronic device

Abstract

An authentication system, comprising: one or more inputs, for receiving biometric input signals from a user; a routing module, configured to selectively route the biometric input signals from the one or more inputs to one or more of a plurality of components, the plurality of components including a biometric authentication module, for processing the biometric input signals and generating an authentication result; and a security module, for receiving a control instruction for the routing module, determining whether or not the control instruction complies with one or more rules, and controlling the routing module based on the control instruction responsive to a determination that the control instruction complies with the one or more rules.

1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more input devices for acquiring input signals from a user of the electronic device; and   a biometric processing integrated circuit, connected to the one or more input devices via circuitry which is configured such that the biometric processing integrated circuit provides sole access to the one or more input devices and access by any other components of the electronic device is not permitted, the biometric processing integrated circuit comprising a biometric authentication module for processing the input signals and generating a biometric authentication result.   
     
     
         50 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 49 , further comprising an application processor in communication with the biometric processing integrated circuit. 
     
     
         51 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the biometric processing integrated circuit and the application processor are provided on separate integrated circuits. 
     
     
         52 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the biometric processing integrated circuit is configured to output the biometric authentication result to the application processor. 
     
     
         53 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein the biometric processing integrated circuit is configured to receive one or more control instructions from the application processor, and output said input signals to the application processor in accordance with a determination that the control instructions comply with one or more rules. 
     
     
         54 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein the one or more input devices comprise one or more microphones. 
     
     
         55 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 49  wherein the electronic device is at least one of: a portable device; a battery-powered device; a mobile telephone; an audio player; a video player; a personal digital assistant; a wearable device; a mobile computing platform; a laptop computer; a tablet computer; a games device; a remote control device; a toy; a domestic appliance or controller thereof; a domestic temperature or lighting control system; a security system; and a robot. 
     
     
         56 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein the biometric processing integrated circuit is a speaker recognition processor integrated circuit.