Methods, apparatus and systems for authentication

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and systems for authentication of a user based on ear biometric data, and voice biometric data or other authentication data. The ear biometric data may be combined with voice biometric data or with a security question and response.

1 . A method in a biometric authentication system, the method comprising:
 obtaining ear biometric data for a user to be authenticated;   identifying the user as a particular authorised user based on the ear biometric data;   obtaining voice biometric data for the user to be authenticated; and   authenticating the user as the particular authorised user based on the voice biometric data.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising outputting a security question message to the user, specific to the user and authenticating the user as the particular authorised user based on a response message from the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the security question message is output audibly via the personal audio device. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the security question message relates to a password, passphrase or pin number associated with the particular authorised user. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the security question message is configured such that a correct response relates only to part of the password, passphrase or pin number. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the security question message relates to a logical operation carried out on the password, passphrase or pin number. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein authenticating the user as the particular authorised user based on the response message comprises authenticating the user as the particular authorised user in response to a determination that an answer to the security question message in the response message is correct. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the response message comprises an audio response message, wherein the voice biometric data is obtained from the audio response message. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining ear biometric data comprises:
 initiating an acoustic stimulus for application to the user's ear; and   extracting one or more features from a measured response to the acoustic stimulus.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the acoustic stimulus comprises an audio playback signal. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the audio playback signal comprises music. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of extracting one or more features from the measured response comprises extracting one or more features from a transfer function between the acoustic stimulus and the measured response. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ear biometric data is obtained by a personal audio device. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the ear biometric data is obtained by a microphone in the personal audio device. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the microphone is further utilized as part of an active noise cancellation system. 
     
     
         16 . An electronic apparatus, comprising processing circuitry and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the electronic apparatus to:
 obtain ear biometric data for a user to be authenticated;   identify the user as a particular authorised user based on the ear biometric data;   obtain voice biometric data for the user to be authenticated; and   authenticate the user as the particular authorised user based on the voice biometric data.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the electronic apparatus is caused to output a security question message to the user, specific to the user and authenticating the user as the particular authorised user based on a response message from the user, wherein the electronic apparatus is caused to authenticate the user as the particular authorised user based on the response message by authenticating the user as the particular authorised user in response to a determination that an answer to the security question message in the response message is correct. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the electronic apparatus is caused to output a security question message to the user, specific to the user and authenticating the user as the particular authorised user based on a response message from the user, wherein the response message comprises an audio response message, wherein the electronic apparatus is further caused to obtain voice biometric data from the audio response message. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the electronic apparatus is caused to obtain ear biometric data by:
 initiating an acoustic stimulus for application to the user's ear; and   extracting one or more features from a measured response to the acoustic stimulus.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by processing circuitry of an electronic apparatus, cause the electronic apparatus to:
 obtain ear biometric data for a user to be authenticated;   obtain voice biometric data for the user to be authenticated;   output a security question message to the user, specific to the particular authorised user; and authenticate the user as the particular authorised user based on the voice biometric data.