Microsoft files biometric gestures patent, suggests whole-screen fingerprint reader

Microsoft filed a patent earlier this year for a new feature called “Biometric Gestures”, which allows smartphone owners to perform various actions by swiping their fingerprint scanner in a certain direction, according to a report by MS Power User.

Google recently added a similar feature for Google Pixel called fingerprint scanner gestures.

“In one or more implementations, a computing device includes a biometric sensor, such as a fingerprint touch sensor, that is configured to detect gesture input,” Microsoft writes in the patent application.

“When gesture input is received from a user, the biometric sensor detects biometric characteristics (e.g., a fingerprint) of the user and determines a gesture (e.g., a tap, touch and hold, or swipe) based on the gesture input. The user is authenticated if the biometric characteristics correspond to an authorized user of the device.

“If the user is authenticated, the device transitions to an authenticated user state that is associated with the type of gesture, such as by displaying personal information on a lockscreen of the computing device or opening a quick action center.”

Microsoft illustrates in a diagram three potential gestures, including a simple tap, a second tap and rest or tap and hold, and a third tap and swipe.

All three actions would be performed on the device when it’s in its locked state with each action resulting in a different result, such as unlocking the device, displaying notifications or showing appointments.

The illustration shows the gesture on the screen instead of the bezel of the devices, which suggests that Microsoft has also patented on-display or whole display fingerprint readers.

Although the fingerprint gestures feature itself is already available on other platforms, there are certainly more possibilities when combining the technology with a whole display fingerprint reader.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  fingerprint readers  |  gesture recognition  |  Microsoft  |  patent  |  smartphones