Back in September 2019 Patently Apple posted a patent application report titled "Apple is considering the use of Palm Biometrics for Future Apple Watch and other Devices." Apple was granted this patent in December 2020. "Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a continuation patent from Apple that makes major changes to the mechanics behind their Palm ID invention.  

While Apple is likely to introduce Fingerprint ID under the display as their second biometrics option for the iPhone in the not-too-distant future, Apple is also exploring the use of Palm ID as a possible alternative or option down the road.

Apple's invention covers a display layer including light transmissive portions and non-transmissive portions. The electronic device may also include a palm biometric image sensor layer beneath the display layer and configured to sense an image of a user's palm positioned above the display layer based upon light reflected from the user's palm passing through the light transmissive portions of the display layer.

The electronic device may further include a controller configured to capture image data from the user's palm in cooperation with the palm biometric image sensor layer and determine a surface distortion of the user's palm based upon the image data.

Apple's patent FIGS. 2 and 3 below represent an electronic device (#20) that illustratively includes a portable housing and a controller carried by the portable housing. The electronic device could be an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, MacBook or other device. The devices could use a contactless palm biometric sensor as highlighted and detailed in patent FIG. 3.

Apple's patent FIG. 10 below illustrates an Apple Watch that uses Palm ID; FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed palm print capturing dots from the dot projector that provides a view of crack patterns that could be extracted from an image.

Today's patent filing is for a "continuation patent" wherein Apple gets to add or cancel parts of an invention in order to better protect it legally. It can also, as in this case, reinvent a device by cancelling all previous patent claims and replace them with a better representation of key elements of an invention.

Below are the key new patent points / patent claims that Apple has filed for to update / reinvent their Palm ID intellectual property:

The original Patent Claims 1-20 have been canceled. The new patent claims must begin at #21 so as to maintain their granted patent rather than applying for a new patent. This safeguards the date of the invention which is crucial.

21. An electronic device comprising: at least one light source configured to project light onto a user's palm; a palm biometric image sensor configured to sense light reflected from the user's palm when the user's palm is spaced from the palm biometric image sensor; and a controller coupled to the palm biometric image sensor and configured to determine an orientation offset of the user's palm, determine a surface distortion of the user's palm, determine palm vein data of the user's palm, and perform a biometric authentication of the user based upon the orientation offset, the surface distortion and comparing the palm vein data to stored palm vein data.

22. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a narrowing field of view layer above the photodiode layer.

23. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a focusing layer above the photodiode layer.

24. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the at least one light source comprises an infrared light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm vein data from reflected infrared light.
25. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the at least one light source comprises a flood light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm crease data from reflected flood light.

26. The electronic device of claim 25 wherein the controller is configured to determine the surface distortion based upon comparing the palm crease data to stored palm crease data.

27. The electronic device of claim 25 wherein the flood light source comprises a flood light source operable at a wavelength between 450 nm to 560 nm.

28. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the controller is configured to detect the user's palm being positioned adjacent the palm biometric image sensor layer and capture image data based thereon.

29. The electronic device of claim 21 comprising: a portable housing carrying the palm biometric image sensor and controller; and a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing and coupled to the controller.

30. The electronic device of claim 29 further comprising a watchband carried by the portable housing.

31. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory coupled thereto.

32. An electronic device comprising: a portable housing; a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing; at least one light source carried by the portable housing and configured to project light onto a user's palm; a palm biometric image sensor carried by the portable housing and configured to sense light reflected from the user's palm when the user's palm is spaced from the palm biometric image sensor; and a controller carried by the housing and coupled to the palm biometric image sensor, the controller comprising a processor and associated memory configured to determine an orientation offset of the user's palm, determine a surface distortion of the user's palm, determine palm vein data of the user's palm, and perform a biometric authentication of the user based upon the orientation offset, the surface distortion and comparing the palm vein data to stored palm vein data.

33. The electronic device of claim 32 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a narrowing field of view layer above the photodiode layer.

34. The electronic device of claim 32 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a focusing layer above the photodiode layer.

35. The electronic device of claim 32 wherein the at least one light source comprises an infrared light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm vein data from reflected infrared light.

36. The electronic device of claim 32 wherein the at least one light source comprises a flood light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm crease data from reflected flood light.
37. The electronic device of claim 36 wherein the controller is configured to determine the surface distortion based upon comparing the palm crease data to stored palm crease data.

38. The electronic device of claim 36 wherein the flood light source comprises a flood light source operable at a wavelength between 450 nm to 560 nm.

39. The electronic device of claim 32 wherein the controller is configured to detect the user's palm being positioned adjacent the palm biometric image sensor layer and capture image data based thereon.

40. A method of biometric authentication comprising: using a palm biometric image sensor to sense light reflected from a user's palm when the user's palm is spaced from the palm biometric image sensor; and using a controller coupled to the palm biometric image sensor layer to determine an orientation offset of the user's palm, determine a surface distortion of the user's palm, determine palm vein data of the user's palm, and perform a biometric authentication of the user based upon the orientation offset, the surface distortion and comparing the palm vein data to stored palm vein data.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a narrowing field of view layer above the photodiode layer.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the palm biometric image sensor comprises: a substrate; a photodiode layer on the substrate; and a focusing layer above the photodiode layer.
43. The method of claim 40 wherein the at least one light source comprises an infrared light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm vein data from reflected infrared light.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the at least one light source comprises a flood light source; and wherein the controller is configured to determine palm crease data from reflected flood light.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the controller is configured to determine the surface distortion based upon comparing the palm crease data to stored palm crease data.

The U.S. Patent Office published continuation patent 20210081646 earlier today.

Considering that this is a continuation patent, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.