Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a continuation patent from Apple that relates to a method of easily authenticating multiple user devices at one time using a newly designed system for authenticated device assisted user authentication.

One aspect of Apple's invention is a system for authenticated device assisted user authentication. The system includes an authenticated device that is worn by a user such as a head-mounted device, wherein the user is currently authenticated to access a restricted-access function of the authenticated device. The system also includes a proximate device that has a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein a restricted-access function of the proximate device is inaccessible by the user in the locked state, and the restricted-access function of the proximate device is accessible by the user in the unlocked state.

The authenticated device is operable to detect the proximate device, to determine an intent of the user to access the restricted-access function of the proximate device while the proximate device is in the locked state, and to emit authentication data.

Based on the authentication data, the proximate device identifies the user as an authenticated user and enters the unlocked state from the locked state, such that the restricted-access function of the proximate device is accessible to the user.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 below shows a block diagram of a system for authenticated device assisted user authentication; FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of an example of authenticated device assisted user authentication.

The head-mounted wearable device #222 may be operable to verify the identity of the user (#230) and may identify the user as an authenticated user. For example, the head-mounted wearable device may include one or more sensors for verifying an identity of the user, such as biometric sensors.

The authenticated device may determine the user intent based on a body-motion-gesture command expressed by the user and detected by the authenticated device.

For example, the authenticated device may receive or detect a body-motion-gesture command expressed by the user indicating the user intent to access the proximate device, and the authenticated device may determine the user intends to access the proximate device, or a restricted-access function thereof, in response to detecting the body-motion-gesture.

For example, the authenticated device may present a request for intent confirmation, such as audio or video output indicating "nod to unlock" and the authenticated device may identify a nodding body-motion-gesture command expressed by the user as an indication of user intent to access the proximate device.

It should be noted that today's patent filing published by USPTO is that of a continuation patent wherein Apple is shown to be updating and/or adding specific technologies, features and/or methods that they want to legally extend, protect and fold into their granted patent which is legally permitted. Any change and/or addition to their invention is restricted to Apple's patent claims that are legally binding. 

Apple's granted patent issued in January 2021carried 5 patent claims relating to "The System" and 15 claims relating to "The Method."

Today's continuation patent covers 14 new patent claims regarding "The System" and 6 new patent claims regarding "The Method." Below are a few of the key patent claim additions:

Patent Claim #1: A system for user authentication, the system comprising: a head-mounted device, wherein the user is able to access a restricted-access function of the head-mounted device in response to verification of an identity of the user by the head-mounted device; and a proximate device, wherein the user is unable to access a restricted-access function of the proximate device, wherein the head-mounted device is operable to: identify that variations in a predetermined spatial orientation of the proximate device with respect to the user are below a variation threshold for a temporal duration that exceeds a temporal threshold; and in response to identifying that the variations in the predetermined spatial orientation are below the variation threshold for the temporal duration, emit authentication data that includes an identity of the user of the head-mounted device to the proximate device such that the user is able to access the restricted-access function of the proximate device.

Patent Claim #13: A system for user authentication, the system comprising: an authenticated device including a restricted-access function that a user is able to access in response to verification of an identity of the user by the authenticated device; and a proximate device including a restricted-access function that the user is able to access in response to the proximate device receiving authentication data that includes the identity of the user from the authenticated device, wherein the authenticated device is operable to: identify an absence of intent of the user to access the restricted-access function of the proximate device, and in response to identifying the absence of intent of the user to access the restricted-access function of the proximate device, emit a locking signal such that, in response to detecting the locking signal, the proximate device enters a locked state and the restricted-access function of the proximate device is inaccessible to the user.

Review Apple's continuation patent 20210105614 for finer details and their full 20 new patent claims.

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