Apple's engineering teams have been working on delivering a biometrics solution for Apple Watch for some time with emphasis on a Touch ID button or surface ( 01 and 02). In today's granted patent we see that one of Apple's engineering teams has invented an alternative biometrics system that will use the user's hand in the form of Palm ID. An Apple Watch (iPhone and/or iPad) will use both a dot projector and a palm biometric sensor to achieve a Palm ID reading.  

Apple's granted patent cover electronic devices that 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, such as an iPhone, 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.

The controller may also be configured to perform a biometric authentication of the user's palm based upon the image data and the surface distortion.

The palm biometric image sensing layer may include a substrate, a photodiode layer on the substrate, and a narrowing field of view layer above the photodiode layer, for example. The palm biometric image sensing layer may include a substrate, a photodiode layer on the substrate, and a focusing layer above the photodiode layer, for example.

The electronic device may further include an infrared light source, and the controller may be configured to determine palm vein data from the image data resulting from the infrared light source.

The controller may be configured to perform the biometric authentication based upon comparing palm vein data to stored palm vein data, for example.

The electronic device may include a flood light source, and the controller may be configured to determine palm crease data from the image data resulting from the flood light source.

Apple's patent FIGS. 1 and 2 below illustrate a contactless palm biometric sensor that includes an image projector, and more particularly, for example, a dot projector; FIG. 7 is a flow diagram in respect to sensing of a palm biometric using a contactless palm biometric sensor.

Apple's patent FIG. 3 below is a schematic block diagram of the electronic device of FIG. 1; 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; and Apple's patent FIG. 10 illustrates an Apple Watch that uses Palm ID.

A Few Technical Points of Apple's Granted Patent

In respect to an electronic device, it's to comprise of 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.

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.

The electronic device includes at least one light source comprising an infrared light source and the controller is configured to determine palm vein data from reflected infrared light.

The electronic device includes 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.

The electronic device includes a controller that is configured to determine the surface distortion based upon comparing the palm crease data to stored palm crease data.

The electronic device includes a flood light source comprising a flood light source operable at a wavelength between 450 nm to 560 nm.

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

This is Apple's second granted patent for Palm ID biometrics.

Apple Inventors

• Moe (Mohammad) Yeke Yazdandoost: Tech Lead – Lead Sensing System Architect
•  Dale Setlak: Engineering sensors and measurement systems. Came to Apple via the AuthenTec acquisition in 2012.
• Giovanni Gozzini: Director of Engineering. Came to Apple via the AuthenTec acquisition.