Friday, June 21, 2013

Apple's fingerprint scanner could be hidden in the bezel of an iPhone

12:49 PM

Security is just a touch away (credit: Patently Apple)Related storiesTake that, eye scrolling: iPhone 5S said to have fingerprint scanneriPhone 5S parts purportedly include internally tweaked home buttonDo these 'leaked' iPhone 5S parts show Apple is about to change design?

The security of mobile devices to this point has been restricted to a personal identification number or a simple swipe of the finger on the screen.

With the amount of personal information readily available to anyone who happens to open your device without your knowledge, any additional security would be welcome.

As luck would have it, Apple has been reportedly working on adding in a fingerprint scanner to its devices for a few years, with the rumors rising again as the reveal of the iPhone 5S draws near.

Though Apple has already patented fingerprint scanning technology of some sort in various stages, that didn't stop the Cupertino company from returning to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office once more for yet another potential mobile fingerprint reader.

Bezel tov

According to Patently Apple, a patent was been filed in February for a fingerprint scanner that could be hidden within the bezel of any given device.

The security feature is different from earlier attempts from Apple, in that this would be an actual sensor somewhere on an iPhone (for example), but not hidden under the display.

This new method is possible thanks to some Apple engineers discovering a way to encapsulate both the bezel and the sensor together, which not only allows the completed scanner to be smaller and more compact, but also protects it from any environmental hazards that could potentially mess with the delicate hardware.

Operation is then easy enough, as the fingertip is swiped through the sensor, and a small amount of current is passed through the bezel to the finger to provide a more accurate reading.

The sensor is only capable of creating a 2D image, so the mild current not only helps accuracy, but helps the software actually render the complete fingertip with ease.

Though the patent didn't reveal any information about when the scanner might be put to actual use in any of Apple's products, this latest iteration only serves to show how serious the company is about making good use of its AuthenTec acquisition.

We wouldn't be shocked to see the fingerprint scanner make its debut with the next iPhone, but with the amount of patents filed that never see the light of day, this could just as easily vanish into the USPTO's file cabinets.

Apple swears it hasn't been party to the U.S. government's Prism program, and claims it has proof to back its statements up.Join TechRadar and get our weekly newsletter

Get the week's hottest news stories, our most popular reviews, and fantastic competitions straight to your inbox with our free weekly newsletter.

Tell me more
Learn moreTagsApplepatentfingerprint scanneriPhone 5SiOSsecuritySee more apple newsCommentsTweet Add your comment

Type your comment here.You need to log in or join to add comments.

Hello, you are logged in as

Not you, eh? Log out, log in as another user or join

By submitting this form you agree to our Terms of Use and so are legally responsible for anything you submit. DO NOT submit anything which may violate the Terms of Use or another person

View the Original article

Written by

We are Creative Blogger Theme Wavers which provides user friendly, effective and easy to use themes. Each support has free and providing HD support screen casting.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 

© 2013 PC Tech World. All rights resevered. Designed by Templateism

Back To Top