System to facilitate user authentication by autonomous mobile device

US11422568B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · US

Inventors

• Jim Oommen Thomas · Kenmore, US
• Jingjing Zheng · Raymond, US
• Rakesh Ramesh · San Jose, US
• Yuyin Sun · Seattle, US
• Lu Xia · Jinhua City, CN
• Peng Lei · Redmond, US
• Jiajia Luo · Hubei, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 11, 2019
• Grant date: Aug 23, 2022
• Expiry date: Jul 18, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V40/172
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) may perform various tasks during operation. Some tasks, such as delivering a message to a particular user, may involve the AMD identifying the particular user. The AMD includes a camera to acquire an image, and image-based authentication techniques are used to determine a user's identity. A user may move within in a physical space, and the space may contain various obstructions which may occlude images. The AMD may move within the space to obtain a vantage point from which an image of the face of the user is obtained which is suitable for image-based authentication. In some situations, the AMD may present an attention signal, such as playing a sound from a speaker or flashing a light, to encourage the user to look at the AMD, providing an image for use in image-based authentication.