Touch ID Patent Applications Show Details Behind 'Secure Enclave' and iPhone 5s Implementation

A pair of patent applications related to Apple's new flagship iPhone feature Touch ID shed some new light on how the fingerprint sensor itself works, as well as the "Secure Enclave" inside the A7 processor that analyzes and stores user fingerprints.

The first, as noticed by Patently Apple, details a method by which the iPhone scans a finger and then provides that data to the "Secure Enclave" for matching and eventual approval.

Rather than storing actual images of fingerprints, Apple takes a fingerprint map and runs it through a sort of encryption to prevent thieves from pulling fingerprint data from a compromised iPhone. The enclave only allows fingerprints to be checked against known valid ones, not the other way around.

Secureenclave
From Patently Apple
:

Apple's invention includes a process of collapsing the full [finger] maps into a sort of checksum, hash function, or histogram. For example, each encrypted ridge map template can have some lower resolution pattern computed and associated with the ridge map. One exemplary pattern could be a histogram of, e.g., the most common angles (e.g., a 2 dimensional (2D) array of common angles). The exemplary pattern could include in each slot an average value over a respective vector of the map. The exemplary pattern could include in each slot a sum of the values over a respective vector of the map. The exemplary pattern could include the smallest or largest value within a respective vector of the map, or could be a difference between a largest and a smallest value within the respective vector of the map.

One interesting note about the secure enclave patent is the main inventor, Wayne Westerman. He was one of the lead inventors on the multi-touch technology that Apple eventually purchased and uses as the key feature in Apple's billion-dollar iPhone and iPad lines. Westerman has been a senior engineer at Apple since his company, Fingerworks, was purchased by Apple in 2005.

In a separate application, Apple lays out the different parts that make up the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, including the different bits that Apple shows off in its marketing materials (shown below). Bottom image courtesy Patently Apple.

Touchid
AppleInsider notes that the patent addresses the opaque home button that nonetheless scans fingerprints:

Touch ID's aesthetic treatments have been included as well, as the patent details "an ink assembly...printed on the lens" that "has the effect that the otherwise-translucent button can be made opaque, so the elements of the fingerprint recognition sensor are not immediately visible to the user."

Neither patent has yet been awarded, with the applications initially filed in March. Provisional applications were filed back in May of 2012, illustrating how long the technology has been in development.

Top Rated Comments

budselectjr Avatar
122 months ago
Haters hate but I'm still bummed that they didn't add the tech to the new iPads. :(

With the reports of low yields for the sensors prior to the 5s launch I wasn't suprised.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WaxedJacket Avatar
122 months ago
Haters hate but I'm still bummed that they didn't add the tech to the new iPads. :(
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
i.mac Avatar
122 months ago
How long before samedung shamefully steals, copies, and claims as their own this invention?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
winkchris Avatar
122 months ago
Wow, thats sophisticated.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kockgunner Avatar
122 months ago
"Can't innovate anymore, my ass!"

Those who know less about something tend to think they know it all. They underestimate the complexity and think things can't possibly be this complicated. Yup, this is on the same level as the Motorola Atrix sensor :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
122 months ago
How long before samedung shamefully steals, copies, and claims as their own this invention?
Or maybe they'll just include a powerful enough secure processor, that such a helper hack is not necessary.

--

Btw, it's really childish when people make up nicknames for companies. It's like putting a giant immaturity mark on your post. Hard to take anyone's opinion seriously after that.

Reminds me of when people used to call Apple "Crapple", or use "M$" for Microsoft, or use "Commode-Door" for Commodore.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 to Developers [Update: Public RC Available]

Tuesday March 21, 2023 10:25 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the fourth betas. The RCs mark the final version of the software that will be provided to the public in the near future. Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates...
google bard

Google Opens Up Access to Bard AI Chatbot

Tuesday March 21, 2023 4:23 pm PDT by
Google today began allowing users to sign up to use Bard, its AI-powered chatbot that rivals Microsoft's Bing chatbot. First announced back in February, Bard is an experimental conversational AI service for Google Search. Those interested in Bard can join Google's waitlist to get access, and some users have reported getting invitation emails just hours after signing up. There are a long list ...
smart monitor m8 samsung

Deals: Samsung's iMac-Like Smart Monitor M8 Drops to Lowest Price of Year So Far With $250 Discount

Monday March 20, 2023 8:27 am PDT by
Samsung today kicked off a special "Discover Samsung" event, which will be a week-long savings event focusing on Samsung monitors, smartphones, TVs, appliances, and more. While some deals will stick around the entire week (through March 26), others will refresh every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...