On January 15, 2015, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of three patent applications from Apple that detail the specifics behind Apple Pay via Touch ID. The patent filings meticulously detail how the system will work with making future banking transactions or at current participating retailers and for purchasing apps and other digital media online via the App Store, iTunes and future online stores. The sole inventor behind all three patents that were originally filed in 2013 is Apple's software engineer Greg Kerr who came to Apple via the Authentec acquisition. Greg was VP of Software Development at Authentec.

Touch ID Patent #1: Financial Transactions





Apple's invention via patent application number 20150016698 may include an authentication device capable of performing authentication based upon a first type of finger biometric template. Apple's patent filing further notes that the device processor may be capable of cooperating with the authentication device to perform a transaction. By way of example, the transaction may comprise at least one of a financial transaction and a physical access transaction as noted above in patent FIGS. 4A and 4B.

For more details on this particular patent application titled "Electronic Device Providing Biometric Authentication based upon Multiple Template Types and Related Methods," click here.

Touch ID Patent #2: Biometric Sensor Data Synchronization via iCloud





The Example noted in patent FIG. 3 illustrates an iPhone making a transaction with Apple Pay using Touch ID at a retailer such as a coffee shop. In patent FIG. 4, the iPhone user is using Apple Pay to make online purchases on iTunes or App Store to purchase various digital media iTunes such as music, apps, movies and so forth.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 noted below is schematic block diagram of an electronic system providing iCloud-based storage and exchange of enrollment finger biometric data.





For more details on this particular patent application number 20150016697, click here.

A third patent application published today on this same theme titled "Electronic Device Providing Downloading of Enrollment Finger Biometric Data via Short Range Wireless Communication." Click here for more details.

In the example from Apple's third patent application 20150016694, we see patent FIG. 6 noted below. Apple notes that the first wireless transceiver #34' and the second wireless transceiver #44' may be short-range wireless communications receivers, such as near-field communication (NFC) or Bluetooth transceivers.





Patently Apple presents a detailed summary of patent applications with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent application should be read in its entirety for full and accurate details.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Comments are reviewed daily from 5am to 7pm MST and sporadically over the weekend.