Temporary biometric templates for maintaining a user authenticated state

A method for using biometric templates to authenticate a user for an online user interaction, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an electronic device, a first input to unlock the electronic device using at least one of a password, PIN, an iris scan, or a fingerprint scan effective to initiate a current unlock session;
• creating, by the electronic device, a temporary facial template of the user unlocking the electronic device, the temporary facial template effective to initiate a user authenticated state;
• tracking, by the electronic device, the face of the user for a duration of the current unlock session;
• updating, by the electronic device, the temporary facial template by continuously adding, while in the user authenticated state, facial feature data to the temporary facial template;
• receiving, by the electronic device, during the current unlock session, by an application executing on the electronic device and configured to permit the online user interaction, a user request for an online user interaction;
• responsive to receiving the user request for an online user interaction, comparing, by the electronic device, the tracked face of the user with the temporary facial template and authenticating the user when the tracked face matches the temporary facial template to a predetermined threshold level;
• and
• responsive to authenticating the user, permitting, by the electronic device, the online user interaction.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a temporary biometric template module implemented to:
• receive an input to unlock the electronic device using a first secure authentication technique effective to initiate a current unlock session;
• create a temporary biometric template of a biometric feature of a user unlocking the electronic device effective to initiate a user authenticated state;
• track the biometric feature of the user associated with the temporary biometric template for a duration of the current unlock session;
• compare the tracked biometric feature of the user to the temporary biometric template, the first secure authentication technique being different than the biometric feature;
• update the temporary biometric template by continuously adding, while in the user authenticated state, the biometric feature data to the temporary biometric template when the tracked biometric feature matches the temporary biometric template to a predetermined threshold level;
• maintain the user authenticated state when the tracked biometric feature matches the temporary biometric template to the predetermined threshold level;
• and
• terminate the user authenticated state when the biometric feature of the user can no longer be tracked, said terminating causing the temporary biometric template to be invalidated.