User identification with biokinematic input

A computerized user identification method, comprising:

• receiving user biokinematic input of an identification gesture including a plurality of digit touches made by a corresponding plurality of digits of a user, in each of a series of successive time intervals, via a multi-touch sensitive display of a computing device;
• comparing respective positions and respective rates of change in said positions of the plurality of digit touches during at least a portion of the identification gesture in the biokinematic input to a stored user template of verified biokinematic data for the user, the stored user template generated from user-identifying features extracted from previous biokinematic input associated with the user, the user-identifying features including at least an outline of the user's hand or a centroid of one or more previous digit touches made by a corresponding one or more digits of the user;
• and
• if a match is determined by the comparing, then displaying an indication on the display that the user has been successfully identified.

A computing device, comprising:

• a portable multi-touch sensitive display including a sensor configured to receive biokinematic input including data representing detected positions of each of a plurality of digit touches made by a corresponding plurality of digits of a user, in each of a series of successive time intervals during a defined identification gesture;
• a user identification module executed by a processor of the computing device, the user identification module being configured to receive the biokinematic input from the sensor, the user identification module including;
• a feature extractor configured to, in a registration phase, receive a first biokinematic input from the sensor and extract user-identifying features from the first biokinematic input, the first biokinematic input comprising relative positions of the plurality of digit touches and/or relative rates of change in said positions of the plurality of touches, and the user-identifying features including at least one of an outline of the user's hand or a centroid of one or more of the plurality of digit touches;
• and
• a template generator configured to generate a user template including the user-identifying features and store the user template in a data store;
• wherein the feature extractor is further configured to, in a user identification phase, receive a second biokinematic input from the sensor, wherein the second biokinematic input includes relative positions of the plurality of digit touches and/or relative rates of change in said positions of the plurality of touches;
• and
• a matching engine configured to compare the second biokinematic input to the stored user template of verified biokinematic data for the user, and if a match is determined, to display an indication on the display that the user has been successfully identified.