Google wins face-to-unlock for multiple users patent, makes us hungry for Android support

[ ](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/google-face-unlock-patent/)

Google has won a [face-to-unlock](http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/19/ice-cream-sandwich-face-unlock-demo-video/) patent that seems to let multiple users share one "computing device." Point your face at the built-in camera, and you'll be allowed access to your personal profile -- and when it's time to move, someone else can do the same to take your place. While there's no connection to a real-world product and relates more to biometric ID than consumer technology, it does tickle hopes that we could see the feature included alongside official [multi-user support](http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/android-4-1-jelly-bean-proven-carrying-rough-multi-user-code/) in a future iteration of Android.

Filed under: [Cellphones](http://www.engadget.com/category/cellphones/), [Misc](http://www.engadget.com/category/misc/), [Mobile](http://www.engadget.com/category/mobile/)

[Google wins face-to-unlock for multiple users patent, makes us hungry for Android support](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/google-face-unlock-patent/) originally appeared on [Engadget](http://www.engadget.com) on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 19:48:00 EDT. Please see our [terms for use of feeds](http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).

######

[Permalink](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/google-face-unlock-patent/)&nbsp_place_holder; &nbsp_place_holder;|&nbsp_place_holder; [USPTO](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=9&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=%2820120904.PD.%20AND%20Google.ASNM.%29&OS=ISD/20120904%20AND%20AN/Google&RS=%28ISD/20120904%20AND%20AN/Google) &nbsp_place_holder;|&nbsp_place_holder;[Email this](http://www.engadget.com/forward/20315482/)&nbsp_place_holder;|&nbsp_place_holder;[Comments](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/google-face-unlock-patent/#comments)

URL: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/google-face-unlock-patent/