In October 2019, years ahead of any rumor, Patently Apple posted an IP report titled “Is Apple working on a National ID Verification System? In September 2020, we posted our second patent report on this subject matter titled “Apple Patent Reveals a Developing Security ID System tied to a National Database to assist Brick and Mortar Merchants & more.” In 2021, Apple was granted two National ID Verification System patents (01 and 02). In June 2021, Apple introduced Driver’s Licenses and State ID’s in Apple Wallet during WWCD-21 Keynote.
In September 2021, Apple announced the first states that signed up to adopt driver’s licenses and State IDs in Apple Wallet. The project is going a little slower as new technologies and processes are being added to satisfy various states. Last week, CNBC reported that the U.S. is again delaying the deadline for Real ID’s until 2025.
In a press release, the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated: “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a Real ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible.”
On Thursday, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a new patent application from Apple on this project titled “Digital, Identification Credential User Interfaces.” The patent is loaded with present and possible future User Interfaces for National ID, including the use of Touch ID biometrics and more. Technically, Apple’s patent covers techniques for enrolling, managing, and using digital credentials, including digital identification credentials.
A new ‘Liveliness Check’ User Interface
Apple’s latest patent application covers “A Method” that comprises: at a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices: detecting, via the one or more input devices, one or more user inputs corresponding to a request to add a digital identification credential to the computer system; subsequent to detecting the one or more user inputs: displaying, via the display generation component, a liveness check user interface including one or more directions for a user to provide liveness check information; receiving, via the one or more input devices, liveness check information; displaying, via the display generation component, an identity check user interface including one or more directions for a user to provide identity check information; and receiving, via the one or more input devices, identity check information; and subsequent to receiving the liveness check information and the identity check information: in accordance with a determination that the liveness check information satisfies a set of liveness check criteria and that the identity check information satisfies a set of identity check criteria: adding the digital identification credential to the computer system; and in accordance with a determination that the liveness check information does not satisfy the set of liveness check criteria and/or that the identity check information does not satisfy the set of identity check criteria: forgoing adding the digital identification credential to the computer system.
Apple’s patent FIGS. 6B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, Z & AB below illustrate exemplary user interfaces for enrolling a digital identification credential.
Apple’s patent FIG. 8G above illustrates an example scenario in which a store called Liquor Store is using external reader device to request certain types of digital credential information. In FIG. 8G, Liquor Store is requesting an indication (e.g., a binary indication, yes vs. no) of whether or not the user is over 21 (e.g., without requesting the user’s actual date of birth), as well as the user’s ID Photo.
Apple’s patent FIG. 10B above illustrates that the last activity of the user’s Digital ID at a liquor store, a pharmacy and transportation security administration application.
Adding Touch ID Biometrics
In Apple’s patent FIGS. 10i and 10J we see that Touch ID could be added nationally as a second biometric credential. For payments or international flights, dual biometrics may be required. In other applications, user’s will have the choice to choose their preferred biometric credential, Face or Touch ID.
To say the least, this is an in-dept patent application and to review full details, check out Apple’s patent application number US 20220391482 A1.
Apple Inventors
- Gianpaolo Fasoli: Engineering Manager (18 years with Apple)
- Irene Graff: Senior Manager, PMO: Wallet Commerce & Payments
Martijn Haring: Sr. Standards Engineer, Apple Pay - Gordon Scott: Software Engineer Manager, Wireless Technologies, Apple Pay
- Ahmer Khan: Sr. Engineering Manager, Apple Pay
- Haya, Gaviola: Apple Designer
- Mayura Deshpande: HI Design Producer
- Vinay Ganesh: Senior Software Engineer
- David Silver: Sr. Software Engineer
- Ka Yang: Software Engineering Manager
