Patent ID: 7738857

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of components including a component to store a reference photograph, wherein the reference photograph is a photograph depicting an article; a camera; and operating logic configured to operate the components and the camera in a selected one of a first mode and a second mode based on authentication of the user, the operating logic further configured to activate the camera to automatically take a first photograph in response to power-on or reset, compare the first photograph to the stored reference photograph to authenticate the user, determine whether the user is successfully authenticated based at least in part on said comparison of the first photograph to the reference photograph, operate the components and the camera in the first mode, in response to successful authentication of the user, to allow a first set of functions to be made available, the first set of functions including operation of said camera to take a second photograph, and operate the components and the camera in the second mode, in response to unsuccessful authentication of the user, to allow a second set of functions to be made available, the second set of functions including fewer functions than the first set of functions.