Patent ID: 8370639

Claim:
A facial biometric recognition system for providing security for an electronic device comprising: a digital camera having a field of view for providing a plurality of facial biometric images from a user of the electronic device; a database for storing first facial biometric image data after a first user authentication using a password entered using a keyboard associated with the electronic device; at least one processor associated with the electronic device for executing the steps of: comparing the plurality of facial biometric images to biometric image data stored in the database; granting the user operational access to the electronic device; updating the database with second facial biometric image data that is more recent in time than the first facial biometric image data if authentication has not occurred within a predetermined period of time and the user provides a second user authentication by entry of a password entered on the keyboard; identifying prominent facial features of the user; and tracking the prominent facial features when physically moving about the field of view of the digital camera for providing continuous user authentication.