BASF subsidiary sues Apple over alleged Face ID patent infringement

BASF subsidiary TrinamiX has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the tech giant's implementation of Face ID infringes on seven of TrinamiX's patents. TrinamiX claims that newer versions of Apple's Face ID technology, used in iPhones and iPad Pro models, infringe on patents related to biometric imaging, three-dimensional vision, and near-infrared spectroscopy.

The lawsuit states that TrinamiX's patents address a vulnerability in the original Face ID system, which allowed researchers to bypass it using specially constructed 3D masks. TrinamiX's technology works by projecting a pattern of light onto a face and analyzing how that light reflects back to determine properties of the surface, distinguishing human skin from materials used in photographs, masks, and other spoofing attempts.

The lawsuit lists several Apple devices as allegedly infringing, including specific models and unspecified other iPhone and iPad models. TrinamiX is seeking a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, requesting that the court find Apple guilty of patent infringement, block Apple from making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing the accused products, and award damages and attorneys' fees.

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