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In honor of Amazon Prime Day…

Finger print or face recognition to unlock your smartphone?  Sure, they seem to be some of the more advanced ways to unlock your phone nowadays.

However, Amazon was recently awarded a new patent in June, which would allow your smartphone to unlock by scanning your ear!  Apparently the shape of an ear can be just as unique as a fingerprint.

Amazon initially filed this patent in 2011, so they may have moved on from this idea but we’re definitely interested in seeing what they’ll do with this patent, if anything, in the future.

For more information, click here.

#HappyPrimeDay!

About the Author

Babak Akhlaghi is a registered patent attorney and the Managing Director of NovoTech Patent Firm, where he helps technology companies build investor‑grade patent portfolios that support fundraising, defensibility, and long‑term competitive advantage. His practice centers on patent strategy, portfolio architecture, and high‑leverage drafting for companies developing AI, machine learning, quantum computing, advanced software‑driven systems, robotics, and other emerging technologies.

Babak is also a permanent Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland, where he teaches Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship, bringing real‑world IP strategy experience directly into the academic environment.

He is a co‑author of the Patent Applications Handbook, published annually by West Publications (Clark Boardman Division) since 1992, and widely used by practitioners as a technical and procedural reference.

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