Trinami X, a subsidiary of BASF, has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company's Face ID technology infringes on seven of its patents. The lawsuit, first reported by Reuters, targets newer versions of Face ID used in various iPhone and iPad Pro models. Trinami X describes itself as a BASF spin-off focused on advanced sensing technologies, including biometric imaging and three-dimensional vision. The patents in question cover technology that detects human skin during facial authentication, addressing vulnerabilities in earlier Face ID versions that were exploited using 3D masks. Trinami X's technology projects light patterns onto faces and analyzes reflections to distinguish human skin from materials used in spoofing attempts. The seven patents belong to two families: 'Optical skin detection for face unlock' and 'Detector for identifying at least one material property.' The lawsuit lists numerous Apple devices as accused products, including the iPhone 15 through iPhone 17 series and several iPad Pro generations. Trinami X is seeking a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, requesting that Apple be found liable for patent infringement and barred from making, using, or selling the accused products.

The complaint details how Trinami X's patented technology improves upon earlier facial recognition systems by incorporating near-infrared spectroscopy to analyze surface properties. This advancement addresses known security concerns where researchers demonstrated bypassing Face ID using sophisticated 3D-printed masks. The company's patents specifically focus on differentiating biological tissue from artificial materials through spectral analysis combined with 3D depth mapping.

Apple has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. The case represents the latest legal challenge for the tech giant, which faces ongoing scrutiny over its intellectual property practices and security implementations.