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Smartphone maker OPPO has recently been granted a patent for a new technology that could be used in its future wearable devices.

The company has patented a vein unlocking tech, which is likely a form of a biometric security system, GizmoChina reported on Friday.

The new technology has a patent number of CN110298944B and describes a "Venous Unlocking Method and Vein Unlocking Device." Oppo had applied for this patent back in 2019, which was only recently granted. As per the description, the patent is for a vein unlocking technology.

In other words, a biometric system similar to facial recognition or fingerprint scanning but one that maps the veins on the users' hands. Notably, this technology also bears a close resemblance to the Hand ID system from LG, which mapped the thickness and characteristics of a user's veins for unlocking.

The report said it can be expected the system will map and record a vein's thickness to verify the identity and to authorise access.

While the finer details of this technology are currently unknown, the patented system could potentially have a number of applications in various electronic products from the Chinese tech giants, the report said.

This holds especially true for the company's wearable products like smart bands or smart watches. Unfortunately, it is unclear if the company is actually working on such a system right now or is just covering all bases, it added.