Patent ID: 8307424
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A password authentication apparatus comprising: a storage device for storing selection information for selecting at least one input symbol and a correct answer symbol for each digit of a password; a display device for displaying combinations of input symbol candidates based on user operation; a determination device for selecting, when a confirmation operation of the input symbol candidates input by a user is received, for each digit of the password, one or more input symbols from the combinations of input symbol candidates displayed by the display device based on the selection information corresponding to the digit to determine whether the correct answer symbol corresponding to the digit is included in the selected one or more input symbols; and an authentication device for authenticating that the password is entered correctly when the determination device determines that correct answer symbols for all the digits of the password are included, wherein the display device displays one symbol, selected from a group of plural symbols including the correct answer symbol, in each portion arranged in a matrix with n rows and m columns (n≧1 and m≧2); the selection information stored in the storage device is specified column information specifying a column of the matrix area or specified row information specifying a row of the matrix area of the display device; the combinations of input symbol candidates are plural symbols displayed in the plural portions of the area of the display device; and the determination device cyclically determines a symbol string of the password in order of digit position for each digit of the password.