Abstract:
A method for entering a passcode within a mobile device begins with receiving an indication of a user attempt to access the mobile device. A passcode entry display including a plurality of touch points is generated responsive to the indication. Each of the plurality of touch points includes at least two visual identifiers associated therewith. The passcode entry display is displayed on an interface of the mobile device and the passcode is received responsive to user selection of a sequences of the plurality of touch points associated with a predetermined sequence of at least one of the visual identifiers. The arrangement of the at least two visual identifier associated with the plurality of touch points of each passcode entry display differs from an arrangement of the at least two visual identifiers in a previous and a subsequent passcode entry display.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to mobile device passcodes entry, and more particularly, to a manner for randomizing a display through which a passcode is entered on a mobile device display in order to prevent an unauthorized third party from determining the passcode. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A feature often found within mobile devices is some manner for entering a passcode in order to enable a user to activate the mobile device to enable full access to its various functionalities. A passcode entry process involves activating a keypad display upon the mobile device, and the user entering a passcode on the temporarily activated display which is displaying a keypad showing the numbers or letters that may be selected for passcode entry. 
     One problem with this type of passcode entry is that the display screen on which a user enters their passcode will often exhibit finger smudges or fingerprints due to the repeated entry of the passcode when the keypad is displayed in a constant position configuration. This would enable unauthorized third-party users the ability to merely press the numbers under the various finger smudges that are upon the display in order to obtain access to the mobile device. 
     One existing solution to this problem has involved the randomization of the keypad, such that the position of the digits or letters within a keypad are randomized and placed in different location after each passcode entry upon the mobile device. While this solution is useful for presenting access of the mobile device due to the viewing of keypad smudges, the method does not prevent other types of unauthorized entries such as an unauthorized third-party unobtrusively viewing a user&#39;s entry of their keypad code over their shoulder or from a distance, enabling the unauthorized party to obtain the keypad code via visual confirmation rather than relying upon the keypad smudges upon the electronic device. 
     Other types of mobile device keypad access processes also utilize the entry of a finger sliding across a sequence of points within an orientation of points on the display screen of the mobile device in a predetermined pattern and do not require a sequential entry of the points but a movement of the finger between the points in a designated pattern. This type of keypad entry passcode does not lend itself to the randomization of the components as a particular pattern on the dots is being reviewed for accuracy rather than a particular entry sequence of components. Thus, some manner for overcoming the shortcomings of the existing passcode entry problems would be beneficial to the improvement of security features within a mobile device. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention, as disclosed and described herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a method for entering a passcode within a mobile device that begins with receiving an indication of a user attempt to access the mobile device. A passcode entry display including a plurality of touch points is generated responsive to the indication. Each of the plurality of touch points includes at least two visual identifiers associated therewith. The passcode entry display is displayed on an interface of the mobile device and the passcode is received responsive to user selection of a sequences of the plurality of touch points associated with a predetermined sequence of at least one of the visual identifiers. The arrangement of the at least two visual identifier associated with the plurality of touch points of each passcode entry display differs from an arrangement of the at least two visual identifiers in a previous and a subsequent passcode entry displays. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile device implementing an enhanced passcode security feature and; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate a first embodiment of a multilevel passcode security randomization process; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram describing a first embodiment of the multilevel passcode randomization process; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of the multilevel passcode randomization process; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a passcode randomization process that randomizes an orientation of a pattern required to obtain entry to a mobile device; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram describing the randomization of the orientation of the pattern for entering a passcode within a mobile device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like elements throughout, the various views and embodiments of a system and method for enhancing device passcode security are illustrated and described, and other possible embodiments are described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations based on the following examples of possible embodiments. 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a mobile device  102 . The mobile device  102  can comprise any number of portable electronic devices such as a Smartphone, tablet computer, tablet device, pager, personal data assistant, laptop computer, or any other number of portable electronic devices. The mobile device  102  includes an interactive display  104  that displays information to a user. The display  104  will display an access screen to a user when a user is attempting to access the mobile device  102 . The display  104  is provided via a display controller  106 . The display controller  106  controls the interface that is provided on the display  104  controlling the manner in which a user may access the mobile device  102 . Randomization logic  108  provides a manner for randomizing the access display provided by the display controller  106  on the display  104  in accordance with the processes described herein below. The display controller  106  works in conjunction with the randomization logic  108  and access control logic  110 . The access control logic  110  controls whether or not a user is provided access to the remainder of the mobile device functions responsive to entry of the passcode through the display  104  that is under the control of the randomization logic  108 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2A , there is illustrated a first embodiment of a multilevel randomization pattern that may be used for providing entry of a passcode to a mobile device  102 . Two versions of a passcode entry interface are illustrated in  FIG. 2A . The first version,  202 , illustrates an initial interface that may be displayed to a user through the display  104  of the mobile device  102 . The interface  202  illustrates a standard number pad configuration with the numbers beginning at the top right-hand corner and proceeding left to right and from top to bottom as a new row is presented. In addition to including the numerical characters 0 through 9 in interface  202 , each of the numerical characters  204  have a different colored box  206  associated therewith. In addition to the colored box  206  surrounding the numerical character  204  additional levels of detail such as a pattern or symbol may also be associated with each of the numerical indicators  204  to provide further levels of detail. 
     Using either the numerical character  204  in the display interface or the colors of the boxes  206  surrounding the numerical characters  204 , a user may enter a passcode to obtain access to the device. In one embodiment, the user may be entering the numerical characters  204  displayed by the display pad. In an alternative embodiment, the users could be selecting the colors displayed by the boxes  208  within the display. By utilizing a configuration that has two types of visual indicators associated with each touch point, i.e. a number and a color, an unauthorized third party surreptitiously viewing the user entering their keypad code would not know which item was being selected by the user. When the user entered a four digit code, the unauthorized third party user would not know whether the user was selecting the numbers associated with the entered code or the colors of the boxes  208  associated with the entered code. This way prevents the secret passcode from being easily obtained by an unauthorized third party. 
     In the interface illustrated in display  210 , the pad configuration has been randomized such that the numerical characters  204  are now located in different positions from those indicated in display  202  and additionally the color indicators within the boxes  208  are also randomized to be in positions differing from those of display  202 . Thus, when the passcode is entered by a user on the display  210 , the fingerprint smudges would be placed in different locations than they were with respect to display  202 . In this manner, a higher level of protection is provided to a user preventing unauthorized third parties from obtaining visual indications of their passcode and preventing the smudge pattern upon the display  104  from enabling a user to determine a user&#39;s passcode. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 2B , there are illustrated a pair of user displays  220  and  222 . In the case of the displays  220  and  222 , display  220  represents a first keypad entry display, wherein rather than utilizing numeric indicators a series of symbols  224  are provided upon the display  220 . Each of the symbols  224  have a different color associated therewith. As before, the user will provide a four symbol passcode via the display  220 , wherein the passcode may comprise either a sequence of symbols  224  illustrated in the display or may consist of a sequence of colors that are associated with the symbols wherein the user merely selects a color they are looking for without reference to the symbol that is being used to display the color. 
     In display  222 , the sequence of symbols and colors have been randomized such that the symbols  224  are located in a differing position than they were previously and each of the colors of the symbols have been changed to a different color than they were in display  220 . As before, this provides security to the user in first preventing visual determination of the user&#39;s passcode as an unauthorized viewer would not know whether the user was selecting the symbol or the color and also by moving the positions of the symbols and colors such that a smudge pattern would not develop to enable a party who obtained the mobile device to determine the access code from the smudge pattern. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a flow diagram describing a first embodiment of the multilevel randomization process as described with respect to  FIG. 2 . The user initiates an unlock process at step  302  in an attempt to obtain access to the functionalities of the mobile device. Initiation of the unlock process causes the generation of a multilevel random pattern at step  304  that provides a display screen including at least two differing factors associated with each touch position on the passcode entry display. The display receives the user input of the passcode at step  306  and inquiry step  308  determines if the code has been completely entered at step  308 . If not, control passes back to step  306  to receive additional user input. Once inquiry step  308  determines that the passcode is complete, inquiry step  310  utilizes the access control logic  110  to determine if the correct passcode was entered. If so, control passes to step  312  to grant access to the functionalities of the mobile device to the user. If inquiry step  310  determines that an incorrect passcode was entered, access is denied to the user at step  314 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated an alternative embodiment wherein instead of enabling a user to enter a complete passcode upon a single randomization pattern, the pattern upon the user display is randomized after each passcode touch entry, such that when a single symbol, number or color is entered by a user, the passcode display is again randomized for the entry of the next passcode entry. Thus, when the user initiates an unlock process at step  402 , the randomization logic  108  will generate an initial multilevel random pattern at step  404 . The multilevel random pattern includes at least two different variables (color, symbol, alphanumeric character, pattern) associated with each touch point of the display. The display receives user input at step  406  on the passcode display for a first input. Inquiry step  408  determines if the complete passcode has been entered and if not, generates a new multilevel random pattern at step  410  to receive the entry of a next passcode input at step  406 . Once inquiry step  408  determines that a final passcode entry has been received completing the passcode, control passes to inquiry step  412  which determines if a correct passcode was entered using the access control logic  110 . If inquiry step  412  determines that a correct code was entered, the user is granted access at step  414  to the remaining functionalities of the mobile device  102 . If inquiry step  412  determines that an incorrect passcode was entered, the user is denied access at step  416  to the functionalities of the mobile device  102 . 
     While many mobile device access displays require the entry of a sequential passcode in order to obtain access to the device, other configurations for access are utilized. In one configuration rather than entering a sequential passcode in order to obtain access, a display screen is provided including a grid of touch nodes therein. The user is required to trace a predefined pattern through the grid of touch nodes such that a particular pattern is drawn on the display. In this case, the user does not touch each of the touch nodes in sequence but slides their finger from node to node to trace the pattern upon the grid of touch nodes. In this configuration, an authorized party can easily discern a pattern that must be drawn upon the access display in order to obtain access to the mobile device due to the smudge line indicated on the display. However, since a particular pattern must be drawn upon the touch nodes randomization of the touch nodes would not be a useful manner for disguising the smudge pattern upon the display. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , there is illustrated a first access screen  502  and a second access screen  504 . The first access screen  502  represents a display presented to a user for a first entry of the passcode, and the display  504  represents a display presented to the user for a subsequent passcode entry. Rather than randomizing the pattern of characters or symbols within the display, the orientation of the display is randomized. In  FIG. 502 , the access pattern required to access the mobile device requires the user to trace a short horizontal line followed by a longer vertical line and another shorter horizontal line. This pattern begins at the top right-hand corner and ends at the bottom left-hand corner. Rather than just displaying a set of dots or unidentified node, each of the contact points  506  have associated therewith a particular identifying symbol or other type of indicator. While the illustration in  FIG. 5  shows the use of symbols associated with the contact node, it is also possible to use alphanumeric characters, colors, symbols, etc., in order to uniquely identify the nodes. 
     Thus, in the example of  FIG. 5 , the user knows that they must always begin their pattern at the square symbol that is located within the top right-hand corner of the symbol array. In display  502  this is achieved by holding the display with the edge  508  at the top. However, in the case of the display  504 , the edge  510  would be held at the top and the pattern would then be traced as illustrated in display  504 . 
     The example of  FIG. 5  uses a grid touch pattern of nine points through which a user must trace a pattern among the touch points. The pattern would be easily visible based upon the smudge pattern left by the oil on the fingers upon the screen making it easy to determine the passcode if a same orientation of touch points were used for each access. However, the touch points could not be randomized because the pattern would be wrong not enabling the correct pattern to be traced. However, the touch point grid can be rotated 90, 180 or 270 degrees to preserve the pattern in a different orientation and defeat the finger smudging issue. Thus, the user must have some manner for knowing the key for orienting the screen. 
     A particular symbol or color may be associated with each of the four corner positions of the touch point grid or with the touch positions directly vertical and horizontal to the center point of the grid display. Thus, the user may know the correct orientation based upon the selected key touch point which would either be at the top left or top center of the display when the password was entered. This is achieved by having the symbol, character, color, etc., in the appropriate corner or position to set the orientation. This process could be expanded to include two simultaneous factors such as those disclosed with respect to  FIGS. 2A and 2B  that were each associated with a touch point and rotated by different amounts such that an observer would have to determine not only the pattern but the differences in the potential key patterns in order to determine the correct orientation. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated a flow diagram describing the operation of a system utilizing the access system according to  FIG. 5 . The unlock process is initiated at step  602 , and a display including a random orientation pattern is generated at step  604 . A user provides input at step  606  after orienting the display in the proper orientation. Inquiry step  608  determines if a complete code has been entered and if not, control passes back to step  606  to receive the rest of the entry pattern. Once the complete code has been entered, the access control logic  110  determines if a correct code has been entered at inquiry step  610 , and if so, access is granted at step  612  to the user. If an incorrect access code is entered at inquiry step  610 , the user is denied access at step  614 . 
     Using the above identified system and method, a user may protect their passcode entries from undesired third party interception both visually by the third party observing the user entering their passcode and when their mobile device is obtained by the third party by merely viewing the fingerprint smudge pattern upon the display of the access device. This process can provide an additional layer of security protection for the passcode and limit undesired accesses of their mobile device. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this system and method for enhancing device passcode security provides a system and method for preventing an authorized third party from discerning a user&#39;s passcode. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner, and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed. On the contrary, included are any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, as defined by the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments.