Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9064104B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-10-24 06:32:27
Document Index: 675995613

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', 'application No. 201080036587', 'application No. 201080036589', 'application No. 099119542', 'application No. 2', 'application No. 2', 'application No. 201080036587', 'application No. 201080036589']

US9064104B2 - Graphical authentication - Google Patents
US9064104B2
US9064104B2 US12/815,763 US81576310A US9064104B2 US 9064104 B2 US9064104 B2 US 9064104B2 US 81576310 A US81576310 A US 81576310A US 9064104 B2 US9064104 B2 US 9064104B2
US12/815,763
US20100322485A1 (en
2010-12-23 Publication of US20100322485A1 publication Critical patent/US20100322485A1/en
2011-12-13 Assigned to SPLASHCLICK LIMITED reassignment SPLASHCLICK LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FIRESTORM LIMITED, ORIGIN LIMITED, THEREFORE LIMITED
2011-12-13 Assigned to MORRISON-LYONS, BARNABY, LANGLEY, PETER, THEREFORE LIMITED, HOLMES, ANDREW reassignment MORRISON-LYONS, BARNABY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SPLASHCLICK LIMITED
2011-12-13 Assigned to THEREFORE LIMITED, ORIGIN LIMITED, FIRESTORM LIMITED reassignment THEREFORE LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: THEREFORE LIMITED
2011-12-13 Assigned to THEREFORE LIMITED reassignment THEREFORE LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HOLMES, ANDREW, LANGLEY, PETER, MORRISON-LYONS, BARNABY, THEREFORE LIMITED
2011-12-13 Assigned to THEREFORE LIMITED reassignment THEREFORE LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: RIDDIFORD, MARTIN
2011-12-16 Assigned to RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED reassignment RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: THEREFORE LIMITED
2015-06-23 Publication of US9064104B2 publication Critical patent/US9064104B2/en
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to prior Patent Application No. GB0910545.3, filed Jun. 18, 2009 in the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, and Patent Application No. GB0912008.0, filed Jul. 10, 2009 in the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of both applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The smaller the array or grid size, i.e., the closer the elements are located in the array, the higher the number of elements in the second image. More elements result in greater security, but the process may be more difficult for a user to quickly and easily locate a specific element. Where clicking a navigation device is inconvenient, e.g., with a touch-sensitive display, a timed dwell or hover for a period of time may be utilized as a confirmation. Software to prevent ‘mine sweeping,’ e.g., scanning back and forth slowly enough to trip the timed dwell or hover, may be implemented to improve security.
When a computing device begins to authenticate a user, e.g., when the device is unused for more than a pre-selected time, the same circumstances in which a conventional PIN or password entry are required, and so forth, the computing device displays the base image. The secondary image is displayed or called up. This secondary image display may be performed in a variety of ways. The secondary image may appear automatically, e.g., upon detection of depression of any key on a keyboard or movement of the navigation device, such as a mouse. For a touch-sensitive display, a detected touch on the display may cause the secondary image to be displayed or called-up. For a portable device such as a mobile or portable telephone, any wake-up method, such as a short shake or any of the above actions may call up the secondary image. Once the secondary image is displayed, the user may move the elements of the secondary image such that the pre-selected element in that secondary image sufficiently aligns over the pre-selected point of interest. Because the elements in the secondary image are part of a linked array of elements, moving one element causes all the elements to move. Thus, the user does not have to select, or apply a cursor or touch to, the pre selected element to move the array of the secondary image, i.e., any element or part of the secondary image, including transparent or translucent areas that may appear as empty space, may be selected or touched to move the secondary image. A cursor or touch anywhere in the secondary image moves the secondary image until, e.g., sufficient alignment between the pre-selected element in the secondary image and the point of interest in the base image results in authentication. An observer looking over the shoulder of the user will likely have no idea which element of the secondary image the user is aligning to which point of interest or authentication area/region of the base image.
A display 118 of width X and height Y for a computing device 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The pre-selected point of interest 101 of the base image and the position of the pre-selected element 103 of the secondary image are shown. A successful authentication occurs when the pre-selected element in the secondary image sufficiently aligns over the pre-selected point of interest. Alignment sufficient for authentication occurs when the point of interest and the pre-selected element are located within a predetermined distance of each other or when the position of the pre-selected element is within a predetermined authentication area. In the example of FIG. 1, the authentication area 105 is a circle, having radius D, centered on the point of interest. In this example, D is the maximum distance from point of interest to element location for a successful authentication, such as a log in. E is the distance from the point of interest 101 to the position of the pre selected element 103 of the secondary image. Because distance E is greater than the distance D, authentication is not successful in this example. Although the authentication area is shown as a circle, a square, triangle, oval, or any other shape may be utilized.
Forced disclosure to a mugger. Graphical authentication as described herein offers a potential mugging victim the opportunity to mislead a mugger by describing or demonstrating a false alignment during authentication. The user may select any part of the secondary image to move the image into the correct alignment for authentication. During a mugging attempt, the user may move the secondary image by selecting a “fake” element, i.e., an element other than the pre selected element, to move the secondary image. When the pre-selected element is aligned with the point of interest, the fake element is aligned with a location that is not the point of interest. Later, when the mugger aligns the fake element with the location that is not the point of interest, authentication will not result because of the random array change, i.e., change in arrangement or ordering of the elements of the secondary image.
A point-of-interest cursor 310, in conjunction with a point-of-interest indicator 403 and an authentication area indicator 405 is displayed, such as shown in the example of FIG. 4 in a default central position, to facilitate entry of a point of interest. Movement of the cursor 310 moves the indicators 403, 405. The point of-interest cursor 301 and indicators 403, 405 may be displayed automatically once the base image 301 is displayed or upon detection of a trigger, such as depression of a key on a keyboard, selecting a displayed selection item or button, touching a touch-sensitive display, and so forth.
During authentication, the secondary image 801 appears overlaid on the base image 301, as shown in FIG. 8. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, the secondary image is a repeating series of arrays in form of grids, each grid containing randomly generated alphanumeric characters that comprise nine grids each displaying the integer numerals 1 through 64 in a variation of sequences in each grid. Multiple instances of the user's pre-selected element “11” 803 are shown. The arrays of the secondary image 801 may be moved along the base image 301, e.g., by moving a cursor, touch movement, and so forth. The point of interest, the eye of the white knight, 101 is shown sufficiently aligned with the pre selected element “11”, as shown in FIG. 9. When selection of the alignment is detected by the computing device 100, e.g., when the “enter” key is pressed, touch selection is entered, or any other form of confirmation is detected, the computing device 100 identifies whether the aligned elements 101 and 803 are stored for a user profile. When the pair of elements is confirmed for any user, alignment is detected, and the computing device 100 authenticates the user profile, also referred to as authenticating the user. Authentication confirmation may be displayed, such as shown in FIG. 10.
The method may be carried out by software executed, for example, by a processor 102 of the computing device 100. Coding of software for carrying out such a method is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present description. The method may contain additional or fewer processes than shown and/or described, and may be performed in a different order. Computer readable code executable by at least one processor of the computing device 100 to perform the method may be stored in a computer-readable medium.
A fast and easy method to authenticate a user to the computing device is provided that is more secure than many conventional password and PIN based authentication systems. The method may be utilized anywhere passwords, PINs and other simple authentication systems are utilized for authentication, such as log ins or other access to computing devices, such as cellular telephones, smart telephones, PDAs, PCs, laptop computers, personal information managers, ATMs, point of sale terminals, security access systems, other electronic devices, and so forth, on-line banking and transactions, ATM and chip and PIN credit and debit card security, and so forth.
displaying a first image and a second image overlaying the first image on a display, the first image having a plurality of points of interest and the second image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements;
detecting a substantial alignment of a point of interest in the first image with a first element of the second image in response to user input for movement of the second image; and
when the point of interest and the first element are a selected point of interest and a selected element for a user, authenticating the user.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of interest is substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the first element is located in an authentication area associated with the point of interest.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein an adjustable authentication area is associated with the point of interest.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the authentication area is adjustable based on one or more characteristics of any one or more of the following: the first image, the second image, and the display.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of interest is detected as substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the point of interest is located within a threshold distance of the first element.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image or second image is partially transparent such that at least part of the first image or second image is visible through the other of the first image or second image.
displaying a third image overlaying at least one of the first image and the second image, the third image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements including a second element; and
authenticating the user when the point of interest in the first image, the first element in the second image, and the second element of the third image are detected as being substantially aligned with each other.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second image is comprised of an array of elements.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the array is repeated or looped in one or more directions.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a different arrangement of elements of the second image when the second image is subsequently displayed.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the different arrangement is randomly generated.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of re-sizing, re-positioning, and re-arranging at least part of the first image when the first image is subsequently displayed.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising multiple authentication stages.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein a combination of information associated with the selected point of interest and the selected element for a user is at least part of an authentication key.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an authentication key comprising information from the second image and the first image.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information from the first image is stored in a location physically remote from the information from the second image.
detecting substantial alignment of aligning at least one selected element of the second image to two or more points of interest in the first image.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of interest is in a fixed location in the first image.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the first image comprises a photograph and the second image comprises an array of the user-identifiable elements.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the first image comprises a photograph imported from a photo library.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user allows access to a computing device.
24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for execution by at least one processor of a computing device, which when executed direct the computing device to:
display a first image and a second image overlaying the first image on a display, the first image having a plurality of points of interest and the second image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements;
detect a substantial alignment of a point of interest in the first image with a first element of the second image in response to user input for movement of the second image; and
when the point of interest and the first element are a selected point of interest and a selected element for a user, authenticate the user.
25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein authenticating the user allows access to a computing device.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the point of interest is substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the first element is located in an authentication area associated with the point of interest.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein an adjustable authentication area is associated with the point of interest.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the point of interest is detected as substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the point of interest is located within a threshold distance of the first element.
29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the first image or second image is partially transparent such that at least part of the first image or second image is visible through the other of the first image or second image.
30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the computer readable instructions direct the computing device to:
display a third image overlaying at least one of the first image and the second image, the third image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements including a second element; and
authenticate the user when the point of interest in the first image, the first element in the second image, and the second element of the third image are detected as being substantially aligned with each other.
a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor direct the computing device to:
display a first image and a second image overlaying the first image on the display, the first image having a plurality of points of interest and the second image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements;
32. The computing device of claim 31, wherein authenticating the user allows access to a computing device.
33. The computing device of claim 31, wherein the point of interest is substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the first element is located in an authentication area associated with the point of interest.
34. The computing device of claim 31, wherein an adjustable authentication area is associated with the point of interest.
35. The computing device of claim 31, wherein the point of interest is detected as substantially aligned with the first element when a location of the point of interest is located within a threshold distance of the first element.
36. The computing device of claim 31, wherein the first image or second image is partially transparent such that at least part of the first image or second image is visible through the other of the first image or second image.
37. The computing device of claim 31, wherein the computer readable instructions direct the computing device to:
displaying a first image, second image and third image, the second image and third image overlaying the first image on a display, the first image having at least one point of interest, the second image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements, and the third image having a plurality of user-identifiable elements;
detecting a substantial alignment of the at least one point of interest in the first image, a first element of the second image, and a second element of the third image; and
when the at least one point of interest in the first image, the first element of the second image, and the second element of the third image are a selected point of interest and selected elements for a user, authenticating the user.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein authenticating the user allows access to a computing device.
US12/815,763 2009-06-18 2010-06-15 Graphical authentication Active 2033-01-07 US9064104B2 (en)
US14/712,013 Continuation US10176315B2 (en) 2009-06-18 2015-05-14 Graphical authentication
US20100322485A1 US20100322485A1 (en) 2010-12-23
US9064104B2 true US9064104B2 (en) 2015-06-23
CA (2) CA2766019C (en)
US8229250B2 (en) * 2008-03-31 2012-07-24 Fujitsu Limited Pattern aligning method, verifying method, and verifying device
DE69834406T2 (en) 1997-05-13 2006-12-07 Passlogix, Inc. Generalized user identification and authentication-system
Al-Baker et al., "A GPRS-based remote human face identification system for handheld devices", Second IFIP International Conference on Wireless and Optical Communications Networks, pp. 367-371, Mar. 6-8, 2005.
English abstract for CN101282217; published on Oct. 8, 2008 and retrieved on Oct. 2, 2014.
English abstract for CN102804195; published on Nov. 28, 2012 and retrieved on Oct. 2, 2014.
English abstract for CN1547688; published on Nov. 17, 2004 and retrieved on Oct. 2, 2014.
English abstract for JP2001092785; published on Apr. 6, 2001 and retrieved on Sep. 6, 2011.
English translation of SIPO, Office Action in Chinese patent application No. 201080036587.1, Jul. 2, 2014.
English translation of tSIPO, Office Action in Chinese patent application No. 201080036589.0, Jun. 30, 2014.
Feng et al., "Recognition of head-and-shoulder face image using virtual frontal-view image", IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part A:Systems and Humans, vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 871-883, Nov. 2000.
Hoanca et al.; Screen oriented technique for reducing the incidence of shoulder surfing; Proceedings of International Conference of Security of Information and Networks; 2005; Citeseer; pp. 1-7.
International Search Report for PCT/GB2010/001172, dated Sep. 15, 2010, 4 pages.
International Search Report for PCT/GB2010/001173, dated Sep. 16, 2010, 4 pages.
Kim, David et al., Multi-Touch Authentication on Tabletops:http//homepages.cs.ncl.ac.uk/david.kim/multi-touch-authentication;online; printed Mar. 10, 2011, 6 pages.
Non-Final Office Action mailed Nov. 5, 2014; in U.S. Appl. No. 13/379,337.
Non-Final Office mailed Mar. 28, 2014; in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/696,640.
Office Action issued in corresponding UK Application No. GB0912008.0 dated Feb. 2, 2012; 4 pages.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/969,640 on Jan. 16, 2015; 14 pages.
Office Action mailed Jun. 20, 2013, in corresponding Taiwan patent application No. 099119542.
Office Action mailed Mar. 31, 2014; in corresponding Canadian patent application No. 2,760,337.
Office Action mailed Mar. 5, 2014; in corresponding Canadian patent application No. 2,760,826.
SIPO, Office Action in Chinese patent application No. 201080036587.1, Jul. 2, 2014.
SIPO, Office Action in Chinese patent application No. 201080036589.0, Jun. 30, 2014.
Sobrado & Birget, "Shoulder-Surfing resistant graphical passwords-Draft" New Jersey, USA; Apr. 11, 2005 pp. 1-8.
Sobrado, L. et al., "Graphical Passwords", 2002, The Rutgers Scholar: An Electronic Bulletin of Undergraduate Research; http://rutgersscholar.rutgers.edu/volume04/sobrbirg/sobrbirg.htm; vol. 4, pp. 1-10; published 2002 and retrieved on Mar. 19, 2013.
Tan et al., Spy-Resistant keyboard: More Secure Password Entry on Public Touch Screen Displays; Microsoft Research; published 2005; 10 pages.
Written Opinion for PCT/GB2010/001172, dated Sep. 15, 2010, 4 pages.
Written Opinion for PCT/GB2010/001173, dated Sep. 16, 2010, 5 pages.
US9552465B2 (en) 2017-01-24 Authentication method and system
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THEREFORE LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:027377/0678
Owner name: ORIGIN LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOM
Owner name: SPLASHCLICK LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOM
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:THEREFORE LIMITED;FIRESTORM LIMITED;ORIGIN LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:027377/0865
Owner name: HOLMES, ANDREW, UNITED KINGDOM
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SPLASHCLICK LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:027373/0140
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:THEREFORE LIMITED;HOLMES, ANDREW;MORRISON-LYONS, BARNABY;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:027372/0137
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:RIDDIFORD, MARTIN;REEL/FRAME:027373/0068
Owner name: FIRESTORM LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOM
Owner name: MORRISON-LYONS, BARNABY, UNITED KINGDOM
Owner name: LANGLEY, PETER, UNITED KINGDOM
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THEREFORE LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:027397/0444