Patent ID: 8590020

Claim:
A method for authenticating an actor, the actor being associated with a client computer, to a server, the server comprising a computer-based system having an electronic communications connection with the client computer, comprising: a) registering the actor with the server, by establishing, through electronic communications with the client computer, a set of registration objects comprising a plurality of registration objects, the registration objects each having an associated human perceptible form when reproduced by the client computer, the registration objects comprising sounds; b) authenticating the actor, by i. electronically sending to the client computer a key set of objects, the key set of objects comprising the set of registration objects and other objects in addition to the set of registration objects, each of the objects of the key set comprising sounds, and further such that the set of registration objects is arranged within the key set of objects so as to be reproduced on the client computer in a first relative arrangement among the objects in the set of registration objects; ii. electronically sending to the client computer one or more selection sets of objects, each selection set of objects also comprising the set of registration objects and other objects in addition to the objects comprising the set of registration objects, each of the objects of the selection set comprising sounds, and further such that the set of registration objects is arranged within the selection set of objects so as to be reproduced on the client computer in a second relative arrangement among the objects in the set of registration objects; iii. for each selection set of objects, receiving from the client computer a determination by the actor whether the second relative arrangement in the selection set of objects matches the first relative arrangement in the key set of objects; and iv. granting the actor access to a requested resource if the determinations by the actor were correct.