Pictograph password security system

• US 10,182,047 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Buehl, Eric, Cieslak, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K
• Application Number:
  US15/199,463
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a pictograph password sequence and association phrase are provided. In some example embodiments, an assigned pictograph sequence request is received from a client device, with the request causing the system to generate a template pictograph sequence, generate an association phrase based on the template pictograph sequence, store the template pictograph sequence and associated phrase on a memory, and transmit instructions to cause a display of the template pictograph sequence and the association phrase. In some example embodiments, the system requires an input of a pictograph sequence that matches the template pictograph sequence in order for a user to view content. In some example embodiments, the template pictograph sequence may be replaced by a user pictograph sequence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer, an assigned pictograph sequence request from a client device;

accessing, by one or more processors of the server computer, a first data structure that contains a plurality of pictographs that are displayable on the client device;

generating, using the one or more processors, a template pictograph sequence that includes at least two pictographs from the first data structure;

accessing, by the one or more processors, a second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining, by the one or more processors, an association phrase for the template pictograph sequence, the association phrase based on the words and phrases associated with pictographs within the template pictograph sequence and based on an order of pictographs within the template pictograph sequence, the association phrase being determined at least in part by selecting, based on a second pictograph of the at least two pictographs, at least one of the words and phrases associated with a first pictograph of the at least two pictographs as a first word or phrase of the association phrase;

computing a first coherency metric representing a first coherency between the selected at least one of the words and phrases associated with the first pictograph and a first of at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph;

computing a second coherency metric representing a second coherency between the selected at least one of the words and phrases associated with the first pictograph and a second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph; and

in response to determining that the second coherency metric is greater than the first coherency metric, selecting the second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph as a second word or phrase of the of the association phrase;

storing the template pictograph sequence on a memory; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the pictograph sequence and the association phrase to the client device, the display presentable within a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to view locked content from the client device,

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard on the client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a candidate pictograph sequence from the client device, the candidate pictograph sequence including at least one pictograph selected from the pictograph keyboard;

determining that the candidate pictograph sequence matches a pictograph sequence stored on the memory; and

responsive to the candidate pictograph sequence matching the pictograph sequence stored on the memory, transmitting instructions that cause a display of the locked content on the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a pictograph sequence input request from the client device;

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard to the client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a user pictograph sequence input from the client device; and

replacing the template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the user pictograph sequence.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

comparing the user pictograph sequence to a minimum complexity threshold stored on the memory;

determining the user pictograph sequence does not transgress the minimum complexity threshold;

replacing the user pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the template pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a notification window that includes a complexity requirement message to the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device is a first client device, and further comprising:

correlating the template pictograph sequence with a message;

transmitting the message to a second client device;

receiving a request to view the message from the second client device;

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard to the second client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a candidate pictograph sequence from the second client device, the candidate pictograph sequence including at least one pictograph selected from the pictograph keyboard;

determining that the candidate pictograph sequence matches the template pictograph sequence; and

responsive to the candidate pictograph sequence matching the template pictograph sequence, transmitting instructions that cause a display of the message to the second client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message is an ephemeral message associated with a message deletion trigger.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user association phrase input,

accessing the first data structure that contains the plurality of pictographs that are displayable on the client device and accessing the second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining a customized pictograph sequence based on the pictographs associated with the user association phrase, the customized pictograph sequence based on the words, and phrases within the user association phrase input and based on the order of the words and phrases within the user association phrase input;

replacing the template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the customized pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the customized pictograph sequence to the client device, the display presentable within the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the template pictograph sequence is a first template pictograph sequence and the association phrase is a first association phrase and further comprising:

receiving a replacement pictograph sequence request from the client device;

accessing the first data structure that contains an array of pictographs that are displayable on the client device;

generating a second template pictograph sequence that includes at least one pictograph from the first data structure;

accessing the second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining a second association phrase to the pictograph sequence, the association phrase based on the words and phrases associated with pictographs within the second template pictograph sequence and based on the order of pictographs within the second template pictograph sequence;

replacing the first template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the second pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the second pictograph sequence and the second association phrase to the client device, the display presentable within the user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the template pictograph sequence is associated with a deletion trigger based on a deletion threshold, and further comprising:

determining the deletion threshold has been transgressed; and

removing the template pictograph sequence from the memory.

10. A system comprising:

one or more processors of a machine; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the machine to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a server computer, an assigned pictograph sequence request from a client device;

accessing, by one or more processors of the server computer, a first data structure that contains a plurality of pictographs that are displayable on the client device;

generating, using the one or more processors, a template pictograph sequence that includes at least two pictographs from the first data structure;

accessing, by the one or more processors, a second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining, by the one or more processors, an association phrase for the pictograph sequence, the association phrase based on the words and phrases associated with pictographs within the template pictograph sequence and based on an order of pictographs within the template pictograph sequence, the association phrase being determined at least in part by selecting, based on a second pictograph of the at least two pictographs, at least one of the words and phrases associated with a first pictograph of the at least two pictographs as a first word or phrase of the association phrase;

computing a second coherency metric representing a second coherency between the selected at least one of the words and phrases associated with the first pictograph and a second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph; and

in response to determining that the second coherency metric is greater than the first coherency metric, selecting the second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph as a second word or phrase of the of the association phrase;

storing the template pictograph sequence on a memory; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the pictograph sequence and the association phrase to the client device, the display presentable within a user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to view locked content from the client device,

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard on the client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a candidate pictograph sequence from the client device, the candidate pictograph sequence including at least one pictograph selected from the pictograph keyboard;

determining that the candidate pictograph sequence matches a pictograph sequence stored on the memory; and

responsive to the candidate pictograph sequence matching the pictograph sequence stored on the memory, transmitting instructions that cause a display of the locked content on the client device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a pictograph sequence input request from the client device;

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard to the client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a user pictograph sequence input from the client device; and

replacing the template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the user pictograph sequence.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the user pictograph sequence to a minimum complexity threshold stored on the memory;

determining the user pictograph sequence does not transgress the minimum complexity threshold;

replacing the user pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the template pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a notification window that includes a complexity requirement message to the client device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the client device is a first client device, and wherein the operations further comprise:

correlating the template pictograph sequence with a message;

transmitting the message to a second client device;

receiving a request to view the message from the second client device;

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard to the second client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a candidate pictograph sequence from the second client device, the candidate pictograph sequence including at least one pictograph selected from the pictograph keyboard;

determining that the candidate pictograph sequence matches the template pictograph sequence; and

responsive to the candidate pictograph sequence matching the template pictograph sequence, transmitting instructions that cause a display of the message to the second client device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the message is an ephemeral message associated with a message deletion trigger.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a user association phrase input;

accessing the first data structure that contains the plurality of pictographs that are displayable on the client device and accessing the second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining a customized pictograph sequence based on the pictographs associated with the user association phrase, the customized pictograph sequence based on the words, and phrases within the user association phrase input and based on the order of the words and phrases within the user association phrase input;

replacing the template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the customized pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the customized pictograph sequence to the client device, the display presentable within the user interface.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the template pictograph sequence is a first template pictograph sequence and the association phrase is a first association phrase;

and

wherein the operations further comprise;

receiving a replacement pictograph sequence request from the client device;

accessing the first data structure that contains an array of pictographs that are displayable on the client device;

generating a second template pictograph sequence that includes at least one pictograph from the first data structure;

accessing the second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining a second association phrase to the pictograph sequence, the association phrase based on the words and phrases associated with pictographs within the second template pictograph sequence and based on the order of pictographs within the second template pictograph sequence;

replacing the first template pictograph sequence stored on the memory with the second pictograph sequence; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the second pictograph sequence and the second association phrase to the client device, the display presentable within the user interface.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the template pictograph sequence is associated with a deletion trigger based on a deletion threshold, and wherein operations further comprise:

determining the deletion threshold has been transgressed; and

removing the template pictograph sequence from the memory.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a server computer, an assigned pictograph sequence request from a client device;

accessing, by one or more processors of the server computer, a first data structure that contains a plurality of pictographs that are displayable on the client device;

generating, using the one or more processors, a template pictograph sequence that includes at least two pictographs from the first data structure;

accessing, by the one or more processors, a second data structure that contains words and phrases that are associated with the pictographs contained in the first data structure;

determining, by the one or more processors, an association phrase for the pictograph sequence, the association phrase based on the words and phrases associated with pictographs within the template pictograph sequence and based on an order of pictographs within the template pictograph sequence, the association phrase being determined at least in part by selecting, based on a second pictograph of the at least two pictographs, at least one of the words and phrases associated with a first pictograph of the at least two pictographs as a first word or phrase of the association phrase;

wherein the operations further comprise;

computing a first coherency metric representing a first coherency between the selected at least one of the words and phrases associated with the first pictograph and a first of at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph;

computing a second coherency metric representing a second coherency between the selected at least one of the words and phrases associated with the first pictograph and a second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph; and

in response to determining that the second coherency metric is greater than the first coherency metric, selecting the second of the at least one of the words and phrases associated with the second pictograph as a second word or phrase of the of the association phrase;

storing the template pictograph sequence on a memory; and

transmitting instructions that cause a display of the pictograph sequence and the association phrase to the client device, the display presentable within a user interface.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to view locked content from the client device,

transmitting instructions that cause a display of a pictograph keyboard on the client device, the pictograph keyboard including pictographs also included in the first data structure;

receiving a candidate pictograph sequence from the client device, the candidate pictograph sequence including at least one pictograph selected from the pictograph keyboard;

determining that the candidate pictograph sequence matches a pictograph sequence stored on the memory; and

responsive to the candidate pictograph sequence matching the pictograph sequence stored on the memory, transmitting instructions that cause a display of the locked content on the client device.