Authentication using physical interaction characteristics

• US 10,200,360 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Draluk, Vadim, Goldfain, Francois, Kwan, Avery Audrey, Maarse, Jan-Willem
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Ellen
• Application Number:
  US15/018,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

User physical interaction characteristics information or the way a user physically interacts with a device is analyzed to aid in authenticating a user of a device. User physical interaction characteristics information such as swipe speed, finger area, finger conductivity, finger angle, device angle, movement patterns, acceleration, etc., provide signatures that are distinctive for particular individuals and possibly unique if measured to a sufficiently high level of precision. In some examples, a device measures finger positions, finger pad sizes, moisture level, acceleration, displacement, and changes in finger pad size for a particular user and compares the measurements to physical interaction characteristics measured during subsequent usage of the device to verify that a user is an authorized user.

Claims

1. A method for user authentication on a mobile device, the method comprising:

obtaining physical interaction characteristics information for a user of a device, the physical interaction characteristics information including finger angle, the physical interaction characteristics information being measured as the user utilizes the device;

generating a user physical interaction characteristics profile; and

recurrently comparing continually measured physical interaction characteristics information with the user physical interactions characteristics profile in order to consistently authenticate the user without the need for passcode information or additional authentication information, wherein a confidence score provides a graduated scale for determining how frequently passcode information or additional authentication information is requested, wherein if the confidence score is higher than a first threshold, then no further information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is higher than a second threshold but lower than the first threshold, then only biometric information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is below the second threshold, then passcode information is required.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein physical interaction characteristics information is compared with the user physical interaction characteristics profile to generate the confidence score.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein physical interaction characteristics information is obtained during or shortly after the user enters passcode information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises tapping and swiping speed and acceleration.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises finger pad area.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises device angle.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises device angle measured during swiping, reading, and typing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein non-physical interaction characteristics including location and time information are evaluated to generate the confidence score.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein additional authentication information comprises passcode information and biometric data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a sufficiently high confidence score authorizes the user to access an application on the device.

11. A system for user authentication on a mobile device, the system comprising:

a plurality of input interfaces configured to obtain physical interaction characteristics information for a user of a device, the physical interaction characteristics information-including finger angle, the physical interaction characteristics information being measured as the user utilizes the device;

a physical interaction characteristics analyzer configured to generate a user physical interaction characteristics profile; and

a user identity confidence score generator configured to recurrently compare continually measured physical interaction characteristics information with the user physical interactions characteristics profile in order to consistently authenticate the user without the need for passcode information or additional authentication information, wherein a confidence score provides a graduated scale for determining how frequently passcode information or additional authentication information is requested, wherein if the confidence score is higher than a first threshold, then no further information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is higher than a second threshold but lower than the first threshold, then only biometric information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is below the second threshold, then passcode information is required.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein physical interaction characteristics information is compared with the user physical interaction characteristics profile to generate the confidence score.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein physical interaction characteristics information is obtained during or shortly after the user enters passcode information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises tapping and swiping speed and acceleration.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises finger pad area.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises device angle.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein physical interaction characteristics information comprises device angle measured during swiping, reading, and typing.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein non-physical interaction characteristics including location and time information are evaluated to generate the confidence score.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein additional authentication information comprises passcode information and biometric data.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer code for performing user authentication on a mobile device, the computer code comprising instructions for:

obtaining physical interaction characteristics information for a user of a device, the physical interaction characteristics information including finger angle, the physical interaction characteristics information being measured as the user utilizes the device;

generating a user physical interaction characteristics profile; and

recurrently comparing continually measured physical interaction characteristics information with the user physical interactions characteristics profile in order to consistently authenticate the user without the need for passcode information or additional authentication information, wherein a confidence score provides a graduated scale for determining how frequently passcode information or additional authentication information is requested, wherein if the confidence score is higher than a first threshold, then no further information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is higher than a second threshold but lower than the first threshold, then only biometric information is requested, and wherein if the confidence score is below the second threshold, then passcode information is required.