Passcode entry through motion sensing

• US 10,255,593 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Quigley, Oliver S. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Chia-Yi
• Application Number:
  US15/444,782
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules

Abstract

Some examples include determining a plurality of motion pattern readings detected by an electronic device in conjunction with entry of a passcode on the electronic device, such as for authentication of a transaction. The passcode may be entered as a sequence of tactile presses on the electronic device, and the detected motion pattern readings may be indicative of movements of the electronic device when the tactile presses occur. Based at least in part on the motion pattern readings, a plurality of locations corresponding to the tactile presses may be determined. Further, based at least in part on the determined plurality of locations, symbols for the passcode may be determined. In some cases, a process for authenticating the transaction may be initiated using the determined passcode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving card data at a card reader mechanically connected to a mobile device, in response to use of a card at the card reader;

sending, by the card reader, a communication to cause the mobile device to display an input entry interface on a display component of the mobile device for enabling a user to enter, through multiple tactile presses applied to a surface of the mobile device, an input that is used to authenticate a transaction;

recording a sequence of accelerometer readings from an accelerometer in the card reader, wherein the accelerometer readings correspond to movements of the card reader and the mobile device when the multiple tactile presses are applied to the surface of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the accelerometer readings, determining, by the card reader, locations on the surface of the mobile device corresponding to the multiple tactile presses applied to the surface of the mobile device;

determining, based at least in part on the determined locations corresponding to the multiple tactile presses, an input entry comprised of symbols; and

authenticating the transaction based at least in part on the determined input entry.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the card reader, from the mobile device, a geometric map including locations of the symbols on the input entry interface; and

determining the input entry, at least in part, by matching the determined locations against the geometric map including the locations of the symbols on the input entry interface.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein a first instance of the geometric map for the transaction is different from a second instance of the geometric map for a previous transaction.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein determining the input entry comprises determining a respective symbol corresponding to a respective input entry based on different instances of the geometric map, each instance corresponding to one of the tactile presses.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein authenticating the transaction comprises comparing, by the card reader, the input entry with a passcode accessible from the card through the card reader to verify the determined input entry via the card reader.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display component is a touchscreen component, the method further comprising preventing recording of touch locations on the mobile device as reported by the touchscreen component when the input entry interface is displayed.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending, by the card reader, the input entry to an external computing device to verify the input entry, wherein no memory device in the mobile device has a record of the tactile presses.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store executable instructions; and

a processor configured by the executable instructions to execute operations comprising;

receiving, by the electronic device, card data from a card reader mechanically connected to the electronic device;

displaying an input entry interface on a display component of the electronic device for enabling a user to enter, through multiple tactile presses applied to a surface of the electronic device, an input that is used to authenticate a transaction;

receiving a sequence of accelerometer readings from an accelerometer in the card reader, wherein the accelerometer readings correspond to movements of the card reader and the electronic device when the multiple tactile presses are applied to the surface of the electronic device;

based at least in part on the accelerometer readings from the accelerometer in the card reader, determining locations on the surface of the electronic device corresponding to the multiple tactile presses applied to the surface of the electronic device;

determining, based at least in part on the determined locations corresponding to the multiple tactile presses, an input entry comprised of input symbols; and

authenticating the transaction based at least in part on the determined input entry.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, the operations further comprising determining the input entry, at least in part, by matching the determined locations against a geometric map including the locations of the symbols on the input entry interface.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein a first instance of the geometric map for the transaction is different from a second instance of the geometric map for a previous transaction.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the operation of determining the input entry comprises determining a respective input symbol corresponding to a respective input entry based on different instances of the geometric map, each instance corresponding to one of the tactile presses.

12. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein authenticating the transaction comprises comparing, by the card reader, the input entry with a passcode accessible from the card through the card reader to verify the determined input entry via the card reader.

13. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the display component is a touchscreen component, the operations further comprising preventing recording of touch locations on the electronic device as reported by the touchscreen component when the input entry interface is displayed.

14. The electronic device as recited in claim 8, the operations further comprising:

determining a time window of when the input is expected; and

determining the plurality of locations based on the accelerometer readings received within the time window.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving card data at a card reader mechanically connected to a mobile device, in response to use of a card at the card reader;

sending, by the card reader, a communication to cause the mobile device to display an input entry interface on a display component of the mobile device for enabling a user to enter, through multiple tactile presses applied to a surface of the mobile device, an input that is used to authenticate a transaction;

recording a sequence of accelerometer readings from an accelerometer in the card reader, wherein the accelerometer readings correspond to movements of the card reader and the mobile device when the multiple tactile presses are applied to the surface of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the accelerometer readings, determining, by the card reader, locations on the surface of the mobile device corresponding to the multiple tactile presses applied to the surface of the mobile device;

determining, based at least in part on the determined locations corresponding to the multiple tactile presses, an input entry comprised of symbols; and

authenticating the transaction based at least in part on the determined input entry.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving, by the card reader, from the mobile device, a geometric map including locations of the symbols on the input entry interface; and

determining the input entry, at least in part, by matching the determined locations against the geometric map including the locations of the symbols on the input entry interface.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein a first instance of the geometric map for the transaction is different from a second instance of the geometric map for a previous transaction.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein authenticating the transaction comprises comparing, by the card reader, the input entry with a passcode accessible from the card through the card reader to verify the determined input entry via the card reader.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the display component is a touchscreen component, the operations further comprising preventing recording of touch locations on the mobile device as reported by the touchscreen component when the input entry interface is displayed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, the operations further comprising sending, by the card reader, the input entry to an external computing device to verify the input entry, wherein no memory device in the mobile device has a record of the tactile presses.