System, method, and apparatus for visual authentication

• US 20040143737A1
• Filed: 02/16/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mordechai Teicher
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Teicher
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code

Abstract

A visual tag having a processor for calculating a response string corresponding to a challenge string, and a changeable screen to display the response string in machine-readable symbols. An authentication device reads the displayed symbols, and authenticates the displayed contents corresponding to the challenge string. The challenge string is generated either according to a random generator within the authentication device, or according to a real-time clock. A plurality of tags or objects can be authenticated and spotted within an image. The tag can also authenticate inputted messages and credentials.

Claims

1. A visual authentication system, comprising:

a tag, including;

a processor for calculating a response string corresponding to a challenge string; and

a changeable screen controlled by the processor for displaying the response string in machine-readable symbols;

and

an authentication device, including;

a scanner for reading the machine-readable symbols from the changeable screen;

an image processor for transforming the machine-readable symbols into a readout response string; and

an authentication processor for calculating an expected response string corresponding to the challenge string, for comparing the readout response string to the expected response string to obtain a comparison result, and for outputting the comparison result.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said challenge string is generated by said authentication device, said authentication device also including a transmitter to transmit said challenge string, and said tag also including a receiver to receive said challenge string.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag also includes a tag real-time clock, and said challenge string is received by said processor from the tag real-time clock.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said authentication device also includes a device real-time clock substantially-synchronized with said tag real-time clock, and said expected response string is calculated with respect to a predetermined time interval from the time read from the device real-time clock.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said comparison result is obtained by checking whether the readout response string matches the expected response string with respect to an instance from said time interval.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said response string is represented on said changeable screen by a series of snapshots, and said image processor is further operable to compose said readout string from the series of snapshots.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said authentication processor is further operative to output a positive outcome of said comparison result only upon reaching a predetermined number of successful matches between readout response strings and their corresponding expected response strings.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of said tag, and said authentication device is operative to calculate and output said comparison result for each tag of the plurality.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said authentication device is also operative to output an image containing said plurality, and visually spot each individual tag of said plurality according to said comparison result respective to the individual tag.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag is attachable to an object, said tag further including disabling means operative to disable said tag upon detecting that said tag is being removed from the object.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag also includes an object interface to receive an object message, said changeable screen is operative to show also the object message, and said processor is operative to calculate said response string with respect also to the object message.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag also includes a credentials register, said changeable screen is operative to show also the content of the credentials register, and said processor is operative to calculate said response string with respect also to the content of the credentials register.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag is assigned to a human user, said tag also stores user authentication data of the user, said tag also includes an object interface to receive a user authentication input from the user, and said processor is also operative to enable said tag only when the user authentication input matches the user authentication data.

14. A tag for a visual authentication system, comprising:

a processor for calculating a response string corresponding to a challenge string; and

a changeable screen controlled by said processor for displaying said response string in machine-readable symbols.

15. The tag of claim 14, further comprising a receiver to receive said challenge string.

16. The tag of claim 14, further comprising a tag real-time clock, and said challenge string is received by said processor from the tag real-time clock.

17. The tag of claim 14, wherein said response string is represented on said changeable screen by a series of snapshots.

18. The tag of claim 14, wherein said tag is attachable to an object, further comprising disabling means operative to disable the tag upon detecting that the tag is being removed from the object.

19. The tag of claim 14 assigned to a human user, said tag also stores user authentication data of the user, said tag also includes an object interface to receive a user authentication input from the user, and said processor is also operative to enable said tag only when the user authentication input matches the user authentication data.

20. The tag of claim 14, further comprising an object interface to receive an object message, said changeable screen is operative to show also the object message, and said processor is operative to calculate said response string with respect also to the object message.

21. The tag of claim 14, further comprising a credentials register, said changeable screen is operative to show also the content of the credentials register, and said processor is operative to calculate said response string with respect also to the content of the credentials register.

22. An authentication device cooperative with a tag, the tag including a changeable screen for displaying symbols representing a response string corresponding to a challenge string, the authentication device comprising:

a scanner for reading the symbols from the changeable screen;

an image processor for transforming the symbols into a readout response string; and

an authentication processor for calculating an expected response string corresponding to the challenge string, for comparing the readout response string to the expected response string to obtain a comparison result, and for outputting the comparison result.

23. The authentication device of claim 22, further comprising means to generate said challenge string and a transmitter to transmit said challenge string to said tag.

24. The authentication device of claim 22, further comprising a device real-time clock, and said expected response string is calculated with respect to a predetermined time interval from the time read from the device real-time clock.

25. The authentication device of claim 24, wherein said readout response string is compared to said expected response string by checking whether the readout response string matches the expected response string with respect to an instance from said time interval.

26. The authentication device of claim 22, wherein said response string is represented on said changeable screen by a series of snapshots, and said image processor is further operable to compose said readout string from the series of snapshots.

27. The authentication device of claim 22, wherein said authentication processor is further operative to output a positive outcome of said comparison result only upon reaching a predetermined number of successful matches between readout response strings and their corresponding expected response strings.

28. The authentication device of claim 22 cooperative with a plurality of said tag, wherein said authentication processor is operative to calculate and output said comparison result for each tag of the plurality.

29. The authentication device of claim 28, wherein said authentication processor is further operative to output an image containing said plurality, and visually spot each individual tag of said plurality according to said comparison result respective to the individual tag.

30. A method for visual authentication of a tag by an authentication device, the method comprising:

calculating by the tag a response string corresponding to a challenge string;

displaying by the tag the response string in machine-readable symbols;

reading by the authentication device the symbols from the tag;

transforming by the authentication device the symbols into a readout response string;

calculating by the authentication device an expected response string corresponding to the challenge string;

comparing by the authentication device the readout response string to the expected response string to obtain a comparison result; and

outputting by the authentication device the comparison result.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising generating said challenge string by said authentication device and transmitting it to said tag.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving said challenge string by said tag from a tag real-time clock included in said tag.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising calculating said expected response string by said authentication device with respect to a predetermined time interval from the time read from a device real-time clock included in said authentication device.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising composing said readout string by said authentication device from a series of symbol snapshots read from said tag.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising deciding by said authentication device to output a positive outcome of said comparison result only upon reaching a predetermined number of successful matches between readout response strings and their corresponding expected response strings.

36. The method of claim 30 for authentication a plurality of said tag by said authentication device, further comprising outputting said comparison result by said authentication device for each tag of the plurality.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

outputting by said authentication device an image containing said plurality, and visually spotting each individual tag of said plurality according to said comparison result respective to the individual tag.

38. The method of claim 30 for said tag being attachable to an object, further comprising disabling said tag upon detecting that said tag is being removed from the object.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving a message from an object, calculating said response string with respect also to the message, and displaying also the message in said machine-readable symbols.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving credentials, calculating said response string with respect also to the credentials, and displaying also the credentials in said machine-readable symbols.

41. The method of claim 30, further comprising identifying an object by said authentication device, checking whether the object bears said tag, and outputting a negative authentication result if the object does not bear said tag.