BEHAVIORAL BIOMETRICS FOR AUTHENTICATION IN COMPUTING ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20080113791A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Williams, David C., Hedrick, Joseph Randy
• Granted Patent: US 8,353,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

Techniques for authenticating one or more entities are disclosed. Authentication can be performed based on one or more attributes associated with an image and/or input provided in connection with an image. The image is effectively provided for authenticating one or more entities associated with a computing environment. The attributes which can be measures include the manner in which an image has been created and/or traced by a person being authenticated. A person can initially register with an authentication system by creating and/or tracing an image. Subsequently, the person can be provided with the same, similar and/or completely different image in order to be authenticated by the authentication system. It will be appreciated that the image needs not be a signature or provide any personal information about the person being authenticated.

Claims

1. A computing system operable in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, wherein said computing system is capable of:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image and/or input provided in connection with said at least one image, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of said one or more entities associated with said gaming environment; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attribute values associated with said at least one image.

2. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more attributes include at least one attribute associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced.

3. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more attributes include at least one attribute associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced by and/or on behalf of said one or more entities.

4. A computing system as recited in claim 1,

wherein said one or more entities include one or more players that play and/or seek to play said one or more games effectively provided said gaming environment;

and

wherein said one or more attributes include at least one attribute associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced by said one or more players.

5. A computing system as recited in claim 2, wherein said at least one attribute associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced can be one or more of the following:

a velocity and/or speed associated with creating and/or tracing said at least one image;

an acceleration associated with creating and/or tracing said at least one image;

time taken to create and/or trace said at least one image;

pressure associated with creating and/or tracing said at least one image; and

shape, size, length and/or thickness associated with one or more components of said at least one image.

6. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining of one or more attributes determines said one or more attribute values as said image is being created and/or traced by one or more persons.

7. A computing system as recited in claim 6, wherein said one or more persons are one or more of the following:

one or more active players of said gaming environment,

one or more passive players of said gaming environment

one or more administrators and/or supervisors of said gaming environment,

one or more dealers and/or hosts of said one or more games, and

one or more observes of said one or more games.

8. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

determining, identifying, selecting and/or receiving said one or more attributes associated with said at least one image.

9. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

identifying, selecting, receiving and/or determining said at least one image.

10. A computing system as recited in claim 6, wherein said creating and/or tracing of said at least one image comprises one or more of the following:

drawing and/or tracing a picture, writing and/or tracing one or more characters, writing and/or tracing a phrase and/or a sentence.

11. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

measuring said one or more attributes values when said at least one image is created and/or traced.

12. A computing system as recited in claim 11, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

prompting and/or requesting that said at least one image be created and/or traced for the purpose of authenticating said one or more entities; and

receiving at least one image as an input image and/or receiving input associated with said at least one image.

13. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

prompting and/or requesting that said at least one image be selected from a plurality of images displayed for the purpose of authenticating said one or more entities; and

receiving said least one image as a selected image selected from said plurality of images.

14. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities comprises:

retrieving, receiving and/or identifying a first value for a first attribute associated with a first image; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said first value.

15. A computing system as recited in claim 14, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities further comprises:

determining a second value for a second attribute associated with a second image; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said first and second values.

16. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second attributes are the same.

17. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second image are the same.

18. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second attributes are different.

19. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second image are not the same image.

20. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities further comprises:

comparing said first value to said second value.

21. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first image is associated with said one or more entities.

22. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said first image is created and/or traced by one or more persons being authenticated.

23. A computing system as recited in claim 15, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities further comprises:

determining whether the difference between said first value and second value is within an acceptable range.

24. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is and/or includes one or more of the following:

a server;

a gaming server the effectively serves one or more gaming machines in said gaming environment;

a gaming machine operable for playing one or more games in said gaming environment;

an authentication server;

a mobile device;

a wireless device;

a mobile wireless device;

a mobile gaming device operable for playing one or more games in said gaming environment;

a wireless gaming device operable for playing one or more games in said gaming environment;

gaming device operable for playing one or more games in said gaming environment;

a mobile wireless device operable for playing one or more games in said gaming environment;

a personal computer;

a mobile wireless phone; and

a personal digital assistant.

25. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

displaying a plurality of images for selection by said one or more entities; and

receiving a selection that identifies one or more of said plurality of images after said displaying.

26. A computing system as recited in claim 25, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

storing said selection as a security code for authentication of said one or more entities.

27. A computing system as recited in claim 25, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

determining whether said security code has been effectively selected and/or entered;

authentication said one or more entities based on said determining of whether said security code has been effectively selected and/or entered.

28. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

determining whether to accept said at least one image as a security code that has been effectively provided for authentication said one or more persons;

authenticating said one or more entities based on said determining of whether to accept said at least one image as said security code.

29. A computing system as recited in claim 28, wherein said security code includes one or more pictures, texts, phrases and/or sentences.

30. A computing system as recited in claim 29, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

authenticating said one or more entities based on the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or stored when said determining determines to accept said at least one image as said security code.

31. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one image does not identify said one or more persons.

32. A computing system as recited in claim 1,

wherein said one or more entities include one or more persons, and

wherein said at least one image does not effectively identify said one or more persons.

33. A computing system as recited in claim 1,

wherein said one or more entities include one or more persons, and

wherein said at least one image does not include personal information associated with said one or more persons.

34. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one image does not include a signature.

35. A computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one image does not include a hard biometric data associated with a person to be authenticated.

36. A computing system as recited in claim 35, wherein said at least one image does not include a signature, a finger print, or eye scan associated with said person to be authenticated.

37. A computing system operable in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, wherein said computing system is capable of:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities associated with said gaming environment; and

storing said one or more one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more entities.

38. A method for authenticating one or more entities in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, said method comprising:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities associated with said gaming environment; and

storing said one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more entities.

39. A computer readable medium including computer program code for authenticating one or more entities in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities associated with said gaming environment;

computer program code for storing said one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more entities.

40. A method for authenticating one or more entities in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, said method comprising:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image and/or input provided in connection with said at least one image effectively provided for authentication of said one or more entities; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attribute values associated with said at least one image.

41. A method as recited in claim 40, wherein said method further comprises:

storing said one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more entity.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more other attribute values for said one or more attributes associated with said at least one image and/or one or more other attributes also associated with said at least one image and/or another image effectively provided for authentication of said one or more entities; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more other attribute values.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities further comprises:

comparing said one more attribute values to said other one or more attribute values to determine whether the difference is within an acceptable range.

44. A computer readable medium including computer program code for authenticating one or more entities in a gaming environment that effectively provides one or more games, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with at least one image effectively provided for authentication of said one or more entities; and

computer program code for authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attributes associated with said at least one image.

48. A computing system as recited in claim 44, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

determining one or more other attribute values associated with the manner said at least one image and/or another one or more images has been created and/or traced;

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more other attribute values.

49. A computing system as recited in claim 48, wherein said authenticating of said one or more entities further comprises:

comparing said one or more attribute values to said one or more other attribute values.

50. A computing system as recited in claim 44, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

measuring said one or more other attribute values when said at least one image and/or at least one other image is created and/or traced by said one or more entities.

51. A computing system as recited in claim 50,

wherein said one or more entities include a person to be authenticated, and

wherein said at least one image or said at least one other image does not include an personal information about said person or effectively identifies said person.

52. A computing system as recited in claim 50, wherein said computing system is further capable of measuring said one or more attribute values as a person creates and/or traces said at least one image.

53. A computing system as recited in claim 52, wherein said at least one image does not include a signature of said person, provides personal information about said person, or effectively identifies said person.

45. A computing system operable in a computing environment, wherein said computing system is capable of:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with the manner in which at least one image has been created and/or traced, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities in said computing environment; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attribute values associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced.

46. A computing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

determining said one or more attribute values when said at least one image is created and/or traced by said one or more entities.

47. A computing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said computing system is further capable of:

measuring said one or more attribute values as said at least one image is being created and/or traced by one or more persons being authenticated prior to authentication for using resources and/or services of said computing environment.

54. A computer-implemented method for authenticating one or more entities, said computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with the manner in which at least one image has been created and/or traced, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities in computing environment; and

authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attribute values associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced.

55. A computer readable medium including computer program code for authenticating one or more entities, said computer-implemented method comprising:

computer program code for determining, identifying and/or receiving one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with the manner in which at least one image has been created and/or traced, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities in computing environment; and

computer program code for authenticating said one or more entities based on said one or more attribute values associated with the manner in which said at least one image has been created and/or traced.

56. A computer-implemented method for registering one or more entities for subsequent authentication of said one or more entities, said computer-implemented method comprising:

determining one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with the manner in which at least one image has been created and/or traced, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities in computing environment; and

saving said one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more one or more.

57. A computing system capable of operating in a computing environment, wherein said computing system is capable of:

determining one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with the manner in which at least one image has been created and/or traced, wherein said at least one image is effectively provided for authentication of one or more entities in computing environment; and

saving said one or more attribute values for subsequent authentication of said one or more one or more.