Authentication method, authentication device, and recording medium

• US 20090232351A1
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kishi, Yumiko, Kagitani, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US12/382,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20090232351A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/148 Segmentation of character regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An authentication method performed by an authentication device to authenticate a user includes an authentication-use image generating step of generating an authentication-use image including authentication-use information corresponding to an image expressing one or more characters and/or symbols which is provided on a background, wherein an edge formed by a difference in image density does not exist between the background and the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols; an authentication-use image presenting step of presenting, to the user, the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step; and an authentication step of performing authentication by comparing character and/or symbol information input by the user based on the authentication-use image presented at the authentication-use image presenting step, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use image.

Claims

1. An authentication method performed by an authentication device to authenticate a user, the authentication method comprising:

an authentication-use image generating step of generating an authentication-use image comprising authentication-use information corresponding to an image expressing one or more characters and/or symbols which is provided on a background, wherein an edge formed by a difference in image density does not exist between the background and the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols;

an authentication-use image presenting step of presenting, to the user, the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step; and

an authentication step of performing authentication by comparing character and/or symbol information input by the user based on the authentication-use image presented at the authentication-use image presenting step, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use image.

2. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

in the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step, the background is constituted by a first texture and the authentication-use information corresponding to the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by a second texture that is different from the first texture.

3. The authentication method according to claim 2, wherein:

an average value of an image density of the first texture and an average value of an image density of the second texture are substantially equal.

4. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step is a stereogram image in which the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols is embedded.

5. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

in the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols included in the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step, each of the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by plural characters and/or symbols.

6. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

in the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols included in the authentication-use image generated at the authentication-use image generating step, each of the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by a group of dots indicating features of the corresponding character and/or symbol.

7. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

the authentication-use image presenting step further comprises a step of prompting the user to select the characters and/or the symbols included in the authentication-use image; and

the authentication step comprises a step of performing the authentication by comparing the character and/or symbol information corresponding to the characters and/or the symbols selected by the user based on the authentication-use image presented at the authentication-use image presenting step, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use image.

8. The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein:

the authentication-use image presenting step further comprises a step of presenting a plurality of the authentication-use images and prompting the user to select at least one of the plural authentication-use images that satisfies a predetermined condition; and

the authentication step comprises a step of performing the authentication by comparing the authentication-use image selected by the user from among the plural authentication-use images presented at the authentication-use image presenting step, with the predetermined condition.

14. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein instructions for causing a computer to execute the authentication method according to claim 1.

9. An authentication method performed by an authentication device to authenticate a user, the authentication method comprising:

an authentication-use video generating step of generating an authentication-use video comprising authentication-use information corresponding to an image expressing one or more characters and/or symbols constituted by a second texture which is provided on a background constituted by a first texture, wherein a positional relationship between the background and the authentication-use information changes with time;

an authentication-use video presenting step of presenting, to the user, the authentication-use video generated at the authentication-use video generating step; and

an authentication step of performing authentication by comparing character and/or symbol information input by the user based on the authentication-use video presented at the authentication-use video presenting step, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use video.

10. The authentication method according to claim 9, wherein:

in the authentication-use video generated at the authentication-use video generating step, each of the characters and/or the symbols in the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by a group of dots indicating features of the corresponding character and/or symbol, and a plurality of the images expressing the characters and/or the symbols is continuously arranged.

11. The authentication method according to claim 9, wherein:

the authentication-use video presenting step further comprises a step of prompting the user to select the characters and/or the symbols included in the authentication-use video; and

the authentication step comprises a step of performing the authentication by comparing the character and/or symbol information corresponding to the characters and/or the symbols selected by the user based on the authentication-use video presented at the authentication-use video presenting step, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use video.

12. The authentication method according to claim 9, wherein:

the authentication-use video presenting step further comprises a step of presenting a plurality of the authentication-use videos and prompting the user to select at least one of the plural authentication-use videos that satisfies a predetermined condition; and

the authentication step comprises a step of performing the authentication by comparing the authentication-use video selected by the user from among the plural authentication-use videos presented at the authentication-use video presenting step, with the predetermined condition.

13. An authentication device for authenticating a user, the authentication device comprising:

an authentication-use image/video generating unit configured to generate any one of

an authentication-use image comprising authentication-use information corresponding to an image expressing one or more characters and/or symbols which is provided on a background, wherein an edge formed by a difference in image density does not exist between the background and the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols,

the authentication-use image wherein the background is constituted by a first texture and the authentication-use information corresponding to the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by a second texture that is different from the first texture,

the authentication-use image corresponding to a stereogram image in which the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols is embedded,

the authentication-use image wherein in the image expressing the characters and/or the symbols, each of the characters and/or the symbols is constituted by plural characters and/or symbols, and

an authentication-use video comprising the authentication-use information corresponding to the image expressing the characters and/or symbols constituted by the second texture which is provided on the background constituted by the first texture, wherein a positional relationship between the background and the authentication-use information changes with time;

an authentication-use image/video presenting unit configured to present, to the user, the authentication-use image or the authentication-use video generated by the authentication-use image/video generating unit; and

an authentication unit configured to perform authentication by comparing character and/or symbol information input by the user based on the authentication-use image or the authentication-use video presented by the authentication-use image/video presenting unit, with the characters and/or the symbols in the authentication-use image or the authentication-use video.