User Challenge Using Information Based on Geography Or User Identity

• US 20100218111A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawyer, Justin, Barta, Scott, Mitchell, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,301,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

Example embodiments of methods and apparatus for challenging an online user. In an example embodiment, a method includes receiving, at an online service provider, a request from a user to access one or more features of an online service running on a host server and also receiving an indication of a geography associated with the user. The example method further includes sending, to the user, information associated with the indicated geography in combination with information not associated with the indicated geography and a request that the user select the information associated with the indicated geography from the combined information or select the information not associated with the indicated geography from the combined information. The example method still further includes receiving, at the online service provider, a selection from the user and, in the event the selection correctly corresponds with the request, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at an online service provider, a request from a user to access one or more features of an online service running on a host server;

receiving an indication of a geography associated with the user;

sending, to the user;

information associated with the indicated geography in combination with information not associated with the indicated geography; and

a request that the user select the information associated with the indicated geography from the combined information or select the information not associated with the indicated geography from the combined information;

receiving, at the online service provider, a selection from the user; and

in the event the selection correctly corresponds with the request, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the geography is selected from the group consisting of:

a street address provided by the user, a postal mailing code provided by the user, a city name and a state name provided by the user, a country name provided by the user, a phone number provided by the user and an Internet Protocol address associated with the request.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises the online service provider providing the combined information for presentation in a graphical user interface.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more images of landmarks associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more images of landmarks not associated with the indicated geography.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more images of celebrities associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more images of people not associated with the indicated geography.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more images of consumer products associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more images of consumer products not associated with the indicated geography.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more service set identifiers (SSIDs) of wireless networks associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more SSIDs not associated with the indicated geography.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more audio files associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more audio files not associated with the indicated geography.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more video files associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more video files not associated with the indicated geography.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, at the online service provider, use of the online service; and

determining a change in the use of the online service based on one or more actions of the user, wherein sending the combined information and the request is performed in response to the determined change.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a user, at an online service provider;

a request for access to one or more features of an online service running on a host server; and

an indication of a person'"'"'s identity;

sending, to the user;

information associated with the person in combination with information not associated with the person, wherein the information associated with the person is obtained based on an online user identity profile corresponding with the person; and

a request that the user select the information associated with the person from the combined information or select the information not associated with the person from the combined information;

receiving, at the online service provider, a selection from the user;

in the event the selection correctly corresponds with the request, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more images associated with the person in combination with one or more images not associated with the person.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more pieces of historical information associated with the person in combination with one or more pieces of information not associated with the person.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more pieces of historical information include at least one of the following:

a previous address associated with the person, a previous phone number associated with the person;

a previous email address associated with the person; and

a prior employer associated with the person.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the person'"'"'s identity corresponds with a user profile that includes an indication of a geography associated with the person; and

sending the combined information comprises presenting information associated with the indicated geography in combination with information not associated with the indicated geography.

16. A recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the actions of:

receiving, from a user, a request to access one or more features of an online service;

receiving an indication of a geography associated with the user;

sending, to the user;

information associated with the indicated geography in combination with information not associated with the indicated geography; and

a request that the user select the information associated with the indicated geography from the combined information or select the information not associated with the indicated geography from the combined information;

receiving a selection from the user; and

in the event the selection correctly corresponds with the request, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

17. The recordable storage medium of claim 16, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more images associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more images not associated with the indicated geography.

18. The recordable storage medium of claim 16, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more service set identifiers (SSIDs) of wireless networks associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more SSIDs not associated with the indicated geography.

19. The recordable storage medium of claim 16, wherein sending the combined information comprises providing one or more audio or video files associated with the indicated geography in combination with one or more audio video files not associated with the indicated geography.

20. The recordable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further provide for:

monitoring use of the online service; and

determining a change in the use of the online service based on one or more actions of the user, wherein sending the combined information and the request are performed in response to the determined change.

21. An online service provider system comprising:

a processor; and

program storage memory operationally coupled with the processor, the program storage memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, provide for;

receiving, from a user;

a request for access to one or more features of an online service; and

an indication of a person'"'"'s identity;

sending, to the user;

information associated with the person in combination with information not associated with the person, wherein the information associated with the person is obtained based on an online user identity profile corresponding with the person;

a request that the user select the information associated with the person from the combined information or select the information not associated with the person from the combined information;

receiving a selection from the user;

in the event the selection correctly corresponds with the request, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further provide for:

monitoring use of the online service; and

determining a change in the use of the online service based on one or more actions of the user, wherein sending the combined information and the request are performed in response to the determined change.

23. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at an online service provider, a request from a user to access one or more features of an online service running on a host server;

receiving, from the user, an indication of a geography;

sending, to the user;

a question in a language associated with the indicated geography; and

a request that the user respond to the question;

receiving, at the online service provider, a response from the user; and

in the event the response correctly corresponds with the question, allowing the user access to the one or more features.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein sending the question comprises providing an audio file configured for playback on a user terminal.

25. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at an online service provider, a request from a user to access one or more features of an online service running on a host server;

receiving, from the user, an indication of a geography;

sending, to the user;

software configured to identify radio signals; and

a request that the user run the software;

receiving an indication of one or more radio signals identified by the software; and

in the event the radio signals identified by the software correctly correspond with radio signals associated with the indicated geography, allowing the user access to the one or more features.