Method and a device for generating a secret value

• US 20110283353A1
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Alessio, Davide, Desoblin, Gilles, Maetz, Yves, Eluard, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

A device and a method for graphical passwords. A device displays an initial image comprising a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having at least two variants; receives user input to select a variant of a number of the graphical elements, thereby generating a modified image; and generates the secret value from at least the selected variants of the graphical elements. The graphical elements are advantageously seamlessly integrated in the images, thereby making the system resistant to shoulder surfing attacks.

Claims

1. A method of generating a secret value, the method comprising the steps at a device of:

displaying an initial image comprising a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having at least two variants;

iteratively receiving user input to select a variant of a number of the plurality of graphical elements, thereby generating a modified image; and

generating the secret value from at least the selected variants of the graphical elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret value is a password.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a user input for the selection of the initial image, wherein also the selected initial image is used for the generation of the secret value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical elements are seamlessly integrated in the initial image and the modified image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user input comprises selection of a graphical element and the method further comprises the step of providing at least one variant in response thereto.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the providing step comprises simultaneously providing all variants of the selected graphical element to the user.

7. A device for generating a secret value, the device comprising a processor for:

providing a display with an initial image comprising a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having at least two variants;

receiving iterative user input to select a variant of a number of the graphical elements, thereby generating a modified image; and

generating the secret value from at least the selected variants of the graphical elements.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the secret value is a password.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further for receiving a user input for the selection of the initial image, and wherein the processor uses also the selected initial image for the generation of the secret value.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further for seamlessly integrating the variants into the initial image to generate the modified image.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein a user input comprises selection of a graphical element and the processor is further adapted to provide at least one variant in response thereto.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further adapted to, in response to user input to select a variant, provide all variants of the selected graphical element.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further adapted to provide also the graphical element originally displayed.