COMPUTING DEVICE WITH GRAPHICAL AUTHENTICATION INTERFACE

• US 20120167199A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Riddiford, Martin Philip
• Granted Patent: US 10,325,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A computing device with a graphical authentication interface in which the device displays a base image and authenticates a user when a pre-selected element in a secondary image overlying the base image is aligned with a pre-selected element in the base image.

Claims

1. A computing device with a graphical authentication interface in which the device displays a base image and authenticates a user when a pre-selected element in a secondary image overlying the base image is aligned with a pre-selected element in the base image.

2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the selected element in the base image is a point of interest in a fixed location in the base image.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the point of interest in the base image is identified by touch or selection with a cursor.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the point of interest has an associated, surrounding region and the size of the surrounding region is user-selected.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein software running on the computing device analyses a picture for suitability as a base image.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the secondary image includes elements that are numbers, letters words, colours, shapes, lines, icons, or any combination thereof.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the secondary image is transparent except for an array of elements arranged in a pattern or grid.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the pattern or grid is regular.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the pattern or grid moves over the static base image to enable alignment.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein physics-based modelling is used such that the speed of a touch flick varies the distance the pattern or grid moves.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein shake or tip control controls the way in which the pattern or grid moves.

12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the pattern or grid is repeated or looped.

13. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the layout of the pattern or grid is changed every time the pattern or grid is displayed.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the change is to the pitch of the pattern or grid, the orientation or skew of the pattern or grid, the order of the elements in the pattern or grid, the shape of the pattern or grid, or any combination thereof.

15. The computing device of claim 1, wherein two or more points of interest in the base image are successively aligned to.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the same element in the secondary image is aligned to each of the two or more points of interest in the base image.

17. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a combination of information associated with the pre-selected elements in the base image and the secondary image is at least part of an authentication key.

18. The computing device of claim 1, wherein an authentication key is generated using information associated with the pre-selected element in the base image and information associated with the pre-selected element in the secondary image layer, and each item of information is held in physically remote devices.

19. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the of elements in the base image and the secondary image are tailored to suit different users or their preferences.

20. The computing device of claim 1, wherein after one secondary image appears and successfully alignment is detected, a further secondary image is displayed and authentication results from alignment of a pre-selected element in the further secondary image with a pre-selected element in the base image.

21. The computing device of claim 1, wherein three or more secondary image layers are used.

22. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the number of secondary image layers varies depending on the level of security required.

23. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the pre-selected element in the base image is a type of element that does not have a fixed position in the base image but that appears anywhere in the base image.

24. The computing device of claim 1, comprising any of a personal computers, a personal information manager, cellular telephones, an automated teller machine, a security access system, a point of sale terminal.