Authorized user verification by sequential pattern recognition and access code acquisition

• US 6,246,769 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael L. Kohut
• Original Assignee: Michael L. Kohut
• Inventors: Kohut, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACK, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US09/512,419
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 380/45, 380/46, 705/56, 705/65, 705/72, 713/159, 713/166
• US Class Current: 380/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system that eliminates the use and recall of multiple dedicated access codes to verify an authorized user across multiple protected resources. Fixed access codes selected by a user, or issued to a user, such as Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), passwords and passcodes are replaced by temporary codes that are valid only for the specific transaction in progress. A temporary code is randomly selected by the system and displayed to the user encoded within a completely filled geometric matrix along with other non-code characters. The user must recall a single, predetermined sequential pattern within said matrix in order to obtain the access code. Once the code is obtained, or decoded from the matrix, the user must enter that code into the system. If the entered code matches the transaction specific code in system memory, access to the protected resource is granted and the transaction is allowed to proceed.

Claims

1. A method of verifying the identification of an authorized user of a set of protected resources within an employed system during a transaction with any singular set member by requiring said authorized user to recall a single secret sequential matrix pattern located within a standardized geometric matrix, and using said recalled secret sequential matrix pattern to decode a random transaction specific access code located within said standardized geometric matrix for the purpose of gaining access to any singular member of said set of protected resources, whereby:

a) a single secret sequential matrix pattern is chosen within the standardized geometric matrix by the authorized user of specified length designated by the system in order to provide an adequate level of security for all members of the set of protected system resources;

b) a length adjusting means of the transaction specific access code within the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern is provided on a transaction to transaction basis;

c) a matrix position, not associated with the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern, is chosen by the authorized user to communicate the transaction specific access code length chosen by the system;

d) a means is provided to store and recall a plurality of secret sequential matrix patterns and corresponding code length matrix positions within the standardized geometric matrix by the system;

e) a means is provided to change the characters displayed within the standardized geometric matrix from transaction-to-transaction by the system;

f) the transaction specific access code located within the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern is randomly selected by the system, and not related to any fixed sequence of events;

g) a means is employed that is capable of receiving and processing account identification data from a potential authorized user for the purpose of initial and preliminary identification in the form of direct data input from a keyboard, a credit card magnetic strip, a smart card, a biometric scan or any other form of potential authorized user identification data input, and can relate said identification data input to the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern and corresponding code length matrix position within the standardized geometric matrix stored within the system memory;

h) a means is employed that is capable of generating the random transaction specific access code within the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern on a transaction to transaction basis, and whereby said transaction specific code is stored in a system memory location;

i) a means is employed that can calculate the transaction specific code length for a particular transaction and place the results of that calculation in the authorized user'"'"'s secret matrix position dedicated to code length, and where by results of said calculation are recorded in a system memory location;

j) a means is employed that is capable of displaying the geometric matrix containing the transaction specific code within the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern along with other matrix characters to a potential authorized user, and subsequently transmitting said user sequential input of the decoded transaction specific code into the system for verification;

k) a means is employed that can compare a user'"'"'s decoded and entered input and the corresponding transaction specific code stored in system memory and allow the transaction to proceed if the two codes are exactly identical in character sequence and length, or terminate the transaction if the codes are not exactly identical;

l) a means is employed that can deny access to a user if a specific number of incorrect code input attempts are initiated by said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is computer based.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the following steps:

a) initiation of a transaction within a system of protected resources upon receiving a user'"'"'s account identification data;

b) system relates user'"'"'s account identification data to the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern and corresponding code length matrix position within a standardized matrix;

c) system generates a random transaction specific access code and places said random access code into the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern by placing the first character of said random access code into the first position of the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential pattern, and whereby subsequent random access code characters are placed into said authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential pattern in ascending sequential order;

d) system calculates the length of the transaction specific random access code and places the result of said calculation into the authorized user'"'"'s matrix position corresponding to access code length;

e) system stores the transaction specific random access code into system memory;

f) system fills all remaining vacant matrix positions within the standardized geometric matrix with random characters;

g) the completely filled standardized geometric matrix is displayed to the user;

h) a time out clock is started;

i) the user recalls the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential matrix pattern and corresponding code length matrix position and decodes the transaction specific random access code from the displayed geometric matrix;

j) user enters the decoded transaction specific access code into the system before the time out clock reaches end point;

k) if the transaction specific access code entered by the user matches the transaction specific access code in system memory, access to the protected resource is granted;

l) if the entered transaction specific access code entered by the user does not match the transaction specific access code in system memory, or the time out clock has reached end point, access is denied;

m) if a second attempt is initiated by the user, a different random transaction specific access code will be generated by the system and installed into the authorized user'"'"'s secret sequential pattern, and the length of said different access code may also change.