User interface and method for inputting password and password system using the same

• US 7,240,367 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cryptzone, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seoung-Bae Park, Shinbitech Company Limited
• Inventors: Park, Seoung-Bae
• Primary Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US10/389,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• 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 7/1041 PIN input keyboard gets new key allocation at each use

Abstract

A password system and a method for authenticating a user of such a password system are disclosed. The present invention provides a novel method for inputting a password which is capable of preventing a password from being revealed to others observing the course of inputting the password, and an improved password system which is capable of providing a user interface suitable to such a method for inputting a password. The user interface provides at least two symbol boards, and symbols arranged on the two symbol boards are matched by means of matching means provided to a user. At this time, the symbols matched for inputting the password and other different false symbols disguised as the symbols matched for inputting the password are matched simultaneously, whereby it is not possible for an observer to distinguish which of the symbol matching is the one for inputting the password.

Claims

1. A password system comprising:

display means for displaying a matching symbol board on which there are arranged and displayed a plurality of symbols including a real matching symbol, which is a standard of matching, and several virtual matching symbols, which are provided for concealing the real matching symbol, and a password symbol board on which there are arranged and displayed a plurality of symbols including a real password symbol, which is to be matched with the real matching symbol, and several virtual password symbols, which are provided for concealing the real password symbol;

symbol creating means for creating symbol groups to be displayed on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board;

display control means for receiving information about the symbol groups created by the symbol creating means, and for arranging and displaying the received information on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board;

matching means for matching the real matching symbol and the real password symbol;

matching symbol processing means for creating a matched symbol group when several symbols arranged on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board are matched by means of the matching means, and for outputting the matched symbol group;

a memory for storing authenticating reference information; and

authentication processing means for receiving the matched symbol group outputted by the matching symbol processing means, and for allowing or denying a user access to a main system by determining whether the real password symbol is matched with the real matching symbol included in the matched symbol group inputted on the basis of the authenticating reference information.

2. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbols arranged on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board include at least one of numbers, characters, figures, pictures, and a combination thereof.

3. The password system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the symbols arranged on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board include at least two different colors.

4. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbol creating means creates symbols in the symbol group with the symbols arranged on the matching symbol board and the password symbol board.

5. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display control means does not display the matching symbol board but dose display the password symbol board, and wherein the user associates the symbols arranged on the matching symbol board to match the associated real matching symbol with the real password symbol.

6. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one matching symbol board and at least one password symbol board are displayed simultaneously when several real matching symbols are matched with several real password symbols by at least one symbol matching.

7. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbols arranged on one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board are shifted in circulation so that the real matching symbol is matched with the real password symbol.

8. The password system as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board is circulated automatically.

9. The password system as claimed in claim 8, wherein an amount of circulating shift of said one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board is inputted directly to match the real matching symbol with the real password symbol.

10. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matching symbol board and the password symbol board are displayed on the display means via a graphic user interface.

11. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display means includes a mechanical mechanism for displaying one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board, and for displaying the arranged symbols in circulation.

12. The password system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mechanical mechanism includes a plurality of wheels for displaying several symbols in circulation, and a wheel control button for controlling the wheels.

13. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbol creating means creates randomly the sequence of the symbols arranged on at least one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board.

14. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user'"'"'s ID is inputted together with inputting of a password.

15. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbol creating means creates a symbol group to be displayed on at least one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board on the basis of the authenticating reference information, a sequence of arrangement of the symbols being decided so that minimum circulation is accomplished within a prescribed range when the user matches the real matching symbol with the real password symbol.

16. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbol creating means patches the authenticating reference information on the basis of a user'"'"'s ID.

17. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication processing means patches the authenticating reference information on the basis of any one of the matched symbol group and a user'"'"'s ID.

18. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authenticating reference information stored in the memory is a group of real matching symbols and a group of real password symbols.

19. The password system as claimed in claim 18, wherein a derivable symbol group is stored as the authenticating reference information when one of the real matching symbol group and the real password symbol group is derived from another of the real matching symbol group and the real password symbol group.

20. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authenticating reference information stored in the memory is information that is capable of being used to derive one of the real matching symbol group and the real password symbol group.

21. The password system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display means and the matching means are provided in a user interface of a communication terminal connected to a main system via a communication network.

22. The password system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the communication terminal transmits an amount of circulating shift of one of the matching symbol board and the password symbol board to the main system when the user'"'"'s password is inputted, the transmitted information being encoded selectively.

23. The password system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the communication terminal has a user'"'"'s ID, and wherein the authentication processing means patches the authenticating reference information on the basis of the user'"'"'s ID.

24. A method for authenticating a user of a password system comprising the steps of:

creating a first symbol group including a real matching symbol, which is a standard of matching, and several virtual matching symbols, which are provided for concealing the real matching symbol, and a second symbol group including a real password symbol, which is to be matched with the real matching symbol, and several virtual password symbols, which are provided for concealing the real password symbol;

displaying a matching symbol board for displaying the first symbol group and a password symbol board for displaying the second symbol group by a display unit;

inputting a two-password set by matching a real matching symbol of the matching symbol board and a real password symbol of the password symbol board by a means of matching means;

creating a matched symbol group after the real matching symbol of the matching symbol board is matched with the real password symbol of the password symbol board, and inputting the matched symbol group to an authentication processing means; and

processing an authentication for allowing or denying the user access to a main system on the basis of the authenticating reference information and the matched symbol group that has been created.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the first symbol group and the second symbol group is arranged in a fixed sequence of arrangement and another of the first symbol group and the second symbol group is arranged randomly, a part of the step of creating the first symbol group and the second symbol group.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first symbol group and the second symbol group are arranged randomly a part of the step of creating the first symbol group and the second symbol group.

27. The method as claimed in any one of claims 25 and 26, wherein the step of creating the first symbol group and the second symbol group includes patching the authenticating reference information, and wherein at least one of the first symbol group and the second symbol group is created on the basis of the patched authenticating reference information, a sequence of arrangement of the symbols being decided so that circulation is accomplished within a prescribed range when the user matches the real matching symbol with the real password symbol.

28. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of inputting a user'"'"'s ID.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of creating the first symbol group and the second symbol group includes patching the authenticating reference information on the inputted user'"'"'s ID, and wherein at least one of the first symbol group and the second symbol group is created on the basis of the patched authenticating reference information, a sequence of arrangement of the symbols being decided so that circulation is accomplished within a prescribed range when the user matches the real matching symbol with the real password symbol.

30. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the step of processing the authentication comprises the steps of:

patching the authenticating reference information;

deriving the first symbol group and the second symbol group from the authenticating reference information;

determining the symbols to be matched with the derived first symbol group from the matched symbol group;

comparing the determined symbol with the derived first symbol group to obtain a result; and

selectively allowing or denying the user access to the main system on the basis of the result.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising the step of inputting a user'"'"'s ID, wherein the authenticating reference information is patched on the basis of the inputted user'"'"'s ID in the step of processing the authentication.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the authenticating reference information is patched on the basis of the matched symbol group in the step of processing of authentication.

33. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the real matching symbol is derived into ‘

X₁X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_n’

, and the real password symbol is derived into ‘

Y₁Y₂Y₃ . . . Y<sub>n−

2</sub>Y<sub>n−

1</sub>Y_n’

when the authenticating reference information is ‘

X₁Y₁X₂Y₂X₃Y₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>Y<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>Y<sub>n−

1</sub>X_nY_n’

in the step of deriving the first symbol group and the second symbol group from the authentication reference information.

34. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the real matching symbol is derived into ‘

X₁X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>’

, and the real password symbol is derived into ‘

X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_n’

when the authenticating reference information is ‘

X₁X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_n’

in the step of deriving the first symbol group and the second symbol group from the authentication reference information.

35. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the real matching symbol is derived into ‘

X₁X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_n’

, and the real password symbol is derived into ‘

X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_nX₁’

when the authenticating reference information is ‘

X₁X₂X₃ . . . X<sub>n−

2</sub>X<sub>n−

1</sub>X_n’

in the step of deriving the first symbol group and the second symbol group from the authentication reference information.

36. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the step of encoding matched symbol group information when the matched symbol group is inputted to the authentication processing means for carrying out the authenticating process via a communication network.

37. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein matched symbol group information is used as index information for displaying a communication terminal when the matched symbol group is inputted to the authentication processing means for carrying out the authenticating process via the communication network.