Authentication method and code setting method and authentication system for electronic apparatus

• US 9,141,777 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Sun, Hung-Min, Li, Chi-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US13/944,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

The present invention relates to an authentication method for electronic apparatus and authentication system, which comprises the steps of: enabling an electronic apparatus to be moved by a user from a first position to a second position; enabling an inertial sensor embedded in the electronic apparatus to detect and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement from the first position to the second position in a Cartesian coordination system composed of a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis; and enabling a processor embedded in the electronic apparatus to perform either a process for registering the three-dimensional continuous trajectory as a standard movement trajectory; or a comparison between the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and a previously registered standard movement trajectory so as to authenticate the correctness of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and thus authenticating the electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. An authentication method for electronic apparatuses, comprising steps of:

enabling an electronic apparatus to be moved by a user from a first position to a second position;

enabling an inertial sensor of the electronic apparatus to detect the moving of the electronic apparatus from the first position to the second position and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement in a Cartesian coordination system comprising a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis; and

enabling a processor of the electronic apparatus to perform a comparison between the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and a previously registered standard movement trajectory so as to authenticate correctness of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and thus authenticating the electronic apparatus,

wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a touch screen, for displaying a three-dimensional pattern resulting from processing of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory by the processor;

wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of segments, including a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and

wherein the first segment is extending in a direction parallel with the first-direction axis, the second segment is extending in a direction parallel with the second-direction axis, and the third segment is extending in a direction parallel with the third-direction axis, while the second segment is arranged to be connecting respectively to the first segment and the third segment by two opposite ends of the second segment.

2. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein each time the inertial sensor detects that a moving direction of the electronic apparatus is changed, the processor will enable a color changing upon the three-dimensional pattern of the plurality of segments for enabling any two neighboring segments in the plurality of segments that are connected one after the other to have different colors.

3. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein after the touch screen is touched by the user, the processor is activated for enabling the electronic apparatus to enter a code receiving mode, and thereby, the electronic apparatus is prepared to be moved by the user from the first position to the second position.

4. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen has a pattern displaying zone to be used for displaying the three-dimensional pattern.

5. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein during the moving of the electronic apparatus, the touch screen is enabled to display a combination of a ball figure and an arrow figure while enabling the pointing of the arrow feature to indicate and correspond to a moving direction of the electronic apparatus.

6. The authentication method of claim 5, wherein the arrow feature is disposed on a circular orbit centering around the ball feature and at a position on a side of the ball feature that indicates and is corresponding to the moving direction of the electronic apparatus at each direction change during the moving of the electronic apparatus.

7. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the inertial sensor is adapted for detecting the moving of the electronic apparatus in a plurality of directions, including upward, downward, front, rear, left, right, front left, rear-left, front-right and front-left directions in view of the electronic apparatus at the first position.

8. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises:

a vibrator, capable of issuing at least one short vibration at each direction change of the electronic apparatus during the process of moving the electronic apparatus from the first position to the second position.

9. The authentication method of claim 8, wherein during the moving of the electronic apparatus from the first position to the second position, the vibrator is enabled to issue at least one long vibration that lasts for a period of time longer than that of the at least one short vibration;

and during the lasting of the at least one long vibration, the user is allowed to execute at least one false motion input to the electronic apparatus for enabling the electronic apparatus to move at least once; and

also during the lasting of the at least one long vibration, the inertial sensor stops detecting the movement of the electronic apparatus.

10. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises:

a first switch, electrically connected to the processor, used for performing a retry command to stop the processing of the processor;

a second switch, electrically connected to the processor, used for performing a “

go back”

command to reset a direction of at least one trail of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory; and

a third switch, electrically connected to the processor, used for performing a confirm command to confirm an inputting of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory.

11. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein during the moving of the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus is enabled to issue a sound at each time an inputting of one trail of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory is completed by the user for reminding the user by hearing about a direction of one next trail in the three-dimensional continuous trajectory that is to be inputted.

12. A code setting method for electronic apparatuses, comprising steps of:

enabling an electronic apparatus to be moved by a user from a first position to a second position;

enabling an inertial sensor of the electronic apparatus to detect the moving of the electronic apparatus from the first position to the second position and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement in a Cartesian coordination system comprising a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis; and

enabling a processor of the electronic apparatus to perform a process for registering the three-dimensional continuous trajectory in the electronic apparatus so as to be used as a standard movement trajectory,

wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a touch screen, for displaying a three-dimensional pattern resulting from processing of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory by the processor;

wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of segments, including a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and

wherein the first segment is extending in a direction parallel with the first-direction axis, the second segment is extending in a direction parallel with the second-direction axis, and the third segment is extending in a direction parallel with the third-direction axis, while the second segment is arranged to be connecting respectively to the first segment and the third segment by two opposite ends of the second segment.

13. An authentication system for electronic apparatuses, comprising:

a frame, provided to be held by a user for allowing the user to move an electronic apparatus from a first position to a second position;

an inertial sensor, for detecting the moving of the electronic apparatus from the first position to the second position and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement in a Cartesian coordination system comprising a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis;

a processor, for processing the three-dimensional continuous trajectory so as to determine correctness of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory; and

a touch screen, for displaying a three-dimensional pattern resulting from processing of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory by the processor,

wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of segments, including a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and

wherein the first segment is extending in a direction parallel with the first-direction axis, the second segment is extending in a direction parallel with the second-direction axis, and the third segment is extending in a direction parallel with the third-direction axis, while the second segment is arranged to be connecting respectively to the first segment and the third segment by two opposite ends of the second segment.

14. A code setting method, comprising steps of:

selecting to activate an unlocking system of an electronic apparatus;

moving the electronic apparatus so as to set a graphical code;

enabling the electronic apparatus to move again so as to confirm the graphical code; and

enabling an optional function to be activated,

wherein an inertial sensor of the electronic apparatus is configured to detect moving of the electronic apparatus and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement in a Cartesian coordination system comprising a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis;

wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a touch screen, for displaying a three-dimensional pattern resulting from processing of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory by a processor of the electronic apparatus;

wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of segments, including a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and

wherein the first segment is extending in a direction parallel with the first-direction axis, the second segment is extending in a direction parallel with the second-direction axis, and the third segment is extending in a direction parallel with the third-direction axis, while the second segment is arranged to be connecting respectively to the first segment and the third segment by two opposite ends of the second segment.

15. A method for unlocking a screenlock, comprising steps of:

enabling an electronic apparatus to move so as to input a graphical code for unlocking;

making an evaluation for determining whether to activate an optional function;

if the optional function is selected and determined to be activated, the optional function is activated during the inputting of the graphical code, otherwise, the optional function is not activated during the inputting of the graphical code;

making an evaluation for determining whether the inputted graphical code is correct, if so, a screen lock is unlocked, otherwise, a process for requesting a graphical code to be inputted is initiated,

wherein an inertial sensor of the electronic apparatus is configured to detect moving of the electronic apparatus and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus'"'"'s movement in a Cartesian coordination system comprising a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis;

wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a touch screen, for displaying a three-dimensional pattern resulting from processing of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory by a processor of the electronic apparatus;

wherein the three-dimensional pattern comprises a plurality of segments, including a first segment, a second segment and a third segment; and

wherein the first segment is extending in a direction parallel with the first-direction axis, the second segment is extending in a direction parallel with the second-direction axis, and the third segment is extending in a direction parallel with the third-direction axis, while the second segment is arranged to be connecting respectively to the first segment and the third segment by two opposite ends of the second segment.