Validating input by detecting and recognizing human presence

• US 9,465,927 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Makofsky, Steven, Cutsinger, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zecher, Dede
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAKHIA, VIRAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/633,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20140096272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189, 713/155, 726/5, 726/14, 726/16, 455/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for validating input on a handheld device. In response to receiving an input and a request to access a computing resource, an application running on the handheld device may collect data from one or more sensors of the handheld device. The application may then determine, based on the collected sensor data, if an individual is interacting with the device and recognize the input as valid if such is the case. In one embodiment, the application may present a challenge to a user which is difficult for computer programs to perform, and determine whether an individual is interacting with the device based on successful completion of the challenge. In an alternative embodiment, the application may collect data and determine whether an individual is interacting with the device without presenting an explicit challenge to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for an application to verify presence of an individual interacting with a handheld device versus an automated program executing on the handheld device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

prior to presenting any explicit presence challenge on the handheld device;

receiving a request from the handheld device;

subsequent to receiving the request, collecting, based on an implicit presence test and from one or more sensors of the handheld device, implicit presence data characterizing a movement or position of the handheld device; and

upon determining, based on the implicit presence data and by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the application, presence of an individual interacting with the handheld device, approving the request;

wherein the application is configured to, upon determining, based on the implicit presence data, that presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device is inconclusive, present an explicit presence challenge on the handheld device in order to verify presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, including the application being configured to;

collect, from at least one sensor of the handheld device, explicit presence data responsive to the explicit presence challenge;

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, approve the request; and

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, absence of any individual interacting with the handheld device, deny the request as having been submitted by an automated program;

wherein at least one of the implicit presence test and the explicit presence challenge is selected based on sensor availability and one or more sensor properties.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the explicit presence challenge is presented via a display screen of the handheld device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensors include one or more of a microphone, an accelerometer, a global positioning system component, a proximity sensor, a magnetometer, a thermometer, a pressure sensor, and a gyroscope.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request specifies one of login credentials and account creation information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request specifies to access a protected computing resource.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining presence of the individual interacting with the device comprises determining whether at least one image, captured via a camera on the handheld device while collecting the data, depicts any individual.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the explicit presence challenge is presented via a display screen of the handheld device, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to acquire physical data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the implicit presence data is only collected from available sensors and not collected from at least one sensor determined to be unavailable, wherein the request specifies to access a protected computing resource, wherein the request specifies, in respective instances:

(i) login credentials and (ii) account creation information.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining presence of the individual interacting with the device comprises determining whether at least one image, captured via a camera on the handheld device while collecting the data, depicts any individual;

wherein the presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device is determinable from input based on explicit presence data collected from each sensor selected from;

(i) a microphone;

(ii) an accelerometer;

(iii) a global positioning system component;

(iv) a proximity sensor;

(v) a magnetometer;

(vi) a thermometer;

(vii) a pressure sensor;

(viii) a gyroscope; and

(ix) a keyboard input sensor.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to acquire physical data.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the implicit presence data is only collected from available sensors and not collected from at least one sensor determined to be unavailable.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing an application executable to perform an operation to verify presence of an individual interacting with a handheld device versus an automated program executing on the handheld device, the operation comprising:

prior to presenting any explicit presence challenge on the handheld device;

receiving a request from the handheld device;

subsequent to receiving the request, collecting, based on an implicit presence test and from one or more sensors determined to be available at the handheld device, implicit presence data characterizing a movement or position of the handheld device; and

upon determining, based on the implicit presence data and by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the application, presence of an individual interacting with the handheld device, approving the request;

wherein the application is configured to, upon determining, based on the implicit presence data, that presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device is inconclusive, present an explicit presence challenge on the handheld device in order to verify presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, including the application being configured to;

collect, from at least one sensor of the handheld device, explicit presence data responsive to the explicit presence challenge;

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, approve the request; and

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, absence of any individual interacting with the handheld device, deny the request as having been submitted by an automated program;

wherein at least one of the implicit presence test and the explicit presence challenge is selected based on sensor availability and one or more sensor properties.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the explicit presence challenge is presented via a display screen of the handheld device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the request specifies one of login credentials and account creation information.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, the operation further comprising, prior to collecting data, receiving a wherein the request specifies to access a protected computing resource.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to acquire physical data.

17. A handheld device to verify presence of an individual interacting with the handheld device versus an automated program executing on the handheld device, the handheld device comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more sensors monitoring movement or position of the handheld device; and

a memory containing an application executable by the one or more computer processors to perform an operation comprising;

prior to presenting any explicit presence challenge on the handheld device;

receiving a request from the handheld device;

subsequent to receiving the request, collecting, based on an implicit presence test and from one or more sensors determined to be available at the handheld device, implicit presence data characterizing a movement or position of the handheld device; and

upon determining, based on the implicit presence data, presence of an individual interacting with the handheld device, approving the request;

wherein the application is configured to, upon determining, based on the implicit presence data, that presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device is inconclusive, present an explicit presence challenge on the handheld device in order to verify presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, including the application being configured to;

collect, from at least one sensor of the handheld device, explicit presence data responsive to the explicit presence challenge;

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, presence of the individual interacting with the handheld device, approve the request; and

upon determining, based on the explicit presence data, absence of any individual interacting with the handheld device, deny the request as having been submitted by an automated program;

wherein at least one of the implicit presence test and the explicit presence challenge is selected based on sensor availability and one or more sensor properties.

18. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the explicit presence challenge is presented via a display screen of the handheld device.

19. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the sensors include one or more of a microphone, an accelerometer, a global positioning system component, a proximity sensor, a magnetometer, a thermometer, a pressure sensor, and a gyroscope.

20. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the request specifies one of login credentials and account creation information.

21. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the request specifies to access a protected computing resource.

22. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to acquire physical data.