CAPTCHA techniques utilizing traceable images

• US 9,471,767 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Akula, Nagasravani, Raj, Rachit, Mohamad Abdul, Mohamad Raja Gani
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): GYORFI, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US14/559,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/373 using a special pattern or subpattern alphabet
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/02 Networking aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for generating, utilizing, and validating traceable image CAPTCHAs. In certain embodiments, a traceable image is displayed, and a trace of the image is analyzed to determine whether a user providing the trace is human. In certain embodiments, a computing device receives a request for an image, and in response, creates a traceable image based upon a plurality of image elements. The computing device transmits data representing the traceable image to cause a second computing device to display the traceable image via a touch-enabled display. The computing device receives a user trace input data generated responsive to a trace made at the second computing device, and determines whether the trace is within an error tolerance range of the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image. The computing device then sends a result of the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating, by a first computing device, a traceable image by combining a plurality of image elements that each include trace data, wherein the traceable image is associated with a set of coordinates;

sending, by the first computing device, data representing the traceable image to be displayed by a second computing device via a touch-enabled display;

receiving, at the first computing device, a trace input data corresponding to a trace of the displayed traceable image made at the second computing device;

determining, by the first computing device based upon the trace input data, whether the trace of the displayed traceable image is within an error tolerance range of the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image; and

sending, by the first computing device, a result of the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, based upon the result of the determination, a resource of a plurality of candidate resources to be transmitted to the second computing device; and

transmitting the selected resource to the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating the traceable image further comprises:

selecting the plurality of image elements from a set of image elements, wherein the selected plurality of image elements are combined to form the traceable image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of image elements comprises a representation of a line or a curve.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computing device, a set of code instructions associated with the traceable image, wherein the set of code instructions, when executed by the second computing device, cause the second computing device to,

responsive to a determination that the trace of the traceable image has not occurred within a period of time after the traceable image was displayed, modify, by the second computing device, the displayed traceable image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said modifying comprises changing a size of the displayed traceable image.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said modifying does not require the second computing device to transmit or receive any data using any network interface of the second computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computing device, a set of code instructions associated with the traceable image, wherein the set of code instructions, when executed by the second computing device, cause the second computing device to,

repeatedly modify, by the second computing device, the displayed traceable image at regular or changing time intervals until a timeout occurs or until the trace is made.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the trace is made by a user physically interacting with the touch-enabled display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the trace data represents a set of points, wherein creating the traceable image further comprises identifying an end point of an image element, and wherein the image elements are combined by connecting the end point of the image element with another end point of another image element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the trace data of each of the plurality of image elements represents one or more strokes, and wherein the created traceable image is a combined image with a continuous stroke.

12. A method comprising:

creating, by a first computing device, a traceable image by combining a plurality of image elements that each include trace data, wherein the traceable image is associated with a set of coordinates;

sending, by the first computing device, data representing the traceable image to be displayed by a second computing device and a set of code instructions associated with the traceable image, wherein the set of code instructions, when executed by the second computing device, cause the second computing device to perform operations comprising;

determining that the second computing device has failed to receive a trace input representing a trace of the displayed traceable image within a period of time after the traceable image was displayed, and

modifying the displayed traceable image;

receiving, at the first computing device, a trace input data corresponding to a trace of the displayed traceable image made at the second computing device after the displayed traceable image was modified;

determining, by the first computing device based upon the trace input data, whether the trace of the displayed traceable image is within an error tolerance range of the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image; and

sending, by the first computing device, a result of the determination.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said modifying the displayed traceable image comprises modifying a size of the displayed traceable image.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the trace input data comprises a set of relative coordinates of the trace; and

the determining whether the trace is within the error range comprises comparing the set of relative coordinates with the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said creating the traceable image comprises:

selecting the plurality of image elements from a set of image elements, wherein the selected plurality of image elements are combined to form the traceable image.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the displayed traceable image is displayed on a non-touch-enabled display of the second computing device; and

the trace is made by a user utilizing a user input device that is separate from the non-touch-enabled display.

17. A method comprising:

creating, by a first computing device, a traceable image based on a plurality of image elements that each have a traceable portion, wherein the traceable image is associated with a set of coordinates;

sending, by the first computing device, data representing the traceable image to be displayed by a second computing device via a touch-enabled display and a set of code instructions associated with the traceable image, wherein the set of code instructions, when executed by the second computing device, cause the second computing device to perform operations comprising;

determining that the second computing device has failed to receive a trace input representing a trace of the displayed traceable image within a period of time after the traceable image was displayed, and

modifying the displayed traceable image;

receiving, at the first computing device, a trace input data corresponding to a trace of the displayed traceable image made at the second computing device after the displayed traceable image was modified;

determining, by the first computing device based upon the trace input data, whether the trace of the displayed traceable image is within an error tolerance range of the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image; and

sending, by the first computing device, a result of the determination.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the creating the traceable image occurs responsive to a receipt of a request for the traceable image.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said creating the traceable image comprises:

selecting the plurality of image elements from a set of image elements, wherein the selected plurality of image elements are combined to form the traceable image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the set of image elements has more image elements than the plurality of image elements; and

the plurality of image elements are randomly selected from the set of image elements.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the combining the plurality of image elements includes orienting a first image element of the plurality of image elements and a second image element of the plurality of image elements so that a first edge point of the first image element is adjacent to a second edge point of the second image element.