DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPATIAL USER AUTHENTICATION

• US 20160300054A1
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biocatch Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Biocatch Ltd.
• Inventors: Levin, Ziv, Turgeman, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 10,037,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods of user authentication. A system includes a spatial challenge unit to distinguish between a human user and a non-human user. The spatial challenge unit requires the user to perform one or more spatial operations that modify the spatial properties of an electronic device operated by the user. Correct performance of the required spatial operations, indicates that the user is human. The system also includes a spatial password unit, which tracks a manner in which a human user handles the electronic device while the user enters a password; and then utilizes this user-specific manner for user authentication, by checking whether a manner in which the user enters his password matches a reference manner of password entry or a historical manner of password entry. The system also utilizes sequence of spatial operations or spatial gestures, as a pure spatial password or purely-spatial user-authentication factor.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(A) determining whether a user of an electronic device is (i) a human user, or (ii) a non-human user;

by performing;

(a) generating a spatial challenge that requires the user to cause a particular sequence of spatial changes to spatial properties of the electronic device;

(b) sensing and tracking actual spatial changes to the spatial properties of the electronic device;

(c) if the actual spatial changes to the spatial properties of the electronic device that are sensed in step (b), match the particular sequence of spatial changes that were required in the spatial challenge of step (b), then determining that the user of the electronic device is a human user.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

(d) if the actual spatial changes to the spatial properties of the electronic device that are sensed in step (b), do not match the particular sequence of spatial changes that were required in the spatial challenge of step (b), then determining that the user of the electronic device is a non-human user.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

defining a level-of-tolerance associated with analysis of spatial changes of the electronic device;

based on the defined level-of-tolerance, determining whether the actual spatial changes to the spatial properties of the electronic device that are sensed in step (b), sufficiently match the particular sequence of spatial changes that were required in the spatial challenge of step (b).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to virtually draw a particular shape in space by moving in space an entirety of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to rotate the electronic device at a particular rotation manner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to tilt the electronic device at a particular tilting angle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to accelerate the electronic device at a particular acceleration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to shake the electronic device at a particular shake pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

generating a spatial challenge that requires to move the electronic device to a particular direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

constructing, from a pool of discrete spatial operations, a particular sequence of two or more selected discrete spatial operations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

constructing, from a pool of discrete spatial operations, a particular sequence of two or more selected discrete spatial operations;

wherein the pool of discrete spatial operations comprise at least one of;

tilting the electronic device,

rotating the electronic device,

accelerating the electronic device,

lifting the electronic device,

lowering the electronic device,

orienting the electronic device,

shaking the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

allocating a maximum time-slot for performance of the spatial challenge.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the spatial challenge comprises:

constructing, from a pool of discrete spatial operations, a particular sequence of two or more selected discrete spatial operations, wherein each discrete spatial operation is associated with a time-slot for completion of said discrete spatial operation;

allocating a maximum time-slot for performance of the spatial challenge, based on the aggregate sum of time-slots for completion of the discrete spatial operations that are comprised in the constructed spatial challenge.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating the spatial challenge in response to an attempt of a user to perform at least one of;

accessing a particular web-page, submitting a query, downloading a content-item.

15. A system comprising:

a hardware processor able to execute code;

an accelerometer able to sense acceleration data of an electronic device;

a gyroscope able to sense orientation data of said electronic device;

a three-dimensional spatial CAPTCHA module to generate a spatial challenge for distinguishing between a human user and a machine, by requiring a user of the electronic device to perform a particular sequence of spatial operations with the electronic device, that can be sensed by at least one of said accelerometer and said gyroscope.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional spatial CAPTCHA module is to generate said spatial challenge by pseudo-randomly selecting a plurality of discrete spatial operations from a pool of pre-defined spatial operations.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional spatial CAPTCHA module is to generate said spatial challenge by:

(i) pseudo-randomly selecting a plurality of discrete spatial operations from a pool of pre-defined spatial operations, and (ii) allocating a time-frame for performing said particular sequence of spatial operations.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional spatial CAPTCHA module is to monitor sensed device-acceleration data and sensed device-orientation data;

and to determine, based on at least one of the sensed device-acceleration data and the sensed device-orientation data, whether or not the user successfully performed said particular sequence of spatial operations with the electronic device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:

a smartphone, a tablet, a smart-watch.

20. A portable electronic device comprising:

a hardware processor able to execute code;

an accelerometer able to sense acceleration data of the portable electronic device;

a gyroscope able to sense orientation data of the portable electronic device;

a three-dimensional spatial CAPTCHA module, which is internal to said portable electronic device, to generate a spatial challenge for distinguishing between a human user and a machine, by requiring a user of the portable electronic device to perform a particular sequence of spatial operations with the portable electronic device, that can be sensed by at least one of said accelerometer and said gyroscope.