Generating a challenge response image including a recognizable image

• US 8,132,255 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Mates, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shan, April
• Application Number:
  US12/140,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 726/21, 726/4, 726/17, 382/209, 382/298, 382/305, 713/170, 713/182, 380/255
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating a challenge response image including a recognizable image. A challenge image is generated including random elements and a recognizable image. The challenge image is transmitted to a recipient. Recipient input associated with the transmitted challenge image is received. A determination is made as to whether the received recipient input matches a descriptor associated with the recognizable image in the challenge image. Indication is made that the recipient correctly identified the recognizable image.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a source computing device, receiving, from a recipient computing device, a request for a computer resource;

at the source computing device, after receiving the request for the computer resource from the recipient computing device, receiving a recipient image from the recipient computing device, wherein the recipient image comprises a two-dimensional arrangement of random elements;

automatically generating a challenge image based on a recognizable image and the recipient image, wherein the challenge image comprises a stereogram with first and second images, each of which includes random elements, and wherein the first and second images are configured to allow a human viewer to perceive the recognizable image as a result of stereopsis only when the human viewer sees the first and second images together;

transmitting the challenge image from the source computing device to the recipient computing device;

receiving, from the recipient computing device, recipient input associated with the transmitted challenge image;

automatically determining, at the source computing device, whether the received recipient input signifies correct recognition of the recognizable image; and

in response to a determination of correct recognition of the recognizable image, automatically allowing the recipient computing device to access the computer resource;

wherein the operation of automatically generating the challenge image comprises using the recipient image to generate the second image by changing positions of multiple random elements in the second image, relative to the recipient image, based on the recognizable image, wherein the changes of position are adapted to cause the recognizable image to appear to the human viewer when the recipient image and the second image are observed together at the same time; and

wherein the operation of transmitting the challenge image comprises transmitting the second image to the recipient computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of generating the challenge image comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of stored recognizable images; and

automatically generating the challenge image at the source computing device, based on the selected recognizable image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a page from the recipient computing device, wherein the requested page includes an access mechanism for the computer resource;

including the challenge image into the requested page, wherein transmitting the image comprises transmitting the requested page including the challenge image.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the operation of automatically generating the challenge image is performed in response to receipt of the recipient request from the recipient computing device;

and

further comprising generating different challenge images in response to receiving different recipient requests, wherein each different challenge image comprises a different stereogram.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stereogram of the challenge image is configured to allow the human viewer to perceive the recognizable image as a three dimensional image in space when the human viewer sees the stereogram.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the challenge image includes randomly distributed pieces of the recognizable image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stereogram of the challenge image comprises a random dot autostereogram.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images are configured to reveal the recognizable image only when the first and second images are superimposed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images are configured to reveal the recognizable image when the first and second images are displayed next to each other.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a product patch from the recipient computing device; and

transmitting a request for the recipient image to the recipient computing device in response to the request for the product patch, wherein the recipient input is received after transmitting the challenge image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the challenge image comprises a first challenge image and the recognizable image comprises a first recognizable image, the method further comprising:

selecting a second recognizable image in response to a determination of incorrect recognition of the first recognizable image;

generating a second challenge image, based on the recipient image and the second recognizable image, wherein the second challenge image is configured to cause the second recognizable image to appear to the human viewer when the second challenge image and the recipient image are observed together at the same time and next to each other; and

transmitting the second challenge image to the recipient computing device for display next to the recipient image.

12. A data processing system operable to communicate with a recipient computing device, the data processing system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with the central processing unit; and

instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by the central processing unit, perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the recipient computing device, a request for a computer resource;

after receiving the request for the computer resource from the recipient computing device, receiving a recipient image from the recipient computing device, wherein the recipient image comprises a two-dimensional arrangement of random elements;

generating a challenge image based on a recognizable image and the recipient image, wherein the challenge image comprises a stereogram with first and second images, each of which includes random elements, and wherein the first and second images are configured to allow a human viewer to perceive the recognizable image as a result of stereopsis only when the human viewer sees the first and second images together;

transmitting the challenge image from the data processing system to the recipient computing device;

receiving, from the recipient computing device, recipient input associated with the transmitted challenge image;

automatically determining whether the received recipient input signifies correct recognition of the recognizable image; and

in response to a determination of correct recognition of the recognizable image, automatically allowing the recipient computing device to access the computer resource;

wherein the operation of automatically generating the challenge image comprises using the recipient image to generate the second image by changing positions of multiple random elements in the second image, relative to the recipient image, based on the recognizable image, wherein the changes of position are adapted to cause the recognizable image to appear to the human viewer when the recipient image and the second image are observed together at the same time; and

wherein the operation of transmitting the challenge image comprises transmitting the second image to the recipient computing device.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the instructions enable the data processing system to perform operations comprising:

automatically generating the challenge image in response to receipt of the request from the recipient computing device; and

generating different challenge images in response to receiving different recipient requests, wherein each challenge image comprises a different stereogram.

17. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the stereogram of the challenge image comprises a random dot autostereogram.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by a data processing system, perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a recipient computing device, a request for a computer resource;

after receiving the request for the computer resource from the recipient computing device, receiving a recipient image from the recipient computing device, wherein the recipient image comprises a two-dimensional arrangement of random elements;

generating a challenge image based on a recognizable image and the recipient image, wherein the challenge image comprises a stereogram with first and second images, each of which includes random elements, and wherein the stereogram is configured to allow a human viewer to perceive the recognizable image as a result of stereopsis only when the human viewer sees the first and second images together;

transmitting the challenge image from the data processing system to the recipient computing device;

receiving, from the recipient computing device, recipient input associated with the transmitted challenge image;

automatically determining whether the received recipient input signifies correct recognition of the recognizable image; and

in response to a determination of correct recognition of the recognizable image, automatically allowing the recipient computing device to access the computer resource;

wherein the operation of automatically generating the challenge image comprises using the recipient image to generate the second image by changing positions of multiple random elements in the second image, relative to the recipient image, based on the recognizable image, wherein the changes of position are adapted to cause the recognizable image to appear to the human viewer when the recipient image and the second image are observed together at the same time; and

wherein the operation of transmitting the challenge image comprises transmitting the second image to the recipient computing device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the data processing system, perform operations comprising:

automatically generating the challenge image in response to receipt of the request from the recipient computing device; and

generating different challenge images in response to different recipient requests, wherein each challenge image comprises a different stereogram.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the stereogram of the challenge image comprises a random dot autostereogram.