Access using images

• US 8,332,937 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Eger, David Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOHAMMADI, FAHIMEH M
• Application Number:
  US13/463,423
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1- 27, 713155-159, 380247-250, 709217-226
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

A computer-implemented method may include presenting to a user multiple images, multiple identifiers and a challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images, receiving the selected identifiers from the user, and providing access to a computing service based on a comparison of the selected identifiers to an answer to the challenge.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting to a user multiple images, multiple identifiers and a challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images, wherein more identifiers than images are presented in a single access attempt and some identifiers correspond to the presented images and some identifiers do not correspond to the presented images;

receiving selected identifiers from the user from among the presented identifiers; and

providing access to a computing service based on a comparison of the selected identifiers with an answer to the challenge when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images.

2. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a password from the user; and

providing access to the computing service when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images and when the received password matches a stored password.

3. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein providing access to the computing service comprising providing access to a web page.

4. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein at least two times more identifiers than images are presented.

5. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein at least three time more identifiers than images are presented.

6. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising providing a submit button for the user to submit the selected identifiers.

7. The computer-implemented method as in claim 6 wherein the submit button is not selectable until the user has selected an identifier for each of the images.

8. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein the presented images include multiple variations of a same image.

9. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein presenting to the user multiples images comprises presenting to the user multiple images on a same page.

10. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein presenting to the user multiple images comprises presenting to the user multiple images at a same time.

11. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising presenting to the user new multiple images, new multiple identifiers and a new challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images when the selected identifiers do not match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images.

12. A computer-readable storage device having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

presenting to a user multiple images, multiple identifiers and a challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images, wherein more identifiers than images are presented in a single access attempt and some identifiers correspond to the presented images and some identifiers do not correspond to the presented images;

receiving selected identifiers from the user from among the presented identifiers; and

providing access to a computing service based on a comparison of the selected identifiers with an answer to the challenge when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

receiving a password from the user; and

providing access to the computing service when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images and when the received password matches a stored password.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein providing access to the computing service comprising providing access to a web page.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein at least two times more identifiers than images are presented.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein at least three time more identifiers than images are presented.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the action of:

providing a submit button for the user to submit the selected identifiers.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 wherein the submit button is not selectable until the user has selected an identifier for each of the images.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein the presented images include multiple variations of a same image.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein presenting to the user multiples images comprises presenting to the user multiple images on a same page.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein presenting to the user multiple images comprises presenting to the user multiple images at a same time.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the action of:

presenting to the user new multiple images, new multiple identifiers and a new challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images when the selected identifiers do not match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images.

23. A computer-implemented access control system, comprising:

one or more servers that are arranged and configured to;

present to a user multiple images, multiple identifiers and a challenge to select one of the identifiers for each of the images, wherein more identifiers than images are presented in a single access attempt and some identifiers correspond to the presented images and some identifiers do not correspond to the presented images;

receive selected identifiers from the user from among the presented identifiers; and

provide access to a computing service based on a comparison of the selected identifiers with an answer to the challenge when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the servers are further arranged and configured to:

receive a password from the user; and

provide access to the computing service when the selected identifiers match the identifiers corresponding to the presented images and when the received password matches a stored password.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the servers are configured to provide access to a web page.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein at least two times more identifiers than images are presented.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein at least three time more identifiers than images are presented.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the presented images include multiple variations of a same image.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the servers are configured to present to the user multiple images on a same page.

30. The system of claim 23 wherein the servers are configured to present to the user multiple images at a same time.