Motion enabled multi-frame challenge-response test

• US 8,893,034 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Simon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEFFINGTON, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US12/695,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 715/794, 715/763, 715/710, 715/715, 715/726, 715/780, 715/814
• US Class Current: 715/780
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha

Abstract

A method for generating a multi-frame image rendering of a challenge-response test on a display is presented. The method begins by identifying a pattern with graphical elements, and a display region for rendering an entry object of the multi-frame image of the challenge-response test. Then a foreground sampling window having a non-patterned area defined by the entry object is defined. The foreground sampling window captures graphical elements of the pattern along a first path. In addition, a background sampling window that captures graphical elements of the pattern along a second path is defined. The foreground sampling window is overlaid on the background sampling window at the display region of the display, such that the entry object of the challenge-response test is discernable from the pattern during a period of time when multiple frames are rendered.

Claims

1. A method for generating a multi-frame image rendering of a challenge-response test on a display, comprising:

identifying a pattern defined by graphical elements, wherein each of the graphical elements is associated with a random lifetime;

identifying a display region on the display for rendering an entry object from the multi-frame image of the challenge-response test;

defining a foreground sampling window with an associated move vector, the foreground sampling window capturing the graphical elements of the pattern along a first path across the pattern, and the foreground sampling window having a non-patterned area defined by the entry object to be rendered;

defining a background sampling window with an associated move vector, the background sampling window capturing the graphical elements of the pattern along a second path across the pattern, wherein the move vector of the background sampling window is different from the move vector of the foreground sampling window; and

presenting the background sampling window and the foreground sampling window at the display region of the display, the foreground sampling window being overlaid on the background sampling window at the display region, such that the entry object of the challenge-response test is discernable from the pattern during a period of time when multiple frames are rendered due to the differing move vectors and is not discernable when the sample frames of the foreground and background sampling windows are static, wherein after generating each frame, the lifetime of the graphical element is decremented, and wherein when the lifetime of the graphical element reaches zero, assigning a new random position and new random lifetime to the graphical element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

moving a position of the foreground sampling window along the first path when capturing graphical elements of the pattern;

and

moving the position of the background sampling window along the second path when capturing graphical elements of the pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and the second paths are equal, and a rate of moving the position the foreground sampling window is different than the rate of moving the position of the background sampling window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical elements are selected from one of dots, shapes, lines, symbols, or input characters.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initially placing the graphical elements of the pattern in a substantially uniform distribution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the display region on the display is located in one of a webpage or a program screen.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry object is an unaltered string of characters of a written language.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-patterned area of the foreground sampling window defined by the entry object to be rendered forms a non-textual shape.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-patterned area of the foreground sampling window defined by the entry object to be rendered is larger than the graphical elements.

6. The method of 1, further comprising:

randomizing a location of a subset of graphical elements of the pattern after a specified time.

11. A non-transitory computer storage medium including program instructions for generating a multi-frame image rendering of a challenge-response test, comprising:

program instructions for identifying a pattern defined by graphical elements, wherein each of the graphical elements is associated with a random lifetime;

program instructions for identifying a display region for rendering an entry object from the multi-frame image of the challenge-response test;

program instructions for defining a foreground sampling window with an associated move vector, the foreground sampling window capturing the graphical elements of the pattern as a position of the foreground sampling window moves along a first path across the pattern, and the foreground sampling window having a non-patterned area defined by the entry object to be rendered;

program instructions for defining a background sampling window with an associated move vector, the background sampling window capturing the graphical elements of the pattern as the position of the background sampling window moves along a second path across the pattern, wherein the move vector of the background sampling window is different from the move vector of the foreground sampling window; and

program instructions for presenting the background sampling window and the foreground sampling window at the display region, the foreground sampling window being overlaid on the background sampling window at the display region, such that the entry object of the challenge-response test is discernable from the pattern during a period of time when multiple frames are rendered due to the differing move vectors and is not discernable when the sample frames of the foreground and background sampling windows are static, wherein after generating each frame, the lifetime of the graphical element is decremented, and wherein when the lifetime of the graphical element reaches zero, assigning a new random position and new random lifetime to the graphical element.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first and second paths are equal, and the foreground sampling window has a different initial position than the background sampling window.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions for randomly varying a location of the graphical elements of the pattern after a period of time.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein randomly varying a location of the graphical elements of the pattern after the period of time further comprises:

program instructions for selecting one of (i) assigning a random initial position for each graphical element, (ii) assigning a random time period each graphical element is moved to a new position, or (iii) assigning a random variation in the position of each graphical element.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions for segmenting the foreground sampling window into multiple regions, such that each region contains an unbroken portion of the entry object; and

program instructions for moving each region of the foreground sampling window along a different path.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions for transmitting the foreground sampling window overlaid on the background sampling window for rendering at the display region of the display.

17. A computing system for authenticating access using a multi-frame rendering of a challenge-response test, comprising:

a processor including,

a test generation engine for generating an entry object of a multi-frame image of the challenge-response test, and identifying a pattern defined by graphical elements, wherein each of the graphical elements is associated with a random lifetime;

a pattern sampling engine for defining a foreground sampling window with an associated move vector and a background sampling window with an associated move vector, the foreground sampling window having a non-patterned area defined by the entry object of the test generation engine and capturing the graphical elements of the pattern while moving in a first path along the pattern, and the background sampling window capturing the graphical elements of the pattern as the background sampling window moves along a second path across the pattern, wherein the move vector of the background sampling window is different from the move vector of the foreground sampling window;

an overlay engine for overlaying contents of the background sampling window and the foreground sampling window, the foreground sampling window being overlaid on the background sampling window; and

a display renderer engine that renders the entry object of the challenge-response test in multiple frames, such that the entry object is discernable from the pattern when multiple frames are rendered due to the differing move vectors and is not discernable when the sample frames of the foreground and background sampling windows are static, wherein after generating and rendering each frame, the lifetime of a particular graphical element that makes up the pattern is decremented, and wherein when the lifetime of the particular graphical element reaches zero, a new random position and new random lifetime is assigned to the graphical element.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the pattern sampling engine further comprises:

a window position engine for moving a position of the foreground sampling window along the first path and the position of the background sampling window along the second path when capturing graphical elements of the pattern.

19. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the test generation engine further comprises:

a pattern generation engine to dynamically modify the pattern defined by graphical elements over time.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the pattern randomizing engine assigns a random initial position for each graphical element, a random time period in which each graphical element is moved to a new position, and a random variation in the position of each graphical element.