Security key entry using ancillary input device
View Patent ↗A physical, non-human readable representation of a digital key may be in a physical key article. The key article may enable a person to generate a signal representing the digital key from a user interface device in communication with a computer by physical manipulation of the key article. Access to digital content via the computer may be unlocked in response to receiving the signal. In addition, a key may be represented by a pattern of unreadable errors in a computer-readable medium.
1. A method, comprising:
configuring a physical, non-human readable representation of a digital key in a physical key article including providing the physical, non-human readable representation configured as contours in the physical key article, enabling a person to generate a signal representing the digital key from a user interface device in communication with a computer by physical manipulation of the key article, wherein the signal is not human readable, the user interface device comprises a microphone and the physical key article enables generating the signal in the form of sound by dragging an object over the contours in the physical key article; and
unlocking access to digital content via the computer in response to receiving the signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the physical, non-human readable representation of the digital key further comprises printing the physical, non-human readable representation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the physical, non-human readable representation of the digital key further comprises providing the physical, non-human readable representation imprinted on a tangible medium.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical key article comprises an analog sound recording.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring characteristics of the user interface device for use in identifying an authorized user account for the digital content.
6. An apparatus, comprising a processor coupled to a memory holding encoded instructions and to a user interface device, the encoded instructions causing the apparatus to:
configure a physical, non-human readable representation of a digital key in a physical key article including providing the physical, non-human readable representation configured as contours in the physical key article, enabling a person to generate a signal representing a digital key from the user interface device by physical manipulation of the key article, wherein the signal is not human readable, the user interface device comprises a microphone and the physical key article enables generating the signal in the form of sound by dragging an object over the contours in the physical key article, and
unlock access to digital content in response to receiving the signal.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the encoded instructions further cause the apparatus to print the physical, non-human readable representation.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the encoded instructions further cause the apparatus to measure characteristics of the user interface device, and to identify an authorized user account for the digital content based on the characteristics.