Method and apparatus for information verification

1. A method for verifying information, the method comprising:

generating a random challenge code by a server;

sending information to a terminal device by the server prompting entry of the random challenge code, the random challenge code including alphanumerical digits for performing a sequence of click operations;

recognizing, at the terminal device, the sequence of click operations made by a user on an input device according to the information prompted on the terminal device, the information including corresponding relations between each click operation and each alphanumerical digit of the random challenge code;

determining a click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user,

the click pattern characteristic comprising at least one of the following features:

a count of clicks in the sequence, a click duration of each click in the sequence, and an order of the clicks in the sequence, and

the click pattern characteristic encoded using a coding scheme comprising:

defining at least two ranges of click duration, and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of click duration;

or

defining at least two ranges of inter-click interval; and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of inter-click interval; and

verifying the user, at a server, by matching the click pattern characteristic with a verification code set or stored by the server.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing instructions for the user to perform the sequence of click operations in a specified time, in a specified area on a screen of the terminal device, or a specified time and a specified area on a screen of the terminal device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining the click pattern characteristic comprises determining a characteristic code, and

matching the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user with the verification code set or stored by the server comprises comparing the characteristic code with the verification code set or stored by the server.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the click pattern characteristic is encoded using a coding scheme comprising:

defining at least two ranges of click duration;

assigning an alphanumerical digit of a first type to each predefined range of click duration;

defining at least two ranges of inter-click interval;

assigning an alphanumerical digit of a second type to each predefined range of inter-click interval; and

generating an alphanumeric code by combining the alphanumerical digits of the first type and the alphanumerical digits of the second type.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations comprises determining an alphanumerical code of the sequence of click operations according to an encoding scheme, the alphanumerical code including alphanumerical digits each determined according to a click duration of a respective click in the sequence of click operations or according to an interval between a respective pair of clicks; and

matching the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations with the verification code set or stored by the server comprises matching the alphanumerical code of the sequence of click operations with the verification code set or stored by the server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations comprises:

determining an alphanumerical code of the sequence of click operations according to a coding scheme, wherein the coding scheme defines an alphanumerical digit for each click at least partially based on a click duration of the respective click; and

taking the alphanumerical code to be the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations.

7. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein determining the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations is performed at the terminal device, and

wherein the method further comprises sending to the server the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user comprises:

receiving, at the server, operation information of the sequence of click operations made by the user; and

recognizing, at the server, the click pattern characteristic from the received operation information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the click pattern characteristic from the received operation information comprises:

selecting clicks with a click location in a designated area, with a click time falling in a designated time period, or with a click location in a designated area and a click time falling in a designated time period; and

determining the click pattern characteristic from the operation information of the selected clicks.

10. A method for verifying information comprising:

generating a random challenge code by a server;

sending information to a terminal device by the server prompting entry of the random challenge code, the random challenge code including alphanumerical digits for performing a sequence of click operations;

recognizing, at the terminal device, the sequence of click operations made by a user on an input device according to the information prompted on the terminal device, the information including corresponding relations between each click operation and each alphanumerical digit of the random challenge code; determining, at the server, a click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user,

the click pattern characteristic comprising at least one of the following features:

a count of clicks in the sequence, a click duration of each click in the sequence, and an order of the clicks in the sequence, and

the click pattern characteristic encoded using a coding scheme comprising:

defining at least two ranges of click duration, and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of click duration;

or

defining at least two ranges of inter-click interval; and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of inter-click interval;

and

verifying the user, at the server, by matching the click pattern characteristic of sequence of click operations with a verification code set or stored by the server.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the maneuver of making a sequence of click operations comprises:

instructing the user to perform the sequence of click operations in a specified time, in a specified area on a screen of the terminal device, or in a specified time and a specified area on a screen of the terminal device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

determining the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations comprises determining an alphanumerical code of the sequence of click operations according to an encoding scheme, the alphanumerical code including alphanumerical digits each determined according to a click duration of a respective click in the sequence of click operations or according to an interval between a respective pair of clicks; and

matching the click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations with the verification code set or stored by the server comprises matching the alphanumerical code of the sequence of click operations with the verification code set or stored by the server.

13. A computer-based apparatus for processing online information verification, the apparatus comprising:

a computer having a processor, computer-readable memory and storage medium, and I/O devices, the computer being programmed to have functional modules including:

a receiving module configured

to receive a random challenge code generated by a server,

to receive information prompting entry of the random challenge code at a terminal device, the random challenge code including alphanumerical digits for performing a sequence of click operations, and

to receive, at a terminal device, a sequence of click operations made by a user on a input device, in response to information prompted on the terminal device, the information including corresponding relations between each click operation and each alphanumerical digit of the random challenge code;

a determining module configured to determine a click pattern characteristic of the sequence of click operations made by the user,

the click pattern characteristic comprising at least one of the following features:

a count of clicks in the sequence, a click duration of each click in the sequence, and an order of the clicks in the sequence, and

the click pattern characteristic encoded using a coding scheme comprising:

defining at least two ranges of click duration, and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of click duration;

or

defining at least two ranges of inter-click interval; and

assigning an alphanumerical digit to each predefined range of inter-click interval; and

a verifying module configured to verify the user by matching the click pattern characteristic of sequence of click operations with a verification code set or stored by the server.

14. The computer-based apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the computer is programmed to further include:

a prompting module configured to prompt instructions for the user to perform the sequence of click operations in a specified time, in a specified area on a screen of the terminal device, or in a specified time and a specified area on a screen of the terminal device.