Authentication using color-shape pairings

1. A method of providing access control, the method comprising:

prompting, by processing circuitry, a user to enter color-shape pairings;

in response to prompting the user, receiving, by the processing circuitry and as user input, multiple color-shape pairings, each color-shape pairing including (i) a color selection from multiple selectable colors and (ii) a shape selection from multiple selectable shapes; and

generating, by the processing circuitry, an access control result based on the received multiple color-shape pairings, the access control result controlling access to a set of protected resources;

wherein prompting the user to enter color-shape pairings includes displaying a set of color segments on a touch screen, and rendering multiple shapes within each color segment displayed on the touch screen;

wherein receiving the multiple color-shape pairings includes obtaining a series of color-shape pairings in response to the user touching touch screen locations over particular shapes residing in particular color segments;

wherein displaying the set of color segments on the touch screen includes presenting a color wheel in which the color segments are shown from a starting point in a predefined clockwise order; and wherein the method further comprises:

during a new authentication operation, prompting the user to enter new color-shape pairings by presenting the color wheel rotated by at least 60 degrees from an earlier displayed color wheel orientation on the touch screen, and rendering multiple shapes within each color segment of the rotated color wheel to receive a new series of color-shape pairings.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein rendering the multiple shapes within each color segment displayed on the touch screen includes:

presenting a same collection of objects in each of the color segments displayed on the touch screen.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein rendering the multiple shapes within each color segment displayed on the touch screen includes:

presenting a different collection of objects in each of the color segments displayed on the touch screen.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein generating the access control result includes:

deriving, as the access control result, a key from the series of color-shape pairings obtained in response to the user touching touch screen locations over the particular shapes residing in the particular color segments, the key being configured to unlock access to the set of protected resources.

5. A method as in claim 4 , further comprising:

decrypting a collection of tokens using the key, each token being configured to unlock access to a respective protected resource of the set of protected resources.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein generating the access control result includes:

comparing (i) the obtained series of color-shape pairings and (ii) an expected series of color-shape pairings; and

based on whether the obtained series of color-shape pairings matches the expected series of color-shape pairings, providing an authentication result indicating whether user authentication is successful.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein providing the authentication result includes:

outputting a first authentication result value indicating that user authentication is successful when the obtained series of color-shape pairings matches the expected series of color-shape pairings; and

outputting a second authentication result value indicating that user authentication is unsuccessful when the obtained series of color-shape pairings does not match the expected series of color-shape pairings, the second authentication result value being different from the first authentication result value.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein prompting the user to enter the color-shape pairings includes:

in response to a message directing the processing circuitry to perform a resource access control operation, displaying a graphical diagram, which includes the color wheel, to the user which prompts the user to enter the color-shape pairings while performing resource access control.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein receiving the multiple color-shape pairings includes:

obtaining, as a first color-shape pairing, (i) identification of a first color that the user selects from different selectable colors while the graphical diagram is displayed to the user and (ii) identification of a first shape that the user selects from different selectable shapes while the graphical diagram is displayed to the user; and

obtaining, as a second color-shape pairing, (i) identification of a second color that the user selects from different selectable colors while the graphical diagram is displayed to the user and (ii) identification of a second shape that the user selects from different selectable shapes while the graphical diagram is displayed to the user, the first color being different from the second color, and the first shape being different from the second shape.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein generating the access control result includes:

performing a first color matching operation which matches the identification of the first color of the first color-shape pairing to an expected first color for the first color-shape pairing,

performing a first shape matching operation which matches the identification of the first shape of the first color-shape pairing to an expected first shape for the first color-shape pairing,

performing a second color matching operation which matches the identification of the second color of the second color-shape pairing to an expected second color for the second color-shape pairing, and

performing a second shape matching operation which matches the identification of the second shape of the second color-shape pairing to an expected second shape for the second color-shape pairing.

11. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a user interface;

memory; and

control circuitry coupled to the user interface and the memory, the memory storing instructions which, when carried out by the control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to:

prompt a user to enter color-shape pairings,

in response to prompting the user, receive, as user input, multiple color-shape pairings, each color-shape pairing including (i) a color selection from multiple selectable colors and (ii) a shape selection from multiple selectable shapes, and

generate an access control result based on the multiple color-shape pairings, the access control result controlling access to a set of protected resources;

wherein the control circuitry, when prompting the user to enter color-shape pairings, is constructed and arranged to display a set of color segments on a touch screen, and render multiple shapes within each color segment displayed on the touch screen;

wherein the control circuitry, when receiving the multiple color-shape pairings, is constructed and arranged to obtain a series of color-shape pairings in response to the user touching touch screen locations over particular shapes residing in particular color segments;

wherein the control circuitry, when displaying the set of color segments on the touch screen, is constructed and arranged to present a color wheel in which the color segments are shown from a starting point in a predefined clockwise order; and wherein the control circuitry is further constructed and arranged to:

during a new authentication operation, prompt the user to enter new color-shape pairings by presenting the color wheel rotated by at least 60 degrees from an earlier displayed color wheel orientation on the touch screen, and rendering multiple shapes within each color segment of the rotated color wheel to receive a new series of color-shape pairings.

12. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium which stores a set of instructions to provide access control, the set of instructions, when carried out by computerized circuitry, causing the computerized circuitry to perform a method of:

prompting a user to enter color-shape pairings;

in response to prompting the user, receiving, as user input, multiple color-shape pairings, each color-shape pairing including (i) a color selection from multiple selectable colors and (ii) a shape selection from multiple selectable shapes; and

generating an access control result based on the multiple color-shape pairings, the access control result controlling access to a set of protected resources;

wherein prompting the user to enter color-shape pairings includes displaying a set of color segments on a touch screen, and rendering multiple shapes within each color segment displayed on the touch screen;

wherein receiving the multiple color-shape pairings includes obtaining a series of color-shape pairings in response to the user touching touch screen locations over particular shapes residing in particular color segments;

wherein displaying the set of color segments on the touch screen includes presenting a color wheel in which the color segments are shown from a starting point in a predefined clockwise order; and wherein the method further comprises:

during a new authentication operation, prompting the user to enter new color-shape pairings by presenting the color wheel rotated by at least 60 degrees from an earlier displayed color wheel orientation on the touch screen, and rendering multiple shapes within each color segment of the rotated color wheel to receive a new series of color-shape pairings.