IP Library Granted Patent US 10,055,569
Granted Patent B2
US 10,055,569 · App. 15/723,468 · Granted Aug 21, 2018

Location specific image based authentication

Inventors: Mark E. Maresh (Wake Forest, NC); Colm Nolan (County Meath, IE); Juan F. Vargas (Cary, NC); Michael J. Whitney (Cary, NC)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G06F21/36H04L63/08H04L63/107
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,055,569
App. No.
15/723,468
Granted
Aug 21, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments are described for logging in to a location-specific user account on a host system. An example method includes sending, by a user device, as part of a login request, an authentication image. The method further includes receiving an authentication response from the host system based on determining whether the login request is sent from an authorized login-location, which is based on a comparison of the authentication image with a reference image captured at the authorized login-location. The method further includes, in response to the authentication image matching the reference image within a predetermined threshold range, receiving access to the user account based on the authentication response.

Claims (45)

1. A computer implemented method for logging in to a location-specific user account on a host system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the host system, as part of a login request, an authentication image captured at the time of the login request, the authentication image capturing an object from surroundings of a location from which the login request is being sent, and the authentication image further comprising geographic coordinates of where the authentication image is captured;

sending, by the host system, an authentication response based on determining whether the login request is sent from an authorized login-location, based on a comparison of the geographic coordinates of the authentication image and geographic coordinates of the authorized login-location, and a comparison of a viewpoint from which the object in the authentication image is captured with a viewpoint of one or more objects from a reference image captured at the authorized login-location, wherein the viewpoint of the object is indicative of the authorized login-location in addition to the geographic coordinates associated with the authorized login-location; and

in response to geographic coordinates and the viewpoint of the object of the authentication image matching the reference image within a predetermined threshold range, providing access to the user account as part of the authentication response.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication response denies access in response to the login request not being sent from the authorized login-location.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of the authentication image with the reference image comprises:

determining authentication vector data in the authentication image; and

comparing the authentication vector data with reference vector data corresponding to the reference image.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the host system, the reference image from a user device when creating the user account.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, associating, by the host system, the authorized login-location with the user account in response to receiving the reference image.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the host system, authentication vector data corresponding to the authentication image, wherein the authentication vector data comprises identification of straight lines in the authentication image and measurements of angles between one or more pairs from the straight lines.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, generating, by the host system, authentication vector data corresponding to the authentication image, wherein the authentication vector data comprises identification of straight lines in the authentication image and measurements of distances between one or more pairs from the straight lines.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, sending a denial of access to the user account in response to receiving, by the host system, a previously stored image as the authentication image, wherein the host system determines that the authentication image is the previously stored image based on the authentication image entirely matching the reference image.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, sending a denial of access to the user account in response to receiving, by the host system, a previously stored image as the authentication image, wherein the host system determines that the authentication image is the previously stored image based on the authentication image entirely matching one or more previous authentication images that resulted in successful logins to the user account.

10. A system for logging in to a location-specific user account on a host system, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processing unit coupled with the memory, the processing unit configured to:

receive, as part of a login request, an authentication image captured at the time of the login request, the authentication image capturing an object from surroundings of a location from which the login request is being sent, and the authentication image further comprising geographic coordinates of where the authentication image is captured; and

determine and send an authentication to access the user account based on a comparison of the geographic coordinates of the authentication image and geographic coordinates of an authorized login-location, and a comparison of a viewpoint from which the object in the authentication image is captured with a viewpoint at of an object in a reference image captured at the authorized login-location associated with the user account.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the authentication image being captured from the viewpoint at the authorized login-location is determined based on a comparison of the authentication image with a reference image captured at the authorized login-location.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison of the authentication image with the reference image comprises:

generating authentication vector data for the authentication image;

generating reference vector data for the reference image; and

comparing the authentication vector data with the reference vector data.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein generation of the authentication vector data corresponding to the authentication image comprises:

identification of straight lines in the authentication image;

identification a subset of the straight lines as significant vectors of the authentication image; and

determination of angles between one or more pairs of straight lines from the significant vectors of the authentication image.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein generation of the authentication vector data corresponding to the authentication image comprises:

identification of straight lines in the authentication image;

identification a subset of the straight lines as significant vectors of the authentication image; and

determination of distances between one or more pairs of straight lines from the significant vectors of the authentication image.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the reference image from a user device when creating the user account.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to associate the authorized login-location with the user account by receiving the reference image from a user device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit sends a denial of access to the user account in response to the authentication image being identified as a previously stored image based on the authentication image entirely matching the reference image.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit sends a denial of access to the user account in response to the authentication image being identified as a previously stored image based on the authentication image entirely matching with one or more previous authentication images that resulted in successful logins to the user account.

19. A computer program product for logging in to a location-specific user account on a host system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises instructions to:

receive, by the host system, a reference image that captures a scene from a viewpoint at an authorized login-location for the user account, wherein the host system generates and stores reference vector data corresponding to the viewpoint of the reference image;

receive, by the host system, as part of a login request, an authentication image captured at the time of the login request, the authentication image capturing an object from surroundings of a location from which the login request is being sent, and the authentication image further comprising geographic coordinates of where the authentication image is captured;

send an authentication response, by the host system, based on the host system determining whether the login request is sent from the authorized login-location based on a comparison of the geographic coordinates of the authentication image and geographic coordinates of the authorized login-location, and based on a comparison of a viewpoint from which the object in the authentication image is captured comprising:

generating authentication vector data corresponding to the viewpoint in the authentication image;

determining a vector-difference between the authentication vector data with the reference vector data; and

in response to the vector-difference being within a predetermined range, determining that the login request is sent from the authorized login-location; and

wherein the authentication response facilitates access to the user account in response to the login request being sent from the authorized login-location.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the reference image is sent when the user account is created.

Assignments (20)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061476/0745 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 060907/0090 →
CONTINUED - CHANGE OF JURISDICTION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 059805/0101 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 059825/0668 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 059825/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0799 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058568 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0106 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058521 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 059205/0822 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 058907/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0069 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0161 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 061001/0949 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 058905/0211 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058568/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058521/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2020
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
Reel/Frame 052704/0656 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2020
From: INC., ECOBEE
To: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP
Reel/Frame 052678/0864 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2019
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 048698/0736 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2017
From: MARESH, MARK E.; NOLAN, COLM; VARGAS, JUAN F.; WHITNEY, MICHAEL J.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043767/0413 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15332501 · Oct 24, 2016
Related Publication 20180114009A1 · Apr 26, 2018