Device, computer program and method
A device for authenticating a user is described that comprises a sensor configured to measure the movement of a user in response to the interaction of the user with a displayed image and controller circuitry configured to authenticate the user in response to a positive comparison between the movement of the user and a stored movement associated with the user.
1. A device for authenticating a user, comprising:
microphone circuitry configured to capture an ambient sound over a predetermined period, and
controller circuitry configured to:
measure the energy of the ambient sound over a predefined period;
compare the time series of the measured energy with a received time series of the measure of the energy of the ambient sound from a second device known to be close to the user, wherein the measured energy includes no personal information from the ambient sound; and
authenticate the user of the second device as the user of the device in the event of a positive comparison.
2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the microphone circuitry is configured to capture the ambient sound over a time period, and
controller circuitry is configured to update a comparison result for each time period and to authenticate the user in the event that the comparison result reaches a predetermined threshold.
3. A method of authenticating a user of a device, the method comprising:
storing a table that includes a device identifier for each device associated with the user and a location that indicates whether each device is close to the user;
capturing, using microphone circuitry, an ambient sound over a predetermined period measuring the energy of the ambient sound over a predefined period;
comparing the time series of the measured energy with a received time series of the measure of the energy of the ambient sound from a second device known to be close to the user; and
authenticating the user of the second device as the user of the device in the event of a positive comparison.
4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
capturing the ambient sound over a time period;
updating a comparison result for each time period; and
authenticating the user in the event that the comparison result reaches a predetermined threshold.
5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the measured energy includes no personal information from the ambient sound.
6. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the table further includes a confidence score regarding a level of confidence associated with the location of each device.
7. A method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
storing a table that includes a device identifier for each device associated with the user, a location that indicates whether each device is close to the user, and a confidence score regarding a level of confidence associated with the location of each device.
8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising updating the location and the confidence score in the table when updating the comparison result.
9. A device for authenticating a user, comprising:
a memory that stores a table that includes a device identifier for each device associated with the user and a location that indicates whether each device is close to the user;
microphone circuitry configured to capture an ambient sound over a predetermined period, and
controller circuitry configured to:
measure the energy of the ambient sound over a predefined period;
compare the time series of the measured energy with a received time series of the measure of the energy of the ambient sound from a second device known to be close to the user; and
authenticate the user of the second device as the user of the device in the event of a positive comparison.
10. A device according to claim 9 , wherein the table further includes a confidence score regarding a level of confidence associated with the location of each device.
11. A device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a memory that stores a table that includes a device identifier for each device associated with the user, a location that indicates whether each device is close to the user, and a confidence score regarding a level of confidence associated with the location of each device.
12. A device according to claim 11 , wherein the controller circuitry updates the location and the confidence score when updating the comparison result.
13. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having computer readable instructions that when executed by circuitry case the circuitry to:
capture an ambient sound over a predetermined period
measure the energy of the ambient sound over a predefined period;
compare the time series of the measured energy with a received time series of the measure of the energy of the ambient sound from a second device known to be close to the user, wherein the measured energy includes no personal information from the ambient sound; and
authenticating the user of the second device as the user of the device in the event of a positive comparison.
14. A non-transitory computer readable storage device according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is to:
capture the ambient sound over a time period;
update a comparison result for each time period; and
authenticate the user in the event that the comparison result reaches a predetermined threshold.