Method And Apparatus For Authentication Of A User To A Server Using Relative Movement

1 . A method, comprising:

providing an authentication request to a user, said authentication request requiring said user to record an act that involves relative movement between said user and a camera;

receiving a recording from said user of said user performing said act;

determining whether said recording indicates a live performance of said act by said user, based at least in part on said recording;

authenticating said user, based at least in part on said recording; and

providing access to a resource to said user based on said authentication of said user and said determination of whether said recording indicates a live performance of said act by said user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication request requires said user to illuminate a color while said camera records said act.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication request requires said user to generate a flash at a location while said camera records said flash.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication request requires said user to perform a gesture while said camera records said user performing said gesture.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication request requires said user to cause a flash at an angle relative to said camera while said camera records said flash at said angle relative to said camera.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication request requires said user to perform a gesture and at the same time cause a flash while said camera observes said gesture.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that authentication is required based at least in part on conditions.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said conditions include contextual operational information comprising a geographical location of said user, a time period since a previous successful authentication, or a distance between a current location of said user and a location of said user during said previous authentication.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to access said resource from said user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said recording is encrypted.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said recording is encrypted utilizing a chaos-based encryption method.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said resource includes data stored in a blockchain.

13 . A server providing access to a resource, said server comprising:

a processor configured to execute code; and

memory storing data and said code, said data including software that, when executed by said processor, causes said server to

provide an authentication request to a user, said authentication request requiring said user to record an act that involves relative movement between said user and a camera,

receive a recording from said user of said user performing said act,

determine whether said recording indicates a live performance of said act by said user, based at least in part on said recording,

authenticate said user, based at least in part on said recording, and

provide access to a resource to said user based on said authentication of said user and said determination of whether said recording indicates a live performance of said act by said user.

14 . A method for authenticating a user to allow said user to access functionality of a restricted access device, said method comprising:

detecting a user approaching said device, thereby causing said restricted access device to trigger an authentication process on a user device separate from said restricted access device;

providing contextual data to an authentication computing system associated with said restricted access device, said contextual data being indicative of an identity of said user;

authenticating said identity of said user with said authentication computing system using at least said contextual data; and

providing an unlock command to said restricted access device, when said identity of said user is successfully authenticated.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

said restricted access device is a door lock; and

said unlock command causes said door lock to unlock.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising placing a transponder proximate to said restricted access device, wherein:

said transponder is configured to determine if said user has approached said restricted access device; and

said transponder is configured to trigger said authentication process on said user device.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said contextual data includes data indicative of a location of said user device.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing biometric data indicative of said identity of said user to said authentication computing system.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

said restricted access device is a computing device; and

said unlock command allows said functionality of said computing device to be accessible by said user.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

said contextual data includes a recording captured by said user subsequent to said detection of said user approaching said device; and

the liveness of said recording can be determined based at least in part on content of said recording.