IP Library Granted Patent US 8,307,407
Granted Patent B2
US 8,307,407 · App. 12/045,917 · Granted Nov 6, 2012

Selectable captchas

Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,307,407
App. No.
12/045,917
Granted
Nov 6, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for displaying a set of selectable CAPTCHAs produces a first set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based at least partially on an alphanumeric sequence, where a respective CAPTCHA in the first set is associated with a CAPTCHA property. The system also produces a second set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based at least partially on an alphanumeric sequence, where a respective CAPTCHA in the second set is not associated with a CAPTCHA property. Next, the system displays the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs. Finally, the system makes respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs selectable, thereby allowing a user to pass a CAPTCHA challenge by distinguishing the first set of CAPTCHAs from the second set of CAPTCHAs without typing the words associated with the images.

Claims (125)

1. A method comprising:

producing, by a computer, a first set of Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHAs) whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein each CAPTCHA in the first set has a common value for a CAPTCHA property, wherein the common value for the CAPTCHA property associated with a linguistic characteristic of the alphanumeric sequence;

producing, by the computer, a second set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein none of the CAPTCHAs in the second set has the common value for the CAPTCHA property shared by the CAPTCHAs in the first set;

displaying, by the computer, the first set of CAPTCHAs and the second set of CAPTCHAs; and

determining whether a user passes a CAPTCHA challenge to distinguish the first set of CAPTCHAs from the second set of CAPTCHAs based on a user selection of all the CAPTCHAs belonging to either the first set of CAPTCHAs or the second set of CAPTCHAs from the displayed CAPTCHAs,

wherein the CAPTCHA challenge is associated with a required skill set such that:

a person with the required skill set passes the CAPTCHA challenge;

a person without the required skill set does not pass the CAPTCHA challenge; and

an automated tool does not acquire the required skill set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein producing the first set of CAPTCHAs comprises:

identifying the CAPTCHA property;

identifying a set of CAPTCHAs associated with the CAPTCHA property; and

returning the set of identified CAPTCHAs.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CAPTCHA property comprises one or more properties associated with the alphanumeric sequence on which the CAPTCHA is based.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the first set and the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the second set are based on one or more of:

desired CAPTCHA strength;

probability of a machine recognizing a CAPTCHA; and

one or more display characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs comprises:

displaying respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a matrix; or

displaying respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs comprises playing an audio version of respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user selection of the CAPTCHAs is received via one or more of:

keyboard;

mouse;

pen;

graphics tablet;

scroll wheel;

trackball;

joystick;

pointing stick;

touch pad;

button;

dataglove;

footmouse;

touch screen;

key pad;

dial;

switch;

and

an interface for detecting one or more of: gesture, facial expression, eye movement, body movement, brain activity, and voice command.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a program instructions, said instructions when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the steps of:

producing a first set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein each CAPTCHA in the first set has a common value for a CAPTCHA property, wherein the common value for the CAPTCHA property associated with a linguistic characteristic of the alphanumeric sequence;

producing a second set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein none of the CAPTCHAs in the second set has the common value for the CAPTCHA property shared by the CAPTCHAs in the first set;

displaying the first set of CAPTCHAs and the second set CAPTCHAs; and

determining whether a user passes a CAPTCHA challenge to distinguish the first set of CAPTCHAs from the second set of CAPTCHAs based on a user selection of all the CAPTCHAs belonging to either the first set of CAPTCHAs or the second set of CAPTCHAs from the displayed CAPTCHAs,

wherein the CAPTCHA challenge is associated with a required skill set such that:

a person with the required skill set passes the CAPTCHA challenge;

a person without the required skill set does not pass the CAPTCHA challenge; and

an automated tool does not acquire the required skill set.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein while producing the first set of CAPTCHAs, the first production mechanism is further configured to:

identify the CAPTCHA property;

identify a set of CAPTCHAs associated with the CAPTCHA property; and

return the set of identified CAPTCHAs.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the CAPTCHA property comprises one or more properties associated with the alphanumeric sequence on which the CAPTCHA is based.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the first set and the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the second set are based on one or more of:

desired CAPTCHA strength;

probability of a machine recognizing a CAPTCHA; and

one or more display characteristics.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein while displaying the first and second sets of produced CAPTCHAs, the display mechanism is further configured to:

display respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a matrix; or

display respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein while displaying the first and second sets of produced CAPTCHAs, the display mechanism is further configured to play an audio version of respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the user selection of the CAPTCHAs is received by the receiving mechanism via one or more of:

keyboard;

mouse;

pen;

graphics tablet;

scroll wheel;

trackball;

joystick;

pointing stick;

touch pad;

button;

dataglove;

footmouse;

touch screen;

key pad;

dial;

switch;

and

an interface for detecting one or more of: gesture, facial expression, eye movement, body movement, brain activity, and voice command.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable storing when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

producing, by a computer, a first set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein each CAPTCHA in the first set has a common value for a CAPTCHA property, wherein the common value for the CAPTCHA property associated with a linguistic characteristic of the alphanumeric sequence;

producing, by the computer, a second set of CAPTCHAs whose images are based partially on an alphanumeric sequence, wherein none of the CAPTCHAs in the second set has the common value for the CAPTCHA property shared by the CAPTCHAs in the first set;

displaying, by the computer, the first set of CAPTCHAs and the second set of CAPTCHAs; and

determining whether a user passes a CAPTCHA challenge to distinguish the first set of CAPTCHAs from the second set of CAPTCHAs based on a user selection of all the CAPTCHAs belonging to either the first set of CAPTCHAs or the second set of CAPTCHAs from the displayed CAPTCHAs,

wherein the CAPTCHA challenge is associated with a required skill set such that:

a person with the required skill set passes the CAPTCHA challenge;

a person without the required skill set does not pass the CAPTCHA challenge; and

an automated tool does not acquire the required skill set.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein producing the first set of CAPTCHAs comprises:

identifying the CAPTCHA property;

identifying a set of CAPTCHAs associated with the CAPTCHA property; and

returning the set of identified CAPTCHAs.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the CAPTCHA property comprises one or more properties associated with the alphanumeric sequence on which the CAPTCHA is based.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the first set and the number of CAPTCHAs produced in the second set are based on one or more of:

desired CAPTCHA strength;

probability of a machine recognizing a CAPTCHA; and

one or more display characteristics.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein displaying the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs comprises:

displaying respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a matrix; or

displaying respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein displaying the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs comprises playing an audio version of respective CAPTCHAs in the first and second sets of CAPTCHAs in a sequence.

21. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the user selection of the CAPTCHAs is received via one or more of:

keyboard;

mouse;

pen;

graphics tablet;

scroll wheel;

trackball;

joystick;

pointing stick;

touch pad;

button;

dataglove;

footmouse;

touch screen;

key pad;

dial;

switch;

and

an interface for detecting one or more of: gesture, facial expression, eye movement, body movement, brain activity, and voice command.

Assignments (7)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RF 064760/0389 Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068261/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066741/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065628/0019 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF US PATENTS 9356603, 10026651, 10626048 AND INCLUSION OF US PATENT 7167871 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 064038 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064161/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064760/0389 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064038/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2008
From: JAKOBSSON, BJORN MARKUS; GOLLE, PHILIPPE J.P.; CHOW, RICHARD
To: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 020633/0456 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090235327A1 · Sep 17, 2009