Secure transmission and authentication of a user credential
Methods and apparatuses are described for secure transmission and authentication of a user credential. A device comprising a memory, a processor, and a laser diode identifies a first user credential comprising a sequence of alphanumeric characters, converts the first user credential into a first plurality of analog signals, and activates the laser diode using the first plurality of analog signals to emit light detectable by a emitted light sensor of a second device. The second device comprising a memory, a processor, and an emitted light sensor generates a second plurality of analog signals corresponding to light emitted by the laser diode and detected by the emitted light sensor, converts the second plurality of analog signals into a second user credential, and authenticates the second user credential.
1. A system for secure transmission and authentication of a user credential, the system comprising:
a first computing device comprising a memory and a processor, the first computing device coupled to a laser diode and a first ambient light sensor within an enclosure;
a second computing device comprising a memory and a processor, the second computing device coupled to an emitted light sensor and a second ambient light sensor within the enclosure;
wherein the first computing device:
measures, using the first ambient light sensor, a first illuminance value of ambient light in the enclosure;
converts a first user credential comprising a sequence of alphanumeric characters and the first illuminance value into a first plurality of analog signals; and
activates the laser diode using the first plurality of analog signals to emit light detectable by the emitted light sensor; and
wherein the second computing device:
generates a second plurality of analog signals corresponding to light emitted by the laser diode and detected by the emitted light sensor;
converts a first portion of the second plurality of analog signals into a second user credential;
authenticates the second user credential;
converts a second portion of the second plurality of analog signals into the first illuminance value;
measures, using the second ambient light sensor, a second illuminance value of ambient light in the enclosure; and
compares the first illuminance value and the second illuminance value to determine whether the illuminance values match.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein converting the user credential into a first plurality of analog signals comprises:
generating an analog signal for activating the laser diode for each character in the sequence of characters;
generating an analog signal for activating the laser diode for the first illuminance value; and
transmitting the generated analog signals to the laser diode.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the analog signals for activating the laser diode each comprises a color value and an intensity value.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein activating the laser diode using the first plurality of analog signals to transmit light to the emitted light sensor comprises:
emitting, by the laser diode, one or more light pulses corresponding to each analog signal in the first plurality of signals, wherein the one or more light pulses have a color corresponding to the color value of the analog signal and an intensity corresponding to the intensity value of the analog signal.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the laser diode stops emitting light for a predetermined amount of time between each generation of one or more light pulses corresponding to the first plurality of analog signals.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the laser diode stops emitting light after all of the light pulses corresponding to the analog signals in the first plurality of signals have been emitted.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating a second plurality of analog signals corresponding to light emitted from the laser diode and detected by the emitted light sensor comprises:
detecting, by the emitted light sensor, light emitted by the laser diode at each of a plurality of intervals;
converting the light detected at each interval into a color value of the light and an intensity value of the light; and
generating the first portion of the second plurality of analog signals and the second portion of the second plurality of analog signals based upon the color value and the intensity value of the light detected at each interval.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein converting the first portion of the second plurality of analog signals into a second user credential comprises:
identifying an alphanumeric character based upon the analog signal generated for each interval in the first portion of the second plurality of analog signals; and
generating the second user credential based upon the alphanumeric characters.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein authenticating the second user credential comprises encrypting the second user credential and transmitting the encrypted second user credential to a remote computing device for authentication.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first user credential is encrypted prior to being converted into the first plurality of analog signals.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light sensor and the second ambient light sensor each comprises a photodiode.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second computing device initiates a transaction with a remote computing device when the first illuminance value matches the second illuminance value.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second computing device prevents initiation of a transaction with a remote computing device when the first illuminance value does not match the second illuminance value.
14. A computerized method of secure transmission and authentication of a user credential, the method comprising:
measuring, by a first computing device using a first ambient light sensor in an enclosure, a first illuminance value of ambient light in the enclosure;
converting, by the first computing device, a first user credential comprising a sequence of alphanumeric characters and the first illuminance value into a first plurality of analog signals; and
activating, by the first computing device, a laser diode coupled to the first computing device, using the first plurality of analog signals, to emit light detectable by an emitted light sensor coupled to a second computing device, the laser diode and the emitted light sensor each located in the enclosure;
generating, by the second computing device, a second plurality of analog signals corresponding to light emitted by the laser diode and detected by the emitted light sensor;
converting, by the second computing device, a first portion of the second plurality of analog signals into a second user credential;
authenticating, by the second computing device, the second user credential;
converting, by the second computing device, a second portion of the second plurality of analog signals into the first illuminance value;
measuring, by the second computing device using a second ambient light sensor in the enclosure, a second illuminance value of ambient light in the enclosure; and
comparing, by the second computing device, the first illuminance value and the second illuminance value to determine whether the illuminance values match.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein converting the user credential into a first plurality of analog signals comprises:
generating an analog signal for activating the laser diode for each character in the sequence of characters;
generating an analog signal for activating the laser diode for the first illuminance value; and
transmitting the generated analog signals to the laser diode.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the analog signals for activating the laser diode each comprises a color value and an intensity value.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein activating the laser diode using the first plurality of analog signals to transmit light to the sensor of the second computing device comprises:
emitting, by the laser diode, one or more light pulses corresponding to each analog signal in the first plurality of analog signals, wherein the one or more light pulses have a color corresponding to the color value of the analog signal and an intensity corresponding to the intensity value of the analog signal.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the laser diode stops emitting light for a predetermined amount of time between each generation of one or more light pulses corresponding to the first plurality of analog signals.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the laser diode stops emitting light after all of the light pulses corresponding to the analog signals in the first plurality of analog signals have been emitted.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein generating a second plurality of analog signals corresponding to light emitted from the laser diode and detected by the emitted light sensor comprises:
detecting, by the emitted light sensor, light emitted by the laser diode at each of a plurality of intervals; and
converting the light detected at each interval into a color value of the light and an intensity value of the light; and
generating the first portion of the second plurality of analog signals and the second portion of the second plurality of analog signals corresponding to the color value and the intensity value of the light detected at each interval.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein converting the first portion of second plurality of analog signals into a second user credential comprises:
identifying an alphanumeric character based upon the analog signal generated for each interval in the first portion of the second plurality of analog signals; and
generating the second user credential based upon the alphanumeric characters.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein authenticating the second user credential comprises encrypting the second user credential and transmitting the encrypted second user credential to a remote computing device for authentication.
23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first user credential is encrypted prior to being converted into the first plurality of analog signals.
24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first ambient light sensor and the second ambient light sensor each comprises a photodiode.
25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second computing device initiates a transaction with a remote computing device when the first illuminance value matches the second illuminance value.
26. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second computing device prevents initiation of a transaction with a remote computing device when the first illuminance value does not match the second illuminance value.