Motion-based authentication for a gesture-based device
View Patent ↗A motion-based authentication method is operative in a mobile computing device having a display interface and that includes an accelerometer. Normally, the device software includes a locking mechanism that automatically locks the display interface after a configurable timeout. The authentication method operates to un-lock the display interface (and thus allow the user access to the device) by movement of the device in a predetermined series of physical movements and without display-based entry of a password or other access code on the display itself. In this manner, the user can un-lock the device without display-based entry of a password (on the display itself) by simply holding the device and performing the necessary movement(s) to generate the unique code.
1. A method, operative in a mobile computing device having an accelerometer, and a display interface, comprising:
displaying a graphic element as the mobile computing device is at a fixed position with respect to a user's hand, the graphic element being a representation of a directional arrow indicating a direction of movement;
after receipt of data indicating a first movement of the mobile computing device in a first predetermined manner according to the directional arrow, providing a visual indication on the graphic element;
generating, as an authentication key, a first value associated with the visual indication; and
authenticating the user based on the authentication key;
wherein the displaying, providing and generating steps are carried out in program code executing in a hardware element in the mobile computing device.
2. The method as described in claim 1 further including:
returning the mobile computing device to the fixed position;
after receipt of data indicating a second movement of the mobile computing device in a second predetermined manner, providing a second visual indication on the graphic element;
generating a second value associated with the second visual indication;
augmenting the authentication key to include the second value.
3. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the authentication key provides selective access to one of: the mobile computing device, the display interface, and an application executing in the mobile computing device.
4. The method as described in claim 2 further including repeating the steps to re-generate the authentication key to un-lock the mobile computing device or the display interface.
5. The method as described in claim 2 further including displaying an additional graphic element to provide a progress indicator as a visual cue to the user.
6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the first predetermined manner is a physical movement about a 3D rotational space.
7. The method as described in claim 1 further including augmenting the directional arrow with an additional display element representing the first value.
8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein the additional display element is a color uniquely associated with the first value.
9. An article associated with a mobile computing device having an accelerometer and a display interface, the article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores a program, the program being executable by a machine to perform a method, comprising:
displaying a graphic element as the mobile computing device is at a fixed position with respect to a user's hand, the graphic element being a representation of a directional arrow indicating a direction of movement;
after receipt of data indicating a first movement of the mobile computing device in a first predetermined manner according to the directional arrow, providing a visual indication on the graphic element;
generating, as an authentication key, a first value associated with the visual indication,
returning the mobile computing device to the fixed position;
after receipt of data indicating a second movement of the mobile computing device in a second predetermined manner, providing a second visual indication on the graphic element;
generating a second value associated with the second visual indication;
augmenting the authentication key to include the second value.
10. The article as described in claim 9 wherein the authentication key provides selective access to one of: the mobile computing device, the display interface, and an application executing in the mobile computing device.
11. The article as described in claim 9 wherein the first predetermined manner is a physical movement about a 3D rotational space.
12. The article as described in claim 9 further including augmenting the directional arrow with an additional display element representing the first value.
13. The article as described in claim 12 wherein the additional display element is a color uniquely associated with the first value.
14. The article as described in claim 9 further including repeating the steps to re-generate the authentication key to un-lock the mobile computing device or the display interface.
15. The method as described in claim 9 further including displaying an additional graphic element to provide a progress indicator as a visual cue to the user.
16. Mobile device apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors;
computer memory holding computer program instructions executed by the one or more processors to provide a one-handed method for protecting access to a component of the apparatus, the method computer program instructions comprising:
program code operative during a registration operation to:
(i) display a graphic element as the mobile computing device is at a fixed position with respect to a user's hand, the graphic element being a representation of a directional arrow indicating a direction of movement;
(ii) after receipt of data indicating a first movement of the mobile computing device in a first predetermined manner according to the directional arrow, provide a visual indication on the graphic element;
(iii) generate, as an authentication key, a first value associated with the visual indication;
(iv) respond to repetition of steps (i)-(iii) using one or more additional movements to generate at least one or more additional values;
(v) concatenate into the authentication key the one or more additional values;
program code operative during an un-lock operation to:
receive data indicating repetition of the first movement and the one or more additional movements to re-generate the authentication key and enable access to the component.