Authentication using optically sensed relative position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10657290-B2
Application number	US-201815987470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods to safeguard data and hardware may include a memory configured to store a first image and sensitive data, and an optical sensor configured to capture a second image. A sensor signal comprising the captured second image may be generated. A controller having access to the memory may be configured to receive the sensor signal. The controller may be further configured to compare the stored first image to the captured second image, and based on the comparison, to determine whether the sensitive data is accessible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of safeguarding digital data and hardware within a blade server rack, the method comprising:
in an arrangement of a plurality of blade servers in the blade server rack, each blade server equipped with a respective optical sensor:
capturing a first optical image using a first optical sensor of a first blade server of the plurality of blade servers, wherein the optical image includes at least a portion of an adjacent second blade server of the plurality of blade servers;
performing image analysis and comparison comprising: comparing, using a processor of the first blade server, the first optical image with a stored second optical image captured by the first optical sensor at a time prior to capturing the first optical image, wherein the comparing examines a predefined positional relationship between the first blade server relative to the second blade server; and
initiating, based on a successful comparison between the first optical image and the second optical image, generation of a respective seed value by at least two blade servers of the plurality of blade servers, wherein each generated seed value is executed by the processor to generate a key used to authenticate access to sensitive data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
capturing the second optical image using the first optical sensor at system startup.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing image analysis in comparison further comprises multiple comparisons of the second optical image with a plurality of captured optical images.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the images allows for a predetermined level of tolerance dependent upon environmental circumstances at the time of capturing the images.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first optical image with second optical image comprises comparing an internal portion of the first optical image to a corresponding internal portion of the second optical image.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the internal portion of the stored second optical image and the internal portion of the captured first optical image each include a label affixed to the second blade server.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first optical image with second optical image comprises:
determining whether the captured second optical image and the stored first optical image match within a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
erasing the sensitive data responsive to determining that the captured second optical image and the stored first optical image do not match within the predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined threshold is dependent upon environmental circumstances at the time of capturing the images.

10. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a first blade server of a plurality of blade servers disposed in a blade server rack and each equipped with a respective optical sensor, cause the processor to perform an operation comprising:
capturing a first optical image using a first optical sensor of a first blade server of the plurality of blade servers, wherein the optical image includes at least a portion of an adjacent second blade server of the plurality of blade servers;
comparing, using a processor of the first blade server, the first optical image with a stored second optical image captured by the first optical sensor at a time prior to capturing the first optical image, wherein the comparing examines a predefined positional relationship between the first blade server relative to the second blade server; and
initiating, based on a successful comparison between the first optical image and the second optical image, generation of a respective seed value by at least two blade servers of the plurality of blade servers, wherein each generated seed value is executed by the processor to generate a key used to authenticate access to sensitive data.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the operation further comprises: capturing the second optical image using the first optical sensor at system startup.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein performing image analysis in comparison further comprises multiple comparisons of the second optical image with a plurality of captured optical images.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein comparing the images allows for a predetermined level of tolerance dependent upon environmental circumstances at the time of capturing the images.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein comparing the first optical image with second optical image comprises comparing an internal portion of the first optical image to a corresponding internal portion of the second optical image.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the internal portion of the stored second optical image and the internal portion of the captured first optical image each include a label affixed to the second blade server.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein comparing the first optical image with second optical image comprises:
determining whether the captured second optical image and the stored first optical image match within a predetermined threshold.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , further comprising:
erasing the sensitive data responsive to determining that the captured second optical image and the stored first optical image do not match within the predetermined threshold.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined threshold is dependent upon environmental circumstances at the time of capturing the images.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bartley Gerald K
• Becker Darryl J
• Doyle Matthew S
• Maxson Mark O

Classifications

• G06F21/86

  Secure or tamper-resistant housings · CPC title

• G06F2221/2143

  Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen · CPC title

• G06F21/88

  Detecting or preventing theft or loss · CPC title

• G06F21/64 Primary

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title

• G06K9/20

  Physics · mapped topic