Multi-level matrix passwords

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10949512-B2
Application number	US-201916507863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

During a password entry, a matrix is traversed to select a position. The matrix includes several levels, each level in the several levels including at least one position where data can be entered, where a second level in the matrix forms a sub-level of a first level, and where the second level is reachable only from a particular position in the first level. In response to an input, a mode of the selected position is changed such that the position becomes unchangeable and unselectable during a remainder of the password entry. The selected position is encoded in an auth-step. In response to an indication of an end of the password entry, an auth-code is transmitted. The auth-code includes a set of auth-steps, and the set of auth-steps includes the auth-step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, during a password entry, a first input to navigate to a selected position in a matrix;
wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of levels, each level in the plurality of levels comprising at least one position where data can be entered,
wherein a second level in the matrix forms a sub-level of a first level, and
wherein the second level is reachable only from a particular position in the first level;
receiving, during the password entry, a second input to change a mode of the selected position such that the selected position becomes unchangeable and unselectable during a remainder of the password entry; and
transmitting, responsive to an indication of an end of the password entry, over a network to an authentication service an auth-code comprising an auth-step, the auth-step comprising an encoded version of the selected position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
constructing the auth-code using a set of auth-steps, the set of auth-steps comprising said auth-step, wherein each auth-step in the set of auth-steps comprises a respective encoded representation of a respective position in the matrix.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
populating the selected position with data provided in a third input; and
wherein the auth-step further comprises an encoded version of the data provided in the third input.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein data entered at the selected position in the matrix comprises character data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
constructing the first level in the matrix, the first level comprising a first set of positions, the first set of positions comprising the particular position in the first level; and
constructing the second level in the matrix such that a second set of positions at the second level is reachable from the particular position in the first set of positions at the first level.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
constructing a third level,
wherein the third level is a sub-level of the second level,
wherein the third level comprises a third set of positions, the third set of positions being reachable from a particular position in the second set of positions at the second level.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second set of positions and the third set of positions include different numbers of positions.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first set of positions and the second set of positions include different numbers of positions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected position is reached by traversing through a first position at a first level, to reach an n-th position at an m-th level, wherein the m-th level is reachable only via a traversal path that starts at the first position at the first level.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Kline Eric V
• Maresh Mark E
• Nolan Colm
• Vargas Juan F
• Vasudevan Cheranellore
• Whitney Michael J

Classifications

• G06F17/16

  Matrix or vector computation {, e.g. matrix-matrix or matrix-vector multiplication, matrix factorization (matrix transposition G06F7/78)} · CPC title

• H04L63/083

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• G06F21/31 Primary

  User authentication · CPC title