Multi-factor authentication and security

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11790070-B2
Application number	US-202117230122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2021
Priority date	Apr 14, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An approach is provided to authenticate objects based on surface patterns on the object. In the approach, a pressure pattern is measured between a sensor array surface of a pressure mapping sensor array accessible by the processor and one of the object's surfaces. A set of characteristics of the object surface is extracted based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring. These characteristics are compared to a set of expected characteristics with the object being authenticated based on the comparison.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method implemented by an information handling system that includes a memory and a processor, the method comprising:
measuring a pressure pattern between a sensor array surface of a pressure mapping sensor array accessible by the processor and an identifier affixed to a surface of an object, wherein the identifier includes one or more impressions, and wherein the measured pressure pattern is based on a weight of the object and the identifier;
extracting a plurality of characteristics of the object based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring;
comparing the plurality of characteristics with a set of expected characteristics; and
authenticating the object based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the impressions included in the identifier are impressed at a plurality of depth (z) measurements between one or more high points (hills) and one or more low points (valleys) found on affixed identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the characteristics of the object include at least one of the characteristics from a group consisting of a dimension of the object, a shape of the object, a position of the object on the sensor array surface, and the weight of the object.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticating further comprising:
gathering the set of expected characteristics, the gathering including:
measuring the pressure pattern between the sensor array surface and the object surface; and
extracting a plurality of characteristics of the object surface based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring; and

affixing the identifier to the surface of the object;
assigning the identifier to the object; and
storing the assigned identifier and the plurality of characteristics as the set of expected characteristics of the object in a data store.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the affixing is performed by a relief stamper and wherein the method further comprises:
generating a unique design corresponding to the object wherein the unique design is included in the identifier and includes the one or more impressions.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
after the authentication in which the authentication is successful:
identifying one or more minor differences between the identifier and the set of expected characteristics; and
updating the set of expected characteristics, wherein the updating eliminates the one or more minor differences.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving the identifier of the object and at least one physical property of the object;
retrieving the set of expected characteristics based on the received identifier;
granting access to a controlled resource in response to the authentication being successful; and
denying access to the controlled resource in response to the authentication being unsuccessful.

8. An information handling system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more data stores accessible by at least one of the processors;
a memory coupled to at least one of the processors; and
a set of computer program instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors that perform actions comprising:
measuring a pressure pattern between a sensor array surface of a pressure mapping sensor array accessible by the processor and an identifier affixed to a surface of an object, wherein the identifier includes one or more impressions, and wherein the measured pressure pattern is based on a weight of the object and the identifier;
extracting a plurality of characteristics of the object based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring;
comparing the plurality of characteristics with a set of expected characteristics; and
authenticating the object based on the comparison.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the impressions included in the identifier are impressed at a plurality of depth (z) measurements between one or more high points (hills) and one or more low points (valleys) found on affixed identifier.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the characteristics of the object include at least one of the characteristics from a group consisting of a dimension of the object, a shape of the object, a position of the object on the sensor array surface, and the weight of the object.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the authenticating wherein the actions further comprise:
gathering the set of expected characteristics, the gathering including:
measuring the pressure pattern between the sensor array surface and the object surface; and
extracting a plurality of characteristics of the object surface based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring; and

affixing the identifier to the surface of the object;
assigning the identifier to the object; and
storing the assigned identifier and the plurality of characteristics as the set of expected characteristics of the object in a data store.

12. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the affixing is performed by a relief stamper and wherein the actions further comprise:
generating a unique design corresponding to the object wherein the unique design is included in the identifier and includes the one or more impressions.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:
after the authentication in which the authentication is successful:
identifying one or more minor differences between the identifier and the set of expected characteristics; and
updating the set of expected characteristics, wherein the updating eliminates the one or more minor differences.

14. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:
receiving the identifier of the object and at least one physical property of the object;
retrieving the set of expected characteristics based on the received identifier;
granting access to a controlled resource in response to the authentication being successful; and
denying access to the controlled resource in response to the authentication being unsuccessful.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store a computer program product comprising computer program code that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:
measuring a pressure pattern between a sensor array surface of a pressure mapping sensor array accessible by the processor and an identifier affixed to a surface of an object, wherein the identifier includes one or more impressions, and wherein the measured pressure pattern is based on a weight of the object and the identifier;
extracting a plurality of characteristics of the object based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring; comparing the plurality of characteristics with a set of expected characteristics; and
authenticating the object based on the comparison.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the impressions included in the identifier are impressed at a plurality of depth (z) measurements between one or more high points (hills) and one or more low points (valleys) found on affixed identifier.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein at least one of the characteristics of the object include at least one of the characteristics from a group consisting of a dimension of the object, a shape of the object, a position of the object on the sensor array surface, and the w

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Tirapu Azpiroz Jaione
• Rashev Christian Srebrenov
• Nicol Ii William Bruce
• Supil Emily

Classifications

• G06F21/34 Primary

  involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards · CPC title

• G06F21/40

  by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required · CPC title

• G07C9/32

  in combination with an identity check · CPC title

• G07D5/04 Primary

  Testing the weight · CPC title

• G07D5/005

  Testing the surface pattern, e.g. relief · CPC title