Changing keyboard layout automatically while entering a password

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9880737-B2
Application number	US-201514788257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a keyboard layout display to facilitate entry of password characters. The system analyzes the password while setting it, and will save a required keyboard layout for each character. A method includes obtaining an encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding characters sequence of a user password, receiving input of a password character and determining whether the character input is correct. If the character entered is correct: decoding the keyboard layout sequence to obtain a correct keyboard layout associated with a next password character to be entered; and automatically displaying the correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered; or if the character entered is not correct: decoding the keyboard layout sequence to obtain one of: a correct or incorrect keyboard layout associated with a next password character to be entered; and automatically displaying the correct or incorrect keyboard layout on the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to automatically change a keyboard layout of a device while a user enters a password comprising:
obtaining an encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding sequence of characters of a user password; and
a) receiving input of a character of said user password;
b) determining whether said character input is correct, and
if said character entered is correct:
decoding said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain a correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically displaying said correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered on said device; or

if said character entered is not correct:
decoding said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain one of: a correct or incorrect keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically displaying said correct or incorrect keyboard layout on said device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said input character entered is said first character of said user password, said method further comprising:
repeating each of steps a)-b) until all successive characters of said user password are correctly entered.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, prior to input of said first character of said user password, said user manually navigating to a correct keyboard layout associated for said first character input.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, responsive to displaying said incorrect keyboard layout on said device, re-initiating, by the user, entry of the user password beginning from said first character.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding sequence of characters of a user password to be entered is represented as a character string.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
storing said character string representation in a memory storage unit at said device in association with said user password.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
encoding said sequence of keyboard layouts by:
setting a user password by inputting to said device each successive character of said user password;
analyzing a keyboard layout associated with each character input;
determining, based on the analyzing, a keyboard layout to the character input; and
mapping a keyboard layout to a corresponding character of said character string representation.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
encrypting or obfuscating said stored character string representation prior to said storing.

9. A system to automatically change a keyboard layout of a device while a user enters a password comprising:
a memory storage device;
a hardware processor, coupled to the memory storage device, said processor configured to:
obtain an encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding sequence of characters of a user password; and
a) receive input of a character of said user password;
b) determine whether said character input is correct, and
if said character entered is correct:
decode said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain a correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically display on said device said correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered; or

if said character entered is not correct:
decode said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain one of: a correct or incorrect keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically display on said device said correct or incorrect keyboard layout.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said input character entered is said first character of said user password, said hardware processor further configured to:
repeat each of steps a)-b) until all successive characters of said user password are correctly entered.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein, responsive to displaying said incorrect keyboard layout on said device, re-initiating, by the user, entry of the user password beginning from said first character.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein said hardware processor is configured to represent, as a character string, said encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding sequence of characters of the user password.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein said hardware processor is configured to:
store said character string representation in a memory storage unit at said device in association with said user password.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein said hardware processor is configured to encode said sequence of keyboard layouts by:
setting a user password by inputting to said device each successive character of said user password;
analyzing a keyboard layout associated with each character input;
determining, based on the analyzing, a keyboard layout to the character input; and
mapping a keyboard layout to a corresponding character of said character string representation.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein said hardware processor is configured to:
encrypt or obfuscate said stored character string representation prior to said storing.

16. A computer program product for automatically changing a keyboard layout of a device while a user enters a password, the computer program product comprising a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions run by the processing circuit for performing a method, the method comprising:
obtaining an encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding sequence of characters of a user password; and
c) receiving input of a character of said user password;
d) determining whether said character input is correct, and
if said character entered is correct:
decoding said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain a correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically displaying said correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered on said device; or

if said character entered is not correct:
decoding said mapped keyboard layout sequence to obtain one of: a correct or incorrect keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered for said password; and
automatically displaying said correct or incorrect keyboard layout on said device.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein said input character entered is said first character of said user password, said method further comprising:
repeating each of steps a)-b) until all successive characters of said user password are correctly entered.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein said method further comprises:
storing said character string representation in a memory storage unit at said device in association with said user password.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein said method further comprises:
encoding said sequence of keyboard layouts by:
setting a user password by inputting to said device each successive character of said user password;
analyzing a keyboard layout associated with each character input;
determining, based on the analyzing, a keyboard layout to the character input; and
mapping a keyboard layout to a corresponding character of said character string representation.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein said method further comprises:
encrypting or obfuscating said stored character string representation prior to said s

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Broomhall Matthew E
• Caldas Fabrizio Nascimento
• Dotson Christopher R
• Kong Li
• Li jia tao

Classifications

• G06F21/36

  by graphic or iconic representation · CPC title

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title