Alternative Key Pad Layout for Enhanced Security

Abstract

A system and method for providing an alternate keypad arrangement in a virtual keypad is presented. In the alternate keypad arrangement, the virtual keys are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement. In one embodiment, the labels displayed on the virtual keys appear sequential, however the values registered when the user presses the virtual key does not match the label and, hence, the values are laid out in a non-sequential manner. Using alternate keypad arrangements arranged in patterns enables the user to use a common pattern, or patterns easily remembered by the user, for a wide variety of authentication data used to access a wide variety of systems. Rather than remembering the specific PIN codes and passwords, the user simply remembers a pattern and selects virtual keys that match the pattern.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user;   retrieving an alternate keypad arrangement corresponding to the user;   displaying the alternate keypad arrangement on a virtual keypad, wherein a plurality of virtual alphanumeric key values are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement;   receiving authentication data resulting from the user selecting a plurality of the virtual alphanumeric keys corresponding to the virtual alphanumeric key values; and   authenticating the request based upon the received authentication data.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a virtual keyboard layout, the method further comprising:
 displaying a label with each virtual key, wherein the label of each key corresponds to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 configuring the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuring including:
 graphically depicting a first arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 receiving, from the user, a selection of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys and a new position of the selected virtual alphanumeric keys with respect to the other virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 graphically depicting a second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys resulting from the receiving of selections from the user; and 
 storing the second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a pattern layout, the method further comprising:
 displaying a label with each virtual key so that it appears as if the virtual alphanumeric keys are laid out in a sequential arrangement, wherein a plurality of the labels do not correspond to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 configuring the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuring including:
 receiving the value of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys from the user so that at least one of the virtual alphanumeric keys has a label that does not correspond to the value corresponding to the virtual alphanumeric key; and 
 storing the values of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the configuring further comprises:
 selecting a visual pattern from a plurality of visual patterns; and   assigning the values to the virtual alphanumeric keys based upon the selected pattern.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of values corresponding to the user's authentication data and assigning each of the values to a virtual alphanumeric key selected from the plurality of virtual alphanumeric keys; and   assigning an invalid value to the virtual alphanumeric keys that were not selected from the plurality of virtual alphanumeric keys prior to the storing of the values.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 retrieving account information corresponding to user, the account information including a stored authentication data;   comparing the received authentication data with the stored authentication data;   authorizing the request in response to the received authentication data matching the stored authentication data; and   denying the request in response to the received authentication data not matching the stored authentication data.   
   
   
       9 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer operable medium having computer readable code, the computer readable code being effective to:
 receive a request from a user; 
 retrieve an alternate keypad arrangement corresponding to the user; 
 display the alternate keypad arrangement on a virtual keypad, wherein a plurality of virtual alphanumeric keys are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement; 
 receive authentication data resulting from the user selecting a plurality of the virtual alphanumeric keys; and 
 authenticate the request based upon the received authentication data. 
   
   
   
       10 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a virtual keyboard layout, the computer program product further comprising computer readable code effective to:
 display a label with each virtual key, wherein the label of each key corresponds to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 10  further comprising computer readable code effective to:
 configure the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuration including computer readable code effective to:
 graphically depict a first arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 receive, from the user, a selection of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys and a new position of the selected virtual alphanumeric keys with respect to the other virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 graphically depict a second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys resulting from the receiving of selections from the user; and 
 store the second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a pattern layout, the computer program product further comprising computer readable code effective to:
 display a label with each virtual key so that it appears as if the virtual alphanumeric keys are laid out in a sequential arrangement, wherein a plurality of the labels do not correspond to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12  further comprising computer readable code effective to:
 configure the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuration including computer readable code effective to:
 receive the value of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys from the user so that at least one of the virtual alphanumeric keys has a label that does not correspond to the value corresponding to the virtual alphanumeric key; and 
 store the values of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein the configuration further comprises computer readable code effective to:
 select a visual pattern from a plurality of visual patterns; and   assign the values to the virtual alphanumeric keys based upon the selected pattern.   
   
   
       15 . An information handling system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a memory accessible by the processors;   a display screen to display a virtual key pad;   one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors; and   a virtual key pad data entry tool, the virtual key pad data entry tool being effective to:
 receive a request from a user; 
 retrieve an alternate keypad arrangement corresponding to the user; 
 display the alternate keypad arrangement on the virtual keypad, wherein a plurality of virtual alphanumeric keys are laid out in a non-sequential arrangement; 
 receive authentication data resulting from the user selecting a plurality of the virtual alphanumeric keys; and 
 authenticate the request based upon the received authentication data. 
   
   
   
       16 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a virtual keyboard layout, the virtual key pad data entry tool being further effective to:
 display a label with each virtual key, wherein the label of each key corresponds to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       17 . The information handling system of  claim 16  wherein the virtual key pad data entry tool is further effective to:
 configure the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuration including computer readable code effective to:
 graphically depict a first arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 receive, from the user, a selection of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys and a new position of the selected virtual alphanumeric keys with respect to the other virtual alphanumeric keys; 
 graphically depict a second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys resulting from the receiving of selections from the user; and 
 store the second arrangement of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       18 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the alternate keypad arrangement includes a pattern layout, the virtual key pad data entry tool being further effective to:
 display a label with each virtual key so that it appears as if the virtual alphanumeric keys are laid out in a sequential arrangement, wherein a plurality of the labels do not correspond to a value registered when the corresponding virtual key is selected by the user.   
   
   
       19 . The information handling system of  claim 18  wherein the virtual key pad data entry tool is further effective to:
 configure the virtual keyboard layout prior to receiving the request from the user, the configuration including computer readable code effective to:
 receive the value of one or more of the virtual alphanumeric keys from the user so that at least one of the virtual alphanumeric keys has a label that does not correspond to the value corresponding to the virtual alphanumeric key; and 
 store the values of the virtual alphanumeric keys as the alternate keypad arrangement. 
   
   
   
       20 . The information handling system of  claim 19  wherein the configuration is further effective to:
 select a visual pattern from a plurality of visual patterns; and   assign the values to the virtual alphanumeric keys based upon the selected pattern.