Interactive CAPTCHA

Abstract

The present disclosure involves a method. The method includes receiving a request from a user. The method includes constructing, by a computer processor, a media object that contains a plurality of media components. The method includes transmitting the media object to the user. The method includes prompting the user to perform a task involving at least a subset of the media components, the task including at least one of the following: selecting each of the media components in the subset according to a predefined sequence; and modifying at least one of the media components in the subset with respect to at least one of its following properties: location, size, appearance, and orientation. The method includes obtaining a description of an action performed by the user in response to the prompting. The method includes deciding whether or not to grant the request based on the obtaining.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a request from a user;   constructing, by a computer processor, a media object that contains a plurality of media components;   transmitting the media object to the user;   prompting the user to perform a task involving at least a subset of the media components, the task including at least one of the following:
 selecting each of the media components in the subset according to a predefined sequence; and 
 modifying at least one of the media components in the subset with respect to at least one of its following properties: location, size, appearance, and orientation; 
   obtaining a description of an action performed by the user in response to the prompting; and   deciding whether or not to grant the request based on the obtaining.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receiving, the transmitting, the prompting, the obtaining, and the deciding is carried out using a computer hardware device encoded with software instructions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deciding is performed based on an evaluation of whether the description of the action is within a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the description comprises at least one of the following: detecting a clicking motion, detecting a dragging motion, detecting a pinching motion, detecting a tapping motion, and detecting a circling motion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media object has at least one of the following characteristics: a visual characteristic, an audio characteristic, and a tactile characteristic. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constructing is carried out in a manner such that at least some of the media components are obfuscated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constructing is carried out in a manner such that at least some of the media components are randomly generated. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constructing is carried out in a manner such that at least some of the media components are relevant to the user's culture or the user's geographical location. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each media component is a representation of a man-made device or an item that exists in nature. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompting the user is carried out using one or more obfuscated instructions. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompting includes displaying graphical instructions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises displaying the media object on a mobile device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user is one of: a human and a machine. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the task includes one of: solving a puzzle and repeating a demonstrated procedure. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program contains instructions that when executed, perform:
 receiving a request from a user;   constructing a media object that contains a plurality of media components;   transmitting the media object to the user;   prompting the user to perform a task involving at least a subset of the media components, the task including at least one of the following:
 selecting each of the media components in the subset according to a predefined sequence; and 
 modifying at least one of the media components in the subset with respect to at least one of its following properties: location, size, appearance, and orientation; 
   obtaining a description of an action performed by the user in response to the prompting; and   deciding whether or not to grant the request based on the obtaining.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for the deciding comprise instructions for making an evaluation of whether the description of the action is within a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for the obtaining the description comprise instructions for performing at least one of the following: detecting a clicking motion, detecting a dragging motion, detecting a tapping motion, and detecting a circling motion. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for constructing the media object comprise instructions for constructing a media object having at least one of the following characteristics: a visual characteristic, an audio characteristic, and a tactile characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for constructing the media object comprise instructions for constructing a media object that is at least partially obfuscated. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for constructing the media object comprise instructions for constructing a media object that is at least partially randomly generated. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions for constructing the media object comprise instructions for constructing a media object that is at least partially relevant to the user's culture or the user's geographical location. 
     
     
         22 . A system, comprising:
 means for receiving a request from a user;   means for constructing a media object that contains a plurality of media components;   means for transmitting the media object to the user;   means for prompting the user to perform a task involving at least a subset of the media components, the task including at least one of the following:
 selecting each of the media components in the subset according to a predefined sequence; and 
 modifying at least one of the media components in the subset with respect to at least one of its following properties: location, size, appearance, and orientation; 
   means for obtaining a description of an action performed by the user after the user is prompted; and   means for deciding whether or not to grant the request based on the description obtained.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for deciding comprises means for evaluating whether the description of the action is within a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for obtaining the description comprises means for detecting at least one of the following motions: clicking, dragging, pinching, tapping, and circling. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for constructing the media object comprises means for constructing a media object having at least one of the following characteristics: a visual characteristic, an audio characteristic, and a tactile characteristic. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for constructing comprises means for randomly generating and obfuscating at least some of the media components. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for constructing comprises means for generating media components that are relevant to the user's culture or the user's geographical location. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for prompting the user comprises means for displaying obfuscated instructions to the user. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for transmitting the media object comprises means for displaying the media object on a handset device.