Authentication Methods and Systems

Abstract

An authentication method and system are provided that is particularly suited for verifying the identity of an individual prior to permitting access to a controlled resource. This may or may not be a financial resource. Biometric data relating to a user is used to encode and decode an identifier associated with a user. Thus, the user's biometric data becomes the key for encoding and subsequently decoding the identifier. In one embodiment, the biometric data is used to generate a keypad configuration. The keypad configuration specifies the order and/or position of a plurality of keypad keys. An operable keypad and/or image of a keypad is then generated using the configuration. Thus, the individual's biometric data can be used to generate a customised keypad and/or image which can then be used to encode or decode the identifier associated with the user. A keypad or image generated from the biometric data can be used to generate a mapping between different keypad configurations. The biometric data may be captured at or on a device associated with the individual, such as a computer, mobile phone, tablet computer etc.

1 . A verification method comprising:
 capturing or generating biometric data related to a user on or at the user's electronic device;   generating at least one scrambled keypad configuration on or at the user's electronic device using the biometric data related to the user;   generating at least one of an operable keypad and a keypad image using the at least one scrambled keypad configuration;   presenting the keypad image within a display zone of a screen associated with the electronic device; and   using a mapping between the keys depicted in the keypad image and the keys of the operable keypad to allow an encoded version of the user's identifier to be entered into the electronic device by operation of one or more keys of the operable keypad through the keypad image.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the mapping is based on superimposition of the keypad image over the operable keypad.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the keypad image is an image of a non-scrambled keypad, and the operable keypad is generated using the at least one scrambled keypad configuration; or   the position of the keys depicted in the image is scrambled and the position of the keys in the operable keypad are non-scrambled; or   the configuration of the keys in both the image and the operable keypad are scrambled.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the scrambled keypad configuration is generated on or at the electronic device by a software component.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the software component is:
 i) configured to receive an input and use the input to provide one or more keypad configurations for use in generation of the keypad image and/or operable keypad; and/or   ii) installed on the electronic device after download from a remote resource.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the operable keypad is one of a plurality of operable keypads generated from the scrambled keypad configuration, or the keypad image is one of a plurality of keypad images generated from the scrambled keypad configuration.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the plurality of operable keypads is arranged or ordered in a series, stack, queue, or other data structure, or the plurality of keypad images is arranged or ordered in a series, stack, queue, or other data structure.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 one operable keypad in the plurality of operable keypads is designated or selected as the active operable keypad for receiving input from the user.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the selection or designation of the active operable keypad is performed automatically without user input.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 re-ordering or otherwise altering the plurality of operable keypads after an input has been received from the user.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 i) changing the selection or designation of the active operable keypad such that another operable keypad becomes selected or designated as the active operable keypad; or   ii) altering the configuration of the keys on the operable keypad to provide a different ordering or arrangement of keys.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic device is a mobile device or handheld device.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic device is a personal computing device associated with the user.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the operable keypad or the keypad image is erased from the device following input from the user, or following a specified period of time.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the position of the display zone on the screen, and/or its dimensions, are specified by a procedure call.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the procedure call causes a keypad object to be created in volatile memory on the electronic device.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the display zone comprises a plurality of sub-zones, each sub zone corresponding to a keypad key.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the encoded version of the user's identifier in memory associated with the electronic device, the identifier being received by the operable keypad via the keypad image such that the user's identifier is never stored on the device in an un-encoded form.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the encoded version of an identifier entered into the electronic device; and   transmitting the encoded version of the identifier to a remote computing resource.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 transmitting the scrambled keypad configuration to the remote computing resource.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 i) the order of keys in the operable keypad is different from the order of keys depicted in the image; and   ii) the operable keypad is hidden from view.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a new operable keypad for each keystroke required from the user to enter the identifier; or   altering the operable keypad after receipt of an input from the user; or   replacing or exchanging the operable keypad for another operable keypad after an input from the user.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user enters the user's identifier by selecting a sequence of keys that are depicted in the keypad image; and   the mapping between the keys of the keypad images and the keys of the operable keypad is used to generate and store an encoded version of the user's identifier on the electronic device.   
     
     
         24 . An electronic computing apparatus comprising a screen and at least one component configured to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         25 . An electronic computing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a true random number generator or a pseudo random number generator; or   means for capturing or generating the biometric data related to the user; or   means for reading data from a smart card.   
     
     
         26 . An electronic payment terminal comprising:
 a touch screen;   a component arranged to read a payment card; and   software arranged to perform the method of  claim 1 .