A visual puzzle to determine whether a website visitor is a human or a bot. An alternative to Google reCAPTCHA.

Abstract

Claim 1: Captcha System A captcha system for verifying whether a website visitor is a human, comprising: • Server software that stores a large number of images and drawings, all of which have the same file size and format. • A function for randomly generating and storing values ​​that are assigned to each image, whereby these values ​​are not visible to the website visitor.

Description

[0001] 1 - Introduction: This document describes a new solution for Captchas, which serves to ensure that the users of the website are humans and not bots.

[0002] 2 - Preliminary Note: The necessary software is installed on the website operator's server. This software contains many different images and drawings of various objects, all with the same file size and format. Additionally, a new CAPTCHA solution with different image sequences and numerical values ​​is generated for each request. The value assigned to each individual image is randomly generated and stored on the web server with each website visit. These values ​​are not visible to the website visitor.

[0003] 3 - Summary: The new Captcha solution uses images linked to numbers and generates an individual, unique solution for each request to increase the security of the website.

[0004] 4 - Cookie Permission: When a visitor opens the website, they are asked whether they want to accept cookies. The CAPTCHA is a technically necessary cookie. If they confirm this, five different images or drawings appear on the left side of their screen. This applies to standard PC monitors and laptops. On smaller screens, only three images may be displayed. The values ​​for item #2 are not stored in the cookie itself, but only on the web server.

[0005] 5 - Random Values ​​and Storage on the Web Server: Each of these images is linked to a randomly generated value. To illustrate: From top to bottom: Image 1 has the value 36, image 2 has the value 50, image 3 has the value 94, image 4 has the value 27, image 5 has the value 43 - the stored value in the order of the images is 3650942743

[0006] 6 - Image Arrangement: On the right side of the screen, there are also images or drawings with the same motifs, but these differ from the images on the left. These images are also arranged vertically, but in a different order than those on the left. Each image on the right has the same value for the same motif as described in section 5. In the center of the screen, there is a gray area that provides space for the images or drawings from the right.

[0007] 7 - Summary: In summary, the cookie query and the arrangement of the images generate both a large number and establish a connection between the images on the left and right side of the screen.

[0008] 8 - Current situation for the website visitor: On the left, the visitor sees five images or drawings, each representing a symbol, for example, an apple, a car, a tree, a duck, and a house. In the center of the screen are five empty spaces. On the right are five drawings showing the same symbols, but with distinct differences. For example, the symbols have a different background, depict different sunrises and sunsets, are slightly blurred, or show an object from a different angle (for example, a car from the passenger side on the left and a drawing of an SUV from the front on the right).

[0009] 9 - Task of the website visitor: The visitor's task is to move the drawings from the right side into the empty boxes in the middle. They must ensure that the images in each horizontal row always form a matching pair, such as house-house, tree-tree, apple-apple, and so on. To select the correct drawing, the visitor must hold down the left mouse button while dragging the image from the right side into the matching box in the middle. Once the image is in the correct position, they can release the left mouse button.

[0010] 10 - Summary: The website visitor has the task of selecting suitable images from a collection on the right-hand side and placing them in the corresponding fields to form pairs. A clear explanation of the placeholders and the CAPTCHA logic.

[0011] 11 - Placeholders for drawings: In the middle of the screen, there are empty placeholders into which the drawings must be moved from the right side. However, the position of these placeholders is random. Sometimes they are exactly in the middle of the screen, sometimes closer to the left or right image.

[0012] 12 - Completing the drawings: Once the website visitor has successfully moved all the drawings into the placeholders in the middle, the values ​​of the drawings are written down one after the other and stored in the cookie to determine the stored value (similar to number 5). If this number matches the previously stored value, the cookie sends the stored value back to the web server. The web server checks the match of the calculated value when creating the cookie and the return of the value. The web server sends a request to the website visitor's computer confirming that the CAPTCHA was solved correctly. This confirms that the website visitor is a human.

[0013] 13 - Incorrect assignments: If the drawings are not assigned correctly, a different value will result. In this case, the CAPTCHA is reloaded and new values ​​are generated for the images.

[0014] 14 - Captcha Time Limit: Website visitors have a set time to solve the captcha. If the time expires without the captcha being solved correctly, new images with new values ​​are loaded and the cookie is reset, as described previously. This time limit can be defined by the website operator.

[0015] 15 - Summary: The CAPTCHA system prompts the visitor to correctly match drawings. If an error occurs, it reloads, and there is a time limit for completing the task.

[0016] 16 - IP Address Blocking: The website operator can define the number of allowed CAPTCHA attempts. If all CAPTCHA puzzles are solved incorrectly or the time limit is reached without success, the website visitor's public IP address can be blocked for a defined period.

Claims

[1] Claim 1: Captcha system A captcha system for verifying whether a website visitor is a human, comprising: • Server software that stores a large number of images and drawings, all of which have the same file size and format. • A function for randomly generating and storing values ​​that are assigned to each image, whereby these values ​​are not visible to the website visitor. [2] Claim 2: Individual Captcha Solution The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein for each request an individual, unique solution is generated, consisting of a sequence of images and associated values. [3] Claim 3: Cookie query The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein the website visitor is asked whether he wants to accept cookies and the Captcha is classified as a technically necessary cookie. [4] Claim 4: Arrangement of the images The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein the images are arranged in two vertical columns, the left column containing images with a specific sequence and the right column containing images with a different sequence, but representing the same motifs. [5] Claim 5: Matching task The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein the website visitor is prompted to drag images from the right-hand column into empty placeholders in the middle of the screen to form matching pairs. [6] Claim 6: Verification of the assignment The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein after the assignment of the images the values ​​of the drawings are written down one after the other and compared with a value previously stored on the web server to verify the correctness of the assignment. [7] Claim 7: Error handling The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein in case of incorrect assignments the Captcha is reloaded and new images with new values ​​are generated. [8] Claim 8: Time limit The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein a time limit is set for solving the Captcha, after which the Captcha is reloaded. [9] Claim 9: IP Blocking The Captcha system according to claim 1, wherein the website operator defines the number of allowed Captcha repetitions and can block the public IP address of the website visitor for a defined time if all Captcha puzzles have been solved incorrectly or the time limit has been exceeded.

Images