Encrypted Optical Authentication Using Image Enhancement and Location Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic data transfer systems face security vulnerabilities as hackers exploit user passwords to access sensitive information, necessitating improved multifactor authentication methods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multifactor authentication system using encrypted optical indicia captured by a digital camera, processed through an image analysis system with neural networks for image enhancement and decryption, and verified by unique device and user identifiers, along with geographical location verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional password-based authentication is used, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to hacker exploitation
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into multiple independent factors: something the user knows (password), something the user has (device identifier), and something about the user's context (geographical location). This segmentation ensures that compromising one factor does not lead to complete system compromise, thereby improving security while maintaining operational ease through automated multi-factor verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that mediates between the user and the protected resource. This intermediary verifies multiple factors including device identifiers, geographical location, and timestamps before granting access, thereby enhancing security without requiring direct user intervention in the verification process.
2Reliability
If multiple authentication factors are required, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is designed with universal components that can handle multiple authentication factors through a unified framework. The same system architecture processes passwords, device identifiers, and geographical location verification using common verification modules, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite implementing multiple authentication factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the authentication factors (device identifiers, location data, timestamps) are automatically collected and verified without requiring manual user input for each factor. The user simply needs to present their device, and the system automatically retrieves and verifies all necessary authentication factors, reducing the perceived complexity for users.
3Measurement precision
If image enhancement processing is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial image enhancement by selectively processing only the critical regions of the captured image that contain authentication data. Rather than enhancing the entire image, the system focuses computational resources on detecting and enhancing specific features like text, barcodes, or QR codes, thereby achieving sufficient measurement precision while minimizing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary image processing steps such as automatic image capture and initial enhancement before the user needs to complete authentication. By pre-processing the image to improve its quality and extract relevant features in advance, the system reduces the time required for final verification while ensuring measurement precision is achieved.
Data Source
AI summary
An authentication code may be encrypted in optical indica. Optionally, AES, RSA, DES, and/or a hashing function may be utilized to encrypt the authentication code. An image of the authentication code may be captured from a device having a display using a digital camera. The image may be in a compressed format and transmitted over a network to an image analysis system. The image analysis system may decode the optical indicia to obtain the encoded authentication data and may perform decryption on the decoded data. If needed, the image analysis system may perform image enhancement prior to performing decoding, including contrast enhancement, deblurring, and/or image rotation. Image enhancement may be performed using a neural network. The authentication data and location data associated with the digital camera may be utilized to authenticate the device.