Image Authentication Apparatus Using Public Information Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image authentication methods that rely on publicly available information about a user can be vulnerable to inference, allowing third parties to potentially bypass authentication by guessing correct answer images.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that selects correct answer images from a candidate set excluding images easily inferred from public information, using a combination of image tagging, public information collection, and relevance calculation to present non-inferable images for user selection during authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If images that can be inferred from public information are used as correct answer images, then authentication ease is improved, but authentication security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication easeVSAvoidauthentication security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes images that can be inferred from public information from the set of candidate correct answer images. By separating inferable images from non-inferable images, the system ensures that only secure images are used for authentication, thereby maintaining security while preserving ease of use through the remaining safe image options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of selecting images based on what the user publicly shares (which compromises security), the patent inverts the approach by selecting images based on what the user does NOT publicly share. This inversion ensures that correct answer images remain unpredictable to third parties while still being recognizable to the legitimate user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If password strength is increased to improve authentication security, then authentication security is improved, but user convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of using complex passwords (character-based authentication) with an image-based authentication system. Users select images from visual options rather than memorizing and typing complex passwords, achieving high security through image selection while maintaining user convenience through intuitive visual interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11481481B2Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium storing program, and information processing system

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a display unit that displays plural images consisting of one or more correct answer images selected from a candidate set, which consists of images not including images corresponding to public information of a user in an image group owned by the user, and one or more incorrect answer images other than the one or more correct answer images, and an image authentication unit that performs authentication of the user by having the user select at least one or more of the correct answer images from the plural displayed images.