Systems and methods for obfuscating user selections
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorRoss Garrett Cutler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for obfuscating user selections during user-input of sensitive information, involving receiving a user input entered via a user input device and, in response, causing a first visual indication to move over a period of time through a first subset of displayed targets to enter user selections of targets. In a concurrent process, control signals are generated to display a second visual indication in addition to the first visual indication. The second visual indication moves through a second subset of the displayed targets during the period of time in a manner that is different from the first visual indication moving through the first subset of the displayed targets. The current user target is thus obfuscated as two or more different visual indicators move through the displayed targets.
Claims17
A system for obfuscating user input on a display displaying a plurality of targets, the system comprising a processor and machine-readable media including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- receive user input entered via a user input device;
- responsive to the received user input, cause a first graphical visual indication on the display to move, over a first period of time, through a first subset of the displayed targets to enter user selections of targets including virtual keys;
- concurrently with display of the first graphical visual indication, generate control signals to display a second graphical visual indication on the display, wherein the second graphical visual indication is in addition to the first graphical visual indication;
- cause the second graphical visual indication to move through a second subset of the displayed targets including virtual keys during the first period of time in a manner that is different from the first graphical visual indication moving through the first subset of the displayed targets by selecting a portion of the second subset of the displayed targets based on output from a model generated based on human target navigation behavior, wherein the output of the model includes a navigation sequence through the second subset of displayed targets that is consistent with the model based on human target navigation behavior and moves synchronously with the first graphical visual indication, and wherein the model dynamically updates the navigation sequence in response to user input;
- temporarily change both the first graphical visual indication and the second graphical visual indication to visually confirm each of the user selection of targets;
- and
- invoke a predetermined function if the entered user selections of targets of the first subset of targets meet a prescribed condition.
A method performed by a data processing system for obfuscating user input on a display displaying a plurality of targets, the method comprising:
- receiving user input entered via a user input device;
- responsive to the received user input, causing a first graphical visual indication on the display to move, over a first period of time, through a first subset of the displayed targets to enter user selections of targets including virtual keys;
- concurrently with display of the first graphical visual indication, generating control signals to display a second graphical visual indication on the display, wherein the second graphical visual indication is in addition to the first graphical visual indication;
- causing the second graphical visual indication to move through a second subset of the displayed targets including virtual keys during the first period of time in a manner that is different from the first graphical visual indication moving through the first subset of the displayed targets by selecting a portion of the second subset of the displayed targets based on output from a model generated based on human target navigation behavior, wherein the output of the model includes a navigation sequence through the second subset of displayed targets that is consistent with the model based on human target navigation behavior and moves synchronously with the first graphical visual indication, and wherein the model dynamically updates the navigation sequence in response to user input;
- temporarily changing both the first graphical visual indication and the second graphical visual indication to visually confirm each of the user selection of targets;
- and
- invoking a predetermined function if the entered user selections of targets of the first subset of targets meet a prescribed condition.
A tangible computer-readable storage device on which are stored instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a programmable device to perform functions of:
- receiving a user input entered via a user input device;
- responsive to the received user input, causing a first graphical visual indication on a display to move, over a first period of time, through a first subset of a plurality of targets displayed on a display to enter user selections of targets including virtual keys;
- concurrently with display of the first graphical visual indication, generating control signals to display a second graphical visual indication on the display, wherein the second graphical visual indication is in addition to the first graphical visual indication;
- causing the second graphical visual indication to move through a second subset of the displayed targets including virtual keys during the first period of time in a manner that is different from the first graphical visual indication moving through the first subset of the displayed targets by selecting a portion of the second subset of the displayed targets based on output from a model generated based on human target navigation behavior, wherein the output of the model includes a navigation sequence through the second subset of displayed targets that is consistent with the model based on human target navigation behavior and moves synchronously with the first graphical visual indication, and wherein the model dynamically updates the navigation sequence in response to user input;
- temporarily changing both the first graphical visual indication and the second graphical visual indication to visually confirm each of the user selection of targets;
- and
- invoking a predetermined function if the entered user selections of targets of the first subset of targets meet a prescribed condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.