# US 2018/0025139 A1 · Authentication based on configuration of interlocking bricks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025139 A1 - Document ID: US20180025139A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/216,953 - Filed: 2016-07-22 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: RICK A. HAMILTON, II; Clifford A. Pickover; Komminist S. Weldemariam; Edgar A. Zamora Duran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025139A1 ## CPC - A63H 33/042: {Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors} - G06F 21/34: involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards - G06F 21/36: by graphic or iconic representation - A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system of interlocking smart bricks includes a shell having at least one raised protrusion and at least one hole. A plurality of sensors is disposed within the shell. Each sensor is configured to detect a proximity of additional smart bricks. A processor receives proximity detection data from the plurality of sensors. A radio transmitter transmits the proximity detection data to a host device. The host device receives the proximity detection data, determines an arrangement of the shell therefrom, compares the determined arrangement of the shell with a known target arrangement, determines a degree of match between the arrangement of the shell and the known target arrangement based on the comparison, and authenticates a user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system of interlocking smart bricks, comprising: a shell comprising at least one raised protrusion and at least one hole, the at least one raised protrusion being configured for insertion into a hole having the same shape as the at least one hole, and the at least one hole being configured for receiving a raised protrusion having the same shape as the at least one raised protrusion; a plurality of sensors disposed within the shell, each of the plurality of sensors being configured to detect a proximity of one or more additional smart bricks; a processor for receiving proximity detection data from the plurality of sensors; a radio transmitter for transmitting the proximity detection data to a host device; and the host device for receiving the proximity detection data, determining an arrangement of the shell therefrom, comparing the determined arrangement of the shell with a known target arrangement, determining a degree of match between the arrangement of the shell and the known target arrangement based on the comparison, and authenticating a user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed within the shell and configured to sense a degree of pressure applied to the shell, wherein the processor further receives data from the pressure sensor, wherein the transmitter further transmits the pressure sensor data to the host device, wherein the host device further receives the pressure sensor data, and wherein the host device further compares the pressure sensor data to a known target pressure profile, determines a degree of match between the pressure sensor data and the known target pressure profile, and authenticates the user to the one of the plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match between the pressure sensor data and the known target pressure profile. ### Claim 3 A system of interlocking smart bricks, comprising: a first interlocking brick comprising at least one raised protrusion disposed thereon and at least one sensor disposed thereon, the first interlocking brick further comprising a processor; a second interlocking brick comprising at least one hole configured to receive the at least one raised protrusion of the first interlocking brick and to interlock with the first interlocking brick thereby; and a host device, wherein the processor is configured to receive sensor data from the at least one sensor and to transmit the received sensor data to the host device, and wherein the host device is configured to receive the transmitted sensor data and determine a spatial relationship between the first interlocking brick and the second interlocking brick therefrom and to authenticate a user based on the determined spatial relationship. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed within the at least one interlocking brick, the pressure sensor configured to sense a degree of pressure applied to the at least one interlocking brick, wherein the processor further receives data from the pressure sensor and transmits the received pressure sensor data to the host device, wherein the host device further receives the pressure sensor data, and wherein the host device further authenticates the user based on the pressure sensor data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the host device is configured to authenticate the user based on the determined spatial relationship by: comparing the determined spatial relationship between the first interlocking brick and the second interlocking brick (“determined spatial relationship”) with a known target relationship; determining a degree of match between the determined spatial relationship and the known target relationship based on the comparison; and authenticating the user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ### Claim 6 A system of interlocking smart bricks, comprising: a first interlocking brick comprising at least one raised protrusion disposed thereon; a second interlocking brick comprising at least one hole configured to receive the at least one raised protrusion of the first interlocking brick and to interlock with the first interlocking brick thereby; a camera module configured to acquire image data including the first and second interlocking brick and to transmit the acquired image data to a host device; and the host device configured to receive the transmitted image data, determine a spatial relationship between the first interlocking brick and the second interlocking brick from the received image data, compare the determined spatial relationship with a known target spatial relationship, determining a degree of match between the determined spatial relationship and the known target spatial relationship based on the comparison, and authenticate a user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the first interlocking brick or the second interlocking brick includes a visual code printed thereon and the host device is further configured to identify the first interlocking brick or the second interlocking brick by interpreting the visual code. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the host device is a personal computer and the camera module is an integrated camera of the personal computer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the host device is a smartphone or a tablet computer and the camera module is an integrated camera of the smartphone or tablet computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the camera module includes two lenses configured to acquire the image data from two distinct angles. ### Claim 11 A method for authenticating a user, comprising: receiving arrangement data describing an arrangement of a plurality of interlocking bricks; comparing the received arrangement data with a known target arrangement; determining a degree of match between the received arrangement data and the known target arrangement based on the comparison; and authenticating a user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of interlocking bricks includes information pertaining to an identity of each of the plurality of interlocking bricks and the information pertaining to a spatial arrangement of each of the plurality of interlocking bricks relative to each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the known target arrangement represents a predetermined model arrangement of a second plurality of interlocking bricks. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein authenticating the user to one of the plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match includes providing access to more functions, features, rewards, or content to the user when the degree of match is relatively high and providing access to fewer functions, features, rewards, or content to the user when the degree of match is relatively low. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the authentication of the user is for an account, an application, or a service. ### Claim 16 A computer system comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory, tangible, program storage medium, readable by the computer system, embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for authenticating a user, the method comprising: receiving arrangement data describing an arrangement of a plurality of interlocking bricks; comparing the received arrangement data with a known target arrangement; determining a degree of match between the received arrangement data and the known target arrangement based on the comparison; and authenticating a user to one of a plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of interlocking bricks includes information pertaining to an identity of each of the plurality of interlocking bricks and the information pertaining to a spatial arrangement of each of the plurality of interlocking bricks relative to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the known target arrangement represents a predetermined model arrangement of a second plurality of interlocking bricks. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer system of claim 16, wherein authenticating the user to one of the plurality of authentication levels based on the degree of match includes providing greater access to the user when the degree of match is relatively high and providing reduced access to the user when the degree of match is relatively low. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the authentication of the user is for an account, an application, or a service.