# US 2018/0322261 A1 · Verifying And Controlling Computer System State Using Pronounceable Recognizable Hash Words > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322261 A1 - Document ID: US20180322261A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/584,605 - Filed: 2017-05-02 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-02 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Edwin J. GALE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322261A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/305: {by remotely controlling device operation} - G06F 9/30087: {Synchronisation or serialisation instructions} - G06F 11/3632: {of specific synchronisation aspects} - G06F 21/57: Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities - G09B 5/00: Electrically-operated educational appliances (working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F) - G09B 5/06: with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied - G09B 7/02: of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student - G09B 19/04: Speaking (with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04) - G06F 21/1087: {Synchronisation} - G06F 2221/2141: Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices - G09B 7/00: Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers (mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A target hash phrase can be provided to a user on a computer that indicates a target state of the computer. The computer generates a local hash phrase that represents a current state of the computer. The local hash phrase can be used to verify that the computer is at the target state by comparing the local hash phrase with the target hash phrase. The computer may receive corrective input from the user to correct the state of the computer depending on the comparison. The local hash phrase can be generated by computing one or more hash values from data that represent a state of the computer. The one or more hash values correspond to one or more hash words that comprise the hash phrase. Individual letters of each hash word can be selected using segments of a corresponding hash value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system comprising: at least one computing processor; and a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed by the computing processor, cause the computer system to: generate one or more numerical hash values using data representative of a current state of the computer system; generate a local hash phrase representative of the current state of the computer system and comprising one or more pronounceable hash words, each hash word generated from a corresponding numerical hash value and comprising only alphabetic characters selected using different segments of the corresponding numerical hash value; present the local hash phrase to a user of the computer system, the user receiving a target hash phrase representative of a target state of the computer system; and change the state of the computer system from the current state to the target state using input provided from the user in response to a determination that the local hash phrase does not match the target hash phrase. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein each of the numerical hash values is an N-digit hexadecimal numerical value, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions by the computing processor further causes the computer system to select alphabetic characters that comprise each hash word using subsets of digits that comprise its corresponding N-digit hexadecimal value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein each hash word comprises a consonant followed by a vowel followed by a consonant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein each hash word is monosyllabic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions by the computing processor further causes the computer system to generate a replacement hash word to replace a given hash word, in response to the given hash word being listed in an exclusion list. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the target hash phrase is audibly presented to the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions by the computing processor further causes the computer system to present an audible representation of the target hash phrase to the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the state of the computer system is represented by information including one or more of: data stored in a data storage device of the computer system; data stored in a main memory of the computer system; data about processes executing on the computer system; and data associated with the processes executing on the computer system. ### Claim 9 A method for controlling a state of a computer system during interactions with a user, the method comprising, by the computer system: generating one or more numerical hash values using data representative of a current state of the computer system; generating a local hash phrase representative of the current state of the computer system and comprising one or more pronounceable hash words, each hash word generated from a corresponding numerical hash value by segmenting the corresponding numerical hash value into a plurality of segments and using the segments to select corresponding alphabetic characters comprising said each hash word; presenting the local hash phrase to a user of the computer system, the user receiving a target hash phrase representative of a target state of the computer system; and changing the state of the computer system from the current state to the target state using input provided from the user in response to a determination that the local hash phrase does not match the target hash phrase. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein each of the numerical hash values is an N-digit hexadecimal numerical value, the method further comprising selecting alphabetic characters that comprise each hash word using subsets of digits of its corresponding N-digit hexadecimal value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein each hash word comprises a consonant followed by a vowel followed by a consonant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein each hash word is monosyllabic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a replacement hash word to replace a given hash word, in response to the given hash word being listed in an exclusion list. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting an audible representation of the target hash phrase to the user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the state of the computer system is represented by information including one or more of: data stored in a data storage device of the computer system; data stored in a main memory of the computer system; data about processes executing on the computer system; and data associated with the processes executing on the computer system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein changing the state of the computer system to the target state includes: receiving user input from a user; and based on data comprising the received user input, performing one or more of: storing the data; changing a configuration of the computer system; and changing a state of execution of the computer system. ### Claim 17 A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to: generate one or more numerical hash values using data representative of a current state of the computer system; generate a local hash phrase representative of the current state of the computer system and comprising one or more pronounceable hash words, each hash word generated from a corresponding numerical hash value and comprising only alphabetic characters selected using different segments of the corresponding numerical hash value; present the local hash phrase to a user of the computer system, the user receiving a target hash phrase representative of a target state of the computer system; and change the state of the computer system from the current state to the target state using input provided from the user in response to a determination that the local hash phrase does not match the target hash phrase. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each numerical hash value is an N-digit hexadecimal numerical value, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions by the computer system further causes the computer system to select alphabetic characters that comprise each hash word using subsets of digits of its corresponding N-digit hexadecimal value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each hash word comprises a consonant followed by a vowel followed by a consonant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each hash word is monosyllabic.