# US 2019/0171803 A1 · Method and apparatus for user authentication based on touch input including fingerprint information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171803 A1 - Document ID: US20190171803A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/302,503 - Filed: 2017-05-12 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Inventors: Jae Kwang BAE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171803A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 21/31: User authentication - G06F 21/40: by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required - G06V 40/12: Fingerprints or palmprints - G06V 40/1365: {Matching; Classification} - H04L 9/32: including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system {or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials} - H04L 9/3226: {using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083)} - H04L 9/3231: {Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present invention provides a method for user authentication through the input of a password, the method for user authentication having enhanced security by determining whether or not a particular symbol or a symbol positioned in a particular position, among the symbols constituting the password, is input via a touch input including particular fingerprint information, in addition to determining the matching status of the password. Also provided is a user authentication method which can protect a user's personal information from others by using, in user authentication, the use status of a touch input including fingerprint information which is unlikely to be exposed by the others. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of authenticating a user, comprising: receiving an entry of a desired password, comprising a touch input comprising at least one piece of given fingerprint information and an input of at least one symbol comprising one or more of a number, letter and special letter, as authentication information through a user terminal; determining whether authentication information pre-configured in the user terminal and the received authentication information are identical; and completing user authentication of a user in response that the pre-configured authentication information and the received authentication information are identical. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the pre-configured authentication information comprises identification information indicative of an input pattern of the entry of the desired password, and the determining comprises determining whether the input pattern of the entry of the desired password is identical with an input pattern indicated by the identification information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: the identification information comprises information indicative of a condition for a symbol to be input by the touch input including the given fingerprint information among the at least one symbol configuring the desired password, and the determining comprises determining whether the entry of the desired password associated with the received authentication information satisfies the condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the symbol to be input by the touch input including the given fingerprint information is a given letter, a given number or a given special letter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the desired password comprises N symbols, the N is an integer of 2 or more, the symbol to be input by the touch input including the given fingerprint information is a symbol located at a K-th place within the password, and the K is an integer of 1 or more to N or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the given fingerprint information is information indicative of a fingerprint of at least one of fingers of both hands of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the desired password comprises a plurality of symbols, and the symbol to be input by the touch input including the given fingerprint information is plural. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: the touch input comprises a first touch input comprising first fingerprint information and a second touch input comprising second fingerprint information as a plurality of touch inputs, and the identification information comprises information indicative of the condition in which a first symbol of the symbols configuring the desired password has to be input by the first touch input and a second symbol of the symbols configuring the desired password has to be input by the second touch input. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first fingerprint information and the second fingerprint information indicate fingerprints of different fingers of the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising outputting the indication information of the input pattern, wherein the indication information comprises at least one of information regarding that the given fingerprint information indicates a fingerprint of which finger and information indicating that which one of the at least one symbol configuring the desired password has to be input by the touch input.