Randomized input device heating
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorBrendan Murray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security code input may be obfuscated from a thermal imaging device by randomly heating a random set of inputs of an input device. The security code is inputted on an input device, which communicates with a security system to grant or deny access to a user based on an entry of the security code. The input device includes a plurality of hearing elements. The input device may receive an input from the user. A random set of heating elements including one or more heating elements, are generated from the plurality of heating elements. A temperature is determined for the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements. The temperature is then applied to the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements of the input device.
Claims20
A method for obfuscating a security code, the method comprising:
- receiving an input from a user on an input device that grants access to a user based on an entry of a security code, the input device coupled to a plurality of heating elements;
- generating a random set of heating elements including one or more heating elements, in response to receiving the input, of the plurality of heating elements;
- determining a temperature for the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements;
- and
- applying the temperature to each of the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements.
A system for obfuscating a security code, the system comprising:
- an input device including a plurality of heating elements, wherein the input device is configured to:
- receive an input from a user on an input device that grants access to a user based on an entry of a security code;
- a memory;
- a processor device communicatively coupled to the input device and the memory, wherein the processor device is configured to:
- generate a random set of heating elements including one or more heating elements of the plurality of heating elements,
- determine a temperature for the one or more heating elements, in response to receiving the input, for a heating element of the random set of heating elements;
- a heating controller communicatively coupled to the input device, the memory, and the processor device, wherein the heating controller is configured to:
- apply the temperature to each of the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements.
A computer program product for obfuscating a security code comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable application stored therein, wherein the computer readable application, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:
- access a security system, the security system including:
- an input device that grants access to a user based on an entry of a security code, and
- a plurality of heating elements within the input device;
- receive an input from a user on an input device that grants access to a user based on an entry of a security code, the input device coupled to a plurality of heating elements;
- generate a random set of heating elements including one or more heating elements, in response to receiving the input, of the plurality of heating elements;
- determine a temperature for the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements;
- and
- apply the temperature to each of the one or more heating elements of the random set of heating elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.