Programmed computer for generating pronounceable security passwords

An article of manufacture for forming a pronounceable security password using a plurality of first word segment portions and a plurality of second word segment portions, each of said plurality of first word segment portions having an associated set of one or more said second word segment portions and being categorized into one of at least two categories based upon a transition number corresponding to the number of said second word segment portions within the associate set of second word segment portions, and each said second word segment portion within said associated set being different from others within said set and being combinable with said associated first word segment portion to form a pronounceable word segment comprising:

• computer readable storage medium;
• and
• computer programming stored on said storage medium;
• wherein said stored computer programming is configured to be readable from said computer readable storage medium by a computer and thereby cause said computer to operate so as to:
• select a first one of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized within one or more categories selected from said at least two categories, wherein the transition number associated with each of said first word segment portions categorized within said selected categories equals or exceeds a first threshold transition value and selection of any one of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized within said selected categories is of substantially equal probability;
• select a first one of said plurality of second word segment portions from the set of second word segment portions associated with the selected first word segment portion, wherein selection of any one of said second word segment portions within said associated set of second word segment portions is of substantially equal probability;
• combine said selected first word segment portion and said selected second word segment portion to form a first pronounceable word segment;
• determine if consecutive characters of said first pronounceable word segment are unacceptable due to their correspondence to those of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized in a non-selected category;
• and
• generate a pronounceable security password of eight or more characters and including said first pronounceable word segment only if the consecutive characters of the first pronounceable word segment are determined to be acceptable.

An article of manufacture for forming a pronounceable security password using a plurality of pronounceable word segments, each of said plurality of word segments including a first portion and a second portion and being categorized into one of at least two categories based upon a transition number corresponding to the number of different said second portions included in those of said plurality of word segments which have a first portion identical to the first portion of the word segment being categorized, comprising:

• computer readable storage medium;
• and
• computer programming stored on said storage medium;
• wherein said stored computer programming is configured to be readable from said computer readable storage medium by a computer and thereby cause said computer to operate so as to:
• select at least two of said word segments categorized within one or more categories selected from said at least two categories, wherein the transition number associated with each of said word segment portions categorized within said selected categories equals or exceeds a first threshold transition number and the probability of selection of any one of said word segments categorized within said selected categories is substantially equal;
• and
• combine said selected word segments to form a portion of said pronounceable security password;
• determine if consecutive characters of said formed pronounceable security password portion are unacceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized in a non-selected category;
• and
• generate a pronounceable security password of eight or more characters and including said formed pronounceable security password portion only if the consecutive characters of said pronounceable security password portion are determined to be acceptable.

An article of manufacture for generating a pronounceable security password comprising:

• computer readable storage medium;
• and
• computer programming stored on said storage medium;
• wherein said stored computer programming is configured to be readable from said computer readable storage medium by a computer and thereby cause said computer to operate so as to:
• divide each of a plurality of pronounceable word segments into a first portion having at least one character and a second portion having at least one character;
• determine a probability of transition of each of said first portions to one or more of said second portions to form one of the pronounceable word segments;
• randomly select one of said first portions from those of said first portions having a probability of transition less than a threshold;
• randomly select one of said second portions from those of said second portions combinable with said selected first portion to form one of said pronounceable word segments;
• combine said selected first and said selected second portions to form one of said pronounceable word segments;
• determine if consecutive characters of said formed pronounceable word segment are unacceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said first portions which have an associated probability of transition which is greater than the selected threshold;
• and
• generate a pronounceable security password including said pronounceable word segment only if consecutive characters of said formed pronounceable word segment are determined to be acceptable.

A programmed computer for forming a pronounceable security password, comprising:

• storage medium having stored (i) a plurality of first word segment portions, (ii) a plurality of second word segment portions, each second word segment portion being within one or more sets of second word segment portions with each of said sets being associated with one first word segment portion and each second word segment portion within a particular associated set being different from others within said particular associated set and being combinable with the associated first word segment portion to form a pronounceable word segment and (iii) a plurality of transition numbers each associated with one or more of the plurality of first word segment portions and corresponding to the number of said second word segment portions within the associate set of second word segment portions;
• a processor configured to (i) select a first one of said plurality of first word segment portions, wherein selection of any one of said plurality of first word segment portions is of substantially equal probability, (ii) select a first one of said plurality of second word segment portions from said set of second word segment portions associated with said selected first word segment portion, wherein selection of any one of said second word segment portions within said associated set of second word segment portions is of substantially equal probability, (iii) combine said selected first word segment portion and said selected second word segment portion to form a first pronounceable word segment, (iv) determine if consecutive characters of said first pronounceable word segment are unacceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said plurality of first word segment portions having a transition number less than a first threshold transition number, and (v) generate a pronounceable security password of eight or more characters and including said first pronounceable word segment only if the consecutive characters of said first pronounceable word segment are determined to be acceptable.

A programmed computer for forming a pronounceable security password, comprising:

• storage medium having stored (i) a plurality of first word segment portions, each being categorized into one of a plurality of categories based upon a transition number corresponding to the number of different second word segment portions within an associated set of second word segment portions formed from a plurality of second word segment portions which are combinable with the associated first word segment portion to form a pronounceable word segment, and (ii) the plurality of second word segment portions;
• and
• a processor configured to (i) select a first one of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized within a selected one or more of said plurality of categories, wherein the transition number associated with each of said first word segment portions categorized within said one or more selected categories equals or exceeds a first threshold transition value and selection of any one of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized within said one or more selected categories is of substantially equal probability, (ii) select a first one of said plurality of second word segment portions from the set of second word segment portions associated with the selected first word segment portion, wherein selection of any one of said second word segment portions within said associated set of second word segment portions is of substantially equal probability, (iii) combine said selected first word segment portion and said selected second word segment portion to form a first pronounceable word segment, (iv) determine if consecutive characters of said first pronounceable word segment are unacceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized in a non-selected category, and (v) generate a pronounceable security password of eight or more characters including said first pronounceable word segment only if the consecutive characters of the first pronounceable word segment are determined to be acceptable.

A programmed computer for forming a pronounceable security password using a plurality of pronounceable word segments, comprising:

• storage medium having stored (i) a plurality of word segments each having first and second portions and being categorized into one of a plurality of categories based upon a transition number corresponding to the number of different second portions included in those of said plurality of word segments which have a first portion identical to the first portion of the word segment being categorized;
• and
• a processor configured to (i) select at least two of said word segments categorized within one or more categories selected from said plurality of categories, wherein the transition number associated with each of said word segment portions categorized within said selected categories equals or exceeds a first threshold transition number and the probability of selection of any one of said word segments categorized within said selected categories is substantially equal, (ii) combine said selected word segments to form a portion of said pronounceable security password, (iii) determine if consecutive characters of said pronounceable security password portion are unacceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said plurality of first word segment portions categorized in a non-selected category, and (iv) generate a pronounceable security password of eight or more characters and including said pronounceable security password portion only if the consecutive characters of said pronounceable security password portion are determined to be acceptable.

A programmed computer for forming a pronounceable security password comprising:

• a processor configured to (i) divide each of a plurality of pronounceable word segments into a first portion having at least one character and a second portion having at least one character, (ii) determine a probability of transition from each said first portion to one or more of said second portions to form the pronounceable word segments, (iii) randomly select one of said first portions from those of said first portions having a probability of transition equal to or less than a threshold, for use in the pronounceable security password, (iv) randomly select one of said second portions from those of said second portions combinable with said selected first portion to form one of said pronounceable word segments, (v) combine said selected first and said selected second portions to form one of said pronounceable word segments, (vi) determine if consecutive characters of said formed pronounceable word segment are acceptable based upon their correspondence to those of said first portions which have an associated probability of transition which is greater than the threshold, and (vii) generate a pronounceable security password including said pronounceable word segment only if consecutive characters of the formed pronounceable word segment are determined to be acceptable;
• and
• storage medium configured to store said first portions and said second portions.