Method and apparatus to authenticate a user to a mobile device using mnemonic based digital signatures

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• implement a digital signature scheme based on one or more mnemonic-aids that authenticates a user, wherein the digital signature scheme comprises a plurality of signature indexes;
• authenticate the user using a first signature index at a first predefined location of the user;
• authenticate the user using a second signature index at a second predefined location of the user;
• a sensory input coupled to the processor, wherein the sensory input is configured to detect a plurality of user actions that correspond to the digital signature scheme;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store input data that is used to recognize the digital signature scheme from the sensory input,
• wherein the first signature index and the second signature index each comprises a secret, a user motion associated with the secret and detected by the sensory input, and at least one of the mnemonic-aids,
• wherein the digital signature scheme uses an image based mnemonic as one of the mnemonic-aids to authenticate the user,
• wherein the sensory input is a touch screen,
• wherein the image based mnemonic comprises an image displayed on the touch screen that includes one or more image objects that allows the user to remember the secret,
• wherein the secrets correspond to one or more points that coincide with the image objects and an input order of the points,
• wherein the secrets comprise one or more locations on the image and one or more predefined time intervals that correspond to the user actions that coincide with the image objects, and
• wherein the image based mnemonic corresponds to a series of ordered user actions implemented with one or more predefined time intervals.

A method, comprising:

• implementing a digital signature scheme to authenticate a user within a user device for one or more mnemonic-aided secrets that authenticates a user, wherein the digital signature scheme comprises a first digital signature and a second digital signature;
• authenticating the user using the first digital signature at a first predefined time;
• authenticating the user using the second digital signature at a second predefined time;
• and
• detecting a plurality of atomic motions implemented using the user device,
• wherein the mnemonic-aided secrets are sensory based mnemonics,
• wherein the first digital signature is a first combination of one or more secrets and one or more atomic motions associated with the secrets implemented on the user device,
• wherein the second digital signature is a second combination of one or more secrets and one or more atomic motions associated with the secrets implemented on the user device,
• wherein the digital signature scheme uses an image based mnemonic as one of the mnemonic-aided secrets to authenticate the user, wherein detecting the plurality of atomic motions is implemented on a touch screen,
• wherein the image based mnemonic comprises an image displayed on the touch screen that includes one or more image objects that allows the user to remember the secrets,
• wherein the secrets correspond to one or more points that coincide with the image objects and an input order of the points,
• wherein the secrets comprise one or more locations on the image and one or more predefined time intervals that corresponds to the atomic motions that coincide with the image objects, and
• wherein the image based mnemonic corresponds to a series of ordered atomic motions implemented with one or more predefined time intervals.