JP2017010459A - User authentication method, electronic device and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method that allows a line of sight to implement user authentication.SOLUTION: An electronic device 100 comprises: a display 101; an infrared camera 103; and infrared LEDs 105a and 105b, in which the electronic device has authentication data including a reference pattern preliminarily registered. A computer program is configured to: calculate a coordinate of a line of sight 201 of a user facing the display; receive a start input and an end input determining timing of recognizing a line-of-sight pattern from a keyboard 107; specify the reference pattern corresponding to the line-of-sight pattern 204 which a trajectory of a line-of-sight coordinate formed until reception of the end input after reception of the start input; and compare the specified reference pattern with a reference pattern constituting the authentication data. For users, the reference pattern is easier to be memorized than a character string or numeral string, and can be input in a short time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique in which an electronic device performs user authentication using a line of sight.

  Information processing apparatuses such as personal computers, tablet terminals, and smartphones generally perform user authentication using a password or PIN (personal identification number) entered by a user. Many users tend to select passwords with short strings so that they are easy to remember, but they are easily guessed by third parties. The password and PIN are input from a hardware keyboard or a software keyboard displayed on the touch screen. Alternatively, on a special Internet site, a palette of character strings arranged at random is displayed each time and selected with the mouse in order.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an invention for inputting a password using a line of sight. This document describes that in a password input method using a keyboard, a third party can easily steal a password when entering the password, and uses a line of sight. In the invention of this document, when a user stares at an arbitrary image displayed on the display unit for a certain time or more, the system selects an image corresponding to the line of sight, and associates the order of selecting a plurality of images with registration information. . Patent Document 2 discloses an invention in which a line of sight and keyboard operation are combined and input to an object. This document describes that the input position by the line of sight that continuously moves on the display is determined at the timing of pressing the keyboard.

JP-A-2005-149326 Special table 2013-518316 gazette

  In the invention of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to concentrate the line of sight at a predetermined place for a certain period of time, and it takes time until the input is confirmed, and it is a burden on the user to concentrate the line of sight. In addition, it is possible to prevent a third party in the vicinity from seeing the password by using the line of sight, but the burden still remains for the user to remember the character string or alphanumeric string. Accordingly, there is a need for a method that can reduce user burden and can perform user authentication in a short time.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for performing user authentication with a line of sight. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for user authentication using a line of sight while reducing the burden on the user. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for performing user authentication in a short time using a line of sight. Furthermore, the objective of this invention is providing the electronic device and computer program which implement | achieve such a method.

  In the present invention, an electronic device including a display performs user authentication. The electronic device registers authentication data and a reference pattern constituting the authentication data. Further, the line-of-sight coordinates of the user facing the display are calculated. Further, the reference pattern is recognized from the line-of-sight pattern formed by the line-of-sight coordinate locus. By comparing the line-of-sight pattern with the registered reference pattern, user authentication can be performed with a line-of-sight pattern known only to a genuine user. Since the line-of-sight pattern is an image, it is easier for the user to memorize than a password or PIN composed of a plurality of characters and numbers. For users who are unfamiliar with keyboard operations, the line-of-sight input can be completed in a shorter time than the password input, and thus the authentication time can be shortened.

  The line-of-sight pattern can be extracted from the locus of the line-of-sight coordinates moving continuously on the display using the start input and end input of the input device. The input device may be any device that allows the user to send some signal to the electronic device. If the reference pattern is a figure that can be drawn with a single stroke, the line-of-sight pattern intended by the user can be easily extracted from the locus of the line-of-sight coordinate that moves continuously. The reference pattern can be an open pattern selected by the user from a plurality of reference patterns presented by the electronic device.

  The reference pattern can be a secret pattern that abstracts an arbitrary line-of-sight pattern drawn by the user. Since a confidential pattern is difficult to guess by a third party, it can be used alone as authentication data. However, the security of authentication data can be further enhanced by combining secret information with a secret pattern.

  The reference pattern can be a confidential pattern composed of a plurality of element blocks constituting a guide image that assists in drawing a line-of-sight pattern. In this case, the reference pattern can be easily specified by detecting the element block through which the line-of-sight pattern passes. Since a public pattern can be inferred by a third party, it is desirable to combine secret information that only the user knows with the authentication data. The secret information may be attribute information of the reference pattern such as the drawing direction of the line-of-sight pattern, the start position of the reference pattern, or the drawing area of the line-of-sight pattern on the display. The secret information may include the order of reference patterns recognized from a plurality of line-of-sight patterns to be drawn.

  In this case, a plurality of reference patterns respectively corresponding to a plurality of line-of-sight patterns can be specified from the locus of continuous line-of-sight coordinates upon receiving an intermediate input from the input device. The secret information can be composed of element blocks of the guide image. The input device can be either a keyboard, a touch panel, a microphone, a pointing device, or an acceleration sensor.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for performing user authentication with a line of sight. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for performing user authentication using a line of sight while reducing the burden on the user. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for performing user authentication in a short time using a line of sight can be provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, an electronic apparatus and a computer program that realize such a method can be provided.

It is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of the gaze authentication by the electronic device. 3 is a functional block diagram of elements related to line-of-sight authentication of the electronic device 100. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between the reference pattern 211, the secret information 301, and the authentication data 401. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the open reference pattern 213. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the secret information 301. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the secret information 301. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the secret information 301. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the data structure of the authentication data 401 comprised by the public reference pattern 213 and the secret information 301. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a secret reference pattern 251. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the electronic device 100 authenticates a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the relationship between the line-of-sight pattern 271,273,275,277 and the public reference pattern 213b, 213g, 213k, 213c. It is a figure for demonstrating the other method of line-of-sight authentication. It is a figure for demonstrating the other method of line-of-sight authentication. It is a figure for demonstrating the other method of line-of-sight authentication. It is a figure for demonstrating the other method of line-of-sight authentication.

[Overview]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of line-of-sight authentication by the electronic device 100. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of elements relating to line-of-sight authentication of the electronic device 100. Each of the elements shown in FIG. 2 includes hardware resources such as a processor, system memory, chipset, non-volatile memory and peripheral devices constituting a computer, and software such as a device driver, an operating system, and an application program. Consists of resources. Further, software resources for realizing the present invention can be stored in a disk drive or a non-volatile memory mounted on the electronic device 100. The software resource for realizing the present invention exists in a state of being recorded on a non-volatile recording medium outside the electronic device 100, and can be installed in the electronic device 100 through a network or a portable recording medium.

  Examples of the electronic device 100 include a notebook personal computer, a desktop personal computer, a computer, a tablet terminal, an automatic teller machine (ATM), and a credit card authentication device. In any of these electronic devices, user authentication may be performed in a state where a third party exists in the vicinity. In FIG. 1, the user stares at the line-of-sight position 203 of the image displayed on the display 101. The line-of-sight detection unit 151 (FIG. 2) detects the direction of the line of sight 201. In the present embodiment, it is not necessary to specifically limit the line-of-sight detection technique, but an infrared irradiation method is adopted in one example. The line-of-sight detection unit 151 includes an infrared camera 103 and infrared LEDs 105a and 105b.

  When the infrared LEDs 105a and 105b irradiate the user's eyes with infrared rays, the infrared LEDs 105a and 105b are reflected at a predetermined position (reference point) on the cornea. Since the pupil faces the line-of-sight position 203, the line-of-sight detection unit 151 calculates line-of-sight information indicating the line of sight from the position of the reference point and the position of the pupil from the eye image captured by the infrared camera 103, and the coordinate calculation unit 157. Send to. The coordinate calculation unit 157 calculates the coordinates (line-of-sight coordinates) from the line-of-sight information received from the line-of-sight detection unit 151 using the position of the intersection of the line of sight 201 and the display 101 as the line-of-sight position 203, and sends it to the pattern recognition unit 161.

  The image data generation unit 155 creates image data to be displayed on the display 155. The user input unit 153 sends a timing signal generated according to an operation by a user staring at the display 101 to the pattern recognition unit 161. The user input unit 153 may be anything that can input some signal to the electronic device 100. The user input unit 153 can select various input devices according to the type of the electronic device 100. For example, the user input unit 153 includes a keyboard 107, a touch panel (including a touch screen) and a pointing device such as a mouse, a microphone that collects user's voice, and an acceleration sensor that detects vibration applied to the housing. and so on. Microphones and acceleration sensors are convenient for use with smartphones and tablet terminals.

  The pattern recognition unit 161 recognizes the line-of-sight pattern 204, which is a pattern extracted from the line-of-sight coordinate group corresponding to the locus of the line-of-sight position 203 using a timing signal, and the reference pattern 211 registered by the reference pattern registration unit 159 (FIG. 3). Calculate the similarity to. The pattern recognition unit 161 identifies one of the reference patterns 211 having the highest similarity to the line-of-sight pattern 204 by template matching. The reference pattern 211 can incorporate secret information 301 (FIG. 3) described later by the user. The user can incorporate the secret information 301 in the line-of-sight pattern 204 when the line-of-sight is input. The pattern recognition unit 161 extracts secret information 301 incorporated by the user from the line-of-sight pattern 204. The pattern recognition unit 161 sends the identified reference pattern 211 and the extracted identifier of the secret information 301 to the line-of-sight authentication unit 167.

  The pattern recognition unit 161 instructs the image data generation unit 155 to create image data for the authentication screen. The reference pattern registration unit 159 registers the reference pattern 211 (FIG. 3), the secret information 301 (FIG. 3), and their identifiers. The authentication data registration unit 165 registers authentication data 401 (FIG. 3) composed of the reference pattern 211 and the secret information 301 identifier. The reference pattern registration unit 159 and the authentication data registration unit 165 may be a secure nonvolatile memory of the electronic device 100, or may be provided in an authentication server connected to the electronic device 100 via a network.

  The authentication control unit 163 causes the electronic device 100 to operate in the registration mode or the authentication mode. The authentication control unit 163 causes each element of the electronic device 100 to function in the registration mode, and causes the user to select the reference pattern 211 and the secret information 301 to generate the authentication data 401. The authentication control unit 163 causes each element of the electronic device 100 to function so as to authenticate the user's line of sight in the authentication mode. The authentication control unit 163 registers authentication data 401 composed of the identifier of the reference pattern 211 and the identifier of the secret information 301 in the authentication data registration unit 165.

  The line-of-sight authentication unit 167 compares the identifiers of the reference pattern 211 and the secret information 301 received from the pattern recognition unit 161 with the authentication data stored in the authentication data registration unit 165, and performs user authentication to the user function 169. Send access permission event. The user function includes an application program and provides services to the user after successful authentication. 2 may be provided outside the electronic device 100 and connected to the electronic device 100 via a network.

[Relationship between reference pattern, confidential information, and authentication data]
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the relationship among the reference pattern 211, the secret information 301, and the authentication data 401. In one example, the reference pattern 211 includes a public reference pattern 213 and / or a secret reference pattern 251. As an example, the reference pattern 211 is a pattern that can be drawn with a single stroke (one stroke) in a two-dimensional space. Here, one stroke corresponds to being able to draw a writing instrument without separating it from the paper when drawing on paper, and equivalent to being able to draw in a continuous input state when inputting with a pointing device.

  The line-of-sight pattern 204 needs to define the start and end of drawing with some timing signal. The one-stroke pattern is convenient for line-of-sight authentication because the line-of-sight pattern 204 can be specified by two timing signals. The present invention is not limited to a one-stroke pattern, but when a pattern that cannot be drawn with one stroke is adopted, the drawing position is moved from one component to another component until the one-stroke pattern is completed. Timing signal is required. The disclosure reference pattern 213 is a pattern that the authentication control unit 163 displays to the user for selection. FIG. 4 shows public reference patterns 213 a to 213 o as an example of the public reference pattern 213. The reference pattern registration unit 159 registers the public reference patterns 213a to 213o and their identifiers.

  The secret reference pattern 251 is a pattern obtained by the pattern recognition unit 161 abstracting the line-of-sight pattern 204 arbitrarily drawn by the user. FIG. 9 shows secret reference patterns 253 and 255 as an example of the secret reference pattern 251. The reference pattern registration unit 159 registers the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 and their identifiers. Unlike the public reference pattern 213, the secret reference pattern 251 is a pattern created by the user and thus has a confidentiality by itself. When the user moves the line-of-sight position 203, the user generates a timing signal corresponding to the drawing start position and end position through the user input unit 153 to draw the line-of-sight pattern 204 approximated to the public reference pattern 213 or the secret reference pattern 251. be able to.

  Since the publication reference pattern 213 is selected from a plurality of published patterns, a third party can reach it by a plurality of trials. The secret information 301 corresponds to secure information known only by a genuine user that can be incorporated in the line-of-sight pattern 204 and the reference pattern 211. In the present embodiment, security can be improved by incorporating the secret information 301 into the reference pattern 211. In one example, the secret information 301 can be configured with attributes of the reference pattern 211. For example, the authentication data 401 can be configured by combining the public reference pattern 213 or the secret reference pattern 251 and the secret information 301. In another example, the authentication data 401 can be composed of only the secret reference pattern 251.

[Confidential information]
5 to 7 are diagrams for explaining an example of the secret information 301. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example in which the drawing direction when drawing the public reference pattern 213 is used as secret information. The reference pattern 213 that can be drawn with a single stroke has a plurality of drawing directions. The drawing direction is an attribute of the reference pattern 213 and corresponds to secret information that only the user can know. In FIG. 5A, the open reference pattern 204a drawn in the counterclockwise direction and the open reference pattern 204b drawn in the clockwise direction belong to the open reference pattern 203a as pattern shapes, but both are treated as different patterns. Can do.

  The drawing direction is similarly applied as the secret information 301 to the public reference patterns constituting other closed loops such as the public reference patterns 213b, 213c, 213d, 213i, 213j, 213k, 213l, 213m, 213n, and 13o shown in FIG. can do. For the public reference patterns 213e to 213h that do not constitute a closed loop, any one of the upper, lower, left, and right directions can be used as the secret information of the drawing direction. For example, the public reference pattern 213e can have the drawing direction in the upper right direction or the lower left direction. Since the public reference pattern 213o including two closed loops can further define a drawing direction for each loop, more secret information can be included.

  FIG. 5B is a diagram for explaining an example in which a position where drawing of a reference pattern 213 having a vertex is started is used as secret information. The drawing start position is an attribute of the reference pattern 213 and corresponds to secret information that only the user can know. The public reference pattern 213a includes, for example, a public reference pattern 214c drawn from the vertex 215a included in the side 215, a public reference pattern 214d drawn from the vertex 217a included in the side 217, and a side 219 when the drawing direction is counterclockwise. It can be drawn as any of the public reference patterns 214e drawn from the vertex 219a.

  The sides 215, 217, 219 or the vertices 215a, 217a, 219a in the public reference pattern 213a can be used as secret information as a drawing start position. In the closed loop pattern, the drawing start position and the end position coincide with each other. However, in the non-closed pattern such as the public reference patterns 203e to 203h, the start position and / or the end position can be set as secret information.

  FIG. 6 shows a guide image 303 displayed on the display 101 when the line-of-sight pattern 204 is input. The guide image 303 assists the user in inputting a line-of-sight pattern 204 that approximates the reference pattern 211 of the user. For example, the guide image 303 includes a plurality of square element blocks. The shape of the element block need not be limited to a square, but may be a rectangle, a circle, a triangle, or the like. For example, the element block has a checkered pattern in which two color objects are alternately arranged. The checkered pattern makes it easy for the user to recognize the line-of-sight position 203 and input the line-of-sight pattern 204. Therefore, instead of the checkered pattern, a stripe pattern or a lattice pattern may be used, or a pattern may not be provided. The guide image 303 is not an essential element of the present invention.

  Target objects 303a to 303i are defined at the corner and the center of the guide image 303. The coordinates of the target objects 303a to 303i can be used as a drawing start position (FIG. 5B) used as secret information. Further, by using the guide image 303, an area (drawing area) for drawing the line-of-sight pattern 204 on the display 101 can be defined. The drawing area is an attribute of the reference pattern 213 and can be used as secret information that only the user can know.

  For example, in FIG. 6, drawing regions 305 a to 305 d obtained by dividing the guide image 303 into four can be defined. At this time, for example, the user can draw the line-of-sight pattern 204 corresponding to the public reference pattern 213a in one of the drawing areas 305a to 305d or a drawing area that combines the drawing area 305a and the drawing area 305b. Alternatively, the user places the line-of-sight pattern 204 corresponding to the public reference pattern 213h into six regions, ie, four drawing regions 305a to 305d, a pair of drawing regions 305a and 305b, and a pair of drawing regions 305c and 305d. I can draw.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the data structure of secret information 301 a and 301 b as an example of secret information 301. The secret information 301a registers a counterclockwise public reference pattern 214a as a drawing direction, a bottom left vertex 217a as a start position, and a drawing area 305c with respect to the public reference pattern 213a. The secret information 301b shows a state in which the order of a plurality of public reference patterns 213 each associated with the secret information 301 is registered as secret information. Here, the public reference patterns 213a, 213k, and 213g are registered in a meaningful order. The reference pattern registration unit 159 registers the identifiers of the secret information 301a and 301b.

[Authentication data]
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the data structure of the authentication data 401a configured by the public reference pattern 213 and the secret information 301a and 301b. Here, an example is shown in which the authentication data 401a is composed of three public reference patterns 213a, 213k, and 213g, but may be composed of a single public reference pattern 213. The authentication data 401a includes the identifiers of the public reference patterns 213a, 213k, and 213g, the respective drawing directions, start positions, and drawing area identifiers as the secret information 301. The authentication data 401a includes the order of the public reference patterns 213a, 213k, and 213g arranged from the top as a part of the secret information.

[Secret reference pattern]
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining secret reference patterns 253 and 255 as an example of the secret reference pattern 251. The secret reference patterns 253 and 255 obtained by abstracting the line-of-sight patterns 257 and 259 input by the user can be treated as confidential information that only the user knows, although the individuality of the user is diluted. The secret reference patterns 253 and 255 are patterns having a high similarity among a plurality of figures registered in advance by the pattern recognition unit 161 in a plurality of components of the line-of-sight patterns 257 and 259 drawn by the user with the line of sight 201. Apply and create a combination of them.

  The user inputs an arbitrary figure as the line-of-sight patterns 257 and 259 in order to register the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 in the reference pattern registration unit 159. The pattern recognition unit 161 creates secret reference patterns 253 and 255 by combining the line-of-sight patterns 257 and 259 with a plurality of registered figures. The authentication control unit 163 once displays the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 created by the pattern recognition unit 161 on the display 101.

  The user instructs the authentication control unit 163 to register the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 in the reference pattern registration unit 159 when the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 displayed on the display 101 are the intended patterns. As with the public reference pattern 213, the secret reference pattern 251 is a pattern in which a line-of-sight position 203 that continuously moves can be drawn between timing signals corresponding to the start position and the end position. Since the secret reference pattern 251 is confidential information created by the user, it can be used alone for the authentication data 401 without combining the secret information 301, but the start position, the drawing direction, the drawing area, etc. Combining the secret information 301 can make the information more difficult to guess.

[Gaze authentication procedure]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the electronic device 10 performs line-of-sight authentication of the user. In this procedure, both the public reference pattern 213 and the secret reference pattern 251 will be described, but the present invention can be realized by either one or a combination of both. In block 501, the authentication control unit 163 operates each element of FIG. 2 in the registration mode. The authentication control unit 163 displays the public reference pattern 213 on the display 101 and allows the user to select it. The authentication control unit 163 registers the identifier of the selected public reference pattern 213 in the reference pattern registration unit 159. Further, the authentication control unit 163 displays the guide image 303, the image of FIG. 5 or the like on the display 101, and causes the user to select the secret information 301 for the public reference pattern 213 selected. The authentication control unit 163 registers the identifier of the selected secret information 301 in the reference pattern registration unit 159.

  The user selects one or more public reference patterns 213 together with the secret information 301. When the secret reference pattern 251 is employed, the authentication control unit 163 displays an image prompting the user to input a line of sight for registering the secret reference pattern 251 on the display 101. The image can include a guide image 303. The user draws, for example, a line-of-sight pattern 257 (FIG. 9) on the display 101 according to the guidance. The user receives the feedback of the secret reference pattern 253 with respect to the line-of-sight pattern 257 and determines the secret reference pattern 253 when it is satisfied.

  The authentication control unit 163 registers the determined identifier of the secret reference pattern 253 and the identifier of the secret information 301 in the reference pattern registration unit 159 as necessary. The authentication control unit 163 registers the disclosure reference pattern 213, the secret reference pattern 251, and the identifier of the secret information 301 as the authentication code 401 in the authentication data registration unit 165. The user stores the registered public reference pattern 213 or secret reference pattern 253 and secret information 301 in his / her head, and inputs a line-of-sight pattern that approximates the line-of-sight authentication.

  In block 503, the authentication control unit 163 causes the electronic device 100 to operate in the authentication mode and displays an authentication screen on the display 101. A guide image 303 can be included in the authentication screen. When the line-of-sight detection unit 151 detects the line of sight 201 of the user facing the display 101, the coordinate calculation unit 157 starts outputting the line-of-sight coordinates in block 505. In block 507, the user stares at the start position in order to draw the registered reference pattern 211.

  When the start position is set as the secret information 301, the user stares at a predetermined element block of the guide image 303. When the user recognizes that the line-of-sight position 203 overlaps the start position, the user inputs a start from the user input unit 153. The start input is, for example, pressing of an S key that is an arbitrary key on the keyboard 107. The user who made the start input uses the guide image 303 to draw a line-of-sight pattern targeting the reference pattern 211 that reflects the secret information 301 such as the drawing direction and drawing area registered in the display 101.

  The pattern recognition unit 161 that has received the start input starts a process of storing the line-of-sight coordinates received in the block 509 at a predetermined sampling period. In block 511, the pattern recognition unit 161 proceeds to block 551 when it receives an end input from the user input unit 153, and proceeds to block 513 when it does not receive it. The end input can be the same S key as the start input.

  In block 513, the pattern recognition unit 161 returns to block 507 when an intermediate input is received from the user input unit 153, and returns to block 509 when it does not receive it. After receiving the start input, the pattern recognition unit 161 stores the line-of-sight coordinate group received from the coordinate calculation unit 157 until the end input or the intermediate input is received. The intermediate input is input by the user when the authentication data 401 is composed of two or more reference patterns. The intermediate input indicates that one line-of-sight pattern is determined with the line-of-sight coordinate group so far and the line-of-sight input continues further.

  The intermediate input can be performed, for example, by pressing an X key that is an arbitrary key different from the S key of the keyboard 107. In the case where the user input unit 153 is a mouse, start input and end input can be performed with a single click, and intermediate input can be performed with a double click. When the user input unit 153 is an acceleration sensor, start input, end input, and intermediate input can be performed by the number of impacts.

  In block 551, the pattern recognizing unit 161 includes a line-of-sight pattern formed by one line-of-sight coordinate group specified between the start input and the end input, or a plurality of line-of-sight patterns formed by a plurality of line-of-sight coordinate groups divided by intermediate inputs. The reference pattern 211 stored in the reference pattern registration unit 159 is compared to identify the reference pattern 211 having the highest similarity. Further, the pattern recognition unit 161 extracts the secret information 301 from the line-of-sight pattern.

  The pattern recognition unit 161 acquires the identified reference pattern 211 and the extracted secret information 301 identifier from the reference pattern registration unit 159, and sends them to the line-of-sight authentication unit 167. For example, when the line recognition group 161 of the line-of-sight pattern 271 shown in FIG. 11 is acquired, the pattern recognition unit 161 recognizes the public reference pattern 213b, the clockwise drawing direction, the start position 303a, and the secret information of the drawing areas 305a to 305d. To do.

  Further, when the line recognition coordinate group 161 of the line-of-sight pattern 273 is acquired, the pattern recognition unit 161 recognizes the public reference pattern 213g, the downward drawing direction, the start position 303b, and the secret information 301 of the drawing areas 305a to 305d. Also, when the line recognition group 161 of the line-of-sight pattern 275 is acquired, the pattern recognition unit 161 recognizes the public reference pattern 213k, the clockwise drawing direction, the start position 303h, and the secret information 301 of the drawing areas 305n and 305d. Further, when the line recognition coordinate group 161 of the line-of-sight pattern 277 is acquired, the pattern recognition unit 161 recognizes the public reference pattern 213c, the counterclockwise drawing direction, the start position 303e, and the secret information 301 of the drawing area 305c.

  In block 553, the line-of-sight authentication unit 167 determines that the identifier of the reference pattern 211 and the secret information 301 received from the pattern recognition unit 161 and the identifier of the authentication data 401 stored in the authentication data registration unit 165 match. If it is, the user function 169 is notified of successful authentication. The pattern recognition unit 161 can perform user authentication with a smaller processor burden than when performing user face authentication.

[Other gaze recognition methods]
12 to 15 are diagrams for explaining other gaze authentication methods. So far, an example has been described in which the public reference patterns 213b, 213g, 213k, and 231c are specified from the line-of-sight patterns 271 to 277 (FIG. 11) and the secret reference patterns 253 and 255 are specified from the line-of-sight patterns 257 and 259 (FIG. 9). . It may be difficult for an unaccustomed user to input a line-of-sight pattern that can be recognized as the registered reference pattern 211 by the pattern recognition unit 161.

  The method illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 15 can reduce the burden on the user who uses the guide image 303 to perform line-of-sight input. FIG. 12A shows that the filled element block constitutes the secret reference pattern 603. The secret reference pattern 603 is composed of a continuous element block of one stroke that is uniquely formed by the user. The guide image 303 does not have a pattern reminiscent of the secret reference pattern 603. The secret reference pattern 603 can also include secret information 401 (FIG. 8) such as a drawing direction, a start position, and a drawing area.

  FIG. 12B shows a line-of-sight pattern 605 drawn by the user with respect to the secret reference pattern 603. The user moves the line of sight 201 so that the line-of-sight pattern 605 passes through the element block of the secret reference pattern 603. The pattern recognizing unit 161 identifies the secret reference pattern 603 by recognizing the element block through which the line-of-sight position 203 passes between the start input and the end input.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for recognizing an element block through which a line-of-sight pattern 605 moving in an oblique direction has passed. When the element blocks 607a to 607d are arranged adjacent to each other so as to draw a square as a whole, the line-of-sight patterns 605a and 605b will be described as typical paths along which the line-of-sight pattern moves from the element blocks 607a to 607d. . The pattern recognition unit 161 sets a region 609 smaller than the element blocks 607a to 607d at each corner where the vertices of the four element blocks contact.

  The pattern recognition unit 161 determines that the line-of-sight pattern 605a that has passed through the region 609 has moved in an oblique direction, that is, the element block 607a to 607d, and does not pass through the region 609, for example, the line-of-sight pattern that passes through the element block 607c. In step S605b, it is determined that the element blocks 607a, 607c, and 607d have moved in this order. Characters and symbols may be attached to the element blocks of the guide image 303 so that a line-of-sight pattern can be easily drawn. Further, the element blocks constituting the guide image 303 do not have to be arranged adjacent to each other, and may be arranged discretely on the display 101. When the element blocks are arranged discretely, the oblique movement process as shown in FIG. 13 is not necessary.

  FIGS. 14 and 15 are diagrams for explaining a method of line-of-sight authentication using discretely arranged guide images 351. FIG. As an example, the guide image 351 includes 25 circular element blocks arranged discretely. The number and shape of element blocks are not particularly limited. FIG. 14A shows a secret reference pattern 631 composed of nine element blocks 351a to 351i as an example.

  The secret reference pattern 631 is created by the user selecting an arbitrary position and number of element blocks. The line-of-sight pattern 651 in FIG. 14B passes only through the element blocks that constitute the secret reference pattern 631. Since the element blocks are discretely arranged, the line-of-sight pattern can pass through the element blocks constituting the secret reference pattern 631 in any order. For example, the secret reference pattern 631 can be specified by any of the line-of-sight pattern 651 in FIG. 14B, the line-of-sight pattern 653 in FIG. 15A, and the line-of-sight pattern 655 in FIG. The order of the element blocks through which the line-of-sight patterns 651, 653, and 655 pass can be a part of the secret information 301 in addition to the start position, the drawing direction, the drawing position, and the like.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

100 Electronic device 101 Display 103 Infrared camera 105a, 105b Infrared LED
201 Line of sight 203 Line of sight position 211 Reference pattern 213, 213a to 213o Open reference pattern 251, 253, 255, 603 Secret reference pattern 204, 257, 259, 271-277, 605 Line of sight pattern 301, 301a, 301b Secret information 303, 351 Guide Images 305a to 305d Drawing area 401, 401a Authentication data 607a to 607d Guide image element block

Claims (18)

For electronic devices with a display,
Registering authentication data and a reference pattern constituting the authentication data;
Calculating line-of-sight coordinates of a user facing the display;
Recognizing the reference pattern corresponding to the line-of-sight pattern formed by the locus of the line-of-sight coordinates;
A computer program for executing a process having Receiving a start input from an input device operated by a user;
Receiving a termination input from the input device,
The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the line-of-sight pattern corresponds to a locus of the line-of-sight coordinates from when the start input is received to when the end input is received.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the reference pattern is a figure that can be drawn with a single stroke.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the reference pattern is an open pattern selected by a user from a plurality of reference patterns presented by the electronic device.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the reference pattern is a secret pattern obtained by abstracting an arbitrary line-of-sight pattern drawn by a user.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the reference pattern is a confidential pattern configured by a plurality of element blocks that configure a guide image that assists drawing of the line-of-sight pattern.   The computer program according to claim 6, wherein the authentication data includes secret information that can be embedded by the user in the line-of-sight pattern to be drawn.   The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the secret information includes a drawing direction of the line-of-sight pattern.   The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the secret information includes a start position of the line-of-sight pattern.   The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the secret information includes a drawing area of the line-of-sight pattern on the display.   The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the secret information includes an order of element blocks constituting the guide image.   The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the secret information includes an order of the reference patterns recognized from the plurality of line-of-sight patterns to be drawn.   The computer program according to claim 1, wherein the input device is any one of a keyboard, a touch panel, a microphone, a pointing device, and an acceleration sensor. An electronic device including a display performs user authentication,
Registering authentication data;
Calculating line-of-sight coordinates of a user facing the display;
Identifying a reference pattern corresponding to the line-of-sight pattern formed by the locus of the line-of-sight coordinates in a predetermined period;
Comparing the identified reference pattern with the authentication data. Displaying a guide image composed of a plurality of element blocks for passing the line-of-sight pattern on the display;
Identifying a plurality of the element blocks through which the line-of-sight pattern has passed,
The method according to claim 14, wherein the comparing includes comparing the authentication data with the identified plurality of element blocks. Identifying the element block from which the line-of-sight pattern started drawing,
The method of claim 15, wherein the comparing includes comparing the identified element block with the authentication data. Identifying the order of the element blocks through which the line-of-sight pattern has passed,
The method according to claim 15, wherein the comparing includes comparing the authentication data with an order of the identified element blocks. An electronic device comprising a display and a user input unit,
An authentication data registration unit for registering a reference pattern;
A coordinate calculation unit that calculates line-of-sight coordinates from the line of sight of the user facing the display;
A pattern recognition unit that identifies the reference pattern from the line-of-sight pattern extracted from the line-of-sight coordinate locus based on a timing signal;
An electronic apparatus comprising: a line-of-sight authentication unit that performs user authentication by comparing the specified reference pattern with the registered reference pattern.

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