Secure system for non-covert user authentication and identification

Abstract

A secure system for user authentication comprised of an authentication interface having a character dial and alignment markers is provided. A passcode input module receives user commands to move the character dial with respect to the alignment markers and to record a configuration of the characters with respect to the alignment markers, thereby creating alignment configuration data. A passcode generation module receives at least one of said alignment configuration data from passcode input module and generates a plurality of passcode hypotheses. An authentication module receives the passcode hypotheses and compares the passcode hypotheses with the passcodes of registered users stored in a data store. The passcode hypotheses are updated after each new alignment configuration data entered by the user. The authentication module authenticates a user upon finding a passcode hypothesis matching a stored passcode.