FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES,, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)
Title of invention:
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE AUTHENTICATION OF A USER
Applicant
TATA Consultancy Services Limited A company Incorporated in India under The Companies Act. 1956
Having address;
Nirmal Building, 9th Floor,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021,
Maharashtra, India
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present application generally relates to user authentication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Authenticating a user remotely or otherwise is essential in order to maintain privacy and security of data and rights in an electronic environment. Authenticating gateways have now become an integral part of life, as they are a requisite everywhere, whether in automated teller machines (ATM's) or for authenticating access of an internet based user account. In general, a good authentication process should not only be secure but also needs to be user friendly and easy to administer. The ease of administration is issue that is more serious when it comes to authentication of a person who is visually impaired or challenged. A visually challenged person is more conscious and concerned with regard to pot ential theft of password while being authenticated.
Use of password is most widely practiced form of authentication; however, passwords are vulnerable to phishing and tedious to manage due to plurality of user accounts that one user has to manage. Moreover, most passwords are easy to crack/guess or without the intention of the user stored by the browsers and can be misused later.
Another method of authentication that is considered to be a promising alternative is Biometrics, in which the unique biological or behavioral characteristics of a person, e.g., face, fingerprint, iris, speech, etc., is used in the authentication procedure. However, such methods are inconsistent universally, not acceptable, and are capital
extensive.
Thus, the concerns regarding efficient and user friendly means for user authentication still remain and more so for the users who are visually challenged. So, there is a long felt need of a system and a method that avoids manual input of a password for

authentication of a user specially who is visually challenged, using a manner, which is simplified, secure, and friendly.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of a present invention is to provide a system and a method that enables secure authentication of a user involving a single or a double action using a single input means.
Another object of the invention is to allow a user to select and identify a selected password from a played pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed audible text content generated by the said system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to enable a method for authenticating a user without asking such user a password as typewritten input.
Yet another object of the invention is to enable a method and system for user authentication that is user friendly and secure for use by a visually impaired or challenged person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Before the present system and method, enablement are described, it is to be understood that this application is not limited to the particular system, and methodologies described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention introduces a system and a method for securely authenticating any person especially a visually challenged person, hereinafter referred as a 'user', in a single or a double action using a single input means. The system generates and

plays a first audible text content and user is then allowed to select a password as a particular word or a phrase from the played first audible text content. Selection of a password is done by a single or a double key press. When the user intends to select the particular word as the password from the played first audible text content, he/she presses the key, a single time after completion of such word in the played first audible text content. The system stores the time and the value of the key press while selecting the password. At the time of authentication, pseudo-sernantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text content is played to the user. The second audible text content contains the selected password at a random position when it is played to the user for the authentication process. The user is allowed to identify the selected password and confirm it with the single key press immediately after the completion of the selected password is played in the played second audible text content. The present invention uses a cryptographic hash function for storing the password and authenticating the user. Thus, upon matching of the password in the second audible text content, the user is authenticated successfully.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings various stages of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific apparatus and method disclosed in the drawings.
Figure 1 is the block diagram of the system (100) illustrating the multiple embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 2 is the illustration of the user authentication method (200) according to one aspect of the present invention

Figure 3 is the illustration of a user authentication method (300) according to another aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will now be described with respect to various embodiments. The following description provides specific details for understanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of the invention. The words "comprising," "having," "containing." and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.
The invention provides a system and a method for enabling a user to designate and identify a word or phrase from audible text content in order to authenticate a user, characterized by employing only a single or a double action using a single input means.
The single input means can be a key. a button, a switch, a dial, a toggle or a sensing device. The said single action can be pressing of the key, pressing of the button, pressing of the switch, dialing of the dial, toggling of the toggle or a vocal input provided to the sensing device.
In an embodiment of the invention the system comprises a first audio generator configured to generate and play a first audible text content, allowing user to designate a password; a second audio generator configured to randomly generate and play a pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text content, allowing user to identify the designated password; an input means configured for capturing the user input for designating and authenticating the said designated password, a processor as well as a machine readable medium that stores a set of

instructions for execution by the said processor thereby causing the system to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the said system comprises an authentication terminal capable for authenticating a user. The authentication terminal further comprises a processor, a computer readable medium, an audio generator and an input means, wherein the audio generator is capable for generating first audible text content and a pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text content. The said authentication terminal is essentially a hardware selected from the group comprising of Personal Computer, Laptop,. Hand-Held Communication Device, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), or a Kiosk etc. Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the method for authentication described herein.
Preferably the first audible text content can be a vocabulary, a story, a paragraph, news, a poem, a script, a novel, writing, a literature or a natural language text generated by a means of a computer program, wherein the said computer program stored in the machine readable medium.
In an embodiment the second audible text content includes a pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed audible text which can be a vocabulary, a story, a paragraph, a news, a poem, a script, a novel, a writing, a literature or a natural language text generated by a means of a computer program stored in the machine readable medium.
The term "machine-readable medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that causes the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure.

The first audible text content generated by the said audio generator is audio played to the user for password selection. The user is prompted to select a particular word or a phrase as the password in the played first audible text content. If the user wishes to select the particular word as the password, he/she presses the key a single time after the completion of that particular word in the audio played first audible text content.
In an alternate scenario if the user responses with a double key press the audio phrase played between the two key inputs is selected and designated as the password.
In either case, the system records the selected password from the played audio content (whether word or phrase) and stores it for future password authentication cycles.
During authentication, the system audio plays the second audible text content, which is pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed audible text that contains the earlier designated password at a random position. Preferably natural language generation techniques are used for generating pseudo-semantically- meaningful text content. Though no specific algorithm is suggested for generating pseudo-semantically- meaningful text content using natural language generation technique, it is obvious for the person skilled in the art to use any of the algorithms available in the art. The technique enables the language generation using pre-stored one or more sentences or words.
Once such second audible text content is played to the user, he/she identifies and confirms the previously selected password by the single or the double key press using the input means depending upon the type of the password that has been chosen. The system receives the user input response of the key press and then matches the identified password with the recorded password, which is stored in the password store in the computer readable media. Upon successful matching of the identified and the recorded password, the authentication terminal authenticates the user.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the user is authenticated by using cryptographic hash function. Thus, the present invention provides a secured way to authenticate the user in the single or the double input action using the single input means.
Next, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on drawings.
Figure 1 is the architecture diagram of the system (100) illustrating the multiple embodiments of the present invention. The system (100) comprises of a authentication terminal, a hardware (102) accessible to the user (108), wherein the authentication terminal (102) further comprises of the audio generator (104), the input means (106) as well as computer readable media and processor (not shown in the drawing). The said authentication terminal (102) is configured for receiving the user input and then authenticating the user (108). The audio generator (104) embedded within the authentication terminal (102) is capable for generating and audio playing the first and the second audible text content for password selection and user authentication respectively. The authentication terminal (102) generates and audio plays the first audible text content to the user (108), upon which the said user (108) selects the particular word or the pass phrase as the password by the single or the double key press respectively via user input means (106). When the user (108) wants to select the particular word as the password from the played first audible text content, the selection is done by the user (108) just by the single key press via user input means (106). As soon as the word is heard by the user (108) in the played first audible text content, the user (108) immediately responses with the single key press via user input means (106) and the authentication terminal (102) saves or records the selected word as the password in the password store or in the memory of the authentication terminal (computer readable media).

At the time of user authentication, the audio generator (104) plays pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text content. The generated second audible text content contains the selected password at a random position. When the second audible text content is audio played to the user (108), the authentication terminal (102) provides an opportunity to the user (108) to identify the selected password. The user (108) identifies and confirms the selected password by the single key press if the selected password is the word or by the double key press if the selected password is the phrase. Upon receiving the user input in the single or the double key press, the authentication terminal (102) matches the identified password with the stored password using a cryptographic hash function. When the identified password selected from the played second audible text content matches with the stored password, which has been selected from the played first audible text content during the time of password selection, the authentication terminal (102) authenticates the user (108). Thus, the present invention authenticates the user (108) with a single or a double key press without inputting the password in its actual physical form.
Figure 2 is the illustration of the user authentication method (200) according to one aspect of the present invention. The said user authentication method (200) generates and audio plays the first audible text content (202) for allowing the user to select the password. In one aspect of the present invention, the user selects the particular word as the password. Here the user listens to the played first audible text content (202) and selects the particular word "spiritually" (204) as the password by the single key press using the input means. The selected word "spiritually" (204) is stored in the password store or in the memory of the authentication terminal with a time value is assigned to it as "Tw'; (206). The authentication terminal remembers the time value i.e., "Tw" (206) when the key is pressed. The stored time value i.e., "Tw" (206) is used to fetch the stored password at the time of user authentication. At the time of user authentication by the authentication terminal, the pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text content (208) is played to the user. The

generated second audible text content (208) contains the password i.e., "spiritually" (204) which has been selected from the played first audible text content (202) during password selection time. During the user authentication process, the second audible text content (208) is played to the user (108), for allowing the user to identify the selected password and confirming it with the single key press using input means. The user listens the played second audible text content (208) and responds with the single key press as soon as he/she comes across the selected password i.e.. "spiritually" (204) in the played second audible text content (208). The authentication terminal matches the identified password i.e.. "spiritually" (204) of the second audible text content (208) with the selected password i.e., "spiritually'' (204) of the first audible text content (202). As the time value of the identified password i.e., "Tw" (206) of the second audible text content (208) matches with the time value of the selected password i.e., "Tw" (206) of the first audible text content (202), the user is authenticated by the authentication terminal. Thus, the user is authenticated in a single action using a single input means. Hence, the present invention provides a method for secure authentication without inputting the password in its actual physical form, thereby providing a secure and efficient authentication procedure.
Figure 3 is the illustration of a user authentication method (300) according to another aspect of the present invention. According to this aspect of the present invention, the user can designate 'a phrase' as the password. The said user authentication method (300) according to the present invention generates and plays the first audible text content (302) for allowing the user to select the password. In this scenario, the user selects the phrase as the password. Here the user listens the played first audible text content (302) and selects the phrase i.e., "They have come to assist you through a difficulty" (304) as the password by the double key press, in the beginning and after the completion of the said phrase. The selected phrase "They have come to assist you through a difficulty" (304) is stored in the password store or in the memory of the authentication terminal and a time value is assigned to it as "Tph" (306).

The stored time value i.e.. "Tph" (306) is used to fetch the stored password at the time of user authentication. At the time of user authentication by the authentication terminal (102), the pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed second audible text (308) is played to the user (108). The generated second audible text content (308) contains the selected phrase i.e., "They have come to assist you through a difficulty" (304) which has been selected from the played first audible text content (302).
During the user authentication process, as the second audible text content (308) is audio played to the user, the user is prompted to identify the password phrase and confirm it with the double key press using user input means. The user listens the played second audible text content (308) and responds with the first key press when he/she come across the first word of the selected phrase i.e.. "They" and presses the key second time when he/she come across the last word of the selected phrase i.e., "difficulty" in the audio played second audible text content (308). The authentication terminal (102) matches the identified password/passphrase i.e., "They have come to assist you through a difficulty" (304) of the played second audible text content (308) with the stored password/passphrase i.e., "They have come to assist you through a difficult"' (304) and upon the successful match, the user is authenticated by the authentication terminal.
The methodology and techniques described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can be performed using authentication terminal (a hardware) or other computing device within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the hardware to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed above.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor.

The illustrations of arrangements described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of methods and system that might make use of the structures described herein.
Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications, persons skilled in the art can, in light of this teaching, generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the invention described herein.

We Claim:
1. A method for user authentication enabling such user to designate and identify a word from an audible text content, wherein the said method comprises processor implemented steps of:
a. generating and playing a first audible text content;
b. allowing the user to designate the word as a password in the played first
audible text content with a single action of an input means, the said action
being performed immediately upon completion of the said designated
password in such played audible text content;
c. generating and playing a second audible text content randomly comprising
the said designated password;
d. prompting the user to identify the said designated password in the played
second audible text content by the single action of the input means, the
said action being immediately performed upon identification and
completion of the said designated password in such played audible text
content; and
e. authenticating the user upon matching of the password.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first audible text content is selected from a vocabulary, a story, a paragraph, a news, a poem, a script, a novel, a writing, a literature extract or a natural language text generated by means of a computer program.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second audible text content comprises a pseudo-semantically-meaningful artificially constructed audible text

4. A method for user authentication enabling said user to designate and identify a phrase from an audible text content, wherein the said method comprising processor implemented steps of:
a. generating and playing a first audible text;
b. allowing the user to designate the phrase as a password in the played first
audible text content with a double action of an input means, the said action
being performed immediately upon completion of the said designated
password in such played audible text content;
c. generating and playing a second audible text content randomly comprising
the said designated password;
d. prompting the user to identify the said designated password in the played
second audible text content by the double action of the input means, the
said action being immediately performed upon identification and
completion of the said designated password in such played audible text
content; and
e. authenticating the user upon matching of the password.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said password is a set of words.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first audible, text content comprises a vocabulary, a story, a paragraph; a news, a poem, a script, a novel, a writing or a literature,
7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second audible text content comprises a pseudo-semantically-meaningful, artificially constructed audible text

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the double action of the said input means is a two consecutive instances of an action of the input means, the duration there between the two instances allowing the user to designate the said plurality of words occurring within the proximity of the first instance.
9. A system for password designation and user authentication in a single action, wherein the system comprises of:
a. a first audio generator configured to generate and play a first audible text
content, allowing user to designate a password;
b. a second audio generator configured to randomly generate and play a
second audible text content, allowing user to identify the designated
password;
c. an input means configured for capturing the user input for designating and
authenticating the said designated password;
d. a processor: and
e. machine readable medium that stores a set of instructions for execution by
the said processor.
10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first audible text content comprises a vocabulary, a story, a paragraph, a news, a poem, a script a novel, a writing, a literature, or the natural language text generated by means of a computer program.
11. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second audible text content comprises an artificially generated pseudo semantic meaningful audible text

selected randomly from a group of the vocabulary, the story, the paragraph, the news, the poem, the script the novel, the writing or the literature.