Microsoft patents picture based passwords for Windows 8

SOFTWARE FIRM Microsoft has been granted a patent for sketch-based password authentication for its upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

The patent, numbered 8,024,775, was originally filed on 20 February, 2008, but was only approved yesterday, giving Microsoft legal protection for its novel approach to device security.

The patent covers a graphical method for password authentication that relies on the user to draw a series of patterns to log in. It recognises the patterns, both in terms of size and location, saves them as a password authenticator, and then requires the use to employ those gestures again in order to gain entry.

In some ways the feature is similar to image and text recognition technology in things we are already familiar with, such as optical character recognition (OCR) for scanning and even games like Brain Training for the Nintendo DS, which have fairly reliable accuracy in recognising shapes.

The technology will feature in Windows 8 as Picture Password, both in its standard desktop and mobile Metro interfaces. Users will be able to select an image of their fancy and then make several touch or mouse-based gestures over certain parts of the image as a way to log in.

For example, if a user picks an image of a person's face, the gestures could be a tap on either eye and a semi-circular movement around the mouth. More detailed pictures could end up like a Where's Wally? book, tapping or clicking various hard to find objects on the screen.

The technology will only recognise taps, straight lines and circles, but that will be sufficient for creating detailed and unique picture-based passwords. Eventually more complex movements like the familiar screen pinch might be added to give users greater control over their password choices.

For those who do not fancy this as a method of gaining entry to their computer or tablet, Windows 8 will also feature two other password authentication options, a standard typed password or a PIN. µ