One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an electronic device, a handwriting input operation by a user; acquiring, using a processor, a first input feature information associated with the handwriting input operation; and generating, using a processor, an index based on the first input feature information. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A method and system for using a touch interface to detect a lateral edge of a human hand of a user to selectively reveal an item to the user. The method includes providing a general purpose computer having a main board with program memory, software, a processor and RAM connected in operative communication, providing an interface in operative communication with the processor, the interface being accessible by the user. The interface includes a touch screen that detects multiple points of contact indicative of the lateral edge of the human hand and reveals the item to the user in response to the step of detecting. The interface detects movement of the multiple points of contact and reveals the item at a position on the touch screen determined by the position of the multiple points of contact. Detecting movement further causes the item to track the movement.

A simple gesture control system that permits accurate, simple, and secure input of personal identification numbers (PIN) by visually impaired or blind persons at a payment terminal or automatic teller machine is provided. By the user interface, invisible keys can be selected by simple wiping gestures. Here, any necessity for visual or spoken feedback or localization of operating elements is rendered unnecessary. As a result, blind or visually impaired users can input a secret number by touch operation automatically and without outside help. In this way, account is also taken of the statutory requirements in different countries.

A method of network configuration of a personal identification number (PIN) pads includes receiving a request to upgrade a PIN pad from a merchant or an individual software vendor (ISV) to read microprocessor-enabled or contactless payment vehicles, retrieving a PIN pad configuration hash value from the PIN pad, obtaining current configuration using the hash value, sending instructions to the PIN pad to upgrade the PIN pad over a network if the PIN pad is capable of reading microprocessor-enabled or contactless payment vehicles, and downloading and installing drivers to enable PIN pad readers to read and process at least one of the microprocessor-enabled payment vehicles and contactless payment vehicles according to the instructions. The method further performs additional operations such as updating the PIN pad registry with the PIN pad configuration and enabling the PIN pad to read the microprocessor-enabled or contactless payment vehicles.

A peripheral PINpad is connected to a host terminal. The PINpad includes an integrated camera/scanner, a secure processor, secure storage, and a network interface. The PINpad is configured to process in an independent mode of operation and a host-dependent mode of operation. Images captured by the integrated camera/scanner are decoded on the PINpad. The decoded image information, depending on a processing context, is not provided to and is not available to the host terminal. The PINpad is further configured to perform network interactions with external servers independent of the host terminal.

Architecture and methods may be provided to enable a user to authenticate and complete a cardless transaction at a point-of-sale (“POS”) device. The POS device may include a keypad configured to receive a sequence of keypresses. The POS device may also include a processor configured to record the sequence of keypresses and tag each keypress with a time-stamp. The POS device may include a keypress controller configured to determine from the sequence of keypresses, a number of keypresses, a frequency of each keypress and a time-delay between each keypresss. The sequence of keypresses may be transmitted to a secure transaction network and, using a machine-learning pattern identifier, be configured to identify a pattern to the sequence of keypresses based off of the determined number of keypresses, the frequency and time-delay and then further verify that the pattern matches to a stored pattern to authenticate the cardless transaction.

A device and associated methods for entering a PIN via tapping are disclosed. The device can be configured to determine a number of taps provided by a PIN holder on a touch sensor in representation of a PIN digit and to store the number of taps as a digit in a sequence that represents the PIN. Indications for interaction with the device can be provided to PIN holders in the form of auditory cues. A visually impaired PIN holder may be able to complete a PIN entry process by following the indications for interaction, tapping on a touch sensor a number of times equal to the value of the digit of the PIN to be entered, and performing gestures mapped to commands for the device.

The invention provides a computer-implemented authentication method comprising the step of enabling a user to input an identifier (e.g. a PIN) into an electronic device having a screen and a keypad operable within a keypad zone of the screen; by operating at least one key of the keypad via an image of at least part of a scrambled keypad which is displayed at least partially within the keypad zone. The user's operation of the keypad key via the image generates an encoded version of the user's intended input. In one sense the invention can be perceived as superimposing a non-functional image of a scrambled keyboard over an underlying, functional keypad. The image may be any type of electronic image, and may include a video image. The invention is particularly suited for use with, but not limited to, mobile phones, tablet computer, PCs etc. It can be implemented in any system wherein a user's identity must be verified before access is granted to a controlled resource.

A method of providing fuel to consumers at fuel pumping stations. The method comprises installing a given version of a software update in a fuel pump simulator; testing the given version of the software update in the fuel pump simulator by an automated fuel pump test platform, wherein the testing comprises a personal identification number (PIN) entry robot of the automated fuel pump test platform keying a PIN into a PIN pad of the fuel pump simulator and wherein the PIN pad of the fuel pump simulator is maintained at an angle between 30 degrees relative to horizontal and 60 degrees relative to horizontal; and detecting an error in the given version of the software update by the automated fuel pump test platform.

An input device has a support that has a user control area and that has a coupling area for coupling an object to be monitored to the input device; an electromechanical transducer structure that is coupled both to the user control area and to the coupling area; and a control apparatus that uses the electromechanical transducer structure to implement a user control function of the user control area and further to implement mechanical integrity monitoring of the object to be monitored and/or the support.