Distributed information system and protocol for affixing electronic signatures and authenticating documents
US6938157B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 17, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2209/60
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system can process a digital representation (DF) of a document with a one-way cryptographic hash function (CHF) to yield a digital fingerprint (DFP) value that is associated with the DF. A document identification number (DID) is created, uniquely associated with the DFP, and with DID and DFP are associated optional credential information (C). A registration certificate DFC that represents an optional electronic signature associated with the document and that includes the DID and DFP is promulgated and archived at a plurality of storage locations. The system can authenticate whether a putative document is the original document by generating a digital fingerprint value for the putative document and comparing it to DFP retrieved from various of the storage locations. Authentication can confirm that the electronic signature is unaltered.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.