This invention, in general, relates to electronic postmarking of data. In particular, this invention relates to electronic postmarking of location data.
As described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,677, filed Sep. 29, 2000, by Leo J. Campbell et al. and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTHENTICATING AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, an electronic postmark, or EPM, provides content and temporal integrity and identification authenticity for data, which is transferred over a network. Such EPMs have traditionally been used to authenticate the identity of the sender of a particular message or to authenticate the time/date at which the message was created. Increasingly, however, not only the identity and time/date of creation are important, but also the physical or geographic location of the sender of the message is significant.
Authenticated location or geographic information may be used for many purposes, including, for example, being able to establish with a certain degree of confidence the location at which a particular message or data was created. But, as noted above, the present systems and methods do not permit that. Accordingly, there exists a need for electronic postmarking of location or geographic data.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention permit electronic postmarking of location data.
In one embodiment consistent with the present invention, a method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including user data and location data is provided. The method includes receiving user data from a data acquisition/generation device. The method further includes receiving location data from a location data acquisition/generation device. The method further involves merging the user data with the location data to generate merged data. The method further comprises generating an electronic postmark data structure comprising a hash value of the merged data and a time/date stamp.
Another embodiment consistent with the present invention is a method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including user data and location data. The method includes receiving user data from a data acquisition/generation device. The method further includes receiving location data from a location data acquisition/generation device. The method further involves merging the user data with the location data to generate merged data. The method further comprises generating an electronic postmark data structure comprising a hash value of the merged data, a time/date stamp, and a digital signature.
Yet another embodiment consistent with the present invention is a system for performing electronic post marking of data, including user data and location data. The system includes means for receiving user data from a data acquisition/generation device. The system further includes means for receiving location data from a location data acquisition/generation device. The system further involves means for merging the user data with the location data to generate merged data. The system further comprises means for generating an electronic postmark data structure comprising a hash value of the merged data and a time/date stamp.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments consistent with the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention perform electronic postmarking of data, including location data. Electronic postmarking of location data enables one to authenticate the location data corresponding to a user data. For example, using the location data one may be able to determine the location where a particular image was captured, using for example, a digital camera. As used herein, the term “location data” includes, but is not limited to, data concerning the geographic location, GPS coordinates, position, altitude, longitude, latitude, or the direction of a data acquisition/generation device, such as a digital camera.
As shown in
In one embodiment, data acquisition/generation device may merge the user data and the location data to create merged data, which may then be transferred via an interface connecting data acquisition/generation device 204 and EPM device 206.
The interface connecting data acquisition/generation device 204 and EPM device 206 may be any interface that is capable of transferring information, including an electronic, optical or a combination thereof. In particular, the interface may be a network, such as the Internet, a local area network (wired or wireless). The interface could also be any of the interfaces used to connect electronic devices, for example, a serial or a parallel interface for connecting I/O devices to a computer, a Uniform Serial Bus, IEEE-1394, Bluetooth, or any other interface.
At the user's command, the merged data is sent from data acquisition/generation device 204 to EPM device 206. In one embodiment EPM device 206 may generate an electronic postmarking structure for the merged data and store the electronic postmarking structure locally. The stored electronic postmarking structure may then be transferred to EPM server 208. Alternatively, EPM device 206 may continue storing locally the electronic postmarking structures, which may be later transferred in a batch to EPM server 208.
A plurality of electronic postmark data structures may be stored in the postmark storage unit for transfer in a single batch later. At the user's command, either a single electronic postmark data structure or a plurality of electronic postmark data structures may be transferred to EPM server 302 via secure EPM interface 308. Data, including user data and/or location data may arrive via device interface 312. A key interface (not shown) may accept a private key from an official source, such as the United States Postal Service (USPS), or any other trusted source of private keys (as described in the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,677, filed Sep. 29, 2000).
Location data generator 318 may comprise at least one of a geo-position sensor, an altitude sensor, and a directional sensor. The geo-position sensor may generate longitude and/or latitude information. The altitude sensor may acquire information concerning the altitude of the data acquisition/generation device at the time data, such as a digital picture was acquired. The directional sensor may, for example, provide information concerning the direction in which the data acquisition/generation device, is pointing at the time user data, such as a digital image from a digital camera, was generated.
In stage S.20, location data, including, for example, geo-position coordinates of the data acquisition/generation device, is received by the EPM device. Location data may be received via device interface 312 of
In stage S.30, user data is merged with the location data to create merged data. A software module (which is not shown in
In stage S.40, an electronic postmark data structure is generated. As part of this stage, several sub-stages may occur. In one embodiment, the merged data obtained from the previous stage is hashed using, for example, a one-way hash function. As part of this sub-stage, any known or later developed hash function may be used. In one embodiment, a hash function, which produces a 64-bit key may be used. The hash may then be time/date stamped. Time may be obtained using real-time clock 314 of
In one embodiment, the electronic postmark data structure may be generated comprising the hash value of the merged data and the time/date stamp. Alternatively, the electronic postmark data structure may be generated comprising the hash value of the merged data, the time/date stamp, and a digital signature comprising, for example, a private key. A digital signature may be produced by first performing a secure hash algorithm by using, for example, the Secure Hash Standard FIPS 180-1 on the data to be signed, to produce a secure hash value. The secure hash value may then be processed using a digital signature algorithm (DSA) and a unique private key to produce two data values. These data values may comprise the digital signature, which may then be appended to the hash value and the time/date stamp to form an electronic postmark data structure.
In one embodiment after an electronic postmark data structure is generated, as discussed above, the generated electronic postmark data structure may be stored in a log. Alternatively, a data entry corresponding to the generated electronic postmark data structure may be stored in the log. The log may be located at EPM server 110 of
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 10/474,730, filed Oct. 14, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,741, which was a national entry under 35 U.S.C. §371 for PCT International Application No. PCT/US02/11380, filed Apr. 12, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and which claims priority from: U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/283,139, filed Apr. 12, 2001, by Charles R. Chamberlain and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC POSTMARKING INCLUDING LOCATION DATA, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference; U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,677, filed Sep. 29, 2000, by Leo J. Campbell et al. and titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTHENTICATING AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference; and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US01/47720, filed Dec. 17, 2001, by Charles R. Chamberlain and titled SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC POSTMARKING WITHOUT DIRECTLY UTILIZING AN ELECTRONIC POSTMARK SERVER, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10474730 | US | |
Child | 12830731 | US |