Method and system for the supply of data, transactions and electronic voting

• US 10,021,076 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dare, Peter Roy, Owlett, John, Tyabji, Imran Faiz
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/824,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,934 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/463 Electronic voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A method and system for supply of data, including generating a first digital certificate referred (empowerment certificate) signed with a first signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. The empowerment certificate includes attributes of the described entity, information identifying the first signing entity, indication of data relating to the described entity, indication of a source of the data, and identification of a relying entity to which the data can be supplied. The relying entity forwards the empowerment certificate to a source supplying the data indicated in the empowerment certificate. The data may be supplied to the relying entity by a second digital certificate (custom certificate), signed with a second signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. Custom certificates may appear in custom certificate revocation lists. A system and method for transfer of ownership of electronic property from a first entity to a second entity, and a method and system for electronic voting are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for providing a digital signature based on a digital certificate, the system comprising:

a first computer system with a described entity application to generate the digital signature, to sign data, by a private key corresponding to a public key, the signed data including one or more attributes identifying a digital certificate to be generated;

a second computer system with a signing entity application to generate the digital certificate with an electronic signature, the digital certificate including;

one or more attributes of a described entity which are sufficient to obtain the public key;

one or more attributes of the digital certificate which include one or more attributes identifying a signing entity of the digital certificate; and

an indicated period of validity of the digital certificate which begins earlier than the time of generation of the digital certificate;

wherein the period of validity of the digital certificate is a short period in which the digital signature was generated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the described entity generates more than one digital signature which identify the same digital certificate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes identifying the digital certificate to be generated given in the signed data include a serial number.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the serial number is a lowest available serial number which is for a next digital certificate to be generated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein data indicated in the digital certificate includes confirmation of a payment or debt due from the described entity identified in the digital certificate to a relying entity identified in the digital certificate.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a second signing entity that is a third computer system, which provides a second digital certificate which indicates a guarantee of a debt indicated as due in the digital certificate.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second computer system is configured to indicate a change in previously supplied data by supplying a list identifying the second digital certificate relating to the previously supplied data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate includes:

an indication of data relating to the described entity which is to be supplied;

an indication of one or more sources for the data to be supplied; and

one or more attributes identifying one or more relying entities to which the data is to be supplied.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second computer system is configured to supply a list specifying data which is no longer authorised to be supplied to the one or more relying entities.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program product that, when processed by one or more computer systems, causes the one or more computer systems to perform the steps of:

generating a digital signature, to sign data, using a private key corresponding to a public key, the signed data including one or more attributes identifying a digital certificate to be generated; and

generating the digital certificate signed with an electronic signature by a signing entity, the digital certificate including;

one or more attributes of a described entity which are sufficient to obtain the public key;

one or more attributes of the digital certificate which include one or more attributes identifying the signing entity; and

an indicated period of validity of the digital certificate which begins earlier than the time of generation of the digital certificate;

wherein the period of validity of the digital certificate is a short period in which the digital signature was generated.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer program product further causes the one or more computer systems to generate more than one digital signature which identify the same digital certificate.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more attributes identifying the digital certificate to be generated given in the digital signature include a serial number.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the serial number is a lowest available serial number which is used for a next digital certificate to be generated.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein data indicated in the digital certificate includes confirmation of a payment or debt due from the described entity identified in the digital certificate to a relying entity identified in the digital certificate.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program product further causes the one or more computer systems to provide a second digital certificate that indicates a guarantee of a debt indicated as due in the digital certificate.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program product is operable to perform a step of indicating a change in previously supplied data by supplying a list identifying the second digital certificate relating to the previously supplied data.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the digital certificate includes:

an indication of data relating to the described entity which is to be supplied;

an indication of one or more sources for the data to be supplied; and

one or more attributes identifying one or more relying entities to which the data is to be supplied.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program product is operable to perform a step specifying data which is no longer authorised to be supplied to the one or more relying entities.