Method and apparatus for verifying secure document timestamping

• US 20020120850A1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Schneier, Bruce, Alderucci, Dean P., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,959,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/178
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection; receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device; determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier; determining an indication of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key; providing the indication of the time to the caller; determining an account; and charging a fee to the account.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection;

receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the caller;

determining an account; and

charging a fee to the account.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp is optically detectable on a physical document.

3. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving the timestamp at a central controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a telephone call from the caller.

5. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving a sequence of DTMF signals; and

determining the timestamp based on the DTMF signals.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the sequence is entered by the caller at a keypad.

7. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving a sequence of signals via an interactive response unit (IRU).

8. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving the timestamp via a toll-based telephone line.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the toll-based telephone line is associated with a 900 number.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp comprises a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

11. The method of claim 1, in which determining the account comprises:

receiving an account identifier that identifies the account.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp comprises an account identifier that identifies the account:

13. The method of claim 1, in which the account is associated with the caller.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the account is associated with a third party.

15. The method of claim 1, in which determining the account comprises:

determining the account based on the device identifier.

16. The method of claim 1, in which the account is a prepaid account.

17. The method of claim 17, in which charging the fee comprises:

debiting the account based on the fee.

18. The method of claim 1, in which determining the representation of the time comprises:

performing a cryptographic operation on the timestamp.

19. The method of claim 1, in which determining the representation of the time comprises:

decrypting the timestamp based on the cryptographic key.

20. The method of claim 1, in which providing the representation of the time comprises:

transmitting the representation of the time to the caller.

21. The method of claim 1, in which providing the representation of the time comprises:

displaying the representation of the time to the caller.

22. The method of claim 1, in which determining the cryptographic key comprises:

selecting a database record based on the device identifier, in which the database record comprises the device identifier.

23. A method comprising:

receiving a sequence of DTMF signals from a caller via a telephone connection;

determining a timestamp based on the DTMF signals;

receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the caller;

determining an account; and

charging a fee to the account.

24. A method comprising:

receiving a timestamp from a timestamp recipient via an Internet connection;

receiving a device identifier via the Internet connection, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the timestamp recipient via the Internet connection;

determining an account; and

charging a fee to the account.