Methods for encrypting and decrypting electronically stored medical records and other digital documents for secure storage, retrieval and sharing of such documents
First Claim
1. A method for protecting an electronic file from unauthorized access, copying or alteration, comprising:
- (a) providing a plaintext file that includes blocks of original binary data to be encrypted, said blocks having a given length and a maximum possible integer value;
(b) providing a first key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 or 1 and above by the maximum possible integer value of the blocks of binary data to be encrypted;
(c) providing a second key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 and above by the predetermined number of indexed integer values included in the first key;
(d) providing a key algorithm that relates the first and second keys together;
(e) selecting from the plaintext file a block of binary data to be encrypted;
(f) selecting, according to the key algorithm, an integer value from the second key;
(g) inputting, according to the key algorithm, the integer value selected from the second key into the first key so as to obtain one or more integer values;
(h) performing an XOR process on the block of original binary data using the one or more integer values obtained from the first key so as to generate a block of encrypted binary data; and
(i) repeating steps (e)-(h) until a desired portion the plaintext file has been encrypted so as to yield a ciphertext file including blocks of encrypted binary data.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for encrypting and decrypting electronic files and then limiting the ability to copy, alter or send the decrypted information so as to preserve the integrity of the file. The encryption and decryption systems involve an essentially symmetric cipher or key system in which the same key is used to both encrypt the original plaintext and decrypt the resulting ciphertext. The key, or cipher, includes public and private components. The “public key” is typically stored and sent together with the encrypted file in the form of a unique file type that includes the public key appended to the front encrypted file portion. A new public key is typically generated for each electronic file that is encrypted. The “private key” is known only to the encrypting and decrypting parties and may be used to encrypt and decrypt multiple files, or it may be uniquely generated for each encrypted file. It may be hard-coded within the decryption software provided to the decrypting party, or it may be obtained by means of a secure password-protected login procedure. The software utilized in decrypting the encrypted file may also provide limited output, such as merely the ability to view and/or print a hard copy of the decrypted file.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for protecting an electronic file from unauthorized access, copying or alteration, comprising:
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(a) providing a plaintext file that includes blocks of original binary data to be encrypted, said blocks having a given length and a maximum possible integer value;
(b) providing a first key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 or 1 and above by the maximum possible integer value of the blocks of binary data to be encrypted;
(c) providing a second key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 and above by the predetermined number of indexed integer values included in the first key;
(d) providing a key algorithm that relates the first and second keys together;
(e) selecting from the plaintext file a block of binary data to be encrypted;
(f) selecting, according to the key algorithm, an integer value from the second key;
(g) inputting, according to the key algorithm, the integer value selected from the second key into the first key so as to obtain one or more integer values;
(h) performing an XOR process on the block of original binary data using the one or more integer values obtained from the first key so as to generate a block of encrypted binary data; and
(i) repeating steps (e)-(h) until a desired portion the plaintext file has been encrypted so as to yield a ciphertext file including blocks of encrypted binary data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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23. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
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(a) providing a plaintext file that includes blocks of original binary data to be encrypted, said blocks having a given length and a maximum possible integer value;
(b) providing a first key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 or 1 and above by the maximum possible integer value of the blocks of binary data to be encrypted;
(c) providing a second key that includes a number of indexed integer values selected from a set bounded below by 0 and above by the predetermined number of indexed integer values included in the first key;
(d) providing a key algorithm that relates the first and second keys together;
(e) selecting from the plaintext file a block of binary data to be encrypted;
(f) selecting, according to the key algorithm, an integer value from the second key;
(g) inputting, according to the key algorithm, the integer value selected from the second key into the first key so as to obtain one or more integer values;
(h) performing an XOR process on the block of original binary data using the one or more integer values obtained from the first key so as to generate a block of encrypted binary data; and
(i) repeating steps (e)-(h) until a desired portion the plaintext file has been encrypted so as to yield a ciphertext file including blocks of encrypted binary data.
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26. A method for protecting an electronic file sent over the Internet from unauthorized access, copying or alteration, comprising:
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(a) encrypting a plaintext file using an encryption algorithm, a public key, and a private key so as to generate a ciphertext file;
(b) storing the ciphertext file together with the public key so as to yield a composite file of a unique file type;
(c) sending the composite file to an authorized decrypting party over the Internet;
(d) separately providing the decrypting party with the private key and a decryption algorithm corresponding to the encryption algorithm which, together with the public key provided as part of the composite file, allow the decrypting party to at least partially decrypt the ciphertext file and restore at least a portion of the plaintext file.
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33. A method for decrypting an encrypted file while preventing or inhibiting copying, alteration or sending of decrypted plaintext data, comprising:
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(a) providing a decrypting party with a ciphertext file, a decryption algorithm and key necessary to decrypt the ciphertext file so as to restore at least a portion of a plaintext file corresponding to the ciphertext file, and an output algorithm integrated with the decryption algorithm and key that permits at least one of viewing or printing of information relating to the plaintext file but which prevents or inhibits copying, alteration or transmission of said information;
(b) permitting the decrypting party to decrypt the ciphertext file using the decryption algorithm and key so as to restore at least a portion of the plaintext file corresponding to the ciphertext file, wherein the output algorithm permits at least one of viewing or printing of the information relating to the plaintext file but which prevents or inhibits copying, alteration or transmission of said information. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification