Digital signature collection and authentication

• US 20020176577A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Jianping
• Granted Patent: US 7,279,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/37 based only on signature signals such as velocity or pressure, e.g. dynamic signature recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature

Abstract

A digital signature collection and authentication system includes an ink pen having an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receivers. A computer triangulates the location of the pen versus time to generate the signature shape, and to generate velocity and acceleration data. The pen also includes a pressure sensitive tip to record pressure applied to the pen tip. The pen also includes a higher frequency burst transmitter useful to generate a time reference, and to transmit the pressure information. The computer packetizes the shape, velocity, acceleration, and pressure data with a time stamp and an IP address or phone number, encrypts the packet and sends it to a host computer for authentication.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic pen comprising:

a pressure sensitive tip to generate a pressure signal;

an ultrasonic transmitter to transmit pulses for position determination; and

a second transmitter to transmit the pressure signal.

2. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive tip includes an ink dispenser.

3. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter and the second transmitter emit energy at different frequencies.

4. The ultrasonic pen of claim 3 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter emits ultrasonic energy between substantially forty kilohertz and eighty kilohertz.

5. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 further comprising a pressure activated switch coupled to a first end of the pen, wherein the pressure activated switch is operable to turn on the ultrasonic transmitter when pressure is applied to the first end of the pen.

6. The ultrasonic pen of claim 5 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter comprises a piezoelectric material.

7. The ultrasonic pen of claim 6 wherein the piezoelectric material is arrange in a cylinder.

8. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 wherein the second transmitter comprises an infrared transmitter.

9. The ultrasonic pen of claim 8 wherein the second transmitter is configured to provide a time reference signal.

10. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 wherein the second transmitter comprises a radio frequency transmitter.

11. The ultrasonic pen of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic transmitter and the second transmitter are burst transmitters.

13. The digital signature collection system of claim 12 further comprising a computer coupled to the first and second ultrasonic receivers and the higher frequency receiver.

14. The digital signature collection system of claim 13 wherein the computer is configured to receive time-of-arrival data from the first and second ultrasonic receivers, and configured to receive pressure signal information from the higher frequency receiver.

15. The digital signature collection system of claim 14 wherein the computer is further configured to determine a location of the ultrasonic pen versus time, a velocity of the ultrasonic pen versus time, and an acceleration of the ultrasonic pen versus time.

16. The digital signature collection system of claim 12 wherein the higher frequency receiver comprises an infrared receiver.

17. The digital signature collection system of claim 12 wherein the higher frequency receiver comprises a radio frequency receiver.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein preparing for comparison comprises encrypting.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining velocity of the ultrasonic transmitter versus time, from the ultrasonic energy.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining acceleration of the ultrasonic transmitter versus time, from the ultrasonic energy.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein preparing comprises:

encrypting the signature shape, the applied pressure, and the acceleration into a packet; and

sending the packet to a processor for comparison with a reference signature that includes signature shape, applied pressure, and acceleration.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein preparing further comprises combining an IP address in the packet.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein preparing further comprises combining a phone number in the packet.

26. The article of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises:

determining velocity of the ultrasonic transmitter versus time, from the information received from the plurality of ultrasonic receivers.

27. The article of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises:

encrypting the location, the pressure, and the velocity into a packet; and

sending the packet to a processor for comparison with a reference that includes location, pressure, and velocity.

28. The article of claim 27 wherein the method further comprises encrypting location information into the packet.

29. The article of claim 27 wherein the method further comprises comparing the packet with the reference.

12. A digital signature collection system comprising:

a first ultrasonic receiver;

a second ultrasonic receiver mountable on a surface a distance from the first ultrasonic receiver;

a higher frequency receiver; and

an ultrasonic pen having an pressure sensitive ink cartridge to dispense ink and to generate a pressure signal, the ultrasonic pen being configured to transmit the pressure signal to the higher frequency receiver, and to transmit ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic receivers.

18. A method of operating a digital signature collection system comprising:

receiving ultrasonic energy at a plurality of ultrasonic receivers;

receiving pressure information at a higher frequency receiver;

determining a location of an ultrasonic transmitter versus time, from the ultrasonic energy to determine a signature shape;

determining an applied pressure versus time, from the pressure information; and

preparing the signature shape and the applied pressure for comparison with a reference.

25. An article having a machine-readable medium, the machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for a method comprising:

determining the location of an ultrasonic transmitter versus time, from information received from a plurality of ultrasonic receivers; and

determining applied pressure versus time, of pressure applied to the ultrasonic transmitter from information received by a higher frequency transmitter.