Method and apparatus for the secure storage of audio signals

• US 20030115451A1
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Thomas M. Sparico
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Sparico, Thomas M., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/258 Service state indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/609 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recording audio so that the recording can be authenticated as to both content and time of recording is provided. The system may be implemented as a central server that is accessed via one or more telephone lines, or as a stand-alone unit. The system operates by encrypting audio information, storing the encrypted information, and providing users with a cryptographic key that can be used to decrypt the stored information. Preferably, time stamps are embedded in the stored information. Digital signatures may be used to provide additional security.

Claims

1. A secure audio signal storage apparatus comprising:

a signal receiving interface for receiving audio signals from a signal source;

an encryption processor for encrypting the received audio signals;

a storage device for storing the encrypted audio signals;

a crypto-key generator for generating a crypto-key and transmitting the crypto-key to a destination, wherein the crypto-key can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

a message ID generator for generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the destination; and

a database for storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a crypto-key receiving interface for receiving the crypto-key;

a decryption processor for decrypting the stored encrypted audio signals using the crypto-key; and

a signal transmitting interface for transmitting the decrypted audio signals to a signal destination.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage device comprises a file server for storing a plurality of messages, each of said messages comprising encrypted audio signals.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal receiving interface comprises a microphone.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal receiving interface comprises a telephone line interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal receiving interface comprises a computer network connection.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio signals.

9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to store a digital signature associated with the stored audio signals.

10. A secure audio signal storage apparatus comprising:

an audio signal receiving interface for receiving first audio signals from a first audio signal source, and for receiving second audio signals from a second audio signal source;

an encryption processor for encrypting the received audio signals;

an audio signal storage device for storing the encrypted audio signals;

a crypto-key generator for generating a crypto-key and transmitting the crypto-key to a first destination and a second destination, wherein the crypto-key can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

a message ID generator for generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the first destination and the second destination; and

a database for storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a crypto-key receiving interface for receiving crypto-keys;

a message ID receiving interface for receiving message IDs;

a controller for retrieving the stored audio signals based on the message ID received by said message ID receiving interface;

a decryption processor for decrypting the stored audio signals using the crypto-key received by said crypto-key receiving interface; and

an audio signal transmitting interface for transmitting the decrypted audio signals to an audio signal destination.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

an access code controller for generating a first access code and a second access code, storing the access codes in the database so that the access codes are associated with the stored audio signals, transmitting the first access code to the first destination, and transmitting the second access code to the second destination;

an access code receiving interface for receiving at least one of the first access code and the second access code; and

an authorizer for authorizing playback of the stored audio signals when said access code receiving interface receives an access code that matches at least one of the first access code and the second access code.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the authorizer permits the modification and deletion of the stored audio signals when said access code receiving interface receives an access code that matches the first access code and an access code that matches the second access code.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said audio signal receiving interface comprises a first telephone line and a second telephone line.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said audio signal receiving interface comprises a first computer network connection and a second computer network connection.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio signals.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a controller adapted to store a digital signature in the database, associated with the stored audio signals.

19. A secure audio signal storage apparatus comprising:

an audio signal receiving interface for receiving first audio signals from a first audio signal source, and for receiving second audio signals from a second audio signal source;

an encryption processor for encrypting the received audio signals;

an audio signal storage device for storing the encrypted audio signals;

a crypto-key generator for generating a first crypto-key and transmitting the first crypto-key to a first destination, and for generating a second crypto-key and transmitting the second crypto-key to a second destination, wherein either of the crypto-keys can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

a message ID generator for generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the first destination and the second destination; and

a database for storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:

a crypto-key receiving interface for receiving crypto-keys;

a message ID receiving interface for receiving message IDs;

a controller for retrieving the stored audio signals based on the message ID received by said message ID receiving interface;

a decryption processor for decrypting the stored audio signals using at least one of the first crypto-key and the second crypto-key received by said crypto-key receiving interface; and

an audio signal transmitting interface for transmitting the decrypted audio signals to an audio signal destination.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

an authorizer for authorizing playback of the stored audio signals when said crypto-key receiving interface receives a crypto-key that matches at least one of the first crypto-key and the second crypto-key.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the authorizer permits the modification and deletion of the stored audio signals when said crypto-key receiving interface receives a crypto-key that matches the first crypto-key and a crypto-key that matches the second crypto-key.

23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said audio signal receiving interface comprises a first telephone line and a second telephone line.

24. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said audio signal receiving interface comprises a first computer network connection and a second computer network connection.

25. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

26. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio signals.

27. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a controller adapted to store a digital signature in the database, associated with the stored audio signals.

28. A secure audio signal storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of audio signal receiving interfaces for receiving a plurality of audio signals from a plurality of audio signal sources;

an encryption processor for encrypting the plurality of received audio signals and outputting a plurality of encrypted audio signals, each encrypted audio signal corresponding to a time during which a given one of the audio signal receiving interfaces is active;

an audio signal storage device for storing each of the plurality of encrypted audio signals;

a crypto-key generator for generating a plurality of crypto-keys and transmitting each of the crypto-keys to a respective destination, wherein each of the crypto-keys can be used to decrypt a respective encrypted audio signal;

a message ID generator for generating a plurality of message IDs, each of the message IDs associated with a respective encrypted audio signal; and

a database for storing each of the message IDs and associating each of the message IDs with a respective encrypted audio signal.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

a crypto-key receiving interface for receiving crypto-keys;

a message ID receiving interface for receiving message IDs;

a controller for retrieving a stored audio signal based on the message ID received by said message ID receiving interface;

a decryption processor for decrypting the stored audio signal using a crypto-key received by said crypto-key receiving interface; and

an audio signal transmitting interface for transmitting the decrypted audio signal to an audio signal destination.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein each of said audio signal receiving interfaces comprises a telephone line.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein each of said audio signal receiving interfaces comprises a computer network connection.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a time stamp in each of the plurality of encrypted audio signals.

33. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a controller adapted to embed a plurality of chained hash time stamps in each of the plurality of encrypted audio signals.

34. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a controller adapted to store a digital signature in the database, associated with at least one of the plurality of encrypted audio signals.

35. A system for recording audio communications, comprising:

means for establishing an audio connection with a calling party;

means for receiving an audio communication over said audio connection from said calling party;

means for encrypting said audio communication to provide an encrypted audio communication;

means for storing said encrypted audio communication; and

means for providing a code for decrypting said encrypted audio communication to said calling party.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises means for establishing a telephone connection.

37. The system according to claim 35 wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises a computer network connection and means for transmitting audio data over said computer network connection.

38. The system according to claim 35, further comprising means for embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio communication.

39. The system according to claim 35, further comprising means for embedding a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio communication.

40. The system according to claim 35, further comprising means for storing a digital signature associated with the encrypted audio communication.

41. The system according to claim 35, further comprising:

means for receiving said code from a party; and

means for decrypting the encrypted audio communication using said code.

42. A system for recording audio communications, comprising:

means for establishing an audio connection with at least two parties;

means for accessing an audio communication between said at least two parties;

means for encrypting said audio communication to provide an encrypted audio recording;

means for generating a key which can be used to decrypt said encrypted audio recording;

means for generating at least two access codes, any of which can be used to obtain access to said encrypted audio recording; and

means for transmitting said key to said at least two parties and for transmitting said at least two access codes respectively to said at least two parties such that each party receives a unique access code.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises means for establishing an a telephone connection.

44. The system according to claim 42, wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises a computer network connection and means for transmitting audio data over said computer network connection.

45. The system according to claim 42, further comprising means for embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio recording.

46. The system according to claim 42, further comprising means for embedding a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio communication.

47. The system according to claim 42, further comprising means for storing a digital signature associated with the encrypted audio communication.

48. The system according to claim 42, further comprising:

means for receiving a telephone call from one of said at least two parties;

means for receiving one of said at least two access codes from said one of said at least two parties;

means for receiving said key from said one of said at least two parties;

means for using said one of said at least two access codes to gain access to said encrypted audio recording; and

means for using said key to decrypt said encrypted audio recording.

49. The system according to claim 48, wherein each of said at least two access codes is specific to a particular encrypted audio recording and a particular party.

50. A system for recording audio communications, comprising:

means for establishing an audio connection with at least two parties;

means for accessing an audio communication between said at least two parties;

means for encrypting said audio communication to provide an encrypted audio recording;

means for generating at least two keys, any of which can be used to decrypt said encrypted audio recording; and

means for transmitting said at least two keys respectively to said at least two parties such that each party receives a unique key.

51. The system according to claim 50, wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises means for establishing an a telephone connection.

52. The system according to claim 50, wherein said means for establishing an audio connection comprises a computer network connection and means for transmitting audio data over said computer network connection.

53. The system according to claim 50, further comprising means for embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio recording.

54. The system according to claim 50, further comprising means for embedding a plurality of chained hash time stamps in the encrypted audio communication.

55. The system according to claim 50, further comprising means for storing a digital signature associated with the encrypted audio communication.

56. The system according to claim 50, further comprising:

means for receiving a telephone call from one of said at least two parties;

means for receiving one of said at least two keys from said one of said at least two parties; and

means for using said one of said at least two keys to decrypt said encrypted audio recording.

57. The system according to claim 56, wherein each of said at least two keys is specific to a particular encrypted audio recording and a particular party.

58. A process for recording an audio communication, comprising the steps of:

establishing an audio connection between at least two parties and a remote recording device;

transmitting an audio communication between said at least two parties for recording by said remote recording device; and

receiving from said recording device, for each of said at least two parties, a message ID, a cryptographic key, and one of a plurality of access codes, wherein said message ID, said cryptographic key, and any one of said plurality of access codes is required for future playback of the audio communication recorded by said remote recording device.

59. The process according to claim 58, wherein said step of establishing an audio connection comprises establishing a telephone connection.

60. The process according to claim 58, wherein said step of establishing an audio connection comprises the steps of establishing a computer network connection and transmitting audio data over said computer network connection.

61. The process according to claim 59, wherein said step of establishing a telephone connection comprises the steps of:

establishing a telephone connection between said at least two parties; and

subsequently establishing a telephone connection between said at least two parties and said remote recording device.

62. The process according to claim 59, wherein said step of establishing a telephone connection comprises the steps of:

establishing a telephone connection between a first party and said remote recording device; and

subsequently establishing a telephone connection between a second party and said remote recording device.

63. The process according to claim 58, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a telephone connection with said remote recording device;

transmitting said message ID, said cryptographic key, and one of said plurality of access codes to said remote recording device; and

receiving a playback of the audio communication recorded by said remote recording device.

64. The process according to claim 58, further comprising the step of transmitting digital signatures from said at least two parties to said remote recording device.

65. The process according to claim 58, further comprising the step of transmitting a digital signature from one of said at least two parties to said remote recording device.

66. A process for recording audio signals, comprising the steps of:

receiving audio signals from a signal source;

encrypting the received audio signals;

storing the encrypted audio signals;

generating a crypto-key and transmitting the crypto-key to a destination, wherein the crypto-key can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the destination; and

storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

67. The process according to claim 66, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the crypto-key;

decrypting the stored encrypted audio signals using the crypto-key; and

transmitting the decrypted audio signals to a signal destination.

68. The process according to claim 66, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

69. A process for recording audio signals, comprising the steps of:

receiving audio signals from a first audio signal source and a second audio signal source;

encrypting the received audio signals;

storing the encrypted audio signals;

generating a crypto-key and transmitting the crypto-key to a first destination and a second destination, wherein the crypto-key can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the first destination and the second destination; and

storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

70. The process according to claim 69, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a crypto-key;

receiving a message ID;

retrieving the stored audio signals based on the received message ID;

decrypting the stored audio signals using the received crypto-key; and

transmitting the decrypted audio signals to an audio signal destination.

71. The process according to claim 70, further comprising the steps of:

generating a first access code and a second access code;

storing the access codes in the database so that the access codes are associated with the stored audio signals;

transmitting the first access code to the first destination, and transmitting the second access code to the second destination;

receiving an access code; and

authorizing playback of the stored audio signals when the received access code matches at least one of the first access code and the second access code.

72. The process according to claim 71, further comprising the step of authorizing modification and deletion of the stored audio signals after the first access code and the second access code is received.

73. The process according to claim 69, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

74. A process for recording audio signals, comprising the steps of:

receiving first audio signals from a first audio signal source, and receiving second audio signals from a second audio signal source;

encrypting the received audio signals;

storing the encrypted audio signals;

generating a first crypto-key and transmitting the first crypto-key to a first destination, and generating a second crypto-key and transmitting the second crypto-key to a second destination, wherein either of the crypto-keys can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio signals;

generating a message ID associated with the stored audio signals and transmitting the message ID to the first destination and the second destination; and

storing the message ID and associating the message ID with the stored audio signals.

75. The process according to claim 74, further comprising the steps of:

receiving one of the first crypto-key and the second crypto-key;

receiving a message ID;

retrieving the stored audio signals based on the received message ID;

decrypting the stored audio signals using the received crypto-key; and

transmitting the decrypted audio signals to an audio signal destination.

76. The process according to claim 75, further comprising the steps of:

authorizing playback of the stored audio signals when the received crypto-key matches at least one of the first crypto-key and the second crypto-key.

77. The process according to claim 76, further comprising the step of authorizing modification and deletion of the stored audio signals when both the first crypto-key and the second crypto-key are received in said receiving step.

78. The process according to claim 74, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio signals.

79. A process for recording audio signals, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of audio signals from a plurality of audio signal sources;

encrypting the plurality of received audio signals and outputting a plurality of encrypted audio signals, each encrypted audio signal corresponding to a time during which a given one of the audio signal sources is active;

storing each of the plurality of encrypted audio signals;

generating a plurality of crypto-keys and transmitting each of the crypto-keys to a respective destination, wherein each of the crypto-keys can be used to decrypt a respective encrypted audio signal;

generating a plurality of message IDs, each of the message IDs associated with a respective encrypted audio signal; and

storing each of the message IDs and associating each of the message IDs with a respective encrypted audio signal.

80. The process according to claim 79, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a crypto-key;

receiving a message ID;

retrieving a stored audio signal based on the received message ID;

decrypting the stored audio signal using the received crypto-key; and

transmitting the decrypted audio signal to an audio signal destination.

81. The process according to claim 79, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in each of the plurality of encrypted audio signals.

82. A process for recording audio communications, comprising the steps of:

establishing an audio connection with a calling party;

receiving an audio communication over the audio connection from the calling party;

encrypting the audio communication to provide an encrypted audio communication;

storing the encrypted audio communication; and

providing a code for decrypting the encrypted audio communication to the calling party.

83. The process according to claim 82, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio communication.

84. The process according to claim 82, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the code from a party; and

decrypting the encrypted audio communication using the code.

85. A process for recording audio communications, comprising the steps of:

establishing an audio connection with at least two parties;

accessing an audio communication between the at least two parties;

encrypting the audio communication to provide an encrypted audio recording;

generating a key which can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio recording;

generating at least two access codes, any of which can be used to obtain access to the encrypted audio recording; and

transmitting the key to the at least two parties and transmitting the at least two access codes respectively to the at least two parties such that each party receives a unique access code.

86. The process according to claim 85, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio recording.

87. The process according to claim 85, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a telephone call from one of the at least two parties;

receiving one of the at least two access codes from the one of the at least two parties;

receiving the key from the one of the at least two parties;

using the one of the at least two access codes to gain access to the encrypted audio recording; and

using the key to decrypt the encrypted audio recording.

88. A process for recording audio communications, comprising the steps of:

establishing an audio connection with at least two parties;

accessing an audio communication between the at least two parties;

encrypting the audio communication to provide an encrypted audio recording;

generating at least two keys, any of which can be used to decrypt the encrypted audio recording; and

transmitting the at least two keys respectively to the at least two parties such that each party receives a unique key.

89. The process according to claim 88, further comprising the step of embedding a time stamp in the encrypted audio recording.

90. The process according to claim 88, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a telephone call from one of the at least two parties;

receiving one of the at least two keys from the one of the at least two parties; and

using the one of the at least two keys to decrypt the encrypted audio recording.