Authentication methods apparatus, media and signals

• US 20040102959A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ron Shimon Estrin
• Original Assignee: Ron Shimon Estrin
• Inventors: Estrin, Ron Shimon
• Application Number:
  US10/473,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20040102959A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

Authentication methods, apparatuses, media and signals arc disclosed. A first authentication method involves receiving an authentication voice sample of a user of a tile, and associating the authentication voice sample with the tile to indicate approval by the user or contents of the tile. A second authentication method involves receiving an authentication voice sample, of a user of a file, associated with the file to indicate approval by the user of contents or the file, and further involves validating the authentication voice sample.

Claims

1. An authentication method comprising:

receiving an authentication voice sample of a user of a file; and

associating said authentication voice sample with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein associating comprises associating, as said authentication voice sample, a unique utterance uttered by the user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein associating a unique utterance comprises generating a unique affirmation script.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein generating said unique affirmation script comprises randomly selecting an entry in a lexicon.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein randomly selecting comprises generating a random number and using said number to address an entry location in said lexicon.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein generating said unique affirmation script comprises generating a random phrase.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein generating a random phrase comprises generating a random sentence.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein generating a unique affirmation script comprises randomly selecting a plurality of words and assembling said words into said script.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises randomly selecting a verb from a verb lexicon.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises randomly selecting a noun from a noun lexicon.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises randomly selecting an adjective from an adjective lexicon.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises randomly selecting a preposition from a preposition lexicon.

13. The method of claim 3 further comprising prompting said user to utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising speech-to-text converting said unique utterance to produce a textual representation of said unique utterance.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising comparing said textual representation to said unique affirmation script.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising prompting said user to re-utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script, if said textual representation does not match said unique affirmation script.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein associating comprises storing said authentication voice sample in association with said file.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein storing comprises receiving signals produced in response to an utterance by said user and storing, as said authentication voice sample, data representing said signals.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein storing comprises storing said sample in association with an object in said file.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein storing comprises storing said sample in association with a representation of a signature of said user.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein storing comprises storing said sample in said file.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein storing said sample in said file comprises storing said sample in an embedded stream in said file.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein storing in an embedded stream comprises storing said sample in an object pool portion of a document file.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising storing a timestamp in association with said authentication voice sample.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising retrieving said timestamp from a remote time server.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising storing a validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising generating said validation value in response to contents of said file.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein generating said validation value comprises executing a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects comprising further authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein storing said validation value comprises encrypting said validation value to produce an encrypted validation value and storing said encrypted validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

33. The method of claim 17 further comprising storing a hyperlink in association with said authentication voice sample.

34. The method of claim 17 further comprising activating a revision history feature of said file when said authentication voice sample has been associated with said file.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising validating said authentication voice sample.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein validating comprises indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

37. An authentication method comprising:

receiving an authentication voice sample, of a user of a file, associated with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file; and

validating said authentication voice sample.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein validating comprises audibly playing said authentication voice sample.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein validating further comprises displaying a unique affirmation script indicative of expected contents of said authentication voice sample.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein validating comprises indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein validating comprises generating a validation value in response to contents of said file and comparing said validation value to a stored validation value associated with said authentication voice sample.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein generating said validation value comprises executing a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein generating comprises generating said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein validating further, comprises decrypting an encrypted stored validation value to extract said stored validation value.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein validating further comprises indicating validity of said authentication voice sample if said validation value matches said stored validation value, and otherwise indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein validating comprises comparing signals representing said authentication voice sample to signals representing a comparison voice sample of said user.

49. An authentication apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an authentication voice sample of a user of a file; and

means for associating said authentication voice sample with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said means for associating comprises means for associating, as said authentication voice sample, a unique utterance uttered by the user.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein said means for associating a unique utterance comprises means for generating a unique affirmation script.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said means for generating said unique affirmation script comprises means for randomly selecting an entry in a lexicon.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein said means for randomly selecting comprises means for generating a random number and using said number to address an entry location in said lexicon.

54. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said means for generating said unique affirmation script comprises means for generating a random phrase.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said means for generating a random phrase comprises means for generating a random sentence.

56. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said means for generating a unique affirmation script comprises means for randomly selecting a plurality of words and assembling said words into said script.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein said means for randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises means for randomly selecting a verb from a verb lexicon.

58. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein said means for randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises means for randomly selecting a noun from a noun lexicon.

59. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein said means for randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises means for randomly selecting an adjective from an adjective lexicon.

60. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein said means for randomly selecting a plurality of words comprises means for randomly selecting a preposition from a preposition lexicon.

61. The apparatus of claim 51 further comprising means for prompting said user to utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 further comprising means for speech-to-text converting said unique utterance to produce a textual representation of said unique utterance.

63. The apparatus of claim 62 further comprising means for comparing said textual representation to said unique affirmation script.

64. The apparatus of claim 63 further comprising means for prompting said user to re-utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script, if said textual representation does not match said unique affirmation script.

65. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said means for associating comprises means for storing said authentication voice sample in association with said file.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said means for storing comprises means for receiving signals produced in response to an utterance by said user and for storing, as said authentication voice sample, data representing said signals.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said means for storing comprises means for storing said sample in association with an object in said file.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein said means for storing comprises means for storing said sample in association with a representation of a signature of said user.

69. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said means for storing comprises means for storing said sample in said file.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 wherein said means for storing said sample in said file comprises means for storing said sample in an embedded stream in said file.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 wherein said means for storing in an embedded stream comprises means for storing said sample in an object pool portion of a document file.

72. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for storing a timestamp in association with said authentication voice sample.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 further comprising means for retrieving said timestamp from a remote time server.

74. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for storing a validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 further comprising means for generating said validation value in response to contents of said file.

76. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said means for generating said validation value comprises means for executing a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

77. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

78. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

79. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

80. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein said means for storing said validation value comprises means for encrypting said validation value to produce an encrypted validation value and for storing said encrypted validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

81. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for storing a hyperlink in association with said authentication voice sample.

82. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for activating a revision history feature of said file when said authentication voice sample has been associated with said file.

83. The apparatus of claim 49 further comprising means for validating said authentication voice sample.

84. The apparatus of claim 83 wherein said means for validating comprises means for indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

85. An authentication apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an authentication voice sample, of a user of a file, associated with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file; and

means for validating said authentication voice sample.

86. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein said means for validating comprises means for audibly playing said authentication voice sample.

87. The apparatus of claim 86 wherein said means for validating further comprises means for displaying a unique affirmation script indicative of expected contents of said authentication voice sample.

88. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein said means for validating comprises means for indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

89. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein said means for validating comprises means for generating a validation value in response to contents of said file and for comparing said validation value to a stored validation value associated with said authentication voice sample.

90. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for generating a validation value comprises means for executing a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

91. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

92. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

93. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

94. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for validating further comprises means for decrypting an encrypted stored validation value to extract said stored validation value.

95. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for validating further comprises means for indicating validity of said authentication voice sample if said validation value matches said stored validation value, and for otherwise indicating invalidity of said authentication voice sample.

96. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein said means for validating comprises means for comparing signals representing said authentication voice sample to signals representing a comparison voice sample of said user.

97. A computer-readable medium storing codes for directing a processor circuit to:

receive an authentication voice sample of a user of a file; and

associate said authentication voice sample with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file.

98. The medium of claim 97 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to associate, as said authentication voice sample, a unique utterance uttered by the user.

99. The medium of claim 98 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate a unique affirmation script.

100. The medium of claim 99 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select an entry in a lexicon.

101. The medium of claim 100 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate a random number and to use said number to address an entry location in said lexicon.

102. The medium of claim 99 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate a random phrase.

103. The medium of claim 102 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate a random sentence.

104. The medium of claim 99 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select a plurality of words and to assemble said words into said script.

105. The medium of claim 104 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select a verb from a verb lexicon.

106. The medium of claim 104 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select a noun from a noun lexicon.

107. The medium of claim 104 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select an adjective from an adjective lexicon.

108. The medium of claim 104 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to randomly select a preposition from a preposition lexicon.

109. The medium of claim 99 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to prompt said user to utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script.

110. The medium of claim 109 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to speech-to-text convert said unique utterance to produce a textual representation of said unique utterance.

111. The medium of claim 110 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to compare said textual representation to said unique affirmation script.

112. The medium of claim 111 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to prompt said user to re-utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script, if said textual representation does not match said unique affirmation script.

113. The medium of claim 97 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said authentication voice sample in association with said file.

114. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to receive signals produced in response to an utterance by said user and to store, as said authentication voice sample, data representing said signals.

115. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said sample in association with an object in said file.

116. The medium of claim 115 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said sample in association with a representation of a signature of said user.

117. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said sample in said file.

118. The medium of claim 117 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said sample in an embedded stream in said file.

119. The medium of claim 118 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store said sample in an object pool portion of a document file.

120. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store a timestamp in association with said authentication voice sample.

121. The medium of claim 120 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to retrieve said timestamp from a remote time server.

122. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store a validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

123. The medium of claim 122 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file.

124. The medium of claim 123 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to execute a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

125. The medium of claim 123 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

126. The medium of claim 123 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

127. The medium of claim 123 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

128. The medium of claim 122 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to encrypt said validation value to produce an encrypted validation value and to store said encrypted validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

129. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to store a hyperlink in association with said authentication voice sample.

130. The medium of claim 113 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to activate a revision history feature of said file when said authentication voice sample has been associated with said file.

131. The medium of claim 97 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to validate said authentication voice sample.

132. The medium of claim 131 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

133. A computer-readable medium storing codes for directing a processor circuit to:

receive an authentication voice sample of a user of a file, associated with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file; and

validate said authentication voice sample.

134. The medium of claim 133 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to audibly play said authentication voice sample.

135. The medium of claim 134 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to display a unique affirmation script indicative of expected contents of said authentication voice sample.

136. The medium of claim 133 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

137. The medium of claim 133 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate a validation value in response to contents of said file and to compare said validation value to a stored validation value associated with said authentication voice sample.

138. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to execute a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

139. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

140. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

141. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

142. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to decrypt an encrypted stored validation value to extract said stored validation value.

143. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to indicate validity of said authentication voice sample if said validation value matches said stored validation value, and to otherwise indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample.

144. The medium of claim 137 wherein said codes direct said processor circuit to compare signals representing said authentication voice sample to signals representing a comparison voice sample of said user.

145. A signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal comprising code segments for directing a processor circuit to:

receive an authentication voice sample of a user of a file; and

associate said authentication voice sample with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file.

146. The signal of claim 145 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to associate, as said authentication voice sample, a unique utterance uttered by the user.

147. The signal of claim 146 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate a unique affirmation script.

148. The signal of claim 147 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select an entry in a lexicon.

149. The signal of claim 148 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate a random number and to use said number to address an entry location in said lexicon.

150. The signal of claim 147 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate a random phrase.

151. The signal of claim 150 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate a random sentence.

152. The signal of claim 147 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select a plurality of words and to assemble said words into said script.

153. The signal of claim 152 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select a verb from a verb lexicon.

154. The signal of claim 152 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select a noun from a noun lexicon.

155. The signal of claim 152 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select an adjective from an adjective lexicon.

156. The signal of claim 152 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to randomly select a preposition from a preposition lexicon.

157. The signal of claim 147 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to prompt said user to utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script.

158. The signal of claim 157 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to speech-to-text convert said unique utterance to produce a textual representation of said unique utterance.

159. The signal of claim 158 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to compare said textual representation to said unique affirmation script.

160. The signal of claim 159 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to prompt said user to re-utter, as said unique utterance, said unique affirmation script, if said textual representation does not match said unique affirmation script.

161. The signal of claim 145 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said authentication voice sample in association with said file.

162. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to receive signals produced in response to an utterance by said user and to store, as said authentication voice sample, data representing said signals.

163. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said sample in association with an object in said file.

164. The signal of claim 163 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said sample in association with a representation of a signature of said user.

165. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said sample in said file.

166. The signal of claim 165 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said sample in an embedded stream in said file.

167. The signal of claim 166 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store said sample in an object pool portion of a document file.

168. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store a timestamp in association with said authentication voice sample.

169. The signal of claim 168 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to retrieve said timestamp from a remote time server.

170. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store a validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

171. The signal of claim 170 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file.

172. The signal of claim 171 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to execute a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

173. The signal of claim 171 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

174. The signal of claim 171 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

175. The signal of claim 171 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

176. The signal of claim 170 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to encrypt said validation value to produce an encrypted validation value and to store said encrypted validation value in association with said authentication voice sample.

177. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to store a hyperlink in association with said authentication voice sample.

178. The signal of claim 161 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to activate a revision history feature of said file when said authentication voice sample has been associated with said file.

179. The signal of claim 145 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to validate said authentication voice sample.

180. The signal of claim 179 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

181. A signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal comprising code segments for directing a processor circuit to:

receive an authentication voice sample of a user of a file, associated with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file; and

validate said authentication voice sample.

182. The signal of claim 181 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to audibly play said authentication voice sample.

183. The signal of claim 182 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to display a unique affirmation script indicative of expected contents of said authentication voice sample.

184. The signal of claim 181 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample if approved contents of said file have changed subsequent to association of said authentication voice sample with said file to approve said approved contents.

185. The signal of claim 181 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate a validation value in response to contents of said file and to compare said validation value to a stored validation value associated with said authentication voice sample.

186. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to execute a hashing function to produce a digital digest as said validation value.

187. The signal of claim 186 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to a unique affirmation script portion of said file.

188. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of a text portion, a unique affirmation script portion, a signature image portion and an authentication voice sample portion of said file.

189. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to generate said validation value in response to contents of said file excluding authentication objects that comprise authentication voice samples other than said authentication voice sample.

190. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to decrypt an encrypted stored validation value to extract said stored validation value.

191. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to indicate validity of said authentication voice sample if said validation value matches said stored validation value, and to otherwise indicate invalidity of said authentication voice sample.

192. The signal of claim 185 wherein said code segments direct said processor circuit to compare signals representing said authentication voice sample to signals representing a comparison voice sample of said user.

193. An authentication apparatus comprising a processor circuit configured to:

receive an authentication voice sample of a user of a file; and

associate said authentication voice sample with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file.

194. An authentication apparatus comprising a processor circuit configured to:

receive an authentication voice sample, of a user of a file, associated with said file to indicate approval by said user of contents of said file; and

validate said authentication voice sample.