SYSTEM, METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR MANAGING INFORMATION

• US 20060242088A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: YAMAMOTO, MASARU, Sugimoto, Kazutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials

Abstract

To create signature data which certifies the time when information existed and add it to the information more efficiently than before. A time certification system for certifying the time when information existed, comprising: an identity certification data acquisition section for acquiring identity certification data generated based on the information to certify the identity of the information; a time certification data generation section for observing a target object changing with time elapse from the outside and generating time certification data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation, in response to an instruction received from a user; a signature data generation section for generating signature data indicating that the information existed at the time when the target object was observed, based on combination of the identity certification data and the time certification data; and an information recording section for recording the signature data in association with the information.

Claims

1. ) A system for managing information, comprising:

a first data acquisition section for acquiring first data generated based on the information to certify the identity of the information;

a second data generation section for observing a target object changing with time elapse from outside the system and generating second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation, in response to an instruction received from a first user;

a signature data generation section for generating signature data indicating that the information existed at the time when the target object was observed, based on combination of the first data and the second data; and

an information recording section for recording the signature data in association with the information.

2. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second data generation section observes a target object changing with a specific time elapse and generates second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation.

3. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein the second data generation section observes predetermined natural phenomena and generates second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation.

4. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein the second data generation section acquires image data obtained by taking images of a target object changing with time elapse, as the observation data.

5. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein the second data generation section acquires a broadcast signal obtained by receiving predetermined broadcast, as the observation data.

6. ) The system according to claim 2, wherein the second data generation section observes data sent from a server apparatus connected to a communication network and generates second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation.

7. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second data generation section acquires multiple observation data by observing each of multiple target objects, and generates the second data by extracting data from each of the multiple observation data by a predetermined extraction method for each target object, as extracted data, and combining the multiple extracted data by a predetermined combination method.

8. ) The system according to claim 7, wherein

the multiple target objects include a first target object and a second target object;

and

the first target object and the second target object are different from each other.

9. ) The system according to claim 7, wherein

the multiple target objects include a first target object and a second target object;

the extraction method corresponding to the first target object is a first extraction method and the extraction method corresponding to the second target object is a second extraction method; and

the first extraction method and the second extraction method are different from each other.

10. ) The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an observation history recording section for sequentially observing the target object as time elapses and recording observation data obtained as a result of the observation in association with the observation time;

an information acquisition section for acquiring the information and the signature data recorded in the information recording section, in response to an instruction from a second user to validate the time when the information existed; and

a determination section for retrieving observation data corresponding to the time to be validated from the observation history recording section and determining whether or not the information existed at the time based on the retrieved observation data, the acquired information and signature data.

11. ) The system according to claim 10, wherein

the signature data generation section further includes the observation time when the target object was observed to acquire the second data, in addition to the first data and the second data, to generate signature data;

and

the determination section extracts the observation time from the signature data and retrieves observation data corresponding to the extracted observation time from the observation history recording section.

12. ) The system according to claim 10, wherein

the signature data generation section generates the signature data by encrypting the combination of the first data and the second data with an encryption key to be decrypted by the determination section;

and

the determination section extracts the first data and the second data by decrypting the signature data.

13. ) The system according to claim 10, wherein

the signature data generation section generates the signature data by encrypting the combination of the first data and the second data with a public key of a public key infrastructure;

and

the determination section extracts the first data and the second data by decrypting the signature data with a private key of the public key infrastructure.

14. ) The system according to claim 10, further comprising a list acquisition section for acquiring a list of target objects in which multiple target objects are specified in a predetermined order from the determination section;

wherein

the second data generation section sequentially observes each of the multiple target objects included in the list of target objects in the predetermined order and, subject to acquisition of observation data from any of the target objects, generates second data based on the observation data; and

the determination section determines, if it is determined that the information existed at the time when the observation data was observed, based on observation data of any target object specified in the list of target objects, that the information existed at the time.

15. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein, if, during processing of acquiring the observation data to generate the second data, it is determined that the content of the processing is being analyzed, the second date generation section terminates the processing.

16. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second data generation section observes a target object changing with time elapse from an external observation apparatus in response to an instruction received from the first user, acquires observation data from the observation apparatus via secure communication subject to success in mutual authentication between the observation apparatus and the second generation section, and generates second data based on the observation data.

17. ) A program for causing an information processor to function as a system for recording signature data indicating that information existed at a particular time, in association with the information;

the program causing the information processor to function as;

a first data acquisition section for acquiring first data generated based on the information to certify the identity of the information;

a second data generation section for observing a target object changing with time elapse from outside the system and generating second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation, in response to an instruction received from a first user;

a signature data generation section for generating signature data indicating that the information existed at the time when the target object was observed, based on combination of the first data and the second data; and

an information recording section for recording the signature data in association with the information.

18. ) A method to be applied to a system provided with an information management apparatus for adding signature data to information and a determination apparatus for determining the validity of the signature data;

the method comprising, in the information management apparatus, the steps of;

acquiring first data generated based on the information to certify the identity of the information;

observing a target object changing with time elapse from outside the information management apparatus and generating second data based on observation data obtained as a result of the observation, in response to an instruction received from a first user;

generating signature data indicating that the information existed at the time when the target object was observed, based on combination of the first data and the second data; and

recording the signature data in association with the information; and

the method comprising, in the determination apparatus, the steps of;

sequentially observing the target object as time elapses and recording observation data obtained by the observation in association with the observation time;

acquiring the information and the signature data recorded in the information management apparatus from the information management apparatus, in response to an instruction from a second user to the effect that the time when the information existed should be certified; and

retrieving observation data corresponding to the time to be certified from the observation data obtained by sequential observation and determining whether or not the information existed at the time based on the retrieved observation data, the acquired information and signature data.

19. ) The method according to claim 18, comprising a step of providing the information management apparatus for the first user.

20. ) The method according to claim 19, comprising a step of providing the determination apparatus for the second user.