Method and apparatus for preparing and verifying documents

• US 20080101601A1
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Anil, Ramani, Srinivasan, Goel, Darpan
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/51
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/003 using security elements using digital security elements G07D7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/005 Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A method for preparing and verifying a document, comprising the steps of: presenting the document to a document-registering office in a machine-readable format; editing the document to add an identification code associated with a non-copiable object; signing the edited document using a private key of the document-registering office; printing the digitally signed document in a machine-readable form; presenting the document and the object to an inspecting authority; recovering the digitally signed document from the machine-readable form of the printed document; verifying the digital signature of the document-registering office; and verifying that the identification code in the document corresponds to that of the presented object.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a verifiable document, comprising the steps of:

presenting the document to a document-registering office in a machine-readable format;

editing the document to add an identification code associated with an object;

signing the edited document using a private key of the document-registering office; and

printing the digitally signed document in a machine-readable format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a digital device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital device is a smart card.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein editing the document further comprises editing the content of the document to add a note that the document provides a proof of ownership or entitlement only when it is presented for inspection along with the object having the specified identification code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable format in which the digitally signed document is printed is a barcode.

6. A method for verifying a document prepared using a method as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising:

presenting the document and the object to an inspecting authority;

recovering the digitally signed document from the machine-readable part of the printed document;

verifying the digital signature of the document-registering office; and

verifying the identification code in the document corresponds to that of the presented object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a scanner is used to recover the digitally signed document from the machine-readable part of the document.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a public key of the document-registering office is used to verify the paper document forming part of the NCOP.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the object is a digital device, the method comprising verifying whether the digital device is able to affix digital signatures verifiable with its public key.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising verifying the digital certificate of the digital device from the certification authority which issued the digital certificate.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of verifying the identification code of the digital device includes comparing its identification code with the identification code specified in the document.

15. Apparatus for verifying a document prepared using a method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

means for recovering the digitally signed document from the machine-readable form of the printed document;

means for verifying the digital signature of the document-registering office; and

means for verifying the identification code in the document corresponds to that of the presented object.

16. A computer program which performs the method of claim 1.

12. Apparatus for preparing a verifiable document coupled to a unique object comprising:

means for presenting the document to a document-registering office in a machine-readable form;

means for editing the document to add an identification code associated with the object;

means for signing the edited document using a private key of the document-registering office; and

means for incorporating the digitally signed document in a machine-readable form as a part of the paper document.

13. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for editing the document further comprises editing the content of the document to add a note that the document provides a proof of ownership or entitlement only when it is presented for inspection along with the object having the specified identification code

14. Apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for incorporating the digitally signed document in a machine-readable form comprises printing the digitally signed document as a barcode or any other suitable means.