Systems and Methods Facilitating Communication with Remote Computers

• US 20080215636A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: MacIntosh, Brian T., Seder, Phillip Andrew, Lofgren, Neil E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32154 Transform domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3235 Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently

Abstract

A variety of systems and embodiments are disclosed. One embodiment provides a method including: maintaining a database including a plurality of records stored therein; obtaining first information derived from image or video data, the first information being derived remotely relative to performance of said method, the first information comprising a reduced-bit representation of the image or video data itself; determining whether the first information has been previously received with reference to at least the plurality of records stored in the database; and disregarding a request or action associated with the first information if the first information has been previously received. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well.

Claims

1. A method utilizing a communications system, the system including a central computer, a first computer, a second, remote computer and a financial institution computer, the first computer comprising a reader, each of the computers communicating with a network, said method comprising:

accessing the second, remote computer from the first computer;

launching on the first computer the reader to read an object comprising embedded, hidden data, the reader extracting identifying data from the embedded, hidden data;

accessing the central computer from the first computer to obtain a URL or pointer for the financial institution computer and a ticket, the URL or pointer being identified from the extracted identifying data;

passing the ticket from the first computer to the financial institution computer to obtain an authorization;

after receipt of the authorization, passing the authorization from the first computer to the second, remote computer; and

passing the authorization from the second, remote computer to the financial institution computer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying data comprises a document identifier and a document type identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ticket comprises a document identifier, a timestamp and an address for the user computer.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising encrypting the ticket.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising encrypting the authorization.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the document identifier is encrypted to allow access to the document identifier only by the financial institution.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said authorization comprises a document identifier, an address of the second, remote computer, an address of the first computer, a timestamp and an amount of a transaction.

8. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A method comprising:

maintaining a database including a plurality of records stored therein;

obtaining first information derived from image or video data, the first information being derived remotely relative to performance of said method, the first information comprising a reduced-bit representation of the image or video data itself;

determining whether the first information has been previously received with reference to at least the plurality of records stored in the database;

disregarding a request or action associated with the first information if the first information has been previously received.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of records comprises information derived from image or video data themselves, the information comprising at least one reduced-bit representation of its respective image or video data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein presence of the first information in the database suggests an attack against the database or a system utilizing the database.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first information comprises a hash.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of records are refreshed after a predetermined time period.

14. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 9.

15. A method of determining an attack comprising:

obtaining data representing at least a human biometric;

computing a first hash of obtained data;

comparing the first hash with a plurality of stored hashes, the plurality of stored hashes comprising hashes corresponding to previously obtained data; and

identifying an attack if the first hash matches at least one hash of the plurality of hashes.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising preventing an action or entry if an attack is identified.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of hashes are refreshed after a predetermined time period.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising adding the first hash to the plurality of hashes if the first hash does not match any of the plurality of hashes.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 15.