SECURE AND RECOVERABLE DATABASE FOR ON-LINE VALUE-BEARING ITEM SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An on-line system for printing value bearing items (VBI) comprising:
- a server sub-system configured to communicate with a plurality of users over a communication network, the server sub-system comprising;
a secure database remote from the users including a data record for each of the users, wherein each data record is protected by a key; and
a plurality of stateless cryptographic devices, each of the plurality of stateless cryptographic devices configured to perform authentication, processing value for the VBI, and generation of indicia data for the plurality of users, wherein before each of the authentication, processing value, and generation of indicia data for a given user is performed, an available cryptographic device in the server sub-system retrieves the data record for the given user directly from the database and uses the key to verify the retrieved data record, and wherein after the authentication, processing value, and generation of indicia data are performed, a printer is instructed to print the VBI.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An on-line value bearing item (VBI) printing system that includes one or more cryptographic modules and a secure database is disclosed. The secure database includes account balances and other information for all of the on-line value-bearing item system customers and is capable of preventing access by unauthorized users. Also, a secure communication network is in operation to prevent unauthorized access to the users'"'"' data stored in the database.
A plurality of subsystems located on the server system side of the on-line VBI system provide services related to purchasing, accounting, and printing of VBI. In addition to the secure database, the server system includes one or more cryptographic modules for authenticating, processing value for the VBI, and generating indicia data for the plurality of users.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An on-line system for printing value bearing items (VBI) comprising:
a server sub-system configured to communicate with a plurality of users over a communication network, the server sub-system comprising; a secure database remote from the users including a data record for each of the users, wherein each data record is protected by a key; and a plurality of stateless cryptographic devices, each of the plurality of stateless cryptographic devices configured to perform authentication, processing value for the VBI, and generation of indicia data for the plurality of users, wherein before each of the authentication, processing value, and generation of indicia data for a given user is performed, an available cryptographic device in the server sub-system retrieves the data record for the given user directly from the database and uses the key to verify the retrieved data record, and wherein after the authentication, processing value, and generation of indicia data are performed, a printer is instructed to print the VBI. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for securely printing value-bearing items (VBI) via a communication network and a server system including a plurality of stateless cryptographic devices, the method comprising:
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interfacing with a plurality of users remote from the plurality of stateless cryptographic devices, via the communication network; protecting a data record for each of the plurality of users using a key; storing the protected data record for each of the plurality of users in a database remote from the plurality of users; using the key to verify the retrieved data record; authenticating a given user, processing value for the VBI and generating indicia data for the given user, by any available cryptographic device of the plurality of stateless cryptographic devices; updating the data record and storing the updated data record for the given user in the database; and transmitting an indicia over the communication network to be printed with the VBI. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification