DIGITAL SIGNATURE COLLECTION AND AUTHENTICATION

• US 20110090182A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jianping Xu
• Original Assignee: Jianping Xu
• Inventors: Xu, Jianping
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/37 based only on signature signals such as velocity or pressure, e.g. dynamic signature recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature

Abstract

A digital signature collection and authentication system includes an ink pen having an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receivers. A computer triangulates the location of the pen versus time to generate the signature shape, and to generate velocity and acceleration data. The pen also includes a pressure sensitive tip to record pressure applied to the pen tip. The pen also includes a higher frequency burst transmitter useful to generate a time reference, and to transmit the pressure information. The computer packetizes the shape, velocity, acceleration, and pressure data with a time stamp and an IP address or phone number, encrypts the packet and sends it to a host computer for authentication.

Claims

1. A digital signature collection system comprising:

a first ultrasonic sensor;

a second ultrasonic sensor mountable on a surface a distance from the first ultrasonic sensor;

an electromagnetic sensor; and

a pen having a pressure sensitive tip to generate a pressure signal, the pressure sensitive tip coupled to a pressure activated switch, wherein the pressure activated switch is operable to turn on an ultrasonic transmitter when pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive tip, the pen also including an ink cartridge to dispense ink, the pen being configured to transmit ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic sensors and to transmit electromagnetic energy to the electromagnetic sensor.

2. The digital signature collection system of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic sensor is an infrared sensor;

and

the electromagnetic energy is infrared energy.

3. The digital signature collection system of claim 1 further comprising:

logic to determine a position of the pen based on information received at the first and second ultrasonic sensors.

4. The digital signature collection system of claim 3 wherein

the logic is configured to receive time-of-arrival data from the first and second ultrasonic sensors, and configured to receive pressure signal information from the electromagnetic sensor.

5. The digital signature collection system of claim 3 wherein

the logic is further configured to determine a plurality of positions of the pen versus time, a plurality of velocities of the pen versus time, and a plurality of accelerations of the pen versus time.

6. The digital signature collection system of claim 1 wherein

the ultrasonic transmitter emits ultrasonic energy between substantially forty kilohertz and eighty kilohertz.

7. The digital signature collection system of claim 1 wherein

the ultrasonic transmitter comprises a piezoelectric material.

8. The digital signature collection system of claim 7 wherein

the piezoelectric material is arranged in a cylinder.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

in a system comprising

a first ultrasonic sensor;

a second ultrasonic sensor mountable on a surface a distance from the first ultrasonic sensor;

an electromagnetic sensor; and

a pen having a pressure sensitive tip to generate a pressure signal, the pressure sensitive tip coupled to a pressure activated switch, wherein the pressure activated switch is operable to turn on an ultrasonic transmitter when pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive tip, the pen also including an ink cartridge to dispense ink, the pen being configured to transmit ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic sensors and to transmit electromagnetic energy to the electromagnetic sensor,

transmitting ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic sensors in response to pressure being applied to the pressure sensitive tip; and

transmitting electromagnetic energy to the electromagnetic sensor in response to pressure being applied to the pressure sensitive tip.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein

the electromagnetic sensor is an infrared sensor;

and

the electromagnetic energy is infrared energy.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining a position of the pen based on information received at the first and second ultrasonic sensors.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving time-of-arrival data from the first and second ultrasonic sensors; and

receiving pressure signal information from the electromagnetic sensor.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining a plurality of positions of the pen versus time, a plurality of velocities of the pen versus time, and a plurality of accelerations of the pen versus time.

14. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium that contains instructions of a system comprising

a first ultrasonic sensor;

a second ultrasonic sensor mountable on a surface a distance from the first ultrasonic sensor;

an electromagnetic sensor; and

a pen having a pressure sensitive tip to generate a pressure signal, the pressure sensitive tip coupled to a pressure activated switch, wherein the pressure activated switch is operable to turn on an ultrasonic transmitter when pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive tip, the pen also including an ink cartridge to dispense ink, the pen being configured to transmit ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic sensors and to transmit electromagnetic energy to the electromagnetic sensor,

wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

transmitting ultrasonic energy to the first and second ultrasonic sensors in response to pressure being applied to the pressure sensitive tip; and

transmitting electromagnetic energy to the electromagnetic sensor in response to pressure being applied to the pressure sensitive tip.

15. The article of claim 14 wherein

the electromagnetic sensor is an infrared sensor;

and

the electromagnetic energy is infrared energy.

16. The article of claim 14 wherein the instructions further cause the system to perform operations comprising:

determining a position of the pen based on information received at the first and second ultrasonic sensors.

17. The article of claim 14 wherein the instructions further cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving time-of-arrival data from the first and second ultrasonic sensors; and

receiving pressure signal information from the electromagnetic sensor.

18. The article of claim 14 wherein the instructions further cause the system to perform operations comprising:

determining a plurality of positions of the pen versus time, a plurality of velocities of the pen versus time, and a plurality of accelerations of the pen versus time.