Digital recording system with time-bracketed authentication by on-line challenges and method of authenticating recordings
First Claim
1. An interactive recording apparatus with time-bracketed authentication by on-line challenges comprising:
- a receiver responsive to periodically transmitted unpredictable challenges to influence evidence being recorded in such a way as to produce a recordable effect;
a recorder recording said evidence including the recordable effect and generating a digital recorded signal; and
a transmitter at said receiver for transmitting authenticating information derived from said digital recorded signal to a trusted repository for storage, the time of storage of the challenges at the trusted challenge repository and the time of storage of the authenticating information at the trusted repository establishing a time bracket that is sufficiently short as to make it difficult or impossible for a would-be fabricator to simulate the recorded effects of the challenges in real-time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method produce a videotape or other recording that cannot be pre- or post-dated, nor altered, nor easily fabricated by electronically combining pre-recorded material. In order to prevent such falsification, the camera or other recording apparatus periodically receives certifiably unpredictable signals ("challenges") from a trusted source, causes these signals to influence the scene being recorded, then periodically forwards a digest of the ongoing digital recording to a trusted repository. The unpredictable challenges prevent pre-dating of the recording before the time of the challenge, while the storage of a digest prevents post-dating of the recording after the time the digest was received by the repository. Meanwhile, the interaction of the challenge with the evidence being recorded presents a formidable obstacle to real-time falsification of the scene or system, forcing the would-be falsifier to simulate or render the effects of this interaction in the brief time interval between arrival of the challenge and archiving of the digest at the repository.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An interactive recording apparatus with time-bracketed authentication by on-line challenges comprising:
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a receiver responsive to periodically transmitted unpredictable challenges to influence evidence being recorded in such a way as to produce a recordable effect; a recorder recording said evidence including the recordable effect and generating a digital recorded signal; and a transmitter at said receiver for transmitting authenticating information derived from said digital recorded signal to a trusted repository for storage, the time of storage of the challenges at the trusted challenge repository and the time of storage of the authenticating information at the trusted repository establishing a time bracket that is sufficiently short as to make it difficult or impossible for a would-be fabricator to simulate the recorded effects of the challenges in real-time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A time-bracketing authentication system comprising:
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a trusted source of incompletely predictable challenges; a trusted challenge repository for archiving and assuring time of receipt of said challenges; an interactive digital recording apparatus responsive to the challenges to influence recording of evidence as it is being recorded in such a way as to produce a digital record of said evidence, including recorded effects of the challenges; and a trusted repository for archiving and assuring time of receipt of authenticating information derived from said digital record. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An interactive digital recording method comprising the steps of:
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receiving transmitted unpredictable challenges and influencing evidence being recorded in such a way as to produce a recordable effect; recording said evidence including the recordable effect and generating a digital recorded signal; and transmitting authenticating information derived from said digital recorded signal to a trusted repository for storage, the time of storage of the challenges at the trusted challenge repository and the time of storage of the authenticating information at the trusted repository establishing a time bracket that is sufficiently short as to make it difficult or impossible for a would-be fabricator to simulate the recorded effects of the challenges in real-time. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification